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     It has been exactly six months since I started up this blog, and I am happy to say that it is still going!  I have posted at least three times every month since my first post-- with the exception of April, when I did not post at all.  This is the most amount of regular for-other-people-and-not-just-me writing I have done in years , so this is very exciting.      What's also exciting is that I have a new favorite game (which I did not invent): creating Hallmark movie synopses for your single friends.  Two friends of mine began this, and now I can't stop.  I just finished planning one in which my friend meets her soulmate while criticizing clothes at the mall, and then gets rescued from a tornado AND from a three-nose-ringed barista wearing moss and lichen on his face instead of a beard.  I need to write this out straight away before I forget it, actually.  All in all, I highly recommend the game.

     People like to talk about "Fast Fashion," in regards to clothing and accessories, but has anyone thought about it in relation to food?  Think about how many food fads there are: avocado, quinoa, coconut oil, fruit-infused water, etc.  Have you ever noticed that restaurants with the same price range and "target audience" all tend to copy each other?  That's not a coincidence.      People who are 30 probably cook and eat differently than people who are 50-60; and those who are 60+?  Apparently, there's such thing as "old people food."  Why is this?  Why can't it just be...... I don't know..... food?  I had some horseradish the other day at work, and I realized that I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten horseradish, or seen anyone else eat it, either.  People have been eating that stuff for hundreds of years, and they were on to something: it's really good with meat.  Why do we never eat it...

     And now for the big reveal:  I am moving back to Georgia!  I have been away for some years, and it will be good to go back for some time.  I will now have new kinds of adventures to report, and new sources of inspiration.... and new things to criticize, let's be honest.  :)

       Today my roommate asked whether I was cooking or conducting a science experiment.  It's a fair question, actually, especially if you had seen how ridiculously I was going about my culinary endeavor.      I am attempting to create a coconut and Thai basil limeade, but I'm not sure how well it's going thus far.  I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if the coconut and Thai basil flavors have infused the limeade or not.  I feel pretty justified in my flavor combination, but I also feel like the contestants on the Great British Baking Show when they struggle to balance all the flavors in a given dish.  I would really love for this to turn out well, but we'll see.  At least I won't lose anything but a little bit of time and ingredients should I fail to achieve the perfect coconut Thai basil limeade.          I've also been listening to more random stuff on YouTube, wh...

     Sorry for the unprofessional, super-duper informal and messy format of my blog lately.  There's been a lot going on-- which at least does mean that I have a lot things to say.... (as if that's ever the real problem, haaaaaa...)      I know very little about Asian culture, but I am happy to say that I am learning more about it these days.  On a sort of related note, I have noticed that many Asian restaurants have potted plants in the dining room, but very few American restaurants do.  In fact, most American restaurants have a very warm color palette, while a lot of East Asian restaurants tend to use cooler colors in their decorating.  It's very interesting, each strategy attempts to create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere, but the approaches are slightly different.  I wish potted plants were more ubiquitous, and I plan on purchasing a parlor palm when the opportunity presents itsel...

     These are the real questions.  If you have an answer, leave it in a comment!  :) Why do men often choose to say "buddy" rather than friends, but women always use the term "friend"?  Is there a worry that "friend" sounds "too emotional" or "too intimate," and so a "tougher" word is needed?  If so, why?  (Personally, I'm not so much a fan of the term "buddy" if it is always used to replace "friend.") "Cannoli" is a plural noun in Italian.  Is there a singular?  Is the singular "cannolo"?  If so, why do we not use it? Why aren't more shows like The Great British Baking Show and Escape to the Country ? When suet is used to make desserts, do the desserts taste like meat?  Does suet count as meat on a Friday? Is it only my family, or do most American families rarely eat seafood? Why is it so expensive to rent graduation caps and gowns?  Are they rarely returned in good c...

     Hello, all!  I realize I have been absent for quite a while.  There has been a lot happening here, and I will have exciting news to share soon, but for now I have another set of quick reviews.  This time, they will be sorted out into categories. Food Uyghur food is fantastic, and I hope more such restaurants will be popping up soon in other parts of the country. Mango mead is really good, as is pineapple hard cider. If you put a little bit of rosewater into your coffee, the taste is quite pleasant.  Note, I said a LITTLE bit.  Rose-- and other florals-- can be an insanely overpowering taste if you put more than a little bit in.  Always put less than you think is enough-- you can always add more after tasting. Not Food Trays are not to be sneezed at.  There's a reason they exist.  What would you rather do, take ALL of your midnight snack up to your room one item at a time, or bring it all in one trip?  How...