Free Lobster... Paid with Time

Tuesday evening was my first food truck event. Every Tuesday (weather-depending) in Santa Monica a few trucks come to a specific lot for people to enjoy. This week, trucks included:

A Rockin Ice  http://www.arockinice.com/

Bollywood Bites http://www.thebollywoodbites.com/

Clean Street http://www.cleanstreetfood.com/

Crepe n around http://crepenaround.com/

Gourmet Genie http://www.gourmetgenietogo.com/

Grilled Cheese Truck http://www.thegrilledcheesetruck.com/

Lobsta truck http://www.lobstatruck.com/

Shrimp Pimp http://shrimppimptruck.com/

Slammin Sliders http://slamminsliders.com/

I ended up having some shrimp ceviche and a tuna sashimi salad from the Shrimp Pimp truck. The food was good and I enjoyed going to this since I missed out on going last time I was here due to rain cancellation.

Wednesday I went to a San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, CA [http://www.sdfair.com/]. I had lunch (to-go grocery salad with chicken, raspberry vinaigrette, walnuts, craisins; apple slices; chocolate-vanilla twist frozen yogurt) and then went on a Ferris wheel (the ride gave great views of the fair and nearby ocean, but did not feel so safe) and then a spinning ride. I also checked out farm animals, games, shows, shopping exhibits (from actual baked goods or other items for sale to demonstrations of more major products, such as Vitamix blenders and pressure cookers), and saw both flower and car competitions. There were so many food stands - everything from Italian and Greek to just about ANYTHING fried (brownies, Kool-Aid, Thin Mint cookies...). After the fair, I went to a nearby casino [http://www.valleyviewcasino.com/], where signing up for a free membership card earned me a FREE lobster and other food buffet (nearly $30 value, paid for in the almost 2 hour wait before I actually sat down to eat). There was a ton of seafood, salad items, desserts, Asian foods, and more. I left super full (had some lobster, crab leg, mango sorbet, salad with toppings, some sushi and Japanese salads, white fish, miso soup, fruit...), but it only cost time and tip. :-P 

Today, I visited Surfas [culinary supply store: http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/] and some local gun shops near my sister's apartment (just as part of a short walk on a day of nice weather). Later on I may go for my second time to the cool LA Farmer's Market [http://www.farmersmarketla.com/] and who knows what else for my final night in LA for this trip. My flight is tomorrow afternoon.

Great Blog

Quick note to talk about a blog I just heard about that is written by some English students in Poland, there to check out the country before the EURO Cup in 2012:
http://misja21.blox.pl

Blog Description:
"Gazeta Wyborcza", the country's leading daily, has invited journalism students from City University London to visit 21 biggest cities in Poland and determine whether they are ready to host the UEFA EURO 2012 championships. What is it like for foreigners to meet Polish people? Are any of the common stereotypes actually true? Here is our editorial project, Mission 21.

I think this is a fantastic resource because of how expansive it is; I did not have a chance to visit many of the cities that these bloggers have gone to, such as Opole and Szczecin. And there is a lot of great information on food, activities, and sites to see around the country.

Disney Day!

Sunday we had a Greek dinner while doing laundry [http://www.mezzamg.com/] and later on went to the Griffith Observatory [http://www.griffithobs.org/] in the Hollywood Hills for some nice nighttime views of the Los Angeles area. When the observatory closed at 10, we went to House of Pies [http://house-of-pies.net/home.nxg].

Monday was DISNEY DAY. We did 1-day park hopper tickets so we could enjoy both Disneyland and California Adventure. We walked a bit through Downtown Disney before going to Disneyland first. After a bit of walking (picture near castle and Walt & Mickey statue), our first ride was Pirates of the Caribbean, which seemed different (added effects and more water to me - I ended up splashed more than once). We went on Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and then we went to California Adventure, where we took passes for the show at night (World of Color for the 10:15 show). Here we saw that Ariel's Undersea Adventure was closed because of technical difficulties (sadly, we never had a chance to go on and only saw the ride outside and inside entrances, with a pretty mural where you board the ride) and then went on Toy Story Midway Mania. We then had lunch (salad in bread bowl for me and Mexican for Jenn and Scott - these were tacos with beans and rice and guacamole on the side). After that we met with a Disney Vacation Club person, who gave us an appointment to talk about the program later in the afternoon. While we waited, we went on Soarin' Over California. After our Vacation Club presentation (free cold drinks and Milano cookies, plus we saw some of the Disneyland Resort hotels and new hotel in Hawaii room models while earning two free fastpasses per person), we rode California Screamin', before going back to Disneyland for a bit. We did fastpasses for Space Mountain and then Mr. Toad's Wild Ride before going back to California Adventure. Once back, we went to the TRON party (elecTRONica, where there is a dj and dancers and an outside club with music and cocktails - alcoholic and non) and then waited for World of Color. This show was being built last time I was here and it was AMAZING. We saw some fireworks at Disneyland while we waited, but World of Color was beautiful; the most gorgeous Disney night show I have ever seen. So colorful and clever with great music and use of characters. After the show, it was back to Disneyland for Star Tours, which is now 3D and has a different story (which is why we waited over an hour and the wait was that long whenever we checked). It was worth the wait. By then it was after the park closing time, so we headed back tired and happy. We may have missed out on some rides and shows, but we hit almost every great/favorite ride. It was a fun day and the park was not too, too busy, which helped.

