13. Try some new kind of food - Vietnamese? Middle Eastern? CRAZY Sushi?

Well, I definitely have eaten vegetable dumplings before, but I feel like making dumplings merits crossing #13 off my list. When I found dumpling wrappers in the Asian market near my house, I knew that I had to try and make them! But when I thought about it, I didn't really know what vegetables you wrap inside. Upon investigation, I found pre-made dumplings in the freezer aisle made with carrots, celery, mushrooms, sesame oil and taro powder.

I bought celery, carrots, scallions and and a mixture of maitake, cremini and portabello mushrooms to stuff the dumplings. Not sure how to combine the ingredients, I tried chopping the carrots and celery in a food processor. Before I knew it, the entire package of dumpling wrappers had disappeared into the steamer basket - probably 50 dumplings!

I was trying to think what the insides of vegetable dumplings look like when you go to a restaurant, and really all that comes to mind is a dark mass of unknown ingredients. I want to learn more about what goes on when a person makes dumplings who knows what he/she is doing....looks like I wasn't totally off.

My new favorite organizational tool is definitely the itso storage system from Target. (That's pronounced tar-jay :P) I had this grandiose idea of building shelves that could hold books or have foldable fabric shelves to tuck away clutter, but it turns out Target read my mind and made itso! I already bought two of the white plastic ones, and they got filled up almost inmediately. And for $13/box - I find it hard to believe I could make my own much cheaper. Especially considering how prone I am to making large mistakes...Unfortunately, the plastic version has a lot fewer options, but I don't think a college apartment merits anything sophisticated.

There is something so exciting about re-organizing! I love knowing where everything is and spending the time to explore under the bed and beneath piles of old magazines and school binders to find that long-forgotten necklace or an old pair of knitting needles that are still perfectly good. I have been searching everywhere for this skein of deep red yarn that I want to make a wristlet out of, and I could not find it until I braved the tower of cardboard boxes in my room. The ones that were packed at the last minute, the ones that do not have a list of contents on the outside. They are a total mystery until you open them up again, only to find a six-pack of toilet paper and the charger to your vacuum cleaner. Woohoo!

I have not done nearly enough cooking since I have been home. Aside from making stir-fry and cutting up a massive amount of fruit salad for a barbecue, I have neglected my cooking aspirations. Good thing one of my summer to-do's is to cook a fancy dinner. I was thinking of something exotic like coconut rice....except I got the idea from one of those pre-prepared rice packages at the grocery store, so I don't know if I can truly call it exotic. I'll let you know how it goes...going to go explore TasteBook :)

2. Pick fruit at homestead farm or butler's orchard

Wow, I have been going through my list faster than I thought! Last weekend I went blueberry picking at Butler's Orchard with my friend and her family. Normally, the season is halfway over about now, but there were barely any left! We had to comb over a lot of bushes to get the amount that we did. It seemed like an obvious choice to make blueberry pie since that is #23 on my list, but this recipe for blueberry crumble seemed so delicious. I will try and post the recipe; it was cut out from an old Washington Post article about blueberry recipes.

1. Go on a day trip to the beach

With #1 on my to-do list under my belt, and summer classes behind me, I am feeling rather ambitious. I am due to do something crafty. After all, that is the point of this blog. Hopefully, I will be going berry picking on Saturday - #2 on my list - so maybe I will make a pie - #23 on my list :)

I think the most ambitious project I am going to be able to start is hemming my new pants. I have yet to find the perfect school bag pattern and I need the dimensions of the window before I can make curtains. It's a tough life keeping yourself busy!

Okay, I know it's finals time, but I made this wonderful list and I had to share. I am going to see how many of these I can cross of the list by the end of the summer.

1. Go on a day trip to the beach
2. Pick fruit at homestead farm or butler's orchard
3. Visit Boston
4. Go to the pool
5. Visit Eastern Market
6. Take a day trip to a pretty nature place (PA, WV)
7. Make sweet plantains
8. Go to a water park - Hershey/SixFlags/Bush Gardens
9. Go running
10. Catch a free concert in Bethesda/ Rockville
11. Get crabcakes from the crabcake place
12. Watch free movies at Strathmore
13. Try some new kind of food - Vietnamese? Middle Eastern? Belly dancing place? CRAZY Sushi?
14. Couples massage
15. Go clubbing?
16. Sell stuff on ebay
17. Look at Carnival Cruises
18. Picnic in the Park
19. Dance in the Rain
20. Catch a great sunset
21. Go paddle-boating at Rio in Gaithersburg
22. Go antiquing in Leesburg, VA
22b. Go outlet-shopping in Leesburg VA
23. Make pie
24. Test drive fancy cars
25. Dress up, go to dinner, see a play like a fancy pants
25b. Kennedy Center concert

P.S. The picnic basket is so cute, but it's £ 68.95 so I guess I will have to go without :(