So I was at a local mall yesterday. (Don't ask why.) It's known for having a good, if a bit pricey, Chinese restaurant. So I stopped in to get dinner.
They handed over the menu. And it was in English. Not just "Kung Pao Chicken" or "Mu Shu pork" but "Beef in Hot ginger sauce" and "Hot tofu Szechuan style." I had this latter dish before, and found it to be a imitation of my memories of the real thing.
I've reached the point in my food life when I know I'm a fan of Szechuan, and my favorite dish is "Ma Po Dofu." The traditional preparation has chucks of tofu and small bits of pork in a sauce. And mouth numbing spices. But the key is the bit of pork. So I didn't want the "hot tofu Szechuan style" which was under the Vegetable menu, but the real deal.
I find myself in the awkward place where neither a menu in English nor one in Chinese fits my needs. So I simply had to order up in my bit Chinese, and hope for the best. It was tasty.
30 November 2006
12 November 2006
Will wonders never cease?
Let me start by saying, "Don't worry, I was supervised."
It's never a good start to a story, but this story does not involve fire.
Yesterday, for the first time ever, I observed the workings of the top loading washing machine. I should point out that I have watched front loading machines at a laundromat. Front loaders were quite common in Europe, as they use less energy and water than the typical top loader. They have a transparent door, as most commercial dryers do.
But it was the opaque lid that always was a discouragement for the top loader. It was as if the process was meant to be a secret. Indeed, to watch it move through the entire cycle, you have to fool the machine into thinking that the lid is closed. Chris did let me put my hand in during the spin cycle, but before it was moving really fast.
So three cheers to the spirit of investigation of the known world! It may be a machine I've used hundreds of times without incident, but I'm a richer person for the experience.
It's never a good start to a story, but this story does not involve fire.
Yesterday, for the first time ever, I observed the workings of the top loading washing machine. I should point out that I have watched front loading machines at a laundromat. Front loaders were quite common in Europe, as they use less energy and water than the typical top loader. They have a transparent door, as most commercial dryers do.
But it was the opaque lid that always was a discouragement for the top loader. It was as if the process was meant to be a secret. Indeed, to watch it move through the entire cycle, you have to fool the machine into thinking that the lid is closed. Chris did let me put my hand in during the spin cycle, but before it was moving really fast.
So three cheers to the spirit of investigation of the known world! It may be a machine I've used hundreds of times without incident, but I'm a richer person for the experience.
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