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
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
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/
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/
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....
Thursday, April 2, 2009
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/
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/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
seattle: my new favorite city - part 1
unlike chicago (which was my former favorite city), seattle has this great blend of urban- and suburban-ness about it. even though it was cold and rainy the first day i got there, i loved that i saw green everywhere. the city as a whole was so...VERDANT. (yes, yes, please applaud my shameless use of GRE vocabulary. though this is certainly A PROPOS, considering that seattle is one of the most well-read cities in the nation, w/bookstores & coffee shops on every other block.) and even though it was painfully annoying that i was stalled twice on my ride from the airport to my hotel, i couldn't get really upset at running into a barge crossing and a train crossing -- i mean, when else would this happen to me?!
at any rate, as i reported in my previous entry, i made it to dinner just about 10 minutes late. and i was lovingly welcomed into the canlis fold. the food and the view were equally spectacular, w/the prawns being the most memorable dish of the night (and the trip), and the dessert coming in a close second for the evening. it was a great way to start the weekend!
unfortunately, my cab driver on the way back to the hotel was an idiot. and i was left grumbling on a random street corner, since i didn't have the patience to wait for him to figure out his GPS coordinates. thankfully, the hotel staff guided me back to the hotel easily, and they were all really helpful during my entire stay. the service was especially important, since they had to make up for the dreariness of the space. everything seemed dimly lighted, which made for a mildly eerie quality. and even though i knew i couldn't be guaranteed a room w/a view, i never expected to be facing a wall! moreover, the heat was on *so* high that i ended up having trouble sleeping. (that being said, i wish i'd been smarter sooner and realized the first night that: 1) i could open the windows and 2) there was a sheet of paper by the phone telling me how to turn down the heat! *sigh* fatigue breeds idiocy. and insanity, from what i hear.) on the other hand, there was a kitchenette! as well as pots, pans, dishware, and silverware! all of which i wished i'd been able to use more. but considering that i was on vacay, i really wasn't going to do more work than necessary. (next time, i say, next time.)
http://www.innatqueenanne.com/
on my first full day, which happened to be a rainy day, i decided to check out a year-round farmer's market in the university (the u district, as the locals call it). the bus system is pretty extensive in seattle, and even though the buses don't come very often, every stop has the schedules printed on it. and i was able to catch a bus straight from the queen anne district (where i was staying) to the u district -- and only a block or so from the farmer's market! this was totally convenient considering the rain and the wind. i decided to pick up some cash and a mate latte before wandering around the market. given how cold the temperature still is at this time of year, i was worried that i wouldn't find any open markets. thankfully, local growers and vendors are thoroughly committed to selling their wares, and i was lucky enough to find my way to them. in addition to being small and manageable, the market had vendors who were wonderfully open and friendly. i had the best time just talking to them about their products, and having them ask about my trip.
http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/u_district
after perusing through the entire market and sampling some yummy treats (including local products like salmon jerky and tayberry jam), i decided to pick up some cinnamon walnut pecan butter, which literally tasted (as marilyn, the vendor, indicated) like a cinnamon roll in a jar. it was a bit crumbly in consistency, but she assured me that it'd be much creamier at room temperature. (i mean, we were standing around in 40-degree weather!) let me say that this stuff cost $14.50 a jar (!!), so the price was pretty steep for all intents and purposes. as such, you could understand my intense dismay when i realized later in the day that the jar had gone MISSING!! i was even more upset b/c i was all ready to send a bunch of treats home to LA (b/c i didn't want to check baggage -- silly me). i emailed marilyn right away to let her know that i'd be willing to pick up another jar if i could find her in the city, and guess what?! she remembered me and offered to send me a complimentary jar! i seriously couldn't quite believe it. i was all ready to seek her out, but instead, she one-upped me (in only the best of ways) and offered me the most pleasant surprise of my trip. let's just say that this is the kind of wonderful hospitality that i found throughout my wanderings in seattle. and i really can't wait to get back for some more.
http://marilynsnutbutters.com/
in addition to my wonderful nut butter, i picked up some delicious rose petal jelly from dale, who was located a few stalls down. he had such an amazing spread of jellies, jams, and eggs (yes, eggs!) -- i wasn't quire sure where to start. but he gave me a little of this and a little of that, and i sampled to my heart's content. i find that most vendors want to stop you after awhile, but he just let me go on at my leisure. i decided on the rose petal jelly b/c it had the most wonderful smell, taste, and texture. i can't wait to put it on my toast in the morning! and because i love indulging in sweets on vacation, i picked up a lovely almond croissant and a sizeable brioche to munch on on my way out of the market. too bad it was FREEZING b/c i'm sure the pastries would've tasted much better warm.
http://woodringnorthwest.com/
as i walked down university avenue, i decided that umbrellas suck. i couldn't hold my bags, eat my croissant, drink my latte, and carry my umbrella at the same time. and when i can't eat my croissant, i'm annoyed. so i decided to stop in at the university of washington store and stock up on some college gear. (i seriously am in love w/college gear, provided that the colors aren't heinous.) i found the perfect grey huskies cap that would eliminate the need for my way too bright bruins umbrella. (oh, the betrayal!) i also picked up an XL kids sweatshirt for just $15! that ultimately kept me warm and fuzzy for the rest of my trip. i was a happy camper. and i felt like a real seattle-ite. (is that the right term?)
even though i was all ready to make a right and start heading over to the next neighborhood, i was drawn to the "u dub" campus. i told myself that i'd just skirt around the edges to take a look, but when i walked over, i realized that i had to take more of a stroll. OMG. i loved it. i'm sure i only saw a fraction of it, but what i saw was absolutely amazing. even in the drizzle (and perhaps because of it), the campus was a lovely green. and b/c i hate grass (yes, i hate grass), i thoroughly appreciated all the pathways weaving in and out of the grassy areas. i loved the architecture of the old buildings. i loved the open plaza area, which made me feel like i was on the steps of oxford in london or trinity in dublin. i even found a huge water fountain with birds taking baths. i think that's what i loved most -- this feeling that i was in europe. i also loved the fact that the campus was immense and rambling, and the buildings were varied in size. at UCLA, everything seems so tall and overwhelming and monolithic, though perhaps i'm just used to it all at this point. at any rate, i really didn't want to leave....
as i made my way towards greenlake/greenwood (what's it called?), where i was supposed to meet junghee & the fam for red mill burgers (supposedly the best burgers in seattle, though what would i know since i never eat burgers!), i passed through wallingford. while it's pretty easy to trek on seattle streets, some areas have more pedestrians than others. that being said, i'd say boston is pretty similar, especially when you consider areas like brookline and somerville that are a bit quieter and more residential. i loved hitting the busy street in wallingford, where both sidewalks were lined with cute coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques. little did i know that i actually passed by tilth (and a number of notable eateries and dessert spots) on my trek through the neighborhood! (for my tummy's sake, this was probably a good thing.)
sadly, lily was being fussy, and gerald had to take care of her, so junghee drove out from redmond on her own to see me. after some phone coordination, she picked me up in a fabulous BMW SUV. needless to say (now that i know car brands), i was very impressed. (apparently, gerald loves cars. go figure.) i think we were both surprised that neither of us had changed all that much. she's a mom now, but she's just as carefree and laid-back as she always was. and i had to laugh in semi-shock when she told me that she didn't bother keeping the baby monitor on at night and how she let lily cry until she fell asleep again to get her on a regular sleep schedule. (of course, this is due to the fact that all my other friends are semi-obsessive moms! and if you gals are reading this, i still love you despite your neuroses. =P)
because neither of us were very hungry, junghee decided to show me around all the places that i wouldn't necessarily have been able to see on my own -- sans car. before we did anything else, i HAD to go see greenlake. jess had made it sound so lovely, and i'm infatuated w/large bodies of water. so not only did we drive over there, junghee parked the car, and we did a lovely walk around the entire lake. i think she mentioned that it was about 2 miles or so around, making it larger than the central park reservoir, and ultimately lovelier as well. there were plenty of runners, dogwalkers, and dogs -- all of which i love about seattle. especially the latter. i swear they were EVERYWHERE. and i'm so much happier seeing super fluffy dogs in seattle (where they ought to be) than in LA were they're tortured by all the heat and sun (poor things!). it was so great to just walk and talk -- one of my favorite things to do with friends -- and catch up over the last several years of random goings-on. it's really the best thing to do on a cold day. (or any day for that matter.)
after almost forgetting where we parked, we decided to drive all around seattle, passing by fremont, cutting through ballard, crossing the bridge to the east side, breezing through bellevue, and then weaving back through downtown (where pike place market and SAM are located), pioneer park (one of the oldest parts of the city), the international district (measly apparently by junghee's standards), and capitol hill. she even parked at one point to show me houseboats! it was all very cool. like a personalized tour of the city. by late afternoon, she decided that she should head back to the 'burbs, and she dropped me off at the hotel. hugs all around and an invitation to stay w/them at the their new house in july!
this gave me just enough time to drop off my bags and relax a bit before heading straight back to wallingford for dinner. i decided to hop on the bus again w/my $4 all-day bus pass, and i made it to tilth *just* in time for my reservation. unlike canlis, which was totally old school formal, tilth went w/the cozy farmhouse look -- pale green & yellow on the exterior and interior. as soon as i walked in, i was greeted by adam, who'd taken my call the night before and placed me at the chef's counter. while david had suggested that i could get a good view of the kitchen, there was a couple already sitting in the prime location, and so i ended up choosing a seat right by the window (which was pretty darn cold i must say -- i don't think insulation is very good w/seattle windows, b/c i had the same experience at purple a few days later). that being said, i'm so short that i doubt i would've been able to see over the counter anyways -- it was so high! while i got seated right way and offered the menu, my server (who was nice enough) forgot my iced tea and delivered me a dish that i never ordered. these are small details, yes, but the service really does affect the meal. and the meal certainly could've used some help.
super high expectations are never good. which is why i hate it when people say "that was the best movie ever! (e.g., slumdog millionaire)" or "that was the best meal ever! (e.g., tilth)" in my opinion, tilth was so hyped that it became so overrated. i'll keep my review short b/c: 1) this blog entry is already super long and 2) i just don't want to think too much more about this meal (since there were so many better meals). first off, i received a potato leek and fennel salad as an amuse bouche -- plain & uninteresting. next, i got the hors d'oeuvres, which were little round crackers with fromage blanc, fig, and black walnut. while the fig was quite figgy and the cracker had interesting flavor, the fromage blanc was quite crumbly and the dish seemed to need salt. based on derek & melissa's review, i decided to try the cauliflower flan, which they'd raved about. i totally missed the cauliflower and i thought it tasted like some egg dish that my mom used to make growing up. totally below expectations. b/c of the mix-up w/my order, the waiter offered me the carrot risotto to try, and i thought "why not? it's free. and i was checking it out anyways." bad decision. i don't like carrots, plus i thought it was rich beyond words, especially for a veggie dish. i felt like it went straight to the bottom of my stomach. definitely not what i was wanting at the moment. and i couldn't eat more than a few bites. when my pork cheek dish finally came, i was so glad that there was some choucroute to cut the richness. again, the dish tasted like something my mom used to make, so i wasn't finding anything creative after all i'd heard about this place. the dessert was the last straw. i went w/the special, which my server had described as "a kit kat bar" and which i so wish he hadn't done b/c it was NOTHING like a kit kat bar. the server who delivered my dish called it an open faced ice cream sandwich. (needless to say, everyone should communicate better.) i received a theo chocolate feuilletine w/chocolate toffee ice cream. it was super rich, and didn't fit the kit kat description. after all the hype, i was definitely disappointed. tilth, i hope your april menu does better by you.
