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.

The Devil Is In The Details...

So the "Three Cities" - "Trójmiasto" of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot - are beautiful. I really enjoyed this area and seeing the BALTIC SEA! :-D Sadly, did not touch it, but not sure I would like even putting a finger in (which was all that was technically allowed for my group. ;) ) I wish our stay were longer and I would love to see more or return soon (especially in summertime).The train trip went by pretty quickly and we even saw the Teutonic castle in Malbork as we passed:

Not my personal photo, of course. ;)

On Friday, we went and checked in to our hotel. It was so nice to be in a proper hotel, not a hostel or dorm. :-P I stayed in a room with two other girls and decided to take a fold-out instead of one of the two twin beds. It was a cute room. We went out to dinner at a restaurant that specializes in regional cuisine. I had a Kashubian (that part of Poland has people known as Kashubians, who are influenced by Polish and German culture) fish soup and a salad with smoked salmon, vegetables, fish eggs (thought "eggs" on the menu were from a chicken, heehee ;) ), and vinaigrette. My meal was all pretty good. Afterwards, I hung out some with the other students and we went out for a bit at night. We walked around the city some before going to bed before a day of major touring of Gdansk. We had a European continental breakfast (eggs, kielbasa, bread, rolls, dry cereals, whole fruits, drinks, tomatoes, cucumbers, crepes/nalesniki, sliced meats and cheeses, etc.) before going on a walking tour of Gdansk. We saw statues, fountains, monuments, the town hall, a special meeting hall, an older church (climbed ALL the way to the small viewing deck on top, a whopping 400+ steps - my calves still feel it a bit when I climb stairs),  a Solidarity Museum, and the famous Gdansk/Lenin Shipyards where Solidarity/Solidarność began! After that, we had some time to relax (in the middle of the tour we did have a coffee break; I had a soy latte (that I left unsweetened) and a parfait of yogurt, flakes, and fruit) and do as we please before a LONG (we happened to go to Gdansk on a weekend with deals similar to those in places that have Restaurant Weeks with special menus and prices for certain dishes, which made restaurants and cafes participating in these half-prices much busier than usual) dinner at a mixed-ethnic restaurant (Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, etc.); I had some delicious clear borscht and a fish that was cooked with shredded beets on top and salads/coleslaws/shredded vegetables/sides. It was one of the best fish meals I have ever had. I finished off with some fruit in whipped cream (sadly, each course took an hour, which caused a three-hour or so meal). On Sunday, after packing-breakfast-checkout, we took a bus to different sites around Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot: ports, piers, monuments, parks, etc. before having lunch in Sopot (I had a decent fish soup and a small salad with mixed seafood on it). I had a nice chat with other students and the amazing tour guide we had both Saturday and Sunday. The weather was great on Sunday and our trip ride back was fun; it is a great time when the entire program group can spend some time together.

Today, my Polish class was cancelled so that our abroad group could visit the Polish Parliament buildings. After that fun tour (reminded me of visiting the UN), I had a quick lunch at Green Way (cabbage and other vegetable soup; tofu and vegetables in tomato sauce on top of kasza with sides) before a shortened history class (we left early to go on another walking tour with our Jews in Poland class). The last tour I went on today included both places I had and had not seen: various monuments and markers of the former Jewish ghetto, famous Jews, or areas where many Jews had been before the Holocaust drastically cut down their population size. I visited a lot of places and learned so much these past few days. :) I especially enjoy the feeling of being and of seeing new places. Ahh, it can give quite a rush and giddiness in me. :-P

