Random Updates

The 3-week year-end school holidays have just started. I had planned to make a trip back to Ipoh but mum advised us to stay put in KL because of the worsening Covid cases. Yesterday our country recorded over 30k cases. Every day I read of my friends’ updates that they or their family have tested positive for Covid. Very soon, almost everyone is going to get infected at least once.

It’s going to be tough for us to self-isolate at home if anyone of us got infected as we live in a condo. Our rooms are small and the occupants have to share bathrooms. In my daily prayer now is for my family members and me to be protected from getting infected by Covid.

Getting infected with Covid has become so common now that it’s like getting the common cold and flu. If your symptoms are mild, you are advised to stay home and isolate in your room for 5-7 days.

These days Alycia is hardly at home. On days that she attends face-to-face classes she only comes home after 6pm. On days that she attends online classes, she’s locked up in her room almost the entire day. Even when classes are over, she’ll be in her room completing homework or assignments. She even goes to campus during the weekends to have meetings with her group members. Nonetheless, she’s very happy with the course that she’s taking and the environment of the campus. I love the campus too! She’s also more comfortable and chummy with her new course mates now. Today she brought her course mates from other states for a tour in KL city center. One of her course mates has invited Alycia and another girl to his hometown in Ipoh during the semester break – the boy’s parents will be driving them to Ipoh. The best years in one’s life is always the college and university years. Oh how I wish I could swap places with Alycia now!  😁

Our brunch last Sunday. Hubs wanted to dine at Siti Li Dining at Damansara but the restaurant was not open. So we went to the bakery next door instead.
Haru guarding my kitchen slippers from the Roborock. Every time the robot tries to eat up our slippers, she will sprint over to the robot, pushes it away with her paw and pulls the slipper with another paw. Such a smart kitty!

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What To Expect from a Periodontist Visit

Did you know that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults? Periodontal disease is the inflammation and infection that affects the gums and bones around your teeth. It can lead to painful and bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth, and chronic bad breath. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be time for a visit with a periodontist.

What Is a Periodontist?

A periodontist is a dentist who deals primarily with gum disease and other tooth and gum-related problems. They typically perform periodontal therapy, which is a treatment plan that includes cleaning the teeth, scaling and root planing, or surgery. Although there are plenty of things to consider before scheduling an appointment at a local periodontist Farmingdale NY, like cost and convenience, the most important thing to consider is how much your visit will benefit you. 

woman in white scrub suit holding white and green hose

What Will Happen During Your Visit?

Here is what you should expect during this visit:

  • A thorough history and physical exam
  • Cleaning of your teeth
  • An analysis of your mouth
  • Advice on how to maintain healthy gum tissue in the future

How Long Does the Visit Last?

The visit usually lasts about an hour. Your periodontist will examine your mouth and then give you a prescription for treatment if needed. Your periodontist may also provide you with a referral to a doctor if you need further care. After your visit, it’s important to follow up with a dentist or hygienist to make sure the treatment is progressing well.

What Are the Costs Associated with a Periodontist Appointment for Adults?

A typical visit with a periodontist costs approximately $200. This typically covers the examination, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride application, and lab fees. Treating your symptoms can reduce your risk of having extensive procedures on your teeth in the future.

A visit to a periodontist can be one of the most important visits to your dentist’s office. They will diagnose and treat periodontal diseases, which can cause tooth loss and affect your overall health.

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16 February 2022 ~ Sherilyn’s 17th Birthday

Sherilyn turns 17 today! She’s my Chor 8 CNY baby. Her birthday fell during CNY in most years but this year, it’s a day after Chap Goh Meh.

Used to be the most challenging and willful child of my 3 daughters, Sherilyn’s grown and matured so much over the years. She’s no longer my most challenging child now but the most independent and talented. She still needs me to nag at her to shower early and sleep early though. She has now passed the ‘most challenging child’ baton to her youngest sister 🥴.

Sherilyn’s birthday dinner was held at our family’s favorite café, Red Kettle.

