Book 45: Magic Bakery (魔法蛋糕店)

Title: 魔法蛋糕店 (Magic Bakery)

Who wrote it: 張小嫻 (Amy Cheung)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

- 11 inter-connected short stories
touching upon the various aspects of
romantic relationships, from puppy love
in high-school to long lost love & loneliness --
while a lot of them evolve around
desserts / bakeries...

What went through my mind:

- What can i say? One can never expect
something too deep / moving from this author,
but her stories are always easy to read & relate;
i guess in a sense, it's commercial & easy enough
for most teens / college age crowd,
which explains the level of popularity of her books.

I guess i would have liked this book a little better
if i were still in high school...?!

- The elaborate & alluring descriptions
of German cakes definitely increased my
interests in tasting them one day : D

- The author is observant that
there is a direct correlation between
desserts & romance : 0
how both bring people sweet memories
& desire to revisit the experience in the near future : )

Favorite Quotes:
- "愛情讓我們愛上自己、懷疑自己、
恨自己、憐憫自己，也了解自己。"
(Romantic love allows us to fall in love
with ourselves, second-guess ourselves,
hate ourselves, pity ourselves,
as well as understand ourselves.) (Pg. 5)

-"有人說，男人離不開舊愛，
女人無法拒絕新歡。"
(It has been said, men cannot forget
their previous relationship(s),
women cannot reject their new pursuer.) (Pg. 200)

What came out of this:
* Goal: Look into German style cakes! : D

Why Should you read it, too?

A super easy read, and it's somewhat
fun to be a total bystander
to some romantic drama at times ; )

Book 41: The Love at 7-Eleven (7-ELEVEN之戀)

Title: 7-ELEVEN之戀 (The Love at 7-Eleven)

Who wrote it: 蔡智恆 (Zhi Xing Cai)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

- 8 individual Short stories consisting of
various (post) college-age characters,
weaving realistic portraits of life through
familial/romantic relationships & friendships.

What went through my mind:

- You know how sometimes, after reading a book,
you remember next to nothing about the story,
but the intimate feelings & self-revelation
the book brings you?
This is one of those books : )
The stories themselves seem pretty simple
and straight-forward...
sometimes it might even appear amateur...
But in a way, it's like drinking
a clear, pure glass of water.
You might not call it tasty,
but it leaves you a satisfying aftertaste.

Favorite Quotes:
- "帥哥與美女一樣，
你愈證明你是，
你就愈不是。"
(Handsome men are just the same
as pretty ladies,
the more you have to prove you are,
the more you're not.) (Pg. 153)

-思念是用腦子想；
相處是用眼睛看。
可以思念的感情總是比較美．．．
因為腦子容易美化．．．"
(You use your mind to miss someone;
while you watch with your eyes
when you're together.
A relationship that requires you to
miss that person with your mind
tends to be more beautiful...
because your mind is likely to
paint a prettier picture than
the reality...) (Pg. 140)

What came out of this:
*Nostalgia: I miss those days back in h/s...
when we hung out at 7-11 everyday
after school : 0

Why Should you read it, too?

If you'd like to pick up an easy/light-read : )

Book 40: How to Open a Dessert Stall (教你開間糖水屋)

Title: 教你開間糖水屋 (How to Open a Dessert Stall)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A simple how-to guide to open
a small business, specializing in chinese
desserts aka 糖水 : )
Plus a detail list of common
Chinese desserts and their recipes.

What went through my mind:

- I did not know that there are so many
interesting Chinese desserts out there!
& that to make them require loads of patience,
because the 'dry/moist' ingredients need
to be prepared for various amounts
of time in advance : 0

- A great point that this book makes is the
distinction between Chinese & Western desserts:
Western desserts are often for mere pleasure --
think about cakes, ice-cream, cookies and the like...
What do girls usually say after eating them?
"I FEEL SO FAT!"& it's true...
They tend to be made of cream/butter/sugar,
none considered too healthy 0_o"
Meanwhile, Chinese desserts often contain
healthy ingredients like seasonal fruits/herbs,
& are created with the main intention
to help balance the diet & enhance bodily functions.

- Like all businesses, the most crucial
element is: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

- I NEED to practice/learn my CHINESE
DESSERTS! i'm kinda ashamed of myself now...
-_- how can i claim to love food/sweets
and yet know nothing about any 糖水?!?!

