Food: Vermont Turkey Sandwich

Just finished a Vermont Turkey Sandwich from Lovebirds Cafe and Bakery in Pasadena, Ca.  Juicy layers of fresh turkey, vermont cheddar cheese, slices of green apple, dijon, lettuce, and a touch of mayo on Dr. Sprye bread (raisin, nuts, wheat, rye).  Eaten with Mrs. Vickies Jalapeno chips and a splash of Tabasco.  Water with lemon.

Delicious.

Food Review: St. Andre Cheese

When I was at M.F.'s for the 4th, he introduced me to St. Andre cheese. I had to email him just now to find out what that creamy yummy spreadable cheese with a stronger zip than brie had been.

I went to Trader Joe's to find it and ended up getting a blue cheese creamy version that isn't all that great. Makes me feel a little sick. Try St. Andre with stone wheat crackers and lentil soup. Delish.

Daily Readings: 101 Picnic Dishes

What a stellar summer picnic resource from Mark Bittman. Enjoy. I'll be using some of these ideas for the Hollywood Bowl.

Food Review: Fat Fish

The last time I ate this much fish, I didn't want to even look at sushi (my favorite food) again.

I think there's something really good about being poor and eating sushi because then you savor each bite, share two rolls and a miso soup with your date, and feel light and satiated inside.

Tonight, my cousin treated me to sushi at a place that looks like Pink Berry sushi land. In fact, Fat Fish is in the same building as the Ktown Pink Berry. Dear God, we ate sushi off a revolving bar until our bellies were hanging out, and I could not bear another bite. Along with ginseng soju (surprisingly perfect and refreshing with sushi).

She comes there every week and her friend who joined us goes there 2-3 times a week. Apparently after 9pm everyday, every single color coded plate is $2.

we ate:

yellowtail

halibut

raw shrimp sushi (very interesting. it was creamy and nutty in flavor)

a roll with cooked salmon on top

dynamite?

salmon, mango, and cream cheese roll (this was pretty good)

tuna

salmon

toro

eel

spicy tuna rolls

lobster rolls

and of course, edamame and miso soup. these girls are crazy. they kept taking three at a time off the bar saying, ok, let's all share! i could never go drinking with them. they would get me drunk with all their peer pressure consumption.

the fish was fresh, the rolls were nice, the atmosphere was casual, modern, funky. i'd definitely bring my friends here.

Food Review: Annie Chun's

Annie Chun's carries many different products. In the last week, I've tried three from Trader Joe's for lunch at work. Here are my thoughts below.
Miso Soup--really nice. I think making my own would taste better but it still hits the spot.


Udon: This one is my favorite. It's surprisingly so tasty. The broth is yummy.


Teriyaki: Not so good. It has a thin salty soy based sauce and the veggies aren't as buoyant as the others. Go with the udon or miso noodle soups.

All her noodles are fresh packed so they're nice and chewy and tastes fresh. $1.99 at Trader Joe's.

Food Review: McDonald's #6

This morning, driving along the golden hazy freeway, I got me a hankering. for McDonald's breakfasts.

Maybe it was the combination of feeling my fit yoga body or the fact that I hadn't eaten dinner last night. Or that I missed my mom's breakfast sandwiches and it reminded me of my dad who loves McD's breakfasts. In any case, I had a few minutes to spare and drove by and ordered the #6 Bacon, Egg, McGriddle Sandwich Meal with OJ. I think this is the second time in two weeks! I never do this.

Well, it was gross. Highly not recommended. Avoid avoid avoid. I wanted to try the McGriddle because I'd heard from a coworker that his family absolutely cannot get enough of them. Frankly, it was a really violating conglomeration of bacon, eggs, and cheese sandwiched between two moist pieces of bread soaked in a corn syrup equivalent of Aunt Jemima's. I was eating this going, WHAAA?? Why would anyone rave about this? And then I remembered my coworker's family is from boondog Indiana. I think midwestern white palate has something to do with it. I had to slather the thing in ketchup to be able to stand it. Let me know if you know any brown people that like it. I'd be interested in understanding why.

Home for the FOOD

Oh dear Lord. I'd been craving Korean food and I hit the jackpot at my parent's in Claremont. Ok, so I always hit the jackpot here. But it's been a while. And my grandmother was in town for her biannual visit. And my aunt came from Memphis. It was almost like a janchi (big family feast). My belly is sticking out and let me tell you, I went swimsuit shopping today at Nordstrom's half yearly sale and I had to suck it in.

