wired to the web

I spent the day today emailing and calling contacts to finish my sourcing in LA. I was bad and didn't each much today- I had the remaining Twizzlers from last night and some smartpop butter popcorn for the whole day.

Finally decided i NEEDED to go get some food seeing as the bachelor pad didn't have any. Stepped out to run a few errands at Kinkos and ended up spending a fortune (relative to kinkos) before stopped at my old college hangout, Sak's. Reminded me of all those days we would go there because it was decent and cheap- and not some ol burger or pizza joint. Tasted exactly how I remembered it too. Had a spicy crispy chicken and beef teri steak combo, with enough left over for tomorrow's lunch. I was supposed to run 3 miles today, but didn't feel that well...probably because I hadn't really eaten anything until 10pm...

I also had a vitamin water to try and "make up" for any damage caused by today's diet.

Oh well. Tomorrow's another day.

Sak's Teriyaki (westwood village)
1121 Glendon Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-2002

go go go!

Yesterday I woke up bright and early for a morning lake run. Made sure to have a half turkey sandwich on wheat (protein, fiber, and carbs) to fuel for the run. Jogged a 5.35 mile run around the lake (not too bad, 59 mins/11min mile) with D, feeling the burn from yesterday's weighted walking lunges. hurt so good!

Raced home for a shower, had a Cliff Mojo bar and banana, then was off to appointments with a few designers. Fun stuff! I'm always a bit stressed until I see all of the clothing and accessories and have them in my hands. Munched on Vermont cheddar Wheat Thins in the car while driving around for the next 4 hours...what a lifesaver! I didn't actually like them very much (low salt is much better!), but I was glad to have something to eat!

Finished my last appointment around 4:30, then stopped at starbucks for an iced passion tea and roasted tomato and mozzarella sandwich before going home to take a nap. Had to make sure I was well rested for the long drive ahead!

Woke up 3 hours later and munched on some bento- chicken kara age, corokke, and rice while checking emails. Then packed the car full and was on my way to LA a couple hours later.

Gas stations and food/drink breaks are my saviours while driving. I look forward to them as the miles fly by. This time I finally got to have a McDonald's double cheeseburger mini meal- they've been advertising these mini meals for over a year now! Later had a Snapple peach ice tea- yes, the best stuff on earth IS even better now. It seems to have lost a bit of that "fake" sweetner/mix taste it used to have. And lastly snacked on some cherry Twizzler bits.

Arrived in LA accident free, safe, and on a sugar high. Oh well, at least I'm here.

boudin

Started the day with a cinnamon raisin bagel, then stopped over to see the progress of mom's custom shirt. Turned out beautifully! Then it was on to the mall to get some gifts (godiva or see's) to ship to people in Okinawa. Ended up getting a few boxes of See's Candy, with a few treats for me and mom. Scotchmallows are my favorite (marshmallow and chewy caramel covered in dark chocolate)- and dark butterchews fill sweet cravings as well. I have yet to find a chocolate maker who uses nice solid chewy caramels like Sees- much more my preference than the more usual runny caramels that fill most chocolate centers. I get so much satisfaction out of that solid chewy bite!

Had a Boudin combo of pesto roast beef sandwich and tortilla soup, while mom had the traditional clam chowder in a bread bowl. Was pretty tasty and filling- the soup was filled with shredded chicken, and I had a good mix of bread, veggies, and meat to make sure my workout would be adequately fueled for the day.

Later raced off to the gym to make the yoga/power stretch class, only to find that all the classes were canceled due to the holiday. Had a nice full circuit workout with light weights and finally fit in a few lunges as well. Felt good!

Was ready to eat again as soon as I got home. A good "leftover" meal of beef stroganoff made with the veggies from yesterday and remaining tri tip. Added in a few tangerines for freshness and veg for the day. Had my saved scotchmallow for dessert, and it was time for bed so I can be up early to go attack em!

Boudin

60 31st Ave, #217
San Mateo, CA 94403

(650) 638-1849

www.boudinbakery.com

See's Candies

312 Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo, CA 94403

(650) 345-7502

running on empty

Seriously! Today I was running on empty...

A single balance bar does NOT cut it for running (run/walking) 7 miles... (ick, 88 mins)! I did know better, but years ago was able to run 5 miles on a single balance bar, every day! I guess i'm out of shape- and this body needs more input! Didn't feel all that great while running and started cramping up a bit in the hip flexors.

