glimpsing culture: burmese teashops

sm's been following austin bush photopgraphy for long time, and it's not surprising when you see how he pairs stunning photographs with such well-written anthropogenic prose.

 via austin bush photography

"myanmar’s teashops are not just places to have tiny cups of sweet, milky tea or coffee, or bottomless pots of weak chinese tea. they’re also places to catch up with a friend. they’re where you go for a smoke. they’re almost certainly a better place for breakfast than your hotel or guesthouse. and they’re where gossip is passed around, deals made and, if you believe the rumours, government spies are rampant.

"their defining element — tea — takes a slightly different form than most of us may be used to, and may not be to everybody’s liking. teashops are where the burmese appear to consume the bulk of their sucrose, and your average tiny mug has nearly as much sugar and sweetened condensed milk as it does black tea. the generic word burmese for tea is lephet ye, ‘tea water’, but if you follow this by saying cho bawq, you’ll get something that’s still sweet, but that at least won’t rot your teeth. the saving grace is the ubiquitous pot of weak green tea that serves as a chaser."

it's enough to reawaken both the travel bug and the wanderlust at the same time.

everything in moderation

via pearls before swine

here in the cactus garden, we like to keep moderation in moderation.

that's how sm came to be in an infinite coffee-loop this morning.

in the news

it's a busy world out there and things just keep on happening, so in case you didn't hear about it already:

• united states feedlots have been suffering from droughts, resulting in low cattle populations. this, in turn, has led to the closing of one major feedlot and will likely eventually lead to higher costs for consumers. depending on your stance on the carnivorous american diet, this can all be good, be bad, be whatever.

• guatemala has been dealing with an agricultural state of emergency as coffee rust, a tree fungus, destroyed 70% of the national crop.

• also in coffee news: colomubia coffee growers went on strike in late february, "demanding greater subsidies to protect them against falling international prices and a strong local currency."

• consumers are suing anheuser-busch, claiming that ten of the company's beers (including budweiser and michelob) have been watered down and contain less alcohol content than marketed. of course, many other consumers are currently asking "how could they even tell?"

• and finally, never let anyone tell you food isn't a political tool: the united states will start sending food and medical assistance to syrian rebels. so if there were any doubts which side the usa was leaning toward in the fight... well, doubt no more.

drinks served by a lego droid

i'm a big fan of lego, and i actually have this r2-d2 set minus the drink tray.  this is something i'll definitely look into doing myself.

and the award for best cup of coffee goes to...

via bug

as always, bug is spot on.

need a dining partner?

this app can help you out.  an opportunity to make new friends and check out different food.  what more could you want?

the great hangover round-up

well, the super bowl is over and done with for this year and we're pretty sure a good many of you out there are currently hunched over, regretting the daylight and nursing tall glasses of water.

and so, in honor of you and your hopefully still-functioning livers, seeds proudly presents this round-up of hangover links. 

so dim your computer screen, grab a bite of asparagus, lean back, and click away!

cocktail 101: how to survive a hangover

in case you missed it: vegas 'after-party' bus claims to cure hangovers

20 recipes to help cure your hangover

10 ways to treat a hangover 

why cheap booze makes your hangover so horrible

science create the world's first alcoholism vaccine

for the football fans out there...

via foodbeast

it's so right, and yet it's so wrong. 

sage advice for a cold winter morning

via gocomics.com

works with coffee, too.

nostalgic for the nineties

you know how the dream of the nineties is alive in portland? well it's alive in kb's world, too.  

most days, i swear the 1990s were the last decade. it's like 2000-2010 never happened. (sometimes i wish they hadn't) 

it's the decade i really grew up in. the one where most of my nostalgic childhood and young teen memories are from. it's when i first started to figure out who was and what i loved. 

i can't imagine, however, that anyone would look back and think, 'oh man, you know what i really miss? smash mouth.' 

but hey now, they're an all-star. they get their game on. they go play. 

and write cook-books approved for bros. 

smash mouth: recipes from the road

the only good thing about this news? 

there's apparently a cookin' with coolio recipe book.  

so now as i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, take a look my life and realize there's nothin' left, i can at least do so with some tasty treats in hand. 

cookin with coolio: 5 star meals at a 1 star price 

omg and even better? he's got a youtube show. 

and in honor of the super bowl (go ravens!):