week 45_Platinum Success

Although we have already completed the LEED certification project for TAIPEI 101 Tower, this week it was officially made public - announced to the press, and the world. For all parties involved it was a particularly proud moment, as we revel in the magnificence of this monumental achievement for such a large/tall building. Many new construction projects have made the news for their LEED certifications... but to take an existing building and find ways to make it even more efficient can result in significantly reduced environmental impacts - and we're hoping that the building industry takes notice. TAIPEI 101 was able to achieve the highest certification available under the LEED rating system. This made for one very very happy LEED consultant! (me, obviously)

Posing with a green display at the press conference

Anyways, this blog is not about preaching for everyone to become tree-huggers... so I'll limit it to the highlights of my busy week! Because this achievement is so significant, my week was FULL with of related events - happy hour, press conference, cocktail party, celebration dinner, another appreciation dinner coming up next week. All I can say is, thank goodness my family recently bought me many new dresses to celebrate my birthday! I wore them all, all week long!

The happy hour event was organized to put the LEED APs in Taiwan in touch with a LEED AP group in Hong Kong. It was really great to meet someone from the Hong Kong group and to chit-chat about the challenges of international LEED projects. It's amazing how small the world becomes when you start finding the commonalities you share with people of other countries. At least in this line of work, it was easy for us to carry on about the challenges of sustainability consulting in Asia. The camaraderie was great and the venue - the W Hotel - was pretty sweet too (as you already know from my previous blog posts...). 

Accepting the plaque:
(from left) Harace Lin -President of TAIPEI 101,
Premier Wu of Taiwan, and Mark MacCracken
of the United States Green Building Council

My favorite part about the press conference was either the fabulous announcer - he seemed very much like a television game show host - who spoke perfect English & Chinese. He really made the show. I also especially enjoyed seeing the Premier Wu's assistant. He played one of those roles that you know must exist, but it was neat to see it in real life - walking behind Premier Wu and whispering in his ear as he approached each person (this is Mr. D...P... and he is senior partner at S....L... and so on!). The information this man had memorized was amazing as they crossed the room greeting the key players in attendance. [Not being from Taiwan, or completely familiar with their political system - it has been explained to me that the Premier is something similar to the 2nd in command of the country... the Vice President for all intensive purposes].

My team and I.

To top it all off, the TAIPEI 101 Tower has been lit up all week with the words "LEED" and "Green On" on different sides of the tower - which we discovered as we were leaving the happy hour at the W Hotel. Ha! You can just imagine our pleasant surprise when we saw it. We stood there and took many pictures with the building in the background as many people stared at us wondering what sort of a tour group we were with. And now, I see it on my way home from work each day. This is not the only project I've been working on for the past 10 months, but it is the most impressive one.

Yes! So proud. :)

week 44_346 Taiwan Beer Restaurant

I haven't been out late at night partying probably since the holiday parties during Christmas & Chinese New Year, but this week our company hosted a "Summer" dinner party and it was quite the event! The dinner was scheduled at a restaurant associated with the Taiwan Beer brewery, the 346 Taiwan Beer Restaurant on BaDe Road. A colleague and I walked to the location, and had wandered through what looked like an after-hours or abandoned brewery campus before we finally discovered the restaurant at the back of the grounds. We were beginning to wonder if we were in the right place! We slowly strolled through what looked like dark drive aisles, loading docks, and warehouses until we saw the bright neon 346 sign at the entrance to the restaurant warehouse.

We found it!

Just a few tables placed outside the entrance

The decor is obviously not the reason that people dine at this place! Ha. Or then again, maybe it is. The warehouse full of picnic tables with a gigantic T-shaped stage was the perfect setting for a noisy group dinner. Every table equipped with miniature Taiwan Beer kegs (more than one per table typically) and plenty of Taiwanese and want-to-be Western foods! 

If you can't tell from the photo, the food just keeps on coming!
Feast!

If I said my favorite dish was the french fries that would probably be a shame, huh?! Well, that wasn't the only good dish, but what can I say? The fries were pretty good. They had many other specialties - fish, hot pot, grilled skewers, fried octopus, "sandwiches" and on and on. We ate until we couldn't eat any more (even though the food never stopped coming in the 3 or so hours I was there) and then we drank almost as eagerly. 

