Postcards From the World

Update your bookmarks!

2010-01-18T10:04:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder...

We've moved to Travel, Eat, Repeat!

Update your bookmarks, readers and links to www.traveleatrepeat.com.

I'll see you there.

-Erin

Moving on up!

2010-01-13T10:22:00.001-05:00

I'm in the process of upgrading to a self-hosted Wordpress site but -- technologically-challenged me! -- it's taking a while to import the past 2 years' worth of posts and photos.

Hopefully tomorrow things will be up and running. It's on to bigger and better things in 2010!

Stay tuned... good things to come!

Pizza made simple

2010-01-12T12:02:00.004-05:00

Examiner.com: Hidden Washington: Bizarre monuments

Remember the other day when I laid out my rules for good pizza? Thin crust, light on the cheese and sauce, lots of veggies... That can be hard to find though as too often, delivery pizza is greasy, gooey and gross.

Looking closely at this picture, I realized that every single ingredient was from TJ's. Sad, really.

So why order mediocre delivery -- or pay the big bucks for a gourmet pie -- when homemade pizza is easy, cheap and healthy?

Trader Joe's -- oh yes, it all comes back to TJ's -- sells amazing whole wheat pizza dough for .99. You can't beat that! My family split the dough into thirds so each person could make her own individual pizza.

So good! I loaded mine down with a little homemade tomato sauce, a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella, and huge handfuls of spinach, bell pepper and tomato. Top with basil, pop into the oven at 350* for 10-12 minutes and -- done!

The TJ's crust has the perfect chewy consistency and since you control every topping, there's no grease or oil to mop up. Paired with a salad, this was perfect for dinner and, even after my sister dropped half on the floor, was equally tasty the next day for lunch. Hey, you shouldn't waste food! ;)

All told, this homemade pizza was a fraction of the cost of ordering out, with way fewer calories and fat. Before, I've made pizza at home using tortillas or pita bread, both good alternatives but not quite the same as "real" pizza. No more.

Call me a convert but don't call Domino's.

Do you try to recreate and/or healthify your favorite foods at home? Recipes, please!

Neighborhood envy

2010-01-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

Examiner.com: Hidden Washington: DC's quirkiest museums

If Dupont Circle/Adams Morgan is where I want to live as a 20-something, Georgetown is my dream neighborhood as a wealthy adult.

(Side note: If any DCites know of a decent apartment or building in either of those locations, with reasonable rent and available from May or later -- help a blogger out!)

Formerly Riggs Bank, until the bank went bust (M Street)

Walking around this neighborhood is an attraction in itself. The best shopping in the city, amazing restaurants (tons of little cafes and bistros) and stunning architecture. I could spend an afternoon walking through the back streets, gazing at old homes and finding hidden gems.

One of Washington's most historic neighborhoods, Georgetown still has some cobblestone streets and sidewalks, and the city's oldest standing building, Old Stone House, from 1765, is also here.

Most people don't come to Georgetown for a history lesson, though. They come to shop and eat! M Street is the most popular shopping corridor, with block after block of both chain stores and boutiques. The secondhand shops (like Annie Creamcheese and Second Time Around) are also worth checking out for fantastic used and vintage finds. If nothing else, there's always the mall.

The Shops at Georgetown Park

It's also a favorite post-church brunch spot for my family. Bistro Francais, Bistro Lepic -- can you tell we like French food?

I think the reason Georgetown is so appealing is that it has a true neighborhood feel, which can be hard to find a big city. Once you're off the main streets, the neighborhood has parks, churches and small museums with a quaint feel. Ignore the million-dollar price tags and you can picture yourself living here.

Do you have a dream neighborhood?

For love of pumpkin #4

2010-01-10T12:25:00.003-05:00

Examiner.com: How to have winter fun without skis

Just because it's January, that doesn't mean pumpkin love has to come to an end. Pumpkin spice might not be an option anymore -- my new Starbucks obsession is a tall soy extra-hot misto (the fancy name Starbucks gave basic cafe au lait) with one shot of peppermint -- but other pumpkin foods are still in the weekly rotation.

Take this pumpkin spice tea. My cousin, Maria, gifted it to me for Christmas along with a vegetarian cookbook from Moosewood Restaurant, which I really want to visit after salivating over the book from cover-to-cover. Can't wait to try out some of the recipes!

I was a little hesitant at first because the tea doesn't have the pleasant aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, as expected, but instead has an almost rotten odor, like when squash sits for too long.

Once it brewed though, scent aside, it tastes delicious. With a hint of spice, it's nice on its own or -- pumpkin heaven here -- alongside a slice of vegan pumpkin bread.

Check out my Maryland mug, too -- it's actually my mom's but until the College of Journalism releases a line of dishware, I'm stealing this.

What's your favorite kind of tea? I normally prefer plain black tea with a splash of milk and a little sugar or agave nectar.

Food, glorious food!

2010-01-08T12:58:00.006-05:00

Examiner.com: A 2010 guide to Washington, DC

Do you remember the best meal of your life?

I do. It was (obviously) in my pre-vegetarian days at a pub in Dublin. I was never a huge meat eater but everyone said I "had" to try beef and Guinness stew while in Ireland.

So I did and this is what came to the table:

Holy yum. First, the greatest food ever invented is mashed potatoes so it's a total win on that count. Underneath the potatoes is the stew itself, and on the side were roasted parsnips or swede (rutabaga) and sweet potato, if memory serves correctly.

I can't explain why this meal was so incredible -- maybe it was the pouring rain outside, chilly fall weather and total blanket of fog that hits Ireland in mid-November that made this hot and hearty meal a winner. (Note to other travelers: November is probably not the best time to visit Ireland.)

Over the course of two days in Ireland, I ate this same meal twice, including once at a pub where the owner complimented my name ("Erin" is the Irish name for Ireland) and then especially-made the stew for me when it wasn't on the menu. Erin go bragh.

The runner-up has to be every single meal I ate in Thailand. This green curry was the first thing I ate arriving in Chiang Mai so it's probably the most memorable:

What was your favorite meal ever?

A day at the museum

2010-01-07T10:52:00.007-05:00

Make a resolution: Enjoy family-friendly DC

I haven't taken nearly as much advantage of the city's museums as I expected to over the past couple of months. Between spending two weeks in Indiana, a long weekend in Costa Rica and the holidays, it seems like weekends have been pretty booked.

Besides a quick pop into the National Archives (hadn't been there since a school fieldtrip in fourth grade), a quiet Sunday at Dumbarton Oaks and a brief stroll through the National Gallery of Art, I've totally failed at any real cultural outings.

Luckily, Lauren is a great museum buddy and is always looking for people to explore with. After a delicious lunch at Matchbox Sunday, we decided to check out the closest museum, the National Portrait Gallery.

Since its renovation a few years ago, this has become of one of my favorite museums. It is so architecturally stunning that you could just wander the halls and admire the decor without ever seeing a painting or work of art. The building itself is the work of art.

Probably the most famous collection is the Hall of Presidents, which has portraits of every U.S. President and a big ceremony each time a new presidential portrait is unveiled. It's interesting seeing the progression from 18th century oil paintings to more modern representations of 20th century leaders.

A couple of years ago, Stephen Colbert famously got the Portrait Gallery to temporarily display a painting of him, which hung next to the bathroom just outside the Hall of Presidents.

January 2008 - seeing Stephen Colbert's portrait definitely beat the presidents

There are always various special exhibits but a real highlight is "Faces of the Frontier: Photographic Portraits of the American West, 1845-1924." These early photographs capture the true spirit of American westward expansion, both the good and the bad. Pictures of intrepid explorers and pioneers are intermingled with photos of subjugated American Indians, brought to Washington and posed.

Modern art

Just walking through the exhibit is a history lesson.

Attached via a courtyard is the American Art Museum -- it's easy to see both in afternoon without ever having to go outside. Lauren and I both enjoyed an exhibit on the American Civil War, with rare Matthew Brady photographs. It was fun learning about the "hidden" side of American history, too, like the story of Pauline Cushman, an actress turned spy for the Union. Who knew? (We sure didn't!)

The best thing about DC's museums? They are nearly all free! It's incredible to see great works of art up close (including the only da Vinci painting in the Western hemisphere) for no cost. Makes for a fun, free afternoon outing.

Do you like visiting museums?

Cuddle Up Day

2010-01-06T13:23:00.008-05:00

Examiner.com: Make a resolution: Learn new things

Chalk this down as your random fact of the day: January 6 is Cuddle Up Day.

How am I celebrating?

Cuddling up with a good book and a cup of tea. Count public libraries as one of things I am thankful to have in America.

My favorite cafe in Seoul, one of the things I miss most about Korea.

Cuddling up with Glee Cast Radio on Pandora. An endless soundtrack of songs from "Glee," Disney and acoustic rock? Consider me hooked... and a nerd.

Wanting to cuddle up with my favorite President or, at least, his portrait. More on my afternoon at the National Portrait Gallery tomorrow.

Amidst all the staid Presidential portraits at the gallery, Bill Clinton's modern turn certainly stands out!

Cuddling up with a pair of sweats in bed later this evening after braving the cold to go to the gym. So far today, I've only ventured outside to trek to Trader Joe's ... and if he was a real person, I'd spend today cuddling up with him!

How will you celebrate Cuddle Up Day?

Last three songs played on Pandora? "I'm Yours" (Live) - Jason Mraz; "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas; "Free Fallin'" (Live) - John Mayer

Calling all Aussies and Kiwis!

2010-01-05T15:54:00.007-05:00

Examiner.com: Make a resolution: Travel somewhere warm

You've helped me before -- now, please do it again!

Many of you know that I'm planning a two-month long trek through Australia and New Zealand in February before hanging up my traveling shoes, at least temporarily, and settling down to a "real" job. Sad, but true. Although if anyone knows of a "real" job that will let me keep traveling, writing and generally doing what I'm already doing, send that info my way! ;)

Since this is my last hurrah -- and planning a trip of this length is a huge undertaking -- I'm turning to you for help and advice. Do you live in (or have you been to) Australia or New Zealand and know of somewhere I should definitely go? Whether it's a sight to see, a restaurant with great eats, a fantastic hostel or if you want to play tour guide for a day (yes, please!), let me know.

Some friends have already sent advice and that is so appreciated. I'm traveling with a friend for at least part of the trip, hopefully meeting up with other friends on the continent as time goes on, but planning out a general itinerary is daunting.

Although I want to play it by ear for the most part, I also don't want to realize that it's April 1, there are only 2 weeks left and so much remaining to be seen.

Basic info: flying into and out of Melbourne. Would like to "do" Australia first -- tentative plan to travel up the East coast from Melbourne, then fly west and see the middle of the country (5 weeks total?), then spend the remaining 3ish weeks in New Zealand.

Beyond having a return ticket booked, I'm an open slate. Send in any and all suggestions. And if any of my Aussie or Kiwi readers want to meet up while I'm over there, that would be fabulous.

As a thank you, I'll be blogging and posting photos daily from Down Under beginning February 17. Stay tuned.

Pizzaaaaaaa

2010-01-04T08:54:00.008-05:00

Examiner.com: Make a resolution: Volunteer to help others

It's been a long time since I had good pizza. Korea isn't exactly known for its Italian fare -- prevalence of Pizza Hut and Dominos's notwithstanding -- and we usually ordered from the mediocre 5,000 won ($4.34) selection at Pizza School.

First thing you should know about Korean pizza: it always come with corn. Order pepperoni, order veggies, order cheese -- your pizza is going to be topped with corn.

Pizza School reminds me of New York pizza, which New Yorkers claim is the best in the world but I always find disgustingly greasy, gooey and too cheesy... but don't tell any of my northern friends that!

My favorite chain pizza place in the DC area is Ledo Pizza, which Oprah featured as one of the best pizzas in America. It probably has nothing to do with the fact that best friend Gayle King attended my alma mater, the University of Maryland, right down the road from the original Ledo. No, I'm sure they're unrelated... ;)

Thin crust, sweet tomato sauce, minimal cheese = perfection.

Besides the chains, DC has a bunch of fantastic pizza places: Ella's Wood Fired Pizza is perfectly crisp with tons of interesting combos and 2 Amys reminds me of real Italian fare.

Yesterday, Lauren and I had lunch at Matchbox, one of Chinatown's newest and most popular places serving amazing wood-fired pizza. Walking through the entrance, you're greeted by a long bar and a roaring fire. The restaurant extends through several winding levels in what was once a Chinese grocery store.

The menu is inventive and complex, ranging from basic salads and New York Strip to bacon-wrapped shrimp and grits. Pizzas are the highlight, all made fresh to order and cooked in the huge wood-fired oven downstairs. Just the smell of baking pizza is enough to make your mouth water.

