2014 03 20 TRADITIONAL KOREAN TEA CALLED YUJACHA FOUND IN MY ASIAN GROCERY STORE

EVER SINCE I GOT BACK FROM MY ASIA TRIP, I'VE BEEN EXPLORING THE ASIAN FOOD STORES AND THE ETHNIC AISLES IN GROCERY STORES A BIT MORE CLOSELY.  MY TASTE BUDS ARE INTRIGUED!  SEEING AND TASTING FOOD FROM ABROAD HAS SPARKED MY INTEREST IN DISCOVERING WHAT WE HAVE AT OUR LOCAL GROCERY STORES. 

ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO KOREA (.....YET),  MY LATEST OBSESSION WITH THE KOREAN CULTURE HAS SENT ME EYEING ON THIS PRODUCT EVER SINCE MY LAST NEW YORK TRIP AT HMART AND ALSO TO FIND MORE ABOUT TRADITIONAL KOREAN TEA. THANK GOODNESS THE ORLANDO ASIAN GROCERY STORES CARRIES THIS.  

TO DRINK, SCOOP A SPOON FULL AND POUR HOT WATER TO DISSOLVE.
I AM A HUGE FAN OF HOT WATER WITH LEMON.  YOU GET THE VITAMIN C AND ALL THE MYSTERIOUS BENEFITS OF DRINKING HOT/WARM WATER.  PLUS, NO SUGAR = NO CALORIES.ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS HAS FRUCTOSE.  SO, I AM THINKING NOT TO OVERDOSE ON THIS!

IT LOOKS LIKE JAM OR MARMALADE EXCEPT THAT IT IS A BIT MORE ON THE SYRUP SIDE.  MAKES ME WANT TO TOAST A BREAD AND THROW SOME ON IT.  BASICALLY, IT HAS THIN SLICES OF CITRON PEEL IN IT TO EAT IF YOU WANT TO ABSORB ALL THE NUTRIENTS.  IT TASTES LIKE A REALLY SWEET VERSION OF HONEY AND LEMON WITH A HINT OF CITRUS PUNCH (IN MY OPINION).  TASTES LIKE A REALLY SWEET FRUIT TEA, WITHOUT THE TEA.
OF COURSE THE SWEETNESS CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE AMOUNT OF WATER YOU PUT IN TO DISSOLVE.

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FOUND OUT THAT TRADITIONAL KOREAN TEA IS CALLED: YUJACHA.  

TRADITIONAL KOREAN TEA MADE FROM THE CITRON FRUIT OR YUJA.

SUPPOSEDLY ORIGINATED FROM CHINA BUT MADE IT'S WAY TO KOREA AND JAPAN.
IT IS A KNOWN REMEDY FOR COLDS AND FLU.
USE TO BE USED AS A NATURAL REMEDY FOR SKIN IRRITATIONS.  
IT CARRIES 3 TIMES MORE VITAMIN C THAN A LEMON.
REJUVENATES MATURING SKIN
ACTIVATES CELL AND FAT BURNING EFFECT.

LOOK IT UP, IT DOES THE BODY AND SKIN REAL GOOOOOD.

2013 01 31 MY CHINESE NEW YEAR'S EVE IN ORLANDO

Guang Ming Buddhist Temple                      

6555 Hoffner Ave, Orlando, FL 32822

(407) 281-8482

PERKS TO BEING ASIAN?

WE TEND TO CELEBRATE THINGS TWICE, SUCH AS BIRTHDAYS AND NEW YEARS!

ALTHOUGH I DON'T REALLY CELEBRATE ANY HOLIDAYS THESE DAYS, I WAS SUMMONED (BY MY PARENTS) TO THE GUANG MING TEMPLE ON HOFFNER AVENUE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.  

THIS HOLIDAY USUALLY LASTS FOR 15 DAYS AND THE DAYS ARE DICTATED BY THE LUNAR CALENDAR.  YES, WE GO BY A DIFFERENT CALENDAR AS WELL.