I had a blast :)

The fun was all about the environment. Kicking back. Letting loose. Okay, some people are a lot "loose"-r than me! But I really had a great time. :) When the live band came on stage they played a great combination of local and international music - the first song of the night was Rolling in the Deep (one of my favorites lately!) So I was immediately pleased.

The lead singer of the band rocking out on a keg stand

Even though I cut out from the party before I got too carried away, I had plans to meet up with a friend downtown - so where did I end up anyways? At the W Hotel bar by the poolside... where else ;) Ha! A few more drinks and a higher-than-I-should-spend bar tab for one evening... but drinks with a friend after a long week: worth it. 

WET Bar at W Hotel Taipei poolside

Margarita on the Rocks or a Lychee Mojito ~ both recommended

week 44_High Speed Rail to Kaohsiung

Today I had some work to complete outside of the office in a city called Kaohsiung, at the southern tip of the island. I spend plenty of time at a desk, so it was a welcome break as always. We took the High Speed Rail which travels at 200+ miles per hour; total trip time is approximately 1 1/2 hours each way Taipei - Kaohsiung.

Beautiful blue sky

The train is very nice - fairly new with reversible reclining seats so that you can face either direction, and lean back quite a ways. The High Speed Rail trains are a nicer ride than some of the slow trains I've ridden to other parts of the island. It reminds me a lot of a quick flight. They keep a timely schedule and offer multiple trips up and down the island all day long. The service seems efficient and well organized. Attendants walk through the train cars offering snacks & drinks. I had some skittles to snack on and learned that the "original" Skittles flavors here appear to be: Strawberry, Orange, Lemon, Apple, & Blackberry... Whatever happened to Grape & Lime?! (Even though, truthfully the Apple beat Lime by a long shot...)

Kaohsiung is known for being sunnier than Taiwan, and warmer. We are right in the heart of summer now so the sunny views on the way down were spectacular. Although it was near impossible to capture the true views with my phone camera, you will have to take my word for it that there was plenty to see. Hundreds of fields of rice patties, often with a lone person hard at work out in the massive field. Temples alongside the tracks. Mountains. Sunshine. 

Ah, the countryside.

Taiwan is a semi-tropical island, and watching as we rode it reminded me of something you might see in the Caribbean - lots of palm trees and tropical foliage - but with an Asian twist. Next to the palm trees might be a rice patty, or a pond filled with giant lily pads. 

Some of the many farms along the way.

The Taiwanese love a colorful bridge - I've noticed :)

By the time we headed back to Taipei, the daily afternoon rain showers had moved in as usual. No shortage of rain here lately. I dozed a little on the ride back to the office - just trying to save up energy for the rest of the day's work! Even still, the ride was great and the view was lovely.

My attempt to photo a temple on the way - hard to see in the picture, but pretty in real life.

One of these days, the hubby and I should rent a car and drive this trip. I'm sure it would be fascinating, not to mention I would have much better pictures!!! :)

week 43_Walking Home

Mail man's scooter

Now that I am 10 months into my life here in Taipei, I seem to find considerably less time to blog!!! :) Nonetheless, I'm still appreciating the adventure of it all!

Dihua Street, near the Fabric Market

I think it is probably a good sign ~ that I have started to settle into life here and my own daily activities. Nonetheless, part of being here is about making time for myself. I don't know why it feels like I can stop and take time for myself more when I am this far away, but somehow it's true. I spend considerably less time watching television or fretting about work when I'm outside of work, and more time window shopping as I walk home, daydreaming, or reading a book. It's good for me!

Loved the fun architecture along this block of shops

Jason has also finally settled into a routine. He's working full-time as a copy editor for the China Post. I'm so thrilled that he has found a job he can enjoy as much as I enjoy mine, but our hours are permanently in conflict so I still have most evenings to myself and look forward to spending time with him as much as possible on the weekends!

fountain near Taipei City Hall

This week, I have made a point of walking home each day. I'm trying to get back to the lifestyle of making time for myself. Cliche, you think? Well, that may be the mentality of my generation "You should do what makes you feel happy. You have the right to be happy. You deserve things that you want" and so on and so on... me, me, me... but I still think that most people don't take genuine time for themselves often and I am trying to make it a habit! Not in the annoying way of "I deserve what I want!" but more like "I am gaining an appreciation for the quite moments in my day"...

the tallest lady, TAIPEI 101 - just showing off as usual

So... the daily walk home plays a major role in that. You never know what you'll see. One day it's a mail scooter that just looks fun to me, another day it's a beauty salesman asking if I'd like to take a survey about makeup products... then handing me an entire form in Chinese! Ha. That's alright, I like that every day is a little different.

