tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8114448452770798092024-02-20T15:43:47.690-05:00Hylic’s ViewHtopiaHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.comBlogger709125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-83817098173257135472016-08-21T21:00:00.001-04:002016-08-21T21:02:02.004-04:00Kentucky State Fair<p>After seeing the commercial on TV about the discount for the State Fair and Kentucky Kingdom tickets, we bought the tickets for the event. Several people told me Saturday wasn’t a good day to go the fair, but we went anyways. It did rain quite a bit, but compared to the water sprays in the rides which got us completely soaked, the rain was nothing. The perks about going to the amusement park in the rain is that you don’t have to wait too long for the rides. We could actually take a few times without getting up in some of the rides. The tickets were totally worth it. The State Fair wasn’t really that impressive especially after you went to the Ohio State Fair which was bigger on so many levels. But the Kentucky Kingdom part was so much fun. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Pwh_rWMCDCE/V7pOgWmPrOI/AAAAAAAB_zg/T2WiR3JINm8/s1600-h/IMG_0551%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0551" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0551" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oEO9Jt3yTAQ/V7pOhAGu1jI/AAAAAAAB_zw/CoT9WLhbXUY/IMG_0551_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-146mDtvqpY0/V7pOhxFm81I/AAAAAAAB_z4/WA_Xg9244DQ/s1600-h/IMG_0621%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0621" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0621" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PcwI94e8VG4/V7pOizTSfgI/AAAAAAAB_z8/qFJY6LZwk8I/IMG_0621_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6PDWRPTfPDQ/V7pOjJAYxNI/AAAAAAAB_0I/SSWTMdzrpxI/s1600-h/IMG_0625%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0625" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0625" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tiyBCqBo37E/V7pOjrwzm0I/AAAAAAAB_0Q/j9AxYhoz-sI/IMG_0625_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-45843846128269092832016-07-31T23:14:00.001-04:002016-07-31T23:14:09.163-04:00MovingI have been working on the house moving for the past week. Last weekend was the hottest since the beginning of the summer. I got sunburnt pretty bad thanks to the weather. My facial skin came off partially. I have to say it was not pleasant. The truck I rented was the biggest vehicle that I have ever driven. I guess there is always a first time for everything. Moving made me walk at least 8 thousand steps everyday but I wish it was something more enjoyable instead of carrying things that haven't been cleaned for months. Oh, well, I am getting there.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-56332106696592935112016-06-25T11:55:00.001-04:002016-06-25T11:55:53.753-04:00Dujiangyan<p><a href="http://hylicfoo.blogspot.com/2009/02/home-vol4-dujiangyan.html">Last time I visited Dujiangyan</a>, the ancient water dam in the upstream of river systems of Chengdu, was 7 years go after the earthquake in the mountain range which did damage to the town near the water dam. As Dujiangyan is the World Cultural Heritage recognized by the UN, it’s one of the most visited tourist spots in Chengdu. Ken and I left early that morning with my mom and aunt to Dujiangyan. Along with numerous new built skyscrapers, an express train line was also built connecting Chengdu and Dujiangyan. We drove on the free way which is times better than before and faster. The ancient town itself had its renovation after the earthquake impact, and it’s better organized and designed. That was my first impression, and I am glad this area is getting better. It’s pretty much night and day difference. This time not only was I revisiting the dam, but I need to introduce it to Ken as well. So we did lots of walking in the water dam park, and spent most of the day there. After thousands of years, this dam is still a blessing to the city downstream, providing water and resources. It is surely the obligation of each and every generation to protect it, no matter what.</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ELG_GbB6upE/V26pUr_P4tI/AAAAAAAB8S0/ixIsD524xxM/s1600-h/2016-06-16%252520152124%25255B17%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-06-16 152124" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-06-16 152124" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xEL0sRu3KCM/V26pacTW0HI/AAAAAAAB8S8/GqocDjW0E4M/2016-06-16%252520152124_thumb%25255B14%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="146"></a></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TOM9EzrXUFQ/V26pbPiuBGI/AAAAAAAB8TE/qdI7OCjmKIE/s1600-h/2016-06-16%252520160218%25255B20%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-06-16 160218" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-06-16 160218" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YOzj9dVMKG4/V26pb9nYxhI/AAAAAAAB8TM/wpZOXuU8b-k/2016-06-16%252520160218_thumb%25255B17%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4sflMke4kN0/V26pcUDzwhI/AAAAAAAB8TU/IXVj1MYk5BE/s1600-h/2016-06-16%252520165714%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-06-16 165714" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-06-16 165714" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KdPYwE9gB1Y/V26pc05O0tI/AAAAAAAB8Tc/Jj7aDh2rQJE/2016-06-16%252520165714_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-28967309492279464682016-05-30T11:29:00.001-04:002016-05-30T11:31:46.260-04:00Back in Chengdu<p>I forgot how humid Chengdu and Shanghai are in May compared to Lexington. But I am very glad to come back after so many years. Chengdu, as a central city of the southwest region has developed so much that I cannot even recognize. The south district of the city is basically another Chengdu, called Tianfu District. Although lots of cities in China are doing the same thing to build new districts, Chengdu is doing quite well. Ken and I took the line 1 subway to the new district to explore on our own today. The Global Center reminds me of Las Vegas. Things are not cheap there, but there are still lots of people, even on the week days. I don’t know how people can afford it. On the way home on line 1, we stopped at Tianfu Square, which is the center of the city. That was actually my first time to be there since I don’t even remember when. The department stores above the subway station are quite neat. The scale of the Tianfu Square is smaller than Tiananmen Square, but it’s really breathtaking to have a huge flat area amongst the concrete forest. As we are planning to spend more time here, there will be more new things to be discovered.