april activities catch-up

alas, readers, it's been quite a while since our last rendez-vous. ok, that's a total lie. it really hasn't been all that long. i've just been out and about a ton these past few weeks. but what can i say? life's too short to not be regularly indulging yourself. the worst part about being out so much is simply that i'm too lazy to blog about every single experience in as much detail as i'd like. that being said, i think it's better to share my faves (and not-so-faves) than not! so here are some highlights (and lowlights)....

1. HIGH: profeta's white chocolate baguette. OMG. i wasn't quite sure what to expect when the barista recommended this bakery item, especially since i'm not the biggest fan of bread. plus, baguettes tend to be crunchy on the outside, which wasn't what i was looking for. thankfully, the exterior was soft and there was just enough white chocolate to add a lovely sweetness to the nooks and crannies inside. i pretty much ate the whole thing on my walk home. which, as those of you who know the area know, isn't all that far. (FYI that the baguette gets to profeta through bread bar @century city i believe. miss d & i tried out their dark chocolate baguette, which she loved, but i found a bit too chocolate-y for my tastes.)

http://www.espressoprofeta.com/

http://www.breadbar.net/

2. HIGH: trader joe's mango sorbet. first of all, i love the reusable container. at first, i wondered how many phd candidates it'd take to open the damn thing. but after figuring it out, i realized that the effort was totally worth the prize. the taste was light and refreshing, and definitely very mango-ey. i realize more and more how much i appreciate sorbet over ice cream. i mean, i still love the density of ice cream, but the lightness of sorbet really does make me feel good. especially given my old age and my declining metabolism.

http://www.traderjoes.com/

3. HIGH: m cafe's gado gado salad & madras tempeh wrap. eri & i finally got to have dinner w/marie, and it was awesome to see her so much more fit & happy. we celebrated this occasion by schlepping out to marie's side of town and checking out m cafe's melrose location. the space was a lot smaller w/o a lot of parking. 2 big no-no's. however, all of the dishes i saw at the culver city location were there, plus other ones that dani had mentioned! so i decided on the gado gado salad, which was delicious w/tempeh triangles & peanut dressing. and i picked up the madras tempeh wrap to have for dinner the following night. SO good. i love tempeh b/c of the semi-crunchy outside and the semi-mushy inside, and the way it soaks up flavors. much like tofu, but w/more substance.

http://www.mcafedechaya.com/

4. LOW: observe and report. CRAP. total CRAP. and not just b/c i'm a priss. the premise was stupid. the story line was stupid. the dialogue was stupid. enough said.

http://observe-and-report.warnerbros.com/

5. HIGH: mama's hot tamales. i schlepped out on the heinous metro for these tamales (c/o tina park's rec) so i was PRAYING they were good. happily, i wasn't disappointed. while the chicken verde tamale turned out to be quite dry, the beef adobo tamale and the spinach & mushroom tamale were both moist and tasty. (dry masa is absolutely disgusting.) even though there were several sweet tamales to try, i was set on trying the flan. while mama's version was less creamy than what i'd generally prefer, i actually enjoyed the chunkier consistency. plus the flavor was quite good. i also really liked the tamarind agua fresca that i had to wash everything down with. i was jealous when i overheard the adjacent table asking more thoroughly about the other agua frescas, so i'll definitely be back to try the other ones. though i'm not sure when, especially since macarthur park was absolutely dismal-looking! talk about needing to clean up bird poop. i mean, isn't that toxic or something?

http://www.iurd.org/mamasHotTamales/

6. LOW: la brea tart pits. what a bust. fake animals in a pool of oil & methane. gross.

http://www.tarpits.org/

7. HIGH: LACMA's BCMA. a solid number of paintings in a great space. the serras were amazing -- you can totally get lost in them. the rest of the pieces were a great representation of modern art w/o being too overwhelming. my favorite pieces were the serras, the gigantic blue balloon animal, and the gigantic red cracked egg. i forget the artist, but they were fabulous. i kept wanting to touch them, but felt like i'd set off an alarm or something. the current post-war/post-wall exhibit (which i deliberately went to see) was quite extensive & engaging as well. there was one particular piece that was composed of shoes from the concentration camps. it was really sad, except that i couldn't help laughing when the guard barked at anyone who came w/in 6 inches of the edge. eek! visitors -- beware!

http://www.lacma.org/

8. HIGH: i love you, man. OMG. PAUL RUDD - I LOVE YOU!! the other guy was pretty hilarious too. everything about this movie was either sweet, funny, or sweet & funny. definitely worth seeing more than once. YAY NEW LINE!! and thanks to dani for a fun girls night out!

