Good Ole’ Shrimp Boil and Greek Food

June 11, 2011

     Today is Saturday!! Woot! I found out that there is a Farmer’s market near my apartment. Mary, who lives a couple of blocks up from me, went to check it out. I was super glad to see that my milk people are at this farmer’s market too! Unfortunately, I forgot my empty bottle and did not want to pay another deposit. I will just have to get chocolate milk next week. There were lots of good things to eat and buy! I got some cherries to eat this week. I can’t wait to go back in get bread and some more veggies. The second Mary got lettuce it stared to sprinkle! Not too bad, but the sky looked dreadful. We headed back to my apartment to drop off the stuff before we headed to the Greek Fest. About a block and a half from my apartment, it started to pour! We ducked under the Eddies overhang and waited for the rain to stop. It was pouring! It finally let up and we headed to m place. All of a sudden, I hear “Morgan”. Since I don’t know but about two people in Baltimore I looked around in a confused manor. I then spotted Sid the director for my Fluid Movement scene. Small world! Since it was raining, we decided to wait a minute before heading to the Greek Fest.

     Once the rain stopped, we started on our way to the Greek Fest! But before we got started, I had to get gas. I found the closest one, which was a Royal Farms (it’s a Maryland chain I think?). It is pretty cheap gas and it’s not in a sketchy part of time! While I was pumping gas, the lady on the other side started to talk to me. The pump was so slow! She saw that I was wearing my Canyon De Chlley t-shirt and told me that she was from Arizona. We chatted for a few minutes and then she was done pumping her gas. I love talking to random people while waiting in line! We finally got to the Greek Fest, which is in Greek town and met up with Carrie (another intern). The Nashville Greek Fest is awesome, so I was hoping for just as much awesomeness at the Baltimore one. It was a tiny bit of a let down. There was not much there and the pastry section was barren. BUT the food was delicious! I got Chicken Souvlaki with rice and a Tyropita (filo dough filled with 3 kinds of cheese). It was really good. I could eat a Tyropita everyday if I could. We were eating in the downstairs dinning hall so we got to watch the kids dance. It is always nice to see them dance! Mostly because I wish, I was Greek and could dance with them. Soon it was time to head out. I dropped off Mary and Carrie it was time to get ready for Elena’s Shrimp boil! Elena is my mentor at the JMM and is from North Carolina. Her back yard had official become North Carolina for the night. Elena has her own blog about food and was even in Southern Living last month! The food was amazing. The boil consisted of potatoes, corn, sausage, mussels, and shrimp-yummy! There was beer can chicken on the grill and corn on the cob too. So much good food!!!! After everyone had eaten the boil, Elena washed out the pot and it was time to fry things (a true Southerner). There was fried okra, pickles, doughnuts, and cheesecake. OMG SO GOOD! The shrimp boil was a success. It was nice to hang out with Elena and Dan, Rachael, Rachel, and Jobie and some of Elena’s family and friends. Everyone was really good and it was fun to get out of my apartment and eat good food and hang out with people! Well I am stuffed and its bedtime! Book Thing and the Annual meting tomorrow.

Lunch at the Greek Fest

Start of the Shrimp Boil. Look at all that good food!

Beer Chicken, getting a little friendly

Time to EAT

Let's get ready to fry!

Fried doughnuts!

Good food

Close up

Fried pickles and okra

Laugh section

Love this comic strip

Farts

June 10, 2011

     It feels weird that today is Friday. Because of our two days off it feels like a Monday, which is weird. Today was the volunteer luncheon. Ryan and I helped Deborah and Ilene set up for the luncheon at the American Visionary Art Museum. The lunch was very good. We had kosher sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit, and cookies. It was nice to meet the volunteers and to have a good lunch. We also got tour of the museum. The whoopie cushion bench was a hit again! Today during the tour, the lady in charge talked a lot about laughing, which is what the main exhibit is about. Did know that the ancient Greeks had a joke book about farts? Or that during the depression whoopie cushions hit their all time sale highs? They even had to open a factory to keep up with all the demand. This all made me laugh. I love laughing and I have a loud laugh. But going on the tour really reminded me that we should take time to laugh every day. I hope that when you read this blog that I can sometimes make you laugh! But it’s going to be my goal to have a funny quote or picture everyday garneted to make you laugh. Laughing makes you live longer, they say, so I hope you will laugh away with me everyday!   