Made a second bad decision to stop at the gym before going home to stretch out and pay a visit to the steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi. I then realized I had forgotten my post-run snack of a bagel and banana at home, but figured i'd make the most of my wind-down time at the gym. Bad idea! I was starving, verging on faint after my foam roll-out, steam, soak, and sweat. Raced home for dinner- hot dogs on rolls with peppers, onions, mustard, and relish. Add in some edamame and also baked beans, and I had a filling dinner that quickly satisfied my hunger!

mental note: make sure to eat a full meal AND digest before running longer than 5 miles!

santa ramen

Today there was a change in the sleep schedule- I got up early with my mom to visit her friend/seamstress. Since we didn't find previously find her reunion worthy top, we took a trip to JoAnns fabrics and found a sheer print that would work. Can't quite remember if I had breakfast, but if I did, it was probably a bowl of raisin bran crunch.

After exhausting the store for fabric options we were conveniently next door to Santa Ramen. It's the highest touted ramen (to my knowledge) in the bay, or at least the peninsula. This was my second time here, so I gave it another chance- but it was still no comparison to my LA standbys Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen or Asa Ramen in Torrance. The noodles in my tonkotsu ramen were fairly thick but not too special. The broth was allright, but overall...just not my favorite. Definitely can pass in a crunch, but nothing I would ever crave...

There are still others I need to try...

Later at home, after a 4 hour nap (man, my sleep schedule is out of whack!) it was a makeshift "burrito" dinner with store bought pre-marinated tri tip, tortillas, mixed veggies, salsa, cheese, sour cream, guac, and cilantro. Not too bad, though very "unique" and healthy-ish tasting.

A few Russell Stover chocolate parfait (milk, dark, white) squares for dessert. Definitely tasted a difference- was hoping for the crunch of the shell like in Ghiradelli, but i guess you do get what you pay for. It was tasty, at least- and more importantly, satisfied my chocolate craving.

Santa Ramen

1944 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403

(650) 344-5918

dim sum day

I set my alarm and made sure to get up early(er) today. It was dim sum day! We went exploring around Chinatown and ate at Gold Mountain just at the end of their lunch/dim sum hour. Was okay, but then again, they didn't have my favorite- ham sui gok- deep fried mochi filled with minced pork and mushrooms!! But a google search did yield the names of some of my favorite dishes! Now only if could remember them for next time...

we had:
-wu gok (deep fried taro balls filled with minced pork)
-chicken feet
-shrimp noodles
-har gow
-shu mai
-turnip cake
-spareribs (not in black bean sauce?)
-char siu bao
-? bao (filled with a sweet egg-ish yellow paste)
-egg tarts
-copious amounts of tea

We took a short walk around to the bakeries, where I bought 8 bao- 4 steamed and 4 baked char siu bao and even found a bag of smackles (now "snackers" on the bag??) for my mom. A fun eating day.

Later it was off to J-town for some sourcing, and I couldn't ignore the geisha float on such a nice day! (by far, the BEST thing at Cafe Hana) I visited the new theater complex in J-town- reminded me of something in Omotesando in Tokyo.

Later sped off home for a nap and then dinner- some beef and lettuce with the bao- all gone in one day! I knew I should have bought 12...

Refreshed from dinner, I was off to run 3 miles- happily uneventful. (36 mins... wasn't feeling it...) A Cliff Mojo bar, then later a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter and a banana finished off the meal...and my day. night!

Gold Mountain
644 Broadway
(at Stockton St)
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 296-7733

Mee Mee Bakery
1328 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-3204

www.meemeebakery.com

Cafe Hana
1737 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 567-9133

scrub

I woke up yesterday ready to do my run outside in the beautiful weather. Fueled by a toasted turkey sandwich with laughing cow cheese and some spinach artichoke cream cheese, I skipped out the door for my run.

Things started pretty good, until about the 3rd mile or so, when I began to feel a bit tired. I felt it in my legs, as they began to feel heavier with each step. I pushed on, not wanting to catch too much of a break while going downhill. The next thing I knew, I was falling in slow motion- I had caught the toe of my shoe on the ground, having not lifted my feet high enough, and tripped over my own shoe. It seemed to happen in slow motion, arms flailing, everything tumbling around me. All I could think was "please don't land on my knees, PLEASE don't land on my knees!" Luckily, I somehow managed to avoid landing on my knees or legs- with the full impact of my total wipeout absorbed by my hands. I got up a bit shaken and brushed myself off with nothing more than a few scrapes on my palm. Embarassed, only one man saw me and asked if I was okay- but thank goodness the college kids who were training with their team didn't. I slowly worked up a jog again, making it back to the car so I could wash off my wounds. Somehow I still made 4.5 miles in 50 minutes. A banana made it seem a bit better.

