Archive for the ‘North Carolina’ Category

Pho Real (Vietnamese Cuisine)

Sunday, November 5th, 2006

Last weekend we went out with some friends to eat Vietnamese food. We are all trying to expand our horizons with our food choices, so we have started a little something I am calling the International Food Club. You can track the culinary delights on this site as they are posted. It is our goal to try and get out to eat 2 times/month.

So, we started with Goi Cuon (Spring Rolls). They were really, really fresh and were served with a peanut hoisin sauce.

Then, we moved onto the main dish. I ordered Hu Tieu. This is a chicken noodle soup compination in which you choose from 5 types of noodes (I got thin egg noodles.) and 6 types of meat. I avoided ordering the Ca Vien or fishballs, and opted for BBQ pork, chicken, and shrimp.

Others in our party ordered the fried quail (It reminded me of pigeon.) and Com Chien, or fried rice. Nicole went out on a limb and ordered the Pan Fried Egg Crepes. These were like very, very thin omelets filled with bean spouts, shrimp, chicken, and onions. It was served with nuoc mam dipping sauce that was out of this world.

All in all, this was a great experience. I highly recommend Vietnamese food. Visit Pho Real’s site.

Posted in International Food Club, North Carolina | No Comments »

The Ron Clark Story

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006

This movie aired on TNT on Sunday evening. If you dont know who Ron Clark is, he is another inspiration to me. He is a teacher, who left a “good” job in Aurora, NC, and packed up his vehicle to go teach in inner city New York. His parents didn’t understand, and his fellow teachers didn’t understand, but he knew exactly what he was doing. He needed a challenge and wanted to make a difference to troubled kids, and show them that there are teachers in the world who care about them, not only as students, but as people too.

A few years back, I read his book entitled, The Essential 55, and it was a great book. It basically outlines the 55 essential “rules” of life: say please and thank you, how to answer a telephone, the proper way to shake hands, etc. He was on a mission to teach all of his students these lifetime rules, and he did and continues to do so.
The Ron Clark Academy opens in Atlanta this fall. It will be interesting to see the progress of his school model.

Posted in Book Reviews, Movie Reviews, North Carolina | No Comments »

U.S. National Whitewater Olympic Training Center (Charlotte)

Monday, August 7th, 2006

I could not be any more excited about this center that is opening in a few weeks!! I am so psyched about this. Not only does it offer running trails, bike trails, and rock climbing, but the aquatic engineers have recreated a whitewater kayaking course—it will be the site for Olympic training, world-class competitions–AND, the general public to take lessons! Several shops and cafes will overlook the water, and I can’t wait to go visit. :)

Take a look at the official link and see what this place has to offer! It’s amazing and the first of its kind in the United States!

Posted in Health and Fitness, North Carolina | 2 Comments »

North Carolina Skyline

Monday, June 12th, 2006

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life?  This picture was taken on a field trip to The Outer Banks in NC.  This is why I love it here!

DSC04893.JPG

Posted in North Carolina, The Traveling Teacher | No Comments »

North Carolina is a great place to live!

Thursday, March 23rd, 2006

I do a lot of traveling, and I just want to say that I think this is one of the greatest states–the scenery, the people, the friendliness–it is no wonder that once people move here, expecially from the north, they decide to stay.  North Carolina has been my home now for 7 years, and I really don’t see me moving anywhere else–unless it is South Carolina to the beachy areas.  Click here to learn more about NC!

Posted in North Carolina | No Comments »