Month: December 2014

Owning it in 2015 – My blog resolutions

Naomi Journal, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

Collage 2I’m not usually big on New Year’s resolutions.

We spend most of the year telling ourselves, and rightly so, that despite our so-called weaknesses, we are strong, confident individuals. And yet every 1 Jan, echoed from the crowded streets of New York City down to the deepest darkest corner of the world, are vows to change everything about ourselves.

Somehow, on this one very special day of the year, we focus on our flaws more so than our strengths. And why in the world would you want to start a new year like that? Continue reading →

Christmas in a Ball – apple, sage & chicken balls with cranberry drippings

Naomi Journal, Recipes, Starters Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

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Oh Christmas. How you make thee smile. Your holiday lights illuminate the way home on darkened, somber evenings. Your crimson & sage bring to life the season’s otherwise bleak and static streets. Your promises of hope and wonder bring a sense of calmness and resolve to the end of each year.

And your food. Oh your lovely food…

Your food carries with it flavours of nostalgic youth, and a reminder that the love nestled within the confines of our dining table holds stronger than the plates they are served on. Continue reading →

DIY Family Tree – the good, the bad, and the downright crazies

Naomi Children's projects, Home Creations, Journal Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

 

IMG_4082It’s not easy being away from your family.

Years ago when Stephen and I left Hong Kong it was because we wanted to be closer to home. Traveling 15-plus hours on a plane just to be home for the holidays was excruciating. And to even think of what would happen in case of an emergency put us in panic mode.

We didn’t always think this way. In our younger years, being away from family wasn’t very difficult because, well, we were in our 20s, a decade that should be renamed the “Selfish Decade” for all intent and purposes. This is your decade. Your time to find yourself, to think of only yourself, to discover your hopes, likes, deepest darkest desires, talents, and all the other things in this wonderful world that make us unique. I think this decade is critically important. And I don’t just say that because I had so much friggin fun in it!

This decade is what makes many of us, us. But it is also in this space that there is very little room for others. Even family. Continue reading →

General Tso’s Chicken

Naomi Journal, Mains, Recipes Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

IMG_3934 Today I found myself thinking of Hong Kong. I lived in this city longer than any other place in my adult life. It was where I called home for most of my roaring 20s. It was where I grew into an adult, blossomed as a writer, and found real, make-you-smile-when-no-you-think-no-one-is-looking, love.

But before all of that happened, life in Hong Kong was very different for me. Equally enchanting. But oh so very different. Continue reading →