After a quick shower, it was time to meet some old college friends for good times, good talks, and good food at Nola. I had the Creole Shrimp, in a tomato-y wine sauce with herbed rice. It was decent, although my friends' dishes (mainly the "fried chicken" battered breasts) looked much better. I'm 2 for 2 of things that were just ooookay there, but I guess I'd give it another try- especially if the meal came with just as good company.

After getting home, I treated myself to a few Peppridge Farm dark chocolate cookies to make up for my dinner.

NOLA

535 Ramona St
Palo Alto, CA 94301

(650) 328-2722

www.nolas.com

shhh i'm sleeping

I slept in extra long today, totally exhausted. Woke up for a bowl of raisin bran crunch, then went back upstairs to work...but instead went back to sleep. I think I had too much sleep...and was groggy the rest of the time. Rolled out of bed for some food- had mom's mabo tofu and rice with a banana.

I skipped out on the workout today, was supposed to run 3 miles. I'll make up for it tomorrow. Snacked on more mini s'mores and cheeze its...then it was somehow time for bed again. night!

a productive day

I am in week 8 of my training- more than halfway done!

Am I ready? To run 13 miles??

Not yet! And not after last night!

I started the day with a white chocolate strawberry yogurt(pretty good if you can find it. pear is good too) and peanut butter toast. Yah, missing some fruit, but a decent enough way to start the day. I headed out to source a few shops and have a very very productive day.

After a very brief ultra power nap, I had a brat (yes, still there...and still "fresh"- meaning, not gone bad) for some pre-workout protein along with some honey maid mini "s'more" sandwiches. Some sugar to wake me up for quick energy as well... not the best running fuel, but better than nothing. After a great 4.5 mile run (52.5 mins, 30 sec better than last time!) and come lifting, a banana and peanut butter balance bar were welcome treats. (peanut butter hides the protein taste the best!)

Went to Heidi's again with S, this time not holding back. I had an egg white scramble with tomatoes, green onions, bacon, and sour cream, along with some pancakes that hit the spot. i'll do better tomorrow....

snack attack!

Not a very productive nor healthy day. The snack attack monster hit, and I was defenseless.

Yesterday was snack day. I forgot to mention the previous night's after workout midnight snack of curry and rice with a nectarine! Woke up in time for power stretching "yoga" class and had a kashi strawberry fruit bar for quick energy. An hour later and nicely stretched out, I went home to have some beef stroganoff and salad for dinner. Then hopped on the internet for many hours, snacking on lays, cheetos (the costco mix box), chocolate lace cookies, polished off the gingersnaps, and some spinach dip. I finally ended the munchie crusade with a more satisfying, higher protein/fiber treat of peanut butter on wheat toast.

Soon after I headed off to bed after a few more games of solitaire and more episodes of clean sweep and a baby story under my belt. So much for a productive day...

late night life discussions

Rolled out of bed still tired today. I hate when that happens! After a bowl of raisin bran crunch and a peanut butter sandwich, I trudged off for my long run today. Six miles in 66 minutes...not too bad! (well, except that it was supposed to be 7...!!)

Stopped back at home for another shower and quick change, then off to the other usual late night spot, S&E Cafe, for some life conversations. I was craving some starch and meat after my run, but they ran out of my first choice, Angus beef strips, so I settled on the baked pork chop (pork strips) with spaghetti in tomato sauce. It okay, but a bit sweet for my taste. A's dish definitely looked more appetizing than mine, and I eyed it throughout my meal. Mental note to get that next time! He had the baked chicken steak (chicken strips) with rice in Portuguese sauce (a creamy yellow coconut sauce). Both meals came with chicken soup, dinner roll, milk tea, and red bean dessert soup.

I was now fueled up for our many hours of deep and meaningful conversation about the state of our lives, selling out, and mid-life crises at the age of 30. Depressing yet inspiring and invigorating talk.... (and now to process it all...!)

I also had a sneak peek of secret little hidden walking gems in SF. I'm playing tourist in my own city...romanced by the lights and fog...

S&E Cafe

2406 19th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94116

(415) 665-7868

playground

What a busy Saturday! I felt like such a social butterfly, I haven't bar hopped in a while...

Ate my pork chop leftovers then went out to the gym for a short 40 minutes of cardio (bike and elliptical). Ran back in for a speedy shower and quick change, and it was off to the Pork Store Cafe for a fundraiser for the leukemia and lymphoma society. I guess the place is actually more a breakfast cafe in the day, but it had a large full bar and was hopping at night as a hookah bar. (maybe a good place to go for a hangover bfast??) Had a gooood Fat Tire, then detoxed with water....

and then it was on to the next joint...

