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As a poor graduate student struggling off a stipend, I appreciate any sort of bargain. I was introduced to the world of thrift shopping by a friend, and it was a bit of an eye-opener. The store...
As a poor graduate student struggling off a stipend, I appreciate any sort of bargain. I was introduced to the world of thrift shopping by a friend, and it was a bit of an eye-opener. The store had a, umm, how to put it, unique smell....sort of musty.....used odor. She immediately began to flip through the clothing while I went towards the wall containing kitchenware, which is what I desperately needed. Well, there were lots of what I would classify as Junk. I mean, plastic cups and jelly glasses? But, I was surprised to find (nearly) complete sets of wine glasses, matching cups, and dishes for unbelievable prices (like 10-25 cents each item). Of course, I will wash and thoroughly sterilize them before use. I wandered through the store and saw furniture, books, accessories, and, yes, the clothing. Again, about 75% pure junk and 25% decent brands/condition. I know that most of these items are either donations, or sold (pawned?) by desperate individuals and/or families (don't want to dwell too much on why they're so desperate....). The customers ranged from those who looked down on their luck, to poor students and to smartly dressed business or housewives. A bargain is always hard to find, but if you're tenacious, the payoff is very rewarding (my kitchen is now fully stocked for entertaining). Now if only I could get over the smell.....
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Please note that there are actually THREE Neo China's- one in Durham, Raleigh, and Cary. I am offering a review of the one in Cary.
I was first introduced to this restaurant when I went with...
Please note that there are actually THREE Neo China's- one in Durham, Raleigh, and Cary. I am offering a review of the one in Cary.
I was first introduced to this restaurant when I went with friends for dim sum. The interior is clean and interestingly furnished. There are orignial sculptures that are made by the restaurant owners themselves. There is plenty of room for the staff to push their carts through. Also neat was to see the walkie talkie headphones worn by the friendly staff, most useful when they run out of a particular dish and you want it ASAP. I also would like to give personal "thumbs up" to the owners, who once gave me a free drink (peach smoothie with jello) when I brought my parents!)
The dim sum is pretty good. They have more of a variety than the run of the mill shrimp and pork dumplings or shao mai. Some examples are turnip cake (lo bo gao), stuffed eggplant, cabbage wraps, and shrimp long rolls. In addition, you can order dishes from the menu, including the Taiwanese style rice noodle dishes.
In direct contrast, the Durham Neo China does NOT serve dim sum (to the best of my knowledge). It has more of the Americanized Chinese dishes. I'm sure it is decent food but I won't go back there. The service and cleansiness at Cary Neo China is excellent and worth returning to!
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Note: I am currently a grad student at Duke
Duke University is one of those "grand institutions" that didn't make the selective Ivy League (think Stanford, MIT, CalTech). The buildings are...
Note: I am currently a grad student at Duke
Duke University is one of those "grand institutions" that didn't make the selective Ivy League (think Stanford, MIT, CalTech). The buildings are styled after "gothic" architecture but look more like castle fortifications to me. Nevertheless, when framed artistically by romantic, drooping tree, flowers, and quads of green, green grass, Duke really appears quite comfortable and appealing to the eye. Do not take the infamous Chapel for granted, either; it's stately position in the heart of campus is quietly noble.
As a graduate student, I reside primarily in the Medical Center, which is north of the Chapel. The research breadth and depth is truly astounding here. The recently built Center for Human Genome Sciences is just another example of the type of ambitious collaborations and research endeavors that go on daily at Duke. The hospital is definitely a landmark within the city of Durham.
I cannot speak much of the undergraduate life at Duke, but it seems freshmen are housed in East campus, which is about a mile from the main campus. The purpose of this is to establish unity, I suppose, not necessarily a bad thing. The undergrads are required to spend 3 years living on campus. I've heard of there being a sort of "stereotype" amongst the students, and I have to admit, most of the men look like they shop solely at Abercrombie & Fitch (why pay $60 for meticulously cut up jeans?!! and pop that collar down!). The females are much, much worse; their "uniform" is a tight t-shirt/polo over those hideous pleated mini skirts, flip flops, and a Louis Vuitton handbag (and believe me, it's the Real thing). So it seems most of these kids are living large on daddy's platinum card.....figures, considering the tuition.
