(for GZ only!) Shall we play a game?

[tonyontherock]

:-)

 

Today I ate lunch at a smallish cafe in south-central GZ.  At first everything looks strange, but if you look carefully things here are much like they would be in the USA.  The restaurant was near a residential area, it had an open grill area, patio for outside dining... cashier near the door... just like some of the places I eat at in Los Angeles. 

 

Loads of fun, except the argument the missus and I had over the purchase of a new space heater

how about Ice cream? Are there a lot of places to get good ice cream in GZ?

[MoonCarolCafe]

Regarding the Ice Cream, I guess it should be decent.

 

Stay away from any place that claims to know how to make a rootbeer float. I made the mistake of ordering one in a Chinese Cafe... Twice. Once I got "coke" in my rootbeer float. The next time I got club soda.

Listen people, you've had 3000 years to get it right; 16 ounces of root beer and then add the two scoops of vanilla afterwards. Never before, always after.

 

I was out and about in central-eastern GZ today (near the park with the memorial tower for Dr. Sun Yat Sen inside). And you guys also had an easy shot at me this morning when I was at the Bank of America Plaza. I saw plenty of round-eyes, but no one said the magical phrase...

[TimD]

Now, if you want a REAL challenge, try justifying the purchase of an Xbox or Playstation video game system.

 

I feel your pain brother. I've been here for 5 months now without my super beefy "box" or and X-Box or PS/2, just this little ole laptop. But watch out, I'm coming back to the states for the holidays and the first place I am going is to Media play and picking up a new game system. Actually I doubt my wife will mind. She likes playing racing games and I think she will like to play the "Gung Fu" fighting games too. We have a deal, I like to go "girl shopping" and she likes to game.

 

-Tim

[Bobby]

Stay away from any place that claims to know how to make a rootbeer float.

I would say to beware of any place that offers "american" food unless there is an american cooking it. The hotel I was staying at in ShenZhen (the Golden Lustre) has a nifty little cafe on the ground floor. I made the mistake of ordering something called the "American Hamburger." That was one heck of a mistake. They had a bun, some leafy stuff, and I have no clue what kind of meat. It obviously wasn't ground beef, and its like no type of beef I've ever seen.

 

I did find a "Nathan's" in DongMen (nice little mall-thing in ShenZhen). They had halfway decent burgers. No where near the quality that I'm used to, but edible and made from beef. It was fun watching my fiancee and her friend eating their burgers one layer at a time.. first the top bun, then the pickles, then the tomatos...

[Robert S.]

It was fun watching my fiancee and her friend eating their burgers one layer at a time.. first the top bun, then the pickles, then the tomatos...

I noticed that too, with sandwiches and pizza. Start with the top layer and work down.

My wife and daughter do that too!!! What is that? Where does that come from? That is so funny. I finally convinced Ping to eat a burger right

[Mick]

Stay away from any place that claims to know how to make a rootbeer float.

I would say to beware of any place that offers "american" food unless there is an american cooking it. The hotel I was staying at in ShenZhen (the Golden Lustre) has a nifty little cafe on the ground floor. I made the mistake of ordering something called the "American Hamburger." That was one heck of a mistake. They had a bun, some leafy stuff, and I have no clue what kind of meat. It obviously wasn't ground beef, and its like no type of beef I've ever seen.

 

I did find a "Nathan's" in DongMen (nice little mall-thing in ShenZhen). They had halfway decent burgers. No where near the quality that I'm used to, but edible and made from beef. It was fun watching my fiancee and her friend eating their burgers one layer at a time.. first the top bun, then the pickles, then the tomatos...

I lived in China five years and not once, not even once, did I get a semi-decent burger. They put a man in space, but have yet to figure out the burger. Guess it takes time.

 

Rootbeer float??? In China????

[Bobby]

I was thinking about making* spaghetti for my fiancee's family when I got to china.. then I realized that Ragu would be difficult to find .. so I'm going to be teaching myself how to make my own sauce. I guess if I were really creative, I could make Frogmore Stew (sometimes call "Beaufort Stew", or "Lowcountry Boil") for them. But I doubt they have a pot big enough and would probably kick me out of the house when I poured the contents of the pot on a big table and said, "eat up!".

