three great weekends in a row

It's been a great month so far as we reconnected with people we hadn't seen in a while. We also had two parties for Mother's Day — one at Mom's friend Catherine's house, and the other at ours!

An overdue visit

You may recall we had planned to see our family friend George last year on New Year's Eve. However, he was very conscious about COVID-19 at the time and didn't want anyone over. But now that the situation has gotten a lot better, George was happy to have us visit him this time. He said he was so excited to see us that he barely had any sleep. I was just as thrilled as this was our first time seeing each other since 2019 due to the pandemic.

Mom brought some food so George didn't have to cook for us. We then had some ice cream and coffee afterwards. George also gave us some books that Eileen would have wanted us to have. On the whole, the day couldn't have been better.

Mother's Day

Another highlight is my mom's new friend Catherine invited us to her house on the 13th for a get-together. She made several great dishes, and we were full in no time. I then played RuneScape on my phone as there was no one my age, but overall enjoyed the atmosphere.

Some time later, Catherine mentioned she was having a problem setting up a new printer. Dad asked me to take a look because I'm good with computers. I was able to get the printer to work after installing a generic driver. I figure I must have saved Catherine and her husband around a hundred dollars. Or at least that's what Geek Squad charges for similar services. :P

It was our turn to host the next day. Mom invited several friends — both old and new — over for a Mother's Day lunch. She made lots of delicious food as usual. One highlight is that Jenny brought a green tea cake from her friend's bakery. Everyone loved it so "matcha." See what I did there?

Two more get-togethers

This weekend was also great as we went to George's house a second time. Dad had promised George we would help him clear out the overgrown bamboo in his garden. George got us some Japanese food and desserts while Mom brought a homemade salad. It was great to see get together again in just two weeks!

As we were on the way to George's house, my cousin Connie called to tell us that she was in town and wanted to meet up. Our original plan was to have a picnic near my aunt Cynthia's house in Cupertino. However, they decided to invite us inside as it was quite warm outside. Connie treated us to some ravioli and a mango custard cake. I wasn't expecting to see her and Cynthia this summer, so this was quite a pleasant surprise. :-)

However, there's also been some bad news: my aunt Yu-Hua informed us a week ago that Uncle Yeh-Wei was diagnosed with cancer. We're still not sure how far it's progressed as they are awaiting further tests. The good news is this form of cancer is generally considered treatable, but it's still no joke as my cousin Cathy's paternal grandfather-in-law died from it not too long ago. Here's to hoping Yeh-Wei beats the disease!

Currently listening to: "Rocket Man" by Elton John

our first "normal" Thanksgiving since 2019

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I certainly did because we hadn't had a "normal" Thanksgiving in three years. It also helps that my company had a great Thanksgiving lunch the day before. :-)

Thursday

Our original idea was to invite my aunt Cynthia and cousin Connie to dinner at our house. But life sometimes has different plans. Connie had signed up for a turkey trot and couldn't come, and Cynthia had already accepted an invitation to a potluck at someone else's house. I figured we would be spending Thanksgiving alone.

However, the good news is that Connie later called and said she still wanted to see us. We were more than happy to oblige and invited her over to our house on Friday for lunch. Another highlight is we got to see Cynthia after all. Even though she couldn't stay for dinner, she still came to visit us twice — once in the afternoon and once after the event ended. So that was nice.

Friday

I was thrilled to catch up with Connie as we hadn't seen each other since Cathy's wedding three summers ago. Mom made us lots of good food as she always does. Even though it was just the four of us, everyone had a great time. We also wanted to invite Cynthia over, but she was in Carmel for a day hike. However, she did want to see us again and invited us to go over to her house the next day for dinner. As you could imagine, this was a pleasant surprise.

Saturday

We took a stroll to World Market after breakfast as we hadn't been there in a while. I got some potato crisps from the UK as well as several chocolate bars. Despite the food prices these days, the items weren't too expensive.

I also helped my dad pick the apples and persimmons from our trees. He wanted to harvest the fruit before the birds got to them. One great thing is that two people working together can get things done in half the time.

All of us then headed to Cynthia's place. It was certainly a pleasure to see her and Connie again. Cynthia made us a nice hot pot dinner, complete with cod and lobster. I wasn't hungry at first because dinner started around 5 p.m. or so, but that didn't matter because everything was really good. She also brought out a Basque cheesecake for dessert — which was absolutely delicious. We then had a great time talking about music and the arts. Although my uncle Dong didn't join us for reasons I'd rather not discuss, that didn't make the evening any less enjoyable.

Dad wanted to leave shortly after 7 p.m. as Cynthia also goes to bed early nowadays. As much as I wanted to stay longer, Cynthia looked a little tired. Of course, that's not a problem because we have plans to get together again around Christmas. :-)

Sunday

We didn't do a lot on Sunday as we had already done so much in the past three days. However, my family did go for a stroll in our neighhborhood twice. I also completed some quests on an alt account in RuneScape as well as studied some Python.

On the whole, our Thanksgiving break was much better than expected. I definitely can't wait to see my cousin Cathy and her husband Andrew in December. Less than two weeks to go!

Currently listening to: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys

a quiet 36th birthday

I turned 36 today. It's hard to believe I'm more than halfway between 30 and 40 years old. One thing for sure is that time goes really fast... maybe a little too fast sometimes. I defintely don't feel like the young man who just graduated from college anymore.

Like the previous year, there wasn't much to do as the pandemic is still far from over. However, the nice thing is we went for a hike in the morning before it got too hot outside. Another highlight is that Mom made us a nice dinner. We had ramen noodles with shrimp and all the fixings. The three of us then had a short rest before Mom brought out a birthday cupcake that she got for me.

So yeah... this wasn't a bad birthday after all. Hope I can celebrate with friends in person next year. :-)

Currently listening to: Piano Sonata No. 16 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

two holiday gatherings!

Today was pretty exciting as we invited my cousin Cathy and her husband Andrew over for lunch. I had hoped to have them over for Thanksgiving as they were also in the Bay Area at the time, but we already had something else lined up. At any rate, this mini family reunion was something we had all looked forward to.

