WK

I've had these uploaded for weeks now - if a picture says a thousand words - then that should be enough.

Best meal ever.

Jose Andres made love to my mouth

@Cafe Atlantico:

 Pork sandwich with cheese, egg, avocado. Dear heavens!

@Jaleo:

 Don't ask. Just feel it.

Where is the food?

 This is a food blog right (for now!)? I tried to move beyond food, but I couldn't. What's better than food? Food with mimosas duhhhhh.

Sara Brinda and I hit up my favorite Dupont disco brunch place, Level One for some yumyums. I ordered the Saturday Night Fever hangover.

Then took a sip of my mimosa, only to realize that it was straight champagne. Yay! Nothing to make my Saturday brunch better, my afternoon blackout and my dinner miserable.

Since I was deep into my cups at brunch, I wanted to demonstrate my love for Sara Brinda using a newly learned Laura Zulliger move. Caress the other's face.


Exhibit A:

*I don't know about you, but I'm loving this ACC 2007 tour!

Asian girl self pics

If you liked the work that Monica did, what do you think about Billy? One year of teaching Korean children - great takeaways Billy!

 Thanks for the best angle photo! Rawr. Billy was my wedding date to my big sis Clancy's wedding! Together we hunted muffalettas together.

Funny pictures of me and Monica

Just two girls drinking bubble tea. What up.

Don't hate me. Mwahahaha.

I have friends in America, too

But friends are forever, eat this food while it's hot!

After an all too short Asian vacation, I landed in Atlanta, home sweet home. Then, just as fast as I landed, I flew to DC where I ate this luscious lunch. 

TOO CUTE TOKYO

If you can't understand why true love is putting a miniature version of your fried in puppet form on your hand and introducing yourself to it, then I CAN'T HELP YOU. If you do understand, then we are kindred spirits indeed.



Moar cute babies! Introducinggggggggggg...

Cookie Hello Kitty Monster

Big Hello Kitty Bird

Hello Elmo Kitty

El - Hello Kitty - Mo

Seriously, who is in charge of Hello Kitty's ideas? Because they are genius. I want to be you.

Tokyo to eat

The next morning, I awoke to a beautiful amaretto coffee and cleanly sliced egg and cucumber sandwiches.

High on life and caffeine, Keiko and I went to eat more food before I rendezvoused with Yasu. On the way, we passed these beautiful wooden houses.

Before I knew it, more noms noms.

+

=

Heaven in my mouth.

Tokyo Meat and Greet

I have two good friends in Tokyo, Keiko Iida and Yasuyuki Goto, both of who I met in Beijing - in 2007.

First of all, I just gave away a bit of how old I am, and I can't believe that I've been friends with these people for so long. As part of my journey back to America, I flew from Taipei to Tokyo for a busy busy weekend in one of the most crowded and expensive cities in the world. Thanks Keiko and Yasu for showing me an amazing time.

First, to introduce my friends -

Keiko!

 

and

Yasu and me

The first thing that Yasu did was take me out to dinner at the Kill Bill restaurant, where apparently the restaurant was the inspiration of the Kill Bill Vol 1 set - I don't remember but everyone likes violence and destruction in an otherwise idyllic setting. :) Here, after I had explained to Yasu my lack of protein, we had a meat and wheat festival.

 

 

From top left rotated into a circle: fried chicken, fried shrimp, tofu, beef tartare, fried tempura shrimp, meat ball, fish, and fresh soba. Booya. 

From there we met up with Keiko, who later took me a beautiful artsy bar with a cute side door that I banged my head on and nearly passed out on the tiny bar floor.....

The bartender was a piece of art himself. AND he was capable of making beautiful artful food. Please behold: fresh smoked salmon on toast with dill. I didn't even realize that I missed dill until that moment.

After fresh Gin and Tonics,  - OH I'M SORRY - did you think this food odyssey was over? Keiko, Naoya, and I went to Denny's of Tokyo. I specify of Tokyo because of Denny's of America had a menu like this, tears would spring thine eyes.

I ordered something. I couldn't stop myself.

Food odyssey for the day, finished.

Food Blog Alert!

For the next probably 10 posts, I will be showcasing the food that I consumed in each city that I traveled to while on vacation. Taipei down, Tokyo to go.

Odes to Taiwan - Illustrated

Two poems to Taiwan:

1) Taiwan, home to the culinary feast,

Really forced me to eat,

Delicious dumplings and potstickers,

More sushi and raw fish than Japan,








Bakery treats galore,

Food, food, and more. I love you, Taiwan. 

2) There once was a place called Taipei,
So Bright, so light, and made me say,
Food, beer, 7-Eleven,
This is my version of heaven.
I don't know how I went astray.

Show and Tell - the first of 120391209580

The International Flora Expo in Taipei

The national flower of Taiwan is the orchid. These were gorgeous!

Back to School... Back to School

Today is the first day that I start teaching my seventh graders. I start in an hour.

First of all, I can't believe it's March. I got back to China in February and so far it's been much better than I thought. Although, I did forget a few things about my placement -

1. The altitude - the first day I got back to Shaojie, headaches and vertigo!
2. The lack of insulation - how it feels inside is how it is outside, no need to brace for outside temps because they are the same!
3. The bathroom is not connect en suite to my room - this has been disappointing to me for the past 3 mornings when I wake up and realize that I need to get dressed, walk down stairs (this is hard on my weak legs), past the 10 hens and 2 roosters to pee. I HATE YOU, rooster for announcing the morning in my face.
4. The vastness of my wardrobe and how awesome it is. I have a lot of clothes. MWAHAHA.
5. The cuteness of my 5th graders
6. The freshness of the available food - not much, but what's there - :) I can't wait for the pomegranates!
7. The weather. It's gorgeous.

Speaking of the weather..... we returned a few days early back to Kunming, where we convened all together as fellows, we got tips on being inspirational, phenomenal teachers and also, we made KITES! I don't know about you, but I've always associated kites with Mary Poppins and the 19th century. I'd love to tell you that my kite was a beautiful high flyer but let's not lie.... it got pretty roughed up.

It's going to be a marvelous March. Stay tuned for some back blogging!