gizelle lau | blog | trip inside my head, spend a day here. . .

tuesday, dec 15, 2009 | our first christmas

at home, mm and i are celebrating our very first christmas together :) this means pulling out all the stops and making it awesome.

i have to admit, i've been a sucker for christmas this year - maybe it's the "honeymoon period" - so they say, but looking back on the year, it has been a fantastic year. happy to be celebrating christmas at home with mm and family. travelling is awesome but home is definitely where the heart is.

so, in preparation for christmas this year, here are some fun shots of what's happening at home:

first thing we did was get a tree - a $20 from ikea (you get a free $20 gift certificate!) that is slowly shedding despite our attempts at watering. the first night we put it up in my parents' old tree stand, it fell. matt built a pretty serious stand with adjustable supports and now it's sturdy as a rock. we picked up some ornaments from lowe's and lights from canadian tire (that have been returned twice and we've veto'd lights for this year or will buy them on sale after christmas). despite it being so "ma fahn," the smell of pine is nonetheless the best way to get christmas going.
presents under the tree! came home one night and found a heavy, rectangular box in silver wrapping sitting pretty under the tree. after multiple atempts of wrenching the answer of its contents from mm, i found out it was for me and i can't open it 'til christmas :( boo.

made a beautiful, beautiful apple pie for guests that were coming over last week - i think this photo may just do the pie justice
there's jesus, and then there's the second best reason for christmas: cookie exchanges. baked up some chewy ginger molasses cookies and the much-loved toblerone shortbread in the back

tuesday, nov 24, 2009 | puerto vallarta & yelapa, mexico

hola! after a week in "winter-peg" and in the sub-arctic watching polar bears, i was lucky enough to be able to visit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during the Gourmet Food Festival this past weekend - great food, a fun group of people, and beautiful sunny weather.

as my first visit to Mexico, definitely enjoyed it and thankfully, didn't contract h1n1 or violent diarrhea :) i'd definitely go back! here are my fave shots:

puerto vallarta is famous for its "malecon" or boardwalk downtown that lines the beach. along the malecon, you'll see sculptures made my local artists, including this one of a dancing couple
like the light in this photo, just before sunset along the malecon, an artist lines up his paintings to sell in the evening when the malecon gets super busy with locals and tourists
street food on the malecon includes this cup of pig skin, aka. pork rinds, covered with hot sauce, lime - it tasted like the tendon from a bowl of pho with hot sauce

infinity pool looking out on the ocean at casa magna marriott in puerto vallarta
the sunsets here in puerto vallarta are lovely because they're always on the water and behind the Sierra Madre Mountains - here's the first sunset of the trip
and here's the second sunset of the trip - just minutes before this shot, the sky was light with bright pink. the sailboat happend to pass by at just the right moment - really wish i had a wider angle for this shot

of course, when you visit Mexico, you have to eat tacos! here are some tacos from the Lagunita Hotel restaurant on the beach in Yelapa, Mexico - a fishing village we visited during a day trip
after tacos, the next most important thing to try in Mexico is guacamole - delicious, creamy, sweet, salty - the guacamole is out of this world!
if you've done tacos and guacamole, then next comes tequila. at this tequila tasting, we tried three different tequilas, sipped and tasted as we would wine - an eye-opening and slightly throat-burning experience

since it was the gourmet food festival, tried this dish by Chef Randy Placeres from Aspen - unagi with a touch of roasted marshmallow - really, really strange and delicious
if you're in Puerto Vallarta, take a day trip to Yelapa - this small, remote fishing village that's a 45-minute boat ride away. if you're looking for a remote village experience in Mexico, this is it - a simple, laid back, lovely place
besides its 150-ft waterfall, Yelapa is known for its Pie Lady - Chelly Pay - who has been making and selling pies on the beach of Yelapa for over 20 years. a bit of a random attraction, but absolutely delicious!

friday, nov 6, 2009 | churchill, manitoba: polar bear capital of the world

just got back from winnipeg + churchill, manitoba from the trip of a lifetime - polar bear watching with natural habitats adventure. home sick with the flu, though hopefully not anything pig-related :) here are my favourite highlights of churchill.

