Annie and I are huge, huge fans of musical theater. “My Fair Lady” is one of our absolute favorites. Most of the time, we just watch musicals at home on DVD which is the most convenient, not to mention affordable option.

Whenever a traveling Broadway show like Hamilton comes to the Bay Area, we may splurge for it. Every so often though, we will take in a local production of a popular musical, which allows us to enjoy the songs and acting in a more intimate (and less expensive) setting. So we are happy to know that the San Jose Stage Company will be performing “Mamma Mia!” this season, throughout the month of June into July.

Annie is a huge ABBA fan. “Mamma Mia!” is a musical that takes its name from one of ABBA’s hit songs. I was not such a huge fan of ABBA at first, but after seeing the musical when it played at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco many years ago, I became a fan as well. The show was put together so well, and incorporated so many ABBA favorites. By the end of the show, I was dancing, clapping and cheering along as if I was at an actual ABBA concert!

When “Mamma Mia!” came out on film we went to go see it. To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed. I like Meryl Streep, but this wasn’t her best performance. And Pierce Brosnan positively reeked – he canNOT sing!

So I am looking forward to seeing “Mamma Mia!” on the stage again. I am always impressed by how talented these actors are who do live performances on stage.

What’s your favorite musical? Leave a comment below!

Aloha, Nate

We’re back home after a nearly 3 week trip to Malaysia for Chinese New Year. I was so nice to see family and friends again, and of course to eat all the wonderful foods we’ve been missing. We didn’t get to them all, but not for lack of trying! Seriously, some days it felt like we were constantly eating. (If you’re a fan of our Facebook Fan Page, you would have seen some of the things we ate.)

In addition to eating food we can’t get here in America, we also brought back some Malaysian foodstuffs that we can’t find here. Want to see some of what came back in our luggage?

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Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year!

Two years since moving back to the US, we are back in Malaysia to visit during Chinese New Year. It is good to be back!

We have soooo been looking forward to this trip! We have missed all our family and friends here. In addition, we have missed all the great food that Malaysia has to offer.

The first thing we ate at our reunion dinner? Yee Sang.

Yee Sang Ready to Toss

What is Yee Sang?

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The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:9-14 (New International Version)

The Light Has Come Into the World

Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka, and Selamat Hari Natal from House of Annie.

Cheers and Aloha, Annie and Nate