Today might involve heading to Santa Monica for food truck dinner and checking out the pier and beach. Tomorrow is still being planned as going towards San Diego for a fair. Not sure about Thursday or Friday morning before I head to the airport.

"Can't Wait to Have My Own Show Again..."

Recent activities:
-Walked and shopped (mostly book-related when it comes to purchases...) along Third Street Promenade area in Santa Monica (Barnes & Noble, Disney Store, Sur La Table, and Anthropologie were a few of the stops) [http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/shopping/downtown/]. I was close enough to the beach to almost feel and smell it. I saw the pier and beach area in Santa Monica a bit when leaving.
-Ate Japanese at Torafuku [http://www.torafuku-usa.com/]: clam soup, side salad, seaweed salad, and marinated eggplant.
-Saw Conan O'Brien documentary (shown above), which was great and hilarious. :) La Bamba - a member of Conan's shows' bands - he was in the bands for both shows on NBC and is in the current TBS one - was outside the theatre as I entered; maybe he was at the showing right before. The movie theatre was a cute little place with one screen, located in Westwood/West Los Angeles - a really nice area near UCLA. There were a lot of colorful lights on the several other nearby cinemas, plus numerous nice shops and restaurants/bars/cafes (saw pizzerias, sushi bars, and American Apparel to name a few spots).
-More light grocery shopping and a tad unpacking.

DISNEY MONDAY! Also, there may be a trip to the San Diego area on Wednesday, but not too much else is that solidly-planned yet (everything else is just ideas thrown into the mix that could be done). I am glad the weather has been quite pleasant since my last time in California was rainy.

CALIFORNIA

Currently in the Los Angeles area. I am coming up with ideas and making plans for my next week here. One place in mind is a well-known Polish restaurant in Santa Monica called WARSZAWA (appropriate after my recent time abroad :-P ).

http://www.warszawarestaurant.com/index.html

My sister did not have a good enough fill of Polish food during her short stay at home in New York, so I have been wondering if we should check this place out (it would be a first time for both of us). Other than the chance to go here, we also have plans for going to the movies (new Conan O'Brien documentary released today), heading to Disney (Land and California Adventure, of course ;) ), seeing a Tim Burton art exhibit at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), maybe seeing one event at the Los Angeles Film Festival (an event about music videos directed by Eric Wareheim from "Tim & Eric Awesome Show: Great Job!"), and playing lazer tag. I will be on the lookout for more to do (possible plans to maybe see an LA Dodgers game were one item scrapped). So far I have gone to visit my sister's work (fun cooking supply and more store), helped with shopping and unpacking/apartment setup, and went to MENCHIE'S for frozen yogurt fun. We love Menchie's. :)

Little cups to try frozen yogurt flavors; do-it-yourself soft-serve and topping bar... :-D There are even fun spoons now

http://menchies.com/

More later. :)

Polish Favorites: Tourism in Warsaw

I recommend this site: http://www.um.warszawa.pl/en/articles/warsaw-tourism and this site: http://www.warsaw-life.com/ and this one http://www.spottedbylocals.com/warsaw/ and Trip Advisor, plus this cool map: http://www.use-it-warsaw.pl/

I also think it is good to visit Warsaw in May/June because of weather and flowering, but this does depend on plans and activities.

1. Old Town: includes Plac Zamkowy, the Royal Castle (if in Warsaw on Sunday, then there is free entry to the castle, which I recommend), Zygmunt's Column, Barbikan (the brick walls surrounding some of the area), and the Old Town Rynek. I would even suggest heading a bit north of Old Town into the cute New Town area (where the site of Marie Sklodowska-Curie once lived, where there is now a museum).