Favorite Quote:
- "努力不一定成功，
但一定有成果。"
(Working hard doesn't guarantee success,
but it would surely bring fruitful results.) (Pg. 76)

What came out of this:
*Goal: Learn to make more 糖水!

Why Should you read it, too?
Aren't you curious about Chinese desserts, too? : )

Book 32: Great Dishes - Just blanch & eat (教你好菜燙來吃)

Title: 教你好菜燙來吃
(Great Dishes - Just Blanch & Eat)

Who wrote it: 梁瓊白 (Qing Bai Liang)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

A collection of recipes that are simple,
quick & versatile : )

Specialty -- 10 Homemade sauces to go
with countless combo of veggies, meat & seafood!

What went through my mind:

- I picked up this book, hoping for inspiration
of what to cook tonight for church fellowship's
dinner gathering.

A veggie dish is needed, so i volunteered
myself, but i honestly have very limited
creative ideas & none of my signature dishes
are based primarily on veggies '_'

- I must say, this book does NOT disappoint!

Her simple yet sophisticated approach of
coming up with different sauces,
while blanching the food for as little time
as possible, in order to retain the freshness
& natural taste, was definitely eye-opening.

What came out of this:

* Goal:
Practice blanching + homemade sauce!

* Reminder:
Cook the food as little as possible -> Fresh!

Why Should you read it, too?

If you'd like to learn about traditional
Chinese cooking + how simple it is ; )

Book 29: See You in 16 Years (十六年後在此重會)

Title: 十六年後在此重會 -- 細說神鵰俠侶
(See you in 16 years...
Analysis on The Return of the Condor Heroes)

Who wrote it: 陳墨 (Mo Chen)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A chapter by chapter analysis of the famous classic:
The Return of the Condor Heroes, written by Louis Cha.

What went through my mind:
- This book is very well written,
in the sense that it contains the qualities of
both literary criticism AND leisure reading.
It flows very well from chapter to chapter,
even if readers don't have the Novel in front of them.

- I was almost brought to tears while reading,
simply coz Chen was able to pinpoint the main
characters' turning point in life, the +ve & -ve
consequences of the choices they made,
unveiling the mystery: What is love?
「問世間情為何物，直教生死相許?」

- NOSTALGIA...
Reminds me of the times when i'd stay up till 4am,
reading Cha's books in the dark under the blanket
with a heavy metal torch in my hand...
Back in 4th grade! '_'

What came out of this:
* Desire: I wanna read all of Cha's books again!
* Goal: Read the other books written by Chen : )

Why Should you read it, too?
If you've read / watched Cha's stories,
you should read this book! ; )
It'd make you fall even more in love with them!

Book 26: Personal Growth Exchange Diary (交換成長日記)

Title: 交換成長日記 (Personal Growth Exchange Diary)

Who wrote it: 梁詠琪 / 楊采妮
(Gigi Leung / Charlie Young)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A collection of essays written by Gigi/Charlie,
recording their thoughts about growing up,
childhood/adolescence memories & incidents...
cute doodlings, kiddie pics & heartfelt conversations.

What went through my mind:
- Despite being written by 2 famous HK pop stars / singers,
this book almost has nothing to do with the entertainment business.
Instead, i felt very comfortable breezing through the pages,
as if i were involved in a conversation with 2 nice friends.

I sensed something warm and fuzzy,
as i read about their memories of school / pets /
family / childhood dreams / embarassing incidents...
and they're surely easy to identify with as a girl from HK.

They make me miss HOME, and the good old days... : /

What came out of this:
*My personal view of these two ladies have changed a lil:
They seem quite personable & lovely ; )

Why Should you read it, too?
My HYS friends should definitely read this!
Their high-school memories might remind you
of our precious youthful days ; )

Book 22: Black Eyeliner (黑眼線)

Title: 黑眼線 (Black Eyeliner)

Who wrote it: 李碧華 (Bi Hua Li)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

A Collection of essays she writes for a news column,
mostly her personal social/economical observations & reflections.

What went through my mind:

- Li's writing style is very easygoing.
It almost feels like she's making casual talks
with the readers.
- It was an easy read. I breezed through the book --

although, i much prefer Li's other books,
esp. the fiction / short stories.

- Reading this book right after Lin Xi's,
makes an interesting contrast.

Her style is not as distinct as Lin's,
but the way her words flow is also smoother,
less edgy and fewer crticisms towards everything.

