Things I am currently enamoured with

Too lazy to do a real post tonight, so here's a list of things that I have recently fallen in love with:

• My disposable fountain pen from Loomis. There was this girl in my undergraduate program, and actually, we also worked together one summer. She always used a fountain pen to write her notes in class, and I thought it was just so interesting, but I could never figure out where she got her pens. Finally, I figured it out. Pilot makes a disposable fountain pen. They're only about $4.00, and they're fantastic! They come in all sorts of colours of ink, and it just feels so classy to write with! I should buy a purple one so that I can be like Virginia Woolf- much of her diary was written in purple ink. Quirky, but cool. :)

• Butter chicken/ curry chicken paste mixes by "Kitchens of India". I just buy them at Sobey's, and they're fantastic! They cost less than $2.00, all you do is saute the chicken and add the paste and water, and simmer. Super delicious, super easy, and so much cheaper than going out for curry!

• Torrents. I've been getting a little bored of the TV programs available on our campus network, and as I don't have a TV, that was until now my only way of getting to see anything. Most of the people on the network are guys in the computer science program, so there are lots of action movies and anime shows, but not so much stuff that I'm into. And people stopped getting the newest episodes of House, which I can't live without, so I had to find a way to get my fix elsewhere. Torrents are the way to go. They're a bit slower, but the selection is unparallelled.

• Ugly Betty. A new show that I've been wanting to see for ages, but as per the comment above, not something that the guys on DC are likely to have. Got the first episode today, and loved it! As I have mentioned before, America Ferrera is adorable, and the story line is fun. It's like getting to watch Devil Wears Prada every week! So great. I wish I had Christine's amazing Scottish accent.

• Oyako donburi. I tried my hand at making Japanese egg and chicken rice bowls this week, and they're fabulous! Super super easy (basically a super saucy stir-fry that you add beaten egg to, served over rice), and so delicious. The best part is the dried shiitake mushrooms. Did you know that the Japanese have one more category of taste than North American's do? We categorize tastes into sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, but they add umami, or meaty. Shiitake mushrooms are one of the ways that they include umami in their cooking, and they're amazing.

• Facebook. I long resisted joining Facebook, because I didn't want to get sucked into endless random online time wasting, but as I'm not the type to go overboard, I'm enjoying it. I've reconnected with some people that I haven't seen since elementary school, and as my friends live everywhere from Korea, to England, to Ohio, to Toronto, it's a great way to keep in touch with all of them as our schedules (and time zones) permit.

• Economy Shoe Shop. One of the bars in Halifax that I hadn't yet been to. The hubby and I went there for a drink on Thursday night (I love date night), and it was lovely! The atmosphere is great, it's a nice balance between casual and classy, and the prices were quite reasonable. Apparently they have the best nachos anywhere, so we'll definitely be going back for those.

• Hakim Optical. My oldest friend worked for Hakim for quite a bit, and I'm not sure that it was the best experience ever, but shopping for glasses, they seem to be the place to go in Halifax. They have hundreds of great styles, and their prices are fantastic! I'm going to be able to get two pairs! I love the idea of having a glasses wardrobe. I'm going to get them next Friday, so I'll post some pics of what they look like when I get them. Glasses shopping here still makes me wish that I was in Kyoto, though. There, you can get a new pair of glasses for about $30.00 in an hour. Crazy!
  

I've had a good week for finding new things to enjoy. Hope yours was as good, and have a great Monday. :)