polar bear alert! the sign says "don't walk in this area" because it's very, very likely that during peak-season (sept-nov), you may stumble into a polar bear
these are the tundra buggy vehicles used for polar bear watching just along the shores of the hudson bay. the bears hang out along the shores from sept to nov while they wait for the ice to form so they can move north and go hunting for seal on the ice floes.
here was our first polar bear sighting - a sleeping bear curled up between a couple of rocks trying to avoid the windy conditions. we quickly learned to look for yellow blobs against the white snowy ground or bush rather than the typical "white furred" bear.

day 2 out on the buggy - this little guy walked up to us and came to say hello
here's the same bear sitting right beside our vehicle just 2 feet away, this photo was taken with a 50mm

my fave shot of the entire trip - another bear came to say hello on day 3 of our trip. also taken with a 50mm, got the shot at the right time, just when he looked at me :) stunning, isn't he? polar bears are actually pretty mellow and very curious, rather than vicious or violent. this curious bear stood up on his hind legs and pressed his front paws up against the back of our buggy and looked right at me!
momma bear with 2 little cubs :) they were being chased by another bear :(

the polar bear compound is dubbed the "polar bear jail" - which is where the bad bears or "rogue bears" are kept. bears are put in jail if they've been causing too much trouble around town. they're kept in the jail for 30 days or until the ice freezes on the hudson bay. when it's time, they're helicopter-lifted out from the jail to the beach.
this is a culver trap, baited with seal oil. when the bears smell the oil, they'll wander into the trap and it will close on them like a cage. the bears are then taken to the polar bear jail.
last but not least, our adventure in churchill ended with some dog sledding! a must-try when you're up in the sub-arctic or arctic

wednesday, oct 7, 2009 | joel robuchon at the mansion

there comes a time in one's life when you find yourself standing in awe at the sight of something or somewhere you only ever dreamed of reaching - places like the pyramids of egypt, the treasury in petra or the ruins of machu picchu.

as someone who is deeply, deeply passionate about food, a meal at "joel robuchon at the mansion" is not just any other meal - but the fulfilling of a silly foodie's dream. so here it is - my dining experience at joel robuchon at the mansion at MGM Grand in Las Vegas at the end of September:

joel robuchon at the mansion - no one talks about it, but "at the mansion" is a subtle, hidden and ridiculously secret reference to "the mansion" at the MGM Grand Hotel. "the mansion" is an unbookable, not-in-the-building-sketches penthouse/suite for royalty, presidents and madonna
purple and gold autumn place settings - our table in the private dining room was every dinner party thrower's dream

the bread cart at joel robuchon definitely rivals mine and mm's fave bread cart thus far at pierre gagnaire. the egg brioche is pretty mean!
course 1 - le caviar oscietre - osetra caviar on a coral gelee served as a surprise

course 2 - la tomate - grilled tomato with herb rub (on the left), tomato gelee topped with mozzarella and tomato/basil
course 3 - la laitue - lettuce veloute with nutmeg and sweet onion foam

course 4 - le bar - pan-fried sea bass with a lemon grass foam and stewed baby leeks
course 5 - l'aloes - fresh aloe and passion fruit layered over cheese cake crema

finished off, as most high-end french meals are, with petit fours from the ridiculous dessert cart that sits in the corridor
to send us off, we received a pistachio loaf and a box of specialty chocolates - the perfect way to draw out the experience for a couple more days (and to share the JR love with mm!)

and yes, it was everything it's cracked up to be - and the only reason i'll ever visit vegas again is to come to try the 16-course menu :) next up - off to winnipeg + churchill, manitoba in late october for another trip-of-a-lifetime to see the polar bears in a tundry buggy. then to puerto vallarta in mid-november for gourmet food & wine festival.

happy thanksgiving!

