Thursday, April 30, 2009

Post marathon! (or, This is what lazy blogger's remorse looks like) (plus: CONTEST!)

Mmkay, today's post is a post trilogy, because I've been up to so much lately that I didn't want to squeeze it into one entry. This way, you can read in installments, catching up with my latest cooking adventure, for example, and then grabbing a coffee and going to MEC and and eating Cheerios and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and other Canadian delicacies, and remembering the next day that you can still admire the flower selection at Shanghai markets and even

enter a contest!

Whoo!

I've taken a lot of pictures since coming here last fall, but I'm pretty sure this one sums up the challenges and contradictions of life in Shanghai better than any other. Best caption wins the weirdest prize I can find, but don't worry, I'll totes consider your personality and taste. All will be mailed lovingly to your home. Have fun!


Love, Claire

Project 2: Dinner chez moi

Midterms finished on Tuesday, and Julia and Poppy came over with the idea of cooking a real. Dinner. Like, with courses. The theme? Carbs and butter. So Julia made her trademark and highly delicious onion soup with freshly toasted croutons; I made macaroni and cheese and a side of potatoes mashed with spinach, to break up the beige colour palette; and Poppy concocted her Scottish bread-and-butter pudding, which took two hours to bake but which was entirely delectable, especially when eaten with cream whilst watching "The Sound of Music." We sang along, obviously.

Spot my new favourite cutting board under the (somewhat superfluous) slices of baguette.

Also included: produce bounty. This is what you can buy at the fruit/veg market down the street for just over three Canadian dollars. Note delicious mango at centre stage.

Photos:

1. Another reason to love China: I can afford my vitamins
2. First course: soup, croutons, and wine from the Open House caterer, who was so horrified that we usually drink Y30 bottles that he gave us a much nicer one to take home
3. Macaroni and mashed potatoes baked toaster oven-style: that means double-decker skillz
4. Second course: Julia means business



Project 1: Opening House (not mine)

Every night before I go to sleep, a soft but chiding voice whispers, "You forgot to write your blog tonight, Claire." My toes twinge with guilt and then I drift into slumber, forgetting about the whole thing until the next night at around midnight. Why do I do this? I just saw "He's Just Not That Into You" and Justin Long says it's because my life lacks real drama so I have to create my own. I don't entirely agree, but at least I don't have to take up gambling or, like, catfights in bars.

So what have I been doing the past two weeks? Kind of studying for midterms, but mostly organizing this Open House party for the Community Centre (I insist on CDN spelling) of Shanghai, an organization that helps expats form, um, community in this ginormous city. The Centre offers all sorts of classes, social events for youth and for grown-ups, tours, counselling, etc., etc. It's a really cool place and they just opened their brand new office about a twenty-minute bike ride from my apartment.


About six weeks ago, I decided to volunteer there and was immediately recruited to help party-plan, which I had no problem with; although the whole thing was super time-consuming, I can't pretend I don't love choosing decorations, harassing people to RSVP, and trying to hang unwieldy banners on sketchy walls that shouldn't be depended on to hold ANYTHING up. Some photos below - mostly of the Hongqiao Flower Market, one of several in the city that offers beautiful, gorgeous, stunning flowers basically for free. The party was last Saturday night and was super-successful, despite my and my co-organizer's fear that only ten people would come and everyone would win three door prizes before we packed the catering into Tupperware to be eaten cold every night for the following week whilst reflecting on our failured attempt at entertaining. What a relief! Though the leftovers would have been great.


Photos:

1. Just one of the beautiful flower market stalls
2. This guy did our welcome table arrangement in seven minutes flat. Bam!
3. Julia wins a doorprize, tries to regain focus
4. Party favours
5. Typical: women organize, men cut the damn ribbon




Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Tiny apple crisp and the other highlights of my weekend (um, all food)

Here's the thing. There are some dishes that should really be available in individual portions, and apple crisp is one of them. Sometimes you just have a craving, but you don't feel like peeling five apples and baking a huge dish that you'll probably eat in its entirety in the middle of the night. It's not that I don't love the rogue thrill of standing over an empty Pyrex with a soup spoon at three a.m. as much as the next person - let's just say that there's a reason God invented miniature Le Creuset dishes, and it's so you can whip up a wee dessert to enjoy whilst reading your new book on a Friday night when it's been a long week and you don't really feel like doing anything particularly social.

Photo trilogy below. The book, which I highly recommend for weekend reading despite its slightly flaky title and worrisomely purple cover, is "This Charming Man" by Irish author Marian Keyes.

Then: Saturday night. Having satisfied my longing for a.c., I felt a hole in my diet - one that could only be filled by m.a.m.p.* BUT I barely ate any vegetables last week and needed greens. BUT I didn't feel like polluting my Comfort Meal with boring, boring spinach. What's a girl to do? MASH THE GREENS AND POTATOES TOGETHER! Le Creuset made a comeback. Some say adding foreign textures to m.p. is a heinous crime. Some say it's purely efficient. Discuss.

THEN: Easter! China doesn't do Easter at all, but we are used to making do; a laid-back early-afternoon brunch included pancakes, mango, donut bits, bacon (to celebrate the end of Poppy and Julia's long and sad meatless Lent), and menacing but delicious fruit skewers. Julia dyed beautiful eggs - the trick to getting them this glossy is to rub 'em with a bit of butter - and we all enjoyed the sunshine, especially Isa, who lounged on the terrace.

Happy spring, everyone! Hope the Easter Bunny brought lots of stickers and yummy chocolate, as he used to do for me.

*meat and mashed potatoes

More Easter pics

Gorgeous Polish eggs, courtesy of Julia; gorgeous Polish Isa, courtesy of sunshine and admirable personal style.



Tuesday, April 7, 2009

It had to happen sometime:

the ubiquitous "Funny Chinese Signs" post. Hey, I'm not making fun of anyone for messing up a foreign langauge; God knows how many Western lower backs are tattooed with "cow" or "cultural appropriater," not "strength" or "harmony." But these Shanghai signs were too good not to share, and I think you'll agree that the best ones are actually due to the visuals, not the written content.

Update on me: I lost my wallet last night (no, NO!) and with it, my local and foreign bank cards, my student ID, my health insurance card, and the best passport photo of myself that has ever and will ever be taken. (It's for my own good, it was making me vain.) But my Matt & Nat wallet? Low blow. I'm pretty sure it dropped onto the floor at Starbucks, where someone scored it before I realized it was gone. I feel like an idiot.


Good news: Lindt chocolate bars are on sale at my grocery store for Y9.99 ($1.82 ). Hoardhoardhoard!


Photos:

1. This culinary delicacy is available a mere half-block away from my apartment

2. Fine print: *manky baby costumes may compromise cuteness*
3. Not sure how "Chunk Fun" got past the Lipton PR team

4. Prado Frappuccinos to follow

5. Erm.. hard to know. Points for cute diaper icon

PS. Does everyone know you can make the photos bigger by clicking on them?