Eastern Market

Sunday mornings usually consist of a grumpy and lazy me... but this morning was different. I felt awake, alert and awesome. The smart thing to do would have been to channel these positive feelings into a productive day at the library, attacking all my homework. Instead, I obviously decided to spend the day exploring a place I've always wanted to go to - Eastern Market. 


After getting in the car with my boyfriend, I googled "Eastern Market DC" on my phone for directions. I foolishly assumed the first address that popped up was the right place. After driving all the way there, I started to get the feeling that we were at the wrong place. Firstly, it was located in the northeastern region of the District which means SKETCHY. In fact if you type "NE DC" on Google and hit the "news" tab, the top 3 stories that come up are:
1) D.C. teen sentenced in fatal shooting after funeral
2) Man charged in D.C. transgender shooting
3) Four Area Men Plead Guilty to Federal Narcotics Conspiracy Charges


I felt as if we were in the ghetto. We got out of the car and walked into the building complex called "Farmers Market." I thought to myself oh, farmers market / eastern market must be the same thing! I was wrong. So wrong! The place was kind of empty, filled with flies and clearly unsanitary. Each step we took was questionable. Should we proceed, should we not? I held my boyfriend's hand and we clutched each other oh so tightly. After walking around the entire area, reconfirming we were at the wrong place, I nudged my friend and said "lets go." He politely agreed with no-hestiation. He didn't say anything until we got back into the car but his facial expression was saying it all! I bet he was wondering why I dragged him out of bed on a Sunday morning to drive me all the way here to see THIS.

Sketchy market...

In the car he finally unloaded his thoughts and said, "well, there was definitely no FDA approved food in there." We laughed for a good 5 minutes and proceeded to google the CORRECT address.


The right destination turned out to be safe, kid-friendly and happy place! People were strolling around with their loved ones - family, friends, pets. It was heart-warming! Living in the District, you rarely see people enjoying their time outdoors or walking around in a laid-back manner. It was a lovely change!

Small portion of the market

There was a wide range of stuff being sold -  antiques, jewelry, furniture, fresh produce, beads, pottery, incense, clothes, bags, music, etc. The entire area was alive with vivid colors, crisp air and fresh flavors.


All the fruits and vegetables were so ripe and you could sample almost everything!

Juicy heirloom tomatoes

Apples & peaches

A few of the several vegetables

More vegetables!

Eastern market is definitely a place to visit. It is opened every Sunday from 10am - 5pm. Even if you don't feel like purchasing knick-knacks its a nice place to get away from the city buzz and relax...

Lady napping at eastern market

My only piece of advice...make sure you double check the address!!

Chow Away

When you think of a home-cooked meal, what do you think of? For me, its a chow. My family's definition of a chow is a combination of whatever is left in our refrigerator tossed in a wok and stir-fried together with a little bit of oil, chopped garlic and sliced onions. 


Somedays it would be a beautiful melange of colors- orange from the carrots, green from the brocolli and snow peas, yellow from the baby corn, white from the bean sprouts and tan from the chicken. 

However, on other days when our fridge was less stocked there would be a severe reduction in the colorful zest...

Sad stir-fry

As a college student, I find a chow to be a very practical dish to make. This is because I can usually dig up random bits and pieces in my fridge that I obviously forgot about and are about to expire. Thus, if you combine these odds and ends into a chow you can minimize your wastage!


Even if you don't have a wok, you can just use a skillet. However, a wok is best as it retains the texture and flavors of the individual ingredients without getting them soggy.


Its funny how when my friends are starving they will open up their fridges and throw together a sandwich. To me, a sandwich for dinner is dull, no matter how good the ingredients are. In the same time span required to make a sandwich, you can put together a stir-fry because the actual cooking is so fast (3-5 minutes maximum). 

Pre-washed & chopped vegetables at Whole Foods
Source: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com (youngandhungry) 

Grocery stores such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market sell pre-washed and chopped vegetables making it unbelievably easy to create your own chow. All you need to do is heat up the wok/skillet, add some oil and whatever seasonings you enjoy, and finally throw the ingredients in and toss them around. 



For those people who never enter their kitchens, let alone step into a grocery store, there is a restaurant that makes phenomenal stir-fries! It's called Penn Grill and is located on  825 20th St NW (between N H St & N Pennsylvania Ave), Washington DC. They give you an empty plate where you add whichever vegetables and meats you want and then pass it over to the chef who will stir-fry it to your specifications (mild, medium, spicy). You are then charged by the weight of your concoction.

Penn Grill, DC
Source: http://img.clubvibes.com/listings/logos/42090.jpg

I really enjoy a quick chow for lunch or dinner because not only is it healthy, its fun to make. The more you make them, the more you learn which combinations you like and which taste putrid. 


Beware that certain mixtures of ingredients can be nauseating!


However, the main reason as to why I enjoy a chow is because it reminds me of home which is 9,664 miles away <3
So go on, chow away...

Eschewing Meat for 7 Days

I decided to give up meat for seven days in honor of my grandfather who passed away this time last year. I thought to myself, how hard could this be? It's just one week.

I was wrong, very wrong.

Source: (http://thumbs.ifood.tv/files/images/Lady_Gaga_Meat_Dress.jpg)

No matter how much food I stuffed my face with, I was not satiated. I even found meat replacements such as Tofurky sausages and Morningstar veggie patties. But still there was a little, actually not so little, part of my belly that was still grumbling.

I kind of creeped myself out because I never realized how the carcass of an animal could bring me so much joy. It was to the point where I had dreams of my naked body covered in meat..GaGa style!

Tomorrow is my first day back to eating meat and its going to be absolute carnage. In fact, I have already planned out exactly what I am going to eat:
Breakfast: bacon, eggs, and toast
Lunch: sushi (spicy salmon, tuna, shrimp)
Dinner: lamb kebabs

I sound crazy but I just want to taste that meat in my mouth again..yummmm I can't wait!!