New blog. Check it:
bostonblond.com
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
sorting this out
In life, there is a list of things that are easy. Unfortunately, "setting up a blog" is not on that list.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
lazy Sunday
So I (finally) signed up for domain hosting. You can check me out here. Once I install Wordpress on my computer and my website, that is.
Until then... you can find me reading fashion blogs, reading more fashion blogs, strolling down Newbury Street, and biking down the Esplanade.
In addition to the requisite burgers and beers, C's 21st featured a moonbounce. Pictured below: S, J, and myself. Bouncing.
Until then... you can find me reading fashion blogs, reading more fashion blogs, strolling down Newbury Street, and biking down the Esplanade.
In addition to the requisite burgers and beers, C's 21st featured a moonbounce. Pictured below: S, J, and myself. Bouncing.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
the best sweet and sour chicken recipe ever
Hello, and welcome to the first segment of Cooking Like a F.O.B.
Maybe you're a study abroad student looking to relive your PRC glory days. Maybe you're a Chinese American seeking to recapture the taste of your youth. Or maybe you're just some creepy white guy with an Asian fetish. Whatever your situation... it most likely comes down to this. You miss Chinese food. You need some of that 中国菜, stat. Being the money-saving college student that you probably are, you may try to cook it for yourself. You could try Googling a recipe. But chances are it will suck. Big time.
Look at that. It served with pasta! PASTA!!?!1 Bitch, please. "The best sweet and sour chicken ever?" Only if you're idea of "the best" is the frozen food section of Trader Joe's.
But enough with the bullshit. Let me present you...
"The Best Sweet and Sour Chicken You Have Ever Tasted"
Ingredients:
250 grams of chicken
1/4 pineapple
1 green pepper
1 egg
100 grams of ketchup
salt
pepper
sugar
white vinegar
cornstarch
1. Dice the chicken, and flatten them with the back of knife. Put some salt and a half of whipped egg into the chicken, and knead the chicken follow one direction. Then coat them with starch and shape into balls.
2. Fry the chicken balls in the oil 80-100 centigrade and then take them out after the surface become hard. Put the chicken balls into the oil again when the oil become hotter, and pick out after the surface is gold.
3. Dice the pineapple, and Slicing the green pepper. Spread the used oil on them.
4. Heat up the pot, and put a little oil and the ketchup into to stir. Then add water, salt, sugar, pepper, and white vinegar according to one's own preferences. After is is boiled put 2 and 3 into, and then stir and add starch mixed with cold water. Spread a little oil before finish.
I thought about neutralizing the recipe's Chinglish, but that's what gives it its character. Like most other Chinese dishes, it's a single-pan extravaganza. In China, we used a wok, but a large flat-bottomed skillet or pan is probably fine. 100 centigrade? I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit, but probably really hot. Once the oil gets bubbly, and then stops-- then you know it's hot enough. Fry the chicken, take it out, and then fry it again. Take it out, drain most of the oil (save what looks like 1/4 cup worth). Add seasonings to that oil, thicken with cornstarch dissolved in cold water to thicken. As far as specific measurements on the seasonings, I believe we used something like 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, a tablespoon of white vinegar, and two or three tbsp ketchup. I'll try something like this the next time I make it, and if the seasoning is off, I'll try again. How you go about it is really up to you. Use the recipe as a guideline, and make it up as you go along. That's what I did (for God's sake, NO FUCKING FLOUR!). The last time I made this, I had a Chinese man shouting the directions at me. In Chinese. You'll be fine.
Maybe you're a study abroad student looking to relive your PRC glory days. Maybe you're a Chinese American seeking to recapture the taste of your youth. Or maybe you're just some creepy white guy with an Asian fetish. Whatever your situation... it most likely comes down to this. You miss Chinese food. You need some of that 中国菜, stat. Being the money-saving college student that you probably are, you may try to cook it for yourself. You could try Googling a recipe. But chances are it will suck. Big time.
Look at that. It served with pasta! PASTA!!?!1 Bitch, please. "The best sweet and sour chicken ever?" Only if you're idea of "the best" is the frozen food section of Trader Joe's.
But enough with the bullshit. Let me present you...
"The Best Sweet and Sour Chicken You Have Ever Tasted"
Ingredients:
250 grams of chicken
1/4 pineapple
1 green pepper
1 egg
100 grams of ketchup
salt
pepper
sugar
white vinegar
cornstarch
1. Dice the chicken, and flatten them with the back of knife. Put some salt and a half of whipped egg into the chicken, and knead the chicken follow one direction. Then coat them with starch and shape into balls.
2. Fry the chicken balls in the oil 80-100 centigrade and then take them out after the surface become hard. Put the chicken balls into the oil again when the oil become hotter, and pick out after the surface is gold.
