Shanghai Shenanigans, and the Kitchen rampage

Episode 1: Shanghai Shenanigans

I had off of school last week on Thursday and Friday.

So in good teacher fashion.....

I left town!

I headed up to Shanghai on Thursday afternoon to spend some quality time with my SH friends. I met Jen and we went to Ikea for some meatballs and ice cream for dinner. Friday, I spent the morning laying in bed/napping. Because what else is a girl to do on her day off? Then, we made dinner. Jen, Sam and I made a chicken stir fry and steak fries and watched movies with Jon and Horatia. It was great fun. We watched some "Boy Meets World" while dinner was cooking, and then "How to train your dragon" because it's only the best ever, and finished with some "Secret life of Walter Mitty" which I'll admit was slightly frustrating... But ended up being great.

Then Saturday rose with some rain, but cleared up quickly and we biked downtown to peruse the fancy mall, have lunch at Mex&Co.

Yes. Mexican. Real (mostly) Mexican. I had a burrito and it was scrumptious. Then we headed home to make banana bread for our friends coming for dinner. It was great because I got to see a couple girls who lived in SX last year, and now are living in SH. They didn't know I'd be there, so it was a great reaction from them when I walked around the corner.

Then Sunday, we went to Ch.rch followed by the giant market located in the metro stop for the Science and Technology museum. I don't think the market has an actual name. Everyone just calls it by the metro stop.

Anywhoooo, this market has the 'mecca' of Vera Bradley. Which means theres a ton of stuff, and you can get it for fairly cheap.

This does not make things easier. Actually, more choices made it harder. But I knew I wanted a backpack. That was the only thing I knew. Then....

WHAT PATTERN??

If you know anything about Vera, she's got a plethora of options.....

I finally settled on a pattern called "Bittersweet" which is a plump floral of autumn colors with a scattering of black and white geometric lines pleasantly accenting. And I caved into the aura that is Vera and got a cosmetic bag too in a pattern that I can't remember the name of... But it's a grey base with a few bright pastel colored flowers that just make you wanna smile. I bargained a bit, but the woman was a shark. So I ended up getting both pieces for about $70. Still a good deal.

Then, as we were walking about the place, I caught sight of a yellow suitcase. Now, I need a new suitcase because the wheel on one of mine was broken. But I wasn't really looking to buy one at the time. I was gonna have a friend back in SX take me to a place that was cheap.... But I thought, "What the heck? I'll ask."

I meander in to the store and look (not touch, just look) at the suitcase in question. The woman selling them, comes over in full salesman mode. She says 'it's a good case', 'you should buy it'... so I ask the inevitable question of how much. 580RMB. (Which is just shy of $100)

On my chinese salary, and with the money I have on me... I can't afford this. Plus, seeing as how I didn't really want to buy the thing, I decided to see how low she could go. So, I said I'd give her 200 for it. She gets this screwed up look on her face and goes 'oh, no no no, I can't. Give me a little more. Your best price' ... and I say, 200. She goes... 400?

Okay, better.... But I need to remind you. I don't have that much. And I should really say. I have no money. I used it all at the Vera mecca. So, I'm relying on Jen. (She said she could help, bless her heart)

Back to the bartering with this woman.... After her offer of 400 I say "I don't think we're seeing eye to eye" and I start to leave. I have to walk around a center display of suitcases. As I reach the first corner headed toward the door, she says... 'okay, 300' ... I keep walking with a response of 'no, i can't sorry' and as I hit the corner closest to the day, she says 'okay okay! 200'

At this point I'm trying to keep my cool, and say 'okay, I'll take it.' But on the inside I'm doing a happy dance and fist pumping the air, and going 'BOOYAH!!!' I never expected her to go down that far from 580. Which means that I spent approximately $33 on a full size, four wheeled, hard side suitcase... That happens to be sunshine yellow (my favorite).

Please... hold your applause. ;)

And that's basically the highlight of my trip. It gets a little hairy from that point. We go home and I load up my new goodies, and my back pack of clothes into my new suitcase and head for the metro. Which takes it's sweet time, so when I arrive at the train station I have a whopping 12 minutes to get up three flights of escalators (none of which are next to each other), through train security, get to my gate and on my train. This doesn't look promising. I get off the metro, scamper to the main floor, up to departures, thankfully there no line at security, but I enter at gate 23.... Mine is 8. Luckily my new suitcase rolls like a bowling ball on a fresh lane, and I run toward my gate. I make it with a few minutes to spare, to get down the escalator to the platform and onto the train. There were other people still boarding which made me feel better. But 'whew' was I sweaty and so thankful.


Episode 2: Kitchen Rampage

It's Wednesday. My Shanghai adventure is fresh but fading as I settle into my routine again. Today, I got the itch to cook. I had planned on making banana bread because we have friends coming over for snacks tomorrow. I had also been wanting to try apple pie. See if it is a thanksgiving possibility. Annnnndddd, I suddenly had a craving last night for meatloaf.

Now, usually when these things hit me, I lack the motivation for more than one endeavor. Today was different. I had the recipes ready. I had my list made, and Walmart had a sale on ketchup. (coincidence? I think not)

Let me break it down....

• I arrive home from the store with my goodies. 
• I get the oven going, and start with banana bread prep.
• Banana bread goes in the oven, pie crust prep starts
• The pie crust gets tossed in the fridge to chill, and banana bread comes out to cool. (I need the pan that it's in for the meatloaf)
• Meat loaf gets messy... I love squishing it with my fingers. I have to chop an onion so this part takes a little bit. 
• Banana bread comes out, pan gets a quick wash and dry, grease and the meatloaf goes in the oven. 
• Apples get washed, peeled and sliced. Crust gets rolled out and placed into pan with apples, and then the lattice top. (I know, fancy!)
• Meat loaf is ready to come out. I wasn't sure, but now I know that I got pork at the store. Which works just as well as beef. But it makes the meatloaf look a little funny. So I check it a bunch to make sure its done. It is. Out it comes!! And it smells like home. 
• Apple pie goop (thats only word that comes to mind with this stuff) gets heated on the stove and then poured over the lattice top. Into the OVEN!!! 
• The meatloaf was cooling, and the apple pie needed to change temp after 15 min, so I decided to clean and do dishes. (This kitchen rampage made a fair number of dishes)
• Dishes done, meatloaf cooled a bit too long reheated and I finally got to eat dinner at 7:20. It was most tasty. 
• Apple pie done and now I'm writing to you. 

I'm debating if I go slice a small piece to try now, or if I take it snack time tomorrow with the banana bread and let my friends be the guinea pigs..... mmmmm. I think I need to try it.

Until next time.