</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YRINJdjgmj8/V0xcF2oibEI/AAAAAAAB7w8/LUfutjQYFCU/s1600-h/2016-05-30%252520151427%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-05-30 151427" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-05-30 151427" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MW-JI9b_9ww/V0xcIL-6mtI/AAAAAAAB7xA/IbBrfAMaP-M/2016-05-30%252520151427_thumb%25255B12%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fVg-GT3uU3o/V0xcJ9ZMKtI/AAAAAAAB7xE/c98YJ-hzCsg/s1600-h/2016-05-30%252520201254%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-05-30 201254" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-05-30 201254" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pGbDv_Uhp-s/V0xcMMfD_wI/AAAAAAAB7xI/Yu9DuV2nZsY/2016-05-30%252520201254_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6Y8Z4J6ofQI/V0xcOoPOpbI/AAAAAAAB7xM/iIAVIcHtx-c/s1600-h/2016-05-30%252520202732%25255B16%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-05-30 202732" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-05-30 202732" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BV59LKnZMIo/V0xcQr9q_sI/AAAAAAAB7xQ/55BRoQhNQDs/2016-05-30%252520202732_thumb%25255B13%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-37634768941061255192016-05-20T05:35:00.001-04:002016-05-20T05:35:54.674-04:00Back in Shanghai<p>After about 24 hours flight, I finally arrived in Shanghai, the city that I used to know. Things changed so much after so many years, but my impression right now is it’s more crowded and more chaotic. Maybe that’s why there are so many restriction and bans here for easier management, but it doesn’t really solve all the problems. Scooters, pedestrians and bicycles still cross the streets whenever they want, and vehicles honk accordingly or do it whenever they want. Subway trains are more crowded with more rude people, yelling during their conversations. People shove and push to get on the trains with many of them on the phone. Lots of people are cold and services are indifferent and rude. Those are the reasons why I left here. But there are also reasons why I miss it. Restaurants are everywhere within walking distances with so many variaties. I don’t have to drive to get groceries since they are just downstairs. I am sure I can lose some weight this way since this type of lifestyle requies moving all the time. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OQVRtE88PL8/Vz7aKANHsSI/AAAAAAAB7v0/Qy_loHU9ga0/s1600-h/2016-05-19%252520085125%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-05-19 085125" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-05-19 085125" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-25UC2vjtGEQ/Vz7aVGQptrI/AAAAAAAB7v4/rT7AIpZ8Vis/2016-05-19%252520085125_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1MaTYjN_b48/Vz7abJmRyfI/AAAAAAAB7v8/wRew89CiCLU/s1600-h/2016-05-19%252520132334%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-05-19 132334" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-05-19 132334" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vEYXqxsO9SY/Vz7ado2FJ8I/AAAAAAAB7wA/eRvZDJPL8VA/2016-05-19%252520132334_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-39775187512216986762016-04-23T11:41:00.001-04:002016-04-23T11:43:51.667-04:00Kentucky State Capitol<p>Since we have never been to the State Capitol in the past few years, on Monday, I told Ken that we should visit it when we can. So after lunch, we went inside the State Capitol for a tour. We waited for about half an hour and then joined a group of high school students, most of whom are girls. It was little strange that we were arranged with them, but since not many people would visit the building, it was convenient for the guide to just have one group of people. There were about at least 30 people and I couldn’t hear what the guide was talking about most of the time, because he spoke softly with apparently nervous and uncomfortable look on his face. I can only imagine how it felt to speak in front of those teenage girls with mean and impatient faces along with those you-owe-me-money kind of attitudes. Ken later told me, I got stared down by two of those girls. I didn’t notice that, nor did I care. Whatever high school they were from, I am sure it’s not a good one. Immature students aside, the building looks amazing inside with marble floors and columns. The paintings on the ceilings are gorgeous too. I haven’t been to that many State Capitol buildings before, but this one definitely sets a high bar. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3uyD1nJreZc/VxuXmAl8WAI/AAAAAAABEpU/g2QnoeHgDIo/s1600-h/IMG_2474%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2474" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2474" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JRbLG4rHdlI/VxuXnL3finI/AAAAAAABEpY/3JAAStxh2Tg/IMG_2474_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oImoAW3iYSo/VxuXnsVRMmI/AAAAAAABEpc/XWVIWxay6bo/s1600-h/IMG_2483%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2483" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2483" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FVqCkcRplsI/VxuXoMJf2uI/AAAAAAABEpg/ipw-8BVN6UE/IMG_2483_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ULxb4rcsK48/VxuXoqeF16I/AAAAAAABEpk/nMfAoAvO9-o/s1600-h/IMG_2495%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2495" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2495" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yeywzqm0bSM/VxuXpK9PeLI/AAAAAAABEpo/ETxPBRjT9fE/IMG_2495_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c7srTS1qsgA/VxuXps4ht_I/AAAAAAABEps/MNHwmEz2r0Y/s1600-h/IMG_2496%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2496" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2496" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PWEtBf5CgEI/VxuXqCFj7xI/AAAAAAABEpw/UAW_0R7-BwI/IMG_2496_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I4VB3CfML8Y/VxuXqk9iAuI/AAAAAAABEp0/IR5vekYYOjs/s1600-h/IMG_2506%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2506" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2506" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CQ5WlBYGnAY/VxuXrELaRRI/AAAAAAABEp4/oohHZqx-0f8/IMG_2506_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dGLBGN8xGM8/VxuXsG0dxgI/AAAAAAABEp8/lcDNINX9aQ4/s1600-h/IMG_2512%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_2512" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2512" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rRjEToiDT-c/VxuXsofDxGI/AAAAAAABEqA/U9eVk8XQ3Go/IMG_2512_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-39085447425235716482016-03-23T15:43:00.001-04:002016-04-07T15:07:09.292-04:00Sichuan Style Noodle SoupWhen I was growing up, I know noodles can have two main types of flavors-spicy and non-spicy. Of course, in Sichuan cuisine, there are hundreds of different flavors based on how you mix the seasoning. The spicy noodles are called “Hongyou Mian” (red oil noodles) and the non-spicy noodles are called “Qingtang