2. Lazienki Park, with the Chopin Monument, gardens, Orangery, white house, and palace [http://www.lazienki-krolewskie.pl/index.php?lang=en]. There are beautiful plants, trees, and flowers around the grounds. I hear that the boat/gondola rides on the water are nice. I recommend looking out for peacocks, which are usually near the Ampitheatre. I did see a concert by the Chopin Monument, but it was not one of the Sunday Chopin classical shows offered from May until September (two shows each Sunday at 12pm and 4pm).

3. Palace of Culture and Science Observation Deck: one of the best views in Warsaw.

4. Warsaw Uprising Museum: a well-done museum with takeaway information (not just learning while there, but actual handouts that can be taken home). There is a neat aerial video of the city after the World War II and a lot of great artifacts with interviews from people involved in the conflict. This may be one of the best museums I have ever visited, which must be why it is so popular and has been updated before. Free admission on Sundays (but the video costs extra everyday). http://www.1944.pl/en/

5. Frederic Chopin Museum: the museum is housed in a former palace. The exhibits are not only in a lovely place, but are very interactive - you can listen to Chopin's music and touch screens to learn more information. The grounds outside are lovely - there are some murals on nearby buildings that include Chopin and the famous Golden Duck statue is on the street below the museum. Be on the lookout for the black marble Chopin Benches around the city: they mark significant places to Chopin when he lived in Warsaw (with map on the bench that show current location and other sites of benches), plus they play Chopin's music when a button is pressed. http://chopin.museum/en

6. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

7. Krakowskie Przedmiescie and Nowy Swiat Streets: including the Presidential Palace, Warsaw University, numerous cafes/restaurants and shops, and several monuments (Copernicus and Adam Mickiewicz to name a couple). See the Palm Tree at the end of Nowy Swiat where it intersects Jerozolimskie Avenue. If old, ornate churches are of interest, then there are some here in addition to the Old Town area.

8. Honorable Mentions (if there is extra time): Warsaw Zoo [http://www.zoo.waw.pl/], tours of the Sejm [http://www.sejm.gov.pl/english.html] and Presidential Palace (NOTE: these both need reservations a bit in advance - the palace in particular took a few weeks and may need special permission), Copernicus Science Center (great interactive and playful exhibits, especially for children - which is also a warning since this place has school children tours and families visiting, which may not be fun for people against lines, crowds, or rowdy children) [http://www.kopernik.org.pl/en/], more mermaid statues (one is easy to see in the center of the Old Town Rynek, but others exist around the city, including one near the Swietokrzyski Bridge and Copernicus Science Center), Warsaw University Library (summer months have a deck on the roof open to the public with amazing city views; the surrounding gardens are also beautiful), Warsaw Ghetto area/Jewish places in Warsaw (including the remains of the ghetto wall), National Museum of Warsaw [http://www.mnw.art.pl/index.php/pl/english_summary/], other monuments of interest (Ghetto Uprising, Warsaw Uprising, etc.), other parks/gardens (Saxon Garden, Ujazdowski Park, Skaryszewski Park), venture in Praga (beaches along the Wisla/Vistula River, see the E. Wedel factory and its store full of candy), walk along the Wisla/Vistula River (there is a great new fountain near the river to the east of the New Town area, which sometimes has light shows - certain days this includes music) and Plac Zbawiciela and Plac Konstytucji for some good food and people or architecture observation.

9. Culture: Polish cuisine, show (opera or ballet or theatre or concert), and shopping (Hala Mirowksa market (for some flower stands, meat or seafood booths, and assorted groceries - it is all an interesting experience :-P) or play it safe along Nowy Swiat and Mokotowska or at one of the city's great malls or small shops).

10. What I Wanted to See and Ran Out of Time for (still recommend): Wilanow Palace and gardens, Pole Mokotowskie (saw some of this park area ("field") since it was not too far from my school and dorm), and just about any museum I did not see (there were SO many to choose).

There is so much to see and so much to do... but these are the main hits that show so much about the city, especially if there is not too much time to really dig in deep. I further recommend this book for an interesting stay (it is written in Polish and in English):

Polish Favorites: Tourism around Poland

First, I will give general information of cities I would recommend seeing before giving more detailed thoughts on Warsaw, where I spent the most time and saw more tourist spots.