 

*of course, I can't cook to save my life, so this should get more and more interesting**

 

**I actually set my stove on fire once while boiling water..

[frank1538]

I was thinking about making* spaghetti for my fiancee's family when I got to china.. then I realized that Ragu would be difficult to find .. so I'm going to be teaching myself how to make my own sauce.  I guess if I were really creative, I could make Frogmore Stew (sometimes call "Beaufort Stew", or "Lowcountry Boil") for them.  But I doubt they have a pot big enough and would probably kick me out of the house when I poured the contents of the pot on a big table and said, "eat up!".

 

*of course, I can't cook to save my life, so this should get more and more interesting**

 

**I actually set my stove on fire once while boiling water..

While we're on the subject of food (sorry, MCC, looks like your money is safe), I went on a picnic in Zhanjiang and had some of the best chicken and shrimp to be found. The chicken was whole and warpped in foil, as was the shrimp. Both were cooked slow in an earthen mound along with some sweet potatoes. Man, I thought I was in heaven and it was as close to a outdoor pit roast as I've ever seen. And even better - we used our hands to eat; no chopsticks

 

Bobby, I'd stay away from the spaghetti - something about tomato sauce that doesn't seem to appeal to Jingwen - don't know if it's personal or regional. Go for a good old fashioned cook out, and show them how it's really done. All men know how to grill, right?. But, if you're insistent on doing a low country boil and need some practice, there are several of us here in Atlanta who might be willing to be guinea pigs.

[Mick]

As I type this, Li is busy cooking sweet potatos wrapped in foil in our wood stove. Yes, the house we are living in has a wood stove as well. Tennessee countryside all the way.

[tywy_99]

As I type this, Li is busy  cooking sweet potatos wrapped in foil in our wood stove. Yes, the house we are living in has a wood stove as well. Tennessee countryside all the way.

Oh yeah, Mick?......u got enough cords put away for the winter, do ya?.....

 

-stay warm!

[Mick]

As I type this, Li is busy  cooking sweet potatos wrapped in foil in our wood stove. Yes, the house we are living in has a wood stove as well. Tennessee countryside all the way.

Oh yeah, Mick?......u got enough cords put away for the winter, do ya?.....

 

-stay warm!

Got in a big delivery today in fact. Fortunatly, we don't use the wood stove as the primary source of heating, but we do use it. Just now getting cold enough to bring it into action. Got down to 25 last night. Got to keep this pregnant lady warm and well fed.

[se_lang]

Got down to 25 last night. Got to keep this pregnant lady warm and well fed.

I can think of better ways to keep warm then a wood stove

[tywy_99]

Got down to 25 last night. Got to keep this pregnant lady warm and well fed.

I can think of better ways to keep warm then a wood stove

That goes without saying!.......

[tywy_99]

The talk about rootbeer floats reminded me of my search for a cup of coffee in GZ. Don't know why but for two days I had a strong urge for a cup of coffee when I finally see this place on Shamian Island that said "coffee shop."...cool!, so I walk in expecting it to be like a 7-11 with the coffee pots and cups, sugar and cream when I didn't see anything like that! I looked around and there were two or three girls behind the counter. I asked for a cup of coffee. They pulled out a menu listing all these fancied-name coffees when I just wanted a simple "cup of jo!". Then I saw at the bottom of the list "columbian"....oh yeah, thats what I want! I pointed to it, they acknowledged and then pulled out all this paraphernalia! A burner, glass pot and beaker-looking things. Reminded me of chem 101 or something! I didn't know if they were brewing, percolating, or distilling it!! I watched with curiosity as the three were working on this one cup of mud and thinking the whole time, "Y'all could really use a Mr. Coffee!"

It turned out to be an excellent cup of coffee and quite expensive but it put my cravings to rest!

I guess I'll never complain about the cost of a cup of coffee at the 7-11 again but I have never seen a 7-11 make coffee quite like those girls in that little shop did!..............

[warpedbored]

Got down to 25 last night. Got to keep this pregnant lady warm and well fed.

I can think of better ways to keep warm then a wood stove

Ah not just you southern boys have woodstoves lol. I love mine. I dont use it as the primary heat source either but when I get home from work and fire it up to get the house nice and toasty it sure feels good to back up to and get warm. Saves me a good bit on my heat bill too. Especially since I have electric heat. I'm a woodworker too so it's a convienent way to dispose of the scrap. Carls are really good at making scrap.

Carl