Mom made lots of great food as she always does. At first we were worried that Andrew wouldn't like the food due to cultural differences, but that turned out not to be the case. Our original plan was to play Spikeball afterwards as it was really fun when we did it at Cathy's wedding this summer. However, that wasn't an option because it was raining outside. On the other hand, the three of us had a great time playing the card game Sushi Go! instead. I had never played it before, but it was quite easy to learn.

Of note is that the couple gave us a gift basket from Harry & David. This was quite nice, especially considering that we don't often get gift baskets. On the whole, this get-together was quite enjoyable. I definitely can't wait to see them again when they visit the Bay Area next summer.

The fun didn't end here as we also had our family friend Lily over for dinner. She wanted someone to cook for her as her husband was out on business, and we were more than happy to oblige. Although we probably won't be celebrating New Year's Eve as my father has had back pain for a while, I certainly can't complain about two holiday gatherings!

Intel Sports family picnic

I just got back from the Intel Sports family picnic. Considering that we didn't have one at my last job, this was my first time attending such an event in over two years. All of us definitely had a great time!

The event took place at Saratoga Springs. It's apparently a popular venue because Amazon Lab126 had events here too. Even my college friends Danny and Caitlin got married at Saratoga Springs last year.

Although we're a fairly small group, many people from my team showed up. I was afraid my parents would feel awkward as the event was geared towards families with kids, but they enjoyed meeting my boss and co-workers. It definitely helps that Dad's first job was at Intel. Of note is that a few other people were also ex-Intel employees. Dad says it felt like a company reunion.

Like at similar events, there were games for both kids and adults. It was fun to watch the water balloon toss and the water relay race. Afterwards, there was a big water fight with squirt guns and more water balloons. I think I was wise to stay out of the crossfire!

On the whole, the picnic was quite enjoyable. It's certainly one of the best company picnics to date. I'm looking forward to next year's event for sure.

Currently reading: The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

another great summer road trip

This past weekend was also nice as we took my aunts and uncle on another road trip, this time to Reno and Yosemite!

Day 1: racing to Reno

We left around 8:30 a.m. so there would be plenty of time when we arrived in Reno. It was very hot when we arrived due to a heat wave, so the afternoon was eventful aside for a stop at Costco for dinner. The best thing about Costco's food court is that everything is cheap. I also got some ice cream bites at our hotel. It was a little expensive but quite refreshing in the hot weather.

Dad later took us to Atlantis Casino Resort Spa to play the slots. One thing I noticed is that the slots at Atlantis seem to be "looser" - that is, they have a higher payout percentage and allow you to play longer. I think we spent around three hours at the casino. This was the best part of the trip even though we didn't hit any jackpots. As the saying goes: the house always wins.

Day 2: cars and more casinos

Having had so much fun at Atlantis the day before, Jill and Yu-Hua wanted to check out more local casinos. Therefore, Dad took us to Harrah's Reno after checking out of the hotel. The slots here were "tighter" than those at Atlantis, but we still had a good time.

We also made a stop at Carson City to let my aunts see the Nevada State Capitol. It turned out the building is closed on weekends, but that wasn't a problem as we still got some pictures. We also went to check out the Carson City Downtown Revival Car Show in the downtown. Some of the classic cars were really cool.

It was then time to head to our hotel in Bridgeport. Because it wasn't a very long drive, Dad made another stop at a small casino in Gardnerville. We decided to stay here for a while as it was quite hot outside. Although we didn't win anything here either, this was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Our hotel in Bridgeport was a nice lodge in the mountains. Though it didn't have the same amenities of our suite in Reno, the lodge was located right next to East Walker River and had great views. The plan was to visit Mono Lake after checking in, but we decided to save that for the next day as we were all a little tired.

Day 3: a hectic drive home

The day began with a stop at the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center. But because the car rental agency had a policy that returning the car after 10 p.m. would incur an extra day's charge, the plan was to get home before 9 p.m. Therefore, the six of us decided to skip Mono Lake and take pictures from a distance before heading directly to Yosemite.

Of note is that Yosemite National Park was very crowded this year. Because my aunt Yu-Hua and uncle Yeh-Wei had not been here before, Dad made sure to stop at the essential stops, such as Glacier Point and Bridalveil Fall. I had hoped to visit Soda Springs and Yosemite Village, but we decided to skip them due to time constraints. This was a bit disappointing that as I was really looking forward to seeing Soda Springs.

The trip home was uneventful besides a stop at Costco for gas and food. Dad then went to the airport to return the rental car. I helped with the unpacking before accompanying Mom to the airport to pick him up.

Conclusions

Vacations are always fun, but traveling with relatives makes them even better. Although my favorite part of the trip was playing the slots at Reno, I really enjoyed revisiting Yosemite as well. It's one of those places that never gets old. The only downside is that we we didn't get to go to all the places we wanted to see, particularly Soda Springs. As much as I want to go back to Yosemite, two trips there in such a short time is probably a bit excessive. :-)

Feel free check out the pictures from our trip.

Currently listening to: "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" by Lou Christie

Los Angeles trip report + congratulations to Andrew and Catherine!

"I'm not responsible if someone gets hurt." ⁠— me, after my cousins dragged me onto the dance floor

I had an awesome weekend as we went to Los Angeles for my cousin Cathy's wedding with my aunt Jill. Considering that we don't often get to see the Shiehs anymore, the family reunion was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. This was no doubt one of our best trips ever.

Day 1: a long-awaited family reunion

Dad wanted to start out early as the venue is over 360 miles from our house. Because there weren't many attractions along the route, our only stop along the way was Lost Hills for gas. The plan was to find a restaurant afterwards, but we decided to have a simple lunch in the car as there would so much food at the reception.

Due to the relatively light traffic ⁠— and our decision to not go to a restaurant ⁠— we arrived at our hotel much earlier than expected. Dad and I went to the front desk and were told that we could only check in after 3 p.m. However, management made an exception for us after hearing we had been on the road since 7 a.m. I truly appreciate their accommodation.