Feast your eyes on this:

beautiful deep red radish kimchi

kalbi jjim--juicy rough cuts of ribs with chestnuts, potatoes, and onions

lightly battered and fried makeral -- fresh caught by my cousin Paul

sauteed zuchinni--so simple but so delish

thinly sliced matchstick radish in a vinegary pink pickle

homemade pickles in water and ice

buchim--crispy pancakes made with bits of squid and some kind of wheatgrass looking veggie

iced barley tea

nougat dipped ice cream bars from the korean market

and to end
korean melon wedges (yellow on the outside, white on the inside)

Why did I move out again? :)

Cornbread with Jalapeno Jelly

Holy crap, this looks good. It's right by my apartment. Want to go?

And I wonder if their red velvet is any good

Favorable L.A. Times review here. We could walk down there after yoga. Balance things out a bit.

Eating My Way Through Life #1

This week's food recommendations:

Jamba Juice Caribbean Passion--DELISH, especially after a hot walk around the Rose Bowl. Get an original size split in two and share with your partner.

Zona Rosa's Zona Sunrise--yummy orange, cranberry, grapefruit juice concoction. very pretty to look at but could have used more ice. love the outdoor seating.

A Korean BBQ place near Nogales and Colima across the street from New Garden. Can't remember the name. But it's new, cozy, and they use really good meats. I'm kind of sick of meat though. Overconsumption. Yuck. Read Wendell Berry.

Pho 79's Charbroiled Pork Pho---holy chihuahua it is so good.

And my top recommendation--the "Bisting" from Europane. I can't find the actual reference online but that's how it is said phonetically. It's a traditional German coffee cake and yowee it is absolute perfection. A thick square of spongy bread (almost like plain foccacia) brushed with a golden custard and drenched in crunchy glazed almonds. Just the right balance of texture and sweetness. Ask for the inner slice if you love almonds.

Edit: It's the Bienenstich cake or Bee Sting cake as some seem to call it.

L.A. Mill Coffee & Fun Times

L.A. Mill Coffee

Last night, I lay on my bed, staring around at my room, listening to the loud echos of kids playing in the apartment courtyard. I lay in my bed so long that I missed my yoga class. I started reading my Beyond Codependency book because it usually helps me get motivated to take care of myself instead of laying around mopey.

I did some suggested activities, like reflecting on what you feel like you don't deserve (i.e. a happy life, fun, loving relationships) and then turning them around to make them into "I deserve" statements. I know this goes against everything fundamentalists and IV people teach. And you know what, fuck them. eehee. I just wanted to try saying that. It's so powerful and vulgar. But when my friends say it to me, it always makes me feel better. Like when M. said, "Fuck everyone" after I stressed out about other people's breakup advice. She's so deliciously wicked like that. You need someone in your life who will tell you that sometimes.

Ok, I digress. So, I wrote a lot on what I deserve. And it was empowering. It helps rewire all the negative sabotage thinking in your head about how you should be unhappy, or how you don't deserve to be in a good relationship, or how you're not really fit for some of those super jobs you want. I thought a lot about the "fun" piece and my response was surprising. A lot of times, I think that having fun isn't spiritual enough or kind of lame, or really, I'm afraid to look like an ass trying new things. So I did some rewiring in my brain and wrote about how I deserve fun.

At that moment, I realized that if I don't do something, I will have gone through the entire day not talking to anyone I cared about or who cared about me which equals depressed Hanna. I talked a little with coworkers but I came home to an empty apartment, laid around, and would go to bed to go to work again unless I moved fast. S. Ling happened to be online, and I asked her if she wanted a spontaneous coffee get together. She said, Yes. WOOHOO!!!

We went to L.A. Mill Coffee, an uber chic Silverlake place that was reviewed to high acclaim in the LA Times recently. I had the Creative Burst tea, and she had the Pink Parachute. We sat talking late under the gold chandelier, enjoying the red and teal decor and the plush swivel chairs. I had so much FUN!!! I drove all the way home thanking God and feeling energized to get through another work day in San Dimas.

I'm learning peeps. I'm learning how to make myself happy.

Memorial Day Weekend

I love love love three day weekends, especially when I can get away.

My parents invited me to tag-a-long on their church retreat to San Diego. I got to stay at the Sheraton Marina Bay and explore the Gas Lamp Quarters. I scouted out a local bakery, Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe and ate a very good seeded baguette. I sat in the jacuzzi until I started sweating and had to jump in the flower shaped pool. I loved seeing super cute Korean kids running around everywhere and floating in their plastic inner tubes.

After we came back, I met up with Rosa. We ate at Sinbala in Rowland Heights. I had to hold up my belly coming out. The minced meat noodle soup was good but their boba was awful. The drinks at Sinbala in Arcadia are much better.

I'm going to join Rosa in San Diego later again this week. I'm glad she's here for the summer.