As with anything, it's all in the eyes of the beholder - but for me, I like to see the glamour in this city life! ;)

week 42_Happy 4th of July!

Yes, even here in Taiwan, we found our own way to celebrate the holiday. Poolside at the Taipei American Club, we watched youngins compete in swimming relay competitions and diving contests. We feasted on a large outdoor buffet of traditional American (and many still Taiwanese influenced) dishes... Plus, we enjoyed a couple of cold brews on the hot summer day!

Let's face it, the food wasn't quite the fish fry that my folks were fixing back home... and the gigantic American flag cake didn't quite taste like there was any butter used in it's preparation... probably not much sugar either? [Yes, it's healthier that way, I know... *sigh*] But all in all, with a couple of good friends ~ we were very pleased to be able to celebrate the holiday in our own way.

AND I got to take my picture with 'Uncle Sam'... :) After all, what is more American than a very tan, skinny Asian man with his hands full of red, white, and blue balloons? Doesn't this photo just scream to you - "Happy Independence Day America!" Haha, well I thought he was very festive, and fun :D

Happy Independence Day United States of America!

We are celebrating with you!

week 41_back & forth

Back & forth, as in - I am back, I would like to go forth!

I find that most international travelers have their 'usual routine'. Mine: I stay awake on the plane for the first meal and order one alcoholic beverage to drink (beer or wine). I take 2 Tylenol PM's and allow myself to watch one movie during or after my meal. I always sit in the window seat so that I have the plane to lean up against. Then, it's lights out and I make every attempt to fall back asleep each time I wake up. This system seems to work well for me, but I've heard others. It also helps once you begin travelling more regularly that the adrenaline and excitement about what awaits you at the other end of the journey may no longer keep you awake in anticipation.

This trip, I actually had a slightly different schedule than usual. I know this may sound crazy to some of you all - I landed at 5:50am back in Taipei, rode the hour long taxi ride into the city, dropped off my luggage at home, took a shower, and made it to work by 8:45am as usual! YES I was pretty intimidated when I looked at the schedule ahead of time, but once it all played out I think that was the key to my quick adjustment. Being forced to stay awake that entire first day at the office was just what I needed to get me back on track (and I slept on the plane mostly, so it was sort of like waking up on a typical morning... ish... )

Week 41 was uneventful, mostly due to my jet-lag. The hubby and I are finally settling into a more permanent routine - with him at his full time place of employment, and still me at mine. Although I miss seeing him when I get home from work (his hours run late into the evening), this past week it was all I could do just to get home and collapse on the bed! Not to say that I didn't adjust well to the Taipei time zone, or that it was sooo difficult to get over the jet lag, because in my opinion it was more than bearable. I simply had the urge to crawl into bed earlier each evening that I typically would... And in my opinion, coming back to a time zone 13 hours different than what I became accustomed to on my vacation and being able to immediately stay awake all day every day - Well, that is a win-win situation. Great vacation, bearable transition back to my everyday routine.

Thankfully this week I am finally back on track!

week 40_American Vacation!

Ha! We are such a pair.

I might not normally describe Dallas, TX or Oklahoma City, OK as my vacation destinations... but after 9 months living in Asia, these were definitely vacation spots for me! Spending a week surrounded by the comforts of home and the friends & family that mean the most to me was so much fun! Although I am living very far away, and it is hard to keep in touch with people the way that I might be able to if I lived nearer - it makes me appreciate the time that I do have with close family & friends so much more! Not to mention, it is so flattering when everyone finds time in their busy schedule to remind me that I am very loved.

Yikes!
Why do we own so much stuff? 

How I managed to squeeze in two cities and so many dinner parties in 8 days still amazes me, but I am so glad I found the time to visit up with everyone I miss so dearly! Not to mention time to eat delicious Mexican and American foods and  lounge by the pool! :) I also visited all of our precious belongings in storage (that was a hot day - thank you to my sister for all of the extra help organizing!)

My niece, She's a cutie!