thursday, oct 1, 2009 | viva las vegas

just got back from a 5-6 day trip in las vegas - an exhausting trip with 8am to 2am days, trying taking in everything vegas has to offer - needless to say, it's great to be home! here are some of my favourite shots and who am i kidding, some favourite dishes :)

one of the coolest attractions in vegas is the neon sign boneyard - a place where all the las vegas neon signs "go to die" and/or "retire" - the collection is vintage, tells the history of vegas and is a fun, fun place to check out before it gets built up into a real museum
the beatles' cirque de soleil show, "LOVE" was my favourite show (we saw le reve, donny & marie, cher, jubilee) and a great tribute to the beatles' collection and characters
fun shot of an army of mr potato heads in a display case at the palazzo hotel/casino

with an average of 2 hotel visits a day, i got more than a glimpse of some of vegas' top penthouse rooms and executive suites - here's a hot tub at the Monte Carlo's Hotel 32. nice mosaic hot tub - though i have to admit, ours at home is nicer :)
dined at Sinatra's, a restaurant dedicated to - you guessed it - frank sinatra. this dessert is an ode to sinatra, featuring a chocolate fedora
if you're looking for delicious mexican food in vegas, check out Diablo's at Monte Carlo - the fish tacos are a delight!

vegas is the place for cocktails and if you visit NOIR lounge (downstairs from LAX at Luxor), you'll find expert mixologists that can whip up any flavoured cocktail you wish - just name the flavour. i went for a passionfruit and a chocolate strawberry, although their speciality is a peanut butter and jam martini
one of the best atmospheres for a good brunch in Vegas is at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas. while the food isn't stellar, it's fun to sit back and pretend you're in a Parisian cafe
although RM seafood by Rick Moonen was voted as the best seafood restaurant in Vegas, the sushi/sashimi here doesn't come close to Nobu - but meeting Rick Moonen nonetheless was a treat having just watched him on Top Chef Masters

met up with jon hui for a late-night birthday drink outside caesar's palace at serendipity 3 (same chain as in NYC) and had a frrrozen hot chocolate on the patio while drunk bachelor party-goers walked by
francois payard's cafe at caesar's palace is another great spot for a brunch with exceptional french pastries (as if you would expect any less) and delicious chocolate waffles to make you feel guilty
highlight of the trip - and my reason for going to vegas - was a 5 course dinner at joel robuchon at the mansion. a foodie's dream come true, i got to collect another 3 michelin stars and got a small peek into the kitchen <3 look out for another blog post on the meal :)

monday, sept 7, 2009 | fun at home

here's a quick look into our new place, rather, our new 'home' :)

his and hers toothbrushes . . and mine isn't the pink one
our beloved exposed brick wall and mm's shot of damien rice at massey hall in may 2007
on our pantry shelf: CIA's professional chef textbook, world atlas of wine, spain 2009 by frommer's, cook with jamie, and more. .

here's one of our first dishes at home - a sous-vide moroccan curry oxtail
mm has an obsession with kitchen gadgets while i've got an obsession with sauces and marinades :p
trying something chinese: black bean spare ribs

love the smell of goods baking in the oven, not to mention the perfect excuse to use our red kitchen aid mixer . . here are some beautiful blueberry muffins baking
can't make anything tasty without butter :) here are some chunks of butter to make buttermilk cheddar biscuits that turned out super, super rich
apple pie, homemade crust with a mix of apples - a recipe mixed from alton brown and dorie greenspan

one plus of having friends in culinary school are that they need to come by and "test" their recipes on you - here's a peach passionfruit sabayon brulee with moroccan biscotti on the side a la natalie chow :D
mm's first try (a yummy one!) at pistachio ice cream and pistachio gelato
more delicious biscits for breakfast in the morning on-the-go

another favourite at home are eggs - usually done over medium or hard - fried up in a cast iron skillet
meet pinchy - a 2lb $24 lobster from st lawrence market who had fun on our cutting board, swimming in our sink - and later swimming in our boiling pot of water
one of our favourites so far (thanks to pinchy): a lobster mac 'n cheese :) delicious.

thurs, aug 20, 2009 | going crazy tonight

every generation gets a chance to change the world
pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
b/c the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
is it true the perfect love drives out all fear?
the right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
oh, but a change of heart comes slow...

it's not a hill it's a mountain
as you start out the climb
listen for me, I'll be shouting
but we're gonna make it all the way to the light
but I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

[u2 - i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight]

saturday, july 23, 2009 | honeymoon lovin'

wedding went on without a hitch (as far as i know) and we were more ready than ever to embark on the long-awaited honeymoon through france, spain & morocco.