Pictures here: photobucket.com/kab1221

Lions & Tigers & Bears... Oh My

Today, I went to the zoo here in Warsaw. It was both beautiful and terrible: most of the animals were gorgeous (as was the weather), but I feel so bad to see them in their cages or exhibit areas and the fact that most of the animals are not natural inhabitants of this part of the world but live here anyway with some adjustments. I particularly enjoyed the bears (so lovely), seals (so playful), lions (man, their roars are loud), tigers (one had a supermodel strut), bison, lemurs, rhino, elephants, giraffes, and red panda. A few of the animals, probably from living in a zoo, are very friendly to people and come very close (especially the goats and bison). Some of the areas were smelly :) and the zoo is definitely worth a visit since there is so much to see (I think I saw every bit except a building that had a spider decoration on the outside, so I avoided that for a reason :) ). I really was glad to go, especially after reading a book about the family who maintained the zoo during WWII (there is even a small marker dedicated to the husband of that family to commemorate the years he was the zoo's director). It was neat learning new words since there were some animals that I did not really know their names in Polish or how to say their names. Some I already knew, so it was just a bit of review for me. After the park, I had a quick dinner at the vegetarian chain Green Way (cabbage soup, kasza/brown rice, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, shredded white cabbage/coleslaw, cooked vegetables with sauce) and picked up a few items at a grocery store before heading back to the dorm. Sadly, the weekend is almost over. I am now planning more of my Spring Break. Only two classes tomorrow (Polish and Jews in Poland) and then one the next day (history) (missing one - literature - to go on a field trip to a Jewish cemetery with another - Jews in Poland).

Today's pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60142466@N03/sets/72157626295524705/

Did it Geoffrey's (AKA the BEST) way. ;)

Podoba mi się...

"I like..."

As the previous post notes, I had an amazing time in Wroclaw. Podoba mi się tego miasta. It was my meetup with the sons of my mother's childhood friend in Poland. I left Warsaw on Friday morning for a train trip that was about 6 hours long. I had a very nice ticket clerk fellow who told me that I paid too much for a ticket because it was only reduced by age group and could be even cheaper for student price. He also told me to sit in the pregnant/child/baby cabin again. :-P Because of this, I had an interesting experience with a strange family that spoke Polish and some other weird language. There were two parents and one baby, which called me "Ga" more than once. She even said some "words" that were almost English-sounding words, but only through baby gibberish. She was not so well-behaved and had a bad habit of kicking bags, people, and other objects; she (well, could have been a he...) nearly broke her father's phone more than once. At one point the girl (?) dropped part of the phone under the seat and the father seemed a bit short tempered. It was a strange family to be with during the trip, but it could be worse. I had a seat. There was one man with us for a little while and later two militaristic-looking fellows came in for the remainder of the trip. I received a text from one of the people I was meeting and did not have enough money on my cell phone to reply. I used my "witch powers" to summon my mother to call me, even though I had spoken to her the day before and she said she would not call again until Sunday, and she did! Because of that, she was able to be a conduit of sorts between me and the people I was meeting. I made it to Wroclaw Glowny around 715 (I was supposed to be there at maybe almost 7 :-/). I was called shortly before making it there to hear that my "princes" (my word, not theirs) were waiting for me at the station. This station, similar to the main one in Warsaw from which I had come, is under a lot of construction. This makes finding the right platform difficult. I found my friends waiting for me on the platform and we headed to their apartment. There, I was given a bed to sleep in and gave gifts before we headed to the movie theatre at the nearby mall for "Sucker Punch" (it was OK) and then we walked around Wroclaw some (saw some neat sites: the rynek, some of the university buildings, etc.) before stopping at a little pub/cafe for mulled beer: warm, spiced with cinnamon. When we finished the drinks and chatting, we headed back to their apartment around 2am. The next day we had breakfast and decided to go to the National Museum there since it was raining (original plan was to see the zoo). Most of the museum's exhibits are free on Saturday, so we walked around and saw some great art and treasures. We took some pictures outside the museum and around the city; there were interesting churches, buildings, monuments, and even a bridge that has a romantic tradition: people in relationships can put locks on the bridge as a sign of importance to their relationship. It was cute and very original. We went out to lunch at a cute little cafe/restaurant that one of the guys recommended. I had a salad with chicken, hard-boiled egg, dressing, potato wedges, and assorted salad vegetables (lettuce, tomato, etc.) It was good. The guys had barszcz soup with dumplings and meals that included fried fish for one, fried chicken for the other that came with fries and coleslaw, sliced carrots, and beets. After that, we headed back to their apartment to chat while two of us had coffee. Later on, we went to see "The King's Speech" (it was very good and we agreed Colin Firth deserved his Oscar) and then stopped at a grocery store for some items. We then went off to our rooms for some computer time and then bed. Sunday we pretty much had breakfast and talked until we had to go to the train station around 3:30pm for my 4pm train. It was nice how one of them handled my pulling suitcase (packing with my backpack failed, sadly) on both occasions of going to and from the station and then they both wanted to come on the train to bring my luggage on and find me a seat. It was rushed at the end because the train was about to leave and they both had to hurry off so that they did not end up riding the train for a bit. They waved to me from the window and I was off for a long train ride. I was SO sad to go and I did not expect this strong reaction. Maybe it was lady hormones, who knows. I did not do much on the train other than look out the window and listen to music. I made it back at almost 11pm and took a tram and walk back to my dorm before telling my mother and the guys I made it back to Warsaw okay. Unfortunately, I also came home to an email for a reading assignment. :-/ I also felt the effects of "train lag" (what form of travel does not have it? I have had it from planes, cars, boats...)

