tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83858434311940033102024-03-05T04:55:18.829-06:00Brain Spillcleaning out the cobwebs and making more room in my head for more important things.Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-67442059423767698062011-02-16T12:29:00.000-06:002011-02-16T12:29:56.683-06:00Baby Harry Potter Shoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7HKJGaiv_4rJ_w2R7Qmf4HiZuwddURWr2qDpfvQgS_xypqpJYbNNoVE-w5KGYITloPHFcdURqtEDtzggW15soc4zx6R6-u5g99_zZ9Rr3PssMDrFl77O3PAaaTSXKP8YItghkB4bA019/s1600/HPbabyShoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7HKJGaiv_4rJ_w2R7Qmf4HiZuwddURWr2qDpfvQgS_xypqpJYbNNoVE-w5KGYITloPHFcdURqtEDtzggW15soc4zx6R6-u5g99_zZ9Rr3PssMDrFl77O3PAaaTSXKP8YItghkB4bA019/s320/HPbabyShoes2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I've created another pair of Harry Potter Shoes - this time with cute little kids shoes! Baby Hedwig and Baby Harry with a snitch sit ont he front, with a silhouette of Hogwarts on the sides an a lightning bolt on the back!</span><br />
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</span>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-3020623668937647802010-10-20T19:57:00.002-05:002010-10-20T20:09:45.747-05:00China Study Abroad!Phew! I just finished transferring my blog posts over to this blog, backdated to when they were written, plus added some entries that I never got to posting! So take a look at the past few posts on here if you missed them while I was abroad for the summer and are interested!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqlKCzivI/AAAAAAAAAvY/LgQ1-74KY6Q/s1600/Photo+on+2010-07-15+at+14.14+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqlKCzivI/AAAAAAAAAvY/LgQ1-74KY6Q/s320/Photo+on+2010-07-15+at+14.14+%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I got a big Totoro while in China. It's Awesome.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also have all the photos I posted on here, plus some more on my Picasa: click <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/AllBerlinJohnson/Summer2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCLLz3dmbpNiwSg&feat=directlink">here</a> to check it out!</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-69585998461811518032010-10-20T19:52:00.000-05:002010-10-20T19:52:33.421-05:00China: Beijing - The Great WallThis was my last day in China - a 10k hike on the Great Wall of China. It doesn't need a single word so here we go:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqNyCBSgI/AAAAAAAAAuw/C27ul_xtUXk/s1600/IMG_3391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqNyCBSgI/AAAAAAAAAuw/C27ul_xtUXk/s320/IMG_3391.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqS1m-A6I/AAAAAAAAAu0/kz0sjMqiZ04/s1600/IMG_3395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDqS1m-A6I/AAAAAAAAAu0/kz0sjMqiZ04/s320/IMG_3395.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-61504372733141960762010-10-20T19:49:00.001-05:002010-10-20T20:03:11.748-05:00China: Beijing - Forbidden CityThe morning after arriving in Beijing, Elise and I meet up with Ben and his wife (who flew in the night before) to explore the Forbidden City and the surrounding area. Of course, we visited Tiananmen Square.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkfpwbGlI/AAAAAAAAAnA/V2g5MG-dEDw/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkfpwbGlI/AAAAAAAAAnA/V2g5MG-dEDw/s320/IMG_3246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkx07Cx7I/AAAAAAAAAnY/xEm_ybBOuAA/s1600/IMG_3255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkx07Cx7I/AAAAAAAAAnY/xEm_ybBOuAA/s320/IMG_3255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We then moved on to the Forbidden City (which is right across the street). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDk5e4cYoI/AAAAAAAAAng/BtDopOAYWeY/s1600/IMG_3260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDk5e4cYoI/AAAAAAAAAng/BtDopOAYWeY/s320/IMG_3260.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although it was cool to think "Hey, I've seen this in a few movies and now I'm actually here!", I was overwhelmed by the amount of people. So, I turned it into my own little contest of "Let's see how many nice pictures I can take without people in them"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA4_nKANkpb1sp_xpwxYFBy0P0xGwUFi5aw7fk2Wzc0u81kASBecwDDfVdVGV9C6MSsUwLao7W-iBNEa7lhqCyhQpopdz0eGW9xKIjxz5xIQDDfNPHEDuvLQQ4FpfwiaFKi0PIE_OJQUv/s1600/IMG_3277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA4_nKANkpb1sp_xpwxYFBy0P0xGwUFi5aw7fk2Wzc0u81kASBecwDDfVdVGV9C6MSsUwLao7W-iBNEa7lhqCyhQpopdz0eGW9xKIjxz5xIQDDfNPHEDuvLQQ4FpfwiaFKi0PIE_OJQUv/s320/IMG_3277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>oh no! there is a person in this one :(</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Afterwords, Elise and I explored the area around our hostel. It was an adorable little alley way full of the type of cute things I love - an Ali Alley! Okay, yes, I'm a dork... but it was true! Sadly, I didn't take pictures of it... While in Beijing I was becoming dazed from traveling so much and ready to head home!</div><div><br />
</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-7139739312034930312010-10-20T17:26:00.002-05:002010-10-20T19:32:29.256-05:00China: Beijing - Temple of Heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After stowing our luggage at the hostel were Elise and I were staying at in Beijing together, Elise, Ben and I went to Explore Temple of heaven. They had beautiful buildings and gardens - I just had to pretend I didn't know that the temple was once for animal sacrifices! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkBOPXtiI/AAAAAAAAAmY/STDOw4q4v_Q/s1600/IMG_3228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkBOPXtiI/AAAAAAAAAmY/STDOw4q4v_Q/s320/IMG_3228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkcM-ywqI/AAAAAAAAAm4/o8j8QDUmfwc/s1600/IMG_3244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDkcM-ywqI/AAAAAAAAAm4/o8j8QDUmfwc/s320/IMG_3244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was pretty exhausted after the traveling and walking around Beijing, so if my memory serves me right [I am writing this months after I returned!], Elise and I went back to hostel to rest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That evening we went to a pretty neat acrobatics show - however having been to Cirque du Soleil, I have to be honest and say that although it was impressive, it wasn't nearly as amazing.</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-76463582775777387722010-10-20T16:52:00.000-05:002010-10-20T16:52:58.104-05:00China: Hangzhou to BeijingDuring my last afternoon in Hangzhou, we got to visit my favorite restaurant again - Shou Kang Yong, the one and only vegetarian restaurant in Hangzhou. Yes, I did actually get to eat there after wanting to during my whole stay in Hangzhou! Sadly, not until my last week there.<br />
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The first time Elise, Will and I went, we were amazed by the food. We all loved it, and it was scary similar to meat dishes. The restaurant is run by Buddhists though, so there is no meat, eggs or alcohol - plus, it said that all their produced was organic! <br />
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I took a picture of the spread after we devoured most of it - I was excited because I could eat EVERYTHING!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5PG1DfPAEW61AHoC7zr4T3oDG0mEQZAvsbkniKKQKJ9nz_Sv9IfqKcrXNZgOQVyR_tuHnZVW2cQCFyboQcVsS6-rlesxklecoszj9LNmw1_I_o9XT_lUeaPGUaQNnnWsqkHOoA2t2oQY/s1600/IMG_3140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5PG1DfPAEW61AHoC7zr4T3oDG0mEQZAvsbkniKKQKJ9nz_Sv9IfqKcrXNZgOQVyR_tuHnZVW2cQCFyboQcVsS6-rlesxklecoszj9LNmw1_I_o9XT_lUeaPGUaQNnnWsqkHOoA2t2oQY/s320/IMG_3140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj131DnCSVd-hLqa0Cw_XqzZN3oWgW3qCM3Gs-zP3Hlt2460T1I6NzoZaLJT18YgR5ERxGvctiWmAxxA85I_LqvkltHg2D3iWE64PVnHDxbslzRbR-yRERyLriQJIR0yeJFZ7O-_sf7z5Qt/s1600/IMG_3137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj131DnCSVd-hLqa0Cw_XqzZN3oWgW3qCM3Gs-zP3Hlt2460T1I6NzoZaLJT18YgR5ERxGvctiWmAxxA85I_LqvkltHg2D3iWE64PVnHDxbslzRbR-yRERyLriQJIR0yeJFZ7O-_sf7z5Qt/s320/IMG_3137.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This flower is actually a carrot!</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY087jSaplYO7IIebndUCDmHM0wLCpaMXL00G0MWK0Jyqcx9V4aPXYAKN0ZcNOpy5-X4RmjklilwsXrk3q6u0h3-KpuW9f6s-BGjsHvo36SXDvM0nuYXHWlIINu1vCdjcXoT6GuLr7ZMb/s1600/IMG_3139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY087jSaplYO7IIebndUCDmHM0wLCpaMXL00G0MWK0Jyqcx9V4aPXYAKN0ZcNOpy5-X4RmjklilwsXrk3q6u0h3-KpuW9f6s-BGjsHvo36SXDvM0nuYXHWlIINu1vCdjcXoT6GuLr7ZMb/s320/IMG_3139.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>It got devoured too</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So anyways, on our last afternoon in Hangzhou, Will, Elise and I went there again with the company of Ben, Tou, Able, Wang Kai and Fang Kai. We were once again amazed with their delicious food.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgr_iWV0I/AAAAAAAAAis/3d1kDBvx7CU/s1600/IMG_3164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgr_iWV0I/AAAAAAAAAis/3d1kDBvx7CU/s320/IMG_3164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgvGdnRmI/AAAAAAAAAiw/ionCn1ZX0tQ/s1600/IMG_3165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgvGdnRmI/AAAAAAAAAiw/ionCn1ZX0tQ/s320/IMG_3165.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch, we headed back to our dorm to gather our things and check out. I took some quick pictures of the campus while leaving because I realized I hadn't during my whole stay!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCND8D5Bb_Igrz1Yf6fs1drnhQuyI8IOUJJk08HOPXzpOtieaS-sAuAMQWMzFy1ONdq43d1ymsU2ERUwTOVC6aD1AqKzf3hjau9g9ifO1BwYABtzwLP6O9finJ4vcUJL4XdIqx9AUqmXgq/s1600/IMG_3169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCND8D5Bb_Igrz1Yf6fs1drnhQuyI8IOUJJk08HOPXzpOtieaS-sAuAMQWMzFy1ONdq43d1ymsU2ERUwTOVC6aD1AqKzf3hjau9g9ifO1BwYABtzwLP6O9finJ4vcUJL4XdIqx9AUqmXgq/s320/IMG_3169.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Fruit stand - yum!