Don't get me wrong. Duke University is a name respected around the world (even my relatives in Taiwan and China have heard of it). It will look impressive on your resume. The quality of scientific research here is top notch, so I assume it can't be too shabby in the other disciplines. Just beware of the "clone" factor.
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Pho Cali
Category:
Restaurants
3310 Capital Blvd
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
(919) 862-8900
For those of you who have not been initiated to the Cult of Pho, pho is rice noodles in a flavoured soup (sweet yet sour, also spicey) with slices of beef, beef tendon, or seafood. It is usually...
For those of you who have not been initiated to the Cult of Pho, pho is rice noodles in a flavoured soup (sweet yet sour, also spicey) with slices of beef, beef tendon, or seafood. It is usually served with a side dish of cilantro, bean sprouts, sliced peppers, lime, and you season it to your tasting using chili sauce, hoisin sauce, or fish sauce. It is GOOD, and this restaurant, Pho Cali, makes it. The menu boasts a wide variety of noodle dishes to suit any tastes (including vegetarian and those not ready to eat tendon). Don't miss out on trying the bubble tea (once you've tried it, you're hooked) or the coffee, usually flavoured with condensed milk. It's quite unusual that such a decent Vietnamese restaurant could be found in Raleigh. Median price per person is under $10, so take advantage of it and feed your stomach!
PS: Pho is also good "hangover" food =)
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To the right of the gaudy Southpont cinema is an avenue lined with shops suitable for men, women, and kids. Bring the family, grab a coffee at Barnes and Noble, or some ice cream or fudge at the...
To the right of the gaudy Southpont cinema is an avenue lined with shops suitable for men, women, and kids. Bring the family, grab a coffee at Barnes and Noble, or some ice cream or fudge at the "other stores" (sorry, can't remember exact names). Then drop dear hubby off at the Apple or the Bose stores, go buy your dear kiddie a cute outift, shop for new glasses or watches for yourself, then gather the whole family to choose bed sheets at Eddie Bauer Home or one of the other home furnishing stores. If you get hungry, there are no less than five restaurants to choose from (Maggiano's- Italian food, California Pizza Kitchen, Champs- American bar food, Firebirds Rocky Mt. Grill, and a seafood place). But go early because everyone else who is out shopping will be lined up for seating during the dinner rush hour as well. Or head into the adjacent Southpoint Mall for some food court action. Oh, true to it's name, this really is somewhat of an "outdoors mall" and there are lots of benches and fountains to sit on and watch people or the world pass by.
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I visited this bookstore since it was so close to Duke University. It seemed like a nice, cozy place with interesting book selection. In addition to your basic fiction, there are tons of other...
I visited this bookstore since it was so close to Duke University. It seemed like a nice, cozy place with interesting book selection. In addition to your basic fiction, there are tons of other genres, including some that I would blush if I wandered into. I was pleased to see a very thorough cultural studies section. There is a magazine section as well as what looked to me to be homemade publications, which later someone told me were "fanzines." Those are quite amusing (though rather risque). In general, I had the feeling this was quite a liberal bookstore.
The staff seem friendly, or at least they came by several times to ask if I needed help. There are lots of "staff suggestion" cards sticking out of their favourite books. I guess I was expecting this to be a used book store, not a regular one, so I wouldn't buy anything here unless it was a rare book.
There is a cafe area, since coffee goes so well with books. I've also seen signs for book signings (former President Jimmy Carter came by to sign his novel) and readings, so this place, though small, is quite happening. Nice place to browse and waste a couple of hours, without the snooty Barnes and Nobles posers.
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Blink and you'll pass by this inauspicious bakery on highway 15-501 south (it's next to the Asian Market). After tasting the pastries that my co-workers brought in, I vowed to visit the place...
Blink and you'll pass by this inauspicious bakery on highway 15-501 south (it's next to the Asian Market). After tasting the pastries that my co-workers brought in, I vowed to visit the place myself. Wow, bakery display cases are sooooo pretty and filled with tempting treats. My friend and I decided on the fruit tart and some sort of pudding dish. They were giving out samples of their "bretzels" (pretzel-like bread) and they were delicious. As we were taking our goodies back to the car, we noticed there was another building adjacent, which turned out to be a full service cafe. How wonderful! We ordered coffees as well. Then we went and sat outside. The desserts were great and not too sweet (my personal preference).