I ordered the veggie pizza -- "cremini mushrooms / spanish onions / roasted poblano peppers / roasted garlic / mozzarella / fresh herbs / fingerling potato crisps" -- which was delicious, although I could have done without the potato. It had a strong garlic flavor and the poblano peppers had just the right amount of sweetness to complement the cheese (applied sparingly, thankfully) and mushrooms.

I didn't eat this ... naturally ... but a missing camera = pictures from Matchbox's website

Tons of veggie options, an extensive wine and beer list, good service -- Matchbox is a winner.

(Note: Matchbox doesn't take reservations so get there early or be prepared to wait an hour or more for a table. This place is popular!)

What's your favorite kind of pizza? I like a little cheese, a little sauce and lots of vegetables on a thin, crispy crust. Mmm...

photo credit

Brrr... it's cold in here!

2010-01-02T12:29:00.004-05:00

Examiner.com: Make a resolution: Get active

Whew, made it to 2010!

It was a low-key New Year's here, celebrated at a friend's house with an eye-wateringly spicy veggie stir-fry, a few bottles of good red wine and a midnight champagne toast to a fantastic next decade.

Unfortunately, I left my camera at said friend's house so there aren't any pictures documenting the festivities... but it was fun to have a quieter celebration. Who needs 1000 strangers when you're surrounded by great friends?

It's been an ideal weekend to catch up at movie theatres as the freezing temperatures deter me from wanting to spend any time outside.

Up in the Air was funny and sardonic, with really well-defined characters and a clever mix of humor and genuine emotion. It was also a scary look at the look my life could take if I don't settle down soon...! Although if I could bump into George Clooney on the way, that would be too bad.

The surprise of the weekend, though, was The Blind Side, which I initially dismissed as just a football movie until I kept hearing how incredible it was. I enjoyed it so much more than expected, pleased that there was much more to the story than sports and impressed by performances all-around. It made you feel hopeful about America and Americans, and the good we can do in our own lives.

Have you seen any good movies lately? Anything you want to see? I was really blown-away by Precious and would highly recommend it; I expected good things for Pirate Radio (because Richard Curtis is a genius) but it definitely didn't live up to those hopes. On my to-watch list are It's Complicated (gotta love Meryl Streep!) and Nine (not sure what it's about but it's a musical set in Italy -- what more do you need?!).

The three E's

2009-12-31T12:05:00.001-05:00

Examiner.com: Make a resolution: 10 DC sights to visit in 2010

My New Year's resolutions?

EAT (good food ... which does include lots of yummy fruits and veggies, these pictures notwithstanding)

EXERCISE (so I can eat good food)

Hiking: free and fun!
Great Falls National Park

ENJOY (everything)

I'd like to always be as joyful as I was being a nerd and r ecreating The Sound of Music.

See you next year!

One year, six countries, 1000s of memories

2009-12-30T10:50:00.001-05:00

Examiner.com: The world's biggest and best New Year's parties

2009 began in Seoul, South Korea, with a full day of work... but just a few days later, it was time for a 2-week vacation to Thailand:

Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand (women were required to borrow long skirts)

Things I love: sunset, warm weather, fresh curry, beach
Samui, Thailand

Tiger Kingdom, Chiang Mai, Thailand

It was a shock returning from steamy Samui to shivering in Seoul but luckily, another warm weather trip, this time to Cebu, Philippines, was just around the corner:

Filipino food wasn't the most exciting... but fresh fish!
Cebu, Philippines

Mactan Island, Philippines

Cebu, Philippines

Back to work, back to Seoul, where spring finally sprung

Olympic Park, Seoul, South Korea

and an old rivalry was amped up.

North Korea vs. South Korea soccer game - the DPK accused the ROK of giving its players food poisoning. ROK won.

Just before hitting the 9-month mark, it was time to swap seasons and experience winter in Sydney. Conclusion: it's fabulously unwintery.

Hyde Park, Sydney, Australia

Blue Mountains National Park, Australia

Good times galore in Australia, including meeting up with good friends and childhood idols:

Dawn French

Jennifer Saunders

Loving Australia, loving life
Manly Beach

The last few months in Korea were spent trying to cram in as much as possible and explore the peninsula

Ganghwado, South Korea - rice fields

top

Demilitarized Zone (North-South Korea border)

to bottom

Busan, South Korea

After a year in Seoul

Proof I did SOME teaching and not just fun!

it was time to say annyeong Korea and hello America.

My favorite market in Seoul

Of course, that travel bug can't rest for long. Two months of being home prepared me for a long weekend in Costa Rica: beaches, rainforests and monkeys abound.

Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica

Quepos, Costa Rica

Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

So now we've come full circle. From ringing in 2009 in Seoul with friends from around the world, to ringing in 2010 in Washington with my best friends from college... well, it's a pretty darn good life.

Back home in Washington: the Capitol (top) and National Cathedral

What were your 2009 highlights?

Where did the snow go?

2009-12-29T09:46:00.004-05:00

Examiner.com: New Year's traditions around the globe

This snow is just a memory now...

It's back to greenish brown earth and bright blue skies. Not terrible but there's something exciting about snow around the holidays. And I'm not talking about the disgusting wintry mix due to hit Washington New Year's Eve -- that's just going to ruin plans for the evening, not contribute to the festivities or make things cozy and lovely.

I'm still mulling over resolutions, which I always make and break within roughly the same week. Last year, I recapped the adventures of 2008 rather than make any promises I know I'll break. Tomorrow, I'll do the same for 2009.

I did, however, prophesize last year that 2009 would be the best year of my life and while that's a hard thing to measure, it was a pretty darn good year.

Will 2010 be even better? We'll have to wait and see... but come back tomorrow for a full recap of the past year in photos.

Do you make New Year's resolutions?

Cinq à sept

2009-12-28T15:50:00.002-05:00

Examiner.com: Helpful apps for visiting Washington, DC

College students are always on the hunt for a bargain. Out of college, I'm even more budget-conscious as I think about the future: being unemployed until at least summer (by choice, but still...), extensive travel plans and the goal of getting my own place after returning from overseas.

Besides saving money, young people love food and drinks. Bargain + food + wine = happy hour.

Sometime during our junior year of college, my friends and I got in the habit of occasionally going to Bethesda's Mon Ami Gabi for happy hour. It's not just cheap food; it's GOOD cheap food. We're talking grilled salmon sandwiches, thinly-sliced steak sandwiches, mini burgers, French Onion soup... all for $5. The sandwiches come with the most delicious steak frites, well worth the $5 price tag alone.

Salmon sandwich avec steak frites

Wine is half-off by the glass, meaning that dinner, a glass of wine, tax and tip come to around $10. Pas mal!

The deals are only available in the bar area and only from 5 - 6:30, so it can be hard to get a table but well worth the wait. If nothing else was in our favor, Jenna gave the evil eye to anyone loitering and not finishing dinner quickly enough so we could sit down.

If you live in the DC area and want to discover other yummy, budget-conscious happy hour places, check out this story I recently wrote. Researching it, I found even more great places I can't wait to try!

Wine: red or white? White, all the way!

Twinkle twinkle

2009-12-27T10:40:00.005-05:00

Examiner.com: Ringing in 2010 on a budget

Is anyone else completely unmotivated to get outside now that it's bitterly cold? When it's warm, I love to be active outdoors, even if it's just a long walk. Now that it's winter, I'm perfectly content to stay inside by the fireplace and read the day away.

(If I were ever forced to move somewhere truly freezing, like North Dakota, I'd probably just give up. The Mid-Atlantic is cold enough for me, thankyouverymuch.)

Thankfully, I managed to drag my lazy butt out of the house to take some pictures of the Christmas lights twinkling under a blanket of snow.

It rained nearly all day yesterday and so much of the snow is gone. Suddenly, you can see the grass again! It's kind of sad because almost everything looks clean and pretty under a thick layer of the white stuff -- except the roads, which were covered with a gross, brown slush.

Never fear, Washingtonians: more snow is in the forecast! Yes, just when you thought it was over, it's just beginning. The Farmers' Almanac calls for a long, cold winter -- are you prepared?

Cold weather: love it or hate it?

Santa Claus CAME to town

2009-12-26T15:50:00.006-05:00

I hope that EVERYONE -- whether or not you celebrated Christmas -- had a very happy day yesterday. It was cold and rainy here in Washington, which means that whatever you did yesterday, it was a nice to be warm inside with friends and family.

Christmas cocoa

It was a lovely day filled with way too much good food, way too many presents and lots of family. Notice I didn't say "way too many family." ;)

As has been the case for years, the morning was spent eating and opening gifts at my mom's house before driving to my aunt and uncle's house in Alexandria, Va., for more food and presents with my dad's extended family.

Delicious vegan pumpkin bread

Tradition is a huge part of all holidays, no matter what your religion. Every Christmas as far back as I can remember has followed the same pattern: waking up early (although not nearly as early as when we were kids and the sky was still dark as we opened presents) and opening gifts next to the fireplace before eating brunch.

My grandmother made stockings for each of her grandchildren -- isn't this pretty?

Once everything has been unwrapped, it's time to eat. Egg-and-cheese strata, homemade cocoa and fresh cranberry relish are the norm, with the addition this year of vegan pumpkin bread and tamales.

NPR just did a story about tamales as a Texas Christmas tradition and sure enough, we've enjoyed them during several Christmases spent with my Houston-based aunt -- this year's varieties were chicken and black bean. Yum!

After opening presents with my dad's family, we broke out some classic English party games: Pass the Parcel, Spoons and Charades.

After chowing down on all the usual holiday meal fixings -- and lots of veggies! -- there were two vastly different desserts: ice cream cake, the crowd-pleaser, and a traditional English Christmas pudding, a harder sell.

English Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding, like fruitcake, is something you either love or hate. While the smell can be off-putting, I grew to like the taste while living in London and being served the fruity cake a few times.

You can't beat its presentation, either: alcohol is poured on top of the cake and then lit, creating deep blue and orange flames as the liquor burns off.

My big gift this year was an iPhone, which will come in handy while traveling Down Under and hopefully diminish the time and money required at Internet cafes. It's much easier to have wireless immediately at-hand!

Also appreciated were an external hard drive, a wooden bud vase from my aunt, a really interesting cookbook and, naturally, lots of socks and underwear.

Did Santa bring you everything you wanted?

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T10:50:00.003-05:00

Examiner.com: Christmas celebrations around the world

Merry Christmas!

Joyeux Noël

Feliz Navidad

Frohliche Weihnachten

메리 크리스마스 잘 지내고 새해 복 많이 받으세요

أجمل التهاني بمناسبة الميلاد و حلول السنة الجديدة

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Hoping you have a happy and blessed day filled with food, friends and, of course, lots of good food!

Back tomorrow.
Erin

Kennedy Center Christmas

2009-12-24T09:46:00.004-05:00

Examiner.com: What to do Christmas Day in the Nation's Capital
Examiner.com: Exploring European Christmas markets

My list of the top 12 Christmas songs somehow omitted one of the absolute best. It's perfectly appropriate for Christmas Eve so I'm just throwing it out there for you to listen or not: Kathy Mattea, "Mary, Did You Know?"

It's fun to see how differently each house and building decorates for the holidays. For some reason, this year there seem to be fewer decorations than in the past -- has anyone else noticed this or is it around my neighborhood? Entire blocks are devoid of lights whereas normally, it's a pretty decked-out place.

When I saw "August: Osage County" last week, noticeably missing was the red ribbon that used to wrap around the top of the Kennedy Center during December. Where did it go?

The Washington Post solved that mystery. Interestingly, the ribbon was only up four years but seeing it wrapped around the Kennedy Center, as if gifting the performing arts center to Washington, is etched into my mind. It turns out that the daily up-keep of the half-mile long, 12-foot wide ribbon was too much.

I understand that it was a lot of hard work but it would be nice to see the outside of the Kennedy Center as decorated as the inside, which is filled with brightly-lit Christmas trees, garland and flowers. The gift shops sell seasonal favorites including Nutcrackers and everything that can possibly be related (books, dance shoes, tutus, CDs, DVDs).

'Tis the season!
Happy Christmas Eve!

What are your plans for Christmas Eve/Day? If you don't celebrate Christmas, which movie are you going to see? ;)

Oh, the places you'll go!

2009-12-22T16:47:00.006-05:00

Examiner.com: DC's budget-friendly happy hour hot spots

Isn't this year's tree an improvement over last year's?

Christmas 2008 in Seoul

2008: white construction paper colored in with colored pencils, cut into the shape of a tree and ornament and taped to my bureau.

2009: actual live Fraser fir, 8-feet-tall and smelling heavenly.

Yep, I know which one I prefer!

Actually, it was fun having a completely nontraditional Christmas last year. I was one of the lucky teachers who was off work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so it certainly felt more like a holiday than it may have otherwise, but it was nothing like being at home.

