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kitchen adventures!
I don't think I can put into words how happy I am that winter is coming to an end. I've self-diagnosed myself with S.A.D. as when the sun finally appeared after weeks upon weeks of dreary grey sky I could physically feel my spirits lift. Plus, I only had to wear a jacket to work today! This is awesome! Although now that the snow is melted I can see all the leaves that didn't get raked up :(
This weekend was fairly productive as I got a start on my spring cleaning. I've decided to stay in the place I'm living (I've moved the last three years once my lease is up) so I figured it was time to start unpacking. I first tackled my desk area which had become a resting spot for all the crap I didn't know what to do with. The next think I'll tackle will be the wardrobe I refinished last summer this is currently housing bins of books, crafts, and misc items. It's a mess. Also! I put up curtains!
After watching Fantasy Couple and compiling the subsequent Anna picspam, I've REALLY wanted to try jjajangmyun. So, that was my other mission besides cleaning this weekend. This called for a trip to the international grocery store on the other side of town. I'd only been in there once before just to look around, but this time I had specific needs in mind. In particular, I needed black bean paste, which I learned is not in fact made from black beans, but rather fermented soy beans. I also decided to try my hand at ddukboki while I was at it so I grabbed some red pepper paste and rice cakes.
The ddukboki was less than successful, the sauce never really thickened. So I was left with rice cakes, that are chewy (which I didn't mind) but don't really taste like anything. It was nice and spicy though. I'm excited to make use of the red pepper paste in future recipes. Maybe tofu soup? I could make bibimbap too, though I need to try and find some kosari/fernbrake if I can.
It's rather intimidating shopping in an international grocery when you don't know how to read any of the languages. Thankfully, a LOT of the packaging comes with English subtitles. That was very much appreciated.
So, I made jjajangmyun! Basic ingredients include black bean paste, onion, sweet potato, zucchini, pork, and noodles. I had no idea what to expect when I made it, but I think it turned out pretty well. The taste isn't that exciting (I like things with a little more kick) but I can see how it has become a kind of comfort food.
I just need to stop trying to take pictures with my camera phone. They always come out crappy. I hate this stupid thing.
Finished Dal Ja's Spring this weekend as well. It was a bit of a chore, because as much fun as the first 2/3 were, the last act was VERY tiresome.
Spoilers for entire series: I very much enjoyed Dal Ja as a character and I think Chae Rim is great and I'm very much looking forward to watching Oh My Lady now. Dal Ja was just your every day woman. She is hardworking, loyal, and fun. She is neither the ultimate optimist nor sees the negative in everything. She just wants to do what she thinks is right. Like Aki from Pride she is a traditional woman being confronted by stuff she never thought she'd have to deal with. Trying to make all that fit into her world view proved a little difficult. And while I didn't agree with her sometimes, I could sympathize with her... UP UNTIL THE END.
BUT FIRST, can I just say how incredibly obnoxious I found the mothers? Their refusal to accept Dal Ja and Tae Bong as a couple and then Dal Ja's mom's insistence that they get married IMMEDIATELY just set my hair on end. She was no better than Tae Bong's mother and her clingy tendencies. She completely ignored her daughter's feelings for what she knew was right, and to hell with what Dal Ja wanted. Butt out, it's not your business. And BY THE WAY, stop reminding her that she is 33 and needs to marry now. She's made it this far without a husband, somehow I THINK SHE'LL MAKE IT. That drove me CRAZY and made me not want to finish the series because I could hardly take watching another instant of it. And there was a lot of it.
My irritations all kind of came to a head in the final two episodes. I didn't mind Dal Ja breaking it off with Tae Bong. I could totally see where she was coming from. He was her first real relationship, so she was on shaky ground to start with. And she had about a million different obstacles and annoying parents coming at her from every direction. Tae Bong is a great guy, but he was rather tight-lipped about his feelings for her. Everyone was pushing them towards marriage and he hadn't said that he loved her. She interpreted it wrong, but I can see where she was coming from.
What I DON'T get is when he finally does confess and they know they love each other, she doesn't return to the relationship. Fine, go study abroad but why in the WORLD do you have to leave it to 'fate' to see if it'll work out. You come back to Korea and you don't contact him? You go on a blind date? WHY ARE YOU BEING SO EVASIVE. I don't know where this 'fate' thing came into play but it was stupid and pointless and just ate up an hour of my life. So, I'm bummed you went out like that Dal Ja's Spring, I expected better.
Still, I enjoyed the series on a whole and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a career woman searching for love story. It's cute and fun, but be prepared to be annoyed with parents that don't mind their own damn business.
Randomly watched the end of the Oscars last night since I couldn't sleep. SO happy The Hurt Locker won for Best Movie. Avatar looked spectacular but there really wasn't any meat there. After watching The Hurt Locker... let's just say I don't remember feeling quite so tense after finishing a movie in quite some time. It really pulled you into the landscape and the emotions and didn't even need 3-D to do it.
Finally got around to watching The Hangover this weekend and it was pretty funny. Not the be all and end of al comedic movies as other people were proclaiming, but enjoyable. Watched 17 Again and that was a goofy time. That Efron kid is actually pretty funny.