     After lunch we got back to the museum, I went to look for the missing computer speakers for my desktop that I will be using. Well instead of finding speakers, I found hats! I found a really pretty red hat that is velvet and looks like it will be nice and warm for winter and a Greek fishing hat! Best part, which is not that they fit, but that I get to keep them! They are old props and they were going to get rid of them. I love free things. I worked some more on Brews and Schmoozed and then it was time to get snowballs! There is a snowball supply warehouse next door to the museum. JMM was nice enough to buy all the interns snowballs this afternoon! I got raspberry and coconut. They were so good (I mean who doesn’t love ice and sugar syrup?!?). While I was eating my snowball, the group of California students was ready for a tour of the Lloyd Street synagogue. I finished my snowball and went to give the tour. I should mention that my lips and tongue were bright red (ooops). The tour went well (there at least 15 people) I think! I really like giving tours, its fun to tell people about the history of the synagogue. They were also very nice people who asked good questions. Once the tour was done, I worked a little bit more on Brews and Schmooze and then it was time to go home.

Snowball time with Elena

     Tomorrow Elena, my mentor, is having a shrimp boil at her apartment. I am bringing my Oma’s potato salad. It’s the best stuff in the world. Here is how you make it

          Potatoes, apples, bread and butter pickles, Duke’s mayo, and a little honey mustard or regular mustard. I guess on the ratio of apples to pickles to potatoes so make it how you want to!

     After making the potato salad, I made my self dinner. Tonight I made apricot glazed pork chops. They turned out pretty good. I threw half a potato on the skillet and fired it up to go with it. As soon as I was done with dinner, it started to storm again. It was nice to sit and watch the storm from my window. Being a Friday night I could have gone out and done something exciting, but it was boiling and I was tired (I sound about 100 years old right now) so I stayed in and watched Big Bang theory. I brought season three with me so I picked some of my favorite episodes and watched them! Tomorrow is going to be a busy day! I am going to the Charles Village Farmers Market which is somewhere near me. I think its like four or five blocks away. Then Mary, Carrie, and I are going to go to the Greek Fest. YAY for Greek food! And then its off to Elena’s for a good ole’ southern shrimp boil. It's going to be an action packed day!  

Pork chops

Laugh section

     I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would have taken the fire department four days to put it out. -Dolly Parton

Hot Crabs and Stormy Nights

June 9, 2011

     Today was our second day of holiday! To make sure the interns were getting out and seeing Baltimore and not just hiding in their apartments Rachel the photo collections manger gave the interns a scavenger hunt to day around the city! It’s for points in the Intern Olympics!!! I LOVE COMPETITION! Most people who have played games with me, will never do it again unless forced to because I can get a tad bit crazy when it comes to games. I really just want to win. I can’t help it if I have the drive to win with in my soul. Just kidding. Well any ways, Mary B (there are two Marys at the JMM interning, the other Mary has been renamed Trudy, just 411) and I went out exploring the city in the search of the items on our scavenger hunt.

     First, stop Walters Art Gallery. The Walters Art Gallery is a free art museum in Baltimore. IT WAS AMAZING! First, there is art as in paintings, but then there is jewelry (old, I mean 1^st century old), armor and arms, mummies, animals, and altars, just to name a few different categories of things they have! My favorites were: the painting commissioned for the Scarlet letter book (it’s the Barnes and Nobel cover now I think too, it’s the one where Hester looks evil), the church alters from the 1400s and 1500s, the ancient jewelry and funeral masks, the newer diamond rings and pendants, the mummy of a young girl (creep I know, but the mask is cool), and the armor. There was so much to see and we were hungry to I am planning to go back to see all of it! There are four floors so I am thinking one floor per Saturday. That should give me enough time to see everything.

child's armor

young girl mummy

Beautiful box made with diamonds!