http://tilthblog.wordpress.com/
at any rate, as i reported in my previous entry, i made it to dinner just about 10 minutes late. and i was lovingly welcomed into the canlis fold. the food and the view were equally spectacular, w/the prawns being the most memorable dish of the night (and the trip), and the dessert coming in a close second for the evening. it was a great way to start the weekend!
unfortunately, my cab driver on the way back to the hotel was an idiot. and i was left grumbling on a random street corner, since i didn't have the patience to wait for him to figure out his GPS coordinates. thankfully, the hotel staff guided me back to the hotel easily, and they were all really helpful during my entire stay. the service was especially important, since they had to make up for the dreariness of the space. everything seemed dimly lighted, which made for a mildly eerie quality. and even though i knew i couldn't be guaranteed a room w/a view, i never expected to be facing a wall! moreover, the heat was on *so* high that i ended up having trouble sleeping. (that being said, i wish i'd been smarter sooner and realized the first night that: 1) i could open the windows and 2) there was a sheet of paper by the phone telling me how to turn down the heat! *sigh* fatigue breeds idiocy. and insanity, from what i hear.) on the other hand, there was a kitchenette! as well as pots, pans, dishware, and silverware! all of which i wished i'd been able to use more. but considering that i was on vacay, i really wasn't going to do more work than necessary. (next time, i say, next time.)
http://www.innatqueenanne.com/
on my first full day, which happened to be a rainy day, i decided to check out a year-round farmer's market in the university (the u district, as the locals call it). the bus system is pretty extensive in seattle, and even though the buses don't come very often, every stop has the schedules printed on it. and i was able to catch a bus straight from the queen anne district (where i was staying) to the u district -- and only a block or so from the farmer's market! this was totally convenient considering the rain and the wind. i decided to pick up some cash and a mate latte before wandering around the market. given how cold the temperature still is at this time of year, i was worried that i wouldn't find any open markets. thankfully, local growers and vendors are thoroughly committed to selling their wares, and i was lucky enough to find my way to them. in addition to being small and manageable, the market had vendors who were wonderfully open and friendly. i had the best time just talking to them about their products, and having them ask about my trip.
http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/u_district
after perusing through the entire market and sampling some yummy treats (including local products like salmon jerky and tayberry jam), i decided to pick up some cinnamon walnut pecan butter, which literally tasted (as marilyn, the vendor, indicated) like a cinnamon roll in a jar. it was a bit crumbly in consistency, but she assured me that it'd be much creamier at room temperature. (i mean, we were standing around in 40-degree weather!) let me say that this stuff cost $14.50 a jar (!!), so the price was pretty steep for all intents and purposes. as such, you could understand my intense dismay when i realized later in the day that the jar had gone MISSING!! i was even more upset b/c i was all ready to send a bunch of treats home to LA (b/c i didn't want to check baggage -- silly me). i emailed marilyn right away to let her know that i'd be willing to pick up another jar if i could find her in the city, and guess what?! she remembered me and offered to send me a complimentary jar! i seriously couldn't quite believe it. i was all ready to seek her out, but instead, she one-upped me (in only the best of ways) and offered me the most pleasant surprise of my trip. let's just say that this is the kind of wonderful hospitality that i found throughout my wanderings in seattle. and i really can't wait to get back for some more.
http://marilynsnutbutters.com/
in addition to my wonderful nut butter, i picked up some delicious rose petal jelly from dale, who was located a few stalls down. he had such an amazing spread of jellies, jams, and eggs (yes, eggs!) -- i wasn't quire sure where to start. but he gave me a little of this and a little of that, and i sampled to my heart's content. i find that most vendors want to stop you after awhile, but he just let me go on at my leisure. i decided on the rose petal jelly b/c it had the most wonderful smell, taste, and texture. i can't wait to put it on my toast in the morning! and because i love indulging in sweets on vacation, i picked up a lovely almond croissant and a sizeable brioche to munch on on my way out of the market. too bad it was FREEZING b/c i'm sure the pastries would've tasted much better warm.
http://woodringnorthwest.com/
as i walked down university avenue, i decided that umbrellas suck. i couldn't hold my bags, eat my croissant, drink my latte, and carry my umbrella at the same time. and when i can't eat my croissant, i'm annoyed. so i decided to stop in at the university of washington store and stock up on some college gear. (i seriously am in love w/college gear, provided that the colors aren't heinous.) i found the perfect grey huskies cap that would eliminate the need for my way too bright bruins umbrella. (oh, the betrayal!) i also picked up an XL kids sweatshirt for just $15! that ultimately kept me warm and fuzzy for the rest of my trip. i was a happy camper. and i felt like a real seattle-ite. (is that the right term?)
even though i was all ready to make a right and start heading over to the next neighborhood, i was drawn to the "u dub" campus. i told myself that i'd just skirt around the edges to take a look, but when i walked over, i realized that i had to take more of a stroll. OMG. i loved it. i'm sure i only saw a fraction of it, but what i saw was absolutely amazing. even in the drizzle (and perhaps because of it), the campus was a lovely green. and b/c i hate grass (yes, i hate grass), i thoroughly appreciated all the pathways weaving in and out of the grassy areas. i loved the architecture of the old buildings. i loved the open plaza area, which made me feel like i was on the steps of oxford in london or trinity in dublin. i even found a huge water fountain with birds taking baths. i think that's what i loved most -- this feeling that i was in europe. i also loved the fact that the campus was immense and rambling, and the buildings were varied in size. at UCLA, everything seems so tall and overwhelming and monolithic, though perhaps i'm just used to it all at this point. at any rate, i really didn't want to leave....
as i made my way towards greenlake/greenwood (what's it called?), where i was supposed to meet junghee & the fam for red mill burgers (supposedly the best burgers in seattle, though what would i know since i never eat burgers!), i passed through wallingford. while it's pretty easy to trek on seattle streets, some areas have more pedestrians than others. that being said, i'd say boston is pretty similar, especially when you consider areas like brookline and somerville that are a bit quieter and more residential. i loved hitting the busy street in wallingford, where both sidewalks were lined with cute coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques. little did i know that i actually passed by tilth (and a number of notable eateries and dessert spots) on my trek through the neighborhood! (for my tummy's sake, this was probably a good thing.)
sadly, lily was being fussy, and gerald had to take care of her, so junghee drove out from redmond on her own to see me. after some phone coordination, she picked me up in a fabulous BMW SUV. needless to say (now that i know car brands), i was very impressed. (apparently, gerald loves cars. go figure.) i think we were both surprised that neither of us had changed all that much. she's a mom now, but she's just as carefree and laid-back as she always was. and i had to laugh in semi-shock when she told me that she didn't bother keeping the baby monitor on at night and how she let lily cry until she fell asleep again to get her on a regular sleep schedule. (of course, this is due to the fact that all my other friends are semi-obsessive moms! and if you gals are reading this, i still love you despite your neuroses. =P)
because neither of us were very hungry, junghee decided to show me around all the places that i wouldn't necessarily have been able to see on my own -- sans car. before we did anything else, i HAD to go see greenlake. jess had made it sound so lovely, and i'm infatuated w/large bodies of water. so not only did we drive over there, junghee parked the car, and we did a lovely walk around the entire lake. i think she mentioned that it was about 2 miles or so around, making it larger than the central park reservoir, and ultimately lovelier as well. there were plenty of runners, dogwalkers, and dogs -- all of which i love about seattle. especially the latter. i swear they were EVERYWHERE. and i'm so much happier seeing super fluffy dogs in seattle (where they ought to be) than in LA were they're tortured by all the heat and sun (poor things!). it was so great to just walk and talk -- one of my favorite things to do with friends -- and catch up over the last several years of random goings-on. it's really the best thing to do on a cold day. (or any day for that matter.)
after almost forgetting where we parked, we decided to drive all around seattle, passing by fremont, cutting through ballard, crossing the bridge to the east side, breezing through bellevue, and then weaving back through downtown (where pike place market and SAM are located), pioneer park (one of the oldest parts of the city), the international district (measly apparently by junghee's standards), and capitol hill. she even parked at one point to show me houseboats! it was all very cool. like a personalized tour of the city. by late afternoon, she decided that she should head back to the 'burbs, and she dropped me off at the hotel. hugs all around and an invitation to stay w/them at the their new house in july!
this gave me just enough time to drop off my bags and relax a bit before heading straight back to wallingford for dinner. i decided to hop on the bus again w/my $4 all-day bus pass, and i made it to tilth *just* in time for my reservation. unlike canlis, which was totally old school formal, tilth went w/the cozy farmhouse look -- pale green & yellow on the exterior and interior. as soon as i walked in, i was greeted by adam, who'd taken my call the night before and placed me at the chef's counter. while david had suggested that i could get a good view of the kitchen, there was a couple already sitting in the prime location, and so i ended up choosing a seat right by the window (which was pretty darn cold i must say -- i don't think insulation is very good w/seattle windows, b/c i had the same experience at purple a few days later). that being said, i'm so short that i doubt i would've been able to see over the counter anyways -- it was so high! while i got seated right way and offered the menu, my server (who was nice enough) forgot my iced tea and delivered me a dish that i never ordered. these are small details, yes, but the service really does affect the meal. and the meal certainly could've used some help.
super high expectations are never good. which is why i hate it when people say "that was the best movie ever! (e.g., slumdog millionaire)" or "that was the best meal ever! (e.g., tilth)" in my opinion, tilth was so hyped that it became so overrated. i'll keep my review short b/c: 1) this blog entry is already super long and 2) i just don't want to think too much more about this meal (since there were so many better meals). first off, i received a potato leek and fennel salad as an amuse bouche -- plain & uninteresting. next, i got the hors d'oeuvres, which were little round crackers with fromage blanc, fig, and black walnut. while the fig was quite figgy and the cracker had interesting flavor, the fromage blanc was quite crumbly and the dish seemed to need salt. based on derek & melissa's review, i decided to try the cauliflower flan, which they'd raved about. i totally missed the cauliflower and i thought it tasted like some egg dish that my mom used to make growing up. totally below expectations. b/c of the mix-up w/my order, the waiter offered me the carrot risotto to try, and i thought "why not? it's free. and i was checking it out anyways." bad decision. i don't like carrots, plus i thought it was rich beyond words, especially for a veggie dish. i felt like it went straight to the bottom of my stomach. definitely not what i was wanting at the moment. and i couldn't eat more than a few bites. when my pork cheek dish finally came, i was so glad that there was some choucroute to cut the richness. again, the dish tasted like something my mom used to make, so i wasn't finding anything creative after all i'd heard about this place. the dessert was the last straw. i went w/the special, which my server had described as "a kit kat bar" and which i so wish he hadn't done b/c it was NOTHING like a kit kat bar. the server who delivered my dish called it an open faced ice cream sandwich. (needless to say, everyone should communicate better.) i received a theo chocolate feuilletine w/chocolate toffee ice cream. it was super rich, and didn't fit the kit kat description. after all the hype, i was definitely disappointed. tilth, i hope your april menu does better by you.