http://www.iloveyouman.com/

9. HIGH: the bowery's falafel & sweet potato fries. so i have to admit that i was totally NOT hungry on this evening. i was so NOT hungry that i still remember being NOT hungry. this was probably due to the fact that i'd stuffed my face with 3 tamales, a flan, and a ton of agua fresca. yes, i know, my bad. at any rate, i felt guilty not ordering a meal (especially after dani commented on how great the food was), so i decided to check out the falafel and to splurge on sweet potato fries (to happily share w/the ladies). i was shocked when the rest of the group didn't order all that much, but i wasn't disappointed in the least w/my food. the falafel was a wee bit cold, but a nice size, and the texture was great. and the sweet potato fries were fabulously crispy, w/a nice blend of salty & sweet. now that i've opened up myself to sweet potatoes (as opposed to yucky other potatoes that i still don't like), i've decided that sweet potato fries are, wait for it, DA BOMB.

http://www.theboweryhollywood.com/

10. HIGH: the UCLA planetarium. as part of a GSRC-organized event, i ended up at the UCLA planetarium atop the math sciences building. FYI that i've wanted to check out this place for the past several years, but i suppose i've been too lazy to get on it. after all this time, it was just as fun as i thought it'd be! i dragged jeannine along w/me and we sat in a dark room w/15 other grad student nerds who wanted to hear about the night sky. it was awesome! we had a wacky astronomy student talk to us about galaxies for about an hour -- complete with quirky sidebar comments. i've always loved the planetarium, but it's always been hard to stay awake during the light show, especially when they turn off all the lights and you feel like you're lying out in the middle of a field somewhere staring at the stars. thankfully, our lecturer was funny enough to keep me awake. and i was so impressed when he could just point out random constellations! i can certainly find the big dipper & the little dipper on a clear night, but the rest are seriously beyond me.

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/planetarium/

11. EH: orris. i haven't been here in AGES, but i've always loved the idea of japanese/french fusion tapas. and seeing that jeannine is continuing to check off her 99 list, we decided to find our way here after our planetarium excursion. we skipped out on the shrimp dishes b/c of jeannine's food allergy, but i simply can't seem to remember anything we ate that night, except for the mushrooms and the apple dessert. i think we ordered 2 of the specials, and i'm positive we had some beef & fish, but i can't remember the details for the life of me. that being said, i'm giving this experience an 'EH' rating -- at least for the night. if i can barely remember what i ate, that's not a good sign.

http://www.orrisrestaurant.com/

12. HIGH: cafe elysee's desserts. kelly & i finally got catch-up time w/o being interrupted by a thousand people we both know! YAY! and even though i should've ordered a real dinner in honor of this momentous occasion, i decided my tummy was more in the mood for lots and lots of DESSERTS. i started with a piece of chocolate cake (yummy yummy), moved on to a triple chocolate mousse (which i couldn't finish -- surprise surprise), and kept myself from ordering a chocolate-covered cannoli. i wish i could've blamed it on PMS, but alas, it would've been a lie.

http://www.elyseebakery.com/

13. HIGH: BFF's in town!! derek schlepped out from atlanta last weekend, and we had the absolute bestest time eating our way through west LA. we started off with a grilled cheese special, a mushroom scallion quiche, a blueberry cream cheese coffee cake, and a mushroom broccoli salad at clementine -- everything was absolutely delicious. no complaints whatsoever. we made our way through the santa monica farmers market for some super fresh fruit. and before we schlepped down to venice, we made a stop at vanilla bake shop to taste several of their adorable mini-cupcakes -- the best ones being the filled ones!

http://www.clementineonline.com/

http://www01.smgov.net/farmers_market/

http://www.vanillabakeshop.com/

to work off the morning's calories, we strolled all the way down the boardwalk from santa monica to venice. our moderate cardio activity was quickly counteracted by a stop at jin's patisserie for some flavored chocolates (and a bathroom run). to be quite frank, we didn't partake of these sweet treats until we'd waited about 30-45 minutes for the bus in culver city a few hours later, only to decide that we probably missed the last bus of the night. w/derek's feet starting to blister, we decided to make a run for it -- from culver & washington to culver & inglewood. UM YEAH, folks, that's FAR.

http://www.jinpatisserie.com/

thank goodness we had tacomiendo waiting for us! i got this rec from my foodie friend saunders, and the place is a total dive, but derek was in heaven w/a carnitas burrito that was twice the diameter of his forearms combined. i mistook a torta for a tostada on the menu, so i ended up getting a beef tongue sandwich rather than a beef tongue salad. either way, the beef tongue itself was scrumptious, though it could've used a bit more color & salt. i thought the meats in general could've used more color, but i suppose taste overrides appearance at these sorts of places. the menudo, however, was AMAZING. (way better than shanghai red's!) and i'm so glad i decided to take it home b/c i had it for dinner several days later, and it was even more flavorful. all in all, we left stuffed, so we were thrilled when eri agreed to come pick us up. (thanks, eri!)