We had some rest before going to the nearby Longo Seafood Restaurant for the celebration. This was our first time seeing the Shiehs again since Connie's wedding five years ago. The reception began with a cocktail hour with appetizers and drinks. It was great to meet Cathy's husband Andrew and Connie's kids Dean and Desiree. I also got to meet Andrew's relatives and many of the couple's friends. The Frangos were especially friendly to us.

The MC invited the couple to perform their first dance before Andrew's and Cathy's relatives gave their toasts. They must have choreographed their dance because it was quite impressive. This was followed by a 10-course family-style dinner. Everything was absolutely delicious. The couple decided not to have a wedding cake, but that didn't make a difference because everyone was already full. There were actually enough leftovers to last us a few days!

The MC later asked everyone to gather together for a group picture before turning up the music and inviting people to dance. There were also games at each table, but people were more interested in dancing and socializing and barely touched the games. Connie and Cathy later insisted that I join them on the dance floor. Although I was very reluctant at first because I can't dance to save my life ⁠— especially when my RuneScape character is a better dancer than me ⁠— I eventually had to acquiesce. There was no way I was going to say no to my cousins. This turned out to be really fun and was the best part of our trip.

The only downside is that the dance ended early. Because many people have started leaving and the only ones on the dance floor were strangers, the couple decided to call it a day and suggested that we leave. This is unfortunate because there aren't many opportunities to dance outside of clubs, but the last thing we wanted was to make things difficult for the newlyweds.

Days 2 and 3: a sentimental farewell

All of us had trouble sleeping and ended up getting up around 6 a.m. There was more than enough time to get rest in our room. The breakfast at the hotel sucked as there were only pastries, but that wasn't an issue as we had leftovers from the night before.

We later headed to Griffith Park for the farewell picnic. I was pretty full from the leftovers and only had a single tamale and some drinks. However, there was more than enough time to chat with Andrew's and Cathy's friends. Even my parents had a great time talking to the Frangos. I also played Spikeball with the other young people. That was pretty fun.

As much as I wanted to spend more time with my cousins, all good things must come to an end. I'm not going to lie ⁠— three hours just weren't enough. Saying goodbye to the Shiehs and Frangos was the saddest part of the trip, especially knowing that it might be a long time before we see them again. I definitely hope they can visit the Bay Area in the not-too-distant future.

There was one place I wanted to visit before heading home: the nearby Griffith Observatory. Only Mom and I went in as Dad wasn't able to find a parking spot and Jill wanted to rest in the car. Therefore, I didn't want to stay too long and mainly focused on taking pictures. Of note is that the observatory is extremely popular during the summer. Getting from place to place was difficult due to the huge crowds. Where's Thanos when you need him? :-)

It was then time to head home after a busy trip. Because we left the observatory earlier than planned, Dad decided to use the extra time to take us to Costco after stopping for gas. I was getting a little hungry because I didn't eat much at the picnic, so we had some samples before continuing up north. The bad news is that there was much more traffic than we expected. The fact that there were no less than six accidents on I-5 didn't help the issue. On the bright side, we saw a colorful sunset on the way home. That was quite nice.

Mom and I went to In-N-Out Burger to get food after we stopped in Kettleman City for gas. The crazy thing is that both In-N-Out Burger and the nearby McDonald's were so crowded that people were sitting on the floor. This was like a scene straight out of a disaster movie. The good news is that there was little traffic for the last 100 miles, but it was still past midnight when we finally got home.

Conclusions

One thing that's hard to deny is that weddings are really fun. In addition to celebrating the love between two people, there's always great food and opportunities to socialize. Seeing my best friend get married was a most surreal experience. I'm so glad I got to celebrate Cathy's big day with her. On behalf of all of us, I'd like to congratulate the two and wish them all the best as they begin their life together.

Of note is that traveling to SoCal can be a pain in the ass. It would have been more relaxing to spend an extra day in Los Angeles, but we decided against it for several reasons. For one, Mom was concerned about the high crime rate and didn't want to stay longer than we needed to. She also needed to water our plants as our sprinkler system has been broken for a while. Perhaps the most important reason is that my company's current project's beta release is today and I wanted to be available in case any issues came up.

The not-so-fun part is that I have a bad case of the holiday blues. One thing for sure is that I'm already missing my cousins and our new friends. On the bright side, Dad is planning to take us on another road trip this coming weekend. So at least there's something else to look forward to. :-)

In the meantime, feel free to check out the pictures from the wedding and the rest of the trip.

July 11 update: the pictures are up.

Currently listening to: "Down" by Jay Sean

Mother's Day weekend report

I had a great Mother's Day weekend as we had lunch in Half Moon Bay before going hiking in Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. This was refreshing as we hadn't done something like this in quite a while!

Dad figured most restaurants would be crowded on Mother's Day and suggested an early celebration. Therefore, my family went to Half Moon Bay on Saturday instead. I treated my parents to lunch at a seafood restaurant in Half Moon Bay called Ketch Joanne Restaurant & Harbor Bar. The food was pretty good and inexpensive compared to similar restaurants. But because everything was high in calories — especially the Louis dressing — we went for a walk around the harbor after lunch.

This was followed by a stop at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. A family friend had told us about this place some time ago. We were there last month but decided to go there again as the views were quite nice. I'm glad we did because there happened to be an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the reserve. All of us got some food even though we were pretty full. It was definitely a pleasant surprise.

Sunday was mostly uneventful as I was busy trying to repair my old MacBook Pro. The computer would frequently freeze before restarting on its own. The lack of any error messages makes it almost impossible to debug the issue. I first noticed the problem about three years ago, but now it's happening so frequently that the computer is barely usable. Looks like I'm going to have to take it to the Apple Store. Gotta love technology sometimes.

Currently listening to: Pachelbel's Canon by Johann Pachelbel

a new computer for Mom

I just finished setting up a new laptop that I bought for Mom as a late Mother's Day gift. Seeing that her eight-year-old laptop was becoming unreliable, Dad and I agreed it was time to get her a new one. We settled upon the Lenovo Flex 4 because its predecessor has worked really well for me.