Today (weather being sunny and only a bit chilly and windy) I had three classes (stopped by the vegetarian quick service restaurant VEGA for some tomato soup (with other vegetables) and salads (one cabbage with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, one with green beans, red peppers (blah), tofu, peas, chickpeas, and sauce, and a third with red cabbage and raisins) in between Polish and history) and then did some laundry (only had one machine open, so I still have dirty clothes leftover... but as long as I did some I can always do more another day this week). I skyped with my sister and now I have some reading before bed. Ballet on Wednesday! Our Jewish class may take a trip to tour the Jewish cemetery next Tuesday.

I Know Places

Serce w Sercu - heart in heart (the gingerbread cookie in keepsake tin I bought)

Today I had lunch at one of the Green Way bars here. Sadly, this is the third I have seen and no stuffed cabbage. I have one more I have yet to see in Warsaw, so maybe there will be some there or I will maybe have some at a place that serves both regular and meatless. I also have yet to have my fruit-filled pierogi. My meal today included lentil soup (with other such vegetables as carrots and potato pieces), vegetables and small bits of tofu in tomato sauce on top of kasza (kasha = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasha) with the side salatki (salads, mostly three different coleslaw-like sides). I liked the food, except when it comes to vegetables there is one variety that I tend to forget that I do not care for (since I tend to think I like all vegetables): peppers. Not a fan. I had some peppers in my food and I am not so into them.

After lunch, I went to the Independence Museum [http://www.muzeumniepodleglosci.art.pl/] (free on Sundays). It was neat since I saw an exhibit on Polish children in exile who went to school in countries other than Poland, such as Israel, Italy, and Mexico. It was neat to see school IDs, report cards, notebooks, and other school materials. There also were political posters, paintings, and cartoons. I read a lot of information about different times in Polish history where Poles fought against various threats for freedom and independence. The museum is also at a location I had walked by several times without even knowing it and the place is a palace. It was very pretty inside. I had some confusion communicating with the people at the door and coat check since the coat check guy asked something about help and I said no and then both of them kept talking to me, so I had to say I do not speak Polish that well and the woman at the door was silenced since she struggled to speak English. She tried to find the word "coat" in her mind and then motioned and I said it. Then we switched to Polish (me making some sense out of her words and me speaking in simple Polish) as I gave my coat and bag to the coat check guy.

After the museum, I headed to a couple stores for some groceries for the next few days before heading back to the dorm for some reading homework.

Pictures are updated on my twitpic! :)

Self Machine

In the words of OutKast, "you can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather."

