The Story of the Rabbit Hole Cafe @...

My friends know that I like to cook because I bombard them with pictures of my food (and other people's food) on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, emails, text messages, etc... and they put up with me.

My family knows that I like to cook because I make them eat my food.  Come over and try this.  Take this home.  Let me know how you like it.  Do you want more?? .... and they oblige.

Some folks say maybe I should open a restaurant.  I say NOPE because I only like the cooking part and not the running/managing part.  Besides, I am not a creative cook.  I don't create recipes.  There are many recipes out there written by great food people and I'm perfectly happy trying them out - maybe improvising here and there.  Basically, I am a copycat.  Moreover, it would be a great cheat if I open a restaurant with other people's recipes.

Still though, I like the idea of giving my cooking an identity.  I want to give it a name.  How about...

• Sut's Kitchen?  Boring!!
• The Kitchen Lab on Berta?  Sounds clinical.
• Berta Cafe?  Nah!
• Rabbit Hole on Berta?  Hmmm... some potential

After few months of part-time brainstorming, something that has to do with rabbit seems to stick,  I like rabbits because I was born in the year of Rabbit and I like anything bunnies.  I like the name Rabbit Hole because it reminds me of clever Bugs Bunny poking his head out from the hole.  It also reminds me of the old Chinese saying, "A clever rabbit always has three holes (hiding places)."

So Rabbit Hole Cafe is it!!  When I cook at home, I call it Rabbit Hole Cafe @ Berta.  When I cook at Robert's, I call it Rabbit Hole Cafe @ Club Jo Lin.  You see, my Rabbit Hole Cafe is virtual.  It's imaginary.  It's cooking at-will.  It's about having fun and enjoying the moment.

Early this morning, a light bulb came on in my head while I was still half asleep.  A logo image came to mind. I grabbed a paper and scribbled this:

What do you think?  I thought it's kind of clever turning "bb" into rabbit ears.  I took a picture and sent to Robert.  Look honey, I'm doing your job!!  Robert liked the idea.  Ha!  That was expert opinion!!  YES!

I later got creative.  I revised my little line art to have the rabbit head poking out from the hole and making the line wavy to give it some energy.  Here:

You like the idea?  Robert thought it was cool but he suggested that I should put the word hole next to rabbit to make the name complete.  Hmmm... I thought holes are supposed to be underground but, heck, I don't argue with someone who designs logos for a living.  So here goes again:

Robert said this looked great then I didn't hear from him until the afternoon.  I knew he was working on a project so I didn't want to bother him anymore with my new-found creativity.  Little did I know, he was busy transforming my simple artwork to this:

TA-DA!!

Oh My God!!  How did he do it?  How did he know this was exactly what I had in mind and with the exact colors I wanted?!?!  I didn't even tell Robert about the colors!!  I was envisioning either a green background with yellow lettering, or a yellow background with black lettering.  The nose of the rabbit would be orange.  Robert changed the nose to eyes but he made them orange.  Just like how I imagined!!

Wow!!  I am so touched!!  I am so blessed that I have a guy who knows me inside out and entertains my craziness all the while putting his project on hold just to make me happy.

Oh man!  I am the luckiest girl in the whole wide world!!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  MY SWEETIE!!

So what do I do now?  I guess I'll have to cook a lot more!!

Stay tuned for food pictures from the Rabbit Hole Cafe...

Creative Solutions

Most of the elevated dog feeders sold are still too low for the big boys.  Robert and I have looked into buying the ones for big dogs but the feeders are big and bulky and expensive.  It's like highway robbery.  *sigh*

So Robert and I have been looking at alternatives.  He was even going to build something himself but we actually found something better and inexpensive!!

Solution #1:  Can you tell what is this?  It's actually a table without the glass top.  Robert got it at a thrift store for just few bucks.  Being a designer he just knew what to do with it.  Flip it over and use the legs to hold the bowls.  Easy!  Simple!  Isn't he just clever??

Solution #2: While browsing in Goodwill today, I found two tall cast iron plant stands.  I thought heck, if the bowls can't fit, then I can still use them as plant stands like they were originally for.  So we bought them, took them home, and tried the bowls.  It was a perfect fit!!

This is why we love checking out thrift stores.  You never what you can find and you can always come up with good uses with the finds.  

Let's give ourselves a pat on the back!!

Double Dane for Keng

VICTOR IS OFFICIALLY A KENG!  After staying as a guest for the past two and a half months, he will now call Club JoLin his permanent home.

Victor's mom decided to give Victor up even though she has found a pet-friendly place.  Reason is that it's a condo with no outdoor space and Victor will most likely be crated and stay alone for most of the day during weekdays.  She just couldn't do that to this little happy rumbustious pup especially now he had two months of open space and companion.

