Teatopia

Chai

After hearing about Stef making her own Chai, I decided to make some of my own. I have been thinking about it for a while and never realized how easy it is. Afterall, I've been drinking Chai for almost a decade! I picked up this book at Barnes and Noble and I plan to try a recipe or 2 this weekend.

Fall is Here

I have never been more excited about fall.

Just listen to this week's featured recipe on the Food Network site: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes. Well, I've got a plan for the weekend. This looks amazing. You can find the recipe here.

The Weather Channel

There's something addicting about The Weather Channel. I've always enjoyed watching it. I like knowing when it's going to rain and when I need a jacket. It somehow comforts me. I also like the elevator music they play. Sometimes at work, I like to sneak away to check their website. When we had all the hurricanes, man was I glued. I made each of my classes watch for the last 5 minutes of class. I'm so weird. :-)

Soba Noodles with Sesame Seeds

Tonight I made this wonderful dish by Nigella Lawson. I know I previously posted about the comfort of rainy days and now I'm sharing a cold noodle recipe, but somehow slurping a nice bowl of noodles held high to my face seems relaxing and wonderful (and of course yummy). I fact, this is exactly how Nigella describes it.

Click below for the recipe.

Ingredients:

75g sesame seeds
salt
250g soba noodles
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
5 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
5 spring onions

Instructions:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over a high heat until they look golden brown. Set aside.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add some salt. Put in the soba noodles and cook them for about 7 minutes (or according to packet instructions) until they are tender but not mushy. Have a bowl of iced water waiting to put them in once they've been drained.

In the bowl you are going to serve them in, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, honey and oil. Then finely slice the spring onions and put them into the bowl with the cooled, drained noodles and mix together thoroughly before adding the sesame seeds and tossing again. (I actually doubled the sauce ingrediants because to me, they weren't flavorful enough.)

Leave the sesame seed noodles for about an hour to let the flavors marry.

Slurp and enjoy. :-)

Rainy Day

There's nothing like a good ol' rainy day for long, hot baths, cups of tea, and a good movie with your honey.

Saturday Treats

Yesterday, James and I drove up to peachtree City, just south of Atlanta. We went to a nice, trendy, little shopping center where we visited the following shops:

Yankee Candle: I bought this wonderfully fragrant Peppermint Cocoa candle I have been wanting for a while. It was a seasonal item last year and I never was able to find one. It smells so good. I burned it last night. Good news: we're getting a Yankee Candle here in Columbus.

Teafusions: our favorite tea shop. I had a cup of cranberry tea and James had the usual (chai). I purchased an ounce of China's best golden monkey, an ounce of rooibos chai, and Mo (the owner) was kind enough to give us a sample of the latest tea, Cookies and Cream. Yummy. :-)

Williams Sonoma: lots of yummy samples. We bought olive oil with garlic and chunks af asiago cheese to melt on top of crusty bread. We also got some good, old-fashined waffle mix.

Starbucks: picked up some dark, exotic, Indonesian anniverary blend.

It really was a good day. :-)

When it rains, it pours, but then the sun comes out . . .

Today only got worse, but I came home to find a package. Some time ago I ordered a CD of a South African CD I had been wanting and it finally came today.

Tired

It's only 9:59 am and I can tell it's going to be one of "those" days. I had a parent call the principal last night because her daughter wet her pants in class after I told her she couldn't go to the bathroom. I'm not in trouble, because I followed our team policy, but still . . . Number one, it was in the morning and they are supposed to go before school. Number two, she had no pass (we are big on students being responsible for the hallpass we give them each 9 weeks). Number three, usually a student will ask again if it's really an emergency. Number four, this kid is always in my face asking questions.

Uh, when do teachers ever have time to go? There's such a thing as holding it.

Also, I have a stomach ache and I'm just plain tired. Someone get me out of here. I'm about to pull the fire alarm. (just kidding)

Late Night Grocery Shopping

James is having to work late tonight to finish some contract, so what I am doing? I'm going grocery shopping at 8:20. There's something refreshing about going to the grocery store. I don't mean a quick trip to buy one thing, I mean actually browsing the aisles for my weekly trip. We're out of some things I don't often buy like deoderant, conditioner, and vanilla extract, so I decided to do my normal shopping today instead of Saturday. It makes me feel good because there's a sense of security- I've stocked for the week and I have what I need to cook all my planned meals, which I enjoy immensely. So, I'm weird, because even after a long day, I am relaxed by going to buy groceries. . .

Snapple

Lately I have been drinking this at work. Each Monday I bring in a week's supply. They are so wonderful and refreshing.

Comfy Things

As I sit here in my freezing classroom wishing I was home, I'm thinking about all the things that make me feel good and bring me comfort.