Surprisingly, I failed to pack my camera - but that's alright, sometimes it's about just being there, not necessarily about taking hundreds of photos! Some of the highlights of the trip were: spending time with my BFF's (aka the design girls), catching up with my aunts, uncles & cousins, hanging out with my brother, his wife, and my 6-month old niece, and keeping my own former dog for a few days!

Best dog! Seriously, he's the Best :)

Home is always going to feel like home. It's nice to go back with a new appreciation for things I took for granted before, and to be able to just enjoy it! For those of you living in the great 50 states, count your blessings my friends!

Ah, bliss.

And for those of us roaming the globe, appreciate your countless life experiences too. Stepping off the plane in Taiwan (or honestly, even before that when I boarded the China Airlines flight in LA) had it's own familiar feeling too. The smell of Asia in the air (if you've been here, you know what I mean), telling the taxi driver my address in Chinese, gazing at TAIPEI 101 in the distance as we crossed the bridge into the city. It may not be home, but it is natural to me in it's own way.

Glad I have both to cherish.

week 39_Flew right by!

After the intense holiday weekend full of dragon boat races, stair climbs, and so on - we took the rest of the week pretty easy. By the next weekend I was ready for some easy time off with lots of relaxation, and the sporadic downpours of rain offered a good excuse to stay indoors with a magazine to read or a good TV series. The husband and I spent the whole of the weekend being lazy together or running errands related to my upcoming vacation [a trip to the US!]]


Honestly, I was too swamped getting work done and preparing for my vacation to do anything adventurous! Ha, but some of the packing & planning is the adventure these days, I suppose. Since I only have the chance to visit family & friends a couple times per year I was frantically purchasing goodies and trinkets to bring back, reorganizing the suitcase repeatedly, and daydreaming about what to eat/listen to/do while back in the States!

week 38_101 Stair Climb (2011)

I am really behind now on the blog - Wow!!!

I guess the lazy days of summer have caught up with me ~ not to mention the heat!

So, like a heat-crazed, slightly mad person, I signed my husband and I up for the TAIPEI 101 2011 stair climb on one very very hot summer day! Our office had joined a group together for the challenge, and as ominous as those 2,046 steps sounded - it was somehow exciting at the same time. Could we do it? Could we climb the once tallest tower in the world?!


Team Gerock!

I think we were both quite nervous and excited when the day finally came along (the day after the Dragon boat races). We geared up and stretched extra and walked the 15 minutes from apartment to the bottom of the tower. The rest of our team slowly gathered along the sidewalk - pinning on our race numbers and putting on our wrist chip, which tracks your time from start to finish line.

At this point I was actually pretty eager to start! I had psyched myself up enough to get the adrenaline flowing, and just hoped that I would be able to give it a solid effort, even if I had to bow out before reaching the 91st floor!

Sadly - one of the final steps, we filled out the health certificate to get final approval to enter the race. When I checked the box for "Asthma", thinking I was just being honest and of course I also had an inhaler with me for good measure... the on-site doctor told me in his limited English that I could NOT enter the race! No, I could not just try and stop when it was too much. No, my inhaler did not remedy the situation. I was surprisingly pretty bummed that I would now have to miss out on this adventurous event! I had mostly been looking to the story I could tell my kids about the hot summer day we tried to climb TAIPEI 101...

The bigger team

...but I guess the hubby will just have to tell that story to the kids! He got to go for the climb with all of my co-workers without me, ha :) I think he is even considering entering the race again next year!

While the team climbed the tower, I watched the big screens at the ground level featuring the contestants as they reached the top. The professional athletes had AMAZING times - reaching the 91st floor in less than 15 minutes. I am certain they were taking the steps two at a time at a running pace.

week 37_Dragon Boat Races!

Aside from the lengthy Chinese New Year celebration, Taiwan has two other holidays that seem to be most significant - the Dragon Boat festival and the Mid-Autumn festival. All holidays are based on the Chinese lunar calendar, so they fall on slightly different dates of the western calendar each year. The Dragon Boat holiday happens to occur very near to the US's Memorial Day, and has a familiar feeling, a three day weekend filled with picnics and family get togethers, just in time to welcome the hot summer season.

The many, many onlookers cheering for the racing teams!

