So I had lunch with my girlfriends every Friday as usual – even though I haven’t been posting a lot lately of our food rendezvous - but no worries we have been eating as usual. And this time, Hyujin, Jackie and Kim came a long for our food tasting at Marco’s.

Pretty ladies – posting for me.

Marco’s had fish and chips for the lunch special and we wanted to try it since they were always good on the children’s menu.  I had mine with baked potatoes and they came with some vegies – awesome.  The fish was good but it could most definitely use more fish.

Hyunjin had the same but with fries and some shrimp at $3.99 extra for 5 shrimps – not bad at all.

Jackie was very hungry – lunch took a long time to come – as you can see – she was eyeing the food already heheh!

Kim had the montreal burger – and it was so yummy!  i had her bacon on the side.

Dessert was beignet pomme – fried apple donut with ice cream.

Coconut cream pie for Kim

Jackie was surprised at the size of her dessert.

Crazy eyes on the dessert – hahahha!

And crepe for me and hyunjin – but i would have preferred with real strawberries.  Overall lunch was pretty good.

Firstly, I have to say that no one beats the service at Jungle Jim’s – in Yarmouth, NS  - these girls are the best !  we especially loved one waitress -she is tall and skinny but most of them are tall and skinny but most admirable is the boss of Jungle Jim’s here – he is so nice and approachable.  My g/f had her favorite thai chicken bites.

The spouse had chicken fingers.

We had chimi cheesecakes for dessert

And another g/f Jackie had tacos

I had the all day breakfast – super yummy!

Layla had grilled cheese – which looked quite ordinary eh.

And chloe had the monkey fingers – too.

The girls shared a dessert – of brownies.

And their drawing .  Loved that the girls get along so well.

We were pleasantly surprised to see Gary – our favorite customer at our store – singing at the Farmer’s market.  Gary being such a romantic, I knew that I would enjoy any song he sings.  I think the Farmer’s Market should invest in some kind of standard music equipments for the entertainers that comes and sings for a few hours for the crowd.  I’m going to suggest to Natalie – the next time I see her to  buy boss me 25  for the Farmer’s market entertainers  because I’ve seen someone using it at the Farmer’s Market in Vancouver last summer.  I think it’s a really cheap investment to entice more people to come listen to the entertainment at the Farmer’s market during the summer.

Easter has always been a family thing for us – but we focus more on the kids than ourselves but this year with my girlfriend around, she bought gifts not only for Chloe but for Aunt Helena and Grampie as well.  She is too sweet – but she found some  patagonia down sweater sale  and knows that the weather here can stay cold for a while longer, so she had to get it for them and of course chocolates for everyone.  Aunt Helena cooked this year since Grammie isn’t around with us this year, it’s at times like that that we missed her most.  No one talked about it but I’m sure they feel the same way as us.  Aunt Helena made a potato and egg salad just like what Grammie used to make for me, I almost cried.

We had lemon meringue and a chocolate cake for dessert with ice cream as well.  Cantaloupe were very good too – sweet.

BBQ Pork ribs were really good as well.

Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots for veggies.

Rappie pie and mashed potatoes.

Baked Hawaiian ham.

Veggies

And a game of pictionary to end the evening.  We had a really good time and lots to eat.

So we haven’t been to the Farmer’s market for a long time – all because Saturdays are the days we get to sleep in because the kid is in school and we get up really early every morning.  But it’s Easter Sunday, so have to go see the Easter bunny right?  Chloe was so tickled to see the Easter bunny for she knew who was inside that bunny suit.

Everyone in the market was dressed up for Easter – and I’ll have to say that this hat is so nicely decorated.

Painted gourds – a craft that gave me an idea that Chloe can do this during the summer too because Grampie has lots of these during the summer.

An old cash register at Chef Gary’s who had butter chicken to scoop out for everyone – but a tat too spicy for taste I’ll have to say – but nevertheless very good food.  I had it for supper and lunch the next day.  At $8.50 it was definitely value for money.