FOR 2014, THIS HOLIDAY FALLS UNDER JAN 31 - FEB 14.  

WITHIN THESE 15 DAYS,  YOU TYPICALLY CELEBRATE IT BY GOING OVER PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND EATING LARGE FEASTS (LIKE A THANKSGIVING FEAST), WISHING EVERYONE YOU ENCOUNTER ALL THE POSITIVES THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, AND IN RETURN, COLLECTING "LUCKY MONEY" THAT ARE USUALLY DISTRIBUTED BY MARRIED COUPLES WHO ARE OLDER THAN YOU. SO IF YOU ARE SINGLE, IN THE NON-MARRIED SENSE, THIS HOLIDAY IS IN YOUR BENEFIT! LOL!

IT IS JUST PLAINLY TRADITIONAL CUSTOMS WHERE THE IDEA IS FOR KIDS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO START OUT THE NEW YEAR WITH SOME SORT OF WEALTH.  SINCE THIS IS A HUGE HOLIDAY IN ASIA, I FOUND OUT THAT SOME PLACES SUCH AS TAIWAN STRETCH IT TO A 4-DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

EVEN THOUGH MY VISITS TO THE TEMPLE ARE RANDOM, I LIKE LOOKING AT THE SET UPS CATERED TO THE DIFFERENT HOLIDAY THEMES. 

OVERALL, I ENJOYED THE FESTIVE DECORS.

THIS SET UP WAS NICE WHERE PAINTED GOLD BRANCHES WERE PLACED BEHIND THE STATUE AND VASE FOUNTAIN ON THE GROUND.

I WAS WONDERING IF THE GOLD DECORS ON THE GROUND WERE CHOCOLATE......

2013 05 03 ORLANDO PHOTO EVENT IS GETTING STARTED

SNAP LOCATION FOR THIS YEAR:
1427-A Alden Rd, Orlando Fl 32803

THE ANNUAL SNAP EVENT IS GETTING READY TO START.
READY?  SET?

PARKING SPOTS ?

WHAT WOULD THE EMPTY WAREHOUSE TURN INTO NOW?

PEEKABOO!!!!!

2012 11.30 ORLANDO FOOD FINDS_TWIST ASIAN FUSION

TWIST ASIAN FUSION
45 West Crystal Lake Street  Orlando, FL 32806

WOKE UP AND DECIDED TO GO CHECK OUT SODO.  WHAT ON EARTH IS SODO.  

LOOKED IT UP AND DUH! IT STANDS FOR SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ORLANDO.I REMEMBER COMING HERE ON THE FLY ONE DAY AND TWIST ASIAN FUSION CAUGHT MY EYE.  SO  I HAD TO COME BACK!  

ALTHOUGH THE NAME GAVE ME A DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHAT THE MENU WAS GOING TO BE LIKE, I FOUND THE SELECTION TO BE A YAWN.  I DIDN'T REALLY SEE ANY "TWIST" TO THIS PLACE. AND THERE WAS NOTHING FUSION ABOUT THE FOOD WITH THE EXCEPTION  THAT IT INCORPORATED CHINESE AND SUSHI, AND A LITTLE CURRY AS THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF ASIAN FOOD IN THEIR MENU.  THE DECOR WAS AMAZING.  THE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS ON A THURSDAY LATE AFTERNOON WAS SAD.  BUT THAT GAVE ME ROOM TO TAKE PIX WITH NO CLUTTER OF VISUALS, AKA PEOPLE!

THE PRICES WERE SLIGHT ON THE HIGH END, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE RAW FISHES IN THE SUSHI FROM OUR ORDERS WERE EXTREMELY FRESH!  SCANNED THROUGH THE MENU A FEW TIMES AS ALWAYS AND THERE WAS NOTHING NEW NOR ENTICING AT THE MOMENT. 