That is how I feel about my nice few hours in Torun. It was my first time using the main train station here in Warsaw. It was not too difficult since I had been in the station and platform areas before. I also figured out the schedules to determine what platform I needed to be on. The station is not so nice right now because of mega-construction and the crowdedness of the underground tunnels of the Central/Centrum Warsaw area. It is easy to walk right onto a platform since the ticket is not checked until right after boarding, so then a ticketless rider would be in trouble since the comptroller guys did not seem especially friendly (except one I saw on my train back). I made sure to be at the station earlier, but this does not really help with finding seats since this was not the first station the train was at and there were many others wanting to board with me. I was in the second class, which basically was in a cabin resembling the one straight out of "Euro Trip." It was hard finding a cabin without sleeping people or where it did not feel weird with a bunch of others inside without much room. I helped one older woman board and she kept telling me not to be shy when she opened a carriage, claiming to be full and was not, and she yelled at the patrons saying it had seats and told me to join. I kept going and ended jumping into a compartment with room, only to be the one deemed for families (mothers/fathers/parents with children under 4 and pregnant women) and this family had both a pregnant mother and a child under 4 (maybe close to 2) with a father. I snuck in and did not take up much space, so I don't think it was a big, big deal that I was there and quiet (I only noticed the sign about babies when I was already sitting down a few minutes since it was on the door (open, so not quite visible) when I saw room inside the compartment and went in, right before the Dad brought in a big stroller in addition to their bags). They had enough room (only exception being maybe if the father wanted to stretch out more on the seat...) When the man came around to check tickets, he was a bit grumpy and said "DOKUMENT" to me. I was confused at first ("Co?" = "What?") and then he repeated and explained that I had a reduced fare, so I then understood and handed my student ID, which appeased him.

The trip went by pretty quickly. One woman joined us (the father had called out to one person that it was for families, but she only glanced in the way others had and kept walking, but allowed one woman in who actually opened the door and asked if there was room (the mom was not so happy about that). We all dozed off some and I was the first to exit. The station in Torun is really old-fashioned. It also requires crossing a bridge to the other side of the Wisla River to make it to the main sites of Torun. I mixed myself up, but made it to the other side. I also had to pay to use a restroom at the station (which also has some kiosks, a restaurant, vending machines, and a waiting room), which I would have minded less if that meant a nicer, cleaner experience.

I wanted lunch by then, so I headed directly to a place I had in mind, a vegetarian Polish chain called Green way: http://greenway.pl/ I had in mind to try the vegetarian golabki (stuffed cabbage), but it was unlisted. :( I will have to check if any in Warsaw make them. So, I had some tasty soup (this soup, but with the recipe tweaked to leave out the meat: http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishsoups/r/splitpeasoup.htm) and a "vegetable tart" (basically vegetarian lasagna with wheat-y thin pancakes [nalesniki/crepes] instead of pasta and with cheese, tomato sauce, spinach, and onions as the main vegetables) that came with some "salatki" = shredded carrots, a coleslaw-like shredded cabbage with creamy dressing and raisins, and another that was similar to coleslaw but not with any real dressing or sauce - more just shredded cabbage and carrot. The food was great and I am glad that I can try out the ones in other Polish cities, such as the three in the area here (yes, I am actually supporting a chain that is somewhat "fast food," but it is Polish-only, healthy, and vegetarian). The place was inexpensive and pretty (in Old Town and it had a beautiful ceiling with chandeliers).

Blurry Soup (I enlarged the picture)

After lunch, I walked around the Old Town; I saw Mikolaj Kopernik's house (Nicholaus Copernicus) and went on a tour inside; I saw the Old Town Square, medieval gates and walls, the Leaning Tower, Copernicus University, tons of modern shops (sadly even a fancy McDonalds with carnation bouquets on the tables and leather seats or sofas - rarely are they so nice in the US), cafes, and the famous "piernik" shops (piernik from Torun is famous; it is basically similar to gingerbread, but I think softer and better). At one of the shops (there were several) with mainly piernik (I went to the famous Kopernik chain), I bought this heart-shaped cookie that came in a red heart tin (haha, my memento). At another shop (not a Kopernik one, but selling Kopernik and loose gingerbread), I bought two filled ones (similar to the other two in the picture - which is off the Internet - but mine were covered in maybe sugar coating - one was very light and the other was a bit whiter - instead of chocolate. One had black currant (so Polish) filling and the other was apple (obvious)). It was all quite good, a bit sweet so I am not sure about if there will be a next time for eating it anytime soon, but the apple one had a strange taste to the outside, so the other two were a bit better (but I did like both fillings).