An artist at the market – maybe Chloe can go to him for classes.

And our very lovely Natalie with her scones and bakery goods – unfortunately, it was all sold out.  Natalie is the anchor for the Farmer’s Market – without her steering the project – the market may not have been as successful.

From our favorite cookie store – some rice crispies with chocolate – very clever I’ll have to say.

And music in the market of course and many more stores with lots of goodies.  The Farmer’s market remained as vibrant as when it first started.  I’m really happy for them but wished they were nearer to our store – because downtown does need a little bit more people coming around.

As usual our Fridays had us at our new favorite place Boston Pizza – but this time I wanted something different.  But the kids of course had food from the kid’s menu and this Friday we had another kid with us – our neighbor’s kid – Jill.  Chloe had chicken fingers – and this time she didn’t complained that it was spicy – the last few previous times,  she had complained that it was too spicy for her to stomach.

Jill had pizza with fries

A close up of the chicken fingers

My girlfriend had Jambalaya of course – our favorite

And I had the NY steak with salad.  The steak was pretty good – and i did like it but I think I still prefer my pasta.

Meeting up with my investment banker every 6 months is pretty much a routine thing now and I loved our meetings because he is so funny sometimes but so smart.  I sometimes pick his brains on other investment that I have back home in Singapore and he would extend his help and contact my citibank’s private banker.  Mostly during these kind of lunch, we also get to meet other people from the bank and I’m glad i have a  business card printer  at the store to print out all my cards so that I have enough to exchange with others just like myself.  I think we’ve formed quite an exclusive network here – and we pretty much exchange ideas and throw each other our experiences to ponder on.

Usually, we meet up in the city but this time, they’ve decided to come visit me and like any true Asian – I played host to a few people that I’ve been networking with for the last 12 years. Amazing how time flies – anyway, we had brunch on their last day in town and we headed to Jungle Jim’s for breakfast.  Loved the service at Jungle Jim’s and loved their food.

So cheap and really value for money.

I showed them how one of my g/fs had her eggs the other day – and we all did the same that day – just to see how it tasted like. hahah!  yes, we can be funny sometimes too – and it was not all about work during these meetings.

Hehehe!!  on sale from $6.99 to $6.99 – hahah! my laugh for the day but the salmon was pretty good.

I was invited for a luncheon not too long ago in the city and met several interesting young women entrepreneurs that opened my eyes to many other business opportunities in this country.   Most of these ladies that I’ve met came from all walks of life and one important aspect of these ladies were determination.   These ladies had stories to share and to me it was a learning experience, I also learned about business opportunities like  Web To Print  and franchises and what are the pros and cons on taking up the challenges of these businesses.  Real life stories – albeit not all happy ones but still an eye opener for me.  I brought home some ideas and me and PB are actually discussing about the feasibility of taking up another challenge soon since Chloe is much older now and don’t need as much attention as when she was younger.  Wish me luck now!

Chinese New Year was yesterday and as usual, a few friends with chinese kids like mine loved to gather and preserved a little of our chinese tradition even though we are so far away from home.  So a fruit basket full of good wishes for the Zhu’s at the Chinese restaurant and hoping it will bring them good luck and lots of money at the restaurant.

Some traditional chinese goodies from home for tasting and sharing.

Chloe all dressed up in cheong sum bought by her kai mah Lina from Singapore.

Eating at the restaurant, special noodles cooked for her.

Eating her favorite fried chicken with chinese noodles.

I had the buffet – yummy!

And here Ms Jasmine chomping down the peking duck with gusto – just loved the way she tried everything.

The chinese kids.

Adele and Sarah.

It was Grampie’s, Aunt Helena’s and Hyunjn’s birthday – on the same day too!  what a weird coincidence right?  so what we did?  we had a lobster feast for all of them – especially when they all do loved lobsters especially Hyunjin.  Here’s grampie cooking the lobsters now.

In you go lobster!

Grampie showing how he takes the rubber band out from the claws – very brave – I would have boiled them with the rubber band attached hahahha!