The Flex 5 has an Intel i7-U7500 processor, an Nvidia GeForce 940MX GPU, 16 GB of memory and a 512 GB solid-state drive. It's definitely a lot better than the crappy old Acer Aspire 6930 that has been giving Mom a lot of trouble!

In other news...

Our family friend Grace has invited us to her house tomorrow to watch the Golden State Warriors game. I'm pretty excited!

Currently watching: The Flash - "The Nuclear Man"

congratulations to my cousins Anne and William!

I have two very big news relating to my cousins. The first is that Anne just gave birth to a little boy named Brian last night. I'm really happy for the Changs and would like to congratulate them on delivering their second child.

The other news is that my cousin William just got married. The name of the lucky young lady is Sui. Though the last time I saw William in person was over 16 years ago, he and his wife look absolutely lovely in the pictures. I definitely hope to meet them soon!

In other news...

Happy birthday to my uncle Yeh-Wei!

Mother's Day weekend report

So this is my first post here in ages. I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day weekend!

Speaking of which, mine was pretty awesome. As it can be hard to get restaurant reservations for Mother's Day itself, my family decided to do an early celebration the day before. To start off, I treated my parents to lunch at a Japanese restaurant in Los Altos. Although we had been there several times, the food has never disappointed.

The three of us also went to Peruvian restaurant in San Mateo for dinner we didn't Mom to have to do any cooking. The food at Andes Café was pretty good when we had lunch there with the Tangs last year. Although one of the dishes and the dessert were the same as what we ordered last time, they actually tasted better than during our last visit. This is actually the first time that I treated my parents to a meal twice on the same day!

I also had some assignments for online courses to catch up on. One of them was fairly long, but I managed to finish it by Sunday evening. It's nice to be able to have an extra day to relax!

The weather was quite nice on Saturday morning, during which we went for a stroll in the neighborhood. Dad wanted to try some new routes, and we ended up walking for almost two hours. The rest of the day was kind of busy as I spend a few hours backing up my files, something I had not done in several months. I also took the opportunity to get a head start on my online classes for next week. Other than that, I did get to play a bit of RuneScape in the evening. As you can see, this was a productive weekend!

New Zealand trip report: an adventure like no other

"I'm the king of the world!" -- me on the deck of the TSS Earnslaw

Summer ended on a high note as we went on an amazing trip to New Zealand. This was no ordinary trip as we traveled with my uncle Yeh-Wei and aunt Yu-Hua, and my cousins Anne's and Tom's families. Yeh-Wei was a tour guide for over 10 years and knows every square inch of the South Island, so we were lucky to have him show us around. New Zealand is easily one of the most special places in the world.

Pre-trip

It was a busy Labor Day weekend as we spent most of the time preparing for the trip. Because we would be gone for almost 10 days, there were many things that needed to be done, such as harvesting the vegetables from our garden, unplugging appliances and securing the home. However, our efforts paid off as everything went without a hitch.

Days 1 and 2: kia ora

The trip began on the 7th with an evening flight to Auckland. We packed up and had a quick bite before our family friends Jeff and Sheila picked us up and drove us to SFO. The 13-hour flight was enjoyable despite its length. For starters, the safety video was hilarious. The in-flight entertainment was good too. There was also a feature that allowed passengers to message each other. That's one way to hook up and join the mile high club. *Lenny face*

The movies were a great time killer. I watched Terminator Genisys and Avengers: Age of Ultron before dinner was served. The food was delicious, especially the raspberry and white chocolate mousse. I also saw Justice League: Throne of Atlantis and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies afterwards. The latter was appropriate given that the entire Lord of the Rings series was filmed in New Zealand.

The plane landed in Auckland around 9 a.m. Though it took a while to clear customs due to the stringent biosecurity measures, the process wasn't as bad as we had imagined. The three of us then boarded our connecting flight to Christchurch. There wasn't much on TV as this flight was much shorter, but Dad and I had a great time guessing the answers to the trivia questions.

The flight was soon over, after which we made our way to the baggage claim area. To our surprise, Yeh-Wei and Yu-Hua were already there waiting for us. It was wonderful to see Yeh-Wei again after all those years. He and Yu-Hua brought us to their house, located just a few minutes from the airport. We unpacked our stuff and had some rest before the Hus took us to local attractions.

First up was Mona Vale - a nice park with lovely gardens. Yeh-Wei then gave us a tour of a prison-turned-hostel called Jailhouse Accommodation. Staying here for a night would be an interesting experience, although I can't say the same for actually going to jail.

The five of us had lunch at a Chinese restaurant before heading to Hagley Park for a stroll. The place was so big that my uncle says we had only seen a fraction of what it had to offer. The next stop was a temporary mall called Re:START that was built from shipping containers following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. It was a very unique place.

Yeh-Wei then brought us to Tom's house. This was our first time seeing him and his wife Sarah in over eight years. Following their arrival, Mom gave them some of my old clothes to give to their kids. The clothes actually once belonged to Tom, who gave them to us when I was a toddler. Talk about a full circle moment.

Anne came over in the afternoon. This was super exciting as our last time seeing her was almost 18 years ago. It was nice to finally meet her daughter Valerie and Tom's sons Jerry and Ryan. The family reunion was something we had been eagerly looking forward to. The downer is that Anne's husband Lawrence is working in Taiwan and couldn't join us. I guess we'll have to wait until another time to meet him.

Everyone then split up for dinner. I stayed with Tom's and Anne's families while my parents went to Yeh-Wei's house. Sarah turned out to be a great cook just like my mother - no doubt Tom is a lucky man. He and Anne took me back to my uncle's place a few hours later. I was completely exhausted at this point and went to bed shortly afterwards. That was pretty nice, considering that I hadn't slept in about 42 hours!

Day 3: hitting the road

The real adventure was about to begin. Yeh-Wei rented a minibus with 12 seats so we could all fit in. The first stop was a retail and restaurant complex called Farmers Corner. Though nothing was cheap, my uncle had access to a 30% discount through his connections and got me a box of chocolates. We then had lunch at a Japanese restaurant before going to the nearby Lake Tekapo for pictures. Its aquamarine waters were beautiful. The same could be said for the blue waters of the picturesque Lake Pukaki.

