Day5
Sawmybrotherinthemorning.Hehadhomemadewontonsforbreakfast,whileIhadthreebowlsofChaoGanthatmydadboughtatanearbystreetvendor.
1.ChaoGan(炒肝):3RMB/bowl.NormallyBeijingpeoplelikestoeatChaoGanwithBaoZitogetherforbreakfast(seemynextepisode),butIamjusthappytoeatChaoGanalonewhenitisthisgood.
Westayedhomeandtalkedmostofthetimeexceptgoingoutforlunch.WewenttoDongLaiShunHotPotRestaurantnearP...[
阅读全文]
Day4continue
NovisittoBeijingiscompleteuntilyouseetheGreatWallandeattheBeijingRoastDuck.Wedon'tgoseetheGreatWalleverytime,butwedoeattheroastduckeverytimewegoback,andalwaysatthesamerestaurant:BeijingJinsongQuanjudeRoastDuckRestaurant.
1.Menu.
2.Toomanydishes,toolittleroominthestomach.
3.Aroastduckcosts118RMB(~$16)here,includingthepancake,dippingsauces,slicedshallots,cucumbersetc.
阅读全文]
Day4
ThecompanyIworkforintheU.S.hasaBeijingoffice.Ican'trememberwhenitwasestablished.Ijustknowithasgottenalotbiggerlately.ThedepartmentIaminhasnopresenceinBeijingayearago,nowithasnearly100people,almostallwithmasterdegree.ImetseveralofthemwhentheycametotheU.S.eitherfortrainingortoattendmeetings.AcoupleofthemknewIwascomingtoBeijing,butnotsureifIwouldhavetimetovisitthem.Theresthadnoideawhatsoever...[
阅读全文]
Day3continue
Afterlunch,Yuanwentbacktowork.Itriedtocallanotherfriendofmine,butcouldn'treachhim,soDaveandIdecidedtocheckoutthesuperWal-Martnearmyparents'home.Itisgigantic,andtheyselleverything:liveturtle,livehairycrab,roastduck,everybodypartofthepig......
1.DragonFruit.
2.Durian.
3.Buyoneturtlegetoneblackchickenfree.
4.Hairycrab:380RMB(~$51)per500g.
5.Shoppingcart.
6.Woo...[
阅读全文]
ThebadpartofflyingNorthwestAirlinetoChinaisthatitisEXTRALONG.FirstweflewtoMinneapolis(Day19:00am),thentoTokyo,thentoBeijing.BythetimewegottoBeijing(Day29:00pm),wealreadyspentmorethan24hourseitherattheairportsorontheplanes.Itwasalongandpainfuljourney,theworstpartofthewholetrip.
Day3
ThereisnodoubtaboutitthatBeijingisalotcleanerthanbefore,butthepollutionandthetrafficarestillterrible.Youhavet...[
阅读全文]
Itinerary:Beijing->Nanjing->Suzhou->Shanghai
InlateOct,whileIwasthinkingwhereweshouldgoforThanksgiving,anideacametome.IthasbeenalmosttwoyearssinceourlastvisittoChina,whydon'twegobacktoChinaaroundThanksgiving.Tomakethetripmoreinteresting,Iplannedtostay4daysinBeijingwheremyparentslive,4daysinNanjingwheremyaunt,uncleandtwocousinslive,4daysinSuzhou,3daysinShanghai,andcomebackfromShanghaiaftertheTh...[
阅读全文]
After11yearsofservice,Davefinallytradedinhisbeloved1995FordTaurusSHOlastweek.Itwaskindofsad,sinceDavehadthecarforsolong.Wewasheditreallygoodbeforethetrade-in.Thecarlookedalmostbrandnew,withonlytwominordoordingsandasmallpaintscratchonthefrontbumper.
Thedealerwasdecenttoofferus$2,000forthetrade-in.It'snotmuch,butcertainlyalotbetterthantheothertwoofferswegot:onedealeroffered$1,250,theother(CarMax...[
阅读全文]
Yesterdaymorning,IgotanemailfromDiscoverCardsaying:
Dearxxxx:
Thisisnotapromotionale-mail.Pleasecallusimmediatelyat1-800-xxx-xxxxregardingrecentactivityonyourDiscoverCardAccountendinginxxxx.We'reavailable24/7totakeyourcall.
Pleasedisregardthise-mailifyou'vealreadyspokentoussincethedatethise-mailwassent.
Weappreciateyourpromptattentiontothismatter.
Thankyou
DiscoverCardFraud...[
阅读全文]
Iliketoeatduck.Period.MyfavoriteduckdishesareBeijingRoastDuck, NanjingBraisedDuck(南京烧鸭),andNanjingSaltedDuck. Amongthem,NanjingSaltedDuckisprobablytheeasiestonetomake.
Ingredients:
1duck(~5lbs)
2tablespoonssalt
2tablespoonsSichuanpeppercorns(花椒)
Brothtocooktheduckin(seeNotebelow)
Chopduckinto4largepieces.Itiseasiertomarinateandcookthisway.Peelanddiscardasm...[
阅读全文]
LiangFenisapopularChineseappetizer.Itismadeofgreenbeanstarch,waterandyourfavoritesauce.Tomakeitathome,Iuse1/2cupofgreenbeanstarch,3cupsofwater,mixwell,usemediumhighheattocookittillboiling(stirconstantlytoavoidscorch).Coolinrefrigeratorfor3hours.Thensliceitintosmallpiecesandpouronthesauce.
Forsauce,Iliketouse:
1teaspoonsugar
1tablespoonricevinegar
2tablespoonssoysauce
2tabl...[
阅读全文]