http://tilthblog.wordpress.com/
Friday, March 27, 2009
canlis - a tribute to spontaneity
upon arriving in seattle this evening, i was feeling tired and hungry -- and late! of course, i wasn't truly late, but rather running up tight against a last-minute reservation i'd made last night. i'd originally booked crush (http://www.chefjasonwilson.com/crush.html) for my first dinner in seattle. but when i checked out their menu last night, i really wasn't feeling it. (a testament to how much mood can shape experience.) plus, i really wanted something close to my hotel in the queen anne district -- the inn at queen anne (http://www.innatqueenanne.com/). based on menus, recommendations, and reviews, i decided to go w/canlis --a restaurant that's known to be the birthplace of northwest cuisine.
in addition to being on a plane for several hours (which in and of itself wasn't heinous), walking around in high heels (which i almost never do), and misinterpreting my car pick-up location, i ended up running into BOTH a draw bridge and a train crossing during my mere 20-25 minute ride from the airport. (talk about heinous luck!) i already knew the skies would be grey, but two delays in one ride just made me grumpy. thankfully, my driver agreed to wait while i dropped off my bags at the hotel, before taking me over to the restaurant, which was a mere 10 minutes away.
as soon as i arrived at the restaurant -- w/its lovely stone facade -- a valet opened the car door. and because i was still paying the driver, he was all ready to close the door so i wouldn't get cold! i mean, isn't that considerate? better yet, as soon as i walked in, i was greeted by the maitre d' (or the director of service, as i learned from his business card at the end of the night), and i was walked to my table by the OWNER of the restaurant, chris canlis. yes, folks, the OWNER. a lovely older gentleman who commented on my "winsome" smile, and then apologized quickly in case i felt he was presumptuous. (of course, i told him i appreciated the compliment.) it was quite the treatment, i must say, quite the treatment.
as if all this wasn't enough, i was seated at an amazing table for 1, where i had the loveliest view of lake union and the twinkling lights of the city. actually, the first thing that came to my mind as soon as i walked into the restaurant was the fabulous contrast b/w the dark wood of the room and the amazing light coming through all the windows. after being seated for a while, i noticed the piano playing in the background -- a fabulous blend of old favorites (e.g., as time goes by), musical melodies (e.g., les mis), and popular hits (e.g., bruce springsteen). it was all quite entrancing.
to my delight, i was offered a drinks list that actually had THREE yummy-looking, non-alcoholic cocktails. based on my main server's recommendation, i went w/the cape doctor, which involved grenadine, egg whites, and ginger ale. it was a great blend of flavors, and thankfully not too sweet! as i'm sure i've mentioned before, receiving an amuse-bouche is a definite sign of fine dining. and tonight, i received a delicious potato and garlic soup w/a garlic chip and a bit of parsley in a sake cup. even though i normally don't like potatoes b/c they're so heavy, this soup was nice and light, and infused with yummy garlic flavor. while i was waiting for my courses to arrive, i was also offered various breads (i love choices!): pain du lait, oat bread, and rosemary bread w/sea salt. i decided on the pain du lait b/c it looked like brioche. to my surprise, it actually tasted lighter! i also picked up the oat bread b/c one of the servers suggested that it'd be good for sopping up the cream sauce on my plate. it definitely didn't taste very oat-ey, but the server was correct in his suggestion. (you could see the white of my plate.)
for my first and second courses, i decided on the canlis salad and the peter canlis prawns, both of which bear the canlis name. my main server, ryan, informed me that anything bearing the canlis name has been on the menu since the restaurant opened its doors in 1950!! and when i tasted these two dishes, i definitely understood why. the canlis salad was their version of a caesar salad, w/great lemon flavor, salty bacon pieces (WAY better than bacon bits), and itty bitty croutons. but the highlight of the night was most definitely the PRAWNS. (yes, in CAPS.) most people know that i really don't like shrimp very much. (in fact, i used to only eat shrimp wrapped in those noodles they served at dim sum!) so for me to say what i'm about to say is a BIG deal: the peter canlis prawns was THE best shrimp dish i've ever had in my entire 30 years of existence. (i'm sorry, eri, but even the best walnut shrimp couldn't beat this.) the prawns were fairly sizable, butterflied perfectly, cooked JUST through, and sitting in a delicate cream sauce. the combination was IMMENSE. the texture was spot on and totally not chewy. and the prawns soaked up the cream sauce w/o any trouble. (the rest was left for my oat bread!) the dish has totally made me re-think shrimp forever. seriously. no joke.
for my main course, i went w/the sable fish, which is synonymous with (or at least close to) black cod. i decided to go with something light so that i wouldn't be sleeping on a full belly. plus seattle is so well-known for its fresh seafood that there was no way that i'd let myself miss out! i must admit that i was a little disconcerted when my dish came out covered in foam w/very little color contrast. i mean, what would i find underneath?! that being said, i wasn't disappointed. the foam was a curry lemongrass foam, that was layered over the sablefish, that was layered over mushroom quarters and green apple cubes, sitting in green fennel puree. the fish pretty much melted in my mouth, but still retained a nice bit of chew. the mushrooms were delicious, but the apple cubes really gave the dish a great bit of acid.
to finish off the night, i decided on yet another light dish, the standing cones. once again, this dish came out extremely pale w/almost no color. i was a little concerned. then again, it was dessert. there wasn't very far to go! plus i'd already been nicely surprised by the fish. and of course, it was delicious. the dish consisted of pink grapefruit sorbet, pineapple ice cream, and coconut sorbet, each in wafer thin sugar cookie cones, which were attached to the plate w/the smallest bit of white chocolate. i went from left to right: the grapefruit was light and fresh (a great palate cleanser), the pineapple was nice and creamy (it might seriously have been my fave), and the coconut was this fascinating combo of rich coconut flavor with light sorbet texture.
and with my check came a lovely pink raspberry mango marshmallow! what more can i say?
OK, well, i WILL say that i LOVED the service. i loved the valet who opened my car door. i loved chris canlis who walked me to my table. i loved all the servers who delivered and cleared my dishes, filled my water glass, and checked on me throughout my meal. i loved ryan who swung by regularly to chat about himself, his family, and his experiences in NY, SF, seattle, etc. i loved david who gave me the name of the maitre d' at tilth. i even loved the servers who IRONED the tablecloths after guests departed. and the girl who warmed up coats by the fire before passing them off to diners on their way out! canlis's attention to detail is immaculate and impeccable -- i'm so glad spontaneity brought me to canlis for my very first seattle meal!
canlis
http://www.canlis.com/
in addition to being on a plane for several hours (which in and of itself wasn't heinous), walking around in high heels (which i almost never do), and misinterpreting my car pick-up location, i ended up running into BOTH a draw bridge and a train crossing during my mere 20-25 minute ride from the airport. (talk about heinous luck!) i already knew the skies would be grey, but two delays in one ride just made me grumpy. thankfully, my driver agreed to wait while i dropped off my bags at the hotel, before taking me over to the restaurant, which was a mere 10 minutes away.
as soon as i arrived at the restaurant -- w/its lovely stone facade -- a valet opened the car door. and because i was still paying the driver, he was all ready to close the door so i wouldn't get cold! i mean, isn't that considerate? better yet, as soon as i walked in, i was greeted by the maitre d' (or the director of service, as i learned from his business card at the end of the night), and i was walked to my table by the OWNER of the restaurant, chris canlis. yes, folks, the OWNER. a lovely older gentleman who commented on my "winsome" smile, and then apologized quickly in case i felt he was presumptuous. (of course, i told him i appreciated the compliment.) it was quite the treatment, i must say, quite the treatment.
as if all this wasn't enough, i was seated at an amazing table for 1, where i had the loveliest view of lake union and the twinkling lights of the city. actually, the first thing that came to my mind as soon as i walked into the restaurant was the fabulous contrast b/w the dark wood of the room and the amazing light coming through all the windows. after being seated for a while, i noticed the piano playing in the background -- a fabulous blend of old favorites (e.g., as time goes by), musical melodies (e.g., les mis), and popular hits (e.g., bruce springsteen). it was all quite entrancing.
to my delight, i was offered a drinks list that actually had THREE yummy-looking, non-alcoholic cocktails. based on my main server's recommendation, i went w/the cape doctor, which involved grenadine, egg whites, and ginger ale. it was a great blend of flavors, and thankfully not too sweet! as i'm sure i've mentioned before, receiving an amuse-bouche is a definite sign of fine dining. and tonight, i received a delicious potato and garlic soup w/a garlic chip and a bit of parsley in a sake cup. even though i normally don't like potatoes b/c they're so heavy, this soup was nice and light, and infused with yummy garlic flavor. while i was waiting for my courses to arrive, i was also offered various breads (i love choices!): pain du lait, oat bread, and rosemary bread w/sea salt. i decided on the pain du lait b/c it looked like brioche. to my surprise, it actually tasted lighter! i also picked up the oat bread b/c one of the servers suggested that it'd be good for sopping up the cream sauce on my plate. it definitely didn't taste very oat-ey, but the server was correct in his suggestion. (you could see the white of my plate.)
for my first and second courses, i decided on the canlis salad and the peter canlis prawns, both of which bear the canlis name. my main server, ryan, informed me that anything bearing the canlis name has been on the menu since the restaurant opened its doors in 1950!! and when i tasted these two dishes, i definitely understood why. the canlis salad was their version of a caesar salad, w/great lemon flavor, salty bacon pieces (WAY better than bacon bits), and itty bitty croutons. but the highlight of the night was most definitely the PRAWNS. (yes, in CAPS.) most people know that i really don't like shrimp very much. (in fact, i used to only eat shrimp wrapped in those noodles they served at dim sum!) so for me to say what i'm about to say is a BIG deal: the peter canlis prawns was THE best shrimp dish i've ever had in my entire 30 years of existence. (i'm sorry, eri, but even the best walnut shrimp couldn't beat this.) the prawns were fairly sizable, butterflied perfectly, cooked JUST through, and sitting in a delicate cream sauce. the combination was IMMENSE. the texture was spot on and totally not chewy. and the prawns soaked up the cream sauce w/o any trouble. (the rest was left for my oat bread!) the dish has totally made me re-think shrimp forever. seriously. no joke.
for my main course, i went w/the sable fish, which is synonymous with (or at least close to) black cod. i decided to go with something light so that i wouldn't be sleeping on a full belly. plus seattle is so well-known for its fresh seafood that there was no way that i'd let myself miss out! i must admit that i was a little disconcerted when my dish came out covered in foam w/very little color contrast. i mean, what would i find underneath?! that being said, i wasn't disappointed. the foam was a curry lemongrass foam, that was layered over the sablefish, that was layered over mushroom quarters and green apple cubes, sitting in green fennel puree. the fish pretty much melted in my mouth, but still retained a nice bit of chew. the mushrooms were delicious, but the apple cubes really gave the dish a great bit of acid.
to finish off the night, i decided on yet another light dish, the standing cones. once again, this dish came out extremely pale w/almost no color. i was a little concerned. then again, it was dessert. there wasn't very far to go! plus i'd already been nicely surprised by the fish. and of course, it was delicious. the dish consisted of pink grapefruit sorbet, pineapple ice cream, and coconut sorbet, each in wafer thin sugar cookie cones, which were attached to the plate w/the smallest bit of white chocolate. i went from left to right: the grapefruit was light and fresh (a great palate cleanser), the pineapple was nice and creamy (it might seriously have been my fave), and the coconut was this fascinating combo of rich coconut flavor with light sorbet texture.
and with my check came a lovely pink raspberry mango marshmallow! what more can i say?