So Alica asked if we would like to keep Victor for good.  Robert was, of course, more than willing.  YES-YES-YES!!!  I'll take him!

Dexter and Victor are great buds.  They are like two peas in a pod.  Dexter has grown into the big brother role.  He takes care of Victor and actually tells him what to do.  Victor is like, whatever you say, big bro.  Their canine communication is awesome.  It's just like human's.

We are thrilled to have Victor.  What a wonderful addition to the family!  The only thing is Robert will have to get used to picking up a 50-pound bag of dog food every two weeks.  It's back to double everything (like when we had Max and Dudu).

Double Dane!

THINGS HAPPEN AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME SOMETIMES.  I was browsing through the pet forum on Craigslist yesterday and I came across a posting that asked if someone can temporarily take in a Great Dane because the owner is in the process of moving, starting a new job and looking for a pet-friendly place to rent.

The owner could not bear to give up the dog and was hoping that someone could just keep him for a while.  I thought how heartbroken I would be if I have to give up my Dexter (or my other dogs in the past) so I forwarded the posting to Robert to see if he was interested.

Robert, of course, all excited, wanted to host Victor - that's the dog's name.  He has been wanting to get another Dane to keep Dexter company.  Realistically, I don't think having a second Dane is a good idea.  However, how would I know?  He is the one who would take care of the dogs.  So, this is actually a pretty good arrangement.  We get to check out the idea in real life and we would be helping out another dog parent.

So, I emailed the owner.  It turned out to be a nice girl in Sacramento.  She was thrilled!  She brought Victor over this morning for the two Dane boys to meet.  Robert met them at the doggy park.  The boys like each other.  So, Victor is home now and we are now a two-Dane family, on a temporary basis.

From reading the posting to having Victor staying, it took less than 24 hours.  It was not on the agenda before yesterday but, heck, things happen and we just add a new chapter to our lives.  And, I hope we preserve a chapter for Alica and Victor as well.

Alica is moving from Scramento to SF today and starting her new job next Monday.  Victor, a beautiful blue Great Dane puppy, will call Club JoLin home and Dexter his big brother for the next couple of months.

Something is just meant to be - such as this turn of event - so, just join us for the ride!

A Chain of Events

So, Robert told me that something got to the water lilies in our little pond (OK, a 100-gallon tub) and the goldfish.  He told me to brace myself when I go over because it looked pretty bad.

Ugh!  Who?  What?  This has never happened before since we adopted the water lilies from cousin Su-Ming four years ago.  The 20 some odd goldfish has lived there since the first week. They thrive in the pond and always come up to the surface for food and play.  I never thought they would be in danger.

The Crime Scene: Yap, the water lilies looked pretty bad.  Bent, broken, shredded... some of them were blooming too.  The water was still and quiet.  No sign of any goldfish... Wait, I saw two, but they were too scared to come up.  They tried to hide beneath the torn lilies.  I think they are the only two survivors...  My poor fish!!

Robert and I think a raccoon might have done it. Haven't seen one around but what else? Cat?  Hawk?  Couldn't be a possum (although I do see them)... but why now?

Here's what I think: A raccoon wandered in because there was no threat of being discovered.  Normally Dexter would be sunbathing outside or playing in the yard but he has been locked inside the house lately.

Why? Well, Robert's house was burglarized two weeks go.  The burglars came through the open sliding door and took three of his guitars and a amplifier.

Where was Dexter then?  Well, he was taking a nap in the bedroom with Robert.  The door was closed.  So the burglars got away.

But fortunately, Robert and Dexter were OK and there was no damage to the house.

But unfortunately, the goldfish paid the price.  This chain of events led to their demise.  It's so unfair!!

What to do?  Robert and I got some chicken wire to make a protective netting for the pond.  We also installed security lights to deter future burglars and the raccoon (sorry, we really think it's you).

I hope the two goldfish will feel better about coming up again.  It must have been a traumatic event having your little world disturbed.  Very much like how the burglars invaded Robert's house and violated his space.

Can't bring back the poor fish just like Robert will most likely not be able to recover his guitars.  The only thing that we can do is to secure the place to minimize risks.

Scary how one thing leads to another.  We will never know how people's action will impact the next event which will in turn impacts some other people's (or animals) lives.  Some may turn out good, some bad.  This time: bad. 

RIP, little goldfish...

My Little Dream Came True

Ever since I was a teenager, I always dreamed of owning a Jeep Wrangler. Yes, a convertible Jeep sparkling under the bright sun. Me driving and a dog sitting next to me and together coasting down along a scenic road…. Ahhh…doesn’t that sound just cool... Every time I start my little daydreaming, RK would ask why a dog and not him. Well… I got this dream way before I met you, babe.