http://www.ta-comiendo.com/

after a night of some serious sleep, derek & i decided to trek out to beverly hills. nothing's open on sunday, but the boy just HAD to see rodeo drive, so we grabbed some yummy breakfast at jack n' jill's (one of my faves) and walked around until sprinkles opened its doors. derek ordered the croissant french toast which was OK in terms of flavor, but i swear it tasted like rubber. as derek suggested, by soaking up all the egg batter, the croissant totally lost the airiness that made it a croissant in the first place. w/a total lack of appetite, i got the granola parfait, which was delicious, and i thought, at least healthy. to manage our appetites, we picked up 4 sprinkles cupcakes and took them home to eat, rather than attempting to stuff our faces on a hot sidewalk. out of the 4 we picked up, we were both decidedly biased towards the peanut butter chocolate chip. i'm almost positive they used chunky peanut butter b/c i swear i've never tasted such serious peanut butter flavor in cake before. derek went so far as to say that sprinkles trumped his fave nyc cupcake shops -- which is MAJOR. i wish we'd had a cupcake container (what a totally indulgent creation btw) to bring some home to melissa!

http://www.eatatjacknjills.com/

http://www.sprinkles.com/

14. HIGH: 17 again. there are some SERIOUSLY awkward moments in this movie, where they SERIOUSLY pushed the limits of propriety. that being said, matthew perry & zac effron are both ADORABLE. a must-see. and of course, yet another new line film!

http://17againmovie.com/

15. HIGH: the counter. i've been DYING to go here for years now. and b/c eri hates crowds & lines, the b**** is never willing to take me. GRRR!!! and of course, everyone else has either gone already or isn't willing to go. (damn you all! ok, not really.) so i was thrilled when gina (who was out here on her west coast tour) was totally agreeable to my dining suggestion! after staring at the online menu for hours, i decided on the 1/3 lb. veggie burger in a bowl w/gruyere, mushrooms, bacon, and caramelized onion dressing. the combo was delicious, though i found the dressing a bit too thick for my tastes. it all seemed to go a bit too quickly, so perhaps i may have to try a heavier burger next time. the beef burger looked gorgeous from a distance, though i'm generally trying to avoid red meat, since it seems to sit heavy in my tummy. i also decided to try the sweet potato fries & the onion strings. the fries were perfectly done, though i may avoid the slighty-too-greasy strings in the future. post-burger fest, we stopped by ben & jerry's for free cone day, which was a great way to top off the evening.

http://www.thecounterburger.com/

16. EH: the bazaar. while i would've loved to end this blog entry w/a rave review of the bazaar, i was unfortunately underwhelmed by my experience. dani had already forewarned me, but marina & maria loved it so much that i was hoping for the best (especially since i'd loved moto so much). i suppose i should never ask for too many recs (or pay too much attention to yelp) b/c we ended up ordering all of the recs and none of the other stuff i would've loved to try (like the mushroom soup, for instance, which i ALWAYS get whenever i see it). in addition, i bit my tongue by accident at the start of the meal, which i'm sure didn't impact my experience positively.

while the presentation was definitely creative & playful, i was disappointed by the lack of flavor in some of the dishes, as well as the lack of substance across the board. granted, it's hard to enter into a place like this expecting to be full at the end (which made me feel for miss d), but i certainly expected more than we received. we were also the first guests (from what i could tell), so i can't comprehend how the food wasn't perfect. for example, the eel in the japanese taco was WAY overdone & dried out. i mean, seriously? even ralph's has better eel! also, the 'not your typical' caprese didn't delight me in the way that it seemed to delight everyone else. though i suppose it didn't help that i popped my mozarella sphere w/my fork by accident. (this was obviously not my night.) the salads & the brussel sprouts (that our waiter raved about) were all fairly mediocre. the flavors were bright, but they weren't anything special. that being said, i thought the jamon platter (w/the crusty bread covered in diced tomato) and the lamb loin were scrumptious. perhaps i simply needed meat last night.

another thing that bothered me was the service. the dishes came out one after the other after the other. granted, we ordered them all at once, but we didn't expect to be done in less than an hour. we barely had time for conversation! apparently, we weren't told (until we were completely DONE, that is) that groups usually order a few things at once, and then wait to see how their appetites are before ordering more. i mean, wouldn't that be something you'd mention in the beginning? or if you knew that ahead of time, wouldn't you have spaced out our dishes for us? or at least asked if we were in a rush? in terms of appetite, i'm sure miss d & i could've eaten more, though it wouldn't have necessarily been worth everyone's $$ to sit there for another round. furthermore, we got switched from our waiter to another waitress totally randomly! i have a feeling it's b/c he failed to structure our meal accordingly, but we just didn't quite understand what was going on.