OK, well, i WILL say that i LOVED the service. i loved the valet who opened my car door. i loved chris canlis who walked me to my table. i loved all the servers who delivered and cleared my dishes, filled my water glass, and checked on me throughout my meal. i loved ryan who swung by regularly to chat about himself, his family, and his experiences in NY, SF, seattle, etc. i loved david who gave me the name of the maitre d' at tilth. i even loved the servers who IRONED the tablecloths after guests departed. and the girl who warmed up coats by the fire before passing them off to diners on their way out! canlis's attention to detail is immaculate and impeccable -- i'm so glad spontaneity brought me to canlis for my very first seattle meal!
canlis
http://www.canlis.com/
Thursday, March 26, 2009
sona sona sona
after waiting patiently for literally SIX months, christine & i finally got to celebrate the end of our GSO madness. YAY! and we originally intended to check out bazaar (which i'm still dying to go to), but considering that no dinner reservations were available for the next month, i picked sona instead. and BOY WAS IT THE RIGHT DECISION. b/c i don't think i've had a better meal in months and months and months. yes, i've loved all my other foodie adventures, but this one certainly takes the cake! it may have to do with the tasting menu and the opportunity to try small bites of many dishes. so the next time i have that option, i'm taking it! which pretty much means you should too! ; )
as soon as we walked in for our 7PM reservation, we noticed how quiet and sparse the restaurant was. the decor was a cool blend of gray & white, but there were only 2-3 other parties in the restaurant when we were seated. it was quite startling, considering that i usually like to eat at 6PM, and i always think the rest of the world likes to eat at 7 or 8. for once, i thought i was eating with everyone else, and i was obviously wrong. the place picked up a little later, though it's obvious that the recession has hit fine dining pretty hard. so i'm glad we were there to do our part -- especially with the 6-course decouverte menu!
we started off with super duper long breadsticks. i swear these reminded me of the wooden dowels that teachers used to slap the wrists of bad children. i know i know, morbid thought, but just imagine it! they were too long for the table, so you really had to break them up into pieces. nice and crunchy. and i gobbled up mine in less than 5 minutes! i generally don't like bread very much, but it always seems important to a restaurant meal.
soon after, the bread guy brought around two different breads for us to try: a matcha green tea bread and a cranberry bread made with red wine. i loved the warmth of the breads b/c the butter simply melted right into the nooks and crannies. however, i must admit that i didn't taste the matcha green tea AT ALL. christine mentioned enjoying the sweetness of the bread, but i couldn't remotely make out the flavor. in fact, i thought the cranberry bread was much more flavorful. i could taste the cranberries -- and even the red wine! (no worries, i didn't get tipsy this time.) the bread guy also brought around some wheat bread later, and that was quite good though pretty basic.
before our 6 courses commenced, we received a lovely amuse bouche, compliments of the chef -- a ball of tofu-encrusted duck confit with tiny, salty, crunchy fish on top. i used to hate these teeny weeny fish, but i love the saltiness now, and so i picked up a few with my chopsticks before diving into the ball. this may not have been the best way to go, especially since i only tasted tofu and barely tasted any duck confit. i'm not sure if it just wasn't in there, or if my taste buds were overwhelmed by the taste of the fish. either way, i was a little bummed, especially since i really love duck confit!
i wasn't about to let the amuse diminish my excitement though. our first course consisted of new zealand snapper on asian pear with nori jam. this was probably our favorite light dish of the night. first of all, the presentation was light and fresh, with a few small flower petals sprinkled over the snapper pieces. the snapper on top was a translucent white with a nice chew, and the asian pear underneath was a perfect blend of crispy and juicy. the combination of flavors and textures really elevated the dish beyond its ingredients.
the next dish was the seared foie gras that i ordered in addition to the decouverte menu. christine indicated that she was politically against foie, but that it wouldn't be a problem if i wanted it. considering that i LOVE foie, that the dish came with peanut butter cream and cranberry jam, and that our server said it was the best foie EVER, i absolutely HAD to order it. and i must say that this was probably one of THE best dishes of the ENTIRE meal. i seriously don't think i've had better foie. it came in this large, silky chunk, with the most perfect sear on top. eating it alone was in and of itself AMAZING. but eating it with the peanut butter cream & the cranberry jam was simply ecstasy. OMG. i have no other words to describe the experience. one of the other servers said she's dreamed about this foie before. at this point, i seriously don't doubt it. even christine thought it was quite good when she tried a sliver!
for our second course, we received the monkfish tail wrapped around bacon pieces with an herb emulsion. this is a particularly interesting arrangement, considering that bacon is usually placed on the outside to keep the fish intact and moist. however, seeing that monkfish is a more substantial fish, it could certainly hold its shape during the cooking process. unfortunately, christine & i both agreed that one piece was quite dry and tough (both fish & pork). however, the other piece was significantly more moist, thereby redeeming the dish somewhat. i suppose monkfish just really isn't my kind of fish, especially since i'm not the biggest fan of swordfish, which has a similar consistency and density. that being said, the arrangement was quite unique, and worth some brownie points.
the duck came out as the third course, with peas, a pea emulsion, and a parmesan crisp. (and FYI that duck is my favorite fowl of all time!) the duck was cooked perfectly medium rare, and i made sure to slice the existing pieces into even tinier pieces, so that i could savor every bite. christine is a pea lover, so she certainly enjoyed the pea elements in the dish. i myself am a cheese fan, so the parmesan crisp was simply delectable. the duck had the loveliest chew, which was the perfect contrast to the super crispiness of the crisp.
what with me ordering the foie gras, christine deserved an extra item as well, and she chose the wagyu beef, which came out with a slow poached egg (that looked like it could've come out of an ostrich), bok choy, and a nice salty broth. christine gave me the chance to sample just a bit of each in a soup spoon, and it was sooooooooooooo good. i swear that our 2 extra dishes really helpd make the meal. the silky wagyu was also perfectly medium rare, and it slid down my throat almost as easily as the decadent egg. the saltiness of the broth really helped to cut through the sinful fat of the wagyu and egg, making the whole bite very well-rounded.
as our fourth course, we received the venison w/tomato paste, roasted brussel sprouts, and artichoke confit. christine & i both LOVE brussel sprouts, so we were thrilled to get them. however, we really weren't sure whether the artichoke confit was a true confit. (food lovers, please define!) nevertheless, they were good, albeit a bit crunchy for my tastes. i also wasn't the biggest fan of the tomato paste, though i found the venison quite fabulous. again, the meat was cooked perfectly medium rare. and the dish wasn't the least bit game-y, which is always a challenge w/venison.
given my penchant for sweets, i was extremely happy to find out that we had two dessert courses waiting for us. both dishes were a combination of several mini-desserts, which made the experiences that much more exciting. the first dessert course was a combination of sencha mousse w/raspberry paper, mint tea gelee with vanilla panna cotta, fresh raspberries, and one other thing which has completely slipped my mind. at any rate, my favorite was definitely the sencha mousse. i looooooooooved the bitterness of the sencha in the mousse. granted, i love everything green tea, but i definitely prefer the real bitterness over the fake sweetness of most green tea desserts. the raspberry paper was quite interesting, and the acidity certainly paired well with the bitterness of the sencha mousse. the gelee and panna cotta was more of a jelly, which was much less interesting. and i seriously have no recollection of what was at the end of the long plate.
the second dessert course was definitely the most playful course of the entire evening. the pastry chef who dropped off our plates rattled off the elements so fast that neither christine & i could recall everything he said. however, we agreed that everything on that plate was absolutely amazing. from the right, we started with the foie gras ice cream, which was sitting on a bed of cocoa/cookie nibs. the combination of salty and sweet was super satisfying. next, we moved on to the white rectangular piece on the plate, which we were totally unable to classify. thankfully, we realized that it didn't matter what it was b/c it tasted delicious w/the chocolate noodle (yes, the chocolate noodle) and, of all things, BACON POWDER. how ridiculously awesome is that?!? they should seriously patent that product. OMG.
as if all these courses weren't enough, our server surprised us with yet another dessert course, this one with several teeny tiny elements. we started w/the maccaroon, which had the most unbelievable cream filling. we then moved on to the "minnesota" oreo (which we heard incorrectly when the server said "mini-sona-oreo"). the next one was the lemon meringue dessert, which totally reminded me of the luscious lemon tart at starbuck's! the last one on the plate was a passion fruit jelly. and even though i'm not into jellies, this one had great flavor infused into it. in addition to a plate full of yummy treats, our server also gave us a bunch of deliciously warm madeleines, which had a light crust on the outside and a nice chew on the inside. i seriously had to hold myself back from eating more than my fair share.
while christine & i both thought we could handle more food, we realized that we were close to maxxing out, particularly after the first dessert course. but considering the extravagance of the meal, we made our way valiantly through our last bites. while i didn't delight in every single aspect of the courses, i was amazed at the creativity of the dishes, particularly the flavor combinations and the artistic presentations. i simply don't remember the last time i was so satisfied physically and visually. in addition, the chefs use fresh, local ingredients AND the tasting menu changes every 2 weeks. what more could you ask for?
sona
http://www.sonarestaurant.com/index.php
as soon as we walked in for our 7PM reservation, we noticed how quiet and sparse the restaurant was. the decor was a cool blend of gray & white, but there were only 2-3 other parties in the restaurant when we were seated. it was quite startling, considering that i usually like to eat at 6PM, and i always think the rest of the world likes to eat at 7 or 8. for once, i thought i was eating with everyone else, and i was obviously wrong. the place picked up a little later, though it's obvious that the recession has hit fine dining pretty hard. so i'm glad we were there to do our part -- especially with the 6-course decouverte menu!
we started off with super duper long breadsticks. i swear these reminded me of the wooden dowels that teachers used to slap the wrists of bad children. i know i know, morbid thought, but just imagine it! they were too long for the table, so you really had to break them up into pieces. nice and crunchy. and i gobbled up mine in less than 5 minutes! i generally don't like bread very much, but it always seems important to a restaurant meal.
soon after, the bread guy brought around two different breads for us to try: a matcha green tea bread and a cranberry bread made with red wine. i loved the warmth of the breads b/c the butter simply melted right into the nooks and crannies. however, i must admit that i didn't taste the matcha green tea AT ALL. christine mentioned enjoying the sweetness of the bread, but i couldn't remotely make out the flavor. in fact, i thought the cranberry bread was much more flavorful. i could taste the cranberries -- and even the red wine! (no worries, i didn't get tipsy this time.) the bread guy also brought around some wheat bread later, and that was quite good though pretty basic.
before our 6 courses commenced, we received a lovely amuse bouche, compliments of the chef -- a ball of tofu-encrusted duck confit with tiny, salty, crunchy fish on top. i used to hate these teeny weeny fish, but i love the saltiness now, and so i picked up a few with my chopsticks before diving into the ball. this may not have been the best way to go, especially since i only tasted tofu and barely tasted any duck confit. i'm not sure if it just wasn't in there, or if my taste buds were overwhelmed by the taste of the fish. either way, i was a little bummed, especially since i really love duck confit!
i wasn't about to let the amuse diminish my excitement though. our first course consisted of new zealand snapper on asian pear with nori jam. this was probably our favorite light dish of the night. first of all, the presentation was light and fresh, with a few small flower petals sprinkled over the snapper pieces. the snapper on top was a translucent white with a nice chew, and the asian pear underneath was a perfect blend of crispy and juicy. the combination of flavors and textures really elevated the dish beyond its ingredients.