Seafood soup for Sherilyn. She wanted something light as she had a heavy lunch with her besties.
Fusion fried angel hair pasta with seafood.
Chicken chop for me.
Carbonara for Alycia.
Porkie bowl.
Roast beef sandwich.
Best Portugese egg tarts in the Klang Valley and possibly in Malaysia. One is never enough. I can gobble down two at one go and then corrode with guilt 😬
Minus 4 Degrees ice cream, voted Malaysia’s #1 ice cream brand in 2020. I love the salted caramel flavor. Not too sweet nor cloy. Just perfect. Even better than IS, HD or BR.
Birthday girl with her choice of cake – Tiramisu.

Happy birthday, Sherilyn! I hope that the year ahead will be filled with many blessings from God. Know that you are loved today, tomorrow, and always! ❤️

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2022 Chap Goh Meh Dinner

The Yaps had an early Chap Goh Meh dinner on Sunday. The host (hubby’s aunt) requested all the attendees to do a Covid self-test a few hours prior to the dinner.

This is my first ever Covid self-test and I had trouble getting that much saliva to fill the tube. I stood at the sink for 5-10 minutes just to collect enough saliva to reach the mark on the tube 🤪.

Our buffet spread of Hakka dishes, whipped up by the Yaps who are all great cooks.

12 dishes, including a lotus root soup.
Fried glass noodles with fried prawns, steamed chicken, braised duck with ginger and assorted roast meat.
Yee Sang, stir-fried mixed veggies, Chinese sausages and sauteed Ngar Koo (arrowroot) with coriander and roast pork.
Fried glass noodles with fried prawns, Top Hat (Pie Tee), braised abalone with mushrooms and braised Hakka pork with wood fungus (MIL cooked this dish. It’s her specialty).
Love the Siew Yoke with crackling skin. This platter was bought from our friend’s restaurant (Seng Kee Kitchen).

And this marks the end of Chinese New Year! Now it’s time to eat clean before my yearly blood screening. My appointment with my gynae is next Sunday and I am already feeling the jitters – my once a year anxiety before the screening. 🥶

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All-Season Physical Endurance Exercise Options

Physical endurance training may consist of aerobic and strength-building activities. With aerobic activity, you may exercise for cardiovascular conditioning at a relative intensity level for a period of time. With strength training, you may use your body weight or another source of weight to exercise your muscles to a level of fatigue. Variation in your exercise intensity and duration and level of consistency may help build your endurance. Here you will learn about the benefits of endurance exercise, considerations for starting an exercise routine, and endurance activities such as brisk walking, jogging, biking, and stair climbing.

Benefits of Endurance Exercise

Like Jeffrey Previte, you may be interested in endurance exercise. Your body may adapt to the stress demands placed upon it through endurance exercise, with systems in your body working more efficiently. Your heart rate may slow down as your heart muscles grow stronger, and blood may flow easier throughout your body. Oxygen may reach your cells more efficiently. The metabolic activity of your cells may become better regulated. You may experience muscle mass and bone density gain as well as body fat loss. You may move with increased stability and speed, and your immune system may improve in function. And overall, you may feel a sense of an increase in your energy levels.

Starting an Exercise Routine

Before engaging in new exercise activities, it may be a good idea to speak with your primary physician. Doing so may result in selecting a more suitable exercise regimen and an achievable goal for your current state of health. Once cleared to begin your exercise regimen, you may want to start at a light to moderate level of intensity so that you may have a lower chance of a setback or an exercise injury. And remember to warm up, cool down, and perform stretches. Build breaks and variety into your routine for your body to rest, recuperate and develop. You may track your activity progress on an app.

Brisk Walking and Jogging

Brisk walking is a relative term in that you may walk at a level that challenges your heart and lungs without leaving you out of breath. If you can easily carry a conversation, you may want to speed up your pace to a point where you gasp for air but do not run out of breath. More efficient than brisk walking, jogging is another exercise to consider and complements brisk walking. Jogging may be described as a slow-paced run and can even be done in place if you are short on space. You may choose to perform brisk walking or jogging at a park, on a treadmill, track, trail, or sidewalk.