Alter piece

tinny dagger with jewels on it

Lovely statue 

Mary and Me

It's my night and shinning armor finally came to take me away!!

     After the Walters, it was time for lunch. But it is I should take time to mention that it was hotter in Baltimore than in TENNESSEE! I don’t understand this weather. It was crazy. We opened the doors to the museum and the heat hit us like a wall of grossness. It was 102 by noon. Nasty. So, in order to escape the heat we headed down to Fells Point to eat at Ripe Tied by the Bay. I love this place! I got the Chesapeake burger, which is a crab cake on top of a burger with cheese and bacon. De-LICIOUS! After our yummy lunch, it was time to check off the inner harbor! Then we stopped to get gelato. OMG so good. I got dark chocolate and espresso. Italy had the best gelato but this came pretty close!

yummy gelato

     One of the things to check off was to take as many pictures with crabs as you could at the inner harbor. Done, as well as taking pictures with statues and of art. I love taking pictures! However, I did not take as many as normal today because it was so freaking hot I did not want to really do anything! There is an H&M inside the little storefronts at the Harbor to so we popped inside to look! I love their bags and jewelry. It was also a nice way to get out of the heat. Next, we stopped at the visitor center to get some pamphlets and take a picture with the giant poodle bike/boat racer. Then we went over to the HUGE Barnes and Nobel, which was an old factory by the harbor. It was awesome! the old boilers (I think) are now little walk through with shelves in them, so cool. While we were there we decided to get Harry Potter wands. I could not think of a better way to spend 8 dollars. All the interns are planning to go to see the 7^th movie so we needed something to take with us. Speaking of Harry Potter, I forgot to mention that Ryan the guy I intern with plays Quiddich at his college. We are going to start a JMM team! It’s going to be awesome (pictures will be posted when this Awesome event takes place). By this point we were hot and tired so it was time to head back to Charles Village.

First crab we found

Dragon boats you can take in the harbor! How cool are these?!? I really want to rent one, but they are 18 dollars for a half hour!!

Captain Morgan

Arrrrr Matey

Don't shoot! 

Giant Poodle which you can race on land and in the water

NEMO!

     I still had Fluid Movement practice to go to at 5:30, but I got a tiny break to bask in my air-conditioned room. Since it’s been so hot in the city, the city opened the public pools today. We are practicing at the park across from the pools. The park was packed. It was a nightmare getting in. Practice went well tonight. Our director April brought everyone popsicles

Too Hot for this Southerner

June 8, 2011

     This morning Elena and Rachel were going over to the turnaround school (a school the federal government has taken over and redone)  in Baltimore to work with the 6^th and 7^th graders on their mosaics, so Ryan and I went with them. The JMM is working with the kids to make tiles that represent the schools five values. The tiles will be permanently installed in the school during the summer for all to see. We had to get to the JMM by 7, which means I had to wake up at 5:50 to shower and get ready! I was so tired! But Elena was sweet enough to get everyone coffee! As soon, as we got to the school and I had set my box of tiles down, my coffee fell off the desk onto the floor and the entire contents minus two sips was lost! I wanted to cry, I was about to work with middle school kids with no coffee in my system. I was hoping I would get a little caffeine via the fumes from the spilt coffee to make it through the morning! 