Other than Warsaw
1. Tri-City (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot)
This area was a big favorite with many others on my program. Gdansk has a lot to see and to do: Solidarity Museum, the famous shipyards, Old Town area, and historic sites (meeting halls, monuments/statues, churches, etc.). Gdynia is a very green-looking area and has more famous places and monuments, important to WWII history of the area. Sopot is just a very pretty, yet sometimes expensive, seaside town. It reminded me of resort towns/cities in the US, such as Atlantic City. It has a beautiful boardwalk and a bustling little area on the shore with hotels, shops, and restaurants. It was nice to come here to see the great Baltic Sea.

2. Wroclaw
I swear, whenever I mentioned going to or having been in Wroclaw, the Polish people I would be talking to would not stop praising the city as their favorite or somewhere they were dying to visit. The Americans on my program tended to overlook this city - except for one girl who may have visited after the program ended and the students who would ask me about my thoughts on Wroclaw when I spoke of it - but anyone I knew who was Polish or had a chance to go were only positive about it (which was uncommon for most places, since there were usually good and bad comments about anywhere from Warsaw to Krakow). Not exactly sure what I recommend most, except maybe the Panorama Raclawicka (http://www.panoramaraclawicka.pl/en/what_to_see.html) and walking around the city and over its many bridges (especially seeing Old Town and the Rynek). I also hear the zoo is pretty great.

3. Krakow (Nearby: Auschwitz & Wieliczka Salt Mine)
Visiting Krakow is not a one-day event; it really does need a few days to see a better amount of the city and some sites nearby. Krakow has its Old Town with the amazing Rynek, which houses the famous Sukiennice, churches, and tons of stores and cafes/restaurants. There is also Wawel (cathedral with royal tombs and castle), the newly-opened Schindler Factory Museum, Nowa Huta (for Social-Realist architecture), other churches, Kazimierz (former Jewish district that now has synagogues, hip galleries and cafes, plus the best zapiekanki in town - so I've heard), Jagiellonian University (such as the library and Collegium Maius), monuments (Battle of Grunwald Monument and Kosciuszko's Mound), St. Florian's Gate, the Planty (park with walkway around Old Town), and many other museums (I heard the Ethnography Museum is good).  For trips outside the city that are not too far of a bus or car ride away, my main recommendations are Auschwitz in Oswiecim [http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/m/] and Wieliczka Salt Mine (very popular with the other American students, who licked everything, which is allowed) [http://www.kopalnia.pl/home.php?id_language=2].

4. Honorable Mentions
For a few hours or if there is a lot of time to visit around Poland: Lodz (I recommend Manufaktura [http://www.manufaktura.com/EN/HomePage/Default.aspx] and walking along Piotrkowksa Street), Poznan (did not have much time there, but the Stary Browar [http://www.starybrowar5050.com/en/miejsce/idea] and Old Town's Rynek are great), Torun (see the birthplace of Copernicus and the university named in his honor, plus walk around the pretty brick Old Town, see the leaning tower, and maybe try some fresh piernik (gingerbread) - there is even a museum for it where visitors can make their own; I also walked the bridge connecting one side of the city to the other, not by choice but it was still a nice way to say "hello" and "goodbye"), Lublin, Legnica, Malbork Castle (on the way to or from the Tri-City area)

5. Places I would go
Some places I would see if I had more time (and may see in the future one day): Rzeszow, Bialystok, more of the Baltic Coast, more of Poznan, Białowieża National Park, Zakopane/Tatra Mountain Region, Zamosc, Gniezno

Be Our Guest: Polish Food Favorities

Thought I would give some information about some restaurants and foods I liked while in Poland... It's my extended "Best Thing I Ever Ate..." in Poland edition.

FYI: ** Means I like it a lot. :)

1. Chains (Polish or International)

-Dessert: Ice cream, sorbet, chocolate, etc.

• Grycan: this is all over Poland, so should not be too difficult to find in a big city; I prefer sorbet because I like fruit and the displays for all of the ice creams and sorbets are always so pretty here. http://www.grycan.pl/
  
• E. Wedel: there are candies sold all over and then there are the special E. Wedel cafes (pijalnie czekolady - named because they are meant to be places for drinking the chocolate, but foods are also offered at them); thick hot chocolate, chocolate fondues, and other desserts - made right in Warsaw at the Wedel factory in the Praga district.
  http://www.wedel.pl/

-Vegan, vegetarian, salads...

