ABHOR, the rhyming continues!

From this previous post,

I realized that two crucial things that rhyme with abhor were left out:

Pussy Galore
S'more

The End

I'm AB-, you?

Apparently, in Japan, people are looking to date by blood type. I would love to infer things from people based on the type of blood that runs through their veins. (Thanks BBC!)

The idea that blood type may govern personality, passions, and attitudes seems superstitious and of the past 500 years but at the same time, I totally get it.

According to the article, "The received wisdom is that As are dependable and self sacrificing, but reserved and prone to worry.

Decisive and confident - that is people with type O.

ABs are well balanced, clear-sighted and logical, but also high-maintenance and distant.

The black sheep though seem to be blood group B - flamboyant free-thinkers, but selfish."

There's a perceived prejudice against the Bs and... I feel like I'm going to have to do some investigating to see if this is true. 


...Speaking of blood, this is has no relation to any of the above post, but while I was driving yesterday - I saw a sticker over the back brake light of a car that said, "Covered in the blood of Jesus Christ" and I found it to be rather horrifying. Who wants to be COVERED in blood? Goodness!

Apparently, I have a blog!

All I've done today is read about the Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein vs. Congress. Congress was a collective asshole and GS = stalling stonewall.

Recently, I've also read some notable articles which I will now share with you!

...On the increasingly willingness of American expats to give up their citizenship due to the double taxation of Americans.

Cultural Execs in NYC, how much they make, and how much they're willing to cut in the name of the arts.

and finally, Mixing Prints, done right. This is something that I've been trying to right for a while now! (What I've learned.... polka dots + florals, stripes and florals, polka dots and stripes = cute?)

Want more? Try going to nytimes.com yourself and learn something!

Can not breathe!

If you guys think that the breathing of an emphysemic man is sexy, then I'm the lady for you.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeze la-a-a-a-a-aaugh wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze

BAAAAAABIES!

I melt.




The Mongolian baby is my favorite!

Brown: A Love Affair

It all started with a reunion with Audrey that happened in the autumn. Audrey and I reminisced of times' past and we ate at the Cheesecake Factory, a tradition a decade in the making....

Providence. I went, I saw, I fell in love. I went for one night only and discovered the glory of Fire water, GCB and sexy Scrabble, the board game of love.

Then, I randomly met Audrey's friends. Her fellow medical students. Take comfort in knowing that all the people that I've posed with in this blog are going to be doctors.

These were not your average bunch of medical students. Bigger (not really, actually they're pretty tiny), bolder (only in laughter), and better than ever (seriously), friends of Audrey's are friends of mine. Now, I'm no med student, but I do know how to have fun. So did they. Work hard, but play as well. My dears - that is my modus operandi.

Almost immediately after I left, Audrey and I planned for another meeting. Our schedules have been tight and still, it worked!

I arrived on Friday night and made future friends with Axel, then proceeded to have a rolicking good times with the ladies, who incidentally, while I was away, had discovered the power of the CHI.

This, plus two instances of Brunch (...which are always signs of a good time! Think about it, do you eat brunch all the time? Nope, only on special occasions),

GCB games, Eddie Izzard, all a good weekend make.

Hello laaaaaaaaadies. ;)

After this most delightful brunch, Audrey and I attended a little thing called Roller Derby on Sunday, Bloody, Opening weekend, Sunday. At first we didn't understand...

 

Butch ladies in fishnets beating on each other? WHO WOULDN'T want to be apart of that? Evidently, many people agreed with us. Including...

 YES. EVERYONE came!

Not necessarily our friends, exactly.. but..  Seriously. I have a crush on Sky Rocket.

If every life brings to you a roller derby, please go. Brown, I love you.

Mmmm Matcha Cupcakes

For my supper club, I baked some Japanese inspired cupcakes. I took a yellow cupcakes, added matcha powder, then proceeded to worry about the consistency, the powder making the flavor of the cupcakes chalky.

I think I did well, although green cakes not sitting in a Japanese boutique, makes it slightly less appetizing. I think they looked good.

NOM NOM NOM. Green tea cupcakes = win :)

Amy and I tried to make green tea cookies two years ago.... I had salted butter. We tried to bake the cookies anyway. WTF. I was still learning. Look at me now, baking gods!

Let's get literary.

If you're not literate, don't bother reading this post. But if you CAN read and actually enjoy doing so, run your eyes over this.


I recently went to a roller derby to watch butch girls beating on each other. This is something like that, except... famous literary figures, beating on each other, with what they know how to wield best, words.


Mark Twain on the work of Jane Austen:

I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read 'Pride and Prejudice,' I want to dig her up and hit her over the skull with her own shin-bone.

For more: Read this link that goes to the Examiner.com

I absolutely abhor wet feet. Thank God for rain boots.

 Trust me, you'd hate my wet feet too. (They stink! Sorry if you've had to smell them before!)