     The students came into the classroom ready to leave for the afternoon (school was closing at 11:30 because of the 100 degree heat). I don’t understand middle school age kids. Their immaturity was killing me. I kept hoping I was not this bad when I was in middle school. If I was I apologize now. If they were not yelling at one another, they were running around the room (not figuratively speaking). There were some very sweet ones don’t get me wrong, but most were acting like they had never seen a classroom before. They were also saying that’s what she said jokes (and actually getting them right) which was uncomfortable. I mean its funny when a college kid says it but when a 6^th grader says it to you, its just weird.

     Their tiles turned out well though. Some of the students really got into their artwork. The best part was Lorning Cornish, the artist who the students had been looking to as an example, came to the school to see the tile progress and meet with the kids. He took time and looked at all the tiles. He then talked to the students about why they picked the pictures or art to go on the tiles. You could tell that the students really liked that he was interested in their artwork. I should mention that Mr. Cornish is a mosaic artist. His entire home is mosaics. I have seen pictures and it is super cool!  

     After we got out of the school, I went back to my apartment and ate my HOMEMADE chicken salad for lunch! I was super proud of it! I decided it was too damn hot to do anything buy take a nap in the one room that has air conditioning, my room! I am from the south and it is pretty freaking hot, but it’s hotter in Baltimore than in Nashville right! Mother nature is having a freak out over Baltimore right now and it’s hotter than it’s been in years this early in the summer. The schools have been closing early around the city because they can’t keep the rooms cool. I also don’t get this no central air thing. I don’t like sweating in my living room. Gross. After my very lovely nap, which was more like an epic nap, it was time to start making dinner. I decided to make shepherds pie. I have never made it before but mom makes a killer one. Since I have little money eating in is supposed to be cheaper, I am trying out new recipes. This one turned out great! I am glad that I have found a easy thing to make. It’s a little time consuming waiting for the potatoes to boil, but not too bad!

     After dinner, I went to go get ice cream at Cold Stone, which is a block and a half from my apartment. It has been so hot that I have been wanting ice cream for about a week! So I get in line behind these two moms and their three little boys. They were the funniest kids ever. First, they were dancing and singing in line. Awesome! When they got to the where the ice cream was the littlest one started to sing, “Banana ice cream, Banana ice cream, ewwww! Banana ice cream, Banana ice cream, ewwww!” I laughed at this song and he turned to look at me and gave me the funniest look ever! Then while the moms were paying he turned to me and said, “Why do you like Pink Ice cream?” I said “Because raspberries are yummy.” He said “I got sprinkles they’re delicious!” To which I said “I got sprinkles too, but there chocolate.” He looks at me and says “Oh. (pause) That’s funny.” Then his mom said for him to follow her, and then said “Bye, but I am not really leaving.” It was the best conversation I have had in a line in a while. This is one of the reasons I love Hollystreet so much, kids say the best things. I finished Miranda tonight on YouTube, which I think is fun way to spend my night (boring to most people). I love love that show! I wish it aired in the US. Its funny, I got all these books to read, but I can’t seem to read anything. This past year in graduate school all I did was read 24/7. Now that I can read for fun, I can’t do it! I am going to sit down tomorrow night and try to start my new book though! Thus ends my day off for my first Jewish Holiday. Tomorrow is the second say of the holiday so the interns were given a scavenger hunt to do. Mary (another intern) and I are going to meet up and do it together! I can’t wait to go to the Walters Art Museum. It looks so cool! 

Corn Beef and Gangsters

June 7, 2011

     This morning another group of 125 8^th graders came into the museum! I was a little nervous about them. I had not had my coffee and was not sure I could handle them. Luckily, they were good! I only had to tell one kid not to touch something! They did not really ask any questions but were amazed at the replica of an outhouse we have. “You mean you had to pee in that thing? And there was no toilet paper?” Fantastic. Ryan over heard one kid says, “They had Pepsi back then? (the then being a picture from the 80’s). I did not get to watch the Immigrant Trunk show today; instead I had a meeting about the Brews and Schmooze program I am helping put together!