now that we're back, we're struggling with a laundry dryer that won't dry and lots of unpacking/organizing/sorting, but we're loving it. here are some of my fave highlights + photos:

newlyweds at terminal 1 at pearson airport testing out mm's new wide angle
paris: i can't even express how much i love this city, here's a fun shot at the left bank shops across from notre dame
my favourite dish in the world: foie-gras stuffed quail with truffled mash potatoes on the side from atelier de joel robuchon

after paris, we rented a car and drove through french wine country - from champagne to strasbourg/alsace and through burgundy
from wine country and onwards, we made our way to lyon. here's the famous lyon cathedral at the top of the mountain - stunning white edifice
from lyon we took a 5-6 hour train to barcelona and the land-of-tapas, our first stop in spain and a beautiful ride through the pyrenees mountains and eastern spanish coast

barcelona is also home to jamonissimo - probably one of the best places in the world to eat ham - not just any ham, top quality iberico ham. here is the best slices of ham i've ever had: salamanca iberico :)
from barcelona, we took another 5-6 hour train to spain's west coast to san sebastian (also known as "donostia"), one of top cities in the world for eating
one of my fave dishes on this entire trip was this dish of slightly caramelized foie gras on grilled eggplant/aubergines at arzak in san sebastian :) delish!

from san sebastian, we made our way to madrid which quickly became one of our favourite cities in spain. we loved tapas bar hopping not to mention we loved our upgraded executive suite at the westin palace hotel, one of the best in madrid
from madrid, we took a short flight to marrakech, morocco - one of the most stunning cities in north africa. here's the "elephant room" at la sultana, stunning decor!
one of our favourite parts of the trip was hanging out at djemaa el fna, one of the biggest markets in the world and where the whole city congregates at night - great food: lamb head, tajines, freshly squeezed organge juice for 3 dirhams - and lots of fun bargaining and haggling at nearby souks + shops for spices, scarves, and souvenirs

saturday, june 20, 2009 | millcroft inn & spa, pre-wedding (non) jitters

at this time by next saturday, i'll be married - a conclusion i came to this morning after i slept in and didn't feel bad about it one bit. sleep is rare these days as is stress - except for when people wonder frantically why i'm not more stressed out, as i 'should' be.

so i had a great escape to Millcroft Inn & Spa in Alton-Caledon, Ontario for a short 2 day getaway. beautiful place, historical mill from 1881, great food, lovely rooms, amazing spa. . .exactly what i needed.

peacefulness at its best - the view of the river on the terrace at Millcroft Inn & Spa
the front of the Main House at the Millcroft Inn & Spa
the waterfall at the Millcroft Inn & Spa that used to power an old wool/knitting mill

orange & lime infused water at the region's best spa, offering treatments like a Swiss Kur, a Japanese Ofuru, or a organic chocolate pedicure
the 4-diamond restaurant at the Millcroft Inn & Spa is helmed by Chef Robert Fracchioni puts on culinary demonstations paired with a tasting menu - Chef Fracchioni is as passionate as they get bout pasta and here he shows us how to make homemade ravioli
our 5-course tasting menu included this dish, a seared scallop on beef cheek and white/green asparagus - absolutely wonderful dishes and pairings to match

amazing experience and the perfect getaway from Toronto. you can find another review on OurFaves.com.

in other news, the Toronto Eats photo blog has been taking off tremendously! one great website i've meet through Toronto Eats & Twitter is www.WeHeartToronto.com who not only post Toronto Eats photos for all to see, but tracks other Toronto locals & media on top news and happenings in Toronto.

wednesday, april 28, 2009 | virginia culinary & colonial wiliamsburg

this trip was my first with mm's d50 - so i hope you enjoy these photos!

warm duck, brie & mushroom sandwich on raisin/nut bread at Can Can Brasserie in Richmond, Virginia
behind the scenes inside the kitchen on a private tour at Can Can Brasserie
the Colonial Williamsburg Lodge: classic, rustic and rustic

the whole town of Colonial Williamsburg is like an entire reenactment of the period of revolutionary wars and civil wars, this is a typical scene - fun stepping into another totally different era
fun shot of a starfish at the Virginia Beach Aquarium - i think i have thing for shooting starfish (see the bahamsa photos)
(speaking of seafood) - lots of delicious seafood (local and non) in Virginia, pictured here is an oyster topped with virginia ham and cheese - one of the best bites of the evening!