• Salad Story: decent chain of quick-service salads; the menu is decently large and varied; I've had a smoked salmon salad ("Rybaka") there and a few others looked pretty good as well. The prices are inexpensive and this is a fast meal when on the road or at a mall. http://saladstory.pl/
• **Green Way: great VEGETARIAN chain in Poland, yes, a POLISH chain that is meatless. The USA cannot exactly claim its own and Poland beat the US to it. :-P This place has a set menu and daily specials (meals and soups of the day). I have been to several of these in Poland (Toruń, Łódź, ate at two of the three in Warsaw) and know they are cute, fast, tasty, and inexpensive. I LOVE soup and this place had a lot of great soups, many of them being famous Polish soups (sometimes with the same recipe, but with any meat removed if the directions call for it). Some of the best foods I had in Poland were here: zupa grochowka (split pea soup) and krupnik soup. http://greenway.pl/
• **Loving Hut: the only FULLY vegan place in the city, it is part of an international chain of places serving only vegan foods. I strongly recommend the Heavenly Salad; this place is cute, quick, and inexpensive. Plus, it is healthy, animal-product-free, and mostly Asian-inspired dishes. http://lovinghut.waw.pl/

-And there is always Pizza Hut... at least it's much nicer outside the US: http://www.pizzahut.pl/ ;)

2. Non Chains

-Warsaw

• **Malinova: considered the BEST ice cream in Warsaw. The shop is adorable and the place is close to where I lived and my spring semester school. There are rotating flavors and I tend to hear they are either good or amazing, so it seems that anyone wins with whatever is chosen. :) As with Grycan, personally, I go for non-dairy/sorbet and fruity. This place was a favorite among me and my fellow American abroad students.
• **VEGA: not easy to find, but really inexpensive, fast, and tasty. This is another "bar" or quick service lunch spot. I think the soups are pretty good and all of the salads and sides that were made always tasted great (I love me some shredded beets and other "surowki" - sides/salads). http://www.vega-warszawa.pl/index.php
• POLKA: one of the two Magda Gessler restaurants I ended up dining at while in Warsaw. I liked the salad with grilled cheese and tomato sauce. http://www.restauracjapolka.pl/
• **Jumbo Salad: another place that is not so easy to find (it's in an apartment complex neighborhood area, not exactly close to the beaten path since VEGA is at least directly off of a major street), but worth the trouble (sadly, I only went once, but it was pretty close to my area). This is another adorable place with good, fast, inexpensive food. I had a salad with crab meat and vegetables, which was tasty. I wish I had gone again, but I am glad I went at least one time. http://www.jumbosalad.com/
• Giovanni Rubino: I did not go to too many Italian places while in Warsaw, but this is a good choice near Old Town. http://www.giovanni.pl/
• **Literatka: another good choice near Old Town, but this one is mainly Polish food. The outdoor sitting area is very nice when the weather allows (but the inside of the restaurant looks really pretty as well). I really enjoyed the dishes I had on my visit there: fish soup and a salad with sun-dried tomatoes and grilled salmon. http://www.literatka.com.pl/
• **Pod Czerwonym Wieprzem: this is another Polish/Eastern European/Russian restaurant that was well-reviewed by me and others I know who have gone there. It has a neat newspaper menu and the Communist theme is interesting (I loved their website and name-dropped the place a lot before ever going...). I had a tasty meal there of borscht and seasonal salad with grilled chicken and strawberries. This place seems to be pretty memorable and eating outside is recommended if possible. http://www.czerwonywieprz.pl/
• Salad House: another salad bar place with a good-sized menu. This one is similar to Salad Story and Jumbo Salad, but its location is close to city center and the Swietokrzyska Metro station.

-Gdańsk

• Velevetka: This place has dishes that are regional for near the Baltic Sea area and this city in particular. I remember the pickles served to the table were a great combination of sweet and sour. I had a regional (Kashubian) fish soup that had large pieces of salmon in it and was quite tasty. http://www.velevetka.pl/
• **Kresowa: more Polish/Eastern European/Russian cuisine. I drank some clear barszcz (one of the best I had in Poland) and I REALLY liked my main dish: white fish (cannot remember what kind) with cooked, shredded beets on top. Unfortunately, I was with a large group on a busy Restaurant Deal Weekend in the area, so our service was not amazing and we waited a lot, but the food was delicious.