But speaking of abhor, here are some fun words that rhyme with abhor: I came up with these on the flight to Providence, RI.

parkour
velour
l'amore
j'adore
queen of Noor
a grievous chore
sore
down by the sea shore
Olde English lore
more more more
working out the core
something she wore
hold that door
whores galore
a mine of iron ore
bore, boar or Bohr?
silly Eeyore
the plight of the poor
the perfect pour
ferocious roar
soar baby soar
Chateau Latour
Al Gore
Christane Amanpour
Theodore
Lenore
tresor
Timor
succor
Azores
Jeffrey Tambore
ignore
signore
coeur de couer
Moors

I know there are many more, but I enjoyed these the most. Feel free to contribute.

Herro

Test Post take 2 with attached photo!

Because this photo should probably go on my blog somewhere ... and another?

Spring makes me think of San Francisco! Which was so. much. fun!

Work Test Email

Blogging whilst at work? Never! I've forgotten which email address is the correct one to post direct to blog. I hope it is this one. Today, I have decided to minimize my sodium intake by not eating delicious salty things or frozen foods. :( Mood right now: Grumpsters!

(147-158/365) Procrastination Station!

Toot toot! You've just happened upon a bit of procrastination that I've chosen to share with you.

(147/365) Blooms!

Blossoms in bloom in spring? Oh, I'm so creative. Tell me about it.


(148/465) Starbucks in Seattle

 
 Of course, I drank Starbucks in Seattle, as well as Tully's and Seattle's Best. Caffeine + me = LOVERS.


(149/365) Piano Player on the corner of Pike and Pine

Yeaaah. I have no idea how this man got this piano down the huge hill without it slamming into the sign. Great corner, btws. Work it, sir, work it.

(150/365) Standard Aircraft Protocol

When I'm on a Chinese plane, these will not look the same.

(151/365) Mape 'n Bake

The guy with the surprisingly girlie handwriting wrote this on my popcorn bag to distinguish its flavor. Maple syrup and bacon. AMAZING meaty bits. Rawr!!!

(152/365) Schrodinger's Cat of Cakes

(153/365) Reality Bites

I know you've seen this before. But this was the day after and it meant something. FAIL!

(154/365) Y2K Photo Obsession

After 8th grade, I became obsessed with capturing memories. These are some of the albums I don't know what to do with.

(155/365) Why Five Forks?

This road has meant a lot to me for a long time. But what a ridiculous name to any outsider.

 

(156/365) Birdie pooped on my arm!

VOM. I can't believe I took a picture of this, but it needed to be documented. I had 50 feet to walk from my car to the shop, and in that span, POOP SPLAT.

(157/365) Whores D'Vores

Those in attendance at my supper club + Christina, the brilliant photo taker.

(158/365) Hello, Panda Yummies

Meet the bootleg Koala Yummy!

So Sporty! Tasty and delicious. One of my coworkers had the audacity to call these cat food. I was incredibly offended and aghast at the lack of sensitivity and the lack of appreciation that he would give me, after I offered him a Panda Yummy.

The Commonalities of Love & Economics

Here are some amazing insights from the NYTimes. Thanks, Katie for finding this!

"Stay with high-quality human beings. And once you find that you are in a junk relationship, sell immediately. Junk situations can look appealing and seductive, but junk is junk. Be wary of it unless you control the market...

...To coin a phrase: Fall in love in haste, repent at leisure.
•

Thanks, Philip Anderson from NYTimes. See link above!

Dailies Update!

I just realized that it's past midnight and including today, I'm 14 days behind. Instead of 14 new posts, I think I may resolve to post 14 pictures in one post at once. Clever right? I can't believe I didn't think of it before!

Must sleep now or I will look like this tomorrow at work.

Terrible Tuesday Thoughts

Here are a few things at work that I find the need to complain about in a public forum.

• WHY would someone need to put 5 sugars in an 8 oz cup of anything? Sickeningly sweet. UGH.

• Even though I have eczema, your constant scalp scratching is horrifying to me. Wash your hair, please. Scratch, scratch. Your neck too? God, stop.

• There's no need to stop all the way over those baby speed bumps in the parking deck, you drive an Altima.

• I'm not a work study student. 

• Subject verb agreement IS important. So is spelling. Grammar in general. MUY Important.

• The amazing ability to eavesdrop is both a gift and a curse. I hear many things that I shouldn't, don't want to. Stop talking about having children, you're 22.

• I don't understand why you're so dressed up. Six inch heels aren't professional at work. This isn't Glamour mag. We work in an office where women wear black sweat pants and jean zip up shirts on casual Fridays. It's casual Fridays, not gardening Fridays. 

•  There is a difference between good coffee and whatever the people at my office drink. BTW, Free Starbucks if you bring your own mug on THIS THURSDAY.

At the end of the day, thank God for "That's what she said," and classic rock word associations. As long as I can sing, I can work.

Only in Taiwan!