3. Dice the pineapple, and Slicing the green pepper. Spread the used oil on them.
4. Heat up the pot, and put a little oil and the ketchup into to stir. Then add water, salt, sugar, pepper, and white vinegar according to one's own preferences. After is is boiled put 2 and 3 into, and then stir and add starch mixed with cold water. Spread a little oil before finish.
I thought about neutralizing the recipe's Chinglish, but that's what gives it its character. Like most other Chinese dishes, it's a single-pan extravaganza. In China, we used a wok, but a large flat-bottomed skillet or pan is probably fine. 100 centigrade? I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit, but probably really hot. Once the oil gets bubbly, and then stops-- then you know it's hot enough. Fry the chicken, take it out, and then fry it again. Take it out, drain most of the oil (save what looks like 1/4 cup worth). Add seasonings to that oil, thicken with cornstarch dissolved in cold water to thicken. As far as specific measurements on the seasonings, I believe we used something like 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, a tablespoon of white vinegar, and two or three tbsp ketchup. I'll try something like this the next time I make it, and if the seasoning is off, I'll try again. How you go about it is really up to you. Use the recipe as a guideline, and make it up as you go along. That's what I did (for God's sake, NO FUCKING FLOUR!). The last time I made this, I had a Chinese man shouting the directions at me. In Chinese. You'll be fine.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
allston christmas
The scene: Room next door. Baystate Rd, Boston, MA.
Days (weeks?) ago, unnamed neighbor moves out. Let's call her... Rachel. Wherever Rachel left for, it must be somewhere with they didn't need textbooks. Or lamps. Or laundry detergent. Or awesome chairs that look like the Nest, but are in fact much, much better. Whatever. In addition to an assortment of abandoned housewares and a sizable amount of pita crumbs, J and I discovered...
7 (count it) books on Uighur China
conversation American English
Small Island (?)
2 books of poetry
How the Internet Works
a Thai cookbook
Best of Eastern Europe 2007
Not quite Christmas, but still pretty cool.
Days (weeks?) ago, unnamed neighbor moves out. Let's call her... Rachel. Wherever Rachel left for, it must be somewhere with they didn't need textbooks. Or lamps. Or laundry detergent. Or awesome chairs that look like the Nest, but are in fact much, much better. Whatever. In addition to an assortment of abandoned housewares and a sizable amount of pita crumbs, J and I discovered...
7 (count it) books on Uighur China
conversation American English
Small Island (?)
2 books of poetry
How the Internet Works
a Thai cookbook
Best of Eastern Europe 2007
Not quite Christmas, but still pretty cool.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
love that [dirty] water
Update on that Boston life:
1.) It is still raining.
2.) See number 1.
A couple of days ago, L and I made promises to ourselves. "We will stop talking about the rain, Simmons, and our jobs." Needless to say, I haven't kept up my end of the deal. Unfortunately, summer is proving to be a lot like the spring weather I hoped to avoid by being in Shanghai. Le sigh.
In other news... summer is picking up, slowly. No more clubbing at M2, back-gate culinary madness, and chilling with generally ridiculous NYU kids. Into it's place has stepped salsa lessons (pun-HA!), 3 buck chuck, and laid-back weekends with the Simmons crowd. In my spare time, I have been exploring Boston, writing, freaking out about grad school, cooking my own food, meeting new people, and having a generally good time. Oh, and trying to convince people to visit me. Any takers? :) :) :)
1.) It is still raining.
2.) See number 1.
A couple of days ago, L and I made promises to ourselves. "We will stop talking about the rain, Simmons, and our jobs." Needless to say, I haven't kept up my end of the deal. Unfortunately, summer is proving to be a lot like the spring weather I hoped to avoid by being in Shanghai. Le sigh.
In other news... summer is picking up, slowly. No more clubbing at M2, back-gate culinary madness, and chilling with generally ridiculous NYU kids. Into it's place has stepped salsa lessons (pun-HA!), 3 buck chuck, and laid-back weekends with the Simmons crowd. In my spare time, I have been exploring Boston, writing, freaking out about grad school, cooking my own food, meeting new people, and having a generally good time. Oh, and trying to convince people to visit me. Any takers? :) :) :)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
not ok
My resolution to stop talking about the weather (in addition to work and Simmons) is proving really, really difficult. Today is many things. Sunny and 80 degrees isn't one of them.
|
Monday, June 22, 2009
quotes from my roommate
"...the house is a trash mess."
Me complaining about not being able to make PB&J because we have to bread.
"Try making it on a rice cake."
More J quotes to come.
Me complaining about not being able to make PB&J because we have to bread.