while our transfer to the patisserie was a bit rough as well (our new waitress totally forgot to mention our move to the patiesserie staff -- another strike), i must admit that i was more impressed by the desserts than the tapas (though they faltered here as well unfortunately). the clementine & lemon sorbets were AMAZING -- so light, refreshing, and tangy. great palate cleansers as marsha suggested. the flan was also AMAZING -- definitely way creamier than the one at mama's hot tamales, but definitely the way i prefer it. the chocolate cake & the coconut sphere were both quite pretty, but they didn't especially thrill me. we all picked out small items for ourselves from the patisserie display, but i think lisa & marsha were much more delighted by their picks than miss d & i. i liked my coffee cookie (that tasted like coffee grinds in cookie form -- a nice & intense flavor) and my lemon & ginger bon bon (which had liquid ooze out from the middle), but my saffron gum drop tasted just, well, gummy. miss d was not so pleased w/her choc chip cookie, though nothing can really top a good, normal, ccc.

as miss d is wont to say in her matter-of-fact way, "i just don't get it." even though i'm all for putting down serious $$ for cool molecular gastronomy, the bazaar really didn't live up. i should probably give this place a second chance, by going in w/a blank slate and ordering what i want to order. and i'm hoping that'll do the trick, but ultimately, i think this place is simply overrated. the rooms were WAY overdone (to the point of gaudy) and the slickness of the environment was just too much. i saw a huge group of gaggly sorority girls and i felt a little sick in the tummy. plus a woman that was wearing a dress that barely covered her a**. it was quite disturbing. i mean, what are you THINKING? we did manage to see an actress (that we still can't name), but the overall experience was disappointing. (sorry, lisa & marsha!) the one highlight was hanging out w/some cool new friends -- and thank god they weren't as crabby as i was about the meal!

http://www.thebazaar.com/

guest blogger: mel @ momofuku ko

i totally couldn't resist throwing in this super detailed foodie review c/o my very special guest blogger! thanks a bunch, mel. : ) (if anyone else wants to guest blog, do let me know!)

Ko totally rocked.

Getting there, it's an easy place to overlook - no large sign, and the windows/door are covered with a grate so it's easy to think it's closed. It's built like someone's kitchen and you get to sit at the counter - lots of blond colored wood and excellent rock music.

The three chefs don't talk much other than presenting the food and occasionally asking how things were, but that's fine with me, I don't need talk, I'm there to eat.

I was sat next to these three college/grad(?) students who kept going on and on about themselves about what they were reading in the NYT dining section, restaurants they've been to in SF/bay area/NYC etc. and their favorite dishes, and going "ooooh, the_____!" when it really wasn't because the menu changes slightly - if that's a foodie, I don't want to be one - I'd rather be an eater.

The dishes are presented and the chefs tell you what's in it, but it's a little hard to hear over the rock music. And photos aren't allowed, so all this is reconstituted from memory and the help of other bloggers' testimonies:

1. Oyster on a half shell with blood orange relish. YUM. Oyster was small and with just the right amount of resistance, and a great flavor. The blood orange relish was good, but the oyster didn't really need it.

2. Buttermilk biscuit with black pepper butter and mirin, so rich that a little grease spot is left of the slate when you pick it up. One of my favorites, about 1 inch in diameter and 2 inches high. I could eat these by the double handful.

3. Chicharron - essentially pork rind. Very light colored, very porky and topped with some togarashi salt on it. Really fun to eat.

4. Long-island fluke sashimi on buttermilk sauce with poppy seeds and chives - the buttermilk was on the salty side, but the flavors worked well together for the mild fish. I really liked the poppy seed crunch.

5. Cold dashi soup with raw pea pods, pea pod stems, Santa Barbara uni - this would be a little better with lukewarm dashi than cold, but the elements otherwise worked well together. I've never had raw pea pods before, but this was a great experience - minty, spicy, crunchy and I don't know what else. The pea pod stems were as good as anything you could get in a Chinese restaurant. The uni was also great - tender without falling apart with a great fresh flavor that I’ve only found in Tsujuki Fish Market - nothing bathroom-ey about it, which was my first encounter with uni in Boston.

6. Soft boiled egg with black caviar, soubise onion, fingerling potato chips - another favorite. I love eggs. I love soft boiled eggs. I liked how they took advantage of the runny yolk to bind all the textures and flavors together. Absolute winner.

7. Hand-torn egg pasta in some kind of cream sauce with burgundy escargot-chicken sausage, pecorino, and deep fried chicken skin bits on top - not as inventive as the other dishes, but excellent all the same. Pasta cooked to a perfect al dente, the sausage had the texture of SPAM (excellent to me) but had a nice umami flavor, and who wouldn't like fried chicken skin?

8. Panfried Halibut with some kind of crumbs on top including freeze dried olive flakes; on apple artichoke sauce, pickled cauliflower: halibut was cooked perfectly, tender and sweet. The topping was a little salty, probably because of the olive flakes, but the sauce was another discovery. I wanted to lick my plate. The pickled cauliflower was done Vietnamese style, so sweet and tangy - great accompaniment to the dish.

