+ NEWSLETTER

+ JAN08

NEW YEAR

Yeah, it's been a year since I started writing the newsletters. I hope I get to continue doing the newsletters. I enjoy doing them. It has been a way for me to keep in touch with people and share my creativity.

With the beginning of the new year, I hope everyone gets to start out with wonderful surprises. Whatever was on your wish list may it come true this year!

CREATIVE:
WRAPPING PAPER ROLLS

I haven't tried this out, but in theory it may work. Wrapping paper rolls can be recycled into temporary plant containers.

• Stuff one end with unwanted tissue paper about 1" thick and bevel the end of the tube to keep the tissue paper from falling out.
• From the other end of the tube, fill the tube with soil.
• Close off the end with stuffed tissue paper and bevel the edge.
• Use large drill bits to drill some holes on the roll. The size of the hole and distance from each other might depend on the plant you'll be planting. Some plants that I can think of is strawberry and mint, which may benefit from this arrangement.
• Plant the seeds in the holes and water the soil through the holes.
• Plant the tube where the plant will finally reside.

The paper roll can be a shield to protect the plants from insects while it germinates. When it's ready to outgrow the paper roll, the roots will just tear through the paper. Sounds like it may work, let me know if it does. :D

STORY: 2008

James scratches his head. All the bills he paid in January got billed to him again with a late charge.

PETER (tells Ashley): I paid these vendors already. Look, I even have records of it in my checkbook.

ASHLEY (grabs his checkbook): You sure paid them alright, but in January 2007.

REVIEW: RESTAURANTS

Ocean Star :)
(Monterey Park, CA)

• Dim Sum
  The food here is pretty decent as well as the price. In addition to the regular dim sum items, the restaurants also provide some of their creations. I also liked how they provide authentic desserts that some dim sum restaurants do not provide, such as sugar cane gelatine with chestnuts. Yum, yum.

The Cheesecake Factory :)
(Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

• Miso Salmon
  The salmon was cooked just right with it still being moist. The miso dressing that was cooked with it was also good. It had a nice glaze to it.

Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant :D
(Anaheim, CA)

• Fried Chicken :D
  The fried chicken is one of the best I've eaten. It wasn't too salty. The batter was soft and thin, but had it's crunch. The chicken was moist, including the breast.
• BBQ Beef Ribs :|
  I usually don't like biscuits because they are way too dry for me. But, the biscuits here are soooooo good here. Nice and soft and buttery.
• BBQ Beef Ribs :|
  The beef ribs was a bit too dry. The BBQ sauce was good though.
• Boysenberry Pie :|
  There was too much jam in the pie, and it was way too sweet. It was a little disappointing since Knott's created boysenberry.

RATING

low :P :( :| :) :D high

SEEK

• French Restaurants (Los Angeles County) :: Haven't tried it for a while

Contact me if you have the information that I'm seeking. Thanks.

OFFER

• FEB08 Newsletter :: sign up for monthly updates

DEALS

• Bucca di Beppo :: $25 gift card reward with every $100 gift card purchase

EVENTS

• Jan 1 :: New Year's Celebration in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, CA)
• Jan 1 :: 2008 Tournament of Roses (Pasadena, CA)
• Jan 19-20 :: Asian American Expo (Pomona, CA)
• Jan 27-Feb 1 :: San Diego Restaurant Week (San Diego, CA)

TIME SAVER: CALENDAR

Start out the new year with a calendar. As the months go by, jot down important information or events. So, when next year rolls around, you don't need to struggle remembering those things. You got your calendar to remind you.

Use a binder to collect your information each month. Use sheet protectors to hold loose items. Jot down notes of things to keep or to change for next year. At the end of the month, update your digital calendar to have your information ready for print for next year.