     The museum is going to start a First Thursday of the month program called Brews and Schmooze. The museum will be open late and people will get to come in and look around, eat, drink, and sometimes take away a little craft. It’s going to be awesome (hopefully). So if you know anyone in Baltimore tell them to come down to the Jewish Museum of Maryland on July 7 at 6 for our very first one! Did I mention that I am helping with the advertising J! After my meeting and Ryan finished up with the school group (I know I left him with all the kids, bad fellow intern) we headed up the street to Attman’s Deli. OH MY GOD THE CORN BEEF!!!!! Ok so Attman’s has been a tradition for a very long time (its even in our museum) in the neighborhood that the JMM is in. Let me tell you it was worth the wait in line. I also got to make friends with this very nice lady behind me. I asked her if she came to Attman’s a lot to which she replied, “I have been coming here since I was a small thing. I remember when they had stalls outside and you could pick your own chicken. Then they would kill it and you would take it home.” She was really neat so I kept talking to her. She told me what was good and what to get (corn beef of course) and who to make my sandwich. She also told me to get the hot dog (which is wrapped in bologna) and the corn beef. Eat the hot dog first so your stomach is prepared for the goodness that is your corn beef sandwich. But it’s not healthy for you so you have to be good for the next couple of days. She was a hoot! So I took her advice and got the Ruben. IT WAS AWESOME! Melt in my mouth good! It was hot and melty and there was sauce, so good. Did I mention it was the best lunch I have had in Baltimore so far? To top it off I had a Dr. Brown’s Cream soda and Crab Chips (Old Bay flavored chips, I am telling you they put Old Bay on everything). After lunch, it was back to work. At about 2 o’clock some people came through for a tour at 2:30 Elena was super busy so I volunteered to take the people through. However, I kinda forgot that I have never given a tour. Oops. But it was all good in the hood. Ryan quizzed me on the material and Elena helped with the Hebrew names and I was set to go (I did have cheat cards to help me). Ryan cam with me to make sure I covered everything and to show the group the ritual baths. All in all no one laughed at me or complained to the boss so I am guessing I did a decent job! The tour consisted of a couple from Canada and two ladies from Israel. After the tour, I worked for a bit longer and then it was time to get ready for my first Fluid Movement practice.

     I got to the park and waited with the other group members. Everyone was a bit quite, but they all seem fairly nice. The directors are this adorable couple Sid and April Pink and Patti (So my directors are called Patti and the Pinks, epic band name, I think so). We went over the play, which sounds super funny! My scene is the opening act! We get to be gangsters. I wont say much about costumes but they are going to be fan-tab-u-lous! Just think 1930 gangsters but with more glitter. We played couple of get to know you games (Thank you Converse College for preparing me for such games) and then we called it a night. I did not realize that the park was a little over a mile and a half from my Apartment so I may be adventurous and walk but I am going to check out the route a bit more (don’t worry dad I will make sure its safe). Then I went home made a salad, I am trying to be good and eat right! Its hard though when there are two pizza joints, a pub, Starbucks, and a Cold Stone on your block. Well better hit the sack got to get up extra early in the morning to go help out with a school!  

LUNCH

Please for the love of all things Holy do not touch that!

June 6, 2011

  So today the JMM had 130 eighth graders to see the exhibits and the synagogues and it was an experience. The groups were broken into four groups, two went to the synagogues and the other two were split between the two exhibits. Ryan and I were in charge of making sure the students did not break any thing in the Voices Exhibits and to help them if they had questions on the scavenger hunt. Working with eighth graders today made me realize I never want to teach middle school. It was as if I was playing police today. After asking them not, to touch stuff they did it any way. I told one girl to get off the platform (nicely) and that she could touch, the sewing machine but she could not touch the real ones. So what did she do, she touched the real one right in front of me. I could have slapped her. I wanted to ask her if her mom raised her in a barn, but I was nice about it. Then one girl got right up in my face and asked me why Jews go to church on Saturdays, because that was weird. And another one asked me why they had to wear all those funny hats. I did not know what to do! I answered both of their questions but the looks they gave me were priceless.  They (not all of them) also had the worst attitude about doing the scavenger hunt. It was crazy, but we made it through the morning. But I did learn that I do like working with the students that want to learn. I also like answering questions that the kids have. Sometimes you have to take the bad kids with the good kids!