1) a good book

2) movies like "Lost in Translation" and "You've Got Mail"

3) Rachael Ray's shows: 30 Minute Meals and $40 a Day

4) Food! soups, oatmeal, and pancakes

5) Hot beverages like tea and coffee

6) the wonderful autumn weather that's on its way :-)

Worth the Wait

Today was one of the best days I've had in a long time, and here's why:

I heard a rumor last week that Columbus was getting an Indian restaurant. Not being able to confirm it, I decided to check it out for myself, so I drove down to where I heard it was coming. Sure enough, in big red, bold letters, I saw the words: Coming Soon, Mayuri Indian Restaurant. I almost cried. Those of you who know me know that ever since I was young, I've had a great interest in anything and and everything international. I adore traveling and I also love eating and cooking ethnic foods. Growing up in the D.C. area, I had all this at my fingertips, so when I moved here, it was hard. It's been hard for me for a long time. Seeing that restaurant today did 2 things for me: 1) it showed me that there is indeed progression in Columbus, Ga, the city of my birth, and 2) it made me feel satisfied and excited. It seems to be a huge buffet!!! Palak Paneer, Chana Masala, warm, spicey Chai, and pakora are just a few things on my mind.

After seeing the restaurant, we went to the Oriental/Korean Market to buy ramen, edamame (soybeans), soba noodles for a yummy, healthy Japanese noodle salad, udon soup mix, miso soup, canned Korean fruit drinks, Korean gum, and frozen shumei. We also had a nice convesation with the owner. We bought a phone card to call James's family and we ended up talking to him about our visit to Korea this past summer and our thoughts on moving there. He encouraged us to go, especially when he learned that I'm an English teacher. You can make good money teaching English in Korea.

Lastly, we visited the Caribbean market for nice spicey beef pockets. :-)

Take Me To South Africa

When I was younger, I used to stare out the window of the airport at the South African Airways plane while I waited for my boring, old plane to take me somewhere in the U.S. Its bright colors always caught my attention and drew me in. I assumed South Africa must be a wonderfully exotic place to have such brightly colored planes and now, this coming summer, one of these will take me with it.

Update: Hurricane Ivan

Today has been kinda crazy with all the wind and rain. At one point today, I was huddled in the closet with my dogs after a tornado was spotted minutes from my house. The sirens were going off and it was scary. This happened 3 times today! I don't know what will happen tomorrow because the weather is supposed to get better. As far as I know, we're still off.

Here Comes Ivan

Well, it's official. School has been cancelled until Monday. A four day weekend sounds nice until you consider that we may be without power. Also, I'm not looking forward to taking my two doggies out in horrible rain and 60 mile an hour winds! *sigh*

The Perfect South African Attire

Although our trip is not for many months, I am already making mental lists of things I'll need. We will be going during the winter (their winter, our summer), so I will need some warmer things. I'm sure when we're on safari it'll be hot being out in the sun, but I'm sure when the sun goes down, I'll need to keep warm. I also need some nice outfits for at night when we're out on the town-- Capetown that is! Here are some things I'm looking at ordering:

This scarf made of Italian silk. I think of rich, British women in 19th century Kenya when I look at this scarf.

Some waterproof hiking boots. I may find something more feminine to actually order.

This nice wrinkle-resistant Oxfors tunic. A nice basic, white shirt to wear either buttoned, or left open over another shirt. This with a pair of wrinkle-resistant khakis and hiking boots really makes the ultimate safari outfit.

This very cute zebra bag.

Meeting

Today I have my first official face-to-face meeting with the woman who is hopefully going to make my dreams come true-- my travel agent. She has some brochures on South Africa for me and I can't wait to see them. The big question: can I really afford this trip? should be answered today.

After that, I think I'll head next door for carry out Thai food from one of our favorite restaraunts, Chili Thai.

Thank You, Frances!

Although Hurricane Frnaces has been devestating for some, it gave me the day off. A four day weekend . . . woo hoo!

Here are some highlights from my four day weekend:

*A daring drive to a local legend- Cry Baby bridge. Apparently, a mother killed her baby by drowning it in the creek. It really was a scary drive to the bridge, but as you can see from the picture below, there are no orbs as many report to find in their photos.

*A fabulous dinner with my grandma at Chili's

*Breakfast on Saturday morning with my family at IHOP after viewing the house my parents just purchased!

*Seeing The Exorcist: The Beginning. I could barely sleep last night after seeing this movie. I'm such a chicken!

Tea Bag Candles

How cute are these?

A Tribute to my Grandma

After a bit of a scare this week, I've been thinking about how much I cherish my grandma, who I call Dah. (I made up the name before I was old enough to talk). Everywhere I've lived, my grandma has lived in the same city. She has been at everything I've ever done- chorus concerts, piano recitals, school plays . . . She gave me a luncheon when I got married along with my other grandma. We've been on tons of vacations together. My grandma has been one of my best friends for years. I tell her everything because we can talk about anything. I even spent the night with her every Sat. night from about age 5-15. We've been especially close since moving here. I don't know many people here still and James and I often meet my grandma for a movie or dinner on a weekend night. I appreciate her wisdom-- she knows everything.

A Daily Treat

For those of you who don't subsribe to Daily Candy-- you are missing out. I look forward to reading mine every day. You can sign up for them to e-mail you that day's topic or you can simply check the site yourself. They often have blurbs about beauty and fashion and also tea and coffee.

Just check out the site the daily Candy referred yesteday-- Fauchon-- a French complany selling goddies such as biscotti, tea, coffee, and preserves (the rose petal preserves sound great!)