-Kraków

• Da Pietro: good Italian cuisine near the main rynek. I remember having another good fish soup here as well. http://www.dapietro.pl/
• Wesele and Miód Malina: two good Polish restaurants near the rynek (Wesele is in the rynek, but Miód Malina is not too far from it). At Wesele I had a salad with duck meat and was quite surprised at the way duck meat looks and tastes; it was almost as if it were red meat... http://www.weselerestauracja.pl/ and http://www.miodmalina.pl/
• **MOMO: along with many of my favorites in Warsaw, this place is vegetarian/vegan-friendly, with a lot of organic and healthy foods. Plus, it is in a cute little location with great prices, fast service, and a varied (somewhat daily) menu. I had some tasty miso and vegetable soup. Also, I remember having as part of my main dish some zucchini and broccoli in a sauce that was GREAT.
• Horoscope: [http://www.restauracja-horoscope.pl/horoskop.html] I did not eat at the actual restaurant, but ordered my first ever zapiekanka at their to-go window. It was delicious, plus hot and fresh from the oven. Kraków seems to be THE place for zapiekanki, as I also saw (but did not try, though my friends were eating them and offered to give me a bit) a well-known and strongly recommended place called "U Endziora" at Plac Nowy in the Kazimierz district of Kraków. This place may be a little kitchen with a window in a market square, but it also may serve the best zapiekanki in Poland... My friends raved about them as they ate, but they also were a bit under the influence and it was late at night (in Polish, but good pictures: http://prowincjalnawioska.blox.pl/2008/08/Bylam-U-Endziora.html). I encourage the use of garlic sauce, spinach, mushrooms, and chives (but there also could be chicken, bacon, ham, salami, peppers, onions, ketchup, mayonnaise, and other toppings).

-Lublin

• **Mandragora: this is a Jewish restaurant in the main area of Lublin. It was here that I had another fantastic soup, this time a great cabbage soup. Also, I finished off with a warm Israeli drink that had cinnamon and bits of apple. Yum. http://www.mandragora.lublin.pl/

-On the road

• Brovaria (Poznań): great location in the main rynek. I really liked my lunch here: a grilled tuna salad with fruit slices and vegetables. http://www.brovaria.pl/EN-H28.html
• Random food/milk bars (Legnica & road): Now, milk bars are a mixed bag... some are nicer than others in looks and some are better than others in dishes, while at one place alone there could be both great and inedible foods. The price is so cheap that you may be given what you pay for, but it is an experience whether your food turns out well or not... at least the price was not so high that it would be a complete waste of money and time. Give them a chance and they could surprise... and maybe even give a second chance if the first time does not turn out so well. I am a fan of borscht (well, I am a soup lover in general), especially Ukrainian borscht, which I had at a bar on the road and at a restaurant in Legnica. Both were great.
• **Don Giovanni (Legnica): good Italian food in the rynek. I had a grilled salmon salad that was really good and the entire menu looked great. http://www.dongiovanni.legnica.pl/
• **Krotoszyce Palace (near Legnica): gorgeous palace and grounds, commonly used for weddings and other important events. The restaurant is great with a wonderful menu. I really liked my lunch main dish of a green bean salad with sun-dried tomatoes and sliced turkey (usually served with grilled tuna, but the waitress said they were out of tuna or some issue and asked if I could replace it with turkey) http://www.palackrotoszyce.pl/

3. Products

-Eko chipsy: dried apple chips

http://www.bioavena.pl/

-Cisowianka: lekko gazowana (lightly carbonated water)

-Whomus: Hummus

http://www.whomus.pl/

-Sonko: rice cakes/waffles and other crisps

-piernik/gingerbread

4. Street food

-gofry: freshly made waffles with or without toppings. Warm with strawberry jam, that's how I did it. I also would have tried with other jams or with fruit (not really into whipped cream or other syrups and sauces).

-zapiekanki: PLEASE do not eat any ho-hum zapiekanka. Seek quality, which may mean waiting in a line and/or for a fresh zapiekanka to be made for you on REAL baguette bread, toasted in an oven with your toppings of choice (cheese, mushrooms, chicken, etc), with sauce(s) (ketchup, mayonnaise, garlic sauce), and seasoning (chives). I trust certain fresh ones made in Kraków. Go for the real deal, a big and fresh one over the sad wannabes at any gas station or stand.

-kebabs: I am not much of an expert and they are everywhere. It seems there are a lot of good places to go for these and they are common in any city with at least a few people (from big cities to smaller towns). If there is a line waiting for them, then that might be a good indication for taste. I wish I could say more, but I went to a pretty good one in Kraków and I heard of many good ones in Warsaw. I just do not eat much meat, so I had to wait to find a vegetarian version, which means I was not a good judge of where to eat them. Sadly, there are probably a lot more bad or mediocre ones than good ones, but that goes for anything.