9. Shaved frozen foie gras on lychee and Riesling gelee and pine nut brittle. I know people wax rhapsodic about this dish - I'm one of them now. Little crunchy sweet bits of brittle, little alcoholic jelly bits, little bits of fresh lychee, showered with grated frozen foie gras. It just looked like a pile of sawdust, but OH - in the mouth, the foie gras reconstituted in its greatness, and went well with all the crunchy/jelly/fruit sweetness that was buried in the dust. I wanted to lick this bowl, too.

10. Braised beef short rib (from what I read online, it's cooked sous vide for a few days and then quickly deep fried for a crust) with red wine sauce, pickled jalepeno sauce, and chanterelle and "cauliflower mushrooms" (white fungus), brussel sprout leaves and pickled onions. As the chefs were preparing this dish, they brought out the piece of meat out of the fryer, let it sit for a bit, then cut it up into about 8 pieces. THEY THEN DUMPED HALF OF THE PIECES IN THE TRASH and plated the rest. I was horrified. I was even more horrified when I ate the beef, and wanted to dig out the pieces from the trash. It was that good. Extremely tender without losing its beefy characteristics. The chef knew I didn't have good tolerance for spicy, so he plated the jalapeno sauce on the side (good thing too - it was pretty spicy for me). I could have eaten the beef on its own - but the wine sauce worked well with all the elements, and the accompaniments (mushrooms, brussel sprouts and onions) are just classic, with the twist of using white fungus and using brussel sprout leaves instead of whole sprouts. Another favorite dish for me.

11. Guava sorbet with cream cheese skin - I was sad to see this since it meant that the end was near. Somehow, this sorbet was covered in a layer of cream cheese, like it had been dipped somehow in liquid cream cheese without melting the ice cream. The flavors went well together and was a nice palate cleanser.

12. FUNNEL CAKE with powdered sugar on the side, the bowl with a scoop of black sesame ice cream sitting in a pool of lemon curd and a pool of coconut cream. So a lot of people talk about the deep-fried apple pie, but this was pretty damn good. When they brought it out, I couldn't believe it, and I think I just cried out "FUNNEL CAKE!" before the chef even began his spiel. Of course, one can't help eating the funnel cake by hand and licking up all the powdered sugar (which got everywhere, but such is the nature of funnel cake). The lemon curd/coconut cream/black sesame combo was really the only odd note in this entire meal. Individually, worked well with the funnel cake, but together, it was just too odd. I think the lemon curd just overpowered everything - coconut and sesame are more subtle flavors that need a little time on the tongue to come out.

I was in and out in an hour, 10 courses + two amuses for $100. The chefs were breaking out the alcohol for themselves by the time I was leaving (around 10:30). I was just about as happy as I was after eating at Canteen in SF – blissful, full, and just excited about everything I ate since it was so inventive.

If you haven't gone yet, I recommend it.

http://momofuku.com/ko/default.asp

jack n' jill's too & bodega wine bar

after months of saying we should have a foodie session together, eva & i finally made it to dinner! i always say that it's hard to get together w/married people (don't get me wrong, i adore all my fabulously wonderful couple friends!), mainly b/c i want to make sure i'm not intruding on all-important couple time that folks rarely get after long work days. aren't i considerate? totally.

and after much deliberation, we decided to try jack n' jill's too, a cute place that eva found after brunching at jack n' jill's in beverly hills (my suggestion, of course!). the menu for jack n' jill's too is less brunch-ey, but just as casual in fare. eva & i had both reviewed the menu beforehand, and found it suitable to our tastes.

upon entering, we sat down and realized that we were literally in the midst of a restaurant identity crisis. the decor seemed way too hipster and upscale for the cutesy name and menu, so we suspect that the restaurant may have changed ownership at some point. even the business cards still had the old name of the place (creperie, i think?). we weren't quite sure what to think. on one side of the room, there were mirrors w/cute cartoon dog prints. (quite adorable.) on the other side of the room, there were mirrors w/black & white photos. (also lovely.) i suppose it was all OK in the end, but still a bit alice-in-wonderland-ish.

as for the food, we were quite pleased w/what we ordered to share. the menu has a lot of yummy comfort food, and we decided to get the mini blueberry muffins w/our meal. cute and soft and warm! mmm.... partially based on the recommendations of our very cute waiter (i hate that i notice these guys so much! ok, maybe hate's a strong word.), we decided to try the cobb salad and the bbq chicken wrap. the cobb salad was delicious tossed together w/the goddess dressing. i'm not a fan of balsamic, and blue cheese dressing is usually too much. here, there was just enough dressing to lightly coat all of the salad elements, making for a great convergence of flavors. the wrap was delicious as well w/a significant portion of greens inside and yummy chicken that wasn't covered in sauce. (i'm not a fan of overly saucing anything -- i think it's a cop-out in terms of appropriate meat tenderness.)

eva was committed to getting a sweet crepe, so we decided on the lucky number seven, which involved caramelized pears and toasted almond slivers. the pears were perfectly done (not too hard, not too soft), but the almond slivers were definitely may burnt (at least the pieces that i got). on the overall, it was quite good and a great way to top off the meal.