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS IN THE PAST AT A DIFFERENT RESTAURANT, I DECIDED I WAS IN THE MOOD TO HAVE IT AGAIN.  THEY LABELED THIS THE MALAYSIAN FRIED RICE $10.

WE ALSO ADDED A TUNA/CREAM CHEESE ROLL $6.


























THE TEXTURE OF THE RAW TUNA WAS RIGHT ON TARGET.  REALLY LIGHT, YET FRESH ENOUGH WHERE YOU CAN TASTE THE SWEETNESS OF A FRESH RAW TUNA.  
MY BROTHER GOT THE CHICKEN TERIYAKI $20, IN WHICH I THINK IS A WASTE BECAUSE IT IS BASICALLY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SWEET SOY SAUCE (TERIYAKI) ON TOP OF IT WITH A BIT OF OTHER SIDE ITEMS. BUT, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THE SUSHI WAS REALLY FRESH!

2012 10/20 ORLANDO NIGHT OUT: ORLANDO BALLET-VAMPIRE BALL

FRIEND SCORED SOME FREE TIX TO THE ORLANDO BALLET WHERE WE GOT PRETTY SWEET SEATS UP FRONT.  HAVE NOT BEEN TO A BALLET NOR BEEN IN A BALLET CLASS SINCE I WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY, AND COUNTING HUMAN YEARS......I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN UBER CENTURIES AGO!

SITTING THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE, I WAS SOAKING IN THE AMAZING VISUALS AND WISHED I COULD CAPTURE ALL MY FAVORITE MOMENTS TO DISPLAY IN THIS BLOG. 

(note)

I ALMOST THREW UP WHEN THERE WAS A PART WHERE A NARRATOR STARTED SPEAKING TO GUIDE THE AUDIENCE THROUGH THE INTENT OF THE LATER SCENES. DO THEY DO THAT IN BALLETS NOW? WTF? IT WOULD BE LIKE SITTING THROUGH A OPERA AND HEARING SOMEONE EXPLAIN THE PLOT RIGHT BEFORE THE INTERMISSION.

ANYHOW.........THE VISUALS.

I LUV THE BACKDROP AND SCENES. I LUV'D IT WHEN THE DANCER'S BODY MOVEMENTS WERE IN SYNC AND EVERY MUSCLE IN THE BODY UNIFIED IN MOVEMENTS.  ALTHOUGH I WITNESSED SOME SOME HIT OR MISS MOMENTS DURING THIS NIGHT, I FOUND SOME CAPTIVATING STILLS FROM THE ORLANDO BALLET MARKETING VIDEOS.  

Photo Courtesy from Orlando Ballet

SCARY SCENE WHERE INITIALLY THE GIRL IN RED WAS RUNNING AROUND THE MOTIONLESS CURTAINS (IN WHICH I THOUGHT WERE TREE LOGS) UNTIL THE WHITE MASKS APPEARED. GREAT LIGHTING TO ENHANCE THE INTENSITY TOO!

                                                                                Photo Courtesy from Orlando Ballet

ANOTHER FAVORITE MOMEN RIGHT AFTER THE MASKED DANCERS REVEALED THEMSELVES AND CREATED A DRAMATIC SCENE. MY THOUGHTS FOR THIS IMAGE JUST FOR A PEACE OF MIND DUE TO MY ANAL RETENTIVE SAKE IS THAT I WISH THE GUY ON THE RIGHT THAT IS STANDING WITH HER WOULD FLIP HIS PALM UP MAKING THIS IMAGE A PERFECTION.

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THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN WAS QUITE ENTERTAINING AND VISUALLY ENTICING.  HOWEVER,  ORLANDO AUDIENCE IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT COMPARED TO PLACES SUCH AS LINCOLN CENTER.

DEFINITELY A STRONG COMPARISON TO NIGHT AT THE APOLLO IN TERMS OF AUDIENCE EXCITEMENT AND REACTIONS.