This weekend was fairly productive as I got a start on my spring cleaning. I've decided to stay in the place I'm living (I've moved the last three years once my lease is up) so I figured it was time to start unpacking. I first tackled my desk area which had become a resting spot for all the crap I didn't know what to do with. The next think I'll tackle will be the wardrobe I refinished last summer this is currently housing bins of books, crafts, and misc items. It's a mess. Also! I put up curtains!
After watching Fantasy Couple and compiling the subsequent Anna picspam, I've REALLY wanted to try jjajangmyun. So, that was my other mission besides cleaning this weekend. This called for a trip to the international grocery store on the other side of town. I'd only been in there once before just to look around, but this time I had specific needs in mind. In particular, I needed black bean paste, which I learned is not in fact made from black beans, but rather fermented soy beans. I also decided to try my hand at ddukboki while I was at it so I grabbed some red pepper paste and rice cakes.
The ddukboki was less than successful, the sauce never really thickened. So I was left with rice cakes, that are chewy (which I didn't mind) but don't really taste like anything. It was nice and spicy though. I'm excited to make use of the red pepper paste in future recipes. Maybe tofu soup? I could make bibimbap too, though I need to try and find some kosari/fernbrake if I can.
It's rather intimidating shopping in an international grocery when you don't know how to read any of the languages. Thankfully, a LOT of the packaging comes with English subtitles. That was very much appreciated.
So, I made jjajangmyun! Basic ingredients include black bean paste, onion, sweet potato, zucchini, pork, and noodles. I had no idea what to expect when I made it, but I think it turned out pretty well. The taste isn't that exciting (I like things with a little more kick) but I can see how it has become a kind of comfort food.
I just need to stop trying to take pictures with my camera phone. They always come out crappy. I hate this stupid thing.
Finished Dal Ja's Spring this weekend as well. It was a bit of a chore, because as much fun as the first 2/3 were, the last act was VERY tiresome.
Spoilers for entire series: I very much enjoyed Dal Ja as a character and I think Chae Rim is great and I'm very much looking forward to watching Oh My Lady now. Dal Ja was just your every day woman. She is hardworking, loyal, and fun. She is neither the ultimate optimist nor sees the negative in everything. She just wants to do what she thinks is right. Like Aki from Pride she is a traditional woman being confronted by stuff she never thought she'd have to deal with. Trying to make all that fit into her world view proved a little difficult. And while I didn't agree with her sometimes, I could sympathize with her... UP UNTIL THE END.
BUT FIRST, can I just say how incredibly obnoxious I found the mothers? Their refusal to accept Dal Ja and Tae Bong as a couple and then Dal Ja's mom's insistence that they get married IMMEDIATELY just set my hair on end. She was no better than Tae Bong's mother and her clingy tendencies. She completely ignored her daughter's feelings for what she knew was right, and to hell with what Dal Ja wanted. Butt out, it's not your business. And BY THE WAY, stop reminding her that she is 33 and needs to marry now. She's made it this far without a husband, somehow I THINK SHE'LL MAKE IT. That drove me CRAZY and made me not want to finish the series because I could hardly take watching another instant of it. And there was a lot of it.
My irritations all kind of came to a head in the final two episodes. I didn't mind Dal Ja breaking it off with Tae Bong. I could totally see where she was coming from. He was her first real relationship, so she was on shaky ground to start with. And she had about a million different obstacles and annoying parents coming at her from every direction. Tae Bong is a great guy, but he was rather tight-lipped about his feelings for her. Everyone was pushing them towards marriage and he hadn't said that he loved her. She interpreted it wrong, but I can see where she was coming from.
What I DON'T get is when he finally does confess and they know they love each other, she doesn't return to the relationship. Fine, go study abroad but why in the WORLD do you have to leave it to 'fate' to see if it'll work out. You come back to Korea and you don't contact him? You go on a blind date? WHY ARE YOU BEING SO EVASIVE. I don't know where this 'fate' thing came into play but it was stupid and pointless and just ate up an hour of my life. So, I'm bummed you went out like that Dal Ja's Spring, I expected better.
Still, I enjoyed the series on a whole and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a career woman searching for love story. It's cute and fun, but be prepared to be annoyed with parents that don't mind their own damn business.
Randomly watched the end of the Oscars last night since I couldn't sleep. SO happy The Hurt Locker won for Best Movie. Avatar looked spectacular but there really wasn't any meat there. After watching The Hurt Locker... let's just say I don't remember feeling quite so tense after finishing a movie in quite some time. It really pulled you into the landscape and the emotions and didn't even need 3-D to do it.
Finally got around to watching The Hangover this weekend and it was pretty funny. Not the be all and end of al comedic movies as other people were proclaiming, but enjoyable. Watched 17 Again and that was a goofy time. That Efron kid is actually pretty funny.
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And I totally agree with you that Efron kid is funny. :D
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I was glad to know that the Oscar's actually came through; I was generally pleased with the wins. I didn't watch the show this year (as I really only care about results) still I liked the clips I saw of Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin as the hosts. Looked like a fun time.
Good luck with the rest of your spring cleaning! I'm right there with you on that regard! :3
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I didn't watch the whole broadcast, just the opening remarks (which were pretty funny) and then the end with best acress, director, and film. I heard it was pretty dull as a whole.
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I agree with Hurt Locker! I was so scared James Cameron would win best director too.
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However, I had no idea that woman had never won for best director. That's ridiculous and I'm glad that Bigelow won. She did an amazing job.
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