Die[t] with me.: homebound

monday afternoon

4/12/2010

2:02pm

current status: homebound with a raging case of the cramps

i left work early due to monstrous cramps attacking my lower back and abdomen. this pain is no joke. ugh, i almost felt like keeling over and laying in fetal position but that would be unprofessional on all levels :/

aside from the gargantuan waves of pain crushing against my tender organs, i had a fairly pleasant weekend all in all.

saturday began gradually, with tiny showers of rain weaving in and out of the early morning leaving a fine mist of water droplets upon every visible surface like a clean veil. the cold, brisk air felt fresh against my pristine face, allowing a rush of warmth surge through my core willing me to feel alive. no wonder my favorite season is winter.

my plans for the day began with a lunch date with my ex-boss Ana @ Fritz, home of the delicious belgian fries and sweet dessert crepes.

since i'm on a diet, i opted wisely for the rivera salad, consisting of:

freshly chopped cabbage, bbq chicken, crunchy jicama, black beans, yellow sweet corn, creamy avocadoes, diced red tomatoes, tiny slivers of red onions + an abundance of fried tortilla chips [my favorite] dressed lightly with a lemon goat cheese dressing

might not be the healthiest salad but it sure was good!

after frjtz, the remainder of my day was open to a world of possibilities.

should i run some much-needed errands?

head to the gym?

read a book?

while contemplating the rest of my day, aya invited me to accompany her to the 2010 cherry blossom festival located at sf's japantown. it's a yearly event that runs for 2 consecutive weekends containing unique japanese food stands, cultural performances, live bands, martial arts and community-related informational booths.

we had a ball walking around, sampling delicious japanese fare + bonding as true friends do. here are some pics of our eventful experience:

aya + i

one of the many cultural performances

featuring the breathtaking cherry blossoms

look what aya found:

pineapple + mango hello kitty marshamallows!

pork lumpia

fried to perfection with a sweet chili sauce perfect for dipping

[not quite japanese but what the hey, they're good]

fried mochi

chewy mochi balls gently fried, seasoned w/ a semi-sweet soy sauce + sprinkled with powdered seaweed

my favorite japanese sweet treat

so heavenly, i can devour three [or more]

imagawa yaki - close up

pancake outer layer w/ sweet red bean paste filling

meet jessie, the portable udon bowl!

so cute, yet too shy to take a picture :/

without much of a break in between each meal, my bf asks me to join him and his family for a home-cooked dinner at his place. i hastily agreed and rushed to purchase some goodies for his parents hoping to gain a good impression [i may need all the brownie points i can get!]. feeling

disgustingly full to the point of throwing up, i finally find my way home to rest my little belly before the big dinner.

dinner was like any other chinese family meal; it consisted of nutritional soup, several protein packed dishes and a vegetable dish for good measure.

menu for the night:

clear soup w/green veggies

steamed fish w/soy sauce, lemon + green onions

steamed chicken w/oil + fresh garlic dipping sauce

roasted bbq pork

green veggies w/oyster sauce

rice

although saturday was filled with savory and sweet treats, sunday was a day overflowing with spices.

enough with the words

time to heighten your tastebuds with pictures to keep that saliva flowing :)

chinese bbq pork

steamed fresh chicken served w/ oil + garlic sauce

2 spoonfuls of homemade combination fried rice

trader joe's butter waffle cookie [4]

boiling crab's "the whole shabang" 2 pound bag of crawfish

the whole shabang:

rajun cajun

lemon pepper

garlic butter

sweet potato fries

riceless [yet hearty] spicy gumbo

and last but not least,

juicy, cold oranges!

alright, even i know that's a whole lot of splurging for 1 weekend. but i swear, i really have an excuse. c'mon, gimme a break, i'm on my rag. can't i get a free pass every now and then?

ok, enough with the excuses. i'm back on track starting today.

today's consumption so far:

luna mini's [only 80 cal each]

packed with great nutritional benefits for women!