Day off (sort of)
Jul. 23rd, 2008 10:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dalthauserToday I'd planned to spend the day cleaning house and doing other random chores.
Instead I ended up driving to North Austin to pick up an antique sewing machine my mother agreed to buy on Austin Craigslist (my mom lives in Hawaii..... I'm not sure why she cruises the Austin Craigslist). I'm too tired to take a picture of it, I'll put it in another post. It's a Singer from the 1940's built into a table. Very nice - in great shape with all the original attachments and the manual. I'm sure it's worth over $80, but my mom wants it for sentimental reasons.
All was not lost as I stopped at a couple of my favorite places on the way there and back
First Stop Fiesta grocery store off I35 in Austin. Shopping here is like going on a food safari. There's random food from just about everywhere - including Africa. It's very un-hip, so you don't see the yuppies here; however, it's as fun as shopping in Whole Foods.
The produce department is awesome
I also went to Hong Kong Super Market off Research Blvd. I love that they have every asian ingredient you could possibly want (and several I can't believe anyone would want). The only negative thing about this place is the smell. Kind of like old fish blood. I find it nauseating. Also, they don't price a lot of the stuff - which I find annoyjng. They have Lychee Jelly cups though which is a huge plus. If you go, just rub some vicks inside your nostrils before entering.
Here is an aisle with all noodles and wrappers - on both sides!
Then, on the way home I stopped by Cabelas. Believe it or not - this is a tourist destination. It's really for hunters and fishermen. I go to Cabelas for the hiking and camping gear. I stopped in to price backpacking equipment - including a good internal frame backpack for long hikes. They didn't have much of a selection sadly. Their online store is better. A scary Deliverance-looking guy talked me up in the shoe department - I think it was my camouflage print tank top that got his attention.....
I did pick up a "survival in a can" kit which is about the size of a tin of sardines and has a bunch of random essentials like waterproof matches, hook & line, razor blade, etc. It's for the glove compartment of my truck. I also got a emergency whistle/compass/thermometer all on with a hook to go on my keychain
I was talking to my daughter on the cell phone while I was looking at these - her name is Sierra. See - I told you they had cups named after you! :-)
Whole Wheat Gnocchi with sweet potato! Yay.... I picked this up at Fiesta.
The Vegetarian crackers have prawn flavor (hopefully not from real prawns). They are Vietnamese. You are supposed to deep fry them - I will make a post when I get around to doing this. The Longan (kind of like Lychee) is for snacking. I got the Buckwheat at Fiesta for sprouting. I had no idea what the Mauby and Malta were, so I bought some out of curiosity. I googled them - turns out Mauby is some sort of wonder drink (should have picked up a 6 pack). Malta, on the other hand, is some sort of champagne cola.... The coconut cream is for the pantry - I always have a can of it for making a lentil dish I like.
Fava Beans are for planting this winter (so much cheaper than buying the seed from the seed-getting place). Red Lentils - nothing new there. Sen-Cha which is just green tea. The Kala Chana - that is black chickpeas - I could see in the package they looked like chickpeas, but I wasn't familiar with this variety.
The "Rural" package is Dried Yam candy (from Hong Kong Supermarket). The Yerba Mate is yet another miracle beverage I really should have just gotten a case of....
I really get excited when I learn something new - especially if it's food!! :-)
Instead I ended up driving to North Austin to pick up an antique sewing machine my mother agreed to buy on Austin Craigslist (my mom lives in Hawaii..... I'm not sure why she cruises the Austin Craigslist). I'm too tired to take a picture of it, I'll put it in another post. It's a Singer from the 1940's built into a table. Very nice - in great shape with all the original attachments and the manual. I'm sure it's worth over $80, but my mom wants it for sentimental reasons.
All was not lost as I stopped at a couple of my favorite places on the way there and back
First Stop Fiesta grocery store off I35 in Austin. Shopping here is like going on a food safari. There's random food from just about everywhere - including Africa. It's very un-hip, so you don't see the yuppies here; however, it's as fun as shopping in Whole Foods.