monday, april 13, 2009 | miami, florida

if you ever want to find out how good a destination really is, always ask, "would you go back?" to miami, i'd say yes - hello art-deco paradise, mysterious and intriguing strangers or celebrities hiding out at every corner, everything is glam, the perfect place to see and be seen - and to people watch. here are some favourite photos:

the private beach at the mandarin oriental, my home for the 3-night stay in miami, lovely lovely place
beautiful Renaissance-style balcony in the "casino" of Vizcaya Musuem & Gardens, an Italian-styled mansion in Miami with gardens reminiscent of le Chateau de Versailles

sunday champagne brunch at Biltmore Hotel, one of Miami's finest hotels with so much character and early 1900's charm that you can't help but love it
one of the most well-known coffee shops in Miami is found in Little Havana called "Cafe Versailles" where you'll find old Cuban men arguing about politics all day long while sipping on the cafe's beautifully roasted Cuban coffee that made the trip go from so-so to amazing.

sunday, april 12, 2009 | toronto restaurant reviews

it all started a few weeks ago when i began to write toronto restaurant reviews for OurFaves.com.

what years ago began as a food-wine-restaurant obsession to discover the newest spots, dirtiest spoons or diehard fan favourites in toronto - was then paired with my travel writing skills and my iphone/twit-pic photo taking madness - to make me a candidate of sorts to write as a "Foodie Expert" for OurFaves.com.

this past weekend, a friend discovered my first "Toronto Restaurant Review" featured on Toronto.com - *cheers*! here's to "moustache girl" and many more reviews and a budding career as a food writer.

monday, march 23, 2009 | montreal, lake placid, whiteface

it was time to get away - from all the wedding planning, renovations, parents, invitation-making, work, life - and to catch some end-of-the-season snowboarding before there would be no snow in sight. so off we went to lake placid to snowboard at whiteface mountain - with a pit stop in montreal for dinner.

it all began with a short work day on friday and a quick 6-hour drive to montreal for dinner to martin picard's restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon at 536 Avenue Duluth Est; we sat at the bar that had a front-row seat to the kitchen's festivities - i've never seen so much foie gras in my life; dish one of many was a Foie Gras Poutine - go to my OurFaves.com Review of Au Pied de Cochon for more!

snowboards: his & hers; the view of whiteface mountain from one just below it with mm in the forefront; the view from 3430 feet just below the summit of whiteface - absolutely spectacular! great food, amazing views - and one really icy mountain.

there were a few notable wipeouts that i'm still feeling, a few bruises here and there - but alive, well and ready for life to continue. in the interest of our chinese culture and parents, mm's bringing over a roasted pig - haha, let the wedding festivities commence!

friday, march 06, 2009 | kauai, hawaii

aloha :) 18 hours to kauai, 14 hours return, 4 connections and a stop through seattle where i had a "real authentic" starbucks at 6am that was the worst london fog i've ever had - and i still can't complain about this job.

here's kauai, the oldest and northern-most island in hawaii which is also considered the garden isle. its largest mountain is mount waialaeale which stands at 5,000 ft and is known as one of the "wettest spots on earth." it is at the peak of mount waialeale that clouds and rain collect and then flow down throughout the island via 8 rivers and hundreds of waterfalls or cascades - making everything green and lush on this "garden isle."

i got lei'd for my first time; the stunning na pali coast on the northwest side of the island, stunning reddish brown cliffs jutting up thousands of feet; true hawaii, water and palm trees at the grand hyatt resort

it was a bit cloudy when i was there but this seal didn't seem to mind, i suppose he was working on his tan; palm trees and beach cabanas, beautifully serene; a shot from the lookout at waimea canyon, known as "the grand canyon of the pacific" was so grand and so stunning it gives you shivers

a view of the lush and dense tropical forest, leading to the fern grotto along the Wailua River Valley; classic elvis-style hawaii resort, this was taken at the marriott in lihue; a pond, you ask? no, a swimming hole in the middle of the tropical forest