</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhKYNGmSI/AAAAAAAAAjM/mXvllwffazM/s1600/IMG_3170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhKYNGmSI/AAAAAAAAAjM/mXvllwffazM/s320/IMG_3170.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhPbPGYfI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Feow3IXs1IU/s1600/IMG_3171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhPbPGYfI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Feow3IXs1IU/s320/IMG_3171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The dorm I lived in while in Hangzhou</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhUx9NoiI/AAAAAAAAAjY/OA2pj0KZAkY/s1600/IMG_3172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhUx9NoiI/AAAAAAAAAjY/OA2pj0KZAkY/s320/IMG_3172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elise, Ben and I were all going to Beijing, so we took a taxi together to the train station. It was the night train so we had a compartment that we shared with a high school aged boy. He spoke pretty good English and we all played cards until we all decided to go to sleep to the rumble of the train.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We woke up in the morning, looking pretty:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhi-Oa4zI/AAAAAAAAAjo/gl0jxKH2-_o/s1600/IMG_3181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDhi-Oa4zI/AAAAAAAAAjo/gl0jxKH2-_o/s320/IMG_3181.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And KAZAM! We were in Beijing. I must say, I'm a big fan of traveling by train. It's relaxing and more comfortable than planes, cars or buses!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-11566255720583049372010-07-10T08:53:00.007-05:002010-10-20T13:34:47.179-05:00China: Leaving HangzhouI'm leaving for Beijing tonight!<br />
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Last night everyone (students, profs and chinese students) got together for dinner and then karaoke since it was our last night in Hangzhou.<br />
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At dinner we got to make our own dumpling. They even got me a little bowl of veggies so i could make some too!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDf_277URI/AAAAAAAAAhw/51abWoKmmog/s1600/IMG_3148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDf_277URI/AAAAAAAAAhw/51abWoKmmog/s320/IMG_3148.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDf7kkTUPI/AAAAAAAAAhs/E9XXhQ7kLKQ/s1600/IMG_3147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDf7kkTUPI/AAAAAAAAAhs/E9XXhQ7kLKQ/s320/IMG_3147.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Will being proud of his dumpling</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDfudmGClI/AAAAAAAAAhU/m45cpLvUnuw/s1600/IMG_3142_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDfudmGClI/AAAAAAAAAhU/m45cpLvUnuw/s320/IMG_3142_3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i>Wang Kai, Able (I still dont know how to spell his name...) and me. Wang Kai is waving a dumpling in my face</i><br />
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It was our second time going to a karaoke bar. It's fun, the only sad thing is all the songs I know, know one else knows! I sang Shiny Happy People by R.E.M and appeared to be the only one who knew it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSy9x_vZIRNgaGVVFVtgWx4QDVI2d6nFB7UvdMA_79NlsItWzjbJT3B3jMgNga-PQHhKvM2NmjGzhVQLub_kMOQZNmDWqxFbBJek1UzIihcOBYFMk8t3IBp_nbx4MJfFYyuUlJAYHD4OT/s1600/IMG_3162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSy9x_vZIRNgaGVVFVtgWx4QDVI2d6nFB7UvdMA_79NlsItWzjbJT3B3jMgNga-PQHhKvM2NmjGzhVQLub_kMOQZNmDWqxFbBJek1UzIihcOBYFMk8t3IBp_nbx4MJfFYyuUlJAYHD4OT/s320/IMG_3162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgcR6TZuI/AAAAAAAAAiU/DPlc309yyyE/s1600/IMG_3160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgcR6TZuI/AAAAAAAAAiU/DPlc309yyyE/s320/IMG_3160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgHW3zEaI/AAAAAAAAAh4/ne96ZY1yGjg/s1600/IMG_3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDgHW3zEaI/AAAAAAAAAh4/ne96ZY1yGjg/s320/IMG_3152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-85607536693748585792010-07-04T20:00:00.001-05:002010-10-20T16:40:27.387-05:00China: Week 5Blog Assignment - Week 5:<br />
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Having such a busy week filled with proposals, presentations and mechanics exams, I was looking forward to the weekend. Saturday’s plans included Will, Elise, Jack and I going to Hefang street to buy tea and other gifts for friends back in the US. We were then going to check out Shou Kang Yong for dinner, a vegetarian restaurant I have been excited to go to for weeks.<br />
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Hefang street was fun as usual, with all the little shops and venders. Our first main stop was to buy tea. We went inside and got to smell a variety of different teas, my personal favorite was the jasmine tea. One of the workers there also let us try some of the tea and performed a small tea ceremony. It was very interesting, although I must admit, awkward. None of us really knew how to behave, so we just sat there quietly, glancing at each other every once. From my observations of the tea ceremony, it seemed like she would always offer the tea or hot water to Buddha first before we had any.<br />
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After buying some tea and other knickknacks, we headed off to find the restaurant. It was already 8:30pm so I was a little nervous that the kitchen would be closed, but Elise ensured me that they didn’t closed until 10pm. From a map, we knew the restaurant was only a few blocks form Hefang on Yan’an road. Walking down Yan’an searching for building 38, we found buildings 35 and 37 after only about 5 minutes of walking. We all were relieved we were so closed and crossed the street to get to building 38. However, once we got to the other size, we found not building 38, but 90! All of us we very confused and thought that we might be on the wrong street. We searched for a street sign, but failed so we decided to walk a little farther West to see if we ran into Yan’an. We eventually, however, found ourselves on Nanshan road instead, with only the lake ahead of us. <br />
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Getting tired, hot and hungry, we finally found some people to ask for directions. We showed them the address and a map, but after some Chinese phrases later, we didn’t have any new information. In fact, they pointed us North, the one direction we knew wasn’t correct. Jack and Will tried asking others in Chinese as well, but no one would even let them finish asking before shaking their head and walking away.<br />
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Having walked in a big circle and maybe a figure 8 or two for at least 45 minutes, we all were on the edge. I was getting more and more sure that we would not be able to eat at my dreamed about vegetarian restaurant. Will then had the idea to call the restaurant to ask them for directions. After doing so, we finally made it there. It ended up being on the very first street we walked down, even closer to Hefang that we realized. Sadly, even though our More Hangzhou magazine said they wouldn’t close until 10pm, when we walked in the doors we were told they were no longer serving food.<br />
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I was rather disappointed, tired, hungry and hot – but I did learn one thing from my adventure. Make sure to have a map that lists ALL of the street names and beware asking directions! We also are planning to have (an earlier) dinner this Tuesday so I can finally check out the vegetarian restaurant before leaving Hangzhou!Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-59345781846588925072010-06-27T19:30:00.003-05:002010-10-20T16:36:25.641-05:00China: Traditional Chinese MedicineBlog Assignment - Week 4:<br />
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I was excited to visit a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor. Typically I would not be thrilled to perform an interview for a school project, but I was eager to learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine. With my major in the medical sciences and my experience being vegan, I have grown interested in alternative medicines. My enthusiasm for whole and organic food has also made me a believer in the impact of diet on overall health and effectiveness of natural remedies.<br />
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The moment we walked into the Traditional Chinese Medicine building, my nose was in bliss. A warm aroma of different herbs was drifting through the halls, reminding me of the small co-op I used to go to with my mom when I was little. It was even more delightful because I believe this was the very first time since coming to China that I have actually thought how good the air smelled.<br />
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We walked further down the hall to a small room where the doctor saw his patients. I was surprised to find about 10 people in the room, even though the doctor was currently diagnosing a patient. There was definitely no worry about any doctor-patient confidentially or privacy. The waiting patients surrounded the periphery of the small room while the current patient sat at the desk with the doctor. The doctor would ask the patient questions, take his/her pulse, and observe his/her general appearance. He would then write a prescription before moving on to the next patient. <br />
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While waiting for our turn to ask the doctor questions, we had time to talk to the patients. One of the topics we discussed that I found most interesting is the choice between using Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine. For complex diseases such as cancer, Western medicine was used. However, major Western procedures, such as chemotherapy for cancer, damage the body while curing the disease. That is where Chinese medicine can come in - to heal the damage caused by the Western treatment. <br />