But while home is great ... the next adventure has officially been booked! I'm going Down Under from February to April, with a return ticket to Melbourne bought and paid for. Ouch! That's the sound of my poor bank account shelling out the money for a plane ticket across the world ... again.)

Yep, my dear friend Sandy (a fellow ex-teacher) and I head to Melbourne February 15 before trekking up Australia's East coast, flying across the barren middle to explore the West Coast, then hopping down to New Zealand for a few weeks.

All together, two months of exploring with nary an itinerary or agenda in sight. It shall be glorious.

Luckily, Sandy and I have friends there to help us with the journey but certainly any advice, tips, recommendations, etc. are greatly appreciated! I've been to Sydney but only once and only for a week, so there's a lot to explore still. Australia is almost the same size as the continental United States!

Know of cheap hostels? Must-see sights? Must-do activities? Live in Australia or New Zealand and want to play tour guide? Tell me!

So I promise -- come mid-February, things will get exciting around here again.

Where is your dream vacation? Australia was always near the top of my list along with Egypt, Peru and Greece. Still need to get to those three!

Eating my way across Costa Rica

2009-12-21T13:31:00.009-05:00

Examiner.com: Holiday home cooking without the home cooking

With avocado trees growing everywhere, you know this guacamole is fresh. Served with baked tortilla chips.

If I were going to start another blog, I'd call it "Eating My Way Around the World." It seems like both my conversations and travels always revolve around food -- what to eat, when to eat, where to eat and how to get the most and best food on a budget.

Breakfast: Arroz con frijoles, fried plantains, fresh watermelon and, of course, PB toast. ;) My sister had the biggest banana on her plate!

That's one of the best things about traveling: trying new cuisines and interesting foods. Before moving to Korea last year, I'd only eaten Korean food twice. A whole new world opened up once I got to Seoul.

There's something extra-refreshing about a Fanta -- or Miranda -- after a long hike through the rainforest.

Even within a cuisine, there are variations between countries. The quest for good Mexican food outside of North America is all-consuming -- and difficult! -- and has been made on three continents. The same is true for Indian curry, at its prime on London's Brick Lane but with passable alternatives around the globe.

Freshly-caught mahi-mahi tacos, black beans and hot sauce.

Costa Rican food is similar to Mexican but less spicy, with the ubiquitous bottle of smoky Linzano salsa on every table.

Lonely Planet called this sangria the best in Costa Rica. With huge chunks of banana, peach and other fruits mixed in, I agree!

Often the cheapest meal on Tico menus is a casado, the supposed "ideal" meal for a married man, comprised of a meat or fish, pico de gallo, white rice, black beans, fried plantains and a small salad.

Un casado tipico

Vegetarian food is easy to find throughout Costa Rica, as arroz con frijoles (rice with beans) is eaten by many people at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, almost every restaurant offered a hearty un casado vegetariano.

Un casado vegetariano: broccoli, cauliflower, corn-on-the-cob, white rice, black beans, fried plantains and salad.

I'll usually try anything once. Hiking in Belize last year, the guide pulled down a stick covered in termites and asked who would try one. My dad and I were the only ones from our group to volunteer and you know what? It wasn't half-bad! Not something I'd eat every day but certainly nothing exceptionally gross.

Un casado vegetariano, this time with baked potato.

Do you like trying new foods when you're traveling?

Absolutely amazing homemade banana pancakes at our B&B in Quepos.

Rockin' around the Christmas tree

2009-12-20T08:55:00.001-05:00

Examiner.com: A tourist's guide to snow-locked Washington

We've decked the halls with boughs of holly, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

After picking out a beautiful 8-foot Fraser fir from a church tree sale, it was time to bring up the boxes of ornaments from the basement and start decorating.

It's always fun going through ornaments and remembering where they came from or the story behind each piece. Some of the ornaments were gifts from family or friends, others came from vacations, some were homemade and others simply store-bought. We still hang a paper ornament I made in Montessori school that is missing almost all of its adornments, with more pieces fall off every year. Pretty soon, just the paper Christmas tree outline will remain.

There are also pieces on the tree from around the world. A family tradition I've adopted as one of my own is to buy a Christmas ornament in each place I visit. Not only can you find some unique pieces, but seeing the decorations each year reminds you of a specific trip.

The English call ornaments "baubles," which explains the confusion when I was trying to buy one in Eastbourne a couple of years ago and no one knew what I meant. Divided by a common language!

No presents are under the tree yet but that will surely change over the next couple of days. As kids, my sister and I were allowed to open one gift after church on Christmas Eve and the rest the next morning. The family rule was that everyone had to be awake and waiting before any presents could be unwrapped.

I'll forever have the memory of my 7-or-so-year-old sister creeping into my bedroom in the wee hours of Christmas morning years ago after having snuck downstairs, and hearing her exclaim, "Erin! I got a bike!" Now, we have to pry her out of bed even on Christmas.

What are your family holiday traditions?

I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow

2009-12-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

Examiner.com: Best sledding hills in DC, MD, VA

The soundtrack for this post obviously needs to be "Snow" from White Christmas.

What a change from a few days ago:

In case you've been living under a rock -- or don't live on the East Coast -- it's SNOWING! And not just a few flakes. Big, heavy, wet, solid snowflakes.

Did you know it's still technically autumn? Winter doesn't officially begin until December 21 so this is really an autumn blizzard. (A "blizzard" is defined by sustained winds of 35 MPH and visibility of less than 500 feet in falling or blowing snow, lasting at least 3 hours. It's not just a lot of snow!)

8 inches have already fallen and another 10-12 are expected. It's absolutely gorgeous outside as most people are keeping off the roads, leaving a clean blanket of white snow covering everything.

I went for a short walk this morning to take pictures and it's freezing out there! Bundled up in three sweaters, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of wool socks, long johns, jeans, an ear warmer and a heavy coat, I had to come back inside after about 15 minutes because my fingers felt like they might fall off. Ouch!

It's pretty clear DC is going to surpass its December snowfall record, created on December 17, 1932, when 12 inches fell. The overall snowfall record for the city -- official National Weather Service amounts are measured at Reagan National Airport -- was 22 inches in late January 1922.

The last big snowfall I can remember was 16 inches in 2003. We were living in a temporary apartment before moving into our current house and had to dig out the car with trashcans because our shovels were all in storage!

For now, I'm happy to stay indoors by the fireplace, listening to Christmas music. Big afternoon plans include baking a few batches of cookies (last night were Rancho La Puerta cranberry chocolate chip cookies) and watching a Christmas movie or two.

Maybe I'll even brave the storm again to do some shoveling. Tomorrow, there will definitely be photos of the final snowfall. It's a big one!

How are you enjoying the snow day?

Pura vida

2009-12-18T16:36:00.001-05:00

Examiner.com: Enjoy the sounds of the season in Washington
Examiner.com: Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

What a shock to the system to leave hot and humid Costa Rica and touch down in freezing DC with up to one foot of snow expected tomorrow! The latest report I heard calls for 10-15 inches. It's an odd feeling to be sunburnt yet preparing for a mini-blizzard.

A quick trip to the grocery store and Costco today ended up taking a lot longer than expected as the entire population of DC and its suburbs completely panics whenever snow is even whispered, causing a mad rush for the toilet paper, milk and orange juice.

Me? I headed straight for the hummus. You don't want to be caught unprepared.

Let's back up.

After leaving La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano, we drove down the coast to Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. The national park was closed Monday but Tuesday, we headed first thing to Manuel Antonio National Park, one of Costa Rica's smallest (yet most-visited) parks.

A guide led us on a two-hour hike through the rainforest, using his high-powered telescope to point out monkeys, sloths and lizards hiding in the trees. One of the creepiest sights was a meter-long tail-less rat. Ew! It was helpful having the guide, though, as he was able to see a lot that the average hiker would never notice.

The highlight of the park are its three beaches, each with pristine white sand and 85-degree blue water. Park officials limit the number of visitors on the grounds at any one time, meaning that the beaches are less crowded than some of their public counterparts.

The extensive treeline -- there's little in Costa Rica that isn't rainforest -- leaves ample shade but watch out for monkeys and raccoons who like to run off with your food.

One of three three-week-old marmosets at our B&B. Strong grip for a little guy!

Mid-afternoon, a lot of people were out surfing and that was fun to watch although there were nearly all beginners. Water sports like kayaking are also hugely popular. There's truly something for everyone, from people who just want to lounge on the sand to those wanting something more active.

Vendors stroll up and down the beach selling everything from fresh coconut milk and sodas to bathing suits and jewelry. The atmosphere overall in Costa Rica reminded me a lot of Thailand, in how laid-back everyone and everything is.

The one big difference between Thailand and Costa Rica is how genuinely nice Ticos (Costa Rican people) are. Most people were nice in Thailand but you always had the feeling they wanted something from you for their trouble. In Costa Rica, everyone was nice just for the heck of it. When asking directions and speaking minimal Spanish, my dad was walked over to an English-speaker, not just shrugged off.

All around the country, people were helpful and kind even to turistas like us. It was a noticeable difference from Belize and Guatemala where people were perfectly civil but never want out of their way. Walking around towns up and down Costa Rica, we were amazed by the consistent level of friendliness.

Later this weekend, I'll post a full photo recap of all the amazing food we enjoyed -- you know it requires its own post! ;)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Heading home...

2009-12-15T21:30:00.002-05:00

New Examiner.com post: DC's best coffeehouses

A full recap -- plus pictures! -- coming soon but there's so much to do and so little time before leaving gorgeous Costa Rica tomorrow.

All I'll say is: for the past year, when someone asked where they had to go on vacation, I'd say Thailand. Well, Costa Rica has all the good qualities of Thailand (amazing weather, gorgeous beaches, good food, friendly people, cheap prices) - curry + proximity.

Total win-win.

See you all soon!

El cielo en la tierra

2009-12-14T15:53:00.001-05:00

New Examiner.com post: Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Quepos, Costa Rica:

The town of Quepos.

(photo credit)

Is there paradise on Earth? Yes, yes there is and its name is Costa Rica.

If I thought the rainforest and mountains were gorgeous, then new adjectives need to be created to describe the allure and beauty of the Pacific Coast. Perfect white sand beaches meet warm water as the rainforest extends to the coastline and jagged cliffs line the shore.

Our hotel, the Blue Banyan Inn, is just a few miles outside of Quepos, tucked away down a winding gravel road. This hidden gem reveals absolutely stunning views -- when I get home, I'll post the view from our balcony -- and a quiet, relaxing setting. Of the three cottages on the property, only ours is occupied so it's really like having a private family retreat.

(photo credit)

After spending most of yesterday in transit and watching the sun set from Manuel Antonio Beach (Quepos borders the impressive Manuel Antonio National Park, which we're checking out tomorrow), today was a little more active.

The Blue Bayan has an animal sanctuary on its grounds sponsored by the nonprofit Kids Saving the Rainforest , and before breakfast we were holding three 2-week-old marmosets and talking with a vibrant and extremely talkative macaw.

Then it was on to the Rainmaker Conservation Project, a rainforest adventure involving numerous hanging bridges across the rainforest canopy -- definitely not for the faint of heart or those with an extreme fear of heights! A little falling rain couldn't deter us from the trail.

My love of local restaurants also continued this afternoon as we stopped in Parrita for a late lunch. There were no veggie options so I ended up with chicken but considering the number of chickens and roosters seen wandering around town, I feel pretty secure knowing that these animals were neither factory farmed nor mass slaughtered. Apologies.

Now, I don't want to brag too much about the incredible weather here as I know the weather back home is nothing short of freezing, and we'll be back there soon enough. For now, all I can say is that Costa Rica has firmly joined the ranks of places I'd highly recommend anyone visit and has some of the nicest locals I've ever encountered.

Pura vida!

Muy bonita!

2009-12-13T20:41:00.002-05:00

La Fortuna, Costa Rica:

After almost seven hours of flying and four hours of driving along narrow, winding mountain roads, we made it to Costa Rica and the hotel, which features stunning views of Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal from our room's window.

(photo credit)

Or... was supposed to feature those views. Too bad it's tail-end of the rainy season and a thick cloud cover completely obscured the top of the volcano during the day. At night, you wouldn't have known a volcano was even there -- the fog is thick and dark.

Hot springs -- doesn't it look like something out of Jurassic Park?!
(photo credit)

To say Costa Rica is beautiful is to state the obvious. During the 3.5-hour drive from San Jose to La Fortuna (and our hotel at Arenal National Park), my head kept whipping back-and-forth, side-to-side, trying to take in as much of the view as possible. Everything is lush and green -- like a postcard for the most beautiful place on Earth.

We've spent most of the past two days hiking through the rainforest and my legs are definitely feeling it today! One of the trails traces the lava path from Arenal Volcano's 1968 explosion, when the presumed-dormant volcano (locals used to camp on the very top of the volcano, assuming it was safe as it had been for centuries) exploded, killing more than 70 people in the first three days.

