My Baby {T}

Last year in Riding the Sigmoid Curve in La Lanka, Sweet Home Sri Lanka and Mrs. O Goes To Work, I mentioned that I’ve been working on something.  It is a new learning journey that I’ve embarked on and I would like to share that journey to those who might be interested.  It is a journey quite different from Livin’ La Vida Lanka but was born in La Lanka.  So it is but fitting to launch my 2^nd blog here.  I will let it speak for itself and without further ado, I present you thetiproject.blogspot.com.

La Vida Lanka Updates!

I’m happy to announce 2 new cool additions to Livin’ La Vida Lanka!

One may not be too new but you may now get Livin’ La Vida Lanka straight to your mailbox!  It’s the easiest way to get updated on Mrs. O’s adventures and misadventures in La Lanka.  It’s easy as entering your e-mail address and clicking on the Subscribe button.  And before you know it, La Vida Lanka is in your mailbox!

Second, you may not only share a post you can also share the whole Blog! Click on your social media of choice and you’re off doing a good deed and spreading the word. 

Also, I invite you to join me in continuing my journey through the land of tea and cricket.  Tell me what you think and Comment!  And don’t forget to following Livin’ The Liva Lanka.  As they say, the more Comments and Followers, the merrier!

Coke Boneva Næ

Lent is a time to strive to be less of ourselves and more of God.

                                                                  -Fr. Xavier Olin, SJ

And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.  I don’t really know why.  I usually give up something I usually can’t live without if I am asking for something from God.  Like a special request to answer a prayer in exchange of a personal sacrifice.  I gave up a nasty habit completely because I prayed for my husband to like me – like me.  And just minutes after, he held my hands for the first time.  YEAH!  I gave up getting my daily cup of Tall Cappuccino from the neighborhood Starbucks to achieve a goal at work (and save some money in the process).  And once just before I ran my half marathon, I gave up drinking Coke.

Today, as the Lenten season kicks off, once again I kick off the habit of drinking Coke.  At least for 40 days and 40 nights.  It’s been a constant struggle – since I was a kid I’ve been a Coke addict.  Coca Cola.  It’s like my water.  When I started to get hyperacidity, I had to stop drinking it from time to time.  But when I would get better, there I go again.  In Sri Lanka it is one of my “happy pills.”  Must be the sugar content and the nice “brrrrrrrr…” feeling a nice ice cold glass of Coke brings.  For fear of hyperacidity re-attacking, I’ve reserved weekends and holidays (thank God for weekday Poya!) as opportunities to drink Coke.  If it’s just a normal day, I opt for water.

Then I got this weird thought of why not just completely stop drinking Coke for the whole Lenten season?  I don’t really want anything like the times when I would stop drinking Coke before.  I guess because really God has made real all my deepest desires in the last couple of months.  As in all.  And I guess it’s just my way of “giving” back by letting go a part of myself.  In return of Him giving his whole self, just so I could be saved.

So, here’s to this 40-day challenge!  Sorry boys, no “brrrrr…” for me until Monday after Easter.  Maybe by giving this up you get the ICC World Cup? :-)   

Chesa Swiss Au Lanka!

In celebration of our 7^th month together as husband and wife (it’s been more than half a year already baby!) and my first paycheck (woohoo!) hubby and I decided to check out Chesa Swiss.

The night before we were out with friends and we got talking about how to pronounce the name of the resto with a French accent.  L is French and the rest of the group had fun trying it out ala Francoise.  Well depends really on which part of Switzerland you are from because our other Swiss friend, who is more on the German front had a totally different take on the subject.

Anyhoo, I guess hubby took it seriously because not only did he bring out all the throaty action he could muster to pronounce Chesa Swiss, the next day he dialed the phone and made reservations immediately.

The place is nothing really special.  It has some kind of an “old world” feel.  Even to the point of being gaudy.  Hubby and I would term it dugyot in the vernacular.  But the reviews have been exemplary and we didn’t let the interiors cloud our judgment with the gastronomic delight to come.

And delight it came!  Because “Set Menus” especially the French kind gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, hubby and I decided to go for it!

The Duck Liver Mouse on Red Marmalade with Toasted Brioche was heavenly.  The flavors were “just right” – even the liver did not taste overpowering. 

Mushroom Consomme with Port Wine was an excellent follow through.  It was a mini-sized soup with a big taste.

Seafood Risotto on Lobster Sauce was divine.  It was rich and delightful but left us with enough space for more food to come!

You know you’re in a “shoshall” place when you get a palate cleanser.  The Lime Sorbet with Gin did just that.

Tournedos of Beef Fillet served on Asparagus Crepe and Green Pepper Corn Sauce delivered the bang.  Everything was cooked to perfection.  And made a good prelude to dessert.

Millefeuille with White Chocolate Mousse and Fresh Strawberries was a bitter sweet ending.  Sweet because it just is.  And bitter because that was the end of a fabulous meal.

I was just reflecting why I love “set menus” of the gourmet kind – first because it is “shoshall.”  And second because it brings me back to happy thoughts of our family Mediterranean cruise (where every night is a gourmet set menu night!) and numerous dates with hubby.  It is a warm fuzzy feeling of the best meals of my life (dapat lang since I or somebody else for that matter pay a fortune! Haha!) and the best people I share it with.

Chesa Swiss is in 3 Deal Place A (cor Duplication Road), Colombo 3, Sri Lanka

www.chesaswiss.com

+94 11 2573433; +94 11 4712716

They are Open 7/7 except on Poya days :-(