I've been told by folks here that the Dragon Boat festival marks the beginning of summer (there are really only two seasons here anyways...), and it must be true because the heat has not lifted since the day we went to watch the Dragon Boat races! The day of the races was hot and sticky too, but it was fun to be out and about, getting a taste of the local culture.

Go team, go! Row, man, row!!!

The "dragon boats" are similar to crew boats, with teams of twenty or so rowers and a strong one at the back to help with direction. A drummer keeps time at the front of the boat, indicating to the team when to row (in unison of course). They are painted and carved to look like a dragon gliding through the water. Some at a moderate pace... but some speeding along sooo fast!

Dragons Boats lined up, Waiting

The individual races are quick. We watched many races within the span of about 40 minutes - typically 4 boats competing against each other, then the winners moving on to additional rounds. I was surprised at the number of foreigners competing on the teams, but it seemed that many of the crews were multi-national. I learned from my co-workers that although the Dragon Boat Festival is widely celebrated, the percentage of people who attend the races is quite low compared to the population of the city... This was fairly evident. It was clearly a popular spot for athletes, families with children, and foreigners looking for a bit of local holiday celebration!

The scoreboard

We attended the races on Saturday, although they continue on all three days. Winners of each bracket move on to the next days race ~ and the team spirit in this crowd was great to watch. :) We saw some pretty fun displays, but weren't able to get the video camera rolling fast enough to catch one teams dancing, chanting circle, on film! Oh well. I guess you had to be there! Here's the last few seconds... trust me the full dance and carrying on was much more entertaining!

Dragon Boat team, welcoming back teammates after a race

Other than the actual races, there are carnival-like activities near the river for this occasion ~ so we spent some time meandering through the tents. There wasn't much there that we couldn't live without... except some ice cold drinks on a hot day! ... and the chance to take my picture with a retired dragon boat.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival! 

And sometimes, I just don't convey the full picture unless there is a video... To remind you of the Chinese/English announcers in the background. The sound of the dragon boat drums... the thrill of the race, etc!

Of course, there is a lot more background to this holiday than just the dragon boat races. You can check out a little more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duanwu_Festival

week 37_Grand Opening

Thursday last marked the grand opening of one of our many LEED projects here in Taiwan - the Starbucks Minquan E. Road Coffeehouse. It is wonderful to see some of our construction & design work finally come to completion! Just like a proud soccer mom, I thought maybe I should post a pic or two...

My team (minus one)!

Many efforts were made to create an environmentally conscious space that is also aesthetically pleasant and inviting. If you are in Taipei, I would highly recommend checking it out.

Green parking lot pavers:
Reduce heat created by spans of concrete/asphalt,
Maintain a natural eco-system,
Allow storm water run-off to eliminate unnatural flooding

One of the drawbacks in this line of work, is that you can't always tell the effort that has gone into the project - not to mention, it is also sometimes difficult to visually observe the benefits of environmental design. However, as someone "on the inside," let me assure you that this store is a cut above the rest. This is not your average retail space - it's better!

High-efficiency light fixtures,
designed of re-used scrap cardboard material,
Controlled by day lighting sensors to turn off when unnecessary
provide a comfortable environment without
excessive energy consumption

Finishes with high recycled content and/or
Materials that are extracted and/or manufactured locally,
Products made in Taiwan produce significantly less
transportation emissions than imports and
stimulate the local economy

That doesn't really cover it, but those photos are just the tip of the iceberg, to help explain what elements were taken into consideration in the design & construction of this store. In an attempt not to carry on about business, I suppose I will just say that if you are intrigued and would like to know more about how this Starbucks has 'gone green', shoot me an email and I can talk your ear off... :)

week 37_afternoon in Danshui

For the second day of my birthday weekend, the weather was lovely! In fact, it inspired us to get out of town after all - so we rode the MRT to the last stop on the main line, to Danshui, a suburb of Taipei about an hour away by MRT. When I visited Danshui in 2006, I remember the pier venturing out into the water, seafood vendors with freshly fried snacks on the street corners, and cute shops & cafes for wandering. During this visit to Danshui, it was clear that the quiet escape has changed... Hundreds of city-dwellers filled the MRT seats all the way to our destination. The crowds flooded the streets, making it impossible for cars to drive on some streets, and every park bench appeared to be taken.

Nonetheless, the #1 appeal for us Texas folk was not suffocatingly crowded, it was juuust right!

