Category: Hobbies

National Meatball Day!

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National Meatball Day

Mon Mar 9th, 2026

VOCABULARY:

succulent — adj., tasty, delicious

culinary — adj, relating to cooking or the kitchen

occurence — n., an event, something that happens

cozy — adj., providing contentment or comfort

various — adj., of an indefinite number greater than one

Juicy round balls of succulent meat, usually served with pasta, mashed potatoes or on their own — perfect for a cozy dinner at home!

Just the word, ‘meatball’ is enough to bring to mind great family meals for most people. These little balls of various meats can be found throughout the world in almost every culture.

Most people may associate them with Italian cuisine, though spaghetti and meatballs is actually an American dish. No matter your background, you can jump in and enjoy National Meatball Day!

How to Celebrate National Meatball Day

National Meatball Day, like other culinary holidays, should be enjoyed with your loved ones gathered around.

The most difficult part of preparing for National Meatball Day is going to be picking which nation’s recipe you will use. Luckily for you, this is a yearly occurrence, so you can pick a new nation to try each year if you like. Or you could be truly adventurous and try more than one at a time!

What is your favorite way to enjoy meatballs? There are so many ways to make them. Have you added them to your pizza or on a sandwich? Do you prefer to follow the traditions of your family or to try and create something new? This is the time to shine – an entire day devoted to meatball goodness!

And even if you’re not a meat-eater, there are plenty of veggie and vegan alternatives available, for example, chickpea koftas and tempeh, quinoa or black bean meatballs.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a chef or a first-time cook. Making a meal with meatballs is easy but makes you look like a star in the kitchen!

Here are a few recipes:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017700-meatballs-with-any-meat

https://www.seriouseats.com/meatball-recipes-11702105

https://www.thekitchn.com/swedish-meatballs-recipe-23722980

reference: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/meatball-day

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Spring in New York City

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Spring in NYC is amazing—perfect weather, blooming cherry blossoms, and lots of outdoor activities. Here are some top recommendations: 

🌸 Enjoy the Blooming Flowers

– Brooklyn Botanic Garden – The Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri) is a must-see.

– Central Park – Walk through the Conservatory Garden or check out the cherry blossoms near the Reservoir.

 🏙️ Outdoor Sightseeing & Views  

– The High Line – A scenic walk with art, gardens, and views of the city.

– Roosevelt Island Tram – Take the tram from Manhattan and stroll along the waterfront. 

 🎭 Festivals & Events

– Tribeca Film Festival (June) – Catch indie films and premieres.

– Macy’s Flower Show (late March–early April) – A massive floral display in Herald Square.

🚲 Outdoor Adventures

– Kayaking on the Hudson – Free kayaking at Pier 26.

– Bike around Central Park – Rent a bike and enjoy the fresh air.

-Visit a traditional Chinese garden in Staten Island – New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden

– Roosevelt Island Tram – Take the tram from Manhattan go Roosevelt Island. 

🍽️ Food & Drinks 

– Smorgasburg (April–October) – A massive outdoor food market in Brooklyn. 

– Queens Night Market –  Over 100 vendors selling merchandise, art, and food in Queens.

🎶 Live Music & Culture 

– Shakespeare in the Park (starts in May) – Free performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

– Jazz at Lincoln Center – A cozy live music spot.

⚾ Sports

-See a Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens or a Yankees game in the Bronx.

-Watch a soccer game at the NYC Football Club

🐯 Family Friendly Activities

-Come see your favorite animals at the Bronx Zoo

-Don’t like animals – how about fish? Pay a visit to the New York Aquarium.

–Children’s Museum – The B.C.M offers exhibits and programs for children of all ages.

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HOT DRY NOODLES (RE GAN MIAN, 热干面)

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Vocabulary –

soy sauce (noun) – a sauce made with fermented soybeans

al dente (adjective) – cooked so as to be still firm when bitten.

“…ensure they remain chewy and al dente.”

chop (verb) – cut (something) into pieces with a knife

toss (verb) – throw (something) somewhere lightly, easily, or casually

drain (verb) – cause the water in (something) to run out, leaving it empty, dry, or drier.

WHAT IS RE GAN MIAN, OR HOT DRY NOODLES?

“Re, 热” means hot, “Gan，干” means dry, and “Mian, 面” means noodles. Re Gan Mian, or “Hot Dry Noodles” are a top breakfast choice in Hubei Province. 

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

HOT DRY NOODLES (RE GAN MIAN, 热干面): THE RECIPE

Start by preparing the sauce. Add 3 tablespoons sesame paste to a bowl, and gradually stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil to smooth out the paste. Then add 1 ½ teaspoons of dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, and stir until well combined. If the sauce is still too thick, add in a few drops of warm water to thin it out. Add salt to taste and set aside. You can prepare this sauce ahead of time.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Boil a pot of water to cook the noodles as per package instructions, undercooking it by 1 minute to ensure they remain chewy and al dente. Drain. Shake off any excess liquid from the noodles, and put them in a large bowl.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Toss the noodles with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Add in the preserved mustard stems (zha cai), pickled long beans, garlic, chili oil, cilantro, scallions, Chinese black vinegar, and tahini sauce.

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com
Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

Quickly toss the noodles together and serve hot.  

Hot Dry Noodles (Re Gan Mian, 热干面) - thewoksoflife.com

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Start by preparing the sauce. Add 3 tablespoons sesame paste to a bowl, and gradually stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil to smooth out the paste.
  2. Then add 1 ½ teaspoons dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or 4 ½ teaspoons of master sauce, if you have it). Add 1 teaspoon sugar, and stir until well combined. If the sauce is still too thick, add in a few drops of warm water or more master sauce to thin it out. Add salt to taste and set aside. You can prepare this sauce ahead of time.
  3. Boil a pot of water to cook the noodle as per package instructions, undercooking it by 1 minute to ensure they remain chewy and al dente. Drain. Shake off any excess liquid from the noodles, and put them in a large bowl.
  4. Toss the noodles with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Add in the preserved radish, pickled long beans, garlic, chili oil, cilantro, scallions, vinegar, and tahini sauce. Quickly toss the noodles together and serve hot.

Source – https://thewoksoflife.com/hot-dry-noodles-re-gan-mian/

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Cliff’s Hobby

US Adult Literacy2 Comments

In this post, 0C and 1D teacher Cliff Prisament writes about his hobby…

If you look carefully at my wrist while I’m teaching, you might notice I wear a different watch almost every day.  Since 2005, I have been collecting and fixing watches as an amateur horologist (someone who fixes watches and clocks).

In 2005, I moved to Shanghai, China to teach children English.  While I was there, I found several markets that sold very cheap, antique watches (watches that are very old).  I fell in love with watches and it became my favorite hobby.  I would sometimes buy 2 watches a week!  In 2007, I owned almost 40 watches!  Now, I only own about 15 watches.

My oldest watch is a Mickey Mouse watch made in 1933!  It’s half a century older than me!

Most people just buy a watch because they think it’s beautiful or fashionable.  When I buy a watch, I buy it because of its movement.

There are three types of watch movements.  They are quartz, automatic and manual-wind.

1. Quartz watches are the most popular.  Your watch is probably a quartz watch.  Quartz watches have a small, round, silver battery that powers the watch hands.  Quartz watches are the most accurate. 

2. Automatic watches do not have a battery.  They have a rotor, which winds a mainspring that moves the hands.  So if you wear an automatic watch every day, you never need to change a battery.

3. Manual-wind watches only have a mainspring and no rotor or battery.  You have to wind them every day or they will stop moving!

Any questions about watches?  Let me know!

Now take a quiz to test your understanding of what you just read:

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