Category: Slice of Life

Afternoon Bike Ride with Piplup

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/3000 sec, ISO80
 “Piplup at the Disc Golf Course” Cedar Park, 2025

This afternoon I hopped on my Brompton for a little ride. It’s been two and a half years since I bought my C-Line, and I’m still completely in love with it. Riding this bike just feels different in the best way. Compared to a “regular” bike, it’s compact, nimble, and easy to hop on and off. Honestly, it reminds me of the difference between a scooter (or step-thru motorbike) and a motorcycle. Both are fun, but the smaller one has this playful, almost magical charm that always makes me smile.

We stuck to one of our usual trails, but took a short detour to check out the disc golf course. In the photo above, you can just barely spot the basket in the distance. Here’s a closer look:

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 9mm, f/2.8, 1/430 sec, ISO25
 “Distant Goal” Cedar Park, 2025

Anyways, it was a really fun ride with my beloved Piplup!

Saturday Morning Café

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO125
 “Coffee Shop Time” Cedar Park, 2025

Today I treated myself to a trip to a neighborhood café for a fancy coffee drink and a little journaling and blogging time. It felt nice to step out of the house and switch up the scenery while I worked. After about an hour, though, I was more than ready to head back home, coffee buzz and all. Sometimes a short outing is the perfect reset.

Spam Fried Rice

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO200
 “Spam Fried Rice” Cedar Park, 2025

Tonight I went big and made an extra-large batch of Spam Fried Rice. Since we don’t own a giant wok (which would have been ideal), I had to split it up and cook with two pans. The rice ended up a little crispy in spots from overcooking, but the kids still gave it two thumbs up and said it was delicious!

We rounded out the meal with gyoza and broccoli. Gyoza and fried rice are a classic combo, and then the broccoli added the greens.

FYI, we used the Japanese Fried Rice (Yakimeshi) recipe from Just One Cookbook. It’s so easy to substitute a protein, in this case, almost a full container of Spam (cubed).

Spaghetti Nite

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO250
 “Spaghetti Sauce” Cedar Park, 2025

Tonight’s dinner was a big pot of spaghetti and meatballs, and my plan is to make it last for a few meals. We’ll see how that goes! I’m still deciding what to cook for the kids next, but I’ve got a few ideas swirling around. There’s also been a request for shrimp tacos, so those might be making an appearance soon. Hopefully I can recruit some help with the shrimp when the time comes!

Finished The Story of Pearl Girl

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO160
 “Pearl Girl” Cedar Park, 2025

I just finished watching The Story of Pearl Girl, a 2024 Chinese drama, and wanted to share a few thoughts.

The first thing that stood out to me was the costumes and jewelry. They were stunning and added so much beauty to the show. The story itself was only okay, but I really enjoyed the characters. Zhao Lu Si, who played the title role, completely won me over, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more of her work.

The ending, however, left me a little unsatisfied. The final episode felt awkward and a bit rushed, which was disappointing after investing so much time into the series. Still, it wasn’t terrible. I’d give the drama a 7 out of 10 overall. One highlight I can’t forget is the title and ending sequences. They were stylish, full of energy, and paired with fantastic music.

Even with its flaws, I’m glad I watched it, and now I’m excited to dive into my next C-Drama adventure!

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO80
 “Pearl Girl” Cedar Park, 2025

Carnitas Nachos

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO320
 “Carnitas Nachos” Cedar Park, 2025

Mariko left for Japan today, so I’m handling dinners until she returns. For tonight, I made a big batch of carnitas in the Instant Pot and set out ingredients so we could each put together our own nacho plates. Everything turned out really well, and the best part is we have enough leftovers to enjoy again tomorrow!