In relation to my first quote, the main issue of the day was the weather. Last time I checked the weather a few days ago, it was the same not-too-cold temperatures, but only when I checked on Thursday did it mention the rain. That and the gray sky made it not so fun, especially when it rained more intensely (luckily no downpour at least). It made me miss Warsaw, where I have places to hide out from the rain (my dorm, school, familiar public spots or a map to find new ones). I would not mind returning to Torun, but I am very glad I went and would understand if I did not have the time to make another trip and instead use the time for another destination. Torun is very cute and I am glad to have gone, especially for the train and train station experiences. I think it is a lovely little city. :) I enjoyed going a lot, it was only the weather and growing darkness that made me end my sightseeing early for the waiting room at the train station. While waiting, I had two cups of tasty (and warming!) red borscht soup from a hot drink machine and my first little bar of Prince Polo (chocolate covered wafer bar). I hid from the rain (which was even coming down a bit when I waited and boarded the train back to Warsaw). I did not have to compete with as many others to board at this station and the train itself even had few people! I had to use the restroom on-board, so I actually ended up being in first class for a few minutes and the ticket comptroller saw me in the hallway and let me stay in a cabin there while I looked for my ticket. After he checked it, I went back to the second class and found an empty cabin, where I read (homework reading includes the modern Polish Constitution - post-Solidarity - when I have yet to read the full US one I believe :-P), looked out the window, and took a nap before returning to "home base" in Warsaw; I took a bus from the station back to the dorm, where I could warm up. Today was a relax day and tomorrow might include grocery shopping and museum visit(s) and ...?

I will put pictures on twitpic soon! :-D

Act Like A Vegetarian Day ;)

... or vegan/pescaterian depending on what is consumed (dairy/no dairy/fish as only animal, etc.). ;) I tend to be pescaterian or vegetarian most of the time, so today I made sure not to have any poultry (since I don't go into red meat, pork, or anything else other than occasional chicken and turkey and seafood in terms of animals; animal-related products that are a bit more difficult to give up include yogurt/fro yo and honey and eggs/egg whites or anything else that happens to have some milk or any aforementioned items in it). But, it is a Friday during Lent (Wielki Post), so that means no consumption of animals who lived with Jesus (or, simply put, you can have seafood/fish and dairy, but lay off other meat and poultry on Fridays, please).

The Browns are now on THREE continents! I am here in Europe, my Dad's over in Asia, I have a lot of family on the East coast of the US, while Jenn is reppin' West Side over in sunny LA. ;)

Today, some people on my program had to be up VERY early to ride a train or bus to Zakopane. Others are in Lublin and Prague. I, instead, went out to lunch at VEGA, a vegatarian place on my foodie hitlist:
http://www.vega-warszawa.pl/
I had some vegan soup (called red lentil flavour, but also called dhal soup, so curry/Indian-like ;) ) and some different salads - one was boiled shredded carrots with coconut flakes and raisins, another was shredded beets (not sure what other flavors), and the last had chickpeas, kidney/dark beans, peas, and green beans in some kind of brown sauce. I especially liked the chickpea salad. There were a couple of other salads I thought of trying, but the plate looked fine with those three (as the server placed them). I would go back again since the price was not bad at all and the place is cute (plus there are more foods to sample). The food is healthy, Polish-meets-Indian-meets-typical-Vegetarian. I liked it. :)

I choose BEET over MEAT ;)

After lunch, I went to the Jewish Historical Institute, but for some reason I was told it was closed? (The sign said 4 PM...) and I was even encouraged to come on Sunday, when it is free. :-P I then explained that I was mainly interested in genealogy. I was told that I had to go to an adjacent building for this office (which is also at the site of the former Great Synagogue and now is maybe an office building or bank). I had to wait a bit and then, unfortunately, I experienced some fierce genealogists. :-P I gave them the info I had, but I was told it was not enough and I could contact them when I had more. Maybe next time. :-/

Then I considered going to the Copernicus Science Center, but when I looked at nearby buses from where I was I recognized one of the bus numbers and later realized I had recalled it because... it goes to a mall I wanted to check out sometime. :-P So that is where I went!
http://www.wolapark.pl/index,2.dhtml

I bought some leggings and a new cotton dress at C&A: http://www.c-and-a.com/uk/en/corporate/fashion/

and then I checked out Auchan.