"Try making it on a rice cake."
More J quotes to come.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
sushi
I love sushi. Sushi for breakfast, sushi for lunch, sushi for dinner. Every way, every day. Nothing, in my mind, makes a better meal than sushi. Meal, snack, dietary staple, cleaning product, new best friend --hell, I'm not sure what you couldn't do with sushi.
However, until I've got $ in the bank, no sushi for me.
[Note to self: check this place out, when you are not broke as a joke]
However, until I've got $ in the bank, no sushi for me.
[Note to self: check this place out, when you are not broke as a joke]
Sunday, June 14, 2009
and so it begins
After a 6 month absence, I have once again returned to Boston. Interestingly, I find that I love it a little more than usual. Blue skies? Brick buildings? Lack of trash in the streets? Traffic laws? It's beautiful.
View of the Citgo sign from my roofdeck:
Kenmore Square... (wtf. When did this happen?)
And, of course, Fenway.
I have been embarrassing my friends going around taking pictures like a tourist, routinely asking the price of a beer (not 50 cents? damn, I miss China), and exclaiming "Boston is so beautiful!" I'm like those tourists everyone loves to hate. It's great.
View of the Citgo sign from my roofdeck:
Kenmore Square... (wtf. When did this happen?)
And, of course, Fenway.
I have been embarrassing my friends going around taking pictures like a tourist, routinely asking the price of a beer (not 50 cents? damn, I miss China), and exclaiming "Boston is so beautiful!" I'm like those tourists everyone loves to hate. It's great.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
unexpected
What is better than buying a new pair of jeans? An old pair of jeans (that used to fit your 16 year-old self before you, for example, gained the ibanking 15).
In the process of cleaning out my closet and preparing to move back up to Boston, I discovered 4 pairs of these bad boys. It is like today is Christmas. And my birthday. All in one.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
jet lag
Jet lag is still kicking my ass on a daily basis. Since I have to try and stay up for at least another hour...
Pictures from my travels.
Boarder crossing (by boat) into Myanmar (Burma).
Wish you were here... Ko Tao, Thailand
General Motors factory, Shanghai, China
Jing'An Temple, Shanghai, China
I've got to look through the rest, and possibly post them on Facebook some time before... well, we'll see when they get posted.
Pictures from my travels.
Boarder crossing (by boat) into Myanmar (Burma).
Wish you were here... Ko Tao, Thailand
General Motors factory, Shanghai, China
Jing'An Temple, Shanghai, China
I've got to look through the rest, and possibly post them on Facebook some time before... well, we'll see when they get posted.
Monday, June 8, 2009
still home...
It feels like I've been home for at least a week. I should be spending this time watching movies or swimming in the lake, but my room looks like a bomb (or my suitcase?) exploded and the lake is still pretty cold. Now that everyone is 21, my friends and I are going out later. I'm not sure what "going out" in upstate New York involves, but I guess I am about to find out.
[aHAHAHAHAHA. yeah. I just remember S's fat stuffed Totoro. May have to watch that later.]
home
Posting a blog entry at 3:34 am? Jet lag, you're one tricky fool. Playing the Sims 3, eating hummus, and doing whatever I can to stay awake so I can fall back asleep. Maybe I'll start teaching myself French... (because Chinese isn't enough?)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
take me home, country roads
It feels weird to suddenly be literate.
The internet is so fast it feels like it's on fire.
I went to a convenience store on the way home, and they weren't selling packaged chicken feet.
It's good to be back.
Monday, June 1, 2009
fml
Attempting to liberate myself from the grasp of a marketing paper. Not a particularly difficult task, but made more difficult by distracting thoughts of breakfast. Yes, I will be eating biscuits, home fries, and bacon from Georges Place in exactly 5 days, and I can't wait.
Friday, May 29, 2009
people, places, ideas
Most recent China thoughts:
-China and the Latin American resource endowment (my final economics paper, and a topic I intend to research further. It's really, really interesting.)
-Germany vs. China soccer game (and how I will be there in a couple of hours. Go China!)
-Chinese food (Super 88 = how I intend to feed myself this summer)
Also, I took a couple more pictures for the "Shanghai Nights" album. Maybe I will post them... when I get back to the States :P
As for this summer...8 days and counting. It will be good to be home for awhile (after being stranded, alone, in the desolate wasteland of Carmel, NY this winter, 4 days is long enough). It will give me a chance to spend quality time with my family, chill with my brother, get to know the new dog (and go swimming with the old one), do laundry, have meals prepared for me, and see some people that have been missing from my life.