Yeh-Wei took us to a few more stops, including the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. The view of Aoraki / Mt. Cook was incredible. The museum was closed when we arrived, but the café was still open. The lounge was the perfect spot for a coffee break and to enjoy the atmosphere.

After arriving in Omarama - the final destination of the day - we checked into the Countrytime Hotel and headed to the on-site restaurant for dinner. The food wasn't bad at all. The adults went to the recreation room afterwards for foosball and table tennis. This made for wonderful family time. I then logged into RuneScape to collect my daily rewards before going to bed.

Day 4: all kinds of everything

The first stop in the morning was Puzzling World in Wanaka. As the name suggests, the place features many puzzles and optical illusions. It was one of my favorite attractions. I could spend the entire day here.

Speaking of which, my biggest regret is not exploring the Great Maze. Tom went in but ended up having to bail out through the emergency exits. I was up for the challenge, but the tickets were expensive and we were short on time. Puzzling World is definitely a place I'd like to revisit on a future trip to New Zealand.

Up next was the Kawarau Bungy Centre, located at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge. Bungee jumping is too extreme for me - you couldn't pay me enough to do it - but we enjoyed watching other people take the plunge. Well, maybe I'd consider it if you offered me a million dollars. :-)

Another point of interest was the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement - a former mining town that was once home to Chinese miners during the Otago Gold Rush. Some of the huts were so small that they looked like they were for dogs rather than humans. One could imagine the hardships people went through.

The destination for the next two nights was Queenstown. Our party checked into the hotel and went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. This was my first time trying venison. The meat was similar to beef aside from its taste. We then went to a supermarket for food before returning to the hotel.

Day 5: sheep jokes, anyone?

Yeh-Wei and Yu-Hua got us tickets for the Walter Peak farm tour. The five of us boarded the TSS Earnslaw as the farm is across Lake Wakapitu. Passengers were allowed to enter the engine room to see its inner workings. The deck provided a nice view of the lake. I couldn't resist reenacting that scene from Titanic while there. ^_^

The steamship arrived at the Walter Peak High Country Farm about 40 minutes later. Our guide Hamish introduced us to the animals and even let us feed them. He then did a demonstration of the Border Collies herding the sheep. The guests were treated to tea and snacks before Hamish showed us how sheep were sheared. This was one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

The Hus dropped us off at the Skyline Gondola after the Earnslaw brought us back to Queenstown. The ride to Bob's Peak was worthwhile. At the top were several attractions, including a luge track and a bungee jumping platform. Anne and Tom went luging with their kids while we checked out the visitor center. I'm surprised we didn't run into them. Yeh-Wei then took us to more stops so we could get pictures. It was a busy day for sure.

Day 6: alien worlds

We left for Te Anau and got there in the early afternoon. Yeh-Wei bought us tickets for the glow-worm cave tour and drove us to the Real Journeys visitor center. This was followed by another boat ride as the entrance to the caves is located across Lake Te Anau. The tiny lights of the glow-worms were surreal. It was a magical experience and my favorite part of the trip. The guides then led us back to the visitor center for drinks and a presentation.

Photography was unfortunately not allowed in the caves as the worms are sensitive to light. For what it's worth, getting decent pictures would have been impossible anyway in the near-total darkness. I guess a postcard will have to do.

Yeh-Wei picked us up at the docks and took us to Fiordland. He went as far as Homer Tunnel before turning around. The views were spectacular and reminiscent of the Arctic Circle tour during our trip to Alaska 11 years ago. One cool sight was the mirror-like lake surfaces in the absence of wind. New Zealand is truly an amazing place.

Back in Te Anau, the day ended with nice seafood dinner at a Chinese restaurant not far from our hotel. Yeh-Wei had asked the owner to prepare a lobster for us. That was easily the best part of the meal.

Day 7: a historical perspective

The highlight of the day was Dunedin. I saw a Chinese couple doing a wedding photo shoot as we arrived. There was a funny moment when Tom's sons insisted on taking pictures with the bride. It was a little awkward, but she was more than happy to oblige. Kiwis really are friendly people. We congratulated the couple and chatted with them for a bit before going separate ways.

Yeh-Wei then took us to Anne's alma mater, the University of Otago. He let Anne be the guide for this part because she got her bachelor's degree here - despite her protests that she doesn't remember much. The campus was full of students as school has started. Our other major stop in Dunedin was Baldwin Street - listed in the Guinness World Records the steepest street in the world. According to my calculations, the street has a 19° slope. It's a good workout for sure.

Mom says Dunedin was her favorite part of the trip. The plan was to book a hotel here, but because Yeh-Wei wasn't feeling well, all of us agreed to return to Christchurch early so he could get some rest. Despite his exhaustion, he made sure we didn't miss out on seeing the Moeraki Boulders. They were among the strangest things on Earth.

It was almost midnight when got back to my uncle's house. I didn't want to disturb his sleep and went to bed shortly afterwards.

Day 8: back to nature

The morning was uneventful as we didn't do much other than relax and check our e-mails. However, Yeh-Wei started feeling better and took us to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens after lunch. There were many plants native to New Zealand. This was another one of my favorite places.

The Hus also took us to their friend Sue's house. The Lins treated us to snacks and gave us a tour of their 12-acre farm. Their DIY projects were impressive, especially considering that Sue's husband did most of the work alone. Looks like Dad has competition. :-)

We then stopped at Coupland's Bakeries for bread and snacks. The store had a huge selection of items. The plan was to visit more supermarkets after dinner, but all of us were tired and decided to rest instead.

Days 9 and 10: all good things...

It was sad to realize this was our last day in New Zealand. Because our flight to Auckland was in the afternoon, my aunt and uncle took us to New Brighton after breakfast. The cool ocean breeze made for a nice stroll on the pier. The weather couldn't have been better. The five of us ordered some fried fish and oysters at a take-away restaurant before returning to Yeh-Wei's house.