I had not been to one since 2005 in Legnica. It was similar to the other big hiper/supermarkets I have seen here so far (TESCO, Carrefour). Each place has postives and negatives. Not sure why I am going on a search to find the "best" or "perfect" grocery store [will always be Wegmans to me, and not all of those are even created equal! Whole Foods is also quite nice and Trader Joe's has its moments. :-P] since I don't mind the European way of shopping - going to separate stores such as the meat deli and the bakery and then the fruit and vegetable store, etc. But, I still keep trying out several. :-P This place is probably one of the better places I have been to, but not good enough to become my exclusive grocer. It had free bags (! just in case I need them. ;) ) and self-checkout (TESCO has the former, while some Carrefours have the latter). Also, there was a large selection of just about everything, but I did not see sweet potatoes (did not look too hard) or my new faves - EKO apple chipsy (basically crunchy organic apple slices that were dried with nothing added, except sunshine and Magic). As nice as this mall is, I think going to an easier to access one is fine as well since most of the other places are available closer, except this grocery store (there are H&Ms, Zaras, Camaeius, C&As, Sephoras, Empiks, Green Ways, etc.). It was a good mall. I think it is easier by tram versus bus next time. I enjoyed just walking around since only the grocery store was busy. The travel back took so long that I did not have a chance to go to see the science center today since I would not have enough time to make it there (I made it back to the dorm at almost 5 PM and the center closes at 6 today). So, I will do that tomorrow or Sunday. Now, I am waiting on laundry. I think that's all for now. :) I thought it was supposed to rain today, but I am glad it did not. I enjoyed the teeny bit of sunshine, but not the crazy wind.

Photos are updated at: http://twitpic.com/photos/kab1221

Pączek i Praga

Some of today's photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60142466@N03/sets/72157626106465663/

Today the weather was Spring-like, so I had to spend time outside from the time my class ended until the sun began to set. Once I finished my informative Polish lesson, I headed towards downtown to have lunch at Salad House, where I had planned to go after passing it on a walk a few days ago. I had a "Green Kiss" salad with smoked chicken, lettuce, red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic dressing. It was good. :)




Some of the inside of Salad House

After Salad House, I decided to have my belated pączek - Polish donut filled with some kind of jam/marmalade/filling. There was no line today. :-P I asked for apple - of course - and was told there weren't any, so I decided to do the one of the more "standard" fillings, rosehip jam (I guess that is what it translates to). The paczek was a bit warm - which I hoped for - and super soft. The donut tasted identical to Krispy Kreme and was glazed, not powdered, with a hint of the red-colored jam. Not sure what the flavor could be compared to... but that was a good donut from someone who is no longer into donuts. I am glad I didn't wait in a long line or settle for just anything on Pączki Day -  Fat Thursday (which was the Thursday a few days ago). Instead, I chose this place and celebrated belatedly (both Fat Thursday and yesterday's Fat Tuesday). :-P I also know of two other places in the area who are known to make good pączki, but I am not really a donut-person, so I am not sure I will go on a taste test myself.

Paczek with random sprinkles (only a couple)

I walked around a bit (saw a 4-door Mini Cooper!) and decided to head to the other side of the Wisla/Vistula River into the Praga area. I walked through a nice park and saw the E. Wedel chocolate factory - it actually DOES smell of chocolate in the air right nearby - and its special chocolate store. I used my local's guide map to see some interesting sites around Praga - a weird cultural area with pagodas and dragons and other Asian-themed architecture - for people from Vietnam I guess it is said, a statue to Mary [Mother of Jesus], a mural, the longest building in Warsaw, a vodka factory - and even saw a mall in the area (nothing special compared to ones I've seen before that are a bit easier to access from my dorm).

Tomorrow includes one class in the afternoon with some laundry and Skyping beforehand. I also will try and make it to the Jewish Historical Institute, Copernicus Science Center, and Warsaw History Museum on Thursday, Friday, or Sunday (leaving Saturday as the main day-trip day). I am planning on having a somewhat Copernicus-themed weekend with going to Torun and his science center being the main points. I have some researching and a bit of homework ahead of me.