-pączki: I am not really a fan of these Polish baked goods (I find it difficult to call them donuts), but this is another item where I stress looking for freshness and quality. Please go to a good, known place where they are warm, soft, and delicious. It does not matter too much about large selection versus no selection over fillings, but what does matter is quality. I know, based on recommendations and Fat Thursday/Pączki Day, that A. Blikle is good (only one filling, but this place is a chain considered to sell the best pączki in Poland) [http://www.blikle.pl/] and Cukiernia Pawłowicz (MANY filling choices from rose jam to chocolate and cherries) in a stand on Chmielna Street in Warsaw.

-cupcakes: recently popular in the US, now becoming very popular in Poland. My first-hand recommendations: Cupcake Corner in Kraków [http://cupcakecorner.pl/], Lola’s Cupcakes in Warsaw [http://www.lolascupcakes.pl/], and Goodies in Warsaw [http://www.goodies.pl/]. All have interesting flavors, fillings, and toppings in cute, little shops.

Polish Favorites: Bookstores

1. Traffic Club, Warsaw (there is at least one other in Wroclaw, but the Warsaw store is pretty epic)

http://www.traffic-club.pl/

Over 4 levels of merchandise

Basement has music and movies, ground has cafe, periodicals, gift items/cards, and some top sellers of music, books, and movies, next two floors have books, and the top floor had a birthday party when I was there once. This place has materials in both Polish and English (the amount of English is not too much, but still very good).

2. Empik, all over Poland (I particularly like the Megastore in Krakow's rynek)
http://www.empik.com/

Ahh, the memory of walking in here and stumbling into the Sephora 5 years ago...

Empik is basically a good Barnes & Noble or Borders (since I think Borders beats BN in the free rewards program and the media area - music and movies - but BN seems better in atmosphere, cafe, and ties for overall and books). However, Empik also advertises and sells tickets for concerts in Poland and offers classes in foreign languages (I know people who take English lessons offered).

3. Massolit, Krakow
http://www.massolit.com/

Want books only in English? Then this place is great. It offers a good selection of Polish authored books translated into English, plus a wide variety of genres (poetry to specific area studies to general literature). I was saddened to leave empty handed, but my list of books to buy did grow. And, yes, there are comfy seats, couches, and a cafe in this two-level store.

4. American Bookstore, all over Poland
http://www.americanbookstore.pl/

Again, only in English. BUT, this one is a chain! There is one on Nowy Swiat in Warsaw, plus several in many malls across the country. Helping English-reading expats and travelers (or those fluent enough in English looking to improve their reading skills) find books easily.

5. Museum Bookstores/Gift shops
Many museums, especially art ones, have great bookstores/gift shops. I was surprised that many had English-language books as well. I remember some cool books at the Zacheta National Art Gallery and the Center for Contemporary Art.

There are definitely many other bookstores that I did not have a chance to see or did not know about. There were also many cities that I visited and did not stop at bookstores. But these are some definite good ones if in need of a book, in Polish or in English. If another language is needed, well... that depends.

Coming Soon...

Finally watched "The Way Back" and it was pretty good. Some of characters are Polish, including the main character Janusz (Jim Sturgess). The story is about men who escape a gulag in Siberia and trek all the way to India through Mongolia, China, and Tibet. The film left me with some questions that I had to research online after the movie ended. It had a lot of important facts - not just from during WWII, but also after about such events as Prague Spring and Solidarity - that I generally already knew, but they are still not widely known in history classes taught in America, so it is valuable for the audience to learn.

I am working on my last paper for the spring semester. After that, I need to begin thinking about some work I will begin in the fall.

Some posts I am planning to do:
-Recommendations (food, stores, restaurants, museums, tourist/interesting places to see - mainly in Poland, Warsaw especially)
-Future travel and possible plans to go back to Poland in 2012
-Further Polish lessons
-School (and thoughts about grad school)
-Summer reading and events

For the Personal Library

More books to add...

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/news/the-cults-top-10-books-of-2010

I trust other Chuck fans...

Words

The words of Maya Angelou:

I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life.’

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. 

Fall

Still a bit jet-lagged, but now is the time to finish up my work from the spring semester. I have two more papers to complete (one entire paper for Polish politics and less than half left to finish for the other in Central European - mainly Polish - history). Some aspects of Europe have been maintained at home, such as eating borscht a couple of days after coming back when my Babcia/grandma made it. Also, I still drink some sparkling water and eat salads/surowki. But I have also welcomed back items I did not have abroad: Kashi cereal, almond milk, On Demand television...

