Merry Christmas

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The JW Marriott Resort , Beach Club and Spa, Mai Khao, Phuket

Put Thailand on your list of places to visit.  Go while the majority of Thailand is still cheap (you can get a hut on the beach for $18 us a night-sharing bathrooms...). I heard one fellow traveler say it reminds him of Spain 30 years ago. This trip was no hut On the beach-although I think I could manage for the beauty that is Thailand.
We spent Thanksgiving here and were not disappointed. In fact, our expectations were blown out of the water. We had a 2 bedroom villa, complete with balcony, full kitchen, huge bathtubs, and amazing views. The grounds of this resort were so beautiful, no detail spared. Fresh flowers were placed though out, it was like a flower fairy came each night, kissing benches, bridges, fountains,pathways, everywhere! It was amazing. The Childrens facilities rocked! A kids club, baby sitting, indoor playrooms, amazing pools, slides, activities including circus training and sailing. Just perfect. The pictures will speak for themselves. Merry Christmas and warm wishes... 

Cookies..Not always pretty, but always yummy.

Even though they did not turn out like Southern Livings....

My toddler still squeels with delight to eat them....

and he really enjoyed this

tree farm waiting for him after a good nap!

This was easy and fun, it is just like a rice crispy treat,

but I used food coloring and a different cereal, a HK brand, but similar to Kix.

I just used chocolate icing to make them stand and a cookie cutter for the shape.

Christmas Movies:

My friend, Mollee and I were talking about Christmas movies that we love. We don't get any Christmas tv or movies in HK and just talking about it made us home sick! Here are a few of our favorites:

Love Actually, love love this one, such a sweet movie, and it reminds me of Our 2 amazing Christmas' we spent there.




The Holiday, an all time favorite even out of season, watched it so many times in London, used to dream about it....


The Family Stone, Mollee pointed out that HK is mentioned in this film as the place the couple met, neither of us paid any attention until now, so funny.


Christmas Vacation, a classic and one The Benefields watch religiously each year.




A Christmas Story, AKA "you'll shoot your eye out" a Gill favorite for sure.


And the classics of course, plus Charlie Brown, The Grinch...




I wish we could have a fire going and watch these movies right now with a big tin drum of popcorn, separated into three sections: cheese, regular and caramel, preferably with some horrible snowy christmas scene on the side of the bin. The one below will do. Oh, American Christmas traditions....how I miss thee....






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Foxy Christmas

Aren't these so cute? They are from Liberty in London, but our local department store, Lane Crawford is carrying them too. I would love a tree full of these scratchy critters. Too bad everything on our fake HK tree is edible.... Candy canes and strings of popcorn and cranberries. I can't wait to get home and adorn a proper tree with proper ornaments.







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Location:Capevale Dr,,Hong Kong

Santa in Hong Kong

This is a pretty good Santa, especially for Hong Kong! (He is at Pacific Place Mall) I was thinking we may not see anything Christmas related here, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Even though Christmas is only about commercialism here, it is still nice to be surrounded with beautiful lights and decorations. I am looking forward to heading home to get the real Christmas feeling though, to be surrounded by family and friends and good food too. Merry Christmas from my wok to yours.



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Location:Capevale Dr,,Hong Kong

Christmas for the New Orleans Girl

For the hot and spicy girl


For the LSU girl


For the Causeway commuter: water meter key chain




For the Girls Night Out pre game: wine coaster




For the Uptown Girl: jewels from Adlers












For the artsy girl


All above from Adlers.

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Disney Land Hong Kong

Just whats on the menu at Disney HK? Fishballs, corn on a stick, dim sum and other traditional foods....thank God for waffles...a universal yummy treat.

Satsumas

One thing that I love love love and really missed this time of year from home... the South Louisiana Satsuma. My dad always returns  home this time of year with sacks of them from our hunting camp, and we would be more excited over them than anything else he brought home.  I could eat the whole sack. Seedless, juicy, tiny and sweet.  As a child I would perch the pealed fruit on my finger and dance around before breaking it in half and enjoying section by section. 

But, just yesterday....out of the corner of my eye....I saw what looked like a satsuma at my local grocery.  I rushed over, it felt squishy, full of air...just like home. I could not be sure until I got home and opened it...and yes, yall!! It is a satsuma, just like home! I got to thinking....how on earth did this little Louisiana delicacy make it this far?

Well, the answer is simple. It originates over here, in Japan, to be exact.

Wikipedia taught me the rest...

In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan. The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese, the name meaning "Honey Citrus of Wenzhou" in both languages. It is also often known as "Seedless mandarin". The Korean name for the fruit is gyul .

The Chinese and Japanese names reference Wenzhou, a city in the Zhejiang Province of China known for its citrus production. However, it has also been grown in Japan since ancient times, and the majority of cultivars grown in China today were cultivated in Japan and reverse-introduced into China in modern times.


Aint it a funny, small little world yall? 

Homemade Popsicles

I know it is Christmas and chilly...but sometimes it is nice to have a cool treat out of season.  On our recent vacation to Phuket, Thailand, homemade popsicles were handed out to the children 4 times a day at the pool.  My son loved them and I can't wait to make them for him at home.

 

Growing up we used to make orange juice popsicles from concentrate. We had the little plastic trays that we would fill and place in the freezer.  At the resort they used a stainless steal version. I found this online at ONYX for only $35 usd.

 But, I got to thinking....(maybe it is the New Orleans girl in me) adult popsicles would be fantastic...what about an eggnog popsicle or cranberry vodka  for the holidays?

Here is a link with over 30 popsicles ideas....enjoy!