Bouncing around Bham
Yesterday was quite a day. Started with a laundry mini-fiasco, which we won't go into except to say that I made my flatmates 30 minutes late for the trip I'm about to describe and even then I had to pull my clothes out before they were dry and leave them lying around everywhere. But heated towel racks are my friends. :) I'm sort of shocked they haven't caught on in the US (correct me if I'm wrong here), because they're the best thing since sliced bread. Actually, I didn't use to think sliced bread was so hot, but I'm warming up to it. Or warming it up. Or, actually, keeping it in the fridge. Whatever.
So Alicia, Tanja and I went to Chinatown for lunch. Well, first we had to find Chinatown, which was something of an endeavor (or endeavour, if you prefer). But we ended up at a nice little restaurent, where I got roast duck with green peppers in black bean sauce and jasmine tea. Oh, and tap water, which the guy seemed surprised about and made me promise that I understood there was "no guerantee for my health" [if there's a spelling mistake there, it's my own--I do wish they'd put a spellcheck in these things]. It's the same water system I've been drinking out of for three weeks--unless that explains my stomachaches when I first arrived. But it was yummy. Then we went to a Chinese grocery store, where I bought mochi and jasmine tea. Flashbacks to Japan; even though most of this was Chinese food, it's vaguely similar. I'm thinking of trying to make egg-fried rice soon.
Then we wandered around the Outdoor Market and drooled over the produce. I caved in and bought some strawberries--they looked so yummy and were only 80p. Everything seems so much cheaper in pounds.... But I've been eating them like mad, so I guess I've been getting my money's worth. And I bought a hunk of cheddar for 66p, not bad, even compared to Iceland. Although I went grocery shopping again today and somehow bought 16 quid's worth of stuff--am a bit concerned at my spendthrift ways. But I reason with myself that a lot of this is stuff I'm laying in for the year--like two jars of curry sauce (the same as we used to get at Krishna's in P-town) that were on sale, plus two things of decaf tea, also on sale... Do you notice a tea theme? Just trying to make up for the presence of Rebecca. And the massive tea collection of Rebecca. And the convoluted syntax of me. Maybe my non-native-speaker flatmates are rubbing off on me rather than the other way around.... uh oh.
So, picking up the scattered pieces of my narrative, I will tell you (because I don't want a dangling modifier) that we went home. Exciting! Then we went to a classmate of mine's flat to a party, accidentally. There was a miscommunication. She had invited me to go to a club with her, and told me to meet her at her flat beforehand. I hadn't realized that there would be a massive birthday party for her at her flat, or that there was a dress code at the club. So I couldn't get in because I was wearing "trainers." But hiking shoes are good for my feet! Do you want me to show you my surgery scars? :( Truthfully, I was mainly sad because I'd dragged Tanja and Caroline with me and they also couldn't get in (well, Tanja had the right shoes, but she wouldn't have known anyone). But I ended up taking them to a really cool pub with live music that I'd noticed the weekend before when I saw Carmen with Alicia (oh, I ended up never posting about that, but it was really cool. I love opera). There was a country/blues/rock band that was pretty good. And there was no cover and I actually liked the beer, and I got to sit in a cushy leather chair and really have my first pub experience. I actually ended up feeling a little homesick because the band, though British, was singing in American Southern accents, which made me sort of miss home (even though a lot of the people from home don't have Southern accents). And there was a couple directly in my line of vision to the band who were being really cute--like the makes-you-feel-like-you're-intruding kind of cute--which made me miss Andy. I want to be the one making everyone else nauseous, dangit. Though I don't think we're that bad. Of course, you guys will probably now correct me. :)
But it was a good evening, although I returned with smoky hair and a sore throat--I'm coming down with a cold, though I'm trying to not let it get to me.
Tomorrow, I'm having dinner with the rabbi of the Progressive synagogue in town (she says it's like Reform/Reconstructionist), and going to Rosh Hashana evening services. First I have to brave the bus system. Wish me luck!
L'Shana Tova, everyone. That means happy new year. It's a long story. :)
So Alicia, Tanja and I went to Chinatown for lunch. Well, first we had to find Chinatown, which was something of an endeavor (or endeavour, if you prefer). But we ended up at a nice little restaurent, where I got roast duck with green peppers in black bean sauce and jasmine tea. Oh, and tap water, which the guy seemed surprised about and made me promise that I understood there was "no guerantee for my health" [if there's a spelling mistake there, it's my own--I do wish they'd put a spellcheck in these things]. It's the same water system I've been drinking out of for three weeks--unless that explains my stomachaches when I first arrived. But it was yummy. Then we went to a Chinese grocery store, where I bought mochi and jasmine tea. Flashbacks to Japan; even though most of this was Chinese food, it's vaguely similar. I'm thinking of trying to make egg-fried rice soon.
Then we wandered around the Outdoor Market and drooled over the produce. I caved in and bought some strawberries--they looked so yummy and were only 80p. Everything seems so much cheaper in pounds.... But I've been eating them like mad, so I guess I've been getting my money's worth. And I bought a hunk of cheddar for 66p, not bad, even compared to Iceland. Although I went grocery shopping again today and somehow bought 16 quid's worth of stuff--am a bit concerned at my spendthrift ways. But I reason with myself that a lot of this is stuff I'm laying in for the year--like two jars of curry sauce (the same as we used to get at Krishna's in P-town) that were on sale, plus two things of decaf tea, also on sale... Do you notice a tea theme? Just trying to make up for the presence of Rebecca. And the massive tea collection of Rebecca. And the convoluted syntax of me. Maybe my non-native-speaker flatmates are rubbing off on me rather than the other way around.... uh oh.
So, picking up the scattered pieces of my narrative, I will tell you (because I don't want a dangling modifier) that we went home. Exciting! Then we went to a classmate of mine's flat to a party, accidentally. There was a miscommunication. She had invited me to go to a club with her, and told me to meet her at her flat beforehand. I hadn't realized that there would be a massive birthday party for her at her flat, or that there was a dress code at the club. So I couldn't get in because I was wearing "trainers." But hiking shoes are good for my feet! Do you want me to show you my surgery scars? :( Truthfully, I was mainly sad because I'd dragged Tanja and Caroline with me and they also couldn't get in (well, Tanja had the right shoes, but she wouldn't have known anyone). But I ended up taking them to a really cool pub with live music that I'd noticed the weekend before when I saw Carmen with Alicia (oh, I ended up never posting about that, but it was really cool. I love opera). There was a country/blues/rock band that was pretty good. And there was no cover and I actually liked the beer, and I got to sit in a cushy leather chair and really have my first pub experience. I actually ended up feeling a little homesick because the band, though British, was singing in American Southern accents, which made me sort of miss home (even though a lot of the people from home don't have Southern accents). And there was a couple directly in my line of vision to the band who were being really cute--like the makes-you-feel-like-you're-intruding kind of cute--which made me miss Andy. I want to be the one making everyone else nauseous, dangit. Though I don't think we're that bad. Of course, you guys will probably now correct me. :)
But it was a good evening, although I returned with smoky hair and a sore throat--I'm coming down with a cold, though I'm trying to not let it get to me.
Tomorrow, I'm having dinner with the rabbi of the Progressive synagogue in town (she says it's like Reform/Reconstructionist), and going to Rosh Hashana evening services. First I have to brave the bus system. Wish me luck!
L'Shana Tova, everyone. That means happy new year. It's a long story. :)
posted by L @ 4:52 PM
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