the next dish was the seared foie gras that i ordered in addition to the decouverte menu. christine indicated that she was politically against foie, but that it wouldn't be a problem if i wanted it. considering that i LOVE foie, that the dish came with peanut butter cream and cranberry jam, and that our server said it was the best foie EVER, i absolutely HAD to order it. and i must say that this was probably one of THE best dishes of the ENTIRE meal. i seriously don't think i've had better foie. it came in this large, silky chunk, with the most perfect sear on top. eating it alone was in and of itself AMAZING. but eating it with the peanut butter cream & the cranberry jam was simply ecstasy. OMG. i have no other words to describe the experience. one of the other servers said she's dreamed about this foie before. at this point, i seriously don't doubt it. even christine thought it was quite good when she tried a sliver!
for our second course, we received the monkfish tail wrapped around bacon pieces with an herb emulsion. this is a particularly interesting arrangement, considering that bacon is usually placed on the outside to keep the fish intact and moist. however, seeing that monkfish is a more substantial fish, it could certainly hold its shape during the cooking process. unfortunately, christine & i both agreed that one piece was quite dry and tough (both fish & pork). however, the other piece was significantly more moist, thereby redeeming the dish somewhat. i suppose monkfish just really isn't my kind of fish, especially since i'm not the biggest fan of swordfish, which has a similar consistency and density. that being said, the arrangement was quite unique, and worth some brownie points.
the duck came out as the third course, with peas, a pea emulsion, and a parmesan crisp. (and FYI that duck is my favorite fowl of all time!) the duck was cooked perfectly medium rare, and i made sure to slice the existing pieces into even tinier pieces, so that i could savor every bite. christine is a pea lover, so she certainly enjoyed the pea elements in the dish. i myself am a cheese fan, so the parmesan crisp was simply delectable. the duck had the loveliest chew, which was the perfect contrast to the super crispiness of the crisp.
what with me ordering the foie gras, christine deserved an extra item as well, and she chose the wagyu beef, which came out with a slow poached egg (that looked like it could've come out of an ostrich), bok choy, and a nice salty broth. christine gave me the chance to sample just a bit of each in a soup spoon, and it was sooooooooooooo good. i swear that our 2 extra dishes really helpd make the meal. the silky wagyu was also perfectly medium rare, and it slid down my throat almost as easily as the decadent egg. the saltiness of the broth really helped to cut through the sinful fat of the wagyu and egg, making the whole bite very well-rounded.
as our fourth course, we received the venison w/tomato paste, roasted brussel sprouts, and artichoke confit. christine & i both LOVE brussel sprouts, so we were thrilled to get them. however, we really weren't sure whether the artichoke confit was a true confit. (food lovers, please define!) nevertheless, they were good, albeit a bit crunchy for my tastes. i also wasn't the biggest fan of the tomato paste, though i found the venison quite fabulous. again, the meat was cooked perfectly medium rare. and the dish wasn't the least bit game-y, which is always a challenge w/venison.
given my penchant for sweets, i was extremely happy to find out that we had two dessert courses waiting for us. both dishes were a combination of several mini-desserts, which made the experiences that much more exciting. the first dessert course was a combination of sencha mousse w/raspberry paper, mint tea gelee with vanilla panna cotta, fresh raspberries, and one other thing which has completely slipped my mind. at any rate, my favorite was definitely the sencha mousse. i looooooooooved the bitterness of the sencha in the mousse. granted, i love everything green tea, but i definitely prefer the real bitterness over the fake sweetness of most green tea desserts. the raspberry paper was quite interesting, and the acidity certainly paired well with the bitterness of the sencha mousse. the gelee and panna cotta was more of a jelly, which was much less interesting. and i seriously have no recollection of what was at the end of the long plate.
the second dessert course was definitely the most playful course of the entire evening. the pastry chef who dropped off our plates rattled off the elements so fast that neither christine & i could recall everything he said. however, we agreed that everything on that plate was absolutely amazing. from the right, we started with the foie gras ice cream, which was sitting on a bed of cocoa/cookie nibs. the combination of salty and sweet was super satisfying. next, we moved on to the white rectangular piece on the plate, which we were totally unable to classify. thankfully, we realized that it didn't matter what it was b/c it tasted delicious w/the chocolate noodle (yes, the chocolate noodle) and, of all things, BACON POWDER. how ridiculously awesome is that?!? they should seriously patent that product. OMG.
as if all these courses weren't enough, our server surprised us with yet another dessert course, this one with several teeny tiny elements. we started w/the maccaroon, which had the most unbelievable cream filling. we then moved on to the "minnesota" oreo (which we heard incorrectly when the server said "mini-sona-oreo"). the next one was the lemon meringue dessert, which totally reminded me of the luscious lemon tart at starbuck's! the last one on the plate was a passion fruit jelly. and even though i'm not into jellies, this one had great flavor infused into it. in addition to a plate full of yummy treats, our server also gave us a bunch of deliciously warm madeleines, which had a light crust on the outside and a nice chew on the inside. i seriously had to hold myself back from eating more than my fair share.
while christine & i both thought we could handle more food, we realized that we were close to maxxing out, particularly after the first dessert course. but considering the extravagance of the meal, we made our way valiantly through our last bites. while i didn't delight in every single aspect of the courses, i was amazed at the creativity of the dishes, particularly the flavor combinations and the artistic presentations. i simply don't remember the last time i was so satisfied physically and visually. in addition, the chefs use fresh, local ingredients AND the tasting menu changes every 2 weeks. what more could you ask for?
sona
http://www.sonarestaurant.com/index.php
Saturday, March 21, 2009
the great urban race of LA
after weeks & weeks of waiting, judy & i finally made it out to the great urban race of LA! we schlepped over to pershing square park, and we were greeted by the sight of 480 teams, some of which were dressed up in some CRAZY outfits. it was awesome and it totally got us revved up for the big day! dressed in santa monica classic t-shirts, red headbands, and red wristbands, we were SO ready to go. : )
a little after noon, we picked up our packet of clues from one of the race volunteers, and we proceeded to plop down for our strategy session. we had 12 clues (1 of which we were allowed to skip), and we picked out which ones we needed to dial a friend for. thanks to dave and my little brother (and their google prowess), we were able to figure out a whole bunch of clues. for the rest, it was all GIRL POWER!!
even with judy's bum leg, we were still able to move pretty darn quickly. and the great thing about the race was that it really got you to check out random parts of LA that you wouldn't otherwise see. (granted, i'd actually seen a lot of it schlepping around w/jenn last year to watch david during the LA marathon!) plus it was awesome to see so many folks in the orange race shirts! it really seemed to make the city a little smaller.
it also made anyone who's usually in a car realize how tragic the public transportation system really is. and with the protest in hollywood, and the enusing traffic, it was even harder to get around than usual. thankfully, judy & i were more about having fun than killing ourselves to get to the finish line. so we definitely made a point of checking out the cool architecture & design of the subway stations, and the yummy smells wafting from the street carts.
from judy's point of view, the race definitely gave you new perspective on the sights & sounds of LA. there are things you'd simply never notice from the driver's or passenger's seat of a car. on the one hand, this can be great. like the cute shops and eateries on olvera street. on the other hand, this can be sobering. like the dirty, poop-covered paths in macarthur park. as always, i can't help thinking that LA simply isn't the city for me.
that being said, it was still a great race. judy & i weren't quite sure we'd make it to our last stops in time, but we got all of our clues completed by 4:56PM, and we got checked in at the finish line by 5:15PM. WOOHOO!! the announcer indicated that the first team completed the event w/in 3 hours and 9 minutes, so we didn't feel *too* bad. (especially since we'd been told that teams completed w/in 2 hours in prior years. i mean, seriously?!) that and the fact that there were teams who came back WAY after they'd shut down the check-in tables. i'm sorry, but even though i don't need to be first, i DEFINITELY don't want to be last!
we're thinking they should've extended things by another hour, but i swear we would've died from starvation if we'd had to wait any longer to eat. throughout the entire day, we met a ton of people who hadn't eaten in the morning. and we ourselves had (somehow) thought we'd be finished w/in 2.5 hours. OBVIOUSLY, we were delusional.
so to treat ourselves, we schlepped off to sizzler's after the race. and i got to have my lip-smacking ribs. mmm.... (who remembers that infamous taste of santa monica?!) a great way to end a great day. pics will soon be posted on FB! and for those who care, i'm seriously thinking of heading back to nyc for the one in august!!
http://www.greaturbanrace.com/
http://www.sizzler.com/
a little after noon, we picked up our packet of clues from one of the race volunteers, and we proceeded to plop down for our strategy session. we had 12 clues (1 of which we were allowed to skip), and we picked out which ones we needed to dial a friend for. thanks to dave and my little brother (and their google prowess), we were able to figure out a whole bunch of clues. for the rest, it was all GIRL POWER!!
even with judy's bum leg, we were still able to move pretty darn quickly. and the great thing about the race was that it really got you to check out random parts of LA that you wouldn't otherwise see. (granted, i'd actually seen a lot of it schlepping around w/jenn last year to watch david during the LA marathon!) plus it was awesome to see so many folks in the orange race shirts! it really seemed to make the city a little smaller.
it also made anyone who's usually in a car realize how tragic the public transportation system really is. and with the protest in hollywood, and the enusing traffic, it was even harder to get around than usual. thankfully, judy & i were more about having fun than killing ourselves to get to the finish line. so we definitely made a point of checking out the cool architecture & design of the subway stations, and the yummy smells wafting from the street carts.
from judy's point of view, the race definitely gave you new perspective on the sights & sounds of LA. there are things you'd simply never notice from the driver's or passenger's seat of a car. on the one hand, this can be great. like the cute shops and eateries on olvera street. on the other hand, this can be sobering. like the dirty, poop-covered paths in macarthur park. as always, i can't help thinking that LA simply isn't the city for me.
that being said, it was still a great race. judy & i weren't quite sure we'd make it to our last stops in time, but we got all of our clues completed by 4:56PM, and we got checked in at the finish line by 5:15PM. WOOHOO!! the announcer indicated that the first team completed the event w/in 3 hours and 9 minutes, so we didn't feel *too* bad. (especially since we'd been told that teams completed w/in 2 hours in prior years. i mean, seriously?!) that and the fact that there were teams who came back WAY after they'd shut down the check-in tables. i'm sorry, but even though i don't need to be first, i DEFINITELY don't want to be last!
we're thinking they should've extended things by another hour, but i swear we would've died from starvation if we'd had to wait any longer to eat. throughout the entire day, we met a ton of people who hadn't eaten in the morning. and we ourselves had (somehow) thought we'd be finished w/in 2.5 hours. OBVIOUSLY, we were delusional.
so to treat ourselves, we schlepped off to sizzler's after the race. and i got to have my lip-smacking ribs. mmm.... (who remembers that infamous taste of santa monica?!) a great way to end a great day. pics will soon be posted on FB! and for those who care, i'm seriously thinking of heading back to nyc for the one in august!!
http://www.greaturbanrace.com/
http://www.sizzler.com/
Friday, March 20, 2009
mmm... mmm... m cafe de chaya
seeing that the quarter was finally ending, dani & i decided to treat ourselves to some yummy goodness at m cafe de chaya in culver city! after a long work week AND a long workout, a healthy meal was much deserved. and we were SO ready to dive in by the time we arrived at this adorable macrobiotic eatery.