Tom and Sarah came over for lunch, followed by Anne a bit later. It was just us adults as Valerie was sleeping and Tom's sons were at school. Yeh-Wei prepared a nice meal for us as we got ready for our trip home. Everything was delicious, especially the fish. It was soon time to head to the airport after filling ourselves up.

We bid farewell to Anne and her parents before Tom and his wife gave us a ride to the airport and helped us check in. The farewells were the saddest part of the trip. I'd be lying if I said we weren't close to tears. As much as we hated to leave, all good things must come to an end.

The flight to Auckland was shorter than anticipated, leaving more than enough time to browse the shops. Mom and I bought all sorts of snacks. I can't wait to try them. The flight back to SFO wasn't too bad either as I saw more movies. Interstellar was my favorite, although I enjoyed San Andreas and Tomorrowland as well. It was also nice to get some sleep on the plane.

The airport was pretty crowded when we arrived in San Francisco. Claiming our baggage and clearing customs took longer than expected due to the large number of arrivals. Jeff and Sheila then picked us up and gave us a ride home.

Conclusions

To say the trip was fun would be an understatement. This was our first international trip in over six years and first foray into the Southern Hemisphere. It was something we had greatly looked forward to. The highlight of the trip was the Te Anau glow-worm cave tour while the Walter Peak farm comes a close second. The local food was unforgettable too. I'm also happy to touch base with Anne and Tom for the first time in ages.

However, there's no such thing as a perfect trip. The worst part is that Yeh-Wei got sick two days ago. I happen to have a sore throat myself. It must have been a very contagious virus. At least it had the decency to wait until our trip was almost over. Haha.

Because he was sick and couldn't concentrate, Yeh-Wei hit a road sign as we were leaving Dunedin. The damage to the vehicle was minor and barely noticeable, but the rental agency still found out and charged him for repairs. Shit happens.

One of our regrets is that we didn't go into the Great Maze at Puzzling World. Computer-generated mazes just don't compare to the real deal. Another thing is that Internet access was spotty at times, although that's a relatively minor issue as we didn't come all the way to New Zealand just to surf the web.

I ought to mention that the Hus paid for our trip. There are no words to express our gratitude. Though we likely won't go to New Zealand again anytime soon, the memories from this trip will last a lifetime. One thing I've heard is that the North Island is just as awesome. The layovers in Auckland had barely scratched the surface. If only plane tickets were free...

Now that we're home, the first few days after coming back will be tough. There is probably lots of work to catch up on. I'm not exactly looking forward to the jet lag and post-vacation blues, but at least the weekend is almost here!

Of course, no trip report is complete without pictures and videos. I think we took around 3,000 photos - and it took me hours to upload the good ones - so you better enjoy them. :-)

September 19 update: Pictures are up. The bad news is that the post-vacation blues have set in. I'm going to miss New Zealand.

Currently watching: Interstellar

an amazing Mother's Day weekend

I had a great weekend as we went to Pacifica with the Tangs and did lots of other things!

Saturday

The morning began with a trip to the Gate of Heaven Cemetery to pay respects to my late maternal grandmother Pi-Tan. This was long overdue as I hadn't visited her grave in well over a year. We then made a quick stop at Trader Joe's before picking up George and Eileen at the BART station in Millbrae.

The main stop of the day was Pacifica. I treated my parents and the Tangs to lunch at a Peruvian restaurant called El Toro Loco as an early Mother's Day celebration. Because it wasn't open yet when we arrived, the five of us took a short stroll around the area. The nice thing about arriving early is being the first to be seated. The servings were huge and more than enough for everyone. It was truly a wonderful experience.

We went for a walk at the nearby Sharp Park Beach afterwards to burn some calories. There was a dead whale that had beached a few days ago. I had never seen a whale so close before, although the carcass smelled absolutely awful. Mom and I took a few pictures before getting the hell out of there.

Dad then took us to the nearby Frontierland Park for an afternoon picnic. The older folks mostly discussed philosophy and the arts - topics I didn't understand. After everything was said and done, my parents dropped George and Eileen off at the BART station before heading home. Here are some pictures from the day trip.

Mom and I went to Henry's film club in the evening with Jeff and Sheila. This was our first time going there in several months. Though Dad was caught up with work and didn't come, I enjoyed discussing the 1978 film Days of Heaven with everyone. It was a busy day for sure.

Sunday

Having enjoyed their company so much, my mother decided to invite Jeff and Sheila over for dinner. I offered to help out with the cooking - this was Mother's Day after all - but she had already made most of the food. On the other hand, she did ask me to harvest goji berries from our backyard. This was hard work and took several hours, although I found time to play RuneScape during breaks. I actually bought a bond because the RuneScape Road Trip looked really fun.

The dinner with Jeff and Sheila was quite enjoyable. This was another highlight of the weekend. All in all, things couldn't have been better.

Currently playing: RuneScape

welcoming Connie's little one to the world

I just found out that my cousin Connie delivered her first child last month. It's a boy named Dean!

Connie had initially wanted to keep it secret and only recently told us. However, this is still wonderful news as there is nothing more special than bringing a new life into the world. I definitely hope to meet Dean in person soon. In the meantime, I'm really happy for Connie and wish her family all the best for the future.

In other news...

I recently compiled my first iOS application. :-)

Currently playing: RuneScape

Pasadena trip report + congratulations to my cousin Connie!

"Are you sure he's not an undercover NSA agent?" -- me asking Luc about the videographer

The weekend has been awesome as we went to Pasadena with my aunts Jill and Yu-Hua for Connie's nuptials. This was my first time attending a wedding in almost 18 years. It was great to touch base with the Shiehs again after they moved to Southern California almost three years ago.

Though we were also invited to the rehearsal dinner, I didn't want to take another day off on such short notice and regrettably had to decline. However, that's not a big deal as the most important thing was being there for Luc and Connie on their big day.

Day 1

We started out early due to the possibility of congestion in the L.A. metropolitan area. Except for a stop at Casa de Fruta so Jill and Yu-Hua could look around - and Burger King for lunch - the 350-mile drive was uneventful. Contrary to our expectations, the traffic in L.A. was light and didn't cause any delays.