From a great one:

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." —Steve Martin

:-D

Let's Go To The Mall

Another chilly, snowy day here in Warsaw. I decided to finally check out the vegan place I have wanted to go to. I had the "heavenly salad" for lunch. It was quite heavenly. :)


So. Good.

If not the best, then at least one of the best meals I have had in Warsaw so far. I was pretty hungry and it was very tasty, so I was happy. ;) Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants never fail in my book. The salad was a mix of vegan, Asian/Oriental, and Polish flavors: lettuce, shredded beets, cucumbers, red peppers, avocado, faux meat [that had a flavor reminiscent of Polish sausage/pork meat], tasty dressings and sauces, sprouts, and tomatoes. The place was cute and pretty easy to find in an area that had a lot of shops and restaurants. The people who seem to run it are Asian and had some Asian-language channel on a TV in there, but I am pretty sure I heard the two fairly young guys working were speaking an interesting-accented Polish. :-P Right before I left some girls came in since I must have been one of the first lunch-goers today.
http://lovinghut.waw.pl/index.html

After eating, I walked down the street the restaurant is on because it is a populated area. There is a mall down the street and I decided to just walk to it. Of course it was another AMAZING mall. I think Poland wants me to just move in to a mall. Being a girl and the weather being just cold enough to make me uncomfortable after too long means a mall is a great contained place to wander and to explore. So many great stores, clothes, foods... It was also architecturally beautiful with nice furniture, twinkle lights, etc. I especially liked the stores Flo (http://www.flo-store.com/), home & you (http://home-you.com/), Zara Home, other home stores, and some clothing stores (H&M, Camaieu...). I went to the biggest Carrefour yet; it even had clothes and electronics sections. Crazy. I wanted to do self-checkout but I was informed I had a bit too much and had to go through a regular line, where everyone must have thought I was some kind of weirdo for my inability to comprehend and to respond properly with speech. I just do not feel comfortable always saying I do not know, do not understand, or do not speak Polish that well (which usually makes me regret not being able to speak that well or to understand that well... :-/ ) People almost feel rude to me, but they might just see me as an ignoramus. Who knows. I try (maybe just not hard enough. :-P Especially since I had Polish class only once this week and did not finish my homework yet).

ARKADIA - another great mall in Warsaw

http://www.arkadia.com.pl/

On my way back to my dorm, I was the only person on a tram when two little Arabian-looking girls with unibrows and magenta-colored hands jumped on and begged me for "help" (money) with a sign (didn't try to understand it, but do remember seeing help on there) and a small cup. I tried to say I do not speak Polish that well, but the older/speaking one continued her sad spiel and pouting, so I gave her 2 PLN to leave me alone. She walked away and the younger one started asking me to give her some of my groceries and luckily left me alone after saying no. I later saw them jump off at the next stop and meet some guy (father, ringleader, who knows).

Now I am relaxing and wondering if I will do anything special tonight. Maybe a movie? Maybe some reading and TV? Maybe go for a walk somewhere? Hmmm... Weather seems to play one of the largest role in my plans lately. :-P

Second Christmas

TGIF (Woo, Friday!) & Happy Care Package Day!

Like Second Christmas, right down to the wrapping paper. ;)

Books on Polish history

Calendar, agenda, card games, mints...



Kashi is something for which I have yet to find a decent replacement

 Thanks, Mom, Dad, & Babcia! Tell the "children" I say hello, too. :-P

http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF129-Colonel_Sweeto.jpg

I Remember a Soldier Sleeping Next to Me...