FYI that the only other diner in the restaurant finished half a roast chicken and a side of beans in no time flat. it was obviously good. time to plan a return trip.

http://www.jacknjillstoo.com/

**********

after 2 years worth of random FB chatting, i finally got to catch up w/anton in person! he recommended bodega wine bar, and i decided that i definitely wouldn't mind schlepping to SM to check out a new place. thankfully, i bumped into antonio on the blue bus, and i had a lovely companion on my quick journey, plus a guide to make sure i got off at the right stop!

surprisingly, i arrived at bodega before anton (who was stuck in a client meeting), and i decided to grab a high table. the menu looked delectable (despite my limited appetite -- is this a bad trend or what?), so i decided to order a few things before he arrived. i went w/the cheese plate (which i rarely get, but always think about) and the PLT panini (which involved a portabello mushroom and cheese -- what more could a girl ask for?). anton showed up shortly, and we both dived into the food. without fail, both dishes were really flavorful and fairly hearty, despite the lack of meat. FYI that i'm trying to eat more vegetarian, and anton gave up meat for lent. (seriously, who DOES that?) the rest of the menu consisted of some yummy comfort foods as well as some great salads and pizzas -- definitely a strong happy hour contender.

the overall vibe was definitely cool and hipster, but the crowd didn't seem overly so. we were in on a weekday night, and we were eating later, which may have affected the ambiance and crowd. but i loved the combination of high tables and lounge areas, and the pervasive red lighting. i also found out that anton is an investor! which is pretty darn cool. the waitstaff were very attentive, and even though i wasn't able to partake, anton pointed out the varied wine and drinks list. we ended our catch-up meal with a bit of tiramisu, which came in a nice portion that wasn't too overwhelming. apparently, the original location is in pasadena, and the new location is opening in hollywood. look out for both! and make sure to come often -- and bring people!

http://www.bodegawinebar.com/

seattle: my new favorite city - part 3

on the first full day of my trip, i got rain. on the second full day of my trip, i got sun. on the final day of my trip, i got a 50/50. my guess is that seattle didn't want to overly bias me one way or the other. but any city that can hold my love and attention in the rain certainly goes on the top 10 list. YAY SEATTLE!

to relax during my last day in this fabulous city, i decided to check out early, drop my stuff off with reception, and take advantage of the free shuttle service from the inn to downtown. my lunch reservation wasn't till 11AM, so i thought i'd walk around pike place market again and let the smells of yummy foods waft over me....

during our quick shuttle ride, i met a woman and her daughter who were headed back to new york! they'd been in seattle for a family gathering, and the woman's husband is actually a professor in journalism at NYU by the name of david dent! what a small world. and then of course, the other passenger was himself a professor of history at FSU, who was in town for an american history conference! and academic worlds collide on a hotel shuttle. it's wonderful how life works out that way.

plus, the woman and her daughter were on their way to take the bus to the airport (the 195) from the downtown terminal. and as soon as the man (who was also going to the airport) realized he didn't need to pay for a $50 cab ride, he took their lead! and finally, when our driver noticed that a young couple parked on a street where they were going to get towed, we all screamed out of our windows to let them know! i mean, does this stuff happen anywhere else? probably. but all in one ride? doubtful.

as i walked through pike place market, i walked past all these stalls where i wanted to spend lots and lots of my non-existent money. but i stopped. and i decided that the sights and sounds were good enough -- at least until my next visit! i even passed by the fish market again, where i caught the glance of my cute fishmonger, who asked me whether i wanted to do another oyster shooter. i smiled, told him it was too early in the day, and quickly sped off toward my next destination. these are the things a girl remembers. and quite fondly!

my last seattle foodie destination was purple cafe and wine bar in downtown. it was very close to the market, but of course i'd gotten so distracted that i was racing to the restaurant. once again, i was the first diner of the day! when i walked in a few minutes before 11AM, they were still sweeping! thankfully, i didn't have to wait long, and i was seated at a lovely table by the window. similar to my experience at tilth, my left arm was pretty much frozen solid (due to questionable installation), though i suppose a sweater would've much improved the situation. at any rate, i was so distracted (do we see a trend here?) with the gorgeous decor and the fabulous menu to really care. the hostess was a bit off, but my server was wonderfully friendly and i felt right at home.