The produce department is awesome
I also went to Hong Kong Super Market off Research Blvd. I love that they have every asian ingredient you could possibly want (and several I can't believe anyone would want). The only negative thing about this place is the smell. Kind of like old fish blood. I find it nauseating. Also, they don't price a lot of the stuff - which I find annoyjng. They have Lychee Jelly cups though which is a huge plus. If you go, just rub some vicks inside your nostrils before entering.
Here is an aisle with all noodles and wrappers - on both sides!
Then, on the way home I stopped by Cabelas. Believe it or not - this is a tourist destination. It's really for hunters and fishermen. I go to Cabelas for the hiking and camping gear. I stopped in to price backpacking equipment - including a good internal frame backpack for long hikes. They didn't have much of a selection sadly. Their online store is better. A scary Deliverance-looking guy talked me up in the shoe department - I think it was my camouflage print tank top that got his attention.....
I did pick up a "survival in a can" kit which is about the size of a tin of sardines and has a bunch of random essentials like waterproof matches, hook & line, razor blade, etc. It's for the glove compartment of my truck. I also got a emergency whistle/compass/thermometer all on with a hook to go on my keychain
I was talking to my daughter on the cell phone while I was looking at these - her name is Sierra. See - I told you they had cups named after you! :-)
Whole Wheat Gnocchi with sweet potato! Yay.... I picked this up at Fiesta.
The Vegetarian crackers have prawn flavor (hopefully not from real prawns). They are Vietnamese. You are supposed to deep fry them - I will make a post when I get around to doing this. The Longan (kind of like Lychee) is for snacking. I got the Buckwheat at Fiesta for sprouting. I had no idea what the Mauby and Malta were, so I bought some out of curiosity. I googled them - turns out Mauby is some sort of wonder drink (should have picked up a 6 pack). Malta, on the other hand, is some sort of champagne cola.... The coconut cream is for the pantry - I always have a can of it for making a lentil dish I like.
Fava Beans are for planting this winter (so much cheaper than buying the seed from the seed-getting place). Red Lentils - nothing new there. Sen-Cha which is just green tea. The Kala Chana - that is black chickpeas - I could see in the package they looked like chickpeas, but I wasn't familiar with this variety.
The "Rural" package is Dried Yam candy (from Hong Kong Supermarket). The Yerba Mate is yet another miracle beverage I really should have just gotten a case of....
I really get excited when I learn something new - especially if it's food!! :-)
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 07:10 am (UTC)also, i've never heard of Orange Yerba Mate. Thats interesting. I drink Guayaki brand Mate. I dont know if they sell in TX but it is so good, especially the "empowermint" flavor. It is so good for you and energizes you.
Our camcorder is Flip Video. it has the USB connector right in it. We saw it on Oprah and it looked perfect for us. And we also do whatever Oprah says.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 01:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 11:52 am (UTC)I like your shopping adventures, and I think I know the smell you are talking about...great places to shop, though.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 01:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-25 08:29 am (UTC)I had a fun shopping experience today. I had a little spare time, and went looking though all the weird things the fruit and vege shop have eg truffle oil. Do you know how to use that? They also had truffles in eggplant, truffles and sea salt and truffles in, I think, salad dressing!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-25 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 11:57 am (UTC)I LOVE learning new foods. This is one of the reasons I'm looking forward to moving in a couple years! :-)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 01:20 pm (UTC)LOL. And -shudder.-
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 01:36 pm (UTC)I've heard the same thing about the Cabella's that just opened up here. The catalog is much better. Do you have and REI? try REI.com if not. The don't do hunting but more hiking and other sports.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 02:54 pm (UTC)Japanese groceries smell like fresh fish - which I can tolerate :-)
It's nothing against the cultures, but I find that Filipino, Korean, and Chinese food market smells to be not delightful. I've lived around Filipino people my whole life (until I moved here of course), and I never got used to the smell of their cooking.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 08:46 pm (UTC)I am green with envy that you have all those cool stores in near you, especially HK Super Market! I think I would go crazy there; I wish I could shop there every week! I haven't managed to find a great Asian grocery store in Colorado, not even in Denver.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 08:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 11:09 pm (UTC)You find some of the coolest things.. whole wheat gnocchi with sweet potato?! wow.. all except I guess I could do without the scary Deliverance guy.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-24 11:25 pm (UTC)