Luc and Connie decided to have a courthouse ceremony and forgo the traditional bridal party in the interest of time. The bad news is that we missed the ceremony because checking into the hotel and dressing up took longer than expected. I had told Connie we'd be there and felt guilty about breaking my promise. This could have been avoided by going directly to the courthouse, but Mom felt showing up dressed inappropriately would be worse than not showing up at all.

The reception began around 5 p.m. at a small restaurant called POP Champagne & Dessert Bar. The place was crowded as there were over 60 guests, many of whom were related to Luc. I got to meet Connie's friends, Luc's extended family and Cathy's boyfriend Gene. Aside from the parents and a little girl named Bella, most of the guests were my age. It's too bad there was no dancing as the venue had limited space.

Dinner consisted of two passed appetizers, followed by assorted beef sliders and macaroni cheese with truffle oil for the main course. The Shieh and Danziger families then shared stories about the couple during the toasts. Dessert included crème brûlée, churros and pavlova. The newlyweds later thanked us for coming before cutting the cake.

Because Luc's aunt Armelle helped plan the wedding and was a huge Star Wars fan like Connie, the cake had a Millennium Falcon topper. As a fellow Star Wars fan, I thought it was a nice touch. Although the cake was delicious, all of us were so full that Mom and I shared a single slice. I probably shouldn't have eaten that extra burger for lunch.

On the whole, the evening was fantastic. It's too bad my father couldn't be there. Dad was tied up with an important work project and also didn't want to pass any germs around from his cold. He nonetheless showed up at the end of the night to give Connie his blessings.

Day 2

I had no more than three hours of sleep and was totally exhausted. The excitement and the sugar rush from last night were probably the reason. It wasn't just me because Jill was so tired that she decided to skip breakfast and sleep in. I took the opportunity to get level 83 Crafting in RuneScape in the meantime.

Luc and Connie had invited us to join them and their friends on a field trip to the J. Paul Getty Museum. This sounded fun but was canceled due to my aunt Cynthia not feeling well the night before. Therefore, my father took us to downtown Pasadena instead.

Cynthia felt much better in the morning and invited us and Luc to her place in L.A. for lunch. The Shiehs had a large home with three floors. It was nice to relax and hang out with my cousins while waiting for the food to arrive. The lunch made for wonderful family time. Dad knew quite a few mother-in-law jokes. ^_^

Cathy and I accompanied Cynthia back to Pasadena as my aunt had to pick up her car. Cynthia was kind enough to take me to the Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain after Mom told her I wanted to go there. Though the ice cream looked tasty - especially in the hot summer - consuming so much sugar in such a short time seemed like a bad idea. I had also just recovered from a cold and didn't want to risk getting sick again. The Fair Oaks Pharmacy is definitely a place I'd like to revisit in the future.

Jill and Yu-Hua have decided to stay with the Shiehs for the rest of their time in the U.S. It was hard to part with my aunts and cousins. The three of us hit the road shortly afterwards as Dad didn't want to arrive home too late. Despite the traffic, the drive back to the Bay Area was fairly smooth. Our adventure ended with a nice dinner at Il Postale in Sunnyvale.

Conclusions

The reception at POP Champagne & Dessert Bar was easily highlight of the trip. Seeing my cousin get married was one of the most special moments in my life. So without further ado, congratulations to Luc and Connie. I wish them nothing but love and happiness as they begin their life together.

There is so much to do in Pasadena. I've always been interested in science and had hoped to visit the Jet Propulsion Laboratory - which wasn't very far - but that wasn't an option because the facility is only open to the public on weekdays. The city is also home to a number of Route 66 attractions, including the Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain. Looks like we'll have to go back to Pasadena soon!

I'd say my biggest regret is missing the ceremony at the courthouse. The only consolation is that Connie says it's not a big deal. Another downer is that Dad was unable to come to the reception, but at least he was able to join us for lunch afterwards. I'm also a little bummed about missing the rehearsal dinner. Sometimes not everything goes to plan.

Now that we're home, the post-vacation blues have set in. On the other hand, the memories from Connie's wedding will last a long time. Feel free to check out my pictures and videos from the trip.

Currently listening to: "Wake Me Up" by Avicii

a weekend getaway to Reno

"All right, everyone, let's get to work." -- Dad at Rail City Casino

Summer is off to a good start as two of my aunts are visiting from overseas. Figuring we had to do something fun together, Dad took all of us to Reno and Tahoe over the weekend. Intense heat aside, this was an enjoyable vacation.

Day 1

The first stop was Solano Town Center in Fairfield so my aunts could have a look around. There wasn't anything they needed, but it was nice to stretch our legs. We arrived in Roseville around noon, and the nearby Maidu Regional Park was the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Though the weather was warm, the park had a large shaded pavilion. The picnic made for great family time.

The route took us through Auburn and Truckee. Given that it had gotten hot outside, Jill and Yu-Hua opted to stay in the car. Because my family had been to both places, all of us decided to continue on.

Dad checked us into Hampton Inn & Suites Reno after a long drive. Our suite was spacious and had more than enough room for everyone. Jill and Yu-Hua relaxed at the hotel while the rest of us went to buy dinner at the nearby WinCo Foods. The artisan flatbread from Leonardi's Pizza was delicious!

We went to Grand Sierra Resort in the evening so my aunts could get a feel of casinos in the U.S. Seeing that the slots at Grand Sierra Resort had low payouts, Mom suggested going to Rail City Casino in Sparks instead. The five of us played the penny slots at Rail City Casino for around two hours and actually ended up winning a few dollars. This was my favorite part of the trip.

Day 2

All of us got up fairly early as the heat made it hard to sleep. The historic Virginia City awaited us after a nice breakfast at the hotel. Considering that Virginia City was a highlight of our trip to Reno and Carson City five years ago, my parents thought Yu-Hua and Jill might be interested. But because it was already really hot - and most of the stores weren't open yet - our stay here was short.

We then went back to Rail City Casino to play more slots and watch the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina. Luck wasn't on our side this time as yesterday's gains soon disappeared. I can't say this was unexpected. As the saying goes, the house always wins. Or at least almost always.