kauai's great for adventures and activities including photo'd here, a ziplining rig, i ziplined over that river, my first time ziplining; i also horsebackrode for the first time ever (and surfed, which i think i picked up easily from all the snowboarding. .); and a final glimpse of the hanalei taro fields, there are so many photos of this spot (look it up on google photos) but every time it looks different and is one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen

tuesday, march 03, 2009 | nassau + long island, bahamas

there and back again: a travel writer's tale. welcome to the bahamas :)

palm trees at the stella maris resort club on long island, bahamas & star fish

hammock and hut living on stella maris resort's private beach & the cape santa maria beach on long island, rated the third most beautiful beach in the world

tuesday, february 03, 2009

i'm in love :) with elmo, of course.

wednesday, january 28, 2009 | asia, hk, singapore, thailand, vietnam

back from gallivanting my way through hong kong and parts of south east asia - and breezing through all of season 2 and half of season 3 of 24. oh, jack bauer!

and be assured, i love travelling more than ever - and feel that i'm in just the right job :) i'm writing this before taking of for the bahamas tomorrow for an "assignment," and i have to tell you, this is definitely where i never knew i'd be, but so blessed that i've found myself here.

back to asia :) i made my way from hong kong to singapore to visit nicole + nadine; over to bangkok, thailand to hang out with elton for a few days; back to penang, malaysia for a few days to see some cousins, aunts and uncles; and the got to spend a few days with my mom in hanoi, vietnam before going back to hong kong for another few days.

highlights? here they are :) my fave moments from hk/singapore/thailand/malay/vietnam.

(hong kong) discovering stanley and driving through the mountains, seeing parts of hong kong that i never knew existed; falling in love with chinese food all over again, although toronto can definitely boast great quality chinese food; visiting a random fishing village on the outskirts of hong kong super fresh sea food, catching up with old friends and schwepps cream soda

(hong kong, to singapore) riding on the mtr, the hong kong subway system is a dream compared to the TTC; going for my second meal at l'atelier of joel robuchon, pictured here is a foie gras ravioli soup with creme fraiche on the side; getting upgraded to business class after almost missing my flight from hong kong to singapore

(singapore, bangkok) shrimp kee soup noodle in singapore - and the non-stop food tour of singapore that began at noon and ended before dinner time (many thanks to the chews!); the cookie museum, a cookie store native to singapore offering flavours like "durian," "chicken friend rice," and more of the most unique cookie flavours i've ever experienced; colours and garlands in thailand

(bangkok) thailand's beautiful artwork, mosaic tiles and textiles; the reclining buddha - this guy is *huge and so chilling it's worth the visit; copious amounts of delicious bangkok street food that didn't cause any violent diarrhea

(penang, malaysia) snorkeling, lying on the beach, swimming with the fish and getting sunburnt in langkawi near penang; chili sauce everywhere is a wonderful (and delicious) sight; a malaysian-specialty, "roti tissue" is thin roti rolled up into a tower and drizzled with condensed milk, a fusion between indian and chinese foods, this dish is amazing, as are my cousins who took us out on a never-ending sampling tour of malaysian dishes :)

(vietnam) the people in vietnam are truly stunning, like this man playing the "er-woo" in this window outside the temple; a 2.5 hour river boat ride in hoa lu through the exquisite limestone rocks that jut out of the river, full of mountain goats and so beautifully picturesque; a set of colourful floating homes making up a village in a cove of ha long bay where we also kayaked

(vietnam) authentic fresh shrimp spring rolls in hoan kiem district; a real authentic bowl of pho from the shadiest food court in the 4-storey textile market just north of hoan kiem lake but oh-so-delicious it's undescribable; and of course, a cup of hot vietnamese coffee with condensed milk :)

(back in hong kong + macau) i decided to start taking photos of all the subway station signs, and mr kwok decided to take a photo the silly tourist taking photos in the subway; afternoon tea at the peninsula was beautiful; a side trip to macau to the venetian to catch up with ms. luk or rather, the soon to be mrs. lau

(hong kong) the cake shoppe at the mandarin oriental is a must-see; more fun on the mtr on the last night before heading home; and a final dinner with all the hong kong folks before returning to toronto.

:) great, delicious times. and hong kong's definitely grown on me this time.