The volcano has been continuously active since that point, although the last major eruption was in 2000. One guide said that activity is slowing down dramatically now, to the point where it will be considered dormant again in just a few years.

The amount of biodiversity here is incredible. There's of course an enormous range of plants -- more than 80% of plants found in the rainforest are medicinal, including natural insect repellent and mosquito bite reliever -- as well as mammals large and small, a huge number of birds and a plentiful supply of fish.

Yes, it wouldn't be a true Erin blog without a mention of the food -- yum yum yum! Tropical fruits and beans-and-rice and fresh veggies and plantains...! Not to mention the huge quantities of delicious fish -- tilapia and sea bass and tuna, oh my!

Today we arrived at somewhat-sleepy Quepos, on the Pacific Coast, for a few days of fun in the sun -- more on that tomorrow. Internet access is sporadic but my posting schedule should go back to normal soon.

Hasta luego!

It's a hard knock life

2009-12-10T15:08:00.003-05:00

Check out my first post as Examiner.com's DC Travel Examiner: 15 days of DC holiday sights.

I'll be writing for the site a few times a week and covering not just Washington, but destinations around the world. This is a cool opportunity to reach a larger audience and hone my writing skills. It's also something to put on my resume during this long lull between jobs. Definitely let me know what you think, leave comments and throw story ideas my way.

Thankfully, I can write about places besides Washington because as you all know, the next few months will see me spend more time abroad than at home -- but what else is new?

Tomorrow, my dad, sister and I leave for Costa Rica and I'm pumped, especially in light of the cold front that blew in over the weekend and shows no sign of going away.

(photo credit)

Earlier this week, we finalized plans for the second half of our trip. After reading about some of the seedier beaches Costa Rica has offer -- and being confident that wasn't for us, even as the dental hygienist yesterday warned me not to "party too hard" -- we settled Quepos, a smaller town on the Pacific Coast.

The lodge we're staying at, the eco-conscious Blue Bayan Inn, looks like a mini paradise, tucked away in the mountains with an animal sanctuary on premises. There's even an organic garden and fresh, natural food served daily. Major relaxation and eco-love.

In talking to people about this trip -- and mentioning the past year and plans for the future -- all I keep saying is, "I can't complain." No matter what might stress me out at any one moment, I'm beyond blessed to spend so much time traveling and realize daily that it's a luxury not to be taken for granted.

Of course, I'm getting spoiled with these warm weather escapes in the middle of winter between January's jaunt to Thailand, March madness in the Philippines and now Costa Rica. To be fair, I did escape Seoul's summer for Sydney's winter... but it was a pretty good trade. ;)

In a year, when I'm probably safely ensconced at some office job, this will all feel like a dream. But until then...

Hasta luego!

Do you speak another language? I took 6 1/2 years of French, several years of on-and-off Spanish and can read and write Korean (even if I don't understand what 99.9% of it means).

Rockin' around the Christmas tree

2009-12-08T14:01:00.003-05:00

The best thing about Christmas -- besides the food, gifts, coziness, smells, peppermint-flavored everything and family togetherness -- is the music. From Thanksgiving on, my car radio is firmly tuned to the Christmas station and woe betide anyone who tries to move the dial. My sister almost ended up missing a few fingers the last time she tried sneaking in some Wale.

(Side note: apparently, Wale graduated from my high school a couple of years before I did. I'm not exactly sure who he is -- blame it on spending too much time outside the USA -- but that's still cool, I guess.)

Inspired by Erin's 12 Songs of Christmas, here's my essential holiday playlist:

12. It's nauseatingly shmaltzy but I had to give the hometown tune a spot on the list, even if she does try to name-drop every neighborhood and major site.

11. During Christmas concerts at the Kennedy Center, I always liked watching the man making the "whip" crack.

10. A modern take on a classic.

9. This is just one reason Love Actually is spectacular.

8. A good song if you're far away from home over the holidays.

7. "Peanuts" + Christmas = warm, cozy feeling year after year.

6. Josh Groban gives me chills.

5. Christmas is the perfect time for a message of peace.

4. You can't help but smile...

3. What's Christmas without the Muppets?

2. Nobody does it better than Judy Garland.

1. White Christmas has always been, and will always be, the best Christmas movie ever. No contest.

Worst Christmas song ever? "Christmas Shoes." I really, really, really dislike it.

What's your favorite Christmas song? Which one do you dislike?

A case of the Mondays...

2009-12-07T12:42:00.004-05:00

It's amazing what can slip your mind! Somehow in the midst of all the tea drinking, snow watching and self-educating, I almost forgot that I'm headed to Costa Rica on Friday.

Well, not exactly "forgot." More like it's something I haven't thought about except in brief passing reference over the past few weeks ... and suddenly there are four days left with which to plan a tentative itinerary, pack a backpack and figure out how to say, "No, I don't want any iguana meat." ("No, yo no deseo cualquier carne de iguana.")

We're spending the first few days at the Arenal Observatory Lodge near Volcán Arenal, which was dormant for centuries before erupting in 1968. Since then, it has been continuously active and the nighttime views from the hotel are supposed to be spectacular. The lodge itself was built as a research station for the Smithsonian Institute -- our room is even called The Smithsonian.

(photo credit)

Pretty neat history!

Then, it's down the coast for a few days of fun in the sun at one of Costa Rica's many Pacific beaches. If anyone has a particular beach to recommend (not too far north or south, as we have to drive from the beach to San José airport early one morning), I'd love your suggestions.

It's going to be a fairly laid-back trip. A few years ago, I would have been far too uptight and Type A to ever play anything by ear but if there's one thing traveling has taught me, especially during my time in Southeast Asia, it's to relax. You can't -- and don't want to -- control every single thing.

Thanks to everyone who has already given advice and suggestions in planning this pre-Christmas jaunt. It's been so lovely being home for the holidays but after more than two months back in the States -- how fast the time has gone! -- I'm definitely ready to hit the road again.

Waterfalls, hiking, beaches, rainforest, rafting ... vamonos!

Puttin' on the Ritz

2009-12-06T13:20:00.014-05:00

It's become a holiday tradition over the past few years for all the females on my dad's side of the family to enjoy tea time together at the Ritz Carlton at Tyson's Corner.

Obviously, I love tea.

This is always a fun event. The afternoon tea service includes a variety of interesting teas -- from classic Earl Grey to fun blends like Pear Caramel and Mint Chocolate Truffle -- along with traditional finger sandwiches, scones and other baked goods.

The Ritz does a beautiful job decorating for Christmas, with trees and garland scattered throughout and a gorgeous array of twinkling lights and faux snow. Add to that live music and a roaring fire and you have a cozy afternoon as snow falls outside.

I'm lucky to have two cousins close to my sister and me in age, which makes family get-togethers even more enjoyable. Growing up (and still today), it was fun to have built-in buddies within the family. Even though we're all in our 20s now, somehow we revert to being about 12 years old when we're together.

I stuck with a traditional organic Darjeeling tea and liked that it was naturally sweet enough to drink without milk or sugar. The nice thing about having big pots at the table is being able to share, so I also sampled cups of Vanilla Bean, Pear Caramel and a spicy Chocolate blend.

Next came around a plate of sandwiches: cucumber, prosciutto with asparagus, smoked salmon and caviar, and pear with walnut.

And finally, la pièce de résistance, dessert.

This huge three-tiered platter was for two people and included blueberry scones (which obviously must be eaten with clotted cream and jam), chocolate-dipped strawberries, raspberry tart, red velvet cupcakes and other goodies.

Oh my gosh. Too much good stuff. Even between my sister and I, we weren't able to finish it all off and took home a little doggie bag. I promptly ate a scone for breakfast this morning and can attest that it was just as good the next day.

Three hours passed quickly and we finally realized we were the only people still sitting in the dining room, the rest of the tables having been cleared and reset for the next tea seating. After taking the obligatory family photos, it was back onto the icy roads and home again.

Does your family have any annual holiday traditions?

Let it snow!

2009-12-05T17:14:00.007-05:00

The entire DC area is covered in a beautiful blanket of snow tonight. Isn't it pretty?

It seems like it's been forever since I saw a substantial snowfall but was almost exactly a year ago that Seoul got its first dusting. We didn't get a ton of snow last year in Korea but instead lots of ice and slush, washed away with water rather than coated with salt and sand.

Walking into the backyard this morning revealed a pristine scene, the snow completely untouched. The forecast called for 2-4 inches but it's been steadily falling all day so I think we're going to end up on the higher side of that estimate.

Isn't there something hypnotic about snow? Sitting and watching it fall absolutely puts me into a trance and before I know it, 10 minutes have passed.

It was the perfect day for a family tea -- more on that tomorrow -- with hot brews, fresh scones and constant Christmas tunes.

The only UNpretty part? Driving down the Beltway. Terrible visibility, grey and brown slush, and cars crawling along. Well, you can't win 'em all.

The roads are still pretty icy and treacherous, and sleet is falling rapidly, so my once-exciting Saturday night plans have been swapped for an evening spent in sweats and watching a Christmas movie. Shoveling was definitely my workout for the day!

Let's get that fireplace roaring and the tea kettle boiling...

What did you learn today?

2009-12-03T14:48:00.005-05:00

(photo credit)

The thing I miss most about school is learning. Whether it was material to be applied directly in class like video editing, or more abstract knowledge about the history of British art, I always enjoyed learning new concepts.

One of the benefits of a big university was the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom through lectures and workshops. During the course of my four years at Maryland, I heard a variety of fascinating speakers including journalist Thomas Friedman, political gurus James Carville and Mary Matalin, and documentarian Morgan Spurlock, all for free or minimal cost.

Can you tell I was a journalism and politics major?!

Graduate school interests me solely because I miss this daily chance to learn more -- but I'd rather learn for the sake of learning than to earn another degree. Having a double major didn't give me the chance to take as many "fun" classes as I might have wished but I definitely managed to take a few fantastic ones.

Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities to keep learning outside of school. National Geographic, based here in Washington, offers lectures, concerts, exhibits and films throughout the year and often brings big-name speakers to its intimate, 400-seat hall.

Last night, I had the chance to hear a lecture by paleontologist Donald Johanson, most famous for his discovery of Lucy, the 3.2-million-year-old fossil providing a link between apes and humans and, until recently, the oldest-known human ancestor.

(photo credit)

(Interestingly, Lucy was named for The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," which was playing on the radio as Johanson discussed the find with his team.)

Johanson was an engaging speaker who managed to break down technical, scientific information into easy-to-understand nuggets. He went from the big picture and Darwin to the minute details on how fossils are aged and how to determine the sex of a fossil.

The painstaking work of paleontologists, archaeologists and others researchers in Africa has redefined what it means to be "human" and provides a window into the past. I can only imagine the exhilarating feel of walking through the Rift Valley, knowing you're walking in the footsteps of our ancestors millions of years ago.

Johanson saved his most moving, passionate argument for the end, saying that no matter what we look like, what language we speak or what our defined nationality is, we're all African. There is no doubt that every person on Earth descends from a common ancestor and maybe in remembering that, we can find peace.

(photo credit)

What did you learn today?

Holy Mackerel!

2009-12-02T14:33:00.000-05:00

Since first visiting BlackSalt Restaurant and Fish Market for brunch in October, when I ate the most insanely good lobster quiche, we've been talking about returning for dinner. And so when I asked my mom where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner last night, there was no argument when she suggested BlackSalt.

Its charming neighborhood is one of our favorites for after-church brunch spots, filled with cute cafes, and for the past two years, Washingtonian has listed BlackSalt as one of the city's best restaurants.

The dinner menu focuses heavily on oysters and starters -- my favorite part of the entire meal was an incredible Pacific Butterfish. If I could have just had an entire plate of that, which was served on top of sweet peppers, my stomach would have been very happy.

I got the Spanish Mackerel for my entree and liked it, but loved the flavorful roasted fall vegetables served with it even more. Even better than my dish, Mom's Maryland Rockfish was delicious -- see, a reason to go for the local catch!

One thing I especially liked is the restaurant's commitment to local, sustainable seafood. The front page of its website states:

BlackSalt Fish Market & Restaurant, Washington’s premier seafood restaurant, is wholly committed to the sustainability of fish and shellfish stocks worldwide. We constantly strive to source our products from companies and individuals who are like minded. Through conscientious consumption and education we can all work to protect the invaluable resources that are provided to us by the sea.

and provides links to learn more about sustainable aquaculture. Our server knew a lot about the menu and talked about the local catch, which was good to know.

All in all, it was a fun celebration and a fantastic meal. (And, of course, we left plenty of room for cake!)

A cake for Mom

2009-12-01T15:17:00.000-05:00

It's my mom's birthday!