Mian” (plain soup noodles). I loved Qingtang type when I was little, but as I grew older, I started to love Hongyou more. The noodles can be either mixed with chicken, pork or beef, or they can be simply vegetarian. It’s quite common to have noodles on the streets in Chengdu on a regular day, but in the US, I have to make it myself if I want to have a taste of hometown. The good news is it’s easy and fast to make with the right recipe. Last Sunday, I decided to make a bowl of Qingtang Mian since I have been having Hongyou Mian in the past. The key recipe is still the same except it doesn’t have the red pepper oil. Here is recipe of the Qingtang Mian for one serving:<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9pHAH4DO8Lk/VvLx2o1WUYI/AAAAAAABEMc/jKYZEfXw-wk/s1600-h/2016-03-20%252520162350%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2016-03-20 162350" border="0" height="667" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7aYnsQBuqN4/VvLx3GMmR1I/AAAAAAABEMg/iBMkujydL9k/2016-03-20%252520162350_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2016-03-20 162350" width="500" /></a><br />
1. Two green onions chopped as thin as possible;<br />
2. Two tablespoons of honey;<br />
3. One tablespoons of Chinese dark vinegar;<br />
4. Three tablespoons of Chinese soy sauce;<br />
5. Three tablespoons of olive oil (red pepper oil for Hongyou Mian).<br />
The steps are easy:<br />
1. Boil the water till it’s boiling;<br />
2. Put a handful of Chinese noodles in the pot;<br />
3. Let the water to boil for 10 minutes with the noodles and stir the water from time to time (depending on the thickness of the noodles, thinner noodles are faster to cook);<br />
4. Add vegetables you prefer (baby kale or spinach for me) in the pot till they are soaked in hot water for 1 minute (Brussels sprouts take longer to cook);<br />
5. Ladle and drain the noodles and vegetables in the bowl WITHOUT hot water to mix with the recipe;<br />
6. Add one or two cups of cold water in the bowl.<br />
Now it’s ready. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rlD1JjIRjHY/VvLx3Wf9QYI/AAAAAAABEMk/hji5jURhULY/s1600-h/2016-03-20%252520161549%25255B28%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2016-03-20 161549" border="0" height="375" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-erCMBmfX_dk/VvLx3zeJN5I/AAAAAAABEMo/rwyW4LE8Tm0/2016-03-20%252520161549_thumb%25255B25%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2016-03-20 161549" width="500" /></a><br />
Based on my experience in the past 7 years, this type of noodles are very addictive. My mouth can easily be watering when I am hungry thinking about it. Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-21112426741900390222016-03-14T16:20:00.001-04:002016-03-14T16:24:41.802-04:00Car Sales<p>So this 2003 Acura CL has been sitting on the driveway for a long time, now it’s the time to get rid of it since nobody in the household really drives it. I understand that when I tried to sell it to the dealership or mechanics, they want to make some money out of it, but one of the mechanics offered a really low price that made me lose my respect for him. I guess since it’s been there for months, I am not in a hurry to sell it immediately. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pR_Bj-ypxIw/Vucc_tArc_I/AAAAAAABEEQ/-yj-YfVCU50/s1600-h/2016-03-11%252520181910%25255B25%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-03-11 181910" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-03-11 181910" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lsuWy2g32lE/Vucc_xOhbjI/AAAAAAABEEU/neHrGlVAESM/2016-03-11%252520181910_thumb%25255B23%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="358"></a></p> <p>On Friday, I spent a good one hour cleaning the car to make it look decent enough to show, because all the leaves and dirt accumulated so much on top of it. When it comes to car sales, sometimes it can be a nightmare. It’s especially true when you are pushed into making big decisions by some of those salesmen. I was shocked how manipulative and ruthless they can be at one of the dealerships in Louisville yesterday. At the end of the day, all they cared about was the numbers that can be put into their system to have a good commission, although they all emphasized that they don’t care if the customers would buy the car or not. For a while I thought I probably had to pay them some money in order to walk out of the door. They are masters of psychological wars and mind controlling. They try to make you feel they are your “friends” by giving all the options to you and thinking for you. Then you feel guilty about not buying a car in the end because they spent hours with you. Indirectly, you feel you have the obiligation to buy a car because they are your “friends”. I know what they are doing and I understand that’s their jobs. But when I tried to play nice and said it’s out of the budget, they didn’t let go and continued to offer various deals that are still of the budget. I was quite disappointed that when I said we cannot afford it, the sales manager told me it’s not his problem. We spent 9 hours at the dealership yesterday, simply because they were constantly pushing and pushing, not letting us leave. The sales manager even said, “we are not letting you guys walk out of the door empty handed.” But why? Is it because I was sending out some signal that’s indecisive or is it because that’s how they interact with customers? If that’s the way they are, I would wonder how many of the customers regret making that big purchase eventually. Yes, I would like to get a car, but not this time. I want a nice car when I can afford. I am not getting one because you can give me the “best” deal ONLY today. I was quite upset when I came back. With this bad taste in my mouth, I am not sure if I would go to a dealership again to deal with the crap like that.</p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-86644499888037232792016-02-29T15:48:00.001-05:002016-02-29T15:49:37.034-05:00Kentucky Fudge Company<p>The Kentcky Fudge Company was recommended by the locals for its famous Harrodsburg burger, aka Harrodsburger. It’s located in downtown Harrodsburg, a small town southwest to Lexington. The restaurant keeps a low profile as many other businesses in downtown, and we missed it a few times until we parked the car far away and walked there. With a big black chalk board on the wall, the menu can be read quite clearly. I ordered the signiture Harrodsburger and a soup. The dining area is big with two compartments connected by an open door. The waiter was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxing. My burger was quite big, but I was a little disppointed that the patty didn’t taste that fresh with very bland flavour. As my mind was somewhere else at that time, I didn’t really care about the taste as long as I was fed. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lJJ39irGvHY/VtSuqbjDlmI/AAAAAAABD6k/h0GILGGJdDo/s1600-h/2016-02-23%252520134322%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-02-23 134322" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-02-23 134322" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1SPwfrtBCG8/VtSuq3TOkNI/AAAAAAABD6o/JTdXmB9MCb4/2016-02-23%252520134322_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-61693659016238699192016-02-22T16:33:00.001-05:002016-02-22T16:33:05.327-05:00Cost of Living<p>After living here for a few years, I realized paying the rent each month is not really my best option. Had I known the time I would spend in this city, I could have bought a house and paid the mortgage which would be lower than the rent. Well, who would have known? Compared to its peer cities in this region, Lexington is actually not cheap to live in. The cost of living here is higher than Cincinnati, Buffalo or even Columbus. I don’t really know the reason but considering it’s the horse capital of the world, perhaps it’s a tourist city instead of a industrial city where goods are more easily and cheaper to be transported. The funny thing, though, is when people are considering the living cost here, they consider the living cost of Kentucky which is way lower than Lexington. With the lower income and higher cost of living, I don’t know how the living quality could be good. The brighter side of this is that it’s still a lot cheaper than either California or NYC. </p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4O-pEHCMNBk/Vst-jWGEt4I/AAAAAAABDxI/1FEfi2ZlfHU/s1600-h/2016-02-18%252520150805%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-02-18 150805" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-02-18 150805" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6o2X-gZSB-M/Vst-jzZd6PI/AAAAAAABDxM/zhevSmeNiDM/2016-02-18%252520150805_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-68896711498655436682016-01-29T15:56:00.001-05:002016-01-29T15:57:45.997-05:00The BlizzardRight after December, a blizzard hit the east part of the country. Pretty much everything was closed in the city. The snow storm didn’t affect us that much, but it was really the pain in the neck to shovel the snow in the driveway. It should haven been fun, but I guess since there are so many other things to do, I couldn’t really stop to enjoy the snow. The dogs are quite excited about the snow in the back yard, especially for Andrew and Pierre who haven’t seen the snow before. I have a feeling that the snow storm might not be the last one for this winter.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cOUQSAsMlZ8/VqvR4tPZnGI/AAAAAAABDYo/tWHiP21pSJw/s1600-h/IMG_2074%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2074" border="0" height="667" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4xm5JYAXsr8/VqvR5DynFAI/AAAAAAABDYs/KSQ5uioEKJk/IMG_2074_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2074" width="500" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ejHLg8BliRw/VqvR5XaUItI/AAAAAAABDY0/_cHMkb_jiBs/s1600-h/IMG_2081%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2081" border="0" height="667" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cZrMsM8d-7M/VqvR5zkgDaI/AAAAAAABDY8/JXBUDYELV08/IMG_2081_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2081" width="500" /></a><br />
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<br />Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-17735277488730910472016-01-18T12:49:00.001-05:002016-01-18T12:52:30.606-05:00A Warm December in 2015<p align="left">It’s kind of interesting that right after 2015, the temperature started to drop. It was freezing cold this morning-so cold that my car could barely start. It was quite warm in December last year and I thought it would be the same in Janurary. 2015 to me was like a blur. It seems to me nothing much really happened, but when I really look back closely, lots of things actually happened. It just happened so quickly like WTF! I am expecting changes in 2016-good changes-that’s part of my new year resolution. </p> <p align="left">Our dogs love the dog parks. One great thing about this city is that dog parks are awesome! They were built to be horse farms initially, so when they are turned into dog parks, they are massive for dogs. We love it. Andrew is not a big fan of the dog parks because he is a little toy poodle who acutally enjoys staying in daddy’s jackets to be protected. But the dog parks are definitely the heaven for Eddie and Jacob, although they are quite vocal towards other dogs. Pierre didn’t know what was going on when we first took him to the parks, so he always stayed very closely with us. Now that he grew a little bigger, he can follow Jacob and Eddie to some extent, but he always runs back when he feels a little far from us. So I guess the winter is offically kicking in and the grass is finally turning into brown. What a dramatic change.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K7tj_FaKgmA/Vp0lpGDWMKI/AAAAAAABDEs/zZ8rsYeuvsU/s1600-h/2016-01-17%252520153206%25255B27%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016-01-17 153206" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016-01-17 153206" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_BXycDqvaG8/Vp0lpgFpT-I/AAAAAAABDEw/_CzysP0M14U/2016-01-17%252520153206_thumb%25255B24%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-74328356533635211592015-12-19T11:47:00.001-05:002015-12-19T12:06:34.190-05:00Open Live Writer<div align="justify">
So since I haven’t updated my blog for a few weeks, I didn’t know what was going on with the Windows Live Writer (WLW) until today. When I tried to update my blog, WLW always showed “NotFound: Not Found” error. I thought it was the same issue that happened a few months ago, but after I did a little searching online I realized that I have to switch to Open Live Writer (OLW) now. WLW has permanently stopped supporting Blogger. I knew it! So pathetic and predictable! I don’t know what is going on at Microsoft, but they have really given up lots of good products. I feel sad for whoever’s making the decision. Giving up your originaty and following what others are doing will NOT get you the leading position in the business. On the other hand, I am glad and thankful that at least someone cares to make the OLW an open source software for bloggers like me to continue enjoying the convenience of blogging. The current OLW has some issues with Blogger, like category function or spelling check, and I hope those issues can be fixed soon. Fingers crossed!</div>