Unexpectedly, my dream came true two weeks ago. I was browsing through craigslist, and this perfect Wrangler popped up. It was exactly the one I wanted: a hardtop, black-on-black Sahara. Yes, I was very particular with the one I want. No 4-door, no soft-top, no dual color tone and it has to be an automatic….

RK and I went to check it out up in Petaluma. It was a 2007 beauty with 9,743 miles. One look and I knew it was mine.

We had a gorgeous weekend and I took the top down for the very first time. Dexter got in, poked his head out the top. We posed for the camera. RK said we were too color-coordinated. Well, I guess it was meant to be.

Puppy, Incoming

What Does It Mean? Sleepless nights, constant watching, can’t leave him out of sight, can’t go anywhere without taking him along, going to the vet, feeding, and scooping after him…

The New Kid: Dexter. A little 14 weeks old Great Dane that RK and I found on craigslist on 1/24/09. He has already had 2 families since his birthday on 10/1/08. We hope this family is where he will grow up to be a happy doggy.

RK and I didn’t expect to pick up a puppy. We were looking for an older dog – like Max and Dudu. We found Dexter by chance. His previous mom said that her older dog just would not allow him in the house. We went to her house to check him out. One look and we knew that he was destined to go home with us. The puppy eyes did it...

We have forgotten what it takes to care for puppies. Max came to us when he was one year old and Dudu about four. They were both very calm and required little training after a brief “orientation.” So, it was a reality check when Dexter came home.

It’s like being parents. RK has the tasks of taking care of him since Dexter is with him and I have the tasks of looking for puppy social groups and training classes and we only do puppy talks now. Ugh!

Yet, we miss you, Max, Dudu.

It's So Hard to Say Good Bye

Dudu Keng: 5/29/1996 - 12/12/2008

Robert and I had to say good-bye to Dudu today. His kidney failed and he was not responding to treatment. Dr. Kim said best to let him go because he was suffering. Robert and I knew it was the best for Dudu but does it hurt to make that decision.

The pain was just as bad as when we had to let Max go. It never gets easier. Knowing that no one will be waiting at the door is heartbreaking. No wagging, no running in circles, no demanding for hugs and treats... life is so different without Max then and Dudu now.

Dudu. His name meant round and chubby in Chinese. Yap, he was a chubby puppy running fast on 4 stubby legs. He grew to become quite a handsome boy. He had thought that he could be the alpha dog in the house but gave up after trying for a day. Max was Mr. Alpha. Dudu wasn't sour though. He was happy to be the little brother following Max around. they were inseparable.

Dudu became our only son when Max passed away. He filled the void left by Max and eased our pain of losing Max. He faithfully kept Robert company when he worked in the wee hours. He rather stayed with Robert and sleep on the floor than in his doggy bed in the bedroom.

It's so true that dogs are man's special friends. They never complain and never ask for anything in return. We are truly lucky to be selected as their best friends.

Rest in peace, Dudu. Thank you for all the love and joy. You were a wonderful doggy and it was a privilege to be your mommy and daddy.

Color Before Me

FINALLY! After all these years, RK decided to move into the master bedroom. It used to be his mom's room when she came staying with him, then it was always served as a guest bedroom. For the past year, it was more or less a storage room. What a waste!

RK decided that he wanted color for his new room. The room went from plain white to a warm shade of green with gold accent. Check out the "after" picture. Doesn't it look like a show room? Wow! It looked really nice with the brand new bed that he had for the longest time (but just recently assembled). Once RK cleared out all the stuff, I actually got to see the sliding door that opened to the pool side. The room even has a resort feel when the door is open, the sun shines in and a soft breeze brings in the outdoor scent. Nice!! -- Hey babe, you had a paradise in disguise!

What goes with warm light green and gold? How about red? That's what RK did to the little master bathroom. The color was bold and loud but it contrasted nicely with the calmness of the bedroom.

So now the room is done but RK still has not moved in. It's too pretty he said. OK... then, I shall claim it mine. teehee!

I Think Kermit is in My Pond

What Is This? RK called and said he saw a monster in our lilly pond (ok - a 100 gallon plastic tub). It's a 3" something with a tail and 2 legs. It's big and it's ugly!

RK sent over a picture of this monster. He couldn't believe it's a tadpole. It's too big and where did it come from?

I think it's a chubby tadpole becoming a frog. But RK is right, where did it come from? Our tub is tucked away at a corner against the fence. There is not even a tree around. Yes, the swimming pool is near by but it won't bring on frogs let along tadpoles. A tree frog? A toad?? A monster??? By the way, why only one? Aren't tadpoles groupies?

In Our Lilly Pond: We have 20+ some odd happy goldfish, and 4 -6 crawfish that escaped from becoming food (I hope they're still there), but that's about it. Hmmm... just don't eat my fish, ok?

Can someone explain how it might have ended up here?

... and can I kiss the frog?