Paris, 2006

My mom is my favorite traveling partner -- I obviously got the travel bug from her. In the past few years, she's taken me to Paris, Prague, Mexico, Alaska, Vancouver and visited while I was studying in London. She also travels a lot with her friends and has seen a ton of interesting places in Europe. It's always fun looking through her pictures after a trip.

Alaska, 2008

Our next trip together is hopefully Spain and Portugal in May. Fingers crossed! I feel so lucky to have a mom who supports and encourages me. When I decided to spend time traveling instead of working, she said it was a good idea. There are boxes in her closet full of stories I wrote as a child; last night, we found the first little newspaper I put together at age 10.

This was the first time I've been home for Mom's birthday in a few years, between living overseas and university, so cake-baking was definitely in order. It was so much fun blaring Christmas music and dancing around the kitchen -- burning off those cake calories, right? -- all the while, making a huge mess.

Mom used to bake Kahlua cake when we were younger but it's been a long time since then, so making it again today was definitely an adventure. I had to lick the spatula a few times to make thing everything tasted okay. ;)

The kitchen may now be a disaster -- making the mess is so much more fun than cleaning the mess -- but the end result smells great and only fell apart a teensy bit during transport from Bundt pan to platter. Oops!

We're going to BlackSalt tonight for dinner and presents -- I've only been there for brunch but the dinner menu looks delicious.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Kindergarten reunion

2009-11-30T10:21:00.007-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time to remember what you're grateful for. And this weekend was filled with reminders, especially as I spent a lot of time with my family and old friends.

From dinner at a favorite high school haunt and homemade pie with my two best friends from high school to lunch with chums I've had since kindergarten, it was a weekend full of good food and great people.

I hadn't realized that my friendship with Tim, Kristen and Teddy dated back to kindergarten until someone mentioned it as we sat around a metal table at Chipotle. At first, I commented that it was like being back in high school until someone else noted, "No, we've known each other kindergarten."

It's such a cliche but time really does fly. To think that kindergarten was 18 years ago -- that's a high school senior! Tim and I have know each other even longer, since our days as wee tots at Franklin Montessori School.

Since high school graduation, we've moved around the country and the world. Between attending three different undergraduate universities (Indiana University, Boston College and two of us at University of Maryland), studying abroad (Tim in Sydney, me in London) and navigating the post-uni world, we don't spend as much time together as we once did.

Today, Kristen's getting her Master's at Georgetown in preparation for winning a Pulitzer (wasn't that your high school superlative?), Tim's at University of Michigan and getting ready to be the breakout star of the National Symphony Orchestra, and Teddy's living the life of a captain of industry in Manhattan. Hey, someone has to make some real money!

There's a constant ebb and flow with most friendships. I went a few years without talking to one of my best friends since elementary school -- the fact that we've reconnected brings me such joy. What's that cheesy Girl Scouts song about friendship? "Make new friends but keep the old/ One is silver and the other gold."

Now is when I'm really valuing old friends and new beginnings.

It's fun to connect with old friends because there's so much shared history. The three hours spent sitting at lunch passed in a flash as we gossiped about former classmates (thanks to Facebook for making stalking so much easier) and caught up on our lives.

Do you keep in touch with friends from the school years?

Semi-Homemade

2009-11-28T16:35:00.005-05:00

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Christmas season is officially upon us. Rejoice! Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent -- how fast the time goes. Already, I've seen cars with Christmas trees strapped to the roof and more than a few houses in my neighborhood have decked the halls with boughs of holly. (fa la la la la la la la la)

Between the recession, unemployment and a general realization that we all have too much stuff, my family is doing a semi-homemade Christmas this year -- minus the über-perky Sandra Lee and the matching outfit/curtains/tablescape. (In kindergarten there was a girl named Cassie who, I told my mother, I hated because she smiled too much. Obviously too much happiness is a negative in my book.)

(photo credit)

In the spirit of less is more and inspired by the Church of Stop Shopping, we're making our gifts this year. Although the Internet offers a plethora of good ideas -- and some not-so-good ones -- I'm turning to my faithful readers for some of your best homemade gift suggestions.

(photo credit)

Have you ever gotten a cool homemade gift? Seen something interesting? Let me know!

What do you think about homemade gifts? Good? Bad? Makes you look cheap?

What are you thankful for?

2009-11-26T14:31:00.004-05:00

My life is way too full of blessings.

I'm thankful for a family that supports me no matter what, whether it's getting the crazy idea to move to the other side of the globe or take an indefinite hiatus from working to just be.

With Mom at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

I'm thankful for amazing friends. It's a gift to have a strong group of friends who I know from pre-school, middle school, high school, college and around the world.

I'm thankful to be healthy -- besides that little bout with what I'm convinced was swine flu over the summer -- and able to be active.

With Dad at the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, Belize

I'm thankful for the opportunity to see the world. So many people say, "I wish I could do what you do, just take off and travel." Let me tell you: YOU CAN.

With my sister, Kate, at the Mayan city of Chacchoben, Mexico

I'm thankful to keep learning all the time, whether it's through books, through conversations or through exploration.

I'm thankful for an abundance of good food.

I'm thankful to be home for Thanksgiving. You don't realize what an important holiday it is until you're thousands of miles away.

In a few hours, I'll be thankful for a delicious dinner. I can't wait!

What are you thankful for this year?

For love of pumpkin #3

2009-11-25T17:12:00.005-05:00

The house smells amazing today! Between the lentil and vegetable soup bubbling away in the slow cooker and delicious pumpkin spice cookies still warm from the oven, it's beginning to feel a lot like Thanksgiving!

Yesterday, Melissa sent me this recipe for pumpkin spice cookies after raving about them on Gchat for a solid five minutes. A few modifications were made, subbing butter and applesauce for shortening and agave nectar for white sugar, and the result is just as good as Melissa promised. I've already enjoyed couple (full disclosure: 5) today -- and will maybe share with my family -- before bringing the rest to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night.

I guess a year of teaching cooking class to impatient, baking-challenged, 10-year-old Koreans paid off, because these cookies turned out pretty darn yummy if I do say so myself. More cake-y than crispy, just the way I like 'em.

Note: The recipe claims to make 36 cookies, but I ended up with almost 60! Could be the agave nectar and applesauce thinning out the mixture...? Whatever the case, these three-bite treats contain the perfect combination mixture of sweet and spicy.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup agave nectar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray PAM on cookie sheets to prevent sticking.

Mix together wet ingredients, then sift in the dry ingredients. Butterscotch chips go in last. (Usually I'm not a big butterscotch fan but they're a fantastic addition here.) Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the cookie sheet and pop into the oven.

Check on the cookies after 15 minutes, but mine took 20 to bake thoroughly.

With 56 calories and 2 grams of fat per cookie, this is a pretty guiltless sweet treat. Served alongside an oversize mug of Trader Joe's organic Ruby Red Chai, it was a delightful afternoon snack.

This was my first experience baking pumpkin cookies; actually, I might never have even eaten pumpkin cookies before besides those sickeningly-sweet, iced, sugar cookies from Safeway. But as of today, these cookies may join the ranks of pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread as my all-time favorite autumn foods. Guess I'll have to sample a few more (and pie and bread) before making an informed decision!

What a girl has to do in the name of research... ;)

Now I just need to find my eating pants in preparation for tomorrow's festivities.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dessert?

Ghosts of Thanksgivings Past

2009-11-24T19:54:00.006-05:00

Mashed potatoes and cranberries and pumpkin pie, oh my!

To say I'm amped for my first Thanksgiving in America in three years is an understatement. The lead-up to Thanksgiving is so exciting, even being subjected to the multitude of annoying Black Friday ads on television.

No, I won't be hitting the malls first thing Friday morning. I'll instead be relaxing in my house, wearing fleece pants and eating a big bowl of pumpkin oats. It might be a crazy life, but it's our life.

Last year, I reminisced about Thanksgivings past. Celebrating in London in 2007 was one of my all-time favorite holiday memories simply because of its extraordinariness and the pure joy of experiencing Thanksgiving, that quintessential American holiday, in stunning St. Paul's Cathedral. Thanksgiving lunch may have been a Starbucks sandwich and dinner an M&S chicken, but I was truly grateful every moment.

Thanksgiving in London, 2007

Last year's Thanksgiving day dinner in Korea was at On the Border -- we were all in dire need of some Mexican food -- but a dual Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration a few weeks later brought in turkey with all the fixings thanks to the USO and Yongsan base in Seoul.

Thanksgiving in Seoul, 2008

It wasn't exactly mom's home cooking, but it was certainly a nice change from the daily kimchi-and-rice menu. My Korean co-worker said she enjoyed the meal -- she'd had a big turkey dinner before in Australia -- but couldn't imagine eating like this every day. I tried to explain that it's not exactly every day we eat like this but then reconsidered the argument, thinking about America's startling obesity rate.

Turkey may not be an option since I went vegetarian, but everything else is a go. As I told my dear friend Erin today, "I want to dive face first into a pumpkin pie."

Ain't that the truth! Tomorrow's agenda includes baking some pumpkin spice cookies (thanks to Melissa for the recipe) and getting some exercise in before it's stretchy pants and pie time.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

Oh, SuBo...

2009-11-23T16:17:00.006-05:00

I like Susan Boyle as much as the next person.

I mean, come on, it was pretty unexpected when that crazy little Scot opened her mouth and revealed a decent, operatic voice. Here we were, completely prepared to mock her, and instead she sounded pretty good. Proof positive not to judge a book (or a cat lady) by its cover.

But now she's traveling all over America -- makeover intact -- to promote her new CD and here's the thing: her voice isn't terrible, but she should stick to what she knows.

Case in point:

Really, SuBo? The Rolling Stones?! Who talked you into that and why did you let them? Show tunes and ballads suit your voice just fine. But leave the rock to someone with a little less vibrato.

On the other hand, she obviously has legions of fans sticking by her around beyond that first performance on "Britain's Got Talent," helping SuBo extend her 15 minutes of fame ever longer. Her debut album, "I Dreamed a Dream," has become the most pre-ordered CD ever from Amazon.com.

I'm not heartless. That first performance gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. But I can't imagine actually paying money to see this woman, or buying her CD (although its release is perfectly timed for Christmas...).

My favorite SuBo moments aren't when she's singing. It's when she's acting like her usual wacky self. The best part of her "Today" appearance this morning wasn't the performance, it was the off-kilter little dance she did after finishing each song. And then I just shake my head and say, "Oh, SuBo..."

Susan Boyle: yea or nay?

"The view seems endless."

2009-11-22T20:13:00.009-05:00

It may be more of a feature than a front page-worthy story, but I loved the latest installment in a continuing Washington Post series about the economic downturn's effect on Americans coast-to-coast. Today's story took readers to Missoula, Mo., and a recent college graduate who was poised to "have it all" -- until she couldn't find a job and returned home to live with her parents.

While I never even attempted finding a "proper" job after graduating from university in 20o8 -- instead taking the road less traveled and ending up in South Korea teaching English for a year -- Melissa Meyer's story resonated with me. She had followed the norm all her life, getting good grades, holding down jobs and impressive internships, being involved in extracurriculars and eventually graduating from a good university.

As the economy took a turn for the worse over the past year, more and more new college graduates are finding themselves un- or underemployed. Hiring for recent college graduates is down 40 percent in 2009 from last year, according to a new study.

Some of my friends have fantastic jobs that put them firmly on a fast-track career path and I definitely envy their security and freedom with money sometimes, but many others are stuck waiting tables or working retail -- not exactly where they expected to be after four years of hard work and thousands of dollars spent on tuition.

What Meyer realizes in the course of job-hunting is to embrace her newfound freedom after a lifetime of playing by the rules. Suddenly, she dreams of moving abroad and exploring the world. The article's final paragraph especially resonated with me:

All she sees are deep blue lakes, snow-capped mountains and clouds floating above dense forest. The view seems endless. So do the possibilities. She turns to Freihofer: "I wonder what our friends are doing right now in their cubicles."

Koh Samui, Thailand

That's pretty much how I felt one late January evening while walking down a beach in Thailand, having just finished an amazing plate of curry, without a care in the world. It may have been only a vacation from my 9-5 gig in Seoul, but I doubt I would have had the same opportunity for a week-long getaway working back in Washington.

I'm tentatively poised to enter the rat race -- or at least begin seriously job hunting -- in June. Be ready, corporate world.

Until then, I'm enjoying planning trips to Costa Rica in December, Australia and New Zealand from February, and Spain and Portugal in late spring. You can take your highly-paid job with benefits -- although I sure wouldn't mind having health insurance...

Would you ever take time off from work to travel? There are arguments on both sides and definitely something to be said for having job security, benefits, savings and a secure life.

A Weighty Issue

2009-11-20T15:49:00.007-05:00

When possible, I prefer walking to driving. Whether it's the grocery store, library, post office or restaurants, it's a blessing to be able to walk almost everywhere. The neighborhood values pedestrians, with sidewalks running along every street -- a nice contrast from Evansville, where I visited last week and noticed a sad lack of sidewalks, forcing the rare walker to the shoulder.