Lobsters cooking here

Grampie thinking if he should eat this lobster or not.

Almost cooked lobsters.

Uncle Jerry eating his lobsters.

Hyunjin and Shawn getting to their lobsters too.

Aunt Rainy and Uncle Garth going at their lobsters.

Birthday cake for the birthday boy and girls.

Hyunjin’s present for Grampie

Hyunjin’s present for Aunt Helena.

Aunt Helena’s present for Hyunjin – chocolates.  It was a great evening – but grammie was missing.

Normally, we don’t have supper at the New Century Restaurant or any restaurant unless we have a huge event going on, but a few days ago, my g/f and I decided to just hang out – so we went to pay the New Century restaurant a visit.  Not many people eating out that day – probably because the weather wasn’t that good.  But we ordered the Honululu Seafood plate and a plate of dumplings fried and some rice.

The fried pork knuckles were complimentary from the chef and it was pretty good even though I don’t quite like pork as much.

The Honululu plate comes with plenty of seafood and veggies and it goes great with rice.

And the fried dumpling was just as good.  We had a very good meal – only $20 in total.

There are many places in town where you can bring someone for a business lunch, just like when I had lunch with some powerful  San Diego Employment Attorney  last week.   If you’ve worked for a company in the States, you would know how important it is to know some powerful attorney because you want them to be there to help you out if you have trouble with your employers.

Of course, I didn’t need to use an attorney when my employers were from USA but it was good to know that I can count of these folks to help me out should I have any problems with my contract or pay or even if I was being treated unfairly being an Asian.  But like I said, I was pretty happy with the company that I had worked for many years ago.

My g/fs and I usually have our Fridays lunch date at noon – today we decided to go to Marco’s because we wanted the peanut butter cheese cake that they are famous for.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have it that day – we were kinda disappointed.  But the scallops were great – and fresh – we loved it.   I had baked potatoes with mine.

While my g/f had hers with a salad.

Another friend had the pork schnitzel but we had ordered another piece to share.  Unfortunately, this friend of us – only offered the piece to us – when he couldn’t finish – hahahhaah!!! so weird right?  I guess just different culture or is it a man thingie?

Blueberry cream cheese cake – yummy!   We did have a awesome lunch and thanks to my g/f  – H for the lunch.  And interesting conversation followed with lunch about the different dating culture we have  – from the West and East.  It was interesting indeed, while we learned that dating for most men here in this town means hanging out at the guy’s place, for us Asians dating means going out and eating and going for movies, walk in the park and beaches – meeting up with friends.  Yes, a very interesting conversation.

Valentine’s Day is just round the corner and I’m sure you’ve been asked what you want to do on Valentine’s day.  Sometimes, I wonder why the men don’t take the initiative and be a little romantic even though one had been married for many years.  I know of a friend who had a blast one year – when the spouse bought some  cheap brass instruments  and blast the horns at their home during dinner with a few friends.  Being romantic need not be the classic candlelight dinner, being romantic can be  a lot of different ways and if music is something your spouse like, why not pick up a cheap musical instrument and surprise her with hamburgers in the garden, I think that could be very romantic too – serenading the wife or girlfriend.  This Valentine, don’t make the excuse of being together for so long, that you cannot inject some fun and spice into your life.  Come on ! you only lived once!

I love eating at the outlaws – Aunt Helena cooks lots of stuff to choose from and today she had thought that my g/f was visit – therefore, she had a feast brought out.  Unfortunately, my dear friend didn’t come – so I gotta eat extra and brought home some for her.  Appetizer of  oriental mix spring rolls and dumplings  - baked of course from M & M’s.

Garlic bread for starters.

Followed by very yummy lasagne.

Salad.

French bread.

Timbits was our contribution – heheh!

And a chocolate roll made by Aunt Helena.

Yummy!

And apple crumbled – they were yummy yummy!

Sunday lunches are precious to me because I get to go out and eat with the spouse and even though he doesn’t like food as much as I, I still think that it’s a good idea to sit together and have a meal.  Chloe loves eating out although she only eats either fish and chips or nuggets and chips – limited selection for her because she is still so fussy.

