Can you believe this weekend is Memorial Day weekend? We are flying through May! People are starting to throw social distancing out the window but we’re not out of the woods yet! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Let’s get into this week’s takes.
Joining the regrow craze. Last week, I shared my orchid woes (still dying) and said I was going to try regrowing scallions like the rest of Foodie Instagram. All you do is submerge the roots in a little water and place on the counter or anywhere they can get sunlight. I started the process on Sunday evening and I’m happy to report some growth. This photo was taken Monday morning. I might be able to harvest by the end of the week. I did read they’ll stop growing after a couple of rounds unless you plant them in soil. Therefore, from a waste limiting standpoint, this just delays throwing the root ends away. Maybe this is an incentive to start the patio garden I’ve been thinking about.
No more studio workouts? I came across an article about how group fitness will change post-Coronavirus and it got me thinking. Will I ever feel comfortable returning to my local Pure Barre studio(s)? The draw of group fitness studios is working out with other people. Go often enough, the instructors and front desk staff know you by name. You start to recognize the faces of other clients. Making it through a tough class as a group connects you in a small way. You look at each other at the end of it and say, “Wow, that was hard!”. As the article states, the very thing that makes group fitness great is the reason it’s tough to go back. With Coronavirus, the idea of being in a small space with 10-15 other people sweating it out for an hour can be anxiety-provoking. It’s the perfect setup for Coronavirus to infect people! Also, masks aren’t going to feasible, especially if you’re doing heavy-duty cardio. The last time I took a class in-studio was March 14th. It was on the crowded side that day so it was difficult to even keep the 3-foot distance the recommended at that time. There was a twinge of nervousness about being there. Even as the studios reopen with reduced class sizes (<10) and enhanced sanitizing of equipment, I still have concerns. As much as I miss being in the studio, I don’t see myself returning anytime soon. The virus still isn’t under control yet so the risk is still too high for me. Also, anxiety won’t do my workout any favors. I hope I can go back eventually but for now, virtual classes are where it’s at.
Canned wine isn’t all bad. Canned wine is controversial, even more so than boxed wine. Purists see it as inferior and maintain that only uneducated newbies would drink canned wine. They may argue that the wine loses character and nuance if it’s canned or boxed. Opening a can of wine just isn’t the same as opening a bottle. There are definitely some awful canned wines out there. I think the Domaine Casanova Rosé is one of them. I had a can a couple of weeks ago and it’s probably one of the worst wines I’ve ever had. It was as if I had poured it from a bottle that had been open for a while. The aromas were muted and it just tasted flat. At least I only had one 187ml can. I would not have been happy had that been a whole bottle. This weekend, I had a sparkling rosé from Underwood. It wasn’t better than the sparkling rosé I drank last week but it was still a good wine. I enjoyed it. I think the Underwood brand is a solid choice overall. I like the convenience canned wine offers but I do see what the purists are saying about certain characteristics not being present in the wines.
Survivor: Winners at War. The 40th season of Survivor came to an end last Wednesday with one of the best finales of all time. It was very exciting with Natalie fighting her way back from Extinction and shaking up the game. Tony ultimately took the 2 million dollars which didn’t surprise me at all. I think had Natalie taken a page from Chris Underwood and put her self in the Final 4 fire-making challenge against Tony, she would have won. She said it herself. Tony was the person the jury saw as the frontrunner. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this season although I don’t think it’s the greatest of all time when it comes to gameplay. We don’t know when we’ll see Survivor 41 but I really hope they aren’t seriously considering a “teen season”. If they can’t film, I think it’s a better idea to get the rights to an international season.
How to reheat rice noodle stir-fries. I ordered Pad Kee Mao from a local Thai restaurant on Friday and I had leftovers. The issue with leftover rice noodles is that they dry out which gives them a weird bite. Warming them up in the microwave does them no favors either. Over the years, I’ve found that the best way to reheat Pad Kee Mao, Pad Thai, or any other rice noodle stir-fry is to warm it up on the stove with a little water. The water adds some moisture back to the noodles without diluting the flavors too much. Sure it’s more dishes but I think it’s worth it not to have sad leftover Pad Thai. I will say, though, that I’ve tried adding water before microwaving when I was away from home. It’s fine in a pinch but my preference is reheating in a skillet on the stove.
That’s all for now! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful week. Until next time!