Guglhupf has been likened to an "old world" bakery. I wouldn't know the difference, as long as there is fresh bread and pastries for me to devour. Give it a try; that is, if you can find it.
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A month ago, I tried to be adventurous and cut my own hair using a disposable razor. I ended up with an uneven mess and, even worse, split ends galore. I chose to visit Salon K Salon because they...
A month ago, I tried to be adventurous and cut my own hair using a disposable razor. I ended up with an uneven mess and, even worse, split ends galore. I chose to visit Salon K Salon because they were close by my house (I was desperate for a fast solution). Well, they certainly made a good first impression on me. First off, my hair sylist did NOT make a comment about how coarse my hair was (I'm Asian, and usually get this comment from clueless caucasian hair stylists, who then go on to butcher my hair). She simply listened to what I wanted done, repeated it to me and then did it. The price was about average ($26 for my shoulder length hair). I noticed another hair stylist helping a client in choosing the color for highlights, and while eavesdropping on their conversation, have to admit the stylist sounded very knowledgable and not someone out to grab more money. The client was price conscious and the stylist was working with her in making the best solution.
Overall, I prefer going to a salon where the stylist doesn't try to chat you up and sell you something you don't want. The people in this salon seemed very friendly. I may consider coming here to get my hair dyed in the future, too.
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The Carolina Theatre is located in the so-called downtown district of Durham. It's also one of the only places in town to see all those artsy, documentaries, "Yu-ro-peein" (just kidding) and...
The Carolina Theatre is located in the so-called downtown district of Durham. It's also one of the only places in town to see all those artsy, documentaries, "Yu-ro-peein" (just kidding) and foreign flicks that require you read subtitles (in my opinion, the only films worth watching). Although I have not attended one, the Carolina Theatre also hosts many film festivals per year (check out their website www.carolinatheatre.org), as well as concerts (classical and folk/rock). Recently, some guy named Quentin Tarantino (ha) was there for some film viewing/discussion. Anyway, the theatre is not as state of the art and luxurious as the multiplex cinemas, nor will it play the latest blockbuster hits. The seats are rather uncomfortable, old, with cramped leg space but unfortunately (or fortunately?) the theatres are usually empty enough that you can sling your legs over the back of the seat in front of you. It really is a pity not many people have found this little gem of a theatre. Ticket prices are $5.25, or were the last time I visited (to watch "Sideways"). You can also get a Frequent Film card that allows you to see your 5th film free. Give this theatre a try, you just might find a new film that you've never heard of.
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What does every huge mall need? An even bigger movie theater. Since Southpont mall opened three years ago, it has become somewhat of a "hot spot" for the bored residents of Durham to flock to. On...
What does every huge mall need? An even bigger movie theater. Since Southpont mall opened three years ago, it has become somewhat of a "hot spot" for the bored residents of Durham to flock to. On any given weekend night, you will be hard pressed to find a parking spot (hint, the closer you are to Sears Auto Care center, the more likely you'll find a spot). Once you're parked, meander over to the movie theatre entrance (you can't miss the neon, or the gigantic fountain) and stare at the herds of people who are staring at the movie listings. Southpoint. You'll find the usual assortment of current box office darlings playing on multiple screens.
The price is decent compared to the city (New York, that is) but still rather high: $8 for an adult (cheaper for matinees, like $6 or $6.50), $6.25 for student (make SURE you bring your ID! The ticket sellers ask for these religiously. They want to milk you for all your worth), and $5.50 for kids. Oh, you can apparantly buy your tickets at this computer kiosk, too, but I'm not sure if it takes student IDs. But the line for that is usually as long as the line for regular window tix.
One thing I've learned the hard way is to arrive early for opening night/weekend of the latest blockbuster flick. The tickets hardly ever sell out, but that's because the cinema sells EVERY SINGLE seat in the theatre. So if you're late, then you're forced to sit in the break-your-neck seats that are inches from the screen. The seats are pretty comfortable. I've fallen asleep rather easily on several occasions.
Have never tried the concession stand goodies (those subliminal ads of dancing candy bars never worked on me) but I'm sure they're over priced and stale. Just buy your own from the supermarket and sneak it in. The bathrooms are rather large and pretty clean. You might be able to get away with hiding in one, and then sneaking out later for a "double feature"- but sshhh, you didn't hear it from me.
Overall a decent cinema. Go there on a weeknight and avoid the crowds.
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