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We finally got our turn to speak to the doctor, with Wang Kai and Anne as our translators. The whole ordeal was somewhat confusing; we would tell Wang Kai our question, he would ask the doctor, and then Anne would tell us the doctors responds. There were times where there were four people talking at once! <br />
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The experience was very educational and interesting. I learned that Chinese medicine is meant to look at the body as a whole while Western medicine typically just looks at the disease. When you really think about it, a lot of aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine make sense. A large percentage of medications are based off medicinal plants, so why not go back to nature when you can? I believe that Western medicine could benefit if used in conjunction with alternative medicines such as Traditional Chinese medicine, especially in aspects such as herbal therapies and diet modification. I have personal experiences of the power of whole and organic food that can be connected to natural remedies such as those found in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and fully support them in the correct context.Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-85769098086779584142010-06-23T07:40:00.012-05:002010-10-20T13:30:29.642-05:00China: FoodGood things i've been eating in china:<br />
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1. <b>Spicy Eggplant</b> - I'm not sure what the actual name of the dish is, but it's really good. It's chinese eggplant, which is a lot more narrower and long that eggplants in the US (and more tasty). I'm pretty sure it's stir fried - sometimes it's too oily but there is a place near campus who makes it wonderfully.<br />
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2. <b>Pineapple on a stick </b>- There are a ton of little fruit stands and you can buy a quarter of a pineapple that's cut in a spiral on a stick. It's REALLY good pineapple too. <br />
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3. <b>Vegetable Fried Rice</b> - I've never really been a fan of fried rice, but the stuff here is pretty good. They add a lot more veggies - I especially like the green peppers they use. They are the best peppers ever! They are a little spicey but a little sweet and add wonderful flavor. They also make fresh "single" servings of fried rice right in front of you - I say "single" because I never can finish mine and could really be 2-3 meals.<br />
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4. <b>Fried Noodles</b> - Again, never was a HUGE fan of things like low mein, greasy things get old really fast, but these are pretty good. There is a noodle place on campus that makes their own noodles - and you can see them pulling them out and cutting them while you order! I've only tried one thing from them though because most of their noodle dishes have meat.<br />
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Things I miss/Plan on eating the week I get back<br />
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1. <b>A good breakfast</b> - I've been eating peanut butter bread for breakfast every day and it's starting to drive me insane. Perhaps waffles, yum. Even some soy yogurt and fruit would do.<br />
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2. <b>Fruit salad</b> - Packed with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Even though there is a lot of fruit stands i find myself not eating as much fruit as i do in the states<br />
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3. <b>Fresh Veggies</b> - They seem to not exist here, all of their veggies are cooked in loads of oil!<br />
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4. <b>Burrito</b> - Preferable something like Qdoba... with avocado of course. I've been finding myself wanting to put avocado on everything here.<br />
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5. <b>Pasta</b> - You can get things like fried noodles and some place even sell italian style pasta - but they all are meat or cream sauces. The only non-cream/meat pastas I've seen is "spaghetti with ketchup"... but that doesnt sound very goodAlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-6664546112273895702010-06-22T11:49:00.000-05:002010-10-20T13:26:49.087-05:00China: Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)I've been bad at updating because how busy classes have kept me. I had an exam yesterday (Monday) and next week I have a crazy amount of things due: 1 paper, 1 exam, 2 presentations and 2 problem sets!<br />
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Anyways - on to talking about what i did LAST weekend at Huangshan!<br />
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So they day before hiking up 7000+ steps to the top of Huangshan, we went to 9 Dragon Waterfall. It was a good hour walk, and very beautiful. The air was really refreshing after being in the city for three weeks.<br />
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The next day, we walked up the steps! It took me ~3 hours. I believe some people made it in 2.5 but they were going pretty fast at the start. I decided to take it nice and steady so I wouldn't be dead at the top. It was raining on and off the whole walk up - but it ended up feeling nice caused I never got extremely hot (except at the start when I still had my raincoat on). Only bad thing about the rain is I was soaking at the top, so the moment I stopped moving the shivering began.<br />
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Here are some pictures from the hike up:<br />
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Once we got to the top, we ate lunch at a hotel. I think I ate the largest serving of rice that I've ever had in my life. We then finally made it to the hostel...<br />
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And that is where that lovely picture I posted in the previous entry comes in. I wont post it again - I'll keep the pictures in this post following my usual guideline of only posting pretty ones.<br />
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The room the girls was supposed to stay in was COVERED in black mold. If you know me at all, I'm a super mold detector - I can tell if there is mold in the room when you can't see it, mostly because it makes me feel really uncomfortable... and there I was standing in a room where the mold visibly covered the walls. I got a sore throat from only being in there for a maximum of two minutes!<br />
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The guys room was on the 3rd floor, and still had a musty smell but the walls were actually white(ish) and not moldy. I refused to sleep in the moldy room of death and despair, so I asked the guys if they'd make room for me somewhere so i wouldnt die in my sleep from mold. I ended up sleeping in the middle of two twin bunks pushed together between two guys. It was a long uncomfortable night (by "bunks" I mean plywood), but it was definitely better than if i stayed in the other room<br />
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I would never think I'd find a room of 14 guys to be more comfortable than a room of girls!<br />
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Here is my blog assignment entry about Huangshan<br />
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Stairs have always been my weakness. I love hiking and exploring outside, but point out some stairs in my path and I know I will be out of breath after only 30 of them – I’ll blame my short legs so I don’t sound like such a wimp. When I heard that the hike up Huangshan was entirely stairs, my heart dropped a little. I was excited to be hiking up a mountain, but how could I make it up 7000 stairs when I hate even walking up four flights of stairs to get to class?<br />
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The day before the 7000-stair “hike”, we went to Nine Dragon Waterfall. Everything about the hike to the waterfall was amazing – the smell of the air, the rocks, and the trees – it all was extremely refreshing after being in the busy streets of Hangzhou for three weeks. Near the end of the hike, however, there was a long progression of extremely steep stairs. I climbed them slowly, legs burning and gasping for air. I eventually made it to the top to take in the beautiful view, but I couldn’t help thinking about how doomed I was if the stairs up Huangshan were that steep.<br />
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The morning of the 7000 stairs final came – I was geared up with my raincoat on and some snacks, a change of clothes and water in my backpack. It was raining as we started our hike up, but I didn’t mind because after 15 minutes I was roasting in my raincoat. I decided to tie my coat to my backpack so it’d stay dry, even though it meant I’d get wet.<br />
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Emily, Ben, Tou and I all ended up walking up together, eventually joined by Will and Jack closer to the top. We took it at a nice steady pace, taking our time to look at the foggy mountain peaks around us and resting to catch our breath when we needed to. <br />
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Throughout the entire hike, walking up beside us were porters caring insane loads up the mountain on their backs. To illustrate their effort – I saw one of them carrying two full propane tanks up the mountain, in addition to two full bags! Watching them carry up these huge loads made me wonder why they didn’t use the cable cars that went up the mountain. The only reasoning I could come up with is that the price of the porters labor was less expensive than using the cable cars – something you definitely wouldn’t see in the US. <br />