<a href="http://openlivewriter.org/"><img alt="QQ图片20151219114105" border="0" height="267" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A8MqWrAHEWY/VnWKHVoZBII/AAAAAAABBKk/jLY9ygLfXHA/QQ%2525C3%2525BEG20151219114105%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="QQ图片20151219114105" width="500" /></a>Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-52930686424078957382015-12-19T11:34:00.001-05:002015-12-19T11:35:06.303-05:00Revisit to Pittsburgh, 2015<a href="https://www.blogger.com/$2015-12-14-11334610.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/$2015-12-14-11080910.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/$2015-12-13-200028115.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/$2015-12-13-12142917.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The first time when we had this Pittsburgh local sandwich was one year ago. This time we specifically went to the same place where we had our first signature sandwich. Nothing changed so far, and I still love the coleslaw in it. We, of course, went back to the Melting Pot beside the river. We had lots of memories there of course. The waitress was nice enough to pour us two glasses of champagne to celebrate. As much I love the metropolitan feeling of Pittsburgh downtown, I am not a big fan of those winding roads and continuous hills. Grew up in a flat city myself, I find it’s scary and time-consuming to drive to different destinations, especially at night. I am sure if I lived there, I would be able to get used to it. It was almost impossible to navigate in downtown between the bridges because we didn’t know well enough. The GPS was surely confusing too. With that experience in mind, thankfully we only made one mistake this time in downtown. Pittsburgh to me is like a unchanging book that I could revisit with the memories that I can recall. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gKROkPR3oDY/VnWG_vqKUTI/AAAAAAABBJg/RzoKyFXE1mI/s1600-h/2015-12-13-121429_thumb14%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2015-12-13-121429_thumb14" border="0" height="375" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EkdnGEDvQWE/VnWHAIoGF0I/AAAAAAABBJo/Bj9AgdGMJOY/2015-12-13-121429_thumb14_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2015-12-13-121429_thumb14" width="500" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ujBTGZ83y0k/VnWHAnOcbkI/AAAAAAABBJs/2ZC3hhqtDko/s1600-h/2015-12-13-2000281_thumb12%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2015-12-13-2000281_thumb12" border="0" height="667" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C-QfCtWG38w/VnWHBBT-nFI/AAAAAAABBJ0/AMDdGRPeeEw/2015-12-13-2000281_thumb12_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2015-12-13-2000281_thumb12" width="500" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtTLs0ajCjQ/VnWHB3rRE-I/AAAAAAABBJ8/UfR0uYlQ6qc/s1600-h/2015-12-14-110809_thumb7%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2015-12-14-110809_thumb7" border="0" height="375" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mbKrnBfg8ZQ/VnWHCYU4bEI/AAAAAAABBKE/MlmBLMU7-6w/2015-12-14-110809_thumb7_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2015-12-14-110809_thumb7" width="500" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aBHP_ymVDYk/VnWHCyiWo4I/AAAAAAABBKM/yO9I4JQ-9AE/s1600-h/2015-12-14-113346_thumb7%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2015-12-14-113346_thumb7" border="0" height="667" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y8ZMPLbcucM/VnWHDjuOvJI/AAAAAAABBKY/Mtjvs7zAPGw/2015-12-14-113346_thumb7_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2015-12-14-113346_thumb7" width="500" /></a><br />
Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-66707665180076918242015-11-28T14:52:00.001-05:002015-11-28T14:52:54.185-05:00UP2 Jawbone<p>After using a few activity devices in the last two years, I found it quite odd that I don’t have anything on my wrist any more because I stopped wearing them due to various reasons. After Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, I was browsing the deals online and I found the gorgeous looking new generation of Jawbone. So decided to get one of those. Last time when I was at Target, I noticed the new design and neat look of UP2. But it didn’t trigger me to buy it until I saw the good deal online. UP2 is not the most advanced version from them, but only UP2 has the color I want. So when it was delivered to my door after two days, I couldn’t wait to put it on. The unboxing was easy since the box design is really intuitive and I was quite impressed. I had a little trouble putting it on but I think I can get used to it quickly. The UP2 is very slim and beautiful. I shall see how it goes.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JVr4SgpZmuM/VloGBAKUdQI/AAAAAAABAuA/mHie-obVzFA/s1600-h/2015-11-28%252520142116%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-11-28 142116" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-11-28 142116" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P537idwDMpA/VloGBpBpoXI/AAAAAAABAuE/2kZZVT211nE/2015-11-28%252520142116_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mcNHSW9BZbQ/VloGCHigmuI/AAAAAAABAuQ/_mz1ylK7K0g/s1600-h/2015-11-28%252520142125%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-11-28 142125" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-11-28 142125" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7ONP2-Vrgy8/VloGCo9UGGI/AAAAAAABAuU/_S4SnhgqYUA/2015-11-28%252520142125_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1nYEmV8ENsE/VloGDGEyYuI/AAAAAAABAuc/iFLGrhsdIp0/s1600-h/2015-11-28%252520142203%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-11-28 142203" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-11-28 142203" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FzL_mqlhkLo/VloGDd_3x8I/AAAAAAABAuk/jhrL7z1_Ubg/2015-11-28%252520142203_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5rH8513B370/VloGD4oggNI/AAAAAAABAus/2yhfdG3ODWY/s1600-h/2015-11-28%252520143840%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-11-28 143840" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-11-28 143840" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MvOQMYTdWqk/VloGESygACI/AAAAAAABAu0/35LTgWykpFE/2015-11-28%252520143840_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rHPkh0y3Vt0/VloGEmv4NhI/AAAAAAABAu8/LNfiwtYOCLY/s1600-h/2015-11-28%252520143846%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-11-28 143846" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-11-28 143846" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R7OP7J4CMbw/VloGFAB4ROI/AAAAAAABAvI/BRp-GK89NGI/2015-11-28%252520143846_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-32412506068058037962015-11-04T11:44:00.001-05:002015-11-04T11:44:21.221-05:00OneDrive Goodbye?<p>So since there are some users abusing the unlimited storage plan on OneDrive, Microsoft decided to punish all the customers by reducing its current plans, namely, 15G free storage reducing to 5G and others that I am not using right now. I was deeply disappointed at this decision and I think it’s absolutely a bad call. It reminded me of my blog switch to Blogger in 2011 when they decided to shut down Windows Live Spaces out of blue. So basically no service from them is consistent-they can change whatever they want to change whenever they want to. As far as I know, most majority of people are against this decision. I don’t know if they would change this stupid decision, but I am considering switching to Google Drive-at least I could have my peace of mine there.