"I Wish We Could Open Our Eyes
To See In All Directions At The Same Time
Oh, What A Beautiful View
If You Were Never Aware Of What Was Around You
And It Is True What You Say
That I Live Like A Hermit In My Own Head
But When The Sun Shines Again
I'll Pull The Curtains And Blinds To Let The Light In"
Marching Bands of Manhattan by Death Cab for Cutie

Today the sun was shining and the sky was blue... even when I made it outside! :-D Before I left, I watched a soccer (football, if prefered) game outside my window. I can even sit in my window. :-P The guys playing looked to be middle-aged friends from the area (I would assume), playing for fun and maybe for exercise. As can be seen in my previous post, this weather made it a great day for taking pictures. It was a bit chilly out, so I tried to stick to the sunny-side of streets when outside and did use public transport (hooray for student ID with 90-days!). I rode on the Metro and saw tons of fur coats (some could be faux, of course ;) ). A lot of people were leaving church and the nice weather (plus weekend) meant a lot of people were out on the street. I saw everyone's favorite Panda Bear/Chinese restaurant mascot on Nowy Swiat (one of the best streets ever - so many cool places to visit). I checked out another Empik (this one led to its cafe and a SEPHORA, nice. I had to stay away from the books in English... still have a couple more here to finish plus learning more Polish to do) and saw more gorgeous clothes in store windows while window-shopping (saving money for essentials kept me from further browsing and going inside stores to look at prices. Maybe when better weather comes along I will actual buy something(s)). There is a street food that involves Belgian waffles with toppings (gofry) that might be of interest to some people I know. ;) I could both smell it and see people in line for it. I even saw the fake palm tree here (thought it would be a good day to see it with the blue skies and sunshine - better for pictures than the gray sky I am more used to now).

I think it was yesterday, but there was a guy on the Metro who looked odd; a lot of people were looking at him as he awkwardly tried to sleep on his seat... with blood and Frakenstein-like stitches all over his head... hooligan post-hospital visit maybe? He had on dirty (maybe even blood-stained) clothes. It was a weird sight.

I also found it to be a good day to check out some places I had been meaning to see, such as John Krasinski's possibly ancestral palace/garden grounds (Krasinski Palace & Gardens). I went by the National Opera again. I went back to Golden Terraces Mall; there is a cute cupcake stand there (they are not cheap at 6 PLN each) and I looked at the shirts at Hard Rock Cafe (I have a soft-spot for the local/specific tees they make at each establishment; I did not see any at the Warsaw one. :-( ).

Self-check out - such as at certain grocers - and big bills also make me avoid speaking Polish. :-P I probably should try more sometimes... Once I wanted to make it back to the dorm, of course, the bus I wanted had issues and I had to wait for the next one to come about 20 minutes later (by then it was a bit cold and darkening out). But it is nice seeing the city when the lights come on, especially the rainbow of colors reflecting on the Palace of Culture and Science. :-D I bought more minutes on my phone (provider Heyah! always puts the OutKast song in my head) and I am starting to somewhat understand public transport and the lay-of-the-land... not well, but improving at least. Not becoming worse. ;-) That is where maps come into good usage. I will begin figuring out postage and Skype soon!

I can't wait for Spring! The sunshine and Valentine's Day flowers are making me want the cold wind to go away. I just watched a great "Castle" episode. Last night I finished that "How I Met Your Mother" episode before doing yoga/Pilates/stretching and going to sleep after some noisy neighbors quieted down (or I was just tired enough to fall asleep anyway). Laundry and two classes tomorrow. :-/

"The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you"
Dear Prudence by The Beatles

Riding on the Metro...

Pictures first, details later (I'm in the middle of an episode of "Castle." :-P )

Sweet potatoes. :-D

Electric tea kettle. :-D Tea time coming soon. ;)

John's ancestor?

USA Tri-Fecta: Pizza Hut, KFC, Starbucks

Owl & book love!

National Opera by day

I want to hold your hand.

Krasinski Place

Krasinski Palace

Metal unicorns. :-O

Bag reads: "Gold Digga." I wonder if she knows...

Krasinski Garden

LOVE BAGELS.

My Polish Palm Tree on a sunny, blue-skied day

ELIZABETH

Gofry (on the top right of the menu) = waffles with toppings (I think Jenn might enjoy them)

Not as good as the one at the mall, but still a favorite

TKMAXX = TJMAXX? Why the letter change...?

Uhhh, underground tunnel areas can be strange. Even weirder when you are in these places near drunks or children

Frozen desserts, beautified

Poles know how to display ice cream and sorbet

Polish ice cream

McDonalds makes ketchup now?

Sweet. Potatoes. They were hiding from me. ;) They are not so cheap here right now. :-/