a new life in SD

yet again, yet again, it's been months and months since my last posting. it'd be a surprise if anyone were still reading this! :( if you are, i applaud you! (and virtually hug you!) :)

i only have about 20 minutes before i have to get to work, but life in SD has been good to me. VERY good. needless to say, it's been a blessing and a curse that i can't drive in the suburbs. while i don't have easy access to, well, just about anything, it's amazing how much work i've been able to get done w/o the distractions of LA life. i miss my friends though, so thank goodness for facebook and gchat and the modern miracles of technology.

since i've linked my blog accounts, i'll direct any interested (and worthy) individuals to my other blog (http://lilmissdissertation.blogspot.com/) for dissertation-related commentary. (and yes, folks, i know it's empty. i can only do so much! or else risk getting comments that i'm not directing enough time to my dissertation -- which i hate, btw, so if you've done it or you've thought about doing it, don't.)

for now, i'll just jot down a few notes of worth re: movies & munches in SD....

1. the time traveler's wife - overrated. i love rachel mcadams and i'll watch anything she's in. but i don't think eric bana is cute AT ALL. there was a reason i couldn't get through the book. and it's possibly the same reason that i'm thinking my movie ticket was a waste of non-existent funds. (FYI that i have no income for this academic year! though i'll try to minimize regular comments re: my super tight purse strings.) there was just no real PLOT. i know, i know, some movies/stories are more about character development. but honestly, i need PLOT. and yes, i did tear up during some parts of the movie. but as most of you know, i cry at EVERYTHING. so this isn't really a reflection of movie quality. sorry, new line, for the first time in a long time, you disappointed. (sorry, dani! i really thought that i thought the movie was ok. until i didn't.) :(

2. royal india restaurant (http://www.royalindia.com/index.html) - pretty decent. i'm a sucker for a good indian buffet -- and now so are my students! :) i must admit that the lunch buffet selection was small compared to our last group excursion to jaipur (http://www.jaipurcuisineofindia.com/). that being said, what the restaurant did offer was pretty darn scrumptious. the naan (both garlic and regular) had a pleasant chewiness, the meats were nice and moist, and the sauces were flavorful (as melissa knows gail simmons likes to say) w/o being overwhelmingly weighted down by butter (which apparently many indian sauces tend to be).

3. la jolla beach (http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/cove.shtml) - too crowded. enough said. but FYI that i hate beaches. sand = dirt.

4. the first wives club at the old globe (http://www.theoldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=6950) - AMAZING. thanks to a work connection, jerry & teresa have been able to usher shows at the old globe -- a lovely and intimate venue situated w/in the confines of balboa park. i got the chance to sub one week and watch a performance of the broadway-bound musical, the first wives club. not only did we get great seats (only a few rows back!), but the show was absolutely AMAZING. it's been a while since i've seen a musical, but the voices were wonderful. some movies don't work out when turned into musicals (ahem, dirty dancing, ahem), but i had no complaints about this one. in fact, i think i might've liked it even more than the movie! bravo, bravo.

5. rancho family YMCA (http://www.rancho.ymca.org/english/) - RP's saving grace. this is one of the few places w/in walking distance of the fortress that is known as my brother's house. FYI that this area is WAY hilly and that this house has close-to-zero sprint reception. thank goodness for: a) internet, b) cable, and c) the local Y. i have to admit that i had reservations when teresa told me this was the local gym. jerry & i grew up in the projects, and i have absolutely heinous memories of the uber crowded flushing Y & the super annoying swim classes in the heated pool (despite a hot, red-headed swim instructor). that being said, i can't be w/o a gym, so i was thrilled when my reduced-fee membership (given my current financial status) finally got approved. even though this process required documentation of every penny to my name (what little there is! ok, ok, i'll stop.), it's worth it to pay only $15 a month for a pretty decent gym. i'll admit that Y's always seem to have way too many kids little running around them (FYI that i hate kids -- yes, yes, it's true). but the cardio/strength room has never been too crowded during my workout times, and i can easily get an hour (plus, even!) on the treadmill w/o interruption. while some of the instructors leave a lot to be desired (one of them took calls DURING class! another one was 10 minutes late, didn't have her sneakers on, & didn't think the participant who set up her step for her!) and the music is usually too fast (as an instructor myself, i must be critical!), i've had success w/one step instructor, a kickboxing class, a bootcamp class, and a zumba class. the last one is a recent addition to the repertoire, but the instructor is just so peppy that you can't resist wanting to get your hips moving. i can't wait to start volunteer teaching (first aid certification -- check!), but it looks like the schedule may not change till early october. bummer. well, fingers crossed that i can sub soon! also, i signed up for a potential Y running group. so hopefully that'll get me motivated for half-marathon training. woohoo!

6. point loma seafoods (http://www.pointlomaseafoods.com/) - super affordable and fresh seafood. part seafood purveyor, part seafood restaurant, this place offers delicious and fresh seafood at great prices. thanks to my brother's (continuing) generosity, i got to try a super simple yet yummy crab sandwich. literally, it was nothing more than chunks of fresh crabmeat & a bit of tartar sauce slapped in b/w two slices of sourdough bread. BUT BOY WAS IT GOOD. my SIL had the same thing, and we were both quite pleased. i thought it could've used slightly more salt, but she thought it was missing something else. my brother got a cod plate w/fries, but needed an extra order of sushi to get full. i think the fam was a bit underwhelmed (they're pretty picky), but i was perfectly happy w/my sammy. i do have to say that there were a bit too many pigeons (and babies) hanging around the indoor space for my tastes. sitting outside under the umbrellas would've been much preferred.