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dO4wuz9wT2Y/Vjo14juFcoI/AAAAAAAA_0M/B7t5gAGWxDA/s1600-h/OneDrive%25255B4%25255D.png"><img title="OneDrive" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="OneDrive" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GRpavKQuMgg/Vjo15PGkqSI/AAAAAAAA_0Q/MHGi6A8GN5Q/OneDrive_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="308"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-74179025405872287172015-10-29T11:27:00.001-04:002015-10-29T11:27:30.647-04:00The Breeder’s Cup World Championship<p>So before yesterday, I had no clue what the Breeder’s Cup was, even though I have been living in the world horse capital for a few years. Since Ken was invited to a charity event for the Breeder’s Cup, I went with him. Apparently, the Breeder’s Cup is a big deal for the city, downtown area at night was very friendly and lively with concerts and food trucks along the Main Street. We didn’t know the bar where the event was held would provide food, so we had dinner at Logan’s and got ourselves stuffed. I had a Marker’s Mark Whiskey with ginger ale, and I didn’t like it as usual. Thanks to the Breeder’s Cup, the city at night came back to life. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PpIKoblsG-U/VjI62jb-7uI/AAAAAAAA_sY/8gl7nCcPass/s1600-h/2015-10-28%252520201055%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-10-28 201055" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-10-28 201055" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ECyUHEMrdM4/VjI63f-pxpI/AAAAAAAA_sg/eQuEppr5NdE/2015-10-28%252520201055_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z-F7oRreuu4/VjI63yXpdFI/AAAAAAAA_sk/LzMONXdcm8Y/s1600-h/2015-10-28%252520210245%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-10-28 210245" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-10-28 210245" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5yqaW6lTtzU/VjI64UXpq0I/AAAAAAAA_ss/zpQz_nwfrAc/2015-10-28%252520210245_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-25316800854339532992015-10-15T14:10:00.001-04:002015-10-15T14:10:54.917-04:00Another Toy Poodle<p>So as I was browsing the poodles online the other day, I noticed this little 8-week old poodle puppy. I didn’t think I would like to adopt him since there are already 3 dogs in the household. But the more I look at those pictures as the owner is sending to me, the more determined I wanted to adopt him. So eventually, we ended up driving 1 hour away from the town to see this puppy on my birthday! It sounded really impulsive to adopt another dog, but I am glad he is home with Andrew so that they can play with each other. He is very tiny when I first saw him, and he smells pretty bad. The owner definitely didn’t really take good care of him, but luckily he seems to be very healthy and strong. After we came back, I found fleas on him, so I had to give him a hair cut. Hopefully his hair can grow back soon. This new puppy is quite different from Andrew on so many levels. It makes me wonder if he is really a poodle especially when he lost his hair. To some extent, I am glad he is different, because he is a lot stronger than Andrew. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DQGWbISEBxQ/Vh_sK1kEFDI/AAAAAAAA_Ws/hdKpCqAokXE/s1600-h/2015-10-10%252520201944%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-10-10 201944" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-10-10 201944" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZGovi7o61lQ/Vh_sLWUqNUI/AAAAAAAA_Ww/Z2xJX6JS2M8/2015-10-10%252520201944_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-12049554252301954362015-09-30T16:20:00.001-04:002015-09-30T16:22:18.408-04:00Cities Skylines After Dark<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KAPEi30vXmU/VgxEJmPZA1I/AAAAAAAA_LI/qg5gQSAiExw/s1600-h/cities-skylines-after-dark%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="cities-skylines-after-dark" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="cities-skylines-after-dark" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6Sp4rs6a8lo/VgxEKKLnixI/AAAAAAAA_LQ/3y9fujiIdnM/cities-skylines-after-dark_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="250"></a></p> <p>After the total disappointment in the latest SimCity two years ago, I pretty much gave up the city planning type of games, including Cities XXL. It’s not that I lost interest in those games because I am still a big fan. I am sure one day, a great city simulation game will come out. That was my hope until I saw Cities Skylines one day and realized it’s actually a playable game. It has SimCity’s style with very smooth game play, but also with Cities XXL’s huge area to develop whatever cities you desire, from gigantic metropolitans to small quiet towns. After playing it for a while, I am very glad they also released the new expansion, <em>After Dark, </em>which features the changes between days and nights with their corresponding characteristics. It’s not a perfect game because some problems like city limits or dramatic population change for no reason can really be upsetting, but in general, it’s the right direction for these type of games to be competitive and appealing. The company who made this is a small company, and the game needs lots of mods to be more realistically fun. I am glad after waiting so many years since SimCity 4, a true 3-D city simulation game is here.</p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-82787276874889742682015-09-15T12:30:00.001-04:002015-09-15T12:37:45.043-04:00Rocky's Pizza & Panini<p>Being to Louisville many times, we used to think the best place to go would be Spaghetti Factory located in downtown, which is kind of similar to Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus. But during our last visit to Spaghetti Factory, we didn’t quite enjoy it. So to make it up to our Louisville day trip, we went back to Rocky’s Pizza across the Ohio River on Indiana side later that day. The waitress was quite cordial and nice, and she led us to the window seats where you could see most of the Louisville skyline. I enjoyed their thin crust pizza in particular, because no matter how many toppings you add, the price is the same. Our pizza was a little bit overloaded thanks to that unlimited topping! The bread with olive oil and parmesan cheese was offered, so I couldn’t finish my grilled sub. I think this place is a must-go place in Louisville.