Ethiopian Food 衣索比亞菜

Enjoying Ethiopian food is one of the pleasures in DC area. 

Because of a great population of Ethiopians, 

there are many flavorful and decent Ethiopian restaurants around. 

可能衣索比亞是在台灣人心中最有名的非洲國家, 可能台灣媒體總報導著衣索比亞居民的生活物資極其匱乏, 可能電視上總不停放送著要捐款給挨餓的衣索比亞孩子的廣告, 也可能是每幾個有愛心的台灣人就有一人認領個素未謀面的衣索比亞孩子, 只為改善她們的生活一點點。所以來美國以前, 總覺得衣索比亞是個遍地飢荒的地方, 很難想像他們料理的味道, 更難想像, 這樣的味道出現在乾淨明亮的餐廳裡, 伴隨著輕快的異國音樂...

再說, 這家衣索比亞餐廳的菜, 不但有炒高麗菜, 雪裡紅, 還有炒羊肉, 雞腿和滷蛋, 讓人不喜愛都難... 如果不是遵循傳統用手吃飯, 還差點以為自己在一家有台灣味的餐廳裡呢! :)

from Warka Ethiopian Restaurant (275 Sunset Park Dr, Herson, VA 20170)

COOK the cooking studio @ Ashburn, VA 烹飪教室在美國

Cooking is kind of a heavy duty everyday for housewives, especially for those in Taiwan. Probably because of some old sayings, people tend to believe men are better being away from the kitchen and women are supposed to be responsible for cooking. However, things are completely different here in the States. Cooking can be fun and something you would love to enjoy with everyone in your family or with your girl friends. I love this idea!

See?! 

They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with the whole family by cooking together! 

What a great idea! :)))

***For more information about COOK the cooking studio, please visit:

      http://www.cookisjoy.com/

Happy Halloween - Trick or Treat 不給糖就搗蛋

Kids are dressing up for "Trick or Treat!

Counting the candies they got afterwards.

Happy Halloween - Pumpkin Carving 南瓜雕刻

Finally I made it to do my first pumpkin carving this year! :)

Doesn't it look cute?

Happy Halloween Part II - Costume Party 萬聖節派對

It was our first costume party in the states, and was a lot of fun! At least we saw many people really engaged in the costume thing. They did love the festival from the bottom of their heart. Love that! :)

Happy Halloween - Cosplay in Japanese Style 萬聖節快樂

Halloween is no longer just a festival for ghosts. It officially becomes a day to honor "Cosplay"

Simply a lot of fun...

Mount Vernon 華盛頓的家

George Washington's pretty home. 

No wonder he couldn't wait to go home after his presidency of the United States of American. 

A sarcasm about young Washington chopped down a cherry tree accidentally and confessed to his father with dignity, which never actually happened. How come a little boy who could only handle a small axe was able to cut down a "tree" "accidentally"?! 

大概就跟蔣公小時候看到鮭魚逆流而上而決定奮發向上的故事一樣吧! 每個偉人都要有一個為人津津樂道的小故事, 不管是真是假!

Honey Pig the Korean BBQ @ Centreville, VA 韓式烤肉

Korean BBQ has been one of our favorite food since we came to the states because Korean food is always keeping authentic flavor of their own but not trying to cater to American's taste. I think that's why Korean food is always so popular among Asian people in the states. :)

Korean people in the states are also hard-working. When you are hungry at midnight, there're always Korean BBQ stores opening 24 hours everyday. Isn't it amazing? :)

Although every country in Asia has different flavor of BBQ, There are still many things Asian countries share with each other. On Northeastern Asia, such as China, Taiwan, Japan or Korean, people are used to grill thin-sliced pork or beef with sweet garlic soy sauce or something like that. The key ingredient of the sauce might be slightly different between countries. Therefore, it's still easy to find a lot in common.

However, each culture has something special with on doubt. For example, Korean people tend to wrap sliced meat, sauce and Kimchi with lettuces. They also enjoy putting rice on the top of the grill at the end and make fried rice with the leftover gravy. So delicious!!! 

***For more information about this Korean BBQ restaurant, please visit: Honey Pig

A happy moment... 幸福的時刻(美式婚禮)

For me, the most impressive part of a western-style wedding is that the bride was more vivid than just a doll. The bride smiled all the time, laughed out loud, danced and chatted with everyone. The groom and the bride were able to be more closer to the relatives and friends who were inviting to celebrate with them, which made them more involved but not just bystanders.

The wedding cake was like the happiness they were gonna have, and they shared it with all the guests. This just made everyone more bonded to each other.

Not many people was invited, but everyone invited was able to hug the bride and the groom. Nothing was ever comparable!!

By the way, people say it's not considerable if you wear white to a wedding, but black is fine. The only strategy is: never wear the same color as the bride!! She is absolutely the only star on her Big Day!!

Our first bowling in the states... 第一次在美國打保齡球

It's hard to believe it has been more than 10 years since last time I went bowling...

For more information about this place, please visit:
http://www.kingpinzbowl.com/

Black Friday after Thanksgiving Day @ Tyson's Corner 感恩節隔天的黑色星期五

The day after Thanksgiving Day is the biggest shopping day in the states. Most of the shopping malls and outlets would open from midnight with "the best deal ever" on Friday. 

Crowds are everywhere, and Tyson's Corner is not excepted. Once the doors are opened, people can't wait to get in as soon as possible since the biggest deals are usually limited. It's likely they can break the security door easily when they get crazy.

Some stores may open at 3am or 4am to sell something valuable but pretty inexpensive, like Best Buy. Lots of crazy and incredible promotion would attract tons of people waiting in line for shopping something with only half of the original price right after Thanksgiving Dinner. People get crazy about it and can't help spending all night waiting outside the stores which is really freezing since many of the places would have their first snow right after Thanksgiving. In that case, you can easily imagine how cold it could be to stay outside whole night.

Well...I have to say: if you happen to know a bit about Chinese New Year, this probably remind you of something people tend to do in front of the department stores right after New Year's Eve dinner and wait for a big price of a "Lucky Bag" which might bring you to win a car.

From: 新浪新聞 http://news.sina.com.tw/article/20090114/1283108.html 

Leesburg @ Northern Virginia

Leesburg, a neighbor town of Ashburn, is a beautiful and tranquil small town northwest of Washington DC. For people living in Ashburn but not from Ashburn and missing the feeling of walking on the street, Leesburg historic district is definitely a must-go.

We happened to go there on thanksgiving day before dinner. The streets were already decorated with lights. Few people were walking on the street sine it was almost dinner time. The small town was just full of lovely and quiet atmosphere.

Although it was thanksgiving day, still many of the restaurants there were open. They offered decent thanksgiving dinner for people who prefer dining out or someone like us living here without family nearby. The interior of the restaurants elegant and cozy, so that people couldn't help standing in front of the window to stare at it as long as they could. I was completely fascinated. Suddenly, a thanksgiving without family was not that terrible. :)