With iPod firmly in place and set destination in mind, it's usually easy to tune out the noisy streets. But occasionally, a honk from a passing car or truck captures my attention. More rarely, but more infuriating, are the shouts from quickly-moving autos.

Today's exclamation? "Fat ass!" from a speeding pickup truck.

Now, maybe the massive Chipotle burrito bol that I inhaled for lunch was hanging off my rear. I could certainly feel it stuffing my stomach as I attempted some sunny afternoon exercise.

But the thing is -- I know I'm not fat. It's not something on my radar screen. What even makes calling a woman "fat" the ultimate insult?

What compels people -- okay, let's face it, it's always men -- to yell out car windows at women on the street? I think they know that many women are self-conscious about their weight and believe that the best way to insult a woman is to comment on her size.

So the bottom line: what's the point? What's the benefit to the cat-caller from his comment?

Personally, I'm just letting it roll of my back. There are certainly worse things to be called than fat! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat a snack (mmm cereal and yogurt) and plan my dinner menu.

Blogger Vegan 4 A Day

2009-11-19T19:23:00.005-05:00

When I first heard about Michelle and Katy's Blogger Vegan 4 A Week challenge, it never occurred to me to participate. But the more bloggers I saw getting amped about the idea -- some doing it for a week, many more for just a day -- the more I thought, "Well, I could do it, too, if it's only one day!"

Breakfast: oat bran, a banana, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg and peanut butter.

Caitlin and Leslie both wrote thoughtful posts today summing up my thoughts on vegetarianism and veganism. Whether you're an omnivore or vegetarian/vegan, the most important thing is to be a mindful eater, knowing where your food comes from and how it got from the farm or factory to your plate. The more educated I become about food, the less I can imagine going back to eating conventional meats or dairy. (Just call me John Kerry when it comes to seafood because I keep flip-flopping.)

Lunch, inspired by a similar lunch I had in Sydney: locally-grown butternut squash, cucumber and chickpeas with balsamic on pita, with pita chips and carrots.

Even a tiny change in your diet can make a difference. Whether it's committing to eat less meat -- hence the Meatless Monday campaign --, buying organic and locally-grown produce, meat and dairy (as much as possible) or spreading the word about documentaries like Food, Inc., any small change you can make does send a message.

Snack: Mary's Gone herb crackers, grape tomatoes, cucumber and Trader Joe's tahini-free hummus.

I think being aware is the most important thing -- for instance, I eat seafood knowing both the consequences and benefits, and try to be educated about sustainable seafood.

Tea time: Harvey Nichols' Afternoon Delight, brought back from London.

Going vegan for the day wasn't as difficult as I anticipated, besides having to read ingredient labels more closely. It would be much harder eating at a restaurant but overall, for a day, it was a good experience. I'm certainly not planning to go vegan anytime soon but it certainly provided some food for thought.

Dinner: black bean chili with corn, tomatoes and butternut squash, and homemade cornbread -- both with a few modifications from the original recipes.

Would you ever go vegetarian or vegan? Why or why not? Going vegetarian last spring was a lot easier than I expected; it's only difficult occasionally at restaurants where the only veggie options are pasta or salad.

Dessert: frozen mixed berries.

Green Guide is a GoodGuide

2009-11-18T15:52:00.005-05:00

My family loves Burt's Bees products. Lip salve, hand lotion, face wash, body scrub, cuticle cream -- you name it, we have it.

Walking into stores these days, we're bombarded with products advertised as "natural." Even reading the ingredient list can't always help, as a perfectly natural supplement might have an unfamiliar name.

Enter websites GoodGuide and Green Guide, which help consumers make informed shopping decisions on everything from food and makeup to cleaning supplies and toys.

GoodGuide ranks products using a 1-10 scale. For example, I constantly use Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and decided to check its stats on the site. The ranking is broken down into three broad categories: health, environment and and society.

After seeing the initial ranking (8.6 overall, with a 10 for health, 8.1 for environment and 7.6 for society), the product is examined even more closely using 46 factors like ingredients, product certifications from organizations like PETA and philanthropy.

What did I learn? Burt's Bees still looks like a great product in my eyes. Although there has been some controversy upon learning that Burt's Bees is now owned by Clorox, that doesn't necessarily change the product itself or its benefits.

Do you think it's worth spending money on natural products? I'd rather spend an extra dollar or two and know that I'm not putting harmful chemicals into (or onto) my body.

Fireside at la Madeleine

2009-11-16T16:45:00.007-05:00

When the weather gets cool and my stomach starts growling, one of my go-to restaurants is la Madeleine, a French cafe-bakery with locations throughout the DC-area. Serving up good French country fare -- hearty soups, crusty breads and a range of pastas, salads and quiche -- la Madeleine appeals to me mostly because many of its locations feature a huge, roaring fire.

Sitting fireside with a huge bowl of creamy tomato basil soup, accompanied by chewy whole wheat bread for dipping, is one of the coziest locations imaginable. The tables are often crowded with groups of students studying, taking advantage of oversized tables and ample space to spread out books and papers.

(My dad has a theory that only women -- or men dragged there by their wives -- eat at la Madeleine. He may be right...)

Not-so-secretly, I want la Madeleine's decorators to fix up my future home in a French country style. Every square inch of the restaurant is covered with heavy wooden furniture, old books and artwork.

During my last visit, it was cold and drizzling outside. But inside by the fire, I was happy. There's no better feeling than being warm and having a bellyfull of delicious food. If I can't be back in France, this may be the next best thing.

Vive la France!

Have you ever been to France? I've been twice and can't wait to go back -- there are just an endless number of things to see and do in Paris alone, let alone the rest of the country.

Spring in November

2009-11-15T15:21:00.006-05:00

What do you do when it's nearly 70 degrees and the middle of November?

Spend as much time outside as possible, that's what. After lazing away the early morning in my pajamas reading the Washington Post and New York Times online, I headed out at 10 for a long loop around the neighborhood. Nothing better after spending hours on an airplane than stretching your legs and getting the blood flowing again.

Yes, it was back to the airport and back to DC for me yesterday. Originally, the plan was to drive home with my mom (12ish hours in a straight shot) but as Indiana bureaucracy forces her to stay in the state longer to sort out issues with the estate, she decided to send me home to "babysit" my 20-year-old sister. Ah, the joys of family.

Coming home to a totally empty refrigerator required a big stock-up at Trader Joe's after lunch (only my second Chipotle visit since moving back to the United States!).

New TJ's find: Ruby Red Chai Tea. Holy yum!

Time to enjoy this unseasonably warm day before temperatures start dropping again: me, iced tea, Ruth Reichl and a sunny seat on the patio.

It's a small world after all

2009-11-14T10:43:00.004-05:00

Walking through Petersburg yesterday, a woman came running out of a secondhand shop after noticing me taking photos on the street.

"Are you taking pictures for a book?" she asked.

No, I told her, just waiting for my family to get out of a meeting with a local attorney. I explained that my mom had grown up in Petersburg.

When the woman asked my family name, I told her and she immediately said there was something in her store I had to see.

She led me inside the packed shop, filled to the brim with antique bottles, vintage clothes and old books, to a shelf in the back corner where a red sweater was folded. The sweater, from Petersburg High School marching band, had my mom's name inscribed inside.

It's certainly a small world that this storekeeper happened to flag me down on the street and then recognized the last name.

When my mom's meeting finished, we went back to the store to look at the sweater. Maybe it wound up there when my grandparents had an estate sale before their move to Evansville... but however it happened, it's certainly a cool coincidence.

Small town USA

2009-11-13T16:34:00.009-05:00

It must be fun to grow up in a small town where you know everyone and they know you. A place where you can walk into stores and be greeted by name, and feel a true sense of community that living in a larger city just doesn't allow. Many planned neighborhoods, like the one I live in, try to recreate this lifestyle but can't quite capture the close-knit community fostered in small towns across America.

Visiting my grandparents in tiny Petersburg, Indiana, always involved spending a lot of time outdoors. My grandparents had a farm and grew various fruits and vegetables -- I remember picking tomatoes and blackberries in their backyard and enjoying them that night for dinner.

Going back to Petersburg today to complete more paperwork following my grandmother's death, we (mom, aunt, I) were amazed to see how much the town as changed. As goes the economy, so goes the town, especially one that relies heavily on power plants and coal mining.

As you drive into Persburg, the billboard declares former Dodgers player Gil Hodges as a proud local son. (Interestingly, my mom was once featured on that billboard. I need to scan that picture in!)

What was once a vibrant, bustling downtown is now a collection of secondhand stores, a Chinese buffet, a bar and a whole lot of empty storefronts. There was one cute, new-looking cafe/bakery, but besides that, options were limited.

My mom and aunt remember when the downtown strip was a one-stop location for all your needs -- dentist, drug store, restaurants -- but the economic downturn has obviously hit Petersburg hard. Many of the houses they remembered from childhood, where friends used to live, now appear completely abandoned and dilapidated, overgrown with weeds.

It was a quick walk around downtown, one that leaves me wondering what this town will look like in another five or 10 years. As jobs leave, so do young people and the future of Petersburg. Are small towns in America dying off?

Would you want to (or do you) live in a small town? It's easy to see why young people leave and never look back -- lack of opportunity, for one.

A few laps before dinner

2009-11-12T18:11:00.005-05:00

When the sun is shining and the November temps still hover in the high-50s, it's hard to stay inside all day. Whether working a desk job or stuck packing boxes in a cave-like apartment -- my grandmother collected aluminum and I've packed so much that last night, I dreamed about it! -- getting outdoors even for a brief time can be a lifesaver.

Taking a few laps around the apartment complex every afternoon completely rejuvenates me, whether it's the sunshine or stretching my legs. It was peaceful after a long day of running errands today to get out into the crisp weather. I ended up doing some strength moves by the lake, under a cloudless cerulean sky, as Kate Rusby played on my iPod. Very relaxing.

The day's biggest excitement involved a trip to a coin dealer to find out the value of a number of antique coins discovered around the house. These days, many coins are worth more for their junk metal value than rarity but a collection of silver half-dollars, quarters and dimes brought in a nice $520 cash value. Not too bad for found money.

We'll see what happens at Coinstar when we cash in the rest of the change discovered in various envelopes, tins and jars around the apartment. It's amazing what you can put aside and forget about.

Tomorrow it's off to Petersburg, the tiny town where my mom grew up. Growing up, it was always fun to visit my grandparents there and enjoy banana splits at the now-closed Dairy Queen. It's been years since I was there...

How often do you visit out-of-town relatives?

YWCA Tea Room

2009-11-11T11:58:00.001-05:00

Watching Food Network a few years ago, I took notice when host Alton Brown rode his motorcycle through Evansville. This small city -- the third-largest in Indiana -- isn't exactly a tourist mecca, so it was exciting to see Brown visit somewhere so random where I'd also been. (Many travel shows come to DC, the best being Anthony Bourdain's visit and confirmation of Busboys & Poets' amazingness.)

Before enjoying a brain sandwich at the Hilltop Inn, Brown lunched at the YWCA Tea Room, located in Evansville's historic district. The tea room serves lunch Monday to Friday and offers a selection of fresh salads, sandwiches and soup, along with homemade baked goods.

With cheap prices (lunch for three, including drinks, came to under $20.00) and a casual atmosphere, the tea room offers nothing fancy but provides good, homemade food.

Keeping with my autumnal love of all things pumpkin, I ordered a pumpkin bread sandwich -- two pieces of pumpkin nut bread with cream cheese filling. After peeling off the cream cheese, it was a tasty, dessert-like lunch.

The dish came with "fruit": two maraschino cherries and canned peaches. Okay, not exactly organic or gourmet, but it, along with the tables of older women playing bridge, added to the quaint atmosphere.

(I supplemented this lunch with a cup of fantastic vegan spinach lentil soup from Penny Lane Coffeehouse, Evanville's liberal enclave and the only place where "vegetarian" doesn't mean "chicken".)

Are you going to get an unforgettable meal at the YWCA Tea Room? No, that's not what it's for. But in terms of a quality, freshly-made, affordable lunch in Evansville... it's an excellent choice.

(Plus, all of the employees are really friendly, the type of women who call you "hon" and "dear." And men are welcome, too.)

Have you ever visited a restaurant after seeing it featured on TV?

Treasure trove

2009-11-10T09:10:00.000-05:00

It's amazing some of the things we've found packing up my grandmother's apartment. A lot has been packed into boxes and moved home, a few pieces are being doled out to family members and more large bags than I can count have been given to Goodwill. It's a massive effort.