            The students also got to watch Immigrant Trunks. Immigrant Trunks is a great program in which the museum uses the stories of the immigrants who came to Baltimore. Several years ago, a girl interviewed her grandmother for a school project. Her grandmother had immigrated to the US in 1913 at the age of 17. She told her the story of her life before and after immigration. Well the granddaughter gave the interview and the pictures to the museum. So now, one of the more popular trunks is this woman’s story. It was really good and I think that it is a very good story for students to hear. I was a little miffed that so many of them were talking and moving, but there was nothing to be done really. The teachers were good about getting them to stop so that was good. Ryan and I did survive and will have to do it all again tomorrow!

            After lunch I sat down with my mentor Elena, and talked about Brews & Schmooze, the program I will be working on this summer. We talked about how they want me to make the program a more lasting program and getting the programs nailed down until December. It is a little overwhelming but I think that it will be a good experience. I will also be helping with the Food exhibit that will go up in September. It is going to be an exciting time at the JMM. I hope I can do everything to their liking!            

            When I got home tonight I decided to make tacos! I have not made them in forever. They turned out pretty good! I am pretty exited that I am getting a hang of cooking! Plus I got to use my new homemade salsa I bought yesterday! My roommate came in today from her trip to visit her family so I split my dinner. She did not die and had seconds so I guess it was a good meal! She seems very nice and will be a cool roommate to have for the summer. So tomorrow is the first rehearsal for the Fluid Movement show, I am so nervous! However, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun! I will let you know how it goes tomorrow! It’s late and I have to deal with another group of 100 plus eighth graders in the morning! I am going to be now!! 

Chocolate Milk and Festivals!

So this morning Ashley and I went to the Farmer’s Market under the bridge. It’s the coolest farmer’s market! I got fresh chocolate milk, homemade salsa, squash, sugar snap peas, and apples! The chocolate milk is the bomb.com. It even comes in a glass bottle! There was a guy selling snowballs and I was told by my fellow intern Ryan that I had to have one of these. A snowball is just like a snow cone but with lots more syrup. Delicious! I mean 9:30 in the morning is not too early for sugar right? After the market, we headed to Eddies for a breakfast sandwich. Yummy, bacon, egg, and cheese croissant! Ashley then headed home. I then took a nap! I love naps.

     After my nap it was time to hit the Charles Village Street Festival. It was a nice three-minute walk from my building. It was a cute little festival. There was live music and venders. When I was there, a teen band was singing and playing on stage. They were playing several songs from 10 Things I Hate About You. They were actually pretty good. Plus I love that movie! It was hot as Hades so I got some free stuff from NPR and the bank and then headed back to my place. But before I left the NPR lady talked me in to volunteering for NPR if they needed someone. I figured if I had time I could help and it would be a cool way to see Baltimore. After getting back to my apartment I signed up to be in the Fluid Movement show this summer. So Fluid Movement is where they take a play and put it in the water and then put synchronized swimming to it. And there are funny and outrages costumes! I am scared to do it by my self but it will be a good way to meet people and how many people can say they were in a synchronized swimming play?!? Don’t worry I will post videos and pictures when they become available! I then did laundry, boring and expensive! Then I made dinner! I made squash, chicken, and rice. It was ok, but not as good as the first time I made it. I am going to have to work on the recipe. It was pretty much a normal lazy Sunday. I stayed up and watch Miranda on YouTube. It is a great British comedy; it’s my second favorite show (the first is Big Bang)! Well its time to go finish up Miranda! Write again later!    

Pineapple Snowball