Day 287 - Neighborhood Park

Thought of the day: We are starting to know more people living in the neighborhood.  One of the families just immigrated from China on investment visas.  The EB-5 world has always been a bit of a myth to me because I don't think I have actually met anyone on EB-5 in the past.  Apparently the requirements for getting the visa has become less stringent recently and there are now many affluent Chinese who qualify.  In addition, many of those on EB-5 have enough cash on the side to buy real estate in the US and they consider this a good time to buy as the market is soft in the US while the Chinese real estate market is still very hot. In addition, the US has been considered by many Chinese as a safe and even prestigious place to invest in real estate. Many early Taiwanese immigrants did very well from doing so - some of them still live in this neighborhood - and now the mainland Chinese are following their brave footpath. The children and grandchildren of those Taiwanese immigrants often thrive in American schools and work places and I expect the same to happen for this new wave of immigrants. Of course, despite their relative wealth, many challenges still lie ahead of them in integrating into this very different society. They have met the challenges of the rapidly changing Chinese society and I have no doubt that they will meet the challenges here as well.

Photo of the day:

Misty morning in a park in my parents' neighborhood.  I don't see too many neighbors in the park as many of them are probably either busy working or shuffling their kids from one activity to the other.  Bay area is a fiercely competitive place for adults and kids alike and I suspect the new wave of immigrants just make it even more so.

Day 167 - Zhou Mama

Thought of the day: If it's hard to find a food place that serves healthy or authentic Chinese food, it's nearly impossible to find one that serves healthy and authentic Chinese food.  Luckily, I think I have just found one right here in downtown Boulder, thanks to the recommendation of a friend.  The menu is very small and you order from the counter, but who cares if everything tastes soooo good.  It's yet another proof that freshly prepared natural food tastes naturally good, without the assistance of dubious flavor enhancers.  I know that it makes a world of difference in taste when it comes to something as simple as a hot oatmeal.  But, to my surprise, only a handful of restaurants in Boulder offer organic oatmeals for breakfast.  How long will it take for restaurants to offer it as a standard?  How long will it take for people to demand for healthy food instead of just putting up with whatever is being used in the restaurant kitchens?  Hopefully it won't take very long.  As far as I can see, the tide is going in the right direction.  Perhaps one day I will not need to be so excited when I find a place like Zhou Mama, as a healthy food place will be the norm rather than an exception.

Photo of the day:

Zhou Mama talking to a guest.  Another reason I liked this place was that it had one of my favorite poems on the wall (it's to her right).  I will have lunch here pretty much all week this week.  My goal is to try out all the dishes by the end of the week - not a lofty goal, but it's a yummy one for sure!

Day 162 - Clapping

Thought of the day: I helped Jasmine's class make dumplings today.  It was a bit stressful to prepare, demonstrate, rush home to cook and then rush back to serve warm dumplings before the school was over.  The kids had lots of fun making dumplings and loved the tastes so it was well worth the effort.  I have noticed that if you are a Chinese, somehow everybody expects you to be an expert dumpling maker.  However, I have never made dumplings before coming to the US.  It is a northern China tradition and is just not done much in the south.  A friend's excellent recipe for making dumpling fillings and a few handy YouTube videos demonstrating dumpling wrapping and cooking techniques saved my day.  Yes, cultural stereotypes can surely be frustrating and sometimes self-fulfilling, but when it comes to dumplings, I really don't mind!

Photo of the day:

This kids adored their teacher!  And perhaps the dumplings gave them extra energy to be so enthusiastic at the end of a school day.