We were off to the Playground for some Korean snacks and drinks. It its technically a karaoke bar, but with only three private rooms, it was more a neon-lit bar/restaurant that happens to have a few karaoke rooms upstairs. We had steamed mandoo (dumplings), playground jjiang (noodles with black bean sauce), bulgogi, and spicy deep friend chicken along with cheese corn and banchan. The chicken was the unanimous favorite of the table, with super crunchy battered chicken wings/drumsticks tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce- like Korean buffalo wings! It was washed down with strawberry and yogurt soju (not together). On to afterparty poker antics, and it was a late night for all. Too bad I was DD...

Playground
1705 Buchanan St
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 929-1471

pho challenge

Tonight was the big night. After two weeks of planning, D, S and I went to Pho Garden for the Pho Challenge. It's what should have been on this week's Man Vs. Food-San Francisco. It's two pounds of noodles and two pounds of beef (rare beef, tripe, tendon, meatballs- the works). You have one hour, and don't have to finish the broth. S and D have been strategically plotting out their plan of attack the past week, from the best time to go, to the order of what to eat. If you complete the bowl, you get the $22 bowl of noodles on the house. S and D raised the stakes by betting on who could eat more- loser pays for both meals if they don't finish.

I didn't take part in any of this, knowing I would NEVER be able to eat an entire bowl of pho THAT large. I like pho, and I like eating, but I could never eat that much of ANYTHING. I whet my appetite with half a Little Lucca's turkey sandwich and a nectarine- but S and D both hadn't eaten anything for hours before.

The bowl is massive. It's bigger than the biggest dutch oven I have. I mean, it's served with the COOKING utensils as the EATING utensils!! The extra-long chopsticks are the ones usually used for cooking stir fry (from a distance), or reaching into a deep pot. The soup spoon is more like a ladle. Contestants of the challenge aren't allowed to leave the table once they start, and also can't take the noodles out of the bowl. So the idea is to eat all of the noodles before they soak up all of the broth, expand, and double in volume.

Brendan, the owner, suggested adding ice cubes to the boiling-hot broth to start eating the noodles as fast as possible, then later work on the meat, which doesn't take in liquid.

Maybe here is where I should mention that D doesn't like noodles. and.
D has never had pho before.

Upon starting, S attacked his noodles with vigor, hoping to trick his stomach into eating all the noodles before it tells his brain that he's full. It wasn't long before he slowed down. D instead took her time and sampled a bit of noodles, broth, and meat. It also wasn't too long before she slowed down as well.

In the end, it was the noodles that won. They never seemed to diminish as S and D slowly came to their last mouthfuls. Realizing that there was no way they would even come close to finishing, S and D stopped short of pain and surrendered.D's done

S is done too

Throughout the battle, I enjoyed a small rare beef pho and grilled pork chop covered in vinegar/fish sauce. I didn't feel hungry or full, but definitely felt compelled to continue putting food in my mouth as I watched the two struggle with their bowls. Overall, the taste of my dishes were both pretty light, as though maybe tamed down a bit for a wider audience. I would have like a lot more cilantro in my pho, and the limes were dried out, but everything tasted fresh and clean.

my small bowl next to the challenge bowl

I'd say that tonight was probably D's first and last time with pho. S clearly won the bet, having conquered about half of his bowl. After all was cleared away, we had a few sake shots with Brendan and headed home full. I had a drumstick and later a green tea frappuccino to enjoy the summer night, and went home to sleep, full.

shots with Brendan

Pho Garden
2109 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 379-8677

phogardensf.com

adventuring

Yesterday was a busy day, full of visits to many places for the first time. The day started with a bowl of raisin bran crunch and a nectarine- good well-balanced fuel for my trek.

I needed to source a few stores for an African fashion story I'm working on, taking me to Hayes Valley. After combing through the neighborhood and stopping at a store that seemed to transport me to Africa, I happened across Miette Confiserie (okay, maybe not "happened," but I made sure to stop in). Previously having tried their macaroons, I wanted something different and asked the sales associate for a recommendation. She suggested the gingersnaps, which boasted three kinds of ginger- dried, candied, and I believe crystalized? They were indulgent, but came in a cute plastic canister that matched the prettiness of the shop that made it feel special. The cookies were thin and crunchy, with a slight chewy bite to them without being chewy. They pleased a cookie craving without leaving me feel heavy, sugary, over overly buttery. I sat and had a few out in the park along with a diet coke, quietly enjoying the beautiful weather and unexpected heat with everyone else out doing the same.a "nest" of braches, with 3 little birdies perched up top

After a bit more walking, I decided I needed something a bit more filling for lunch than cookies, and popped into La Boulange de Hayes and picked up a salami and pickle baguette to go. Eating in my car definitely didn't have the ambiance of the cafe, but my sandwich did add a good salty balance to my sugary starter. The bread was firm and chewy, with a touch of mayo to add richness to the thiny sliced salami.