But occasionally, we'll stumble onto something really interesting and definitely worth keeping. I may not have an apartment or house yet but am already picking up a few keepsakes to decorate with. (Adding to the only other housewares items I own: a set of Wedgwood china, a set of Waterford crystal glassware and some silver flatware. It's fine dining all the time at casa Erin.)

- The Saturday Evening Post published after John F. Kennedy's assassination. There are other vintage magazines, too, but this was an especially neat find.

(photo credit)

- Tons of antique books, including some with inscriptions from the 1870s. We're a family of readers and it shows.

- A fancy blazer from the 1940s that I'd need to lose about 10 pounds and risk having no circulation around my abdomen to wear -- my grandmother was tiny -- but my mom insisted on packing because it's gorgeous.

- A school slate from the early-1920s that once belonged to my great-uncle.

(photo credit)

- Boxes upon boxes of photographs, newspaper clippings (whether it was a family member or just a person of interest) and saved correspondence.

- Vintage kitchenware -- hand beaters, a mixer and a million other tiny, retro gadgets.

It's been so interesting going through closets and coming up with little pieces of history. Now it's a matter of transporting and sorting everything.

I may not have anywhere to live yet, but am now the proud owner of some antique salt-and-pepper shakers and a Dutch oven. Slowly, slowly.

Kicking off the Christmas season

2009-11-08T09:46:00.005-05:00

Guess who I saw at the mall yesterday?

Yep, Santa Claus. It may only be the first week of November but he's already out with elves in tow, at least here in Evansville, Indiana. Earlier in the morning, I turned on the radio to hear Christmas music playing. What's going on?!

Sorry for my absence but the past few days have been busy with my grandmother's memorial service and funeral. It's been a lot of family time.

I'll be out here indefinitely helping my mom and aunt pack up my grandmother's belongings and organize everything. This may be the same country as Washington but in many ways, Indiana is a world away. I need to find ways to surreptitiously use my camera more, as a quick trip to WalMart last night -- don't judge, there are no other options! -- resulted in a few candidates for People of Walmart. Now I know where all those Americans rocking Kate Gosselin hairdos live.

The other big outing was a dinner at the Log Inn, Indiana's oldest restaurant. It was once patronized by Abraham Lincoln and served both as an early stagecoach stop and a stop on the Underground Railroad. Pretty interesting history.

Food is served family-style at this Southern cooking restaurant. After choosing a meat (choices include fried chicken, roast beef, fiddlers, chicken livers and gizzards), side dishes are brought to the table to share and constantly refilled.

Not eating meat, my plate was filled with mashed potatoes, peas, corn, coleslaw and homemade cornbread (the best part). It was a good meal made better by great company -- a dozen or so extended members of the family. And no Southern meal is complete without homemade pie -- my mom and I split a piece of lemon. Yummmm.

(I think I'm going to gain about 10 pounds being out here. Healthy restaurant choices doesn't seem to exist anywhere, although we did find one Thai restaurant on the other side of town.)

Back to packing!

What are you waiting for?

2009-11-02T16:51:00.005-05:00

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.
-Einstein

My posts over the past week about noticing the everyday details have proven well-timed. My grandmother died this morning -- I'm headed out to Indiana for the next week or so -- and it's a powerful reminder not to take a moment for granted.

The glowing, orange sunset fading fast into the horizon. Brightly-colored pumpkins on front steps. The smell of woodsmoke and ... is that barbecue? Kids laughingly racing bicycles down the sidewalk. A sharp chill in the air outside but inside, warmth by the fire.

You never know which moment will be your last. Take a minute every day to appreciate life and its many wonders and opportunities. Live every day to the fullest so that when it is the end, you're not consumed with regrets. Stop and take it in.

What are you waiting for?

Comforting colors

2009-11-01T10:55:00.001-05:00

There's something comforting about autumn colors. They aren't the placid pastels of spring, the chilly cerulean of winter or the blaring bolds of summer.

Instead, autumn is defined by cozy, warm tones -- orange, yellow, red. Walking through the neighborhood farmer's market, it's almost sensory overload as you take in the colors, sights and sounds.

Buying apples this morning, it was nice to chat with the vendor and find out exactly where the fruit came from. There are no unknown variables but instead that knowledge that the gorgeous

Macintosh, Jonagold and Stayman apples came from a family-run farm less than 30 minutes away.

The same thing happened when buying butternut squash. I wasn't sure how to judge whether a squash is "good" or not. So... I asked. And sure enough, the woman manning the booth spent time explaining the differences between the various squash and offering cooking suggestions. It was nice to have that one-on-one interaction and walk away feeling confident in my purchases.

I've been exploring the Internet and cookbooks looking for new and inventive ways to use the squash and pumpkins -- hey, you can't let those gorgeous Halloween gourds go to waste. Pumpkin curry? Yes, please!

Plans for a long hike along the Potomac River fell through today when the skies started pouring down buckets. A rainy Sunday seems like the ideal time to bake some pumpkin bread and roast those squash.

Halloween memories

2009-10-31T15:30:00.010-04:00

Obviously I was an angelic child... ;)

Who didn't love Halloween as a kid? The chance to play pretend for a day and get loads of candy? Count me in!

Least favorite costume -- I wanted to be a ballerina like my cousins but no, my mother dressed me as a pig. She still says it was cute.

British relatives visiting recently were preparing to celebrate their first American Halloween, complete with a real trick-or-treating experience. The kids were shocked when my stepbrothers told them that the proper luggage for door-to-door candy collecting was a pillowcase. No wimpy plastic bucket will do -- size does matter!

Sophomore year hippie -- not nearly as cool as Zoe's cop.

I used to babysit for a family that created the most inventive Halloween costumes every year. It was a big family project to make creative, eye-catching designs year-after-year. One of my favorites was an entire dinner party -- with the daughter's head on a platter as the main dish.

Junior year princess with a Goodwill dress.

Last year, the teachers dressed up for a weekend of Halloween classes with the kids. With a haunted carnival, pumpkin carving and trick-or-treat bag making, it was lots of fun. Plus, there's nothing more adorable than three-year-old Korean children in costume. For the longest time, Jeanette's computer background was a tiny Korean boy dressed as a tiger, roaring at the camera. Priceless.

Halloween in Korea as a witch.

In college, raiding Salvation Army and Goodwill always provided great inspiration for costumes. It was often a matter of putting together various items from your (and friends') closets and seeing what you came up with -- a good last resort was always '80s style. Oversize sweatshirt, leggings, scrunchie, done.

Sophomore year, wearing an outfit that I wear besides on Halloween, setting me up for a future as a trophy wife.

These days, it seems like more and more children's costumes are walking (and crossing?) the line between humor and indecency. A pimp costume for kids?! Yep, can't wait to get my hands on that for my future little ones.

(Not.)

What was your favorite childhood costume? I recently found a princess costume from when I was 8 or 9 years old ... and it still fit, albeit snugly.

Simon Pegg is posting pictures of people dressed as Shaun of the Dead (my favorite "scary" movie) characters -- some are very clever!

I don't want to grow up

2009-10-30T15:56:00.004-04:00

How do you know when you're grown up?

Often, my students in Korea would ask, "Teacher, how old are you?" After asking how old they thought I was -- the answers ranged from 16 to 100 -- I told them I was 23 and asked if that was old. Sometimes, they said yes. More often, they quickly replied, "Oh no, teacher, young. Eonni." ("older sister")

Good, because I don't feel old. Most of the time, I don't even feel like an adult.

There are plenty of times I wonder what to do with my life. Somewhere along the way, I veered from the traditional path (high school-college-career) and made the choice to spend the first two years out of college traveling. While my year in Korea was spent working full-time, it's generally been a pretty relaxing, easy time.

It's a decision I don't regret, especially when my upcoming calendar includes trips to Costa Rica, Australia and New Zealand (and maybe Spain), all the while making a little money on the side working part time from home.

It's a pretty sweet deal to work in sweatpants, no makeup and sitting on the couch.

At the same time, I'm also looking forward to that point next summer when I settle down and find a proper job. It will be nice to finally have somewhere permanent to call home that is mine and a job that is hopefully more career-specific than anything I've had in the past.

Now it's just a matter of deciding what to do with the rest of my life beyond, say, June.

That said, there's salmon marinating in the fridge and a bottle of wine (attached to a good friend) coming over for dinner. Maybe there's something to be said for 23 being an adult... or at least getting there.

How old is "grown up?"

Art in every shade

2009-10-28T13:09:00.008-04:00

Art has never come naturally to me.

In school, I loved and did well in almost all of my classes (besides completely failing to wrap my mind around Algebra) but the one class I never excelled in was Art. Sure, I got good grades in it but that was more for doing the work, not doing it well.

I was always in awe of the kids who could take crayons and blank sheet of paper and, 40 minutes later, have perfectly captured a scene. Today, I'm still fascinated by people who use just a pencil and notebook paper to draw an object with almost photo-like accuracy. At a museum last week, I kept glancing over the shoulder of a woman on a bench sketching a pre-Columbian artifact.

Taking Art History while studying in London, my notebook was full of crude pencil sketches of various pieces. It ended up being much more helpful to rely on notes and photographs when writing papers than my in-person drawings. My major presentation (oral, thankfully, no diagrams needed) was on the Mildenhall Great Dish, which I drew basically as a large circle with a few squiggly people inside. It was pathetic. The professor must have had a great laugh reading my art notebook at the end of term.

Students always laughed during Art class as I shoddily demonstrated each drawing technique -- still life, landscape, horizon, portrait -- as even at 8-years-old, their art skills greatly surpassed my own.

Now I'm realizing that art is more than just pencil-to-paper. Photography has begun to interest me more over the past year and now "art" seems to jump out more than ever. We all have different talents; we just need to learn to embrace them.

What was your favorite subject in school? I always loved Reading and Writing in elementary school -- and still do!

A monumental failure

2009-10-27T10:22:00.009-04:00

Washington Monument, autumn 2009

In the vein of yesterday's post about stopping to notice everyday surroundings, I was scrolling through iPhoto last week and realized I had almost zero photos of DC's most famous attractions.

There are plenty of photos inside restaurants, on the streets and at friend's apartments but as to anything famous or historical... not so much. I go right by the White House leaving church and yet hardly pay it a moment's notice.

In fact, almost all the photos I had of any Washington attractions were from the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival and a Help the Homeless Walkathon we participated in a few years ago.

Jefferson Memorial, winter 2007

That's it. 23 years of living in the Nation's Capital, minus 4-month and 1-year stints in London and Seoul, respectively, and I have about 5 pictures of the sites that make this city famous. Pretty pathetic.

And so, along with my vow to take more pictures of small everyday things, I also want to document the more extraordinary sites of Washington, DC. There are some gorgeous places here from the monuments, to the Mall, to the museums.

I was at Dumbarton Oaks last week when almost no one was there and was so mad at myself for forgetting the camera. The atmosphere was incredibly peaceful and even in the autumn chill, the gardens were still gorgeous.

National Cathedral, summer 2008: I was driving home from the Korean embassy and wanted to document my last few days in America.

People who live in cities always hate to be tourists in their own town. I have no problem traveling around the world and yet aiming my camera at a famous site in DC makes me cringe. Funny how that works.

Crunchy leaves

2009-10-26T14:49:00.009-04:00

When you see something everyday, it becomes part of the ordinary. You don't stop and take notice because you believe it has, and will, always be there.

Living in Korea, the sights and sounds of life of Seoul faded into the background as I went about everyday tasks. Whether it was grocery shopping, riding the Metro or just going for a walk around the neighborhood, things that would seem unusual or extraordinary in the West became part of the fabric of everyday life.

Now, looking back, I can see the strangeness of it all and marvel at how that was my life for an entire year.

And so I'm making more of an effort to document those "everyday" things back home. As I take daily walks around the neighborhood, I appreciate the changing leaves and stop to observe the small details that have always been there but escaped my notice.

I've inhabited in four houses in this neighborhood over the past decade and lived my entire life (besides the dorm and apartment in college and flats in London and Seoul) in 11 different houses in DC, Maryland and Virginia within the same 30-mile radius. But rarely do I stop and notice what is special or beautiful about this area.

It's fantastic to walk around, camera in hand, and actually take notice of the scenery instead of breezing by. Certainly a change of pace for someone used to going a thousand miles an hour.

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Our trip to Costa Rica is booked! December 11 to 16, the perfect time to escape Washington's cold and get back with enough time to do some pre-Christmas celebrating. We're spending at least two days near La Fortuna to explore Arenal volcano -- our hotel, Arenal Observatory Lodge, offers room views of the volcano. How cool to be lying in bed and watching a volcano erupt! Hiking the volcano is one of the things I'm most looking forward to, along with some whitewater rafting.

And then possibly on to the beach for a couple of days. We're still putting together a list of must-sees so keep the ideas coming.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

2009-10-25T13:23:00.008-04:00

What are broke and budgeting 20-somethings to do when they want to share a meal without sharing a check? A potluck, of course!