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We finally made it to the top, after three hours of climbing stairs. I definitely felt like the stair master and was impressed that I still had energy – though that energy quickly went into shivering. The climb definitely wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be. I was very surprise, however, on the amount people actually making the hike up. There were massive crowds – so big that going down the mountain was very difficult because you’d hit human traffic jams. You would never see so many people on the top of a mountain like that in the US. <br />
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Although I got rained on for two days, had to sleep in a room of 14 guys to avoid a moldy room of death and despair, and my legs are still sore from the hike down, I am still glad I made the hike. In the end, I still have a unique experience, good and bad, to tell people about. I might as well make the most of it!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">---------------------</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-65476151593773576842010-06-15T22:26:00.000-05:002010-10-20T13:17:27.631-05:00China: Quick Summary of my WeekendI am extremely tired right now and do not have the energy to put a full post right now. I will sum up my weekend trip to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain):<br />
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1. Stairs. Lots and lots of stair. So many freaking stairs! km after km of stairs! <br />
2. Foggy mountains, creating an white abyss. I'm not sure what's scarier, not being able to see how far down you'd go if you fell, or actually seeing how high you are<br />
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3. A sleepless night in the hostel of death and despair.<br />
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That is the room I was expected to sleep in. If you know me, I die around mold so there was no way i was allowing that to happen.<br />
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I will explain more tomorrow when I am awake enough to actually post something decent!Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-23437180025921785582010-06-12T19:37:00.014-05:002010-10-20T11:36:32.511-05:00China: Week TwoAnother long week of classes done!<br />
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Last weekend a group of us went to Thousand Island Lakes - sadly, I do not have any pictures. We were rather rushed because we only had 4 hours to explore (it's a two hour bus ride so we had a bus home to catch) and we went "white water rafting". Though really, it was a little tame to be called white water rafting. If I had brought my camera rafting it would have died - I got super soaking wet. I wrote about it for my blog entry for my technical communications class. Not as good as last week's entry, but here it is...<br />
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Last Saturday, a group of us decided to check out Thousand Island Lake. We spoke to some of the Chinese students previously and were told it is a very clean and beautiful area. Wang Kai even said that not only is it good for swimming, but the water is so clean you can take a glass, scoop up some lake water, and drink it! I wasn’t about to go start sipping lake water, but I was excited to explore the area.<br />
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When we arrived at West Station, we found that the next bus available wasn’t leaving until 11:30 AM, meaning we had a 1.5 hour wait. We decided it would be worth the wait and stuck it out at the bus station, playing cards to make the time pass. Some of the locals at the bus station would walk over and quietly watch us play every once and a while – an event that has happened elsewhere around Hangzhou as well. If I actually knew how to say more than “nĭ hăo!” [hello] and “wŏ bù chī ròu” [I don't eat meat], I would have asked them to join us! They seemed extremely interested in what we were playing.<br />
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At 11:30 we boarded the bus, where I nearly immediately fell asleep. Napping while driving Chinese roads, however, is extremely difficult because of the non-stop honking. People here do not just honk their car horns when they are angry at someone’s driving abilities – they honk when they are passing you, they honk when to tell you they are going through intersections too fast, and sometimes they honk to just say hello.<br />
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Once we arrived at the Thousand Island Lake area, we were quickly surrounded by some of the locals. There were a lot of confused expressions until Kevin and Ji (both speak Mandarin) took over and cleared things up. We discovered that the boats that take you to different islands were already closed because of a triathlon, or some kind of race going on in town, in addition to the cloudy weather. Since we were not able to explore the islands, we decided to go white water rafting instead!<br />
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We took a hotel tour guide van up the zigzagging roads to the mountains surrounding the city. The drive was an adventure in itself. The drivers here are insane enough in city traffic, and it only gets more exciting going up curvy mountain roads. A few times I honestly felt that I would go flying out the open window beside me.<br />
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After making it to the top, we all got helmets and life jackets and were put into little rafts in pairs. I was wearing jeans at the time, so I sat down carefully attempting not to get them wet, knowing that they would remain cold and soaking the remainder of the day if they did. My attempts were futile. Nearly the moment I was settled in my raft, a water fight began and I was drenched before starting the ride down.<br />
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The river was really more like a shallow man-made gully, but it was still a blast. Every so often, a dam would slow the water down, leading to a cement/rock water slide. Will, who I was paired with in the raft, had the paddle so I almost always ended up going down these nearly vertical drops backwards, making it more scary and therefore more fun! I was soaked when we got to the bottom, my jeans extremely heavy with water, my lips nearly blue from being so cold, but ecstatic from the thrill. It is definitely one of the highlights of this trip so far.<br />
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Tomorrow we head to Huangshan, where i have to walk up 7000 steps. Sounds extremely tiring to me, but it's supposed to be extremely pretty.<br />
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Other than that, i've been pretty busy with school. Since it's a semester of class bunched into 6 weeks we have an exam every 1.5 weeks or so. Our bigger writing assignments seem to always fall when we have a mechanics exam too! I'll have a little more free time from now on though because I no longer have a 1.5 hour Mandarin class in the afternoon. <br />
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Tomorrow (Sunday, June 13) until Wednesday is the Dragon Boat festival! I will be gone for most of it at Huangshan, but will be around Wednesday to see the celebrations. I've been told it's cool, but I'm not really sure what they do! They are supposed to have some pretty cool boats on West Lake though<br />
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That's all for nowAlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-116156531442826252010-06-04T11:01:00.000-05:002010-10-20T11:29:57.584-05:00China: One week done, Five weeks to goOne week of classes are over with already! Five more to go!<br />
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I've already had two Mechanics of Materials problem sets (which are finished now) and two writting assignments. My first exam is already next Tuesday - YIKES!<br />
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One of the writing assignments is a memo for my team project (not started yet, eek) and the other is a "blog" entry of my observations for each week I'm here. I thought I'd post my blog entries for class here as well, even though i talked about some of it already:<br />
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Blog Entry - Week 1<br />
The Troubles of Being Vegan in China<br />
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When I first became vegan for the sake of my health and well-being, there was a long period of discovery. I slowly found restaurants that had tasty vegan options, I discovered stores that have a wider variety of non-processed foods and relied more on my own cooking skills. However, in this carnivorous world, when I leave my safety circle of vegan-goodness and end up in a tiny dorm with no kitchen in the middle of China, I am blind on where to find good food. Adding a foreign language in the mix doesn't make it any easier!<br />
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Being able to find (good) food was one of my main concerns about this trip to China. This anxiety was reinforced during the first few days of my travels. On the 14-hour plane ride to Shanghai, I had the opportunity to put the airplane barf bags in use - I had gotten food poisoning before touching down in China!<br />
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After landing safely in Shanghai, with the majority of my GI track intact, I crashed the moment I walked into my hotel room. My insides were no longer angry, but I found that I had no appetite. I made sure to eat to keep my energy, but was not pleased to find that most of the food was greasy and salty. By the time we were on our way to Hangzhou, my concern about finding good things to eat was increasing exponentially.<br />
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The second night in my little dorm here in Hangzhou, I still didn't have an appetite. Not only was the greasy food not agreeing with my stomach, but I was also worried about being vegan will affect me socially on this trip. I wanted to go do things with people, but whenever it involved food I ended up being ore of an observer. I realized there was only one thing to do - start building up a new circle of vegan-goodness. It may take a while, but there is bound to be good foor for a vegan somewhere around here.<br />
