Flying by

And it is already the end of February! Already, a sixth of the year has gone by so quickly.

I did spend a good 2 weeks in the very beginning of this year traveling to Hong Kong and Thailand. We were very overdue on visiting relatives in Hong Kong. And since we had flown all the way over there (16 direct flight, ftw), we figured we mind as well take a short side trip to Thailand as well. Below are some photos from Thailand and Hong Kong:

Thai bird chilies in a street market in Bankok

Gold covered building at the Grand Palace in Bangkok

Some cool bird statues on the facade of a building in the Grand Palace

Rahul and I at The Peak, with a view of (cloudy) Hong Kong

Been making some pretty awesome food already as I work to improve my culinary skills. For Valentine's day, we made an awesome filet mignon wrapped in bacon with seared scallops in Manhattan sauce, with lemon drizzled asparagus over a bed of smoked gouda mashed potatoes. It was really damn good!

This was an awesome dish. And plating didn't look too bad either, although it could still be improved.

Then, we made some deviled crab cakes with a jalapeno cilantro tartar sauce, and had it with the leftover asparagus and smoked gouda mashed potatoes. Very heavy, but absolutely delicious! And with tons more crab than what you would get in a restaurant.

Not quite Maryland fresh, but still pretty delicious.

Been trying to get outside as much as I could, as this has been a snowy and cold winter! Been skiing a bit, not nearly as much as last year in Oregon, but hoping to go as often as possible. I got to say, I kind of miss the softer stuff in the West. But if I am to be a good skier, I must learn to handle all conditions!

Got a new ski tracking app - gives tons of stats, as well as a visual placed on top of Google Maps so you can see your runs and where the lifts are!

Also wanted to go snowshoeing, but the state park guy lied to me and told me they would be open when they weren't. So we couldn't rent snowshoes, but decided to take a hike around Moreau Lake State Park anyway. Snowshoes would have helped in some areas, but due to the warmth it was already pretty packed down so it wasn't too bad going around in hiking boots.

 Walking through the trails at Moreau Lake State Park on a warm (40 degree) day. 

 As part of my attempt to get more exercise, I am trying new things - for example, learning how to rock climb (in a gym - The Edge in Clifton Park). So far, I've only gone twice but it has been quite fun! The only problem is that the cost adds up so if I am to go more often, it would make sense for me to invest in gear - shoes, harness, and the belay device & carabiner. After an hour and a half of climbing the easy walls, I am tired! I clearly lack the upper body strength needed to progress with harder walls, and my grip is pretty awful.

So, life has been busy and good. Still want to get outdoors more. Although I love winter, and I love having seasons, there are a few things I can't wait to do when it gets warmer:

• Wash my car! My rubber mats are crazy dirty with the endless salt and dirt from the roads. 
• Give my car an oil change - I don't want to go anywhere since I invested money in the jacks and stands, but my garage is still uncomfortable to work in when it is a few degrees outside.
• Bike. My poor bike is just sitting in the garage. The wheels are probably deflated as hell. I should have bought a trainer in the beginning of winter, but at this point I'd rather just wait for it to warm up.
• Hike. Without trudging through the snow. Otherwise, it may be time to invest in some snowshoes.