after perusing their extensive menu, i decided to choose a bit of this... and a bit of that... a wonderful sandwich/salad combo of a half turkey/havarti/bacon sandwich and a simple caesar salad. in addition, i was dying to try their cider-braised beets. i also tried to order a sample of the ewephoria cheese (which i basically wanted b/c of the name), but it was probably a good thing that they'd run out, since there was already too much food coming my way! the beets came first, and although the dish was plenty colorful, the flavor was very basic and didn't do much for the palate.

on the other hand, the sandwich i can STILL taste in my mouth. perhaps i was hungry, but i honestly can't ever remember liking ANY sandwich as much i adored this one. it was the perfect blend of crusty bread w/warm turkey, smooth & melting havarti cheese, and crisp bacon. i was literally in heaven. and i'm so glad it was only a half sandwich b/c i would've keeled over w/a whole one. it was seriously the most fabulous melding of flavors and textures. it made my day!

to top off my meal, i decided to try 2 small desserts -- a goat cheese ice cream and a meyer lemon mousse. purple is known for its small plates, so this was quite perfect for someone like me who enjoyed trying a little bit of everything. when the desserts came, even one of the women at a ladies lunch nearby couldn't resist a bit of a stare. on my left, the goat cheese ice cream was a warm yellow scoop that i almost mistook for the lemon dessert! on my right, the lemon meyer mousse was a slightly lighter yellow, but just as inviting. on first taste of the ice cream, i was in love. it was wonderfully smooth, not too sweet, and ever so slightly savory. i tried to eat it as slowly as possible. while i love tart and tangy, i always worry that lemon desserts will hit me too hard. this one was perfect -- a mildly lemon-ey mousse w/a more intense tangy center, all on top of what i think was a lightly lemon-ey shortbread cookie. mmm.... what a fabulous way to end the trip!

http://www.thepurplecafe.com/

as i sauntered back to the hotel, i realized how much i really appreciated the freedom and independence to wander about at will. i think i'll really miss being able to travel like this on a whim. but then again, maybe i'm just looking for the right city to be in, where i won't feel this constant need to leave. all suggestions welcome!

before i headed to the airport, i'd gotten an appointment for a deep tissue massage at the jill bucy spa a the marquette hotel nearby. considering that i'm still aching from my trapeze lesson THREE weeks ago, i really needed it. and boy did the masseuse find some SERIOUS knots. she did her best to work through them in 60 minutes, but my trapezius and neck muscles are still a big ole mess. and i've decided that NP's suck b/c the one i saw didn't even touch me and told me to take naproxen twice a day. (UGH!) so i've made an appointment to see an MD to get checked out again, and an acupuncture appointment to start working through the inflammation. Oh, back to the prosaic realities of life in LA....

http://jillbucy.com/default.aspx

seattle: my new favorite city - part 2

to kick off my bright and beautiful sunday morning, i put on my walking shoes and sauntered all the way down through belltown toward downtown. as i trekked along first avenue, i admired the lovely modern architecture evident in all of the new condominium buildings. this is definitely another one of my favorite things about seattle. even though old school seattle-ites might not agree, i absolutely adore the modern buildings set against the natural backdrop of trees and water. i'm simply in love with this amazing visual juxtaposition of old and new. and as you can tell, i can't seem to say enough about it. and better yet, on this gorgeous sunny day, i could see the snowy top of mt. rainier past the water. and it was pretty amazing.

as i passed through belltown, i stopped at macrina bakery, known to be one of the best bakeries in town. i must've stopped in really early b/c there were still breakfast/brunch seats to be filled! even though i wasn't very hungry then, i decided to stock up for later, and i picked up a plum roll (like a cinnamon roll but filled w/plum filling) and a nutella brioche, as well as a half-priced (that's what got me) chocolate chip apricot cookie and a soy latte (my new fave). i munched on these sweets over the course of 2 days, and even though they would've been much better nice & warm, i couldn't have asked for better pastries. these treats were scrumptious indeed.

http://www.macrinabakery.com/

after a bit more walking, i made it to pike place market (and the adjacent sanitary market). OMG. there were so many sights & sounds that i can't begin to describe it. i was literally here for hours and hours. and i probably could've stayed a few more. (which is probably why i had to come back the next day!) i started off wandering in past the mini-donuts -- and i had to get one. unfortunately, they only sold them in 6! and i didn't have the appetite, so i told the guy i'd come back. to which he said "come over here. it's your lucky day." and he gave me a powdered one to try! i'm sad that it was stone cold, but i'm happy that i got one for free. YAY!

after that, i sampled some dried fruit & veggies at a neighboring stall, before trying out some smoked salmon from a really cute fishmonger at the infamous pike place fish. i have to admit that i was delighted when he dared me to do an oyster shooter. b/c i LOVE fresh oysters. and when he dared some guy nearby to do one too, i offered to buy him his oyster shooter! it was SO spontaneous and SO fun and SO good -- and now i have a shot glass to remember the experience! (FYI that i passed through the market the next morning and my cute fishmonger asked if i wanted another oyster shooter. to which i responded that it was just too early for that!)