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The next day we got to explore Hangzhou and West Lake for the first time. I had a blast - the lake and surrounding scenery were breathtaking. Lunchtime rolled around and five of us decided to try a noodle place that was next to the cafeteria on campus. I wasn't expecting to be able to eat anything, having no way to ask for noodles without eggs or meal, but Will jumped in to help.<br />
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Honestly Will, if you ever read this, trumpets sounded. You are awesome.<br />
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After speaking to one of the men there for at least five minutes, he successfully ordered me fried noodles with just veggies - no meat or eggs. Even though I still did not have much of an appetite, it was delicious. These noodles, and Will's help, ended up being the turning point of my vegan worries.<br />
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From then on, I have been able to get a wider variety of foods, thanks to continuous help from Will. I also found some whole wheat bread, peanut butter and banas, which I have been eating for breakfast. This breakfast has built my appetite back up, allowing me to explore more of the local foods for lunch and dinner.<br />
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Although I am still eating a lot of greasy vegetables with rice, prospects are high. Carol, one of the Chinese students here, suggested I try to Muslim cafeteria because they may have more vegetarian options. I even found a vegetarian restaurant in the More Hangzhou magazine that I am excited to try in the near future. Slowly but surely, I am building up a new vegan food repertoire here in Hangzhou.<br />
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I am currently doing my laundry, and after that I plan on going out with others to the silk area of Hangzhou. We are then planning on going to Thousand Island Lake tomorrow - so after this weekend I might have more exciting things to share!Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-85519169599882038952010-05-31T21:47:00.000-05:002010-10-20T11:14:06.622-05:00China: Total Win<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k5SMeeFEDt64r0XEiiIVNF1SP1kIXeOIUGFlGTt7tkbrp-O2ZEkZNcZ75WzY3oqCLeKkTO_0mxIep9iGenf5tPiTk33AsOLafoQ_MQEfsNJbpxY_yxcCaPgtDMuxl54E8OeRylRNUiPg/s1600/IMG_3052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k5SMeeFEDt64r0XEiiIVNF1SP1kIXeOIUGFlGTt7tkbrp-O2ZEkZNcZ75WzY3oqCLeKkTO_0mxIep9iGenf5tPiTk33AsOLafoQ_MQEfsNJbpxY_yxcCaPgtDMuxl54E8OeRylRNUiPg/s320/IMG_3052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>SCORE!</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(I was getting rather sick of greasy veggies and noodles...)</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-20101403713310927962010-05-30T19:46:00.000-05:002010-10-20T11:11:14.178-05:00China: Hangzhou - May 30thToday started with a hike up the huge hill behind campus - when I say hike however, I mean going up 700+ stairs!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYkUVmxiI/AAAAAAAAAZE/DQe4I0g8PqQ/s1600/IMG_2978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYkUVmxiI/AAAAAAAAAZE/DQe4I0g8PqQ/s320/IMG_2978.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a little break from the millions of stairs, a group of us went down to a shopping area of town on the opposite wide of West Lake (campus is on the northwest side). After waling around for a few hours, we saw this pagoda and decided we wanted to go check out -- so more stairs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDavMjcnZI/AAAAAAAAAbk/tDmaTAyKhPI/s1600/IMG_3035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDavMjcnZI/AAAAAAAAAbk/tDmaTAyKhPI/s320/IMG_3035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was gorgeous up there! Pictures cannot even begin to show how amazing it was, but i took them anyways of course!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOe9dIrFlo51fi64OEtYFx91eXDyaJLxMAGgp2xec36NLhku1qliRoXY_bEKALd_gEc4FEejSbdyePUVRG-6T5Sxe3WKHeBNsObqKUwcaRJNlQcy33v6FrrBpq4miomVhvrMcdpra6wvr/s1600/hangzhou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOe9dIrFlo51fi64OEtYFx91eXDyaJLxMAGgp2xec36NLhku1qliRoXY_bEKALd_gEc4FEejSbdyePUVRG-6T5Sxe3WKHeBNsObqKUwcaRJNlQcy33v6FrrBpq4miomVhvrMcdpra6wvr/s640/hangzhou.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKXnuEKA4daAiyOIATtIG5Ee_hHp3JoiVV9wemiONMItPFo6B1_mEGshyphenhyphenVbCSSafFXzc5YHCOyrZvYHSBIJ5vLl2AyZmAO8YZFab3kOD9CG2iLwyQnQzxmyUrJ3yUn6MZ26Xes7OEyGpN/s1600/IMG_2983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKXnuEKA4daAiyOIATtIG5Ee_hHp3JoiVV9wemiONMItPFo6B1_mEGshyphenhyphenVbCSSafFXzc5YHCOyrZvYHSBIJ5vLl2AyZmAO8YZFab3kOD9CG2iLwyQnQzxmyUrJ3yUn6MZ26Xes7OEyGpN/s320/IMG_2983.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZCSRoZMI/AAAAAAAAAZg/9lDGcCjtdKM/s1600/IMG_2985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZCSRoZMI/AAAAAAAAAZg/9lDGcCjtdKM/s320/IMG_2985.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYpIG-itI/AAAAAAAAAZM/NwfoeZYFP3c/s1600/IMG_2979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYpIG-itI/AAAAAAAAAZM/NwfoeZYFP3c/s320/IMG_2979.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZXhuA3nI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/qhf4VFzufro/s1600/IMG_2990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZXhuA3nI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/qhf4VFzufro/s320/IMG_2990.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZwNqmwAI/AAAAAAAAAaY/XB7WmZfY16Y/s1600/IMG_3018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZwNqmwAI/AAAAAAAAAaY/XB7WmZfY16Y/s320/IMG_3018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDaBhy83LI/AAAAAAAAAaw/KfJu_yh6MvM/s1600/IMG_3024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDaBhy83LI/AAAAAAAAAaw/KfJu_yh6MvM/s320/IMG_3024.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZzd4IjWI/AAAAAAAAAac/YeyX-ko_f8Y/s1600/IMG_3019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDZzd4IjWI/AAAAAAAAAac/YeyX-ko_f8Y/s320/IMG_3019.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Will</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDaPONJBWI/AAAAAAAAAbA/0VpqrPPwmYQ/s1600/IMG_3027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDaPONJBWI/AAAAAAAAAbA/0VpqrPPwmYQ/s320/IMG_3027.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>me and Elise</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After walking back down, we headed closer to the lake to see it when it's nice out, not cloudy and foggy like yesterday. The park we walked in was wonderful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdKVPVH7pxHUSPuuJCe3jVDVrqAg5UtwOemCogqJh0WzggWDamr_f3yLgjBORFmtfp6D6pUbnmSLeG9m8HT5IwAHxzizd31hGTWz_IZKUBFHZ9ewSqM5xyz3XPyT3MgTWyUQp0kdj1C1c/s1600/IMG_3038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdKVPVH7pxHUSPuuJCe3jVDVrqAg5UtwOemCogqJh0WzggWDamr_f3yLgjBORFmtfp6D6pUbnmSLeG9m8HT5IwAHxzizd31hGTWz_IZKUBFHZ9ewSqM5xyz3XPyT3MgTWyUQp0kdj1C1c/s320/IMG_3038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTIQb1HVl2qdROL1OP_aJbeJIFXjHj3lSAKaQbK707hmzEViC73uqkWePFVkVeI9GLWZzJdooSttZZ_aKU6UAyi0aMQsD-2TpGiUPlqiC7REvHQgfWLjSvprhv5-zDT2TrFCps0ytloMK/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTIQb1HVl2qdROL1OP_aJbeJIFXjHj3lSAKaQbK707hmzEViC73uqkWePFVkVeI9GLWZzJdooSttZZ_aKU6UAyi0aMQsD-2TpGiUPlqiC7REvHQgfWLjSvprhv5-zDT2TrFCps0ytloMK/s320/IMG_3046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was pretty epic, just like this picture of Will</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDbdV3Ow_I/AAAAAAAAAcY/uux5zVI9ZKg/s1600/IMG_3049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDbdV3Ow_I/AAAAAAAAAcY/uux5zVI9ZKg/s320/IMG_3049.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We finally made our way back to campus, slowly bus surely, finally getting a taxi. I was exhausted when I got back, after hiking 8-9:30 and then 11-7! My legs were about to fall off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Classes start tomorrow, so I might now be posting as much as I have been because I will actually have to do work and not just exploring! I doubt anyone would want pictures or descriptions of my homework.</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-66067455891448484792010-05-29T15:13:00.000-05:002010-10-20T11:02:57.823-05:00China: Hangzhou - West LakeToday we explored Hangzhou a little bit. We split into three groups and explored the city for 3-4 hours. My group went to the downtown-ish area near West lake. The lake as a path all the way around (though I'm not sure how far around it is, but it's big!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXYi7XZFI/AAAAAAAAAXk/mY0SL9N1Z2c/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXYi7XZFI/AAAAAAAAAXk/mY0SL9N1Z2c/s320/IMG_2947.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXdvwnwvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/7jfelaFY60I/s1600/IMG_2948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXdvwnwvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/7jfelaFY60I/s320/IMG_2948.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXw39yNKI/AAAAAAAAAYA/Us7nmqv2_kA/s1600/IMG_2952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXw39yNKI/AAAAAAAAAYA/Us7nmqv2_kA/s320/IMG_2952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsde3z_8LLS07tIptR-ODiPkdzJzL1UpcFfx01sFkut-hKavLgfEZNP2RXcvVJx37y5JWetodbuq1K6RXwTS-hOyM9L-uQpmXtXiq0oT4WtwmA_5tz3ssTE8Fwg1puzJAW84rFj8vfMqkR/s1600/IMG_2954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsde3z_8LLS07tIptR-ODiPkdzJzL1UpcFfx01sFkut-hKavLgfEZNP2RXcvVJx37y5JWetodbuq1K6RXwTS-hOyM9L-uQpmXtXiq0oT4WtwmA_5tz3ssTE8Fwg1puzJAW84rFj8vfMqkR/s320/IMG_2954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYJGsSjaur_AmlhFK7sqPvw-_Wq03HndWtJhEPojrCmdD5JKpdrlsD56BpzvAYmNxoz_sJkECApXrcVIQkuqapp0-Ak_3K1mxgI62E3j0Tp4p9RrVzZFxVFxmdxGpMOhxPAx5dKvKf2AI/s1600/IMG_2964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYJGsSjaur_AmlhFK7sqPvw-_Wq03HndWtJhEPojrCmdD5JKpdrlsD56BpzvAYmNxoz_sJkECApXrcVIQkuqapp0-Ak_3K1mxgI62E3j0Tp4p9RrVzZFxVFxmdxGpMOhxPAx5dKvKf2AI/s320/IMG_2964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Part way down we decided to rent some bikes - it was a blast, though a little crazy! There are so many people, bikes, cars, etc. everywhere! It was the best bike ride I've EVER been on. With the adrenaline of being in a new place and flying down the paths, you just had to be there to really understand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So a few people have asked me what my dorm is like - it's pretty tiny. It is about as wide as I am tall.