one of several chaya restaurants, m cafe is super cute and casual. the space is brightly lit, making it all the better to see all the amazing options in the display case. as soon as i walked in, i raced over to the dessert case. everything looked so perfect. and i knew i wanted that carrot cake as soon as i laid eyes on it. (FYI that i *love* carrot cake. and the fact that it's made from veggies makes me feel that much better about eating it!)
after deciding to save room in my tummy for dessert, i wandered over to the rest of the cases to check out all the fabulous salads, sushi rolls, and inari. (mmm.... inari....) after some consultation w/dani, i decided on the 3-salad combo, the hijiki inari, and the carrot cake.
for my combo, i chose the kale w/spicy peanut sauce, the scarlet quinoa, and the dandelion greens. the kale was super leafy and scrumptious. i don't recall the peanut sauce being very spicy, but it was fabulous how you could taste it in every nook and cranny of the kale. mmm.... the scarlet quinoa had such great color and consistency. and i absolutely love love love quinoa, so it wasn't even an option not to get it. quinoa is seriously the best grain ever. and i always get such a kick out of eating dandelion greens. i mean, how inventive is that?! the greens contrasted really well texturally w/the beans, creating a lovely and memorable mouth-feel.
the hijiki inari consisted of a tofu pouch stuffed with the most delicious brown rice and topped with dried seaweed. i LOVE inari, especially when the pouch and the rice are slightly sweet. this particular inari was really good b/c the hijiki was slightly salty, which made for a great salty-sweet contrast in each bite.
and let's not forget the carrot cake. unlike typical carrot cakes, this carrot cake was suuuuuuuuuuper light. this probably has to do w/the fact that m cafe doesn't use any refined sugar, eggs, or dairy. which is AMAZING. that being said, this cake walked that very fine line b/w not sweet at all and just sweet enough. which i wasn't sure i fully appreciated, except for the fact that i kept eating AND not feeling guilty. the cake itself was nothing like the dense (and often cold) cake that one finds at most restaurants. it was airy and light, and if that wasn't enough, the frosting was even airier and lighter! dani & i were completely stumped on the ingredients. this was definitely NOT your typical cream cheese frosting. if i could have this carrot cake every day, i would. i mean, you still feel good after it's in your tummy!
before i forget, let me say that i love the set-up of this place. dani & i sat at the big wooden picnic table in the center of the room, which was totally fabulous. but all around us, there were all these nice and shiny silver tables. and there were lots of tables set up outside too. it was a lovely cross b/w modern and organic, which was reflective of the fare as well. contemporary macrobiotic is how m cafe bills itself. and i have to say, it does a REALLY good job at it.
http://www.mcafedechaya.com/index.html
one of several chaya restaurants, m cafe is super cute and casual. the space is brightly lit, making it all the better to see all the amazing options in the display case. as soon as i walked in, i raced over to the dessert case. everything looked so perfect. and i knew i wanted that carrot cake as soon as i laid eyes on it. (FYI that i *love* carrot cake. and the fact that it's made from veggies makes me feel that much better about eating it!)
after deciding to save room in my tummy for dessert, i wandered over to the rest of the cases to check out all the fabulous salads, sushi rolls, and inari. (mmm.... inari....) after some consultation w/dani, i decided on the 3-salad combo, the hijiki inari, and the carrot cake.
for my combo, i chose the kale w/spicy peanut sauce, the scarlet quinoa, and the dandelion greens. the kale was super leafy and scrumptious. i don't recall the peanut sauce being very spicy, but it was fabulous how you could taste it in every nook and cranny of the kale. mmm.... the scarlet quinoa had such great color and consistency. and i absolutely love love love quinoa, so it wasn't even an option not to get it. quinoa is seriously the best grain ever. and i always get such a kick out of eating dandelion greens. i mean, how inventive is that?! the greens contrasted really well texturally w/the beans, creating a lovely and memorable mouth-feel.
the hijiki inari consisted of a tofu pouch stuffed with the most delicious brown rice and topped with dried seaweed. i LOVE inari, especially when the pouch and the rice are slightly sweet. this particular inari was really good b/c the hijiki was slightly salty, which made for a great salty-sweet contrast in each bite.
and let's not forget the carrot cake. unlike typical carrot cakes, this carrot cake was suuuuuuuuuuper light. this probably has to do w/the fact that m cafe doesn't use any refined sugar, eggs, or dairy. which is AMAZING. that being said, this cake walked that very fine line b/w not sweet at all and just sweet enough. which i wasn't sure i fully appreciated, except for the fact that i kept eating AND not feeling guilty. the cake itself was nothing like the dense (and often cold) cake that one finds at most restaurants. it was airy and light, and if that wasn't enough, the frosting was even airier and lighter! dani & i were completely stumped on the ingredients. this was definitely NOT your typical cream cheese frosting. if i could have this carrot cake every day, i would. i mean, you still feel good after it's in your tummy!
before i forget, let me say that i love the set-up of this place. dani & i sat at the big wooden picnic table in the center of the room, which was totally fabulous. but all around us, there were all these nice and shiny silver tables. and there were lots of tables set up outside too. it was a lovely cross b/w modern and organic, which was reflective of the fare as well. contemporary macrobiotic is how m cafe bills itself. and i have to say, it does a REALLY good job at it.
http://www.mcafedechaya.com/index.html
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Q1 adventures
forgive me, readers, for i have sinned. it's been 2 months since my last blog.
so i swear i've WANTED to keep this thing up-to-date, but it's always so heinously challenging for me to start writing. this is always my excuse though, so i'm going to stop now before i start repeating myself. (which is a total pet peeve, so please avoid doing it around me.)
let's see, let's see.... so i'm trying to think back on all the things i've done in the past 2 months worth mentioning. there's definitely been a bunch so forgive me for not having everything in chronological order.
1. i quite literally spazzed out in january about my purpose in life and my potential lack of financial stability. this happens once every year or two. i don't think i'm ever seriously worried. but the anxiety seems so real at the time. i swear i was losing serious appetite and sleep over it all. i even convinced myself that i might want to do consulting. i even made it to round 2 of mckinsey's APD recruiting! i even got slapped in the face by 3 back-to-back case interviews. thank you, caroline, for telling me that consulting requires serious BS capabilities. i'm glad i failed. i'm just too honest. thankfully, i got some serious frequent flyer miles and yummy restaurant meals out of it. and i made a friend -- who has serious chefs in her family. WOOHOO!
important links:
http://www.apd.mckinsey.com/ - definitely not for the faint of heart!
http://www.printerscafe.com/ - AMAZING sandwiches and sweets
2. i realized that i can't stop working out for 30-60 days in a row. during my spaz fest, i pretty much stopped working out during the months of january and february. and i felt like crap. i lost all cardio capacity and muscle tone. gross, i know. so now that i'm back on track, i've signed up for monthly 10K's in santa monica as well as the santa monica classic. i'm still committed to doing a half-marathon this year, though i have no idea how long it's going to take for me to get into good enough shape. plus i definitely don't want to run 13 miles in the summer. that being said, fall seems like the best bet. any suggestions? (nothing too hilly, please.)
important links:
http://www.active.com/ - great for fitness freaks!
http://smboardwalk.movfitness.com/ - lightest carbon footprint
http://www.santamonicaclassic.com/ - GREAT t-shirts!
3. while i was spazzing, i did manage to make it out to phoenix to check out amy and tom's new house (AND guest casita). i swear i was staying in a mansion -- i could hear my voice echo! i mean, there were different heating systems for different parts of the house! the visit was short (friday to sunday), but definitely sweet. we got to go work out at amy's AMAZING fitness facility -- i swear this place occupies an entire city block! it's like a fitness buffet -- all-you-can-eat AND THEN SOME. i was pretty much hyperventilating after the step class on saturday (which amy thought was way too easy) but i managed to get some serious time on the rock wall w/tom. it'd been ages since i'd gone climbing -- and i LOVED it. especially the auto belay mechanisms. it's totally freeing. amy & i went back for another workout on sunday, and then hiking, and then massages. (btw, is there a reason i can't live like this all the time?) and we even managed to fit in an amazing meal at mosaic on saturday night. the food was QUITE creative -- case in point: a dish entitled "what the FOIE*!?#" -- and DELICIOUS. my mixed grill plate of duck & elk was equally fabulous. and my lemon dessert was quite memorable too. (though i much preferred amy's caramel fondue -- mmm....) besides not sleeping well enough (i've decided i don't like beds that aren't mine), it was the perfect getaway weekend!
important links:
http://www.lifetimefitness.com/
http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/hikemain.html
http://www.massageenvy.com/
http://www.mosaic-restaurant.com/
4. considering that i owe $3700 in taxes (damn fellowship!), i'm glad i booked my boston trip back in december. so for my BFF's 30th birthday, his fiancee arranged a surprise trip to boston AND got his entire groom's party out to surprise him! (melissa, you're the best secret keeper EVER.) it was AMAZING. he was totally and completely SHOCKED. after a long and rainy drive up from new york, soon & michelle were lovely enough to pick me up from logan. we drove out to stay at michelle's parents' house in lexington, and we even got to see a bit of snow and a deer in her backyard! (oh, how i miss the east coast. *sigh*) the next day, we totally surprised derek at brunch at aquitaine. this place was SO cute, and even though i didn't have much of an appetite (due to a minor cold, a long flight [where everyone else also seemed to be sick], and not enough sleep), i thought the prix fixe brunch options were super yummy and affordable.
having saved our pennies that morning, we all splurged on derek's birthday dinner at EVOO that night. again, i wish i'd had more of an appetite b/c the "duck, duck, goose" dish sounded like the perfect dish for me. however, i went w/the striped bass fillet instead and i was definitely left wanting. the fish was cooked well, but the bitter chocolate tortilla didn't do anything for the dish. thankfully, my country pate was nice and smooth, and my star anise creme brulee was apparently the best one ordered. based on my hazy recollection, i believe the specials derek ordered (all meat dishes) were all pretty fabulous, as were the warm chocolate truffle cake and the chocolate-banana bread pudding that got passed around. every other person ordered scallops, which i simply find disgusting and gross. ughhh....
while the food was definitely a highlight (as was derek's look of shock), the BEST part of the trip was the trapeze lesson that steve organized for all of us! first of all, the lesson took place in this crazy indoor complex, which was a bizarre cross b/w a furniture store (yes, a furniture store) and a las vegas mall (complete w/the bellagio water show). secondly, one of the staffers who gave us our lesson was TOTALLY cute and adorable -- and really supportive too. (YAY, don!) the other two guys were OK, but how unprofessional is it to be eating an apple while clipping me in? i mean, come ON. at any rate, the experience was AWESOME. i love heights, especially when i'm strapped in. and i love flying through the air. this isn't to say it wasn't HARD. (i got some SERIOUS bruises.) but we were definitely all smiles at the end!!
i spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with my mutually sick friend glenn in his brookline apt. (we missed you, mel!) it was really the perfect ending to my boston trip b/c snow was falling when i woke up in the morning. and it KEPT snowing ALL day. (and for those who are wondering, snow really is best when being viewed from inside a warm and cozy apartment.) glenn & i trekked through the winter wonderland for a vietnamese lunch, but we took it easy the rest of the afternoon and shot down zombies on the wii. that was SO therapeutic. i left in my new pink reefs and felt snow on my toes. *sigh*
important links:
http://www.aquitaineboston.com/index.php
http://www.evoorestaurant.com/
http://boston.trapezeschool.com/
http://www.jordans.com/
http://pholemongrass.com/
http://www.wiisworld.com/wii-games/Shooting/
5. before i left boston, i signed myself up for a 5-class package of trapeze classes in santa monica. i know. i'm crazy. i really should've checked out the place before signing up, but i was just SO excited to do it again. i couldn't help myself. at any rate, i discovered that the set-up on the santa monica pier is WAY rickety compared to boston. i mean, i had to climb up a LADDER for pete's sake! talk about a sure-fire way to bruise your knees before you even start. on top of that, the main instructor guy was so NOT professional. he didn't even KNOW me yet and he made fun of my lululemon bag. i mean, seriously?! the other instructor guy was nice, but i felt like he was rushing me. i hadn't even gotten my knee-hang down before he was pushing me to get to the next trick. too bad i don't CARE about the next trick, buddy. i'm all about taking things one step at a time and i'm all about getting my form right. otherwise, i'm just going to hurt myself. speaking of which, i must've strained a muscle b/c i can't shrug w/o a mild ache in my left shoulder. thank god for naproxen. no flying for a few weeks. doctor's orders.
important links:
http://losangeles.trapezeschool.com/
6. to see if i could work out all my muscle soreness, i checked out the student massage place that dana recommended. even though the place was cheap ($35), i must say that it definitely wasn't the best massage i've ever gotten. i think there's something about me being small & petite that keeps masseurs and masseuses from giving me the seriously deep tissue massage that i need. it's like i keep saying "MORE PRESSURE" to no avail. the girl at massage envy (in phoenix) gave me some good pressure, but she failed to flip me around. the guy at this place (in LA) gave me the full body treatment, but he failed to exert enough pressure. how long is it going to take me to find something "just right"?? *sigh*
important links:
http://www.chac.edu/
7. ever since talking to brian about his past adventures in LA (and hopefully his future adventures in NY), i've been feeling inspired to wander around LA. (it's weird how one conversation can inspire you, isn't it?) that and the fact that it's the end of the quarter and all i have to do is putz around. (whatever. don't be hatin'!) two weeks ago, i wandered into the hammer museum and saw some interesting pieces by LA artists. i have to admit that i disliked half of the exhibition, but victoria reynolds and llyn foulkes had some fascinating works to show off. last week, i trekked out to bergamot station and checked out some really cool galleries. some of my favorites: james gray, lois lambert, mark moore, ruth bachofner. i didn't have time for a sit-down meal at the cafe, but if my lemon bar and mint iced tea were any indication of the food quality, i'll definitely be back soon! for my last bit of culture in recent times, i got a last-minute invitation from chiara to check out a zocalo talk on the authenticity of food at the skirball. it was a treat to be in the presence of some GREAT chefs, but FYI that jonathan gold is THE worst moderator ever. i mean, the man just kept TALKING. plus he kept smacking his lips!! at any rate, i managed to find out about the kogi truck and the power of twitter. totally worth the excursion! that and i got to hang out w/chiara. YAY!
important links:
http://hammer.ucla.edu/
http://www.bergamotstation.com/
http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/
http://www.skirball.org/
http://kogibbq.com/
http://twitter.com/
8. speaking of food, i know everyone's probably wondering where the heck i've been eating lately. so let me share some of the highlights....
dani & i splurged on AOC a while back, but despite the fact that she & jeannine are both big fans, i didn't fall head over heels for it. i must admit that the pork rillettes and the sweetbreads definitely left a positive impression. as did the warm ham hock salad and the kabocha squash gratin. the food was definitely creative and well-done, but i'm wondering whether i had the appetite to fully savor all the flavors. hmmm.... i suppose this means another trip!
de'sha & i went back to asia de cuba in west hollywood for some delish eats during restaurant week. after viv & i had our fabulous meal there last year, i had to go back. the duck spring rolls were still AMAZING, the braised short rib was to die for, the stir-fried green beans were DELISH, and the donut dessert was simply magical. no complaints whatsoever.
atalie & i checked out flame in westwood for some persian cuisine. i believe i ordered the tahchin, which was (surprisingly for me) a rice dish that came out with the loveliest yellow color (probably b/c of the saffron), a fabulously crusty exterior, and superb flavor throughout. i must admit that it was quite dense, so make sure you're hungry when you order it.
de'sha, keith, & i went for brunch at shanghai red's in marina del rey when he was in town a month ago. as i've been typing up this blog, i've realized how much appetite really impacts eating experience. b/c once again, i was exhasuted and i wasn't really in the mood for food this particular day, so i really didn't have the best impression of this place. i mean, the spread was pretty extensive, but i didn't feel like anything was particularly good. i did have some yummy menudo (gotta love tripe), but other than that, everything else was kind of mediocre. well, except for the company!
most recently, sejal & i caught up over yummy eats at father's office in santa monica. i must admit to NOT liking the set-up. i have zero patience (generally-speaking) for waiting, so i was a bit annoyed at the prospect of having to stand around w/food while waiting for a table to open up. thankfully, a really sweet couple was nice enough to give us their table after we'd only been waiting about 10 minutes! i ordered the french sea bass and the roasted brussel sprouts, and both dishes had great flavor. i couldn't believe they didn't have arnold palmers (talk about drinks-ism), but other than that, i was quite pleased w/my meal. on the other hand, sejal didn't think her burger was worth all the hype. the saving grace was the order of sweet potato fries, which i (again surprisingly) couldn't help popping into my mouth.
for those that are following closely, i'm headed out to m cafe de chaya in culver city tonight, trying cafe elysee on sunday, headed back to craft on monday, hopefully checking out bazaar on wednesday, and headed out to seattle for some yummy northwest eats for a few days. hopefully, there will be lots to report shortly!!
important links:
http://www.aocwinebar.com/
http://www.mondrianhotel.com/default.aspx#/explore/?id=asiadecuba
http://www.flamepersiancuisine.com/
http://www.shanghairedsrestaurant.com/
http://www.fathersoffice.com/
9. on the movie front, i've been enamored with kate winslet films. i thought "the reader" was amazing. she totally deserved all those awards. her desire to hide her illiteracy was so visceral. and ralph fiennes was so committed to her. oh to have a love so deep! in a completely different role, kate conveyed serious angst in "revolutionary road." you could totally feel the vise-like grip of her suburban life. and her spirit totally being dragged out of her body. the final scenes were so intense. and the slow drip of the blood. drip drip drip. (i know, i'm horrible.) i thought "the boy in the striped pajamas" was quite the cautionary tale. the plot was simplistic, but the message was loud and clear: evil bites you in the ass. the final scene was dramatic and sad, and you could feel her maternal pain. on a totally different note, "slumdog millionaire" was quite uplifting, with a really creative plot, a super catchy soundtrack, an endearing love story, and great cinematography. some have called it *the best movie ever* which i would seriously debate, but i thought it was well worth the money. (FYI that i still can't believe eri's bf fell asleep during the movie -- talk about knowing nothing about film. sorry, mike, but it's true.) as was the case with "rachel getting married" which showed off anne hathaway's acting chops. i still thought she looked too perfect to be a druggie, but the whole cast was pretty amazing overall. the fuzzy cinematography isn't something i usually like, but it really worked in this instance. and finally, in a completely genre, was "he's just not that into you," which i literally paid FIVE times to see. yes, FIVE times. some would consider that CRAZY. but i honestly love love love romantic comedies. and i managed to cry during each and every viewing of this cheesy chick flick. wait for this line: "you're my exception." goddammit, justin long, you're not even CUTE!!
10. before i forget, i must mention my upcoming weekend adventure -- the great urban race! i seriously had the hardest time finding someone who: 1) is adventurous, 2) i'd want to spend that much time with (3-4 hours), 3) could stand me for that much time (3-4 hours), and 4) was available. plus, i realized how my independence could totally be an impediment when trying to find someone for partner activities. grrr!!! at any rate, i was super suprised that i hadn't thought of judy before she posted on FB that she wanted to do it! so i'm thrilled to see what excitement awaits us this weekend. YAY!! let's see if i love it enough to do it in new york!!
important links:
http://greaturbanrace.com/
11. before i disappear again into the ether, i wanted to send a quick shout-out to ryan & jess for some delicious eats over the past few months! i've had some delicious homecooking c/o the roberts and i'm forever indebted. top chef and st. patty's day will never be the same w/o you two!! and yes, i promise that you'll get yummilicious chocolate souffles as thanks!!
so i swear i've WANTED to keep this thing up-to-date, but it's always so heinously challenging for me to start writing. this is always my excuse though, so i'm going to stop now before i start repeating myself. (which is a total pet peeve, so please avoid doing it around me.)
let's see, let's see.... so i'm trying to think back on all the things i've done in the past 2 months worth mentioning. there's definitely been a bunch so forgive me for not having everything in chronological order.
1. i quite literally spazzed out in january about my purpose in life and my potential lack of financial stability. this happens once every year or two. i don't think i'm ever seriously worried. but the anxiety seems so real at the time. i swear i was losing serious appetite and sleep over it all. i even convinced myself that i might want to do consulting. i even made it to round 2 of mckinsey's APD recruiting! i even got slapped in the face by 3 back-to-back case interviews. thank you, caroline, for telling me that consulting requires serious BS capabilities. i'm glad i failed. i'm just too honest. thankfully, i got some serious frequent flyer miles and yummy restaurant meals out of it. and i made a friend -- who has serious chefs in her family. WOOHOO!
important links:
http://www.apd.mckinsey.com/ - definitely not for the faint of heart!
http://www.printerscafe.com/ - AMAZING sandwiches and sweets
2. i realized that i can't stop working out for 30-60 days in a row. during my spaz fest, i pretty much stopped working out during the months of january and february. and i felt like crap. i lost all cardio capacity and muscle tone. gross, i know. so now that i'm back on track, i've signed up for monthly 10K's in santa monica as well as the santa monica classic. i'm still committed to doing a half-marathon this year, though i have no idea how long it's going to take for me to get into good enough shape. plus i definitely don't want to run 13 miles in the summer. that being said, fall seems like the best bet. any suggestions? (nothing too hilly, please.)
important links:
http://www.active.com/ - great for fitness freaks!
http://smboardwalk.movfitness.com/ - lightest carbon footprint
http://www.santamonicaclassic.com/ - GREAT t-shirts!