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JvZMKUi5u6I/VfhHjGpxltI/AAAAAAAA-0w/fYve1dDEZVw/s1600-h/2015-09-06%252520171442%25255B20%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-09-06 171442" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-09-06 171442" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yrD7PoebARE/VfhHjoJJl9I/AAAAAAAA-00/eV3jqnD6-hA/2015-09-06%252520171442_thumb%25255B17%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Uat6XmTj4ws/VfhHkKELjMI/AAAAAAAA-1A/5l2YV2zEv6E/s1600-h/2015-09-06%252520173126%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-09-06 173126" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-09-06 173126" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FQ5J6Bj4fBw/VfhHkmswn9I/AAAAAAAA-1I/C49ijyk5Oxo/2015-09-06%252520173126_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-47349282850314146002015-08-26T11:19:00.001-04:002015-08-26T11:20:21.732-04:00Mortal Kombat X<p>I remember when I was a kid, we were obsessed with those fighting games like Street Fighters, etc. Occasionally, I played some fighting games with classmates or friends, but I was never good at it. I didn’t know combos or anything, because I only press certain buttons that I feel comfortable with. After I installed Mortal Kombat X on PS4 this time, I started to realize it requires lots of effort to play it well. In the beginning, I didn’t care the combos or techniques, but after losing for a while, I decided to see what I really do. It’s quite nice that the game shows you what kind of combinations could produce what kind of fighting combos, and you can practice as much as you want to make sure you master certain combos. I am sure there are lots of talented young people who are pretty good at moving their finger tips all over the consoles, and that’s why they can win so much online. So in general, this game is quite addictive and playable, but the extreme bloodiness would definitely not be appropriate for kids. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7_6S-DC_IXU/Vd3Y_mR7TPI/AAAAAAAA-j4/zFG0IrZXz_k/s1600-h/2014-07-30%252520103s546%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-07-30 103s546" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2014-07-30 103s546" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CTL8X6Kwml0/Vd3ZAICU6rI/AAAAAAAA-kA/o77cuuRNwtg/2014-07-30%252520103s546_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="275"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--eGywvUeY2Y/Vd3ZAgHrT6I/AAAAAAAA-kE/DDPxBlmkoO4/s1600-h/maxresdefault%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="maxresdefault" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="maxresdefault" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2_-z5uEx5h4/Vd3ZBEjLvyI/AAAAAAAA-kM/kVk5vtu-PAU/maxresdefault_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-39401831150787132352015-08-09T22:24:00.001-04:002015-08-09T22:25:42.824-04:00Ohio State Fair<p>This is my third time in a row to attend Ohio State Fair. I guess when you go there a few times with not much being changed for the fair, it seems nothing is really surprising any more. Or I should say everything became very predictable this time. Also, thanks to that bird flu, all the poultry sections that had anything to do with birds are closed this year. I feel like there were not as many people as pervious two years either. Anyways, we went there quite early on a Saturday, and the it was very hot. We had lunch at the “Taste of Ohio”, and then of course, had the traditional authentic ice scream at the butter barn while watching that butter cow that was made from butter, literally. Then we also watched the dog show, which was quite interesting this year. At the end of the day, Ken and I were both a little disappointed for various reasons. Still I am glad we went though, just because.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NCBlcfeYbhw/VcgLV2OWZ6I/AAAAAAAA-Ks/epyXyZK54kw/s1600-h/2015-08-01%252520094018%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-08-01 094018" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-08-01 094018" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E9HxMMFvxuo/VcgLWvMVfeI/AAAAAAAA-K0/t4HcydUxobY/2015-08-01%252520094018_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5r7P_pF2ffU/VcgLoFKtrhI/AAAAAAAA-Ls/CCKKrcQDrlI/s1600-h/2015-08-01%252520095545%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-08-01 095545" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-08-01 095545" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GMqHiDpfggY/VcgLpcVNJPI/AAAAAAAA-L0/vfMtOEsvU3E/2015-08-01%252520095545_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-feoSwdU15xA/VcgLXt7ctpI/AAAAAAAA-K8/iJX7WSQPORo/s1600-h/2015-08-01%252520115125%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-08-01 115125" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-08-01 115125" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7pNs-FEK3CQ/VcgLYOp9leI/AAAAAAAA-LE/_dVBGvMnu2E/2015-08-01%252520115125_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m0tHG-16ilA/VcgLZGVzCeI/AAAAAAAA-LM/YeasoiPqzKM/s1600-h/2015-08-01%252520133835%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-08-01 133835" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-08-01 133835" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R1ufkGcESvg/VcgLaMGO8II/AAAAAAAA-LU/HtjZ9aEKXQg/2015-08-01%252520133835_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qM_r2hug07s/VcgLbIba63I/AAAAAAAA-Lc/j36Z0CLGP9I/s1600-h/2015-08-01%252520141900%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-08-01 141900" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-08-01 141900" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pztTpeEOSnU/VcgLb5-AnLI/AAAAAAAA-Lk/ISsFGNcSW1g/2015-08-01%252520141900_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-30006687407244529132015-07-30T11:31:00.001-04:002015-07-30T11:31:31.528-04:00ScoopFree Litter Box<p>Smitty, the cat, is quite lazy and he doesn’t bury his own poop. So cleaning his litter box must be done a few times a week. I was quite sicken tired of it and to top it off, he poops quite a lot each time. I know there is the automatic cleaning little box, but knowing it costs hundreds of dollars, I didn’t know it was worth it until I saw this ScoopFree littler box at one of the local pet stores. It was about $130, and it has the disposable silicone gel type of sands to absorb the odor. It wasn’t cheap, but who doesn’t want to be freed from the poop scooping job? Although, Jacob tried to tear it up one time because he loves cat poop for some reason, the plastic main body remained intact thankfully. I am glad I don’t have to clean that litter box so often any more.