Favorite Quote:
- 世上所有創作行業都是孤寂的......
創作是自己同自己角力......
本來可以蒙混過關,你不肯,偏要作對...... (Pg. 96)

[All careers that are Creativity-related,
are inevitably lonesome...

Being creative is to battle against yourself.

Originally, you could have let it go easy,
but you can't let yourself do that...]

- 父母永遠原諒不值得原諒的孩子。(Pg. 101)

[Parents will always forgive their kids,
even if they don't deserve to be forgiven.]

What came out of this:

* Bear in mind the quotes above.

Why Should you read it, too?

If you have free time : ) Why not?

Book 20: The Hong Kong that I Love (我所愛的香港)

Title: 我所愛的香港 (The Hong Kong that I Love)

Who wrote it: 林夕 (Lin Xi)

Whom I borrowed it from: Ruby

What is it about:

A collection of essays this famous HK lyricist
wrote for a column in the newspaper,

featuring political / socio-economic /
personal / reflective topics.

What went through my mind:

- No wonder he's always been my favorite lyricist...

(Actually, back in high-school, my ideal job
was to become a lyricist -- inspired by Lin Xi!)

His eloquent yet sharp linguistic skills,
clear-minded, logical ideas,
to-the-point presentations...

made reading through these essays quite enjoyable --
given the fact that normally i won't even be
interested in reading anything politics relevant.

- My favorite chapter was: 「自求多福」

His main point was, nobody else can make you learn.

You have to make up your mind that you'd go ahead
and make that sacrifice (time, effort, memory, leisure...),
so you can become more equipped for something worthwhile.
I 200% agree!!!
Well, and that's partially why i'm doing this 365 Project.

I'm not crazy. Not even trying to be over-ambitious.

I just wanna learn.

Favorite Quote:

「時間用在那裏是可以看見的」

It's obvious / easy to see where your time is spent.
(i can't figure out the most fitting translation for this. Sorry : / )

What came out of this:
* Smart Idea:
Don't buy souvenirs for anyone,
just because you are supposed to.
Nobody likes those -_-"
& you're wasting your $$/time, while risking to be called cheap.

* Reminder:
Instead of trying to catch up with the fashion trend,

why don't we donate the $$ to charity instead?

The needy can use more clothes (or other luxuries) than we do.

Why Should you read it, too?

The Chinese language is beautiful, eloquent and rich.
Lin Xi's writing is a fabulous demonstration of such truth.

Caution about this book:

Buddhism lingos/ideas permeate throughout this book.
Just thought you should know before picking it up.

Book 12: Holding Serve (掌握人生發球權)

Title: 掌握人生發球權 (Holding Serve)
[Winner of the French Open at the Age of Seventeen,
Persevering On and off Court]

Who wrote it: Michael Chang (Author),
Mike Yorkey (Contributor)

Whom I borrowed it from: Bought @ CCHC Bookstore

What is it about:

The lifestory of the world-famous,
Chinese professional tennis player, Michael Chang,
detailing his struggles on & off court,
as well as the life lessons he's learned in & about God.

Key lessons:

What matters the most in life, afterall,
as Chang testifies -- is certainly INTEGRITY.
The most memorable thing about this book is not
the many exciting battles/moments Chang described about,
nor how he won/lost the endless matches.

But the love of his parents for him,
the warmth between him & his brother,

the vulnerability & openness of Chang,
that he was willing to subject himself to...

He willingly admitted that he was jealous,
afraid, anxious, depressed... at various points of life;
But he was also able to get back up and keep striving,
to fulfill the meaning of his life;
to be a man with courage & humility --
by coming before God without reservations.

I've come away deeply touched by this autobio,
wanting to know his God more,
to become someone like him.

What came out of this:

* Caution: It's okay to lose battles on various grounds,
but certainly not Integrity & Reliance upon God.

Why Should you read it, too?

If you've ever aspired to greatness...
here's a wonderful account of how to rise to the occasion,
without losing what really matters : )

P.S. There's both Chinese & English versions of the book : )
You can get the English version @ Amazon.com.

Book 10: Meeting a Girl that Eats Cookies (遇上吃曲奇的女孩)

Title: 遇上吃曲奇的女孩 (Meeting a Girl that Eats Cookies)

Who wrote it: 周淑屏

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Jamaica)

What is it about:
Internet sharing photo blog
+ romantic relationships
+ cookies with various flavors
= teen-like drama?