By now (approaching my 9 month mark), we've heard rumor that there is a Mexican restaurant in Taiwan that is actually owned & operated by a Mexicano! [No way!] But in fact, it's true! In the popular suburb of Danshui there is a small restaurant called Eddy's Cantina that is owned by a gentleman from Mexico who is married a Taiwanese woman and started a life here. We are thankful! Yay for Mexican food! It made for a perfectly wonderful birthday lunch/dinner... since we were splurging, we went all out and ordered entirely too much food for two people!

They even had tasty margaritas! Happy birthday to me! :)

Yes, that is my husband wearing a cowboy hat & eating a burrito...
... In Taiwan [?!?!]
Sorry ladies, he's taken!!! ;)

After we had completely gorged ourselves, we hit the streets for some window shopping - that turned into some trinket shopping plus dessert. :) On my previous visit to Danshui, I purchased a hair pin in a cute little shop full of wind chimes. On this trip, I made a similar purchase - two hairpins... a very sentimental purchase for me because it was on my last trip to Taiwan that I learned to pin my long hair up with a single pin, and loved it!

It's a beautiful day to shop in Danshui (pronounced Done-shway)

Trinket / Gift shop, where I purcashed my hair pins

Hair pin: $3 (USD).
Learning to pin up long hair tightly with a single pin: Priceless!
[Thank you Taiwan!]

We packed in among the crowded alleys and continued meandering along until we found some dessert... the tallest twist cone I've ever seen! The perfect weather, great food and good company certainly made for the perfect end to my birthday weekend :)

Hard to eat this one before it melts!

Finally, to wrap up an already wonderful birthday celebration, I received flowers at my office from my immediate family, and goodies in the mail from my amazing more extended family! Thank you everyone - near or far - for making my birthday so special! :)

My birthday was wonderful ~ thank you!!! 

week 36_Bowling & Shilin Night Market!

After our tea time, we moseyed on along to a bowling alley near Shilin Night Market to spend the afternoon practicing our bowling skills! (Ha ha! Or lack there of...) The hubby had been searching for a bowling alley, and it sounded like fun... but, no wonder he wanted to go bowling! That boy has skills.

If you can't tell, there are FOUR X's next to "J"...

Jason bowled FOUR strikes in a row on the first game! When you bowl three strikes in a row, apparently that is called a turkey... when you bowl four strikes in a row, is there a name for that?! That's alright... I was pretty weak for the first game, but I caught up with him during the second!

That was probably a strike...!

The bowling alley was pretty typical. About what you would expect to find in the US. Not crowded, and a little dated, but clean enough and it was nice to be there without being over crowded by the masses. The name of this place said something like 'Bowling & Gaming Center'...they appeared to have some other arcade games to one side, and possibly billiard tables upstairs?

I understand the pool stick & the 8 ball,
I can get the microphone (Karaoke is pretty big here),
But what is with the banana in the Kings hand???

After Jason beat me again in the third - we were playing for best 2 out of 3 - it was about time to get some dinner anyways. Since we happened to be just across the street from the largest and most well-known night market in Taipei (Shilin Night Market, we've been there before), we decided it would be the perfect spot to grab some very local dinner... And dinner at a night market, is always an adventure...

Name that dish...?

My first purchase was a crispy seafood... pancake? I don't know what the actual name was, but a lot of flat entrees get called "pancakes" here, and I guess I don't blame them - what would these undefined eats be called?! Jason had some steamed baos (doughy buns filled with pork & veggies). I tried to order some grilled corn on the cob that looked delicious! But when the vendor told me the price, I was convinced he was telling me the foreigner price (the 'you don't know any better...' price tag) so even though I asked him to repeat it twice, once in English, I still walked away from the corn. Darn. Maybe next time!

Candied fruit on a stick

In the end, I decided to try some candied fruits on a stick. I see these every time I visit the night market, and always want one - they look so good! The vendors sell strawberries dipped in red hard candy; the strawberries are easy to distinguish by shape and size. They also sell 4 or 5 other fruits dipped in candy... and though I was hoping I'd ordered a stick of cherries, it turned out to be bite sized tomatoes. Yes, I said tomatoes. Those are still a fruit, right? Well, whatever the case they were still tasty! Next time I may go for the obvious fruits...

Day 1 of the birthday weekend = Success.