The plan was to check out nearby casinos and look for hiking trails in the area. However, none of us wanted to stay after the weather turned out to be even hotter than the day before. Dad made a quick stop in South Lake Tahoe so my aunts could get pictures. There were more people on the beach than we've ever seen. How they could stand the heat is beyond me.

The heat soon became unbearable, at which point we decided to head back to the Bay Area. The five of us had a short rest at the Nyack Shell convenience store before leaving the mountains. I bought a bag of potato chips and some much-needed ice cream.

Our final stop on the way home was WinCo Foods in Vacaville for groceries. Jill and Yu-Hua were impressed by the size of the store. Dad wanted to have dinner at a dim sum place in Fremont but later found out it had permanently closed. Therefore, he took us to a Chinese restaurant in Milpitas instead. The crazy thing is that the power went out in the middle of the meal. Oh dear!

I'm guessing the heat caused the outage. It was hard to see the food until Dad brought in a flashlight from the car. This kind of ruined the mood but was also an interesting experience. Sometimes it's these little mishaps that make a vacation more memorable. At any rate, the outage seemed to affect just one particular area and didn't give us any other problems.

Conclusions

The biggest downside of the trip was the unexpected heat wave. The high temperatures made it difficult to spend more than a few minutes outside and often caused our plans to change. That said, everything else was awesome. Although the car rides were uncomfortable due to the cramped space, having companions always makes traveling much more enjoyable.

On the whole, I'd say the best part of the trip was playing the slots at Rail City Casino. This was our first time traveling with Jill and Yu-Hua since our visit to Taiwan and China seven years ago, and their company made this trip especially fun. Be sure to check out the pictures from our vacation.

Speaking of which, my cousin Connie's wedding is in two weeks. Jill and Yu-Hua are again joining us as we head to Pasadena. I'm super excited. :-)

Currently listening to: "Summer" by Calvin Harris

4th of July weekend report + summer plans

I had a nice 4th of July even though we didn't do much.

The weekend began with lunch at Tomatina in San Mateo on the 4th. The plan was to go to Il Postale in Sunnyvale, but the place was inexplicably empty even though the doors were open. There was absolutely nobody inside, not even the employees. Heaven knows what was going on.

At any rate, Dad took us to Tomatina instead. The food there was quite good. The restaurant had several TVs tuned to the World Cup match between Brazil and Colombia. This made our lunch even more enjoyable.

We visited some antique stores on the way home as Mom wanted to shop for fine china. This was somewhat exhausting as we made several stops. All of us were too tired to go anywhere to see fireworks, although I pulled a few party poppers after dinner.

The rest of the weekend was uneventful. Because it was fairly hot outside, most of my time was spent studying Android. On the other hand, I reached level 85 Magic in RuneScape yesterday afternoon. So there's that.

2014 summer plans

The fun doesn't end here: my aunts Yu-Hua and Jill are coming over from China on the 12th and will be staying with us for a few weeks. The plan is to take them to Reno this coming weekend. This will be followed by a trip to Pasadena for my cousin Connie's wedding two weeks later. I haven't been to a wedding in almost 18 years and am definitely looking forward to this one.

August is full of events as well, starting with the annual Lab126 family picnic on the 9th. Henry's film club is taking a field trip to San Francisco on the 17th. Then there's my 10-year high school reunion at the end of the month. So yeah, I'm extremely excited for the summer. :-)

In other news...

On the subject of weddings, happy sixth anniversary to my cousin Anne and her husband Lawrence!

Currently watching: Batman: The Animated Series - "Birds of a Feather"

a very special 30th anniversary...

The weekend marked the 30th anniversary of two wonderful people in my life: Mom and Dad!

Because this was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, I figured we had to do something special. One thing that's been on my mind is where to take my parents. But my mother had a different idea: she didn't want me to spend too much on a meal and opted for a hot pot dinner at home. I obliged as this was her day after all.

Mom found some high-quality seafood at an Asian supermarket and made an amazing hot pot dinner on Saturday. She used nothing but the best ingredients, all of which were delicious. However, due to the time required to prepare the meal, my family didn't do much in the evening other than go for a stroll around the neighborhood.

Yesterday was also fun as we went hiking near Woodside. It was almost noon when we were done, after which we headed to Half Moon Bay to grab a bite. I treated my parents to lunch at Sushi Main Street as Dad wanted some Japanese food. Yum!

The three of us visited five antique stores on the way home as Mom wanted to shop for fine china. The evening was uneventful as we were all tired, although I watched an episode each of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Batman: The Animated Series on the new Amazon Fire TV before going to bed.

This was overall an awesome weekend. Here's to congratulating my parents on 30 happy years of marriage and hopefully many more to come!

Currently watching: Star Trek: The Next Generation - "The Ensigns of Command"

cultural exchange

"Danny, my students said you're really cute!" -- Aunt Jill

Happy Chinese New Year's Eve!

So my aunt Jill and her students Sunny and Melody stayed at our house for a week during their visit from China. This was my first time seeing Jill in over six and a half years. The reason for the visit is that Sunny and Melody were interested in studying abroad. Jill had arranged for us to show them around so they could get a feel of what life in the U.S. was like.

We took the girls to Stanford University and some local stores over the weekend. Jill and my parents also took them to San Francisco and a few other places. It was an exhausting week as Mom had to prepare meals for three more people, not to mention teenage girls in general can be bratty at times. Extra work aside, I really enjoyed their company.

Our guests left this morning and are heading to Florida. They'll be visiting Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World for a few days before returning to China. I'm going to miss them for sure, but at least Jill is planning to come back for another visit this summer. :-)

Currently watching: Star Trek: The Next Generation - "The Royale"

my family just keeps getting bigger and bigger...

I'm thrilled to announce that my cousin Anne just delivered her first child. For those curious, the little girl's name is Valerie. :-)

There is nothing more joyous than bringing a new life into the world. Though I couldn't congratulate Anne in person, I'm still extremely happy for her. I really hope to catch up with her soon as our last time seeing each other was almost 16 years ago. It's been way too long already!