Biking and Stair Climbing

Biking and stair climbing exercise similar muscle groups. Choosing a flat path and adding hills may be better when starting biking as you build endurance. You may choose to bike on the road, a bike path, a mountain trail, or a stationary bike. You may also choose to buy an indoor trainer stand for your bike. As for stair climbing, you may run up staircases or decide to use a stair climber fitness machine. To make this workout more difficult, you may want to avoid swinging your arms and holding on to rails.

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12 February 2022 ~ Random Updates

Alycia received her Pfizer booster dose on Thursday. It was a walk-in vaccination at a clinic in our hood. The next day (yesterday) she was down and out. She had fever, chills and a throbbing headache. Except for waking up to pop Panadol and drink water, she slept the entire day, wrapped up in her blanket up to her neck. She rode out the fever and woke up this morning feeling much better, though she still has a slight temperature. The 3 Pfizer doses were really tough on her.

Brunch with my ex-bf (just the both of us) last week:

At Les Deux Garcons (LDG) Pâtisserie, our favourite cafe in our hood.
Dim Sum @ Restoran Jin Xuan Hong Kong, Kuchai Lama, KL. Some of the items were brought to us by a robot.
The butterfingered girl dropped her Huawei phone and wrecked the LED screen. Cost of repair is at least RM200. I told her that she has to work for her dad to pay for the cost of the repair 😑

My favorite past time to de-stress – online shopping! I bought these KN94 face masks in sweet pastel colors from Lazada. Missing in the photo is mask in mint green.
I love the quality of the masks and the pretty colors. The colors above are taro purple, pastel yellow, stormy blue and baby Mandarin.
Alycia likes to wear color-coordinated face mask and clothes when she goes to college.

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Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Covid cases continue to soar by the thousands every day. From just slightly below 2k cases just a month ago, the numbers have spiked to almost 14k today and is expected to continue rising in the midst of an Omnicron wave.

Cass’ high school shot out a notice to announce that in view of the current Covid situation, only SPM 2021 students need to be present in school for the SPM exam and all other students will attend online classes for the entire month of February 2022.

This morning I didn’t hear my phone alarm ring at 5.15 am. Someone defied me last night and made me burning mad just before bed time, resulting in me having insomnia until almost 1 a.m. I must have slept so deeply when my phone alarm buzzed at 5.15 a.m. and only woke up 1.5 hours later when I heard birds chirping outside. Being an ultra light sleeper, this is the first time that I didn’t hear my phone alarm ring! Thankfully hubs didn’t have to leave the house early for his central kitchen today and could drive Sherilyn to school. She was slightly late for her exam 😞

Haru caused a shitty mess in her litter box early this morning. The poop splattered onto the wall and everywhere else in the cage! I spent almost an hour wiping down the wall and cage with Sol-U-Guard and discarded the cotton sheets lining the cage. Last night Sherilyn fed Haru with quite a bit of chicken soup and it must have caused the poop to be slightly loose.

Haru still reeks of poop despite me wiping her down 100x with wet wipes. We don’t have the time to give her a bath yet.

I felt so shitty in the morning and still pissed with someone. But it got better after I had a long walk outdoor and then went to the supermarket to get groceries. A long walk or run outdoor always defuses a bad day and palliates the gravity of a situation for me.

Our dinner from last night – Miso Tori Paitan Ramen (Creamy Chicken Broth Ramen). This recipe is not for the time-strapped as it involves a LOT of work.

Ramen in chicken paitan broth (Tori Paitan Dashi), topped with spinach, mushrooms, sauteed minced pork and raw leeks. Even the fried shallots are homemade.

The ramen was made from scratch last month and frozen. The chicken broth involves multiple onerous steps from boiling to blending the chicken and veggies in the Thermomix and then sieving it. The result is a very rich, emulsified and nutritious chicken broth.

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Everything You Need to Know About Impact Investment

Impact investments are being made by investors all around the world to harness the power of finance for good. Continue reading to understand impact investing’s basic characteristics, who makes impact investments, the outcomes these investments can produce, and more.

What Is Impact Investing

The phrase “impact investing” was coined in 2007, but the practice has existed for many years before that. One of the primary goals of impact investing is to assist in reducing the negative consequences of economic activity on society. As a result, impact investing is sometimes regarded as a form of philanthropy.

