Edible Reindeer and Reindeer Droppings

A few weeks back, two of my friends and I had a little Christmas baking party.
I think it's a great way to bond, and also share the love with others - who can resist cookies?
We made use of two recipes we found online - reindeer cookie and peppermint ball cookie (which I had decided to call reindeer droppings because they look like poop AND have crushed peppermint on them). In terms of changing up the recipe a little bit, the reindeer cookie was supposed to be made out of peanut butter, but we opted for sugar cookies instead in case of allergies. The sugar cookie recipe is my friend Keltie's family recipe - so I am not in possession of it :(

I definitely recommend that you try making these cookies - they are a LOT of fun, adorable and delicious.

Bisous,

mooncake

A Holiday Gift Guide

I am probably one of the weirdest gift-givers of all time, but I thought I would try and make a few suggestions. Is it not odd that we give gift suggestions for people we don’t even know - we just go by a hunch of stereotypes and new products in the market? Just a quick thought... Anyways,  enough with my babbling. On I go.

For the men in our lives:

Jawbone Up - For those dads who are either active or inactive. They can keep track of their exercise and sleep schedules. It's one way that they can take care of their health and also show it off if they please! If he's tech-saavy at all, he will think this is pretty cool.

Luxury Plush Robe - For those dads who like to take the time to read newspapers with a cup of coffee on weekend mornings. Who doesn't like to be in a comfortable plush robe? This robe by Restoration Hardware is a bit pricey for a robe - but you can get it monogrammed and it is currently on sale. My favourite colour is graphite. You could even do matching ones for your parents - but we all know how picky moms can be... Maybe that's just my mom.

For the women in our lives:

A scarf - You can get so many different kinds of scarves, ranging from different textures to patterns. Here are a few scarf options from Club Monaco. Also students get 20% off all Club Monaco purchases in the States and Canada. Obviously you can buy a scarf from essentially any store or brand that you or your mom prefer :).

Adele Cashmere Scarf by Club Monaco

Papillon Floral Silk Scarf by Club Monaco

Bath gift set - After a stressful week, it's always nice to relax with a nice warm bath. I think that gift sets by Bath and Body Works is great since there are so many varieties. I love their aromatherapy line, especially the stress relief products. The eucalyptus scent is subtle yet refreshing. I feel like moms also love hand creams, just saying.

Ultimate Eucalyptus Tea Gift Set by Bath and Body Works

For boyfriends:

A card case - I don't understand how guys can sit with their wallets elevating one butt-cheek. I think that a card case is much smaller and can fit in the front pocket. Here are some from Coach and J.Crew. I apologize for the card cases being similar colours, they have more varieties if you want to check them out.

Athletic wear - I don't know about everyone else, but my boyfriend loves gym clothes. I say he wears his gym clothes at least once a day, whether he is working out or just going on a walk with our dog. I want to say that guys like Under Armour, Nike and Lululemon has been becoming increasingly popular. The items can be pretty pricey, so I caution you when purchasing. This Lululemon vest has been on sale for a little bit, and I think it is a fair purchase if you're into that 'vest with long sleeves' craze.

For girlfriends:

Naked 3 - Why not? I definitely don't see myself complaining if I got the Naked 3 from anyone. Beautiful neutral rosy hues - I like how it sounds.

Musical or concert ticket - Instead of getting each other a gift, you can plan to go to a concert or a musical together. That way you can spend time together and enjoy a great show, you don't always have to give each other tangible gifts. This year I am going to watch Wicked with my three best friends, I am beyond excited to say the least.

For our furry little friends:

A cute holiday collar - I am in love with everything Martha Stewart for pets. But I especially love the holiday-edition pet collars. They have ones with flowers, bows, bow ties, and a mistletoe! You can buy these at PetSmart.

Holiday treats - You could always buy treats from the store, or you could bake it yourself! Make sure that you know if your pet is allergic to anything. Martha Stewart has a few recipes and a ton on Allrecipes.com. If you would like some company while baking, I suggest you bake with a friend that either likes to bake or has a dog.

That is all the ideas I have at the moment. Hope this guide can help someone, or at least spark some ideas. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Bisous,

mooncake

Fresh Start.

I think there comes a time when you have to sit down and really think about what you are doing and where you are headed.

I jumped on the bandwagon again, and have forgotten where I want to go and how I want to get there. 

I promise to write on this blog religiously and just post everything and anything that I am interested in as well as the activities I take part in. It has been too long since I have held myself accountable for my own happiness and satisfaction. 

Bisous,

mooncake.

Zoo-o-logic

All of you are so beautiful and unique in your own way!

Don't you love visiting the zoo? 

Though sometimes I wish they didn't have to be separated from their natural environments...

Bisous,

Mooncake

Seoul much love!

On my trip to Korea I saw…

Not too sure if this is the real North Korea or not…Probably a facade.

Sushi!

Pretty building

Palace guard

King's entertainment house

Near a Buddhist temple

Mount Hanla

Jeju island

To celebrate Buddha's birthday

Rice paper tower

Flower season

Bisous,

Mooncake

Birthday!

It was my boyfriend's birthday on this week - I baked a cake... something I do not usually do.

Just made up a random cake and decorated it with my amateur skills. woot!

I hope you football fans understand the design :)

bisous,

mooncake

Date night?

What's a simple meal that can satisfy your significant other?

For me- I can be won over easily by steak.

So, I decided to cook a peppercorn steak for my boyfriend, with a few grilled potatoes rubbed in olive oil and herbs.

Recipe for peppercorn sauce:

• peppercorn
• ground pepper
• salt
• soy sauce
• oyster sauce
• onion (a quarter of one)
• garlic
• flour
• olive oil

1. dice the onion and garlic into small pieces
2. heat the pan on medium heat and spread a dollop of olive oil on the pan
3. first place garlic in the pan, and once it's browned place onion
4. once they are both caramelized, add water (depending on how much sauce you want to make) I usually just guess how much water I want, because you can always add more later
5. Just like the water, you can decide on how much soy sauce and oyster sauce you want to put in. But if you're unsure, just add 2 table spoons or soy sauce and 1 table spoon of oyster sauce
6. add black peppercorn and ground pepper