After 4 days at home, the real fun begins. I'm looking forward to: moving into my summer place in Boston, reuniting with some of my favorite Simmons women (the non-jetset <3 Hope all you girls are having a fabulous on study abroad. Come back to me in one piece!), going to Nantucket for a couple of days, celebrating a friend's 21st, starting my internship, and generally re-acclimating myself to life in the United States.
-China and the Latin American resource endowment (my final economics paper, and a topic I intend to research further. It's really, really interesting.)
-Germany vs. China soccer game (and how I will be there in a couple of hours. Go China!)
-Chinese food (Super 88 = how I intend to feed myself this summer)
Also, I took a couple more pictures for the "Shanghai Nights" album. Maybe I will post them... when I get back to the States :P
As for this summer...8 days and counting. It will be good to be home for awhile (after being stranded, alone, in the desolate wasteland of Carmel, NY this winter, 4 days is long enough). It will give me a chance to spend quality time with my family, chill with my brother, get to know the new dog (and go swimming with the old one), do laundry, have meals prepared for me, and see some people that have been missing from my life.
After 4 days at home, the real fun begins. I'm looking forward to: moving into my summer place in Boston, reuniting with some of my favorite Simmons women (the non-jetset <3 Hope all you girls are having a fabulous on study abroad. Come back to me in one piece!), going to Nantucket for a couple of days, celebrating a friend's 21st, starting my internship, and generally re-acclimating myself to life in the United States.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
MLIA
"I didn't have sex today. But I'm 14, so it's ok. MLIA"
My friend showed me this new website yesterday. It's called "My Life is Average." Pretty much FML, but not. Because it's funnier.
In other news:
I am still posting through a proxy server, so no pictures just yet
I collected some data today through primary research. In Chinese
Finally got a tentacle skewer (pro)
Walked to the far corners of Shanghai and back again, seeking a plain black portfolio for my final photo project. Plain black portfolios were nowhere to be found, so I had to use plastic (poor)
Almost finished with Middlemarch
Thought about how I'm going to be back in the States in 14 days.
The first thing I will eat when I get home is breakfast. Or Wendys. I haven't decided.
My friend showed me this new website yesterday. It's called "My Life is Average." Pretty much FML, but not. Because it's funnier.
In other news:
I am still posting through a proxy server, so no pictures just yet
I collected some data today through primary research. In Chinese
Finally got a tentacle skewer (pro)
Walked to the far corners of Shanghai and back again, seeking a plain black portfolio for my final photo project. Plain black portfolios were nowhere to be found, so I had to use plastic (poor)
Almost finished with Middlemarch
Thought about how I'm going to be back in the States in 14 days.
The first thing I will eat when I get home is breakfast. Or Wendys. I haven't decided.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
blocked in China
For reasons unknown, Blogger is now blocked in China. How have I circumvented the Great (fire)Wall of China? That's a secret I'll never tell.
On my way to my friend's place, I busted into this gated demoltion site. Due to rather unfortunate circumstances, my great firewall of China circumvention system does not allow the addition of pictures to this post. Perhaps I will add them when I get home. 21 days...
In addition to trespassing, I spent some quality at Ikea. Took some pictures for my photography project, and chowed down on some cheap Western food. 6 yuan coffee, 3 yuan hot dogs, and 1 yuan ice cream cones make for a great time. I was pretty pressed for time, as I had to
On my way to my friend's place, I busted into this gated demoltion site. Due to rather unfortunate circumstances, my great firewall of China circumvention system does not allow the addition of pictures to this post. Perhaps I will add them when I get home. 21 days...
In addition to trespassing, I spent some quality at Ikea. Took some pictures for my photography project, and chowed down on some cheap Western food. 6 yuan coffee, 3 yuan hot dogs, and 1 yuan ice cream cones make for a great time. I was pretty pressed for time, as I had to
Thursday, May 14, 2009
podcast
Until recently, I did not really know what a "podcast" was, or why people would want to listen to this nonsense. Yes, I had heard of them (lazy person instructions: click this, press CTRL+F, type podcast, press enter), but I felt no particular need to check them out. Until now.
What I have discovered...
1. Podcast are basically just compiled lists of audio files that do not usually include:
a.) Commercials
b.) Britney Spears*
2. Podcasts are like getting music recommendations from your friends, but better.
3. Podcasts + Baidu = Gold
*Select BS does appear in my music collection, but only in the form of power hour and "I Love the 90's" playlists.
What I have discovered...
1. Podcast are basically just compiled lists of audio files that do not usually include:
a.) Commercials
b.) Britney Spears*
2. Podcasts are like getting music recommendations from your friends, but better.
3. Podcasts + Baidu = Gold
*Select BS does appear in my music collection, but only in the form of power hour and "I Love the 90's" playlists.
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