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is where I'm sitting right now - at my desk. To the right is a closet and shelving where i have all of my stuff: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYWKvLMsI/AAAAAAAAAY0/zkX3O4z0dR8/s1600/IMG_2967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYWKvLMsI/AAAAAAAAAY0/zkX3O4z0dR8/s320/IMG_2967.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Behind me is the door and bed, nothing to exciting!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYeMdkbII/AAAAAAAAAY8/VMYLo6JuPTM/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDYeMdkbII/AAAAAAAAAY8/VMYLo6JuPTM/s320/IMG_2970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also have my own little bathroom. Like some of the shower I encountered in France, there is no tube - just a drain on the floor. The ones in France were always slanted towards the drain, but this one doesn't so my whole bathroom gets extremely wet when i take a shower. At least I have a western style toilette and not a squatter!</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-80485574530530517262010-05-28T17:19:00.002-05:002010-10-20T10:56:11.724-05:00China: Shanghai - Yu GardenHey everyone!<br />
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On the second day we were in Shanghai we went to Yu Garden. It was extremely beautiful. I wont say much about it, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVcwA2neI/AAAAAAAAAVk/gxEBmyj89BE/s1600/IMG_2922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVcwA2neI/AAAAAAAAAVk/gxEBmyj89BE/s320/IMG_2922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVvbn_4rI/AAAAAAAAAV0/N_0Vn3W_37M/s1600/IMG_2925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVvbn_4rI/AAAAAAAAAV0/N_0Vn3W_37M/s320/IMG_2925.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dOXRljrfJTfvaEkPe3CvZr3qYbJfUbfYRb_jhbv3p00VITgGTCPW47nEtQv3hyfjLszU673iTnpIrTAv_DL8Ofznx4HMQnW5UZv1kVrO1vYKPnhagnli-nxFODqDCJG_b1VEs8eb-iA9/s1600/IMG_2927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dOXRljrfJTfvaEkPe3CvZr3qYbJfUbfYRb_jhbv3p00VITgGTCPW47nEtQv3hyfjLszU673iTnpIrTAv_DL8Ofznx4HMQnW5UZv1kVrO1vYKPnhagnli-nxFODqDCJG_b1VEs8eb-iA9/s320/IMG_2927.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDWa8oW_LI/AAAAAAAAAWc/1-LnJrCRU64/s1600/IMG_2932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDWa8oW_LI/AAAAAAAAAWc/1-LnJrCRU64/s320/IMG_2932.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After Yu Gardent, we had some time to walk around the shops near there. We then headed to the river that divides Shanghai. What amused me is on one side of the river, it looks very space-age, while the other is romanesque!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXK2-ILxI/AAAAAAAAAXU/zM7PQE61Wc8/s1600/IMG_2944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXK2-ILxI/AAAAAAAAAXU/zM7PQE61Wc8/s320/IMG_2944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXO2PkMnI/AAAAAAAAAXc/vdymz3B1KKM/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDXO2PkMnI/AAAAAAAAAXc/vdymz3B1KKM/s320/IMG_2945.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We finally began our way to Hangzhou after lunch. The campus is really nice, though I haven't really been here long enough to know my way around. Me and a few other students found our way to the "Trustmart" which is just like Walmart (and I dont feel as bad buying there since everything is made here too, haha).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Food thus far as been interesting. As far as I know I've been able to remain vegan (though its impossible to know for sure). Things are a lot greasier and saltier than I expected. So far I've been having a lot of rice, cabbage and broccoli.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-35824312767641614052010-05-26T08:19:00.036-05:002010-10-20T10:44:05.179-05:00China: Shanghai - World ExpoI'm in China!<br />
<br />
I flew into Shanghai late last night - not the best flight in the world. Two hour delay, plus i got food poisoning from Delta Airlines (though they were nice enough to have a special vegan meal for me, who knows how long it was sitting around) before even arriving in China! Let's just say that the last ten hours of my flight were anything but pleasant. For the first time ever, those barf bags weren't funny.<br />
<br />
I woke up at 5:00 AM this morning, wide awake - feeling fine thankfully. Elise (also from Madison on this study abroad adventure with me) and I got to go walk around the park that's across the street from our hotel here in Shanghai.<br />
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Here is our view during the day/night:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDTcl2n5ZI/AAAAAAAAATA/JLBl4hWb1KM/s1600/IMG_2869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDTcl2n5ZI/AAAAAAAAATA/JLBl4hWb1KM/s320/IMG_2869.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVEJG3k5I/AAAAAAAAAVM/AzxLUbvhMOg/s1600/IMG_2911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDVEJG3k5I/AAAAAAAAAVM/AzxLUbvhMOg/s320/IMG_2911.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were TONS of people dancing and doing tai chi in the park - it was amusing. We are also by a big soccer stadium, where I believe a game is taking place while I type this. I keep hearing cheering.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our walk and breakfast, we joined the rest of our group and went to the World Expo. The actual exhibitions were actually rather disappointing, however the buildings themselves were BEAUTIFUL. Here are some of the pavilions I thought were cool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">India:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDTsT6T11I/AAAAAAAAATU/86zw0SsuZnk/s1600/IMG_2876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDTsT6T11I/AAAAAAAAATU/86zw0SsuZnk/s320/IMG_2876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Russia:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ztJ10IXPuiR-cAZ_SwW4lAKczOxLOgHe67fpVIvNafE9Oyiwhye6oDwhFyb51VQxy-xIjUAFZ1CCGIB6RvdjkRtKUzHc9Tq6Bg6gaoR18Y8BwuPy0gBZMLeHIfMNtXLxyCr4Z62RaEIg/s1600/IMG_2888_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ztJ10IXPuiR-cAZ_SwW4lAKczOxLOgHe67fpVIvNafE9Oyiwhye6oDwhFyb51VQxy-xIjUAFZ1CCGIB6RvdjkRtKUzHc9Tq6Bg6gaoR18Y8BwuPy0gBZMLeHIfMNtXLxyCr4Z62RaEIg/s320/IMG_2888_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">UK:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgKJ4Ko7pztvGxrkTbB88_XjPYOHTnkZrrJynzoQAbiC7vaxKljcfsX83062s0aexJWhL1k0WZ8f39IGm7f81Qs1Hu4jh_RVi8JGZX_J5tk8zjA_QgZhDRX1pbMP2SnPkPHxx3CMYTqoK/s1600/IMG_2895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgKJ4Ko7pztvGxrkTbB88_XjPYOHTnkZrrJynzoQAbiC7vaxKljcfsX83062s0aexJWhL1k0WZ8f39IGm7f81Qs1Hu4jh_RVi8JGZX_J5tk8zjA_QgZhDRX1pbMP2SnPkPHxx3CMYTqoK/s320/IMG_2895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Poland:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDUmlAd8nI/AAAAAAAAAUo/X8604ghBKAw/s1600/IMG_2898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDUmlAd8nI/AAAAAAAAAUo/X8604ghBKAw/s320/IMG_2898.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spain:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDUr6cULTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/oJb1DLy1KhU/s1600/IMG_2899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDUr6cULTI/AAAAAAAAAUw/oJb1DLy1KhU/s320/IMG_2899.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDU2_62HdI/AAAAAAAAAU8/bvtF6iVze2s/s1600/IMG_2901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IBzI2sAQl_E/TEDU2_62HdI/AAAAAAAAAU8/bvtF6iVze2s/s320/IMG_2901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm pretty exhausted from all the walking (the Expo area is HUGE) and from waking up so early. After another morning in Shanghai, we are heading off to Hangzhou (2-3 hour bus ride) where I will be living for the majority of this trip. I may not have internet for a while, because I will have to get it set up in the dorm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hope all is well in the USA!</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-78849401582198327032010-02-24T17:47:00.000-06:002010-02-24T17:47:58.232-06:00It's not easy being green...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least not in a research lab!</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was at work today (a lab at the hospital) doing a DNA extraction when i started to think about all of the waste i was making... all for tiny bits of DNA!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Throughout the 3 hour period i was there starting the extraction for 29 samples, i created the following waste:</span></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">120+ disposable bulb pipettes</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">12+ plastic bags (that the pipettes came in, 10 per bag)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">120+ ml of chemical waste (Ethanol and CitriSolve)</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">30 + pipette tips</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 pairs of nitrile gloves</span></span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and that was only the first day of the extraction! Tomorrow will involve many more pipette tips, chemical solutions, tubes, capillaries, etc...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(btw, i didn't count, i just know using basic math and knowledge of the procedure, haha)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But what can you do? It all has to be sterilized and you don't want to cross contaminate your samples. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let's just hope the DNA is being used for something good that will out weigh all the biohazard material it's leaving behind.