Before investing in a firm, investors that utilize impact investing as a strategy assess the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), or the sense of obligation to positively assist society as a whole. The type of impact that investing can have varies by industry and by a company within that industry. For example, Social Impact Capital is a venture capital business situated in New York that was founded in 2016. Minority seed and early-stage impact investments are the firm’s goal. The company prefers to invest in businesses that deal with energy, water, food, health, the environment, housing, social justice, education, and other consumer goods and services.

3 Characteristics Of Impact Investing

Intentionality

A conscious desire to contribute to a demonstrable social or environmental benefit of the impact investment. The goal of impact investors is to fix issues and capitalize on opportunities. This is what sets impact investing apart from other investment strategies that may take into account social and environmental factors.

Manage Impact Performance

Impact investing has a specific goal in mind, and it necessitates that investments be managed to achieve that goal. This includes putting in place feedback loops and communicating performance data to help others in the investment chain manage toward impact.

Contribute to the Growth of the Industry

For describing their impact plans, goals, and results, investors with credible impact investing practices employ common industry vocabulary, conventions, and metrics. They also share lessons learned whenever feasible so that others can benefit from their knowledge of what leads to social and environmental benefits.

These Core Characteristics of Impact Investing add to the Social Impact Capital existing definition of effective investing, which is defined as investments undertaken with the goal of generating a positive, measurable social and environmental impact in addition to a financial return. Ask and find out more on the Sarah Cone Twitter page

Benefits Of Impact Investing

Impact investing has a number of advantages, some of which are quantifiable and concrete, while others are less so but nonetheless significant. Here are a few of the advantages of impact investing: 

  • Corporate practices that are important to you, such as fair labor practices or environmental sustainability, should be promoted and encouraged. 
  • Use more of your resources to support topics that are important to you, in addition to what you pay to charity. 
  • Support long-term solutions to social problems that aren’t entirely reliant on philanthropy donations. 
  • Make your money last longer. Returns on impact investments can be recycled to have a greater social impact.

It’s also worth noting that investing in social effects doesn’t always imply sacrificing financial benefits. Several studies have looked at the performance of impact investments and found that they frequently meet, if not always exceed, the performance of standard investments.

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Top 3 FAQs About Repairing Dental Handpieces

Any tool you use for extended periods will eventually wear out. For dentists, that means your handpiece. Since they are such a significant investment, you will probably want to know all the details about maintenance and general care. Unfortunately, many people still have questions about repairing their handpieces when they break. 

1. Who Should Repair Your Handpiece?

When handpiece parts wear out, the first thing you need to determine is if you should repair, replace, or rebuild your tool. Once you’ve determined this, you need to decide on a business that can do the job with high-quality parts. After all, you don’t want this to be a short-term fix with low-quality components. The best option is to look for a shop that offers speedy service. While searching for a shop, think about qualifications, convenience, and reliability. 

2. What Can Be Repaired and What Should Be Replaced?

Sometimes, dental handpieces loose parts that need to be replaced rather than repaired. For example, the turbines are the main moving parts that need to be replaced. While you can extend turbine lifespans through regular cleaning and maintenance, they will eventually wear out. At this point, you can have the piece sent to a shop and easily have this part replaced because they are beyond repair. 

3. Where Can You Find Replacement Parts?

If you’re looking to do the repairs yourself, your first stop for replacement parts should be the manufacturer of your tool. Depending on the age of your device, you may still be under warranty, so the manufacturer will be able to send you free or low-cost parts. However, it may be better to check after-market manufacturers when your tool is older, as these tend to be a cheaper option. Just be sure to look for after-market providers with warranties and high-quality parts. 

Like any tool, your handpiece is going to wear out with use. To extend your device’s lifespan, you’ll need to make sure you know how to get it repaired or replaced when the need arises. 

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Friday, 4 February 2022 (Li Chun Day)

Li Chun, which signifies the beginning of Spring, is the first day of the Chinese solar calendar. Li Chun is considered an auspicious day for the Chinese. Li Chun falls on the 4th of February this year. In Asia, it has become a tradition to deposit money into your bank account during this day to garner good wealth and fortune for the new year.

