Vasona Park

On this Saturday morning, we decided to visit Vasona Park and stop at downtown Los Gatos Cafe for lunch.  It turned out to be a very nice day!

San Francisco Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival: The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar. It is one of the three major traditional festivals celebrated by Chinese people. It is a time for family reunions. And the traditional food for this festival is mooncakes. In 2009, The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on Oct 3rd.

We went to San Francisco to check out Autumn Moon Festival.  We took bart there, we saw homeless and experience the bad smell around bart station... Once we got to Chinatown, it was nice.  I liked the fact that the streets were blocked. You can see Bay bridge in the middle of the street.  We ate yummy dim sum and walk along the street of chinatown.

Henna hair dye

Henna hair conditioner

Henna is a natural conditioner for the hair. Henna improves body and brings life to limp hair. Dry or damaged hair can be re-vitalized using henna. Henna is well known as a wonderful hair conditioner. Try these henna hair conditioner packs and see the effect:

For dry hair: mix henna with milk, water, and 1-2 egg yolk. Apply once in a month, this pack will make your hair soft and manageable.

For oily and normal hair: Add lemon, eggs, and water in the henna and apply. You can use this pack twice a month.

Henna hair conditioner recipe

Henna – to suit your hair length
Egg – 1
Coffee powder – 1tbsp
Red label tea (any type) – 1 tbsp
Curd – 1 tbsp

Preparation and use

• Boil coffee and tea powder together in 11/2 cup water and allow it to cool.
  
• Use an iron skillet to mix all the ingredients.
  
• Leave it aside overnight.
  
• Apply the paste on hair and leave it for 2-3 hours and wash well with lukewarm water.
  
• That night massage olive oil on the hair.
  
• Shampoo the next day.
  

After I applied henna, my hair felt soft and shinny :)

Oatmeal Raisin Spice cookies

Since I got some free raisins from work, I decided to ask my pastry chef, Monica to help me make Oatmeal Raisin Spice cookies.  Amy happen to came over that day, they both made it together. :)

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp milk

1 cup raisins

2 cups oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 F

Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla and milk.  Add dry ingredients.  Add raisins and oatmeal. Flatten cookies. Bake 375 f for 12-15 minutes.