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-77560139615947834942010-02-15T10:30:00.000-06:002010-02-15T10:30:33.722-06:00Sock Kittens<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Over winter break, my mom had the plan to make sock monkey type animals. We got the idea when we went to an arts and craft fair (<a href="http://www.artvscraftmke.com/">Art Vs. Craft</a>) - someone there had these awesome sock creatures. If i remember right, they were beaded and embroidered really neat, some of them might have been painted too. I REALLY wish i had written the artists name down! If you have a chance to go to Art Vs. Craft - do it! It was really fun.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anyways - on to my own creations. I first made this guy - my little brother named him Einstein because he thought he looked like a mad scientist:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW458e8H7gB23tv7MVYCABqNWggiDHg7ShvQ-09kH0U91e5QG2kASMBLRPVYlUH6OS2heVLJfuxttFkQvAsypJtQXO538PQUxmaIbnrdwA9yFTuX2n5b98kJA-g7IlL5QUv-zBBVuHLYNb/s1600-h/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW458e8H7gB23tv7MVYCABqNWggiDHg7ShvQ-09kH0U91e5QG2kASMBLRPVYlUH6OS2heVLJfuxttFkQvAsypJtQXO538PQUxmaIbnrdwA9yFTuX2n5b98kJA-g7IlL5QUv-zBBVuHLYNb/s320/cat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After making the first one, my mom and i had the idea of trying to make them out of baby socks, to have cute little ones! So i did that too - this picture is before i had time to finish them - and i just had to wear my cat hat for the picture (obviously):</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLooenp-etFaCsELiT9aNe6FN8Hgl3U2dS9Y5YA8SS6YZ4sPmlBcDIau5U9CBdz0IBajpcfjag9YBZQ9nOxgSuRhkg1Tt7RzixY-aEolRn2ZMRshfQ30h2ZLvg77oRf_jBb4MEA55oxq1/s1600-h/Photo+on+2010-01-05+at+22.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLooenp-etFaCsELiT9aNe6FN8Hgl3U2dS9Y5YA8SS6YZ4sPmlBcDIau5U9CBdz0IBajpcfjag9YBZQ9nOxgSuRhkg1Tt7RzixY-aEolRn2ZMRshfQ30h2ZLvg77oRf_jBb4MEA55oxq1/s320/Photo+on+2010-01-05+at+22.52.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I also made one, which i gave to my niece. She named him Pashmina. Here is the whole family of sock cats i made (Pashmina is the big pink one, he's kinda lumpy - oops). I also made tutus for two of them:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewQ2cUJZOLZ-U5WeL7I5MR4MkMhanm-kDk8Bff5RRylLQFWIJbxaQp1satidGJU6zAsh8aPB9gr67uwvQwgT85vaaHkh1x6wiXGu8DPJTpDILqqbqb7TXa7qa27t06I20G_lpyh3cnzjs/s1600-h/IMG_2795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewQ2cUJZOLZ-U5WeL7I5MR4MkMhanm-kDk8Bff5RRylLQFWIJbxaQp1satidGJU6zAsh8aPB9gr67uwvQwgT85vaaHkh1x6wiXGu8DPJTpDILqqbqb7TXa7qa27t06I20G_lpyh3cnzjs/s320/IMG_2795.JPG" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They are really easy to make too - just look for sock monkey instructions, change the ears, and sew on some whiskers! </span></span>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-76449690895248627972010-02-14T11:25:00.000-06:002010-02-14T11:25:57.111-06:00Harry Potter Shoes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, if you know me, you know i'm crazy about Harry Potter. All kinds of crazy. Wanting to squeal whenever i hear/think about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that's going to open in Orlando, FL crazy. Drawing Harry Potter characters all the time crazy. Rerererererererererererere(etc..)reading the series crazy.</span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Last weekend i made the coolest things ever.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What might you ask? Well hopefully you've at least guessed it had to do with Harry Potter...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzKLm0svZAQ95w9vu8olkYiXR7G8zTgLUuO3UNte2pwNL-I9ehtdks0aNoIFzo9kDP8bJauEhn7u40VQAWKrIKgW_V7EMdREIQuTWquz3LhW1i_ydCfle2tWclhpMtvnGjYM5HOdB1d0u/s1600-h/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzKLm0svZAQ95w9vu8olkYiXR7G8zTgLUuO3UNte2pwNL-I9ehtdks0aNoIFzo9kDP8bJauEhn7u40VQAWKrIKgW_V7EMdREIQuTWquz3LhW1i_ydCfle2tWclhpMtvnGjYM5HOdB1d0u/s640/shoes.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow Shoes!!!</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so unbelievably proud of myself and excited about these shoes. I may be a little biased, but i think they are the coolest shoes in existence. I am too scared to wear them now though, cause in Wisconsin, of course there's lots of snow in February! I don't want to ruin them - cause that'd make me cry, even though they should be water resistant.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you're curious - i painted them with acrylic (+ fabric medium) on canvas vans (they were actually orange checkered shoes to begin with!)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-72194686400721634732010-02-13T10:09:00.019-06:002011-01-28T21:19:56.113-06:00Vegan Truffles<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's almost </span><b><span style="color: #b21e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Valentine's Day</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">! I don't have my own Valentine this year, but it's not stopping me from giving and loving others! I love making cards and giving little gifts.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is an example of the valentine’s day cards i make:</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qq5FX3UyWOQ8-w0L26r_0olODovV4BD2FRavtwRROuRHRpyflneF65glacSWBwm-aPHg1SGLrVGi7u0OuD7YKczPz0mKyNibs_qUDV8t1-FElxtrMHq_jyzAWbQsT3p8tqbsCORGuOIG/s1600-h/Scan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qq5FX3UyWOQ8-w0L26r_0olODovV4BD2FRavtwRROuRHRpyflneF65glacSWBwm-aPHg1SGLrVGi7u0OuD7YKczPz0mKyNibs_qUDV8t1-FElxtrMHq_jyzAWbQsT3p8tqbsCORGuOIG/s200/Scan.jpg" width="153" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeg-Fg2tSjyBQV0FySRnHYooF8ko5764U9HSpa0UIFAtH_7_PGnmdPJmOfTQvPKU7ngiLCMlgoZ93amdudbfICKswcnknRloMT9tbiM_hRYfqlIDaJzR2YfykxOD9uzDoUZtO-zkNe9SN/s1600-h/Scan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeg-Fg2tSjyBQV0FySRnHYooF8ko5764U9HSpa0UIFAtH_7_PGnmdPJmOfTQvPKU7ngiLCMlgoZ93amdudbfICKswcnknRloMT9tbiM_hRYfqlIDaJzR2YfykxOD9uzDoUZtO-zkNe9SN/s200/Scan.jpeg" width="161" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiuJeSrHI6oZmfJuCSEz05XG0Mm0orpKB2zK4aQwqWu3ETf2vIQ6km4iA3d9yr_BwNHcad8udDO0XxCtCU9MCivUod9QH0QqPC-zE5iz9Q_s_37vecpqEPJO7c9ZheWUg3fnkm-Ae45C9/s1600-h/voldie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiuJeSrHI6oZmfJuCSEz05XG0Mm0orpKB2zK4aQwqWu3ETf2vIQ6km4iA3d9yr_BwNHcad8udDO0XxCtCU9MCivUod9QH0QqPC-zE5iz9Q_s_37vecpqEPJO7c9ZheWUg3fnkm-Ae45C9/s200/voldie.jpg" width="185" /></a> </div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">From Left to Right: Severus Snape (from Harry Potter), Lyra (my new niece! only a week old now!), Voldemort (from Harry Potter)</span></span></i><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Poor Lyra, she shouldn't be between two evil dudes! At least they seem to have changed their ways and started to love things. If you haven't notice yet, i'm a huge Harry Potter freak... and I mean HUGE.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ANYWAYS</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On to the chocolate!</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So I wasn't exactly measuring things out exactly when making these - so the recipe is a rough estimate. A lot of it is just until it "looks right". But here we go!</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Vegan Truffles - x 4! </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJYWIvkafS_ZD3fqaD6l0xdXblBmsWfTyEmINM901D5z-eR4Sx9-nfb64K1nh-aTWkECikz1KGP9LbwXvCu2fw60DPZ065Hs0e7bF239LvTR_EInOLqKI3_scsBLo6WYIIJ0vCFiwM9ND/s1600-h/IMG_2843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJYWIvkafS_ZD3fqaD6l0xdXblBmsWfTyEmINM901D5z-eR4Sx9-nfb64K1nh-aTWkECikz1KGP9LbwXvCu2fw60DPZ065Hs0e7bF239LvTR_EInOLqKI3_scsBLo6WYIIJ0vCFiwM9ND/s320/IMG_2843.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Left to right, Back: mint, coconut. Front: chocolate, peanut butter</span></span></i><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chocolate Filling:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1 cup melted chocolate</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2-3 tbsp coconut milk</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2 tbsp vegan margarine (melted)</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-Brandy (or other liquor) to taste</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mint Filling:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1 cup melted chocolate</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2-3 tbsp coconut milk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2 tbsp vegan margarine (melted)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-Mint extract to taste</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Peanut Butter Filling:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-3/4 cup peanut butter</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/3 cup powdered sugar</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/8 tsp salt</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Coconut Filling:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/2 cup powdered sugar</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/2 cup shredded coconut</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2 tbsp vegan margarine (melted)</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-1/2 tsp coconut extract</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 tbsp coconut milk</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dipping Chocolate:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-About 1 lb chocolate</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-2 tbsp vegan margarine</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So you first want to get the fillings all ready! I did the peanut butter and coconut ones first, since they didn't require any melted chocolate. Just mix all the ingredients together and then stick those bowls in the fridge to cool - we'll get back to them later!