3. while i was spazzing, i did manage to make it out to phoenix to check out amy and tom's new house (AND guest casita). i swear i was staying in a mansion -- i could hear my voice echo! i mean, there were different heating systems for different parts of the house! the visit was short (friday to sunday), but definitely sweet. we got to go work out at amy's AMAZING fitness facility -- i swear this place occupies an entire city block! it's like a fitness buffet -- all-you-can-eat AND THEN SOME. i was pretty much hyperventilating after the step class on saturday (which amy thought was way too easy) but i managed to get some serious time on the rock wall w/tom. it'd been ages since i'd gone climbing -- and i LOVED it. especially the auto belay mechanisms. it's totally freeing. amy & i went back for another workout on sunday, and then hiking, and then massages. (btw, is there a reason i can't live like this all the time?) and we even managed to fit in an amazing meal at mosaic on saturday night. the food was QUITE creative -- case in point: a dish entitled "what the FOIE*!?#" -- and DELICIOUS. my mixed grill plate of duck & elk was equally fabulous. and my lemon dessert was quite memorable too. (though i much preferred amy's caramel fondue -- mmm....) besides not sleeping well enough (i've decided i don't like beds that aren't mine), it was the perfect getaway weekend!
important links:
http://www.lifetimefitness.com/
http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/hikemain.html
http://www.massageenvy.com/
http://www.mosaic-restaurant.com/
4. considering that i owe $3700 in taxes (damn fellowship!), i'm glad i booked my boston trip back in december. so for my BFF's 30th birthday, his fiancee arranged a surprise trip to boston AND got his entire groom's party out to surprise him! (melissa, you're the best secret keeper EVER.) it was AMAZING. he was totally and completely SHOCKED. after a long and rainy drive up from new york, soon & michelle were lovely enough to pick me up from logan. we drove out to stay at michelle's parents' house in lexington, and we even got to see a bit of snow and a deer in her backyard! (oh, how i miss the east coast. *sigh*) the next day, we totally surprised derek at brunch at aquitaine. this place was SO cute, and even though i didn't have much of an appetite (due to a minor cold, a long flight [where everyone else also seemed to be sick], and not enough sleep), i thought the prix fixe brunch options were super yummy and affordable.
having saved our pennies that morning, we all splurged on derek's birthday dinner at EVOO that night. again, i wish i'd had more of an appetite b/c the "duck, duck, goose" dish sounded like the perfect dish for me. however, i went w/the striped bass fillet instead and i was definitely left wanting. the fish was cooked well, but the bitter chocolate tortilla didn't do anything for the dish. thankfully, my country pate was nice and smooth, and my star anise creme brulee was apparently the best one ordered. based on my hazy recollection, i believe the specials derek ordered (all meat dishes) were all pretty fabulous, as were the warm chocolate truffle cake and the chocolate-banana bread pudding that got passed around. every other person ordered scallops, which i simply find disgusting and gross. ughhh....
while the food was definitely a highlight (as was derek's look of shock), the BEST part of the trip was the trapeze lesson that steve organized for all of us! first of all, the lesson took place in this crazy indoor complex, which was a bizarre cross b/w a furniture store (yes, a furniture store) and a las vegas mall (complete w/the bellagio water show). secondly, one of the staffers who gave us our lesson was TOTALLY cute and adorable -- and really supportive too. (YAY, don!) the other two guys were OK, but how unprofessional is it to be eating an apple while clipping me in? i mean, come ON. at any rate, the experience was AWESOME. i love heights, especially when i'm strapped in. and i love flying through the air. this isn't to say it wasn't HARD. (i got some SERIOUS bruises.) but we were definitely all smiles at the end!!
i spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with my mutually sick friend glenn in his brookline apt. (we missed you, mel!) it was really the perfect ending to my boston trip b/c snow was falling when i woke up in the morning. and it KEPT snowing ALL day. (and for those who are wondering, snow really is best when being viewed from inside a warm and cozy apartment.) glenn & i trekked through the winter wonderland for a vietnamese lunch, but we took it easy the rest of the afternoon and shot down zombies on the wii. that was SO therapeutic. i left in my new pink reefs and felt snow on my toes. *sigh*
important links:
http://www.aquitaineboston.com/index.php
http://www.evoorestaurant.com/
http://boston.trapezeschool.com/
http://www.jordans.com/
http://pholemongrass.com/
http://www.wiisworld.com/wii-games/Shooting/
5. before i left boston, i signed myself up for a 5-class package of trapeze classes in santa monica. i know. i'm crazy. i really should've checked out the place before signing up, but i was just SO excited to do it again. i couldn't help myself. at any rate, i discovered that the set-up on the santa monica pier is WAY rickety compared to boston. i mean, i had to climb up a LADDER for pete's sake! talk about a sure-fire way to bruise your knees before you even start. on top of that, the main instructor guy was so NOT professional. he didn't even KNOW me yet and he made fun of my lululemon bag. i mean, seriously?! the other instructor guy was nice, but i felt like he was rushing me. i hadn't even gotten my knee-hang down before he was pushing me to get to the next trick. too bad i don't CARE about the next trick, buddy. i'm all about taking things one step at a time and i'm all about getting my form right. otherwise, i'm just going to hurt myself. speaking of which, i must've strained a muscle b/c i can't shrug w/o a mild ache in my left shoulder. thank god for naproxen. no flying for a few weeks. doctor's orders.
important links:
http://losangeles.trapezeschool.com/
6. to see if i could work out all my muscle soreness, i checked out the student massage place that dana recommended. even though the place was cheap ($35), i must say that it definitely wasn't the best massage i've ever gotten. i think there's something about me being small & petite that keeps masseurs and masseuses from giving me the seriously deep tissue massage that i need. it's like i keep saying "MORE PRESSURE" to no avail. the girl at massage envy (in phoenix) gave me some good pressure, but she failed to flip me around. the guy at this place (in LA) gave me the full body treatment, but he failed to exert enough pressure. how long is it going to take me to find something "just right"?? *sigh*
important links:
http://www.chac.edu/
7. ever since talking to brian about his past adventures in LA (and hopefully his future adventures in NY), i've been feeling inspired to wander around LA. (it's weird how one conversation can inspire you, isn't it?) that and the fact that it's the end of the quarter and all i have to do is putz around. (whatever. don't be hatin'!) two weeks ago, i wandered into the hammer museum and saw some interesting pieces by LA artists. i have to admit that i disliked half of the exhibition, but victoria reynolds and llyn foulkes had some fascinating works to show off. last week, i trekked out to bergamot station and checked out some really cool galleries. some of my favorites: james gray, lois lambert, mark moore, ruth bachofner. i didn't have time for a sit-down meal at the cafe, but if my lemon bar and mint iced tea were any indication of the food quality, i'll definitely be back soon! for my last bit of culture in recent times, i got a last-minute invitation from chiara to check out a zocalo talk on the authenticity of food at the skirball. it was a treat to be in the presence of some GREAT chefs, but FYI that jonathan gold is THE worst moderator ever. i mean, the man just kept TALKING. plus he kept smacking his lips!! at any rate, i managed to find out about the kogi truck and the power of twitter. totally worth the excursion! that and i got to hang out w/chiara. YAY!
important links:
http://hammer.ucla.edu/
http://www.bergamotstation.com/
http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/
http://www.skirball.org/
http://kogibbq.com/
http://twitter.com/
8. speaking of food, i know everyone's probably wondering where the heck i've been eating lately. so let me share some of the highlights....
dani & i splurged on AOC a while back, but despite the fact that she & jeannine are both big fans, i didn't fall head over heels for it. i must admit that the pork rillettes and the sweetbreads definitely left a positive impression. as did the warm ham hock salad and the kabocha squash gratin. the food was definitely creative and well-done, but i'm wondering whether i had the appetite to fully savor all the flavors. hmmm.... i suppose this means another trip!
de'sha & i went back to asia de cuba in west hollywood for some delish eats during restaurant week. after viv & i had our fabulous meal there last year, i had to go back. the duck spring rolls were still AMAZING, the braised short rib was to die for, the stir-fried green beans were DELISH, and the donut dessert was simply magical. no complaints whatsoever.
atalie & i checked out flame in westwood for some persian cuisine. i believe i ordered the tahchin, which was (surprisingly for me) a rice dish that came out with the loveliest yellow color (probably b/c of the saffron), a fabulously crusty exterior, and superb flavor throughout. i must admit that it was quite dense, so make sure you're hungry when you order it.
de'sha, keith, & i went for brunch at shanghai red's in marina del rey when he was in town a month ago. as i've been typing up this blog, i've realized how much appetite really impacts eating experience. b/c once again, i was exhasuted and i wasn't really in the mood for food this particular day, so i really didn't have the best impression of this place. i mean, the spread was pretty extensive, but i didn't feel like anything was particularly good. i did have some yummy menudo (gotta love tripe), but other than that, everything else was kind of mediocre. well, except for the company!
most recently, sejal & i caught up over yummy eats at father's office in santa monica. i must admit to NOT liking the set-up. i have zero patience (generally-speaking) for waiting, so i was a bit annoyed at the prospect of having to stand around w/food while waiting for a table to open up. thankfully, a really sweet couple was nice enough to give us their table after we'd only been waiting about 10 minutes! i ordered the french sea bass and the roasted brussel sprouts, and both dishes had great flavor. i couldn't believe they didn't have arnold palmers (talk about drinks-ism), but other than that, i was quite pleased w/my meal. on the other hand, sejal didn't think her burger was worth all the hype. the saving grace was the order of sweet potato fries, which i (again surprisingly) couldn't help popping into my mouth.
for those that are following closely, i'm headed out to m cafe de chaya in culver city tonight, trying cafe elysee on sunday, headed back to craft on monday, hopefully checking out bazaar on wednesday, and headed out to seattle for some yummy northwest eats for a few days. hopefully, there will be lots to report shortly!!
important links:
http://www.aocwinebar.com/
http://www.mondrianhotel.com/default.aspx#/explore/?id=asiadecuba
http://www.flamepersiancuisine.com/
http://www.shanghairedsrestaurant.com/
http://www.fathersoffice.com/
9. on the movie front, i've been enamored with kate winslet films. i thought "the reader" was amazing. she totally deserved all those awards. her desire to hide her illiteracy was so visceral. and ralph fiennes was so committed to her. oh to have a love so deep! in a completely different role, kate conveyed serious angst in "revolutionary road." you could totally feel the vise-like grip of her suburban life. and her spirit totally being dragged out of her body. the final scenes were so intense. and the slow drip of the blood. drip drip drip. (i know, i'm horrible.) i thought "the boy in the striped pajamas" was quite the cautionary tale. the plot was simplistic, but the message was loud and clear: evil bites you in the ass. the final scene was dramatic and sad, and you could feel her maternal pain. on a totally different note, "slumdog millionaire" was quite uplifting, with a really creative plot, a super catchy soundtrack, an endearing love story, and great cinematography. some have called it *the best movie ever* which i would seriously debate, but i thought it was well worth the money. (FYI that i still can't believe eri's bf fell asleep during the movie -- talk about knowing nothing about film. sorry, mike, but it's true.) as was the case with "rachel getting married" which showed off anne hathaway's acting chops. i still thought she looked too perfect to be a druggie, but the whole cast was pretty amazing overall. the fuzzy cinematography isn't something i usually like, but it really worked in this instance. and finally, in a completely genre, was "he's just not that into you," which i literally paid FIVE times to see. yes, FIVE times. some would consider that CRAZY. but i honestly love love love romantic comedies. and i managed to cry during each and every viewing of this cheesy chick flick. wait for this line: "you're my exception." goddammit, justin long, you're not even CUTE!!
10. before i forget, i must mention my upcoming weekend adventure -- the great urban race! i seriously had the hardest time finding someone who: 1) is adventurous, 2) i'd want to spend that much time with (3-4 hours), 3) could stand me for that much time (3-4 hours), and 4) was available. plus, i realized how my independence could totally be an impediment when trying to find someone for partner activities. grrr!!! at any rate, i was super suprised that i hadn't thought of judy before she posted on FB that she wanted to do it! so i'm thrilled to see what excitement awaits us this weekend. YAY!! let's see if i love it enough to do it in new york!!
important links:
http://greaturbanrace.com/
11. before i disappear again into the ether, i wanted to send a quick shout-out to ryan & jess for some delicious eats over the past few months! i've had some delicious homecooking c/o the roberts and i'm forever indebted. top chef and st. patty's day will never be the same w/o you two!! and yes, i promise that you'll get yummilicious chocolate souffles as thanks!!
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