What went through my mind:
- I guess i would have enjoyed this book...
10 years ago?
-The best part about this book is not the story;
it's the backstory of Mrs. Fields' life,
how her store came about,
and the recipes she provided *_*

What came out of this:
* Goal: Bake some cookies with the Mrs. Fields recipes.

Why Should you read it, too?
If you're still a teenager below the age of 15;
or if you're Cookie Monster.

Book 7: Beauty Talks

Hello! I'm back from the Retreat!
It was a wonderful experience, and I learned a lot : )
It inspired me to read something related,
which you'll see me blog about in the near future : )


Title: Beauty Talks (與美麗對話：路嘉怡的第一本美感生活書)

Who wrote it: 路嘉怡 Miranda Lu

Whom I borrowed it from: Ruby

What is it about:
Lu's journal entries on various topics,
that coincides with the beauty products she uses,
& how they tie into her memories of certain events/people.

What went through my mind:
- She mentioned quite a few places in Taiwan,
that reminds me of my experience there in 2005,
& i definitely want to revisit & stay longer... *_*
- She got me curious about Rose related beauty products,
as well as LotuSkin masks...
Hmm... it's time for some researches!
- It was a very easy read.
Her writings are pretty straight-forward,
the doodling she drew are cute,
& the pictures are quite natural : )

What came out of this:
* Reminder: Do put on sunscreen before going out
to enjoy the abundant sunshine......

Why Should you read it, too?
If you have free time & got nothing to do 0_o
It's better than sitting around.

Book 5: Brand Name Development - Online Stores (網路商店自創品牌)

Title: 網路商店自創品牌
(Brand Name Development
-- Online Stores)

Who wrote it: 數位人
(A group of Taiwanese editors)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Jamaica)

What is it about:

A) How to open & maintain a successful online store?
B) Why is a Brand Name important?
C) What kind of products should you develop?
D) How do you promote your online business?
E) How do you protect your Brand Name once it's developed?
F) Real Life Successful Studies
(including my favorite fast food chain: Chipotle!)

Important idea:
This trend of shopping/selling online
will only get more popular, not less --
it's an ever-increasing business nowadays,
esp. the young people, who are amongst those
shopping online the most right now,
will eventually become the 'more mature' generation

with more capital to spend;
while the younger generation will no doubt
get used to shopping online at an early age!

What went through my mind:

- Running your own business is no easy job.
It's a mix of: hard work + creativity + research + vision!

Having sufficient capital, knowing the right people,
devoting mucho energy towards advertisements,
staying alert about the market & trends are all essential!
Wow, i wonder if i have what it takes...?

What came out of this:
* Goal: Read->Learn more about this topic.

Why Should you read it, too?
Just to challenge the business genius in you : )

Book 3: Beauty Queen (美容大王)

Since my mother language is Cantonese,
I actually read a lot faster when the book is written in Chinese.

To be true to who i am,
I'll include books written in languages other than English --
which could be a good thing for my Hong Kong friends,
who might be looking for recommended readings as well ; )

However, to make it easier for my U.S. friends,
I will keep this blog mostly in English,
thus translating book titles / content here and there.

Hopefully, you'll keep an open mind,
and keep me company along this journey! : D

Title: 美容大王 (Beauty Queen)

Who wrote it: 大S 徐熙媛 (Barbie Hsu)

Whom I borrowed it from: 路比 Ruby

What is it about:
The extremes that Barbie has gone through,
to transform herself into an ultimate beauty icon in Taiwan.

Basically a list of dos & don'ts + what products to buy
for those that aspire to be pretty.
(If 'pretty'=white, slender, flawless, with straight long hair.)

What went through my mind:
- Cosmetics are EXPENSIVE!

- I'm not going to buy 3 combs
& spend 45 mins combing like she does.

- No wonder she's so white & i'm not.

Memorable lessons:
- Essential Beauty Sleep hours: 11pm-3am

- You don't have to wash your hair everyday,
or the natural oil would get washed away.
(Sounds kinda similar to what people say about dog hair...)

What came out of this:
* Goal: Start using masks & toner.
* Caution: Remember that outward beauty is fleeting & time-consuming.

Why Should you read it, too?
If you want some beauty product recommendations,
are a fellow believer of her standards of 'beauty,'
or just curious about how she became the way she looks.