I spent the last few days catching up on a few television shows (The Office, Parks & Recreation, some Castle, United States of Tara...) and beginning Game of Thrones.

There is a lot to like and some that I do not like about this show. I like some characters (Ned Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, the dire wolves, Samwell), while others are terrible. Some parts of the storyline are a bit strange or gross, but the show still remains to be good as I watch around the scenes where you wonder if certain views are necessary...

There are also some movies I need to catch up on. The Hangover Part II was quite good, but used an identical model to the first movie with a few changes. However, the writers know what worked for the first film, so why do too much differently for the second film; this is about entertainment at the end of the day. And everyone laughed a lot in my theatre.

Once I finish my two papers, I will read a lot more. I finished a few magazines, but I have books I need to go back to. I also have new Polish instructors and homework: my mother and grandmother are now going to give me written work out of the book and workbook I used during the spring, plus I was told to watch Polish television and practice more speaking and listening.

Something for travelers:
These trips sound really interesting
http://escapetoshape.com/

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

So, there it is, 4 months in Poland are now complete. Woke up at 3 AM (but it was light out when we took the taxi at 4 AM) on Wednesday. The first part was quick (check-in and security). We had tea and coffee at the airport and then took our first flight from Warsaw to Amsterdam. This was quick and we were given a couple of little sandwiches: one had mystery meat with butter on grain bread (weird since I am not a processed meat lover or butter fan) and curried egg salad on brown bread (not bad). We were later given biscuit cookie sandwiches with caramel filling (also not bad; the biscuit part tasted a bit graham cracker-like and the caramel was mainly just sweet). On this flight I read some of my Oprah magazine. The layover at Amsterdam was short. We flew from there to Paris (Charles De Gaulle) and had a selection of baked goods at one time during the flight (I had a regular croissant, but there were also pain au chocolat - chocolate-filled croissant - or some kind of pastry that looked to have maybe nuts and apple? from which to select), which looks a lot nicer since the last time I was there (there are fewer renovations and the complete ones make the airport look better, but it is still not an easy experience since the layout is confusing and the security check is annoying). At this airport, I had a chance to go to the airport lounge for frequent fliers. This lounge is nicer than the only other one I had seen (which is also very nice) in Detroit. I had some good fruit salad, canned Pellegrino, and a little vegetarian sandwich (all tasty). This longer flight from Paris to Philadelphia was not as nice an experience as my last transatlantic flight. There was a baby that cried a lot and a little boy (probably her brother) moaning, while a few other people were strange and/or difficult and/or complaining a lot. We each had personal TV screens in our seats, which was nice. I watched Tron: Legacy (I liked it a lot, or maybe it was just the nerd in me having a fun time for the Daft Punk music and video game-like aspects... who knows), The Green Hornet (only for Christoph Waltz), Samantha Brown's Passport to Great Weekends: LA, an episode of The Big Bang Theory, some of Biutiful (I was falling asleep, but was not successful taking a nap when I turned the movie off because the baby was crying and I was not comfortable) and some of the pilot episode of The Borgias. Pretty sure there was a girl who had been on America's Next Top Model on this flight. After we made it through all of the security, customs, and passport checks in Philadelphia, we picked up our luggage and our car before a drive home (I slept through most of it), making it back at almost 10 PM. I had been up almost a day (or more for others).

Today is relax day. Last night, I went to bed regular time (around midnight) after going on the Internet and watching some television. This morning I woke up early because of my weird sleep schedule (nap in car and going to sleep before, plus not being used to time change and jet-lag yet) and our cat's meow cries on-and-off from early this morning until early this afternoon (he is so needy and was lonely I guess :-P silly boy - but also looking older and bigger). I am caught up with Community as of this morning, but made a list of other shows and movies to catch up on. I also have two more papers to complete the next couple of weeks so that I will then really be on summer vacation. Too bad the weird phone call from an army recruiter earlier this afternoon did not know he was calling someone without interest. :-/

Being back in America is still very recent. I will reflect more on being back, my time abroad, trips, and the future soon. For now, I will relax and finish up the work for the spring semester before looking too far ahead or behind. One recent thought is about persons, places, and things I miss. It has been strange being home without our dog Maggie, but not much else seems different yet. I also know that a trip in the next couple of months to California sounds very exciting. :) I will soon begin planning activities for the summer, such as deciding places to go and books to read and things to do. I just have to fit in some time for my work on Polish before it escapes me and to learn more. In the near future, I will be watching The Hangover Part II and X-Men: First Class (maybe).