7. cupcakes squared (http://www.cupcakessquared.com/) - totally worth the trek. after staring longingly at their cupcake calendar, i was super excited when the fam suggested that we go out for a seafood and cupcake adventure. after a light seafood meal, a decadent cupcake is surely the best ending. while neither my brother nor SIL were planning to have any (pfft!), neither of them could resist after we walked into the shop. not only does this place have regular-sized cupcakes, but mini-sized cupcakes as well. and all in unique square shapes! (even now i'm annoyed at myself for not "getting it" sooner -- cupcakes squared, as in, cupcakes SQUARED. right? RIIIIIIIGHT. eeeeeeeeee-diot!!! *sigh*) while it was a bit annoying that they didn't have all their sunday flavors in mini version, they had a nice enough selection for us to choose from. and samples of the peanut butter berry (which totally tasted like a PB&J sandwich) and the not so red velvet (which was totally light brown and not red at all). we went w/the regular-sized lillikoi (jerry's pick), the regular-sized mocha squared (my pick), and a mini vanilla chai (which just happened to be available). flavor-wise, my brother & i really enjoyed the lillikoi frosting over the vanilla cupcake. teresa's not a fan (your loss, lady), but the ngai's really dig the passionfruit -- nice sweetness w/just enough tang. jerry doesn't like chocolate (which is ridiculous, if you ask me), so i pretty much inhaled the mocha squared on my own. a great coffee/chocolate blend. the mini cupcake totally tasted like a vanilla chai latte. overall, the fam enjoyed CS much more than sprinkles, particularly the cake to frosting ratio. (this kinda makes me sad, only b/c i really REALLY love sprinkles.) they find sprinkles frosting way too rich -- and think there's too much of it. i have to agree w/the latter point, but i definitely prefer the decadence of sprinkles frosting. i found CS frosting to be a bit too fluffy, a bit too whipped. i prefer buttercream to taste like BUTTERcream, not WHIPPED cream. cake-wise, it's a tie. both are nice and moist, w/CS cake being slightly lighter. that being said, i must admit that i do prefer the size & price of CS cupcakes. i'll inhale sprinkles cupcakes, but i'll inevitably feel gross after b/c they're just so big. plus, cupcakes aren't really meant to be stored, so it's no use trying to make the experience last over a few days. w/CS cupcakes, i can have just one and be satiated but not feel fat. always a plus.

8. SD farmers markets (http://www.sdfarmbureau.org/BuyLocal/Farmers-Markets.php) - YAY! thank goodness for family members who love food -- and shopping for food! if you're ever looking for us, we can be regularly spotted at Vons, Henry's, or one of many local farmers markets. the fam prefers poway, and i love seeing everyone & their dogs winding their way around the stalls. upon request, jerry picked me up a scottish egg and i devoured it quickly upon completion of my regular 2-hour saturday workout. not the most healthy thing i suppose (an egg wrapped in sausage meat and covered in breadcrumbs), but unique and filling nevertheless. we'll be getting started with a bi-weekly CSA box soon, so i'm excited to cook up some yummy veggies. i've been really into *themed* meals recently (linked to the never-ending stream of season premieres), and my brother & i did a really nice job w/gossip girl -- new york strip w/blue cheese butter, roasted beets w/olive oil & sea salt, and sauteed beet greens. DEE-LISH. i baked up a pear upside down cake, though the two hot tamales recipe may need a bit of tweaking. next up is grey's anatomy, which may require a bit more thought. we'll be attempting a chicken with figs in ras-el-hanout and couscous recipe (c/o epicurious.com) this week, and possibly some glazed/roasted figs for dessert. fingers crossed!

9. seeing as this blog entry has already taken away two hours of my precious sunday, i'll end w/a quick list of final thoughts. royal pains - oh how i can't believe i need to wait till next summer to see you again. GLEE - great first episode, great second episode, mediocre third episode (meaning: get your act together before you lose your audience). eragon - great story that i'm sad i don't have time for every single night. wired - so engaging, so interesting, i'm so glad you only come monthly or else i'd never get any work done. FB/gchat - thanks for keeping me sane. friends of all sorts - i miss you and i'm happy that you're always willing to call me back on my home phone b/c of really bad sprint reception in the boonies.

for now, i bid you all adieu! btw, we have stairs in the house and i *totally* started singing the "so long, farewell" song from the sound of music. (eri, i know you hate it, but i was good -- totally karaoke-worthy.)

april activities catch-up

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

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

http://www.espressoprofeta.com/

http://www.breadbar.net/

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

http://www.traderjoes.com/

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

http://www.mcafedechaya.com/

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.tarpits.org/

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

http://www.lacma.org/

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

http://www.iloveyouman.com/

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

http://www.theboweryhollywood.com/

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

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

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

http://www.orrisrestaurant.com/

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

http://www.elyseebakery.com/

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

http://www.clementineonline.com/

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

http://www.vanillabakeshop.com/

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

http://www.jinpatisserie.com/

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

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

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

http://www.eatatjacknjills.com/

http://www.sprinkles.com/

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

http://17againmovie.com/

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

http://www.thecounterburger.com/

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.thebazaar.com/

guest blogger: mel @ momofuku ko

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

Ko totally rocked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

jack n' jill's too & bodega wine bar

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.jacknjillstoo.com/

**********

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

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

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

http://www.bodegawinebar.com/

seattle: my new favorite city - part 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.thepurplecafe.com/

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

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

http://jillbucy.com/default.aspx

seattle: my new favorite city - part 2

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

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

http://www.macrinabakery.com/

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

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

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.monsoonrestaurants.com/seattle

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

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

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/

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/

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