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-362miWjSdzQ/VbpDOOf8UkI/AAAAAAAA-Gc/VTYuP850DPM/s1600-h/2015-07-10%252520213923%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015-07-10 213923" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2015-07-10 213923" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Mw1W6GqwsGg/VbpDOro1R0I/AAAAAAAA-Go/sGGVyugszCk/2015-07-10%252520213923_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="667"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-45002829887729394522015-07-09T22:03:00.001-04:002015-07-09T22:06:45.653-04:00The Sims 3 vs The Sims 4<p>Being a fan of Sims series games, it was quite exciting to know that Sims 4 was coming out last year. The Sims 3 was probably the best simulation game out there, and I have been loving it since it was out in 2009. The good thing about Sims 3 is that it has the open world where you don’t need to have the loading screen to get to the places outside of your house as long as it’s in the same town. Of course, the more than 10 expansion packs made this game even more playable. What I love about it is that I can create a perfect Sim with every ideal trait, maximum skills, an ideal career, 5-star celebrity level and most importantly, never aging ability. Honestly, the only complaint I have against Sims 3 is its game loading time is pretty long, and the gameplay is not so smooth sometimes with occasional lagging. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aXIztMvumWs/VZ8n1we59mI/AAAAAAAA9z4/JH77mxs0EmM/s1600-h/Screenshot-653%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="Screenshot-653" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Screenshot-653" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vQ6roGXEBLk/VZ8n2eqZk7I/AAAAAAAA9z8/PHq-2g7eduE/Screenshot-653_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dBXF60KPIxw/VZ8n26I_5nI/AAAAAAAA90I/YOe_-Ib79nA/s1600-h/Screenshot-703%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="Screenshot-703" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Screenshot-703" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-43KbF9ZUdFU/VZ8n3xdOdrI/AAAAAAAA90Q/j3sa1RXDWaw/Screenshot-703_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sv5J2TjZhDs/VZ8n4rXqYAI/AAAAAAAA90Y/IcVdTgihu60/s1600-h/Screenshot-714%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Screenshot-714" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Screenshot-714" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aR85s8d-yFU/VZ8n5BK43WI/AAAAAAAA90c/oWojjYRxHlU/Screenshot-714_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j1xDcsm0nFM/VZ8n5jRWF6I/AAAAAAAA90o/rWb0jR84Sd8/s1600-h/Screenshot-716%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="Screenshot-716" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Screenshot-716" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ira1IgjhFP8/VZ8n6dZQ5tI/AAAAAAAA90w/VyWjHfobEZI/Screenshot-716_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a></p> <p>The Sims 4, however, doesn’t have those issues, but with very smooth game running and fast game loading time. With that being said, I guess those are probably the only advantages that Sims 4 has over Sims 3, unfortunately. The elimination of open world makes it feel like Sims 2, and the cartoonish graphic looks quite cheap, which explains why the game runs smoothly. The camera rotation in the game is also quite painful, with obstacles from the bottom screen especially. Lacking some key items in the game is quite disappointing, especially dishwashers and garbage disposers. The fact that babies would turn into teenagers, skipping toddlers, just doesn’t make any sense. I am not sure if EA would make changes to fix those issues, but I just couldn’t stand the game. So far, I am still playing the Sims 3, hoping the Sims 4 would get better with expansion packs or maybe Sims 5 would come out some day. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ChTwN_iOn9I/VZ8n7zrxLJI/AAAAAAAA904/mSFUjsBE3zU/s1600-h/07-04-15_8-02%2525C2%2525A0PM%25255B9%25255D.png"><img title="07-04-15_8-02 PM" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="07-04-15_8-02 PM" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y4LD4LuJmL0/VZ8n8qKi6aI/AAAAAAAA908/xJVNcnbhNN0/07-04-15_8-02%2525C2%2525A0PM_thumb%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ts4whqW3qSk/VZ8n9jWxFxI/AAAAAAAA91I/o8tHSw9bPqI/s1600-h/07-04-15_8-27%2525C2%2525A0PM-2%25255B8%25255D.png"><img title="07-04-15_8-27 PM-2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="07-04-15_8-27 PM-2" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9fRMrrzh1uo/VZ8n-iygpoI/AAAAAAAA91M/wvgL2NolWFc/07-04-15_8-27%2525C2%2525A0PM-2_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d1h4UOJ0ilI/VZ8n_g3P0MI/AAAAAAAA91Y/-o2THEH88Nw/s1600-h/07-04-15_8-39%2525C2%2525A0PM%25255B9%25255D.png"><img title="07-04-15_8-39 PM" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="07-04-15_8-39 PM" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S8yT1rbt3Xs/VZ8oARFko5I/AAAAAAAA91c/6uQiosKQaNU/07-04-15_8-39%2525C2%2525A0PM_thumb%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iY2LiSFDHsI/VZ8oBZUXh-I/AAAAAAAA91o/eEXw8fSHjwk/s1600-h/07-04-15_8-46%2525C2%2525A0PM%25255B9%25255D.png"><img title="07-04-15_8-46 PM" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="07-04-15_8-46 PM" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7Jmsvg_Sly0/VZ8oCM7-IhI/AAAAAAAA91s/ScJb5FnxRzM/07-04-15_8-46%2525C2%2525A0PM_thumb%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="281"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-811444845277079809.post-26415116608849395542015-06-26T12:00:00.001-04:002015-06-26T12:00:28.260-04:00Black Toy Poodle Puppy<p>Poodles are considered to the second smartest dogs after border collies, but as pet dogs, poodles are the smartest. Being stood up by a person from Craigslist for her chocolate toy poodle, we were a little disappointed. So after having dinner at <em>the Melting Pot</em>, we went to <em>Most Valuable Pets</em> again. That’s the only pet store in the city that actually mostly has puppies. I saw a beautiful 4 months old goldendoodle last time, but she was gone. Surprisingly, they have more puppies this time, including a black male toy poodle puppy. He was lying there in the cage quietly, but absolutely adorable when he met us. He is only 2 months old with not full grown baby teeth. After playing with him for a while, we decided to adopt him! Along with puppy food, toys and other stuff, we were happy to take home a complete cutie. Eddie and Jacob were curious when being introduced to him, but they were nice as always. The new puppy surely changed a little dynamic atmosphere in the household and everybody seems to be happier. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RH1cbZEQp6Q/VY13Fqqa8OI/AAAAAAAA9pk/aXWSKSQa9vw/s1600-h/dssdsds%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="dssdsds" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="dssdsds" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--Rc3zy89I7k/VY13GYNWjqI/AAAAAAAA9ps/YeCU5wTYwkM/dssdsds_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="508"></a></p> Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734065258680958673noreply@blogger.com1