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/

i spent the next few hours wandering up and down the aisles of both markets, sampling yummy treats (like truffle oils), and wishing i had the appetite (and the tummy) to try all the lovely things i saw -- savory & sweet piroshkies, roast pork buns, grilled cheese sandwiches, spanikopitas. i decided to be good and just pick up a few items to send home and/or tide me over. it was all so enticing that i was amazed that i was able to hold back as much as i did. but if anything, the market is more about the experience than the purchases. it was exciting enough to be surrounded by so many great tastes and flavors. i couldn't have asked for a better morning!

after the markets, i made my way down to the ferry terminal, and i took the ferry over to bainbridge island and back. seeing as how i was on foot, there really wasn't any point to setting foot on the island. but having the brisk wind against my face and through my hair was worth the trip. and the view was quite spectacular too!

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/current/index.cfm?route=sea-bi

by mid-afternoon, i decided to meander my way back to queen anne. when i was almost there, i decided to veer off towards the water instead. and i ended up on broad street, heading into olympic sculpture park, which is a SAM installation. because i hadn't really wanted to go inside a museum on this trip (i mean, why go inside when you have nature outside?), this was the perfect combination of modern art & outdoor space. plus i was thrilled to be so close to the water! although the park was a bit challenging to figure out at first (due to some dead ends), i managed to find my way w/o too much trouble.

then i ended up walking straight into elliott bay park! even though the stretch was beautiful all the way down to the grain elevator, be forewarned that the walk is LONG and there is NO way out except at the other end. you're pretty much locked into the park by the railroad lines until you run into a pedestrian bridge at the far end. i was worried at first b/c i didn't see anyone looping back. that is, until i realized that everyone probably just kept going! what made the trek fun was checking out all the dogs. i swear they were all SO cute. i was seriously aching w/desire.

http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/osp/
http://www.portseattle.org/community/resources/parks/index.shtml

after a serious schlep back to my hotel, i was all ready to pass out. fortunately/unfortunately, i was on my way YET AGAIN to another dinner reservation. this time, i was headed to monsoon in capitol hill for some yummy vietnamese food! everything else i'd been had focused on northwest cuisine, and by this point, i was totally ready for some asian flavors. at first, i was sure i could walk to capitol hill. as soon as i checked the map, i realized i was definitely WRONG. thankfully, i was able to catch a bus and i made it to the restaurant with a few minutes to spare. as i strolled through the neighborhood, i realized that this was where i'd want to live if i ever moved to seattle. a quiet neighborhood w/small houses and a few streets of yummy eats. as i've gotten older, i really think i've come to appreciate how nice it is to come home to a quiet house. i certainly think i'd be happy here. especially if i had access to great food!

as monsoon's first guest of the event, i was seated right away. the restaurant had very relaxing decor -- i felt like i was walking into a zen retreat. i was surrounded by light wood, and there were bamboo hats on one wall, and soothing black & white photos on the opposite wall. i was offered a lovely menu that was filled w/yummy-looking appetizers and entrees. even though it's hard to eat alone (i mean, my tummy is only so big), i decided to order a few smaller plates to try. before i forget, let me say that the waiter was really pushing for the entrees, where he said the chef could layer more flavors and demonstrate more creativity. to which i responded (in my head, of course) that a good chef should be able and committed to doing that in his appetizers as well. hmph!

at any rate, i decided on 4 dishes: the shrimp & avocado roll (that the waiter suggested), the squid stuffed w/duck meat, the pork ribs, and the mixed mushrooms. first off, the roll was typical in terms of texture, but bland in terms of flavor, w/any saltiness coming from the dipping sauce. the squid & duck dish was more of a novelty if anything, and it was challenging to taste the duck in the squid -- salt was missing yet again. the ribs were flavorful, but way too saucy for my tastes, which forced me to leave 2 out of 5 ribs sitting on the plate. (i didn't even want to wrap them up! shocking, i know.) out of all 4 dishes, the mushrooms were by far the best. rather than using shitakes, the chef sauteed 2 different kinds of mushrooms (the names of which fail me at the moment) in some sort of garlic spice sauce. it was SO good. pretty much perfection. this place definitely warrants a second visit -- the rest of the menu totally suited my tastes. next time, i'm bringing my appetite!

http://www.monsoonrestaurants.com/seattle

before i forget, i wanted to mention that, right across the street from monsoon, were apparently 2 places that i REALLY need to try: kingfish cafe (where i saw a human head-sized piece of red velvet cake being served) and high 5 pie (which sells full-size and mini-size pies) -- both of which were recently profiled in different issues of seattle magazine. (can i tell you how much i love city magazines?? new york and los angeles are currently on my coffee table! ok, well, close by if not right on it....)

http://www.thekingfishcafe.com/
http://www.high5pie.com/