But she is happy to eat with daddy once a week because she is after all a daddy’s girl.

PB had his favorite fish chowder – and even then I don’t think it’s much.

Jin Jin had a veggie pasta.

We shared a bruschetta together.

I had a lasagne – but I had wanted a seafood one but don’t like the creamy texture, so I settled for a regular lasagne.

We shared a peanut butter cheesecake together.  Of course I had coffee and Jin Jin had earl grey tea and PB had water – Chloe had apple juice.

I know you are envying me by now – and I’m envying myself too – live lobsters at $4.99 a pound???!!??  yes !  the fishermen gets only $3.50 a pound for their catches.  Almost seems so unfair I know when they are probably selling like $20 a pound overseas. But yes, these hard shell lobsters are going cheap here and you would think that I eat them often but not really, because I get them at fishermen prices – so you can imagine how much i have eaten during my years in Canada.

A customer of ours own a fishing boat and every time he comes in with lobsters, he drops like a bucket or two to us for years – and after many years when Grammie started to have allergy with lobsters and can’t even boil them at home, we’ve decided to lay off lobsters for a while.

But yes, if I wanted lobsters again, I know who will give me some.

As a mom, we usually have to bring our kids out with us if we want to meet up for lunch or supper with our other friends, therefore, it would be awesome if the family restaurants around here has tvs mounted on the wall with  premier mounting  and has cartoon channels on them instead of news or sports.  It would make sense for family restaurants to have areas set aside for families with children to have some sort of entertainment, so that the adults can have a proper meal and play catch up right?   I see in UK – where some of my friends are permanently, they have special cafes like that for kids and moms – and I would love to see something like this in this town.

Every chance I get to go eat – is with my kid and my g/fs kids – as moms we just loved bringing our kids along but sometimes, it would really be nice, to be able to chat and the kids are being entertained.  This is Kai from Petawawa – and we only get to see him maybe twice a year – isn’t he too cute or what!

Food is always good at Jungle Jims of course, we have no problems with the food and service excellent as well and our favorite waitress was there working – so excellent ! Lynette had the festive meal – this was some sort of BBQ chicken bites.

Curly fries and chicken fingers from the Safari Kid’s menu for Chloe.

Fettuccine for Ms Jasmine from the kid’s menu.

Burger for Josh – i think this is a BBQ Bacon Cheddar – for $10.99.

A steak for Lynette – that comes with her festive meal.

I had the breakfast menu – but shared my sausages with my g/fs.

Extra crispy bacon.

Jumbo Shrimp Stir Fry

Huijing got some mexican thingie I think.

And this chicken burger  for Kim.

Yummy! lots of food and lots of drinks !  now if only we can entertain the kids with some mounted tv in the restaurant – it would have been perfect – don’t you think?

If you are a food blogger and loved food as much as I do, you will know that Sandy’s Gifts Store is a gourmet/chef’s paradise .  In this store, I found some really cool gifts over Christmas for my friends and family.  Everything priced reasonably and wrapped and gift bagged personally by owners of the store – Sandy & Ken.

Everytime I walked into this store, everything in the store is eye candy to me.  They are all so pretty and so beautifully stacked and everything so meticulously cleaned.  The warmth of this store speaks volume, you really feel welcome, as if you coming home to visit.

Sandy Gifts store has gifts for every occasion and any occasion.

My favorites are kitchen gadgets and you cannot go wrong with these gifts.

For the corn lover like my daughter – Chloe, she would love to have this.

For a guy or boy – no problem – Sandy has them in boy’s color as well.

More kitchen gadget to make your food look pretty.

Yummy hot chocolate for Christmas/winter  - with a bunch of marshmallows.

More treats for your loved ones – and don’t forget the variety of tea and specialty coffee at Sandy’s Gift store on Main Street, downtown Yarmouth, they may have moved but not far away from their original store.  Friendly service and unique gifts – try Sandy’s.