People also try their luck to see if they can make eggs “stand up” on this day. If they succeed, he or she is believed to have good luck throughout the year.

We tried making eggs “stand” today and my egg “stood” in less than 5 minutes of trying! The second egg “stood” effortlessly too! Cass tried and made about 4 or 5 eggs “stand”. Sherilyn made one egg “stand” 😆 

After making our eggs “stand”, I went to the bank to deposit money, just for the fun of it. If my luck is good this year, I can then safely tell everyone that this traditional practice is somewhat bona fide. So wait for my follow-up post in a year’s time, yeah.

Haru has been hiding under the bed and sofa the whole day as we have relatives over almost the whole day. She’s a scaredy-cat who is afraid of strangers.
Haru’s latest favorite hangout place – atop the wet kitchen dustbin. She loves to people- watch and catch flying insects.

No. of times viewed = 63

A Closer Look At The Most Crucial Recent Trends In Hair Care

With the help of Function of Beauty reviews, learning more about various hair care trends has never been easier. As consumers all over the world learn more about the various benefits that are associated with customized shampoo and conditioner, there are a number of other trends that need to be monitored.

The top companies understand these trends and are able to cater to their audiences accordingly. The more that the consumer understands about the latest trends, the easier their hair care process becomes. The following is a closer look at the hair care trends that are going to be shaping 2022 and beyond.

A Stronger Emphasis on Products For Aging Hair

Hair changes during the aging process and of course, there is always going to be a strong emphasis on handling grey hair. Grey hair is not the only worry that the average person has to address as they begin to age, though. “With age, we know that our hair thins out. This is because of both a decrease in the number of hairs and a decrease in the diameter of the individual hairs themselves,” says Joshua Zeichner. As a board-certified dermatologist who is based in New York City, he is uniquely qualified to make this distinction.

“The active phase of hair growth, known as anagen, tends to become shorter with age, which means that hairs don’t grow as long and fall out more rapidly,” Zeichner adds. He also warns against free radical damages to the hair follicles and warns against adding new products to the hair care routine without speaking with a dermatologist first. As more and more people look to fight back against the onset of aging, it is important to find out whether hair-related issues are health-related.

Shiny Hair

To be quite frank, shiny hair never really goes out of style but that does not make it any less trendy at the moment. The glossy hair trend has taken over on Instagram, for good reason. It is easy to see why people would like for their hair to look its glossiest and shiniest. Thanks to customized hair care products, the process of making the hair look glossy has never been easier. For that reason and many more, this is a trend that is expected to have a sizable amount of staying power.

The shiny hair trend also extends to those who have extensions. These customers are forever in search of formulas and products that will make their hair shiny, while providing the necessary color protection. Since so many have been babying their hair over the past couple of years, it is only natural that they would want a more shiny appearance that can be shown off on TikTok or Instagram.

The Addition of Skin Care Products

More and more brands are adding skincare products to the equation when they are creating hair care products, a trend that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Shampoos and conditioners rely on these products more heavily now. Thanks to the customization trend, it is even easier for today’s consumer to pinpoint the skincare products that will help their hair and add them to their finished product.

“When the scalp is out of whack — meaning there’s poor circulation, an oil imbalance, or a buildup of cells — we see not only flakes and inflammation, but hair that looks and feels unhealthy, and may even shed before its time,” Francesca Fusco, M.D. shares. By taking the time to speak with a medical professional, these issues can be pinpointed and handled in a timely manner. The more that the consumer knows, the easier it is to zoom in on the skincare products that are most likely to help.

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3 Tips for Flavoring Your Favorite Coffee Beverages

Many people anticipate taking the first sips of their favorite morning coffee drinks. A warm beverage helps you to wake up and face the day refreshed. However, using the same coffee repeatedly can lead some enthusiasts to wane in their usual delight in their favorite drink. Many turn to adding flavors to their coffee cups to avoid this common issue. You can find many incredible new and subtle tastes by adding some or all of the coffee flavorings below.