A chubster Taiwanese boy with a bowl cut sings Whitney Houston to perfection. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

Castella (ella ella!) Catastrophe

Castella. I've always relished hearing the word emerge from my mother's mouth. One of very few that I can bear, and is always welcome. Eaten at random times and places, I have eaten castella around the world, in Taipei, in Japan, New York and straight from the refrigerator in my house, relishing every bite. Castella is a honey pound cake that originated in Spanish Castile, which was then carried through trade by the Portuguese to Japan and made into a special craft in Nagasaki. It's also known as Kasutera, in other words, mouthwateringly, delicious.

The only problem with the castellas that I've consumed is that they've have been quite small, rather expensive and worth every bite. Since I've been on a baking spree, I thought that I could conquer easily, the castella. It actually all started with Pichet Ong's cookbook.

CASTELLA. Two years of not eating castella, and I see the word again... and it's on. Ca-stel-la. CASTELLA. Castella. ella ella. Really, you have to admit, it rolls right off zee tongue. Obsessed as I was, I researched for hours which recipe I should follow. Recipes, opinions, photos, videos, more links to more recipes before finally settling my heart on one. It warned that this recipe was not for the novice baker. I have experience cake, no worries. I shrugged off the warning.

First, the pan must be covered. I used parchment paper and took my time to cover, snip and fold the paper to fit into my 8" by 8" Wilton pan (new purchase). I totally got this. Next, I sifted the flour. Sift! Sift!

I was still good. Then, I created a honey and milk mix. This is the secret of the flavor! Following the directions to the T, I must have read the recipe 100x just so I knew what was going on.

Eggs. Whisked.

I added sugar.... put it in the pan and let it rise!

At this point, the smell was intoxicating! Maybe I had gotten it right on the first try!

Yummy! I wrapped it in a bag to keep it moist.

This is what I wanted to see (from wiki): delicate, with a velvety texture.....

Are you ready for what I created?

Rap Snacks

If this catches your eye, give www.snacksandshit.com a gander. Fall in love with lyrical rap all over again. Rap rhymes. Rhymes sell. Sex sells. Rap = sex?

Dim Sum so good, it needed its own post

AMAZING.

I STILL CAN'T GET THESE OUT OF MY MIND.

SO JUICY. HOT and STEAMY. JUST HOW I LIKES IT. RAWR.

CONCLUSION: INCREDIBLE. DIM SUM IN SEATTLE > SAN FRAN > NYC > DC > ATL.

Christine goes to Seattle! 2010!

What's a more welcome beginning of a trip than a Flight Delight? The person who created this box obvi knows what I like. Thanks, stranger! You know what isn't a welcome treat? Sitting next to an insane woman on the plane. I'm always lucky enough to get on the flight and lucky enough to have a compelling enough face that people feel like they can tell me their story. The woman next to me was a psycho that spent hours telling me about the conspiracy theories of the North Koreans who were shipping lumber into their country from South Korean, that somehow built some sort of machine that was busy shifting tectonic plates around Earth. Chile, Haiti, Taiwan. Earthquakes and other natural disasters, not so natural after all. At least, according to her and didn't I know it? She was hellbent on telling me about her decision to fly down to South America and charter a flight to Easter Island where she and a friend would be saving the world by preventing the shifting of any more tectonic plates................................. RIGHT.

So.. I decided to embark on a weekend wild adventure cross country to Seattle. The city by the ocean. Home of Starbucks, Microsoft and other big companies that I depend on to live... and home of my friend Tree. What's a happy change from sunny, hot, Atlanta? Why not rainy, cold Seattle? Rainy it was.

welcome.

After a short ride into the city, I met up with Tree  (short for Teresa, it's a long story, and I'd love to explain but it's frankly not any of your business) on the campus of UW at Seattle. We proceeded to begin an Asian Food Odyssey like none other. By myself, I enjoyed some Vietnamese style congee. With her, we had sushi and yam fries, Korean rice cakes, okonomiyaki, Thai food, dimsum, and wine to top it all off. I also met a few of Tree's friends and friends of friends. Booze makes people friendly and when I'm friendly, there are photos taken. Shall we take a peek?

I thought you might be curious! First, a glance at a bar that we went to. It had scotch and whiskeys and scotch whiskys.

scotch scotch scotch.

The inside had two things I enjoyed most, books and booze.

The bartender was a bitch, and yet, I still made her take a photo of Tree and me!

Yes, we were carded.

Soon thereafter, I was treated to meeting Youngjoo and some other friends of Tree. Here are some cute pics
.

Also apparently, in Seattle, there is a store called, Utilikilts, a seller of quality men's kilts and various other masculine skirt accessories...yeaaaaah about that.......

I also visited Pikes Place Market, spied really cute Asian babies peering into a window at Beecher's the cheese-makers, and witnessed a giant fish being thrown. Yes, I admit I am a creeper.

Oh hey, LOOK, pretty flowers. (fresh tulips @ PikesPlaceMarket!)

I'm not sure what else to rave about. You KNOW I will be posting more random food porn later. Right now, I need to sleeeep!