Because I Have Yet to Do a Proper Food Post

Friends, if you know me (or even if you don't, really), you'll know that I like to eat. A lot. So, since I've got nothing super exciting to report on the academic front (we are currently learning about Starbucks' invasion of China in Business Chinese for Success and the Chinese blog frenzy in Talk of the Times!), now's a great time to introduce one of my favorite things about China. 

In China, there are tea places pretty much everywhere. One that is particularly popular is called "It's Time To". 

Time to what? Don't ask me!

Offering a modern twist on the traditional Chinese tea, It's Time To serves lots of delicious cold beverages, usually of the fruity/tea-y variety. At the bottom of the drink are usually tapioca balls or chunks of aloe. At 12 kuai per drink (give or take a few kuai), it's by far the most enjoyable refreshment to beat the Beijing summer heat. 

YES I WANT

What is that strange bowl of food above, you ask? That, my friend, is mala, which translates into numb and spicy. AND BOY IS IT NUMBING AND SPICY! There's a great place in the Ucenter at Wudakou (right next to my apartment) that my roommates and I frequent. You get to choose what you want to eat and the level of spiciness, and in about 20 minutes, you are presented with a huge bowl of spicy, numbing whatever-you-ordered. Delicious.

Along the same lines is xiangguo, which is also spicy and slightly numbing. This can be described as a combination of mala and hot pot. It's also available at the Tsinghua dining halls, which means I've been eating it for lunch for the past month. 

I LOVE YOU XIANGGUO DON'T EVER LEAVE ME

And, of course, no dining experience anywhere is complete without some Italian food. 

Lamb chops! Such a delicious way to have lamb, second only to skewers! 

Unfortunately, I often forget to document the awesome foods I encounter, so this post has to end here, but hopefully, I will get more chances to post some food pictures in the future!

'Some wine before you go?'

Midterm exams are tomorrow! Boy time sure flies when you're having fun...