It's been fun over the past few weeks to gather at friends' apartments and houses to enjoy dinner without worrying about cost. It can be hard to plan a meal with so many special food requests (vegetarian, lactose intolerance, food allergies, anti-fish) and yet somehow, it all comes together deliciously.

An autumn theme dominated Erin's dinner with a big pot of hot apple cider, a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread from Spring Mill Bakery and a main course perfect for a chilly fall evening, steamed spinach alongside asparagus-and-mushroom risotto.

Putting on the finishing touches

The star of the show were these spiderweb brownies from Zoe, who provided a great way to celebrate Halloween week. Minus noticing that the icing was beginning to congeal mere minutes after downing a piece. We're troopers; everyone survived.

Ingredients:

- 4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

- 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine (next time, I would use a butter substitute like applesauce or yogurt)
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs (would also use egg substitute like banana)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup coarsely chopped PLANTERS Pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased pan. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes. The recipe calls for marshmallow frosting but we just used vanilla from a packet and it was fine. Minus the congealing...

The finished product: spiderweb and spider

So many get-togethers revolve around food; whether it's meeting for lunch or coffee, we're incapable of sitting down together without some sort of food or drink. Potlucking and home-cooked meals let us enjoy that together-time while keeping costs low -- if everyone contributes something, the end result is good food, good friends and good conversation.

Autumn apple crisp

2009-10-24T13:40:00.008-04:00

Our trip out to the farm a couple of weeks ago resulted in a TON of fuji apples in the house. As in, way too many to eat.

So rather than risk any going bad, it meant getting creative and finding ways to incorporate the apples into other recipes. I've always liked baking so it was fun to troll the Internet and cookbooks to find new ideas.

One way I love eating apples (besides the ultra-simple method of popping them into the microwave for a minute with a little cinnamon and nutmeg -- yum!) is in an apple crisp. Apple crisps are incredibly simple and end up tasting great hot or cold.

The easy recipe calls for:

5 medium-sized apples
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
1.5 tbsp butter

After slicing the apples and layering them in a pan, mix together the other ingredients and slather (ooh, love that verb!) the mixture on top. Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes until the apples are soft.

Before baking

This makes a delicious and healthy dessert (it was supposed to make 6 servings at 147 calories and 1.8 grams of fat per serving, but we got way more than 6 servings out of this) and is also yummy for breakfast.

After

Cinnamon, nutmeg and apples -- how can you go wrong?

What's your favorite fall dessert? I LOVE pumpkin bread, which reminds me I haven't had one in a LONG time. That could be on the agenda today...

Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds

2009-10-22T15:23:00.003-04:00

It can't hurt to try new things. Worst cast scenario: you hate it and never go near it again. Best case: it becomes an integral part of your life.

Leslie had a great post recently about how she's incorporated new health foods into her diet after learning about them from blogs. One of those foods was chia seeds and after hearing a lot about them both on the blogisphere and in the press, I, too, gave them a try thanks to Diane at GreensPlus.

Chia (pronounced chee’ah), is the richest and only unprocessed, whole food source of pure Omega3. A member of the min family, Chia is native to Central America and has been used traditionally for over 3000 years.

[...]

Due to its high fiber content, Chia seed absorbs up to ten times its weight in water, making it an excellent source of hydration. Omega3 Chia’s soluble fiber forms a gel that slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, binds it to toxins in the digestive system, and helps eliminate waste.

Omega3 Chia is especially rich in essential fatty acids. One 15g serving provides more than 3g of Omega3 (as alpha linoleic acid) and 1g of Omega6 (linoleic acid) in a perfectly balanced 3:1 ratio, making it the richest, unprocessed and fully-difestible whole food source of Omega3.

Pretty impressive, eh?

There's been so much in the news lately about the importance of Omega 3s. It seems like every time I turn on the TV, Dr. Oz is on yet another talk show talking about this vital nutrient.

Studies suggest that eating foods rich in Omega-3s can greatly reduce risk of heart disease and help treat ailments including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis and breast and prostate cancer.

I mixed the Chia seeds into a marinade for salmon (making this meal an Omega-3 extravaganza). They have a slightly nutty flavor on their own and were almost undetectable in the marinade.

Two thumbs up, chia seeds. Thanks for making me healthier AND tasting good.

word to the wise

2009-10-21T16:45:00.003-04:00

Don't watch an "Oprah" episode about the happiest places on earth when you're stuck at home. Between seeing the Danes' tiny but comfortable flats -- "less space, less stuff, more happy" -- the bustling markets of Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro's sun-soaked beaches, my travel itch is going crazy right now.

Copenhagen has always been somewhere I've wanted to visit, especially after seeing my Mom's pictures when she visited during the spring. Denmark is consistently rated the happiest country in the world and with its universal health care, free university (they pay YOU) and other social benefits, it's easy to see why. Plus their attitude about things really rings true with me; we don't need so much stuff. I'd love to live in one of their cozy, uncluttered flats.

photo credit

One of the most inspiring books I read over the past year was Eric Weiner's The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World. He visited both the happiest (Iceland, Bhutan) and unhappiest (Moldova) countries to discover what makes them this way.

Many of his conclusions are obvious -- Danes are happy because they have so many social benefits and a healthy lifestyle. Moldova suffers from many of the economic and social problems you might expect from a discarded member of the Soviet Union.

My travel list is constantly being updated. While Costa Rica is chronologically next (followed by Australia and New Zealand in February), I'm always thinking about what's after.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? I'm dying to see Egypt, Turkey and Argentina.

One blue sky

2009-10-20T17:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all the great vacation suggestions yesterday! It looks like we're leaning toward Costa Rica but who knows?!

Today is one of those perfect, clear blue sky, zero humidity, 70-degree days. It makes me wish I lived on the water -- it would be ideal conditions for a waterfront dinner and boat trip.

Indigo Landing: a great place to be on a warm day, offering amazing views of the city from across the river.

The only water I live near is the manmade lake at the center of my neighborhood but it was perfectly adequate to take a long walk around this morning, admiring the stunning red, orange and yellow leaves.

It's so lovely outside that another evening walk may be in order just to truly enjoy every last minute of this unexpected warmth following a week of nonstop rain and temperatures in the 40s.

Looks like the nice weather will be around for another couple of days before a cold front (and lots more rain) move in at the weekend.

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Food for thought: Today's fantastic Washington Post article about the new "super green" classification of fish.

We all know that there are fish that are good to eat and those that aren't -- if nothing else, almost everyone is aware that Chilean sea bass is one of the worst things you can order at a restaurant in terms of its environmental impact.

But the Monterey Bay Aquarium has released new guidelines and introduced an entirely new category: "super green," those fish that are both healthy for for people and the environment.

Giving up seafood entirely is something I've been considering thanks to Simone and her work at SeaWeb. While I haven't made a decision yet -- when you consider health and environmental aspects, you're seemingly damned if you do, damned if you don't -- the most important thing is to be informed.

Do you know Costa Rica?

2009-10-19T16:31:00.004-04:00

Has anyone been to Costa Rica and have any recommendations/travel tips/suggestions? My dad, sister and I are trying to plan a getaway weekend and it's one of the places we're considering going but I know almost nothing about it. With only four days -- is it a good place to go?

Last year, I went to Belize and Guatemala for a long weekend and loved them, so was thinking Costa Rica would be equally fantastic.

Any other budget-friendly long weekend suggestions (preferably in a warm climate) would be welcomed. We talked about going to Yellowstone but November might be a little cold and snowy to do much hiking around...

Another idea was a cruise to the Bahamas but while it would offer warm weather and nice beaches, a Caribbean vacation just isn't quite my top choice. I'd be happy lounging around in the sun, but I'd much prefer visiting somewhere to soak up local culture beyond thousands of Americans jostling for space on a white sand beach.

Call me a snob; I know it's true.

There's always Southern California -- beaches, great food, lots of outdoorsy stuff to do and easy to plan. Maybe that's the way to go!

Prost

2009-10-17T08:42:00.008-04:00

Today might be cold and rainy -- more like December 17 than October 17 -- but last weekend the skies were bright and sunny for Oktoberfest.

Our local Oktoberfest celebration always brings the neighborhood out in force. There's a lot to see and do, from vendors selling handmade jewelry and art, to a traditional German band and dancers, to games and crafts for kids.

It's a fun event to walk around and explore, ducking in and out of booths to see both stunning and (occasionally) terrible art, where you're not sure WHY someone deemed it saleable.

When I was in high school and worked for the neighborhood community association, Oktoberfest meant work, usually selling tickets or helping lost passersby. In the years since, the celebration has expanded doubly and is certainly more fun as an attendee than employee.

A nice surprise this year was a booth from a German bakery. While 95% of the food vendors sold your typical fare junk -- hamburgers, greasy pizza and funnel cake (which Lauren made me try for the first time at ShamrockFest two years ago) -- this booth had real apfelstrudel, giant Bavarian pretzels and Haribo.

In this 10-foot-wide booth was a tiny taste of the entire market experience I had in Salzburg, Austria, two years ago.

I was disappointed there wasn't more German food, though. Most hamburger stands also sold bratwurst and sauerkraut but that was it. All I wanted was a big plate of spatzle. I don't know why but it's just SO good, like German mac-and-cheese.

All and all, Oktoberfest is always a fun day out. Two years ago, I celebrated Oktoberfest at a beer garden on the Thames in London. One year, I'll make it to Munich.

Photography exhibits galore

2009-10-16T16:11:00.005-04:00

When the weather starts getting cold, I want to spend as little time outdoors as possible. Luckily, there are a ton of FREE indoor things to do in DC and the plethora of museums are just one option.

This week, I spent some time at the National Building Museum. It's one of those museums I don't visit often, maybe once a year or less, but each time I'm reminded again what a stunning building it is inside and out. It's also rarely crowded as many tourists ignore this museum -- or are unaware of it -- and focus instead on the Smithsonian and monuments.

My favorite exhibit was Storefront Churches: Photographs by Camilo José Vergara. Vergara takes pictures of unusual churches from around the United States, from those with funny signs to converted stores or restaurants. One of my favorites was a former fast food restaurant that is now an evangelical church. It was also interesting seeing time lapse photos from the 1970s to today, and how an area has changed over time.

Photo credit

The other exhibit I saw was Form and Movement: Photographs by Philip Trager. (Can you tell I like photography?) Trager is best known as a photographer of architecture and displayed here pictures of houses and buildings from around the United States, France and Italy. He has a talent for unusual angles and manipulating the images to make certain aspects pop.

I loved this shot from Paris:

Photo credit

There were also some fantastic portraits of dancers included in the gallery, almost everything in black and white.

Like almost all of DC's museums, the National Building Museum is free and worth checking out. If nothing else, the building itself is stunning and worth walking through, plus there's a Firehook Bakery and Coffee House on that ground floor that's always delicious.

Do you like visiting museums in your free time. Some people love it, others are bored to death. I was often bored as a kid (except at the exceptional Air and Space Museum) but now I love museums!

For love of pumpkin #2

2009-10-15T13:58:00.005-04:00

Trader Joe's never steers me wrong.

This week, I tried their Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix for the first time and the results were scrumptious.

Topped with organic vanilla yogurt (also from TJ's!), flax, strawberries and raspberries, it honestly tasted like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast. Just so decadent and delicious -- a fantastic breakfast treat.

First pumpkin butter, now pumpkin pancakes... could breakfast get any better?! (Although I see that Caitlin made pumpkin spice pancakes from scratch and I'm intrigued to try that out soon.)

What will the next ode to pumpkin lovin' be about? Stay tuned.

Farm fresh

2009-10-14T11:20:00.012-04:00

One of the best things about living here is the huge range of environments available just a short drive or Metro ride away. From inner city to sprawling suburbs to wide-open spaces, you can go from downtown DC to rural Maryland in under 30 minutes.

For grocery shopping, buying directly from a farm is always better than the grocery store. Not only are you getting the freshest products possible, you're also supporting the local economy and a family-run business.

Rural Maryland still has a lot of family-run farms and it's always fun to head out to pick your own pumpkins, apples or broccoli. You can choose from a huge array of homemade jams, baked goods and crafts.

I've been introduced to new products at farms and farmers markets, too -- different varieties of apples, raspberries and tomatoes that even Whole Foods doesn't carry.

Driving out to the country, seeing the autumn leaves and clear blue skies, the air seems fresher -- especially after a year living in Seoul, where the air just never seemed quite breathable.

Last night, we enjoyed acorn squash from the farm. Today, I'm baking an apple crisp with Fuji apples that had just been picked. It's great to enjoy a meal where you know exactly where the ingredients come from.

Do you visit farms or farmers markets? Even if you can't make it out to a farm, farmers markets are also great places to buy affordable local produce, meat and dairy.