</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next - the chocolate fillings! I melted chocolate for both, just in the microwave, though you can also do it on the stove (you will need to for dipping eventually). One thing i learned is to mix the other ingredients into the chocolate as soon as you can, don't get distracted by the Olympics like i did and let it start to get a little hard again, haha. If you are as absent minded and that happens - just microwave it a little. Anywho - once your chocolate is melted, mix in the other ingredients and stick it in the fridge.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now this is the hard part... ready? Sit there and wait. The coconut filling will be ready first - once it firms up enough, take the bowl out of the fridge and roll little pieces into balls and place them on waxed paper or tin foil, and then stick them back in the fridge until they are ready to dip. Do the same with the other fillings as well - the peanut butter ones are a little hard because they get soft really easily, so i put them in the freezer when they are done so it's actually possible to dip them! You have to wait until the chocolate fillings have firmed up quite a bit - i then used a cookie scooper to scoop (more like scrape!) the chocolate and then rolled them with my hands - once again placing them on tin foil or waxed paper, and return to the fridge. Beware - you get really chocolatey hands! </span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Also make sure you keep your fillings sorted out so you know which one's which. I just drew little dividing lines with sharpie on the tin foil, writing down the name of each section.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now to dipping. So there is this whole deal about </span><a href="http://sum.ptuo.us/roller/ks/entry/chocolate_series_how_to_temper"><span style="color: #3b1e74;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tempering chocolate</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> so it doesn't try with speckles or grey marks on them. I had never done this before, so I read about it online - as you can see by my picture, mine turned out pretty well - except my mint ones. They did get some discoloring (but they still taste good). All I did was melt about 1 lb of chocolate with 2 tbsp of margarine on the stove in my oh so fancy double boiler way (aka one big pot and one little pot) over low heat. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Once the chocolate was melted, i just placed my small pot of chocolate on a towel, took one of my fillings out and dipped them. I used chopsticks to dips them - make sure to try to gently "shake" off the excess chocolate. After each filling, i had to reheat the dipping chocolate a little just to keep it nice and melted. I didn't really have any problems until i got to the peanut butter ones. I strongly recommend only taking ~3 of the fillings out of the freezer to dip at one time, since they are so soft. I also started using tooth picks to dip them - just stabbing the bottom and sliding if off when i was done since my chop sticks were squishing them too much.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another note: if you are going to decorate the tops of them, like sprinkling coconut - do this RIGHT after dipping so it sticks! They dry pretty quickly, so make sure to do it right after you dip each one.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Once again, all my measurements above are rough estimates - don't be afraid to add things until it just "seems right"! </span></span></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-60849929154435409282009-09-20T10:38:00.003-05:002009-09-20T10:44:14.395-05:00Vegan Rhubarb Custard Pie<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">School has started! Do you know what that means!?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">STRESS BAKING!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the most wonderful way to stop worrying about things... well, except worrying about eating too many sweets.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're only three weeks in and i already had to go into the kitchen to prevent my head from exploding.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So i was surprised to see that the farmers market still had rhubarb, and being awesome i got some mainly to eat raw (with a little sugar) -- cause i'm just cool like that. But then i started thinking about crisps... and pies... and mmmmm. So i decided to veganize my mom's yummy rhubarb custard pie recipe.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rhubarb Custard Pie</span></span></i></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEINW2pke91_Htjw-fWmRMigZg1DA7hbxCwS94UbQ-aAp44mYFEX-7rKAwhuTsJoWWcwFy0kzVNVU0UudDAt0ELZovqYNPH3AUVjK4B2pKei5IfCrAVEq8XOCWiIvSdZnF-q76YXhZwrH/s1600-h/IMG_2734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0066cc; cursor: pointer; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEINW2pke91_Htjw-fWmRMigZg1DA7hbxCwS94UbQ-aAp44mYFEX-7rKAwhuTsJoWWcwFy0kzVNVU0UudDAt0ELZovqYNPH3AUVjK4B2pKei5IfCrAVEq8XOCWiIvSdZnF-q76YXhZwrH/s320/IMG_2734.JPG" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-width: initial;" width="320" /></span></span></span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rhubarb Pie after it had been attacked by 5 different people</span></span></i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat your oven to 375 F. </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crust:</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup shortening (butter flavored is best, vegan)</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups flour</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tsp baking powder</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tsp salt</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6 tbs ice water</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mix the shortening and dry ingredients with a pastry mixer (if you dont have one used two knives) until the mixture is pebbly looking with pea sized chunks of shortening. Add the ice water and mix with hands until just mixed - no longer! Split the dough in half -- roll out one half with waxed paper and rolling pin and place in pie dish. Using a fork, gently poke the fork all over the bottom crust.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Filling:</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 cups rhubarb</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup strawberries (optional)</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tbsp water</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tbsp cornstarch</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups sugar</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup flour</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3/4 cup soy milk</span></span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp cinnamon </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 tsb nutmeg</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cut rhubarb thinly (and cut strawberries if you decide to use them) and put them in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together what water and cornstarch until smooth. Ready for this part... it's really hard... throw the cornstarch mixture and everything else in the bowl with the rhubarb and mix! Phew! Very technical i know</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Place the filling into the pie crust. Roll out the other half of crust and cut it into strips. Lattice to your hearts content. Sprinkle top with some cinnamon.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown</span><br />
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</div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385843431194003310.post-8181487052973404762009-07-29T19:40:00.007-05:002009-07-29T19:59:48.360-05:00Vegan Lemon Scones<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', fantasy;"><b><br /></b></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 159px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9QL3HlTmd78uyMa6yyHGM-hDkwypQrzsRgaHAibaFvuP_wYYYZdZb06OudNvaaUBSky4nswSL3RzqIVXy0WTql82YJoCToJvF1F0WpDeJ5j6crFJT-2i5sdCz-7YcsbIqOqnMZorxeo6/s200/IMG_2677.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364050941358535810" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">2 cups flour</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', fantasy;">3 tsp baking powder</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1/4 tsp salt</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1/4 cup sugar</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1/4 cup margarine</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1 lemon, zested and juiced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1/4 tsp almond extract</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">1/4 tsp vanilla</span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">3/4 cup soymilk</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">Preheat oven to 425 F</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">Mix dry ingredients and then cut in margarine so it is crumbly. Mix in the milk, lemon zest and juice, almond extract and vanilla, stiring as little as possible but still mixing everything. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">Put spoonfuls onto a non-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjuUrbvMqnvA3ymSo7oa38Eot_uQYVVPi_VxbIdFdF303v4kXB6IaH2ZT592kr-Le3Kykt2HRgo9lhu1Xv9OcSnMOwo0RKI4ZyTgx9fQgw36cPujBspx7NxfM7Ii8s79NSz5hIf1Xq6_e_/s200/IMG_2683.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364051163551354882" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;">I also tried putting a hand full of raspberries in half. They turned out a little more cakey because i had to stir them more, and you need to watch out that the bottoms dont burn! especially where the berries peek out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div></div>Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209418185813900972noreply@blogger.com0