what a year. 𫶠may we never lose our sense of adventure. may we always find delicious food when we are hungry. may there be a little less motion sickness lol
#2025recap
a new york minute. đ„Č
the last few weeks have been nonstop and Iâve just been moving so quickly and packing up our lives here as we look forward to our next move. I just wanted to spend a little time to linger and reflect on the last ten years in nyc. I canât even believe I made it to a decade here. It has felt so fast and slow, all at once. More than being sad to leave, itâs more accurate to say I am sad about how much time has passed. Iâm going to miss the seasons, my third places, and my truly beloved people that made it so easy to stay here đ«¶
tiny brunch vlog đ„ș
been feeling recently that time goes by too quickly and suddenly we are at the end of summer. so I want to spend a little heart and effort to capture fleeting memories that I can look back on đ«¶
It has been a very difficult week. You deteriorated quickly. I blamed myself for not being more attentive to catch the signs. I wanted you to stay a little longer (and I know you did too), but it also hurts to see you in pain and not living your best life. It wasnât good for you. Going back through your pictures, you were loved and spoilt. I often got in trouble for spoiling you! You were living THE life. So, Iâd like to celebrate you and remember you.
Thor - my playful, loyal and âlooserishâfluffy boy. You came to our house shy, not leaving my feet. I quickly became your âmumâ. You thought the potty training pad was your bed and I wondered if youâd ever be trained, but you turned out to be a lot smarter. You tried to be friends with Liang Liang (our cat), but she didnât want to be yours. So maybe thatâs why youâve never been fond of other animals? But you loved human companions (provided they donât step on your tail). You never really lived up to your name and prefer to have lots of softy fwens by your side. But thatâs ok, youâre our Dor Dor. You were quite a foodie (lamb cutlet was the best) and you would come running as soon as you hear a watermelon being cut - how did you know?! You like to be snug and have a very precious chin. You didnât like selfies or wefies, but you were too polite. Your âdadâ was like your male leader and you looked to him for play and lots of cuddles. You like to constantly check on us (or spy), just to be sure weâre never far. Donât worry, youâll always be with us. You love us unconditionally, even when I had very little time for you after the kids. You forgave me and we hung out again. The love that you have shown me and brought to the family is like none other. Weâll always love you, Dor Dor.
#thorthemaltese
Today is a very hard day. Itâs never easy to say goodbye, and itâs even more heartbreaking that I couldnât give Thor one last kiss or belly rub before we let him go. Ironically the last words I did say to him in-person was âgoodbyeâ, as I got ready to go to the airport and return to NYC back in December.
Thor, you were with us for a lifetime that felt long and too short all at once. I am sorry I was away so often. I am grateful that you always welcomed me back with your wiggly butt and happy tail no matter how days, months or years passed. When I moved to NYC, I missed you so much, I wanted to pat every dog I walked by, and eventually we found Peggy. You opened my heart and world in such a way that I pursued a career in saving animals. I can proudly say that I have now touched the lives of many dogs in NYC and beyond, and it all started with you. I will always love you to the moon and back. And I know that on the other side, youâre already eating all the lamb chops your little belly can hold with your fave teddy.
Love you @laistacey_ & James for staying with him until the very end. â€ïž
Topped off 2023 with a special visit home đš â it was our first time back in four years, and my heart is overfilled with meeting new little humans and furry friends, hugging old/new friends, sharing a meal or drink with as many people as we could, reliving my childhood from family photos & cleaning out my bedroom, going to a proper real beach, the taste of mumâs cooking, and finally celebrating a very warm Christmas after all these years. đ It all went by too quickly, like I took one breath and suddenly we were flying back. đźâđš
Sometimes I get the lucky chance to help out at @ban__be . đ„č Everything Doris makes is with so much love and care, and you can taste it with every sip and bite. The bakery always smells like my childhood â the intoxicating scent of pandan coconut waffle wafting out into the streets. I love introducing the menuâs nostalgic flavours to folks whoâve never tried them before and folks who grew up with them like me! Every time I leave the bakery, my heart and belly are both full with gratitude and yumminess.
Right now, @ban_be is only open for window service on the weekends but Doris has always had the dream of opening as full-time retail since 2019. The bakery may be small but it is a mighty beacon of AAPI representation in NYC. Please consider supporting to help this wonderful space be the full version of itself that it was always meant to be. A gift of any size will mean a lot đ make a gift via link in bio!!
It doesnât feel like the end of 2022. Instead I feel an overwhelming sense of âcontinuationâ. Does anyone else feel this way? đ„Č
I tried doing the thing of reflecting on all the photos Iâve taken this year to make it feel more like the year is coming to a close. While I enjoyed reliving the moments of good food and times, these were just a handful of moments that stood out to me. And of course, all of these moments are full of people I love đ„čđ„čđ„č Thanks for making â22 a good one đ«°