Creamers

A wide variety of creamers exist from which you can choose your favorites. Straight milk or cream provides the classic dairy experience, and their richness brings a round, warm feel to the beverage in your mouth as you sip. Some may prefer non-dairy options for creamers, and many exist. Nut milks made from cashew or almond and soy milk make great options for your morning drink. You can choose to heat or froth the creamer before you add it to the top of your coffee mug. If you prefer chilled coffee in the morning, you might try adding a bit of ice cream or soy cream to your cup.

Ice cold frappe.

Sweeteners

Many types of sweeteners make it easier to find the one you like best. For example, sugar and honey both melt nicely into hot coffee. If you want to reduce sugar in your diet, you can try organic liquid stevia and other natural sugar-free options.

Syrups

Coffee syrups like 1883 flavoring syrup Michigan and extracts can bring a diversity of tastes to your coffee. For instance, the beverage can taste like dessert when you add chocolate syrups. In addition, fruit, nut, candy and citrus flavors, even floral ones, turn drinking your coffee into a new gastronomical adventure.

Coffee flavorings boost the taste that you crave so that your coffee never becomes ordinary. Furthermore, they make significant additions to tea beverages as well. Subsequently, you can enjoy a slightly different taste every day of the week if you like.

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Chinese New Year 2022 – Day 2

After two full days of cooking on CNY Eve and CNY day 1, hubby gave us a break from cooking for Hoi Leen Farn today! Eating out is always music to our ears. The girls were happy becoz they don’t have to wash the dishes and I don’t have to do the dreaded massive clean up after cooking.

Who likes post-cooking clean up? Never me. Washing dishes is something that I would avoid at all cost!

Maria our part-time helper of 10 years has not been coming in for work for almost two weeks. Lately she’s always giving excuses for not coming to work. Two days ago I asked her if she intended to stop working for us but she denied. This morning she told me that she’d be coming for work but at the eleventh hour, she messaged me to say that she’s still at Mid Valley and couldn’t come for work. Again! This has been happening almost every time she’s due to come in for work. I’m really pissed with her attitude lately and really disappointed. She was never like this before.

I told the girls that we have to learn not to be too reliant on Maria. We have to learn to live without her becoz the day will come when she decides to go back to Indonesia for good or has found other employers who are willing to pay her better than us.

Back to our CNY Chor 2!

It’s been such a long time since our family went cafe-hopping. The pandemic has been too unkind to us for the past two years. And it has also made us appreciate the little luxuries in our lives more than we did pre-Covid days.

We first had lunch at Kappa Takebayashi Japanese restaurant at Jalan Doraisamy, Chow Kit.

The photos look yellowish caused by the dim yellow lightings in the restaurant. Food was superb, albeit came slow.

After lunch we segued into Licky Chan & The Poke Guy to try their avant-garde boozy cone-tail ice-creams. Licky Chan is the ice cream parlour of freshly churned fantasies, with a cow-to-cone philosophy that embraces the coolest kind of creativity. Each flavour is unique, banishing cookie-cutter double chocolate cliches, refusing to take the easier, more familiar paths of cempedak, pandan gula Melaka or rum and raisins. Instead, you’ll find unconventional playful flavors that you’ll never find elsewhere, such as Nirvana (composed of almond milk, masala chai, cashews and turmeric). Each flavor is a triumph of taste and texture, with beautifully harmonised proportions of everything from pistachios to peppercorns, gin, sweet soy sauce, burnt butter to pickled beetroot.

After paying for the ice-creams, the cashier gave us a huge fancy-schmancy ang pow. I thought they were some badges but they were two condoms in fancy wrappers! 🤣

Even the ang pows are unconventional 😆

After ice-creams, we segued into Tapestry for cakes and drinks.

Matcha latte, mocha, latte, smoothie, chocolate orange cake and burnt cheese cake.
Banana bread with almond butter and pumpkin kaya.
The resident cat at Tapestry has a striking resemblance of Haru!

We’ll be back at Tapestry to try the main course menu.

I’d like to wish all my Chinese readers a very prosperous Chinese New Year. I hope that the year of the Tiger will bring everyone roaring success, wealth, good health, and happiness.

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HEALTH FREAK MOMMY