I headed to the mission to check out an accessories store, but was sidetracked by the beautiful luggage at Hideo Wakamatsu....it had been calling my name for years, but I had silenced the voice in lieu of other expenses, but at 40% off, the bags were definitely a lot cuter than before! I will HAVE to stop back in for a beautiful hard shell carry on!!!

Then it was off to meet a friend at a softball game in the south bay. It was a beautiful, clear night, with many fun, happy people. What a good mood team sports can put you in. There were eight (!!) separate softball fields in one complex, and eight games going on every hour. You would never know this was going on from the outside. Of course, being at a baseball field, I couldn't ignore the ballpark food and enjoyed some nachos with jalapenos with some of the team, washed down with apple juice and diet coke.

I ended the night with a 4.5 mile run at the gym, fueled with a kashi chewy roll. (53 mins! an improvement!) and some light weights. I earned my nachos tonight.

Miette Confiserie
449 Octavia Street
San Francisco, CA 94101
(415) 626-6221

www.miettecakes.com

La Boulange de Hayes
500 Hayes St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 863-3376

www.baybread.com

little plate feasting

Yesterday's long workout left me exhausted, and decided that I deserved to sleep in for all of my hard work. After rolling out of bed at a very disrespectful hour, I had a bowl of raisin bran crunch, some "hard tack" fried biscuit crackers, and a mango melona bar.....beginning to get sleepy again....

after warming myself up under the covers (and napping a bit more), it was time for dinner. Gluttonous, aren't I??

Dinner looked very Japanese, with many, many small plates filling the table. They were actually all filled with an assortment of leftovers we well as new dishes. Having a little bit of this, and a little of that definitely makes the re-played food seem more fun, rather than sitting down to an exact replica of a previous meal. I definitely love when meals are served this way, although honestly, I never cook that way myself when I'm out of the house. It's just too much work! Seems to be more of a dying old-country art. We had:
-salmon
-cucumber-crab-tomato salad (like sunomono)
-green beans mixed with leftover gylan (mom's leftover chinese food) in black bean sauce
-korean chicken wings, re-coated in a tastier sauce ala mom
-grilled king mushrooms
-fish stick patties
-cucumber kimchee
-white rice

After a 45 minute swim (and of course, obligatory indulgent soak in jacuzzi and sauna), I refueled my body with a toasted peanut butter sandwich on wheat and another wonderful nectarine. Time for bed!

the korean market

Yesterday was one verrry long shopping day. I had a bowl of raisin bran crunch and a half turkey on sourdough to fuel myself for the task ahead:
taking my mom shopping for her 50th high school reunion outfit.

Five hours later, with a coffee frappuccino for a re-load, we had shopped and we had bought- but were still empty handed for THE outfit. (thought my mom did score a chic silver/black zebra-hinted patterned open cardigan and metallic rust 3/4 slv lightweight crop trench. very enthusiastic thumbs up!)

Continuing the adventure, we stopped at Kukje, a Korean supermarket right near Krispy Kreme. It kind of reminded me of when I lived in Hollywood, and occasionally stopped at "the Galleria" in Koreatown. (though it pales in comparsion in size, so i guess a mini version) We stocked up on all kinds of goodies and snacks (mango melona bars, chicken wings, spicy shin ramen, and little pinwheel crackers, to name a few). The biggest and best score I my opinion, was the massive bag of white nectarines. They looked good- large, round, and lots of light yellow flecked with peach/orange- and smelled promising. For $5.99 for a bag of 10, I was willing to take a risk and see how my grab bag would turn out.

For dinner we picked up a few pre-made trays and feasted on chicken wings (korean style- fried and glazed in a spicy soy sauce), spicy cucumber kimchee, mung bean cakes, and california rolls.

After dinner, I decided to try one of the nectarines. Perfect! Very sweet, with slightly firm yet juicy and yielding flesh. A fresh end to a very savory meal. After digesting a bit, it was on to the gym for a truly massive workout. Logged 4.5 miles on the treadmill (yah, i know...not the best, but place to do all that running, but who has time after 6 hours of shopping?) and then lifted, concentrating on the back and shoulders.

Four-and-a-half hours later, and finally finished with the workout, I had really worked up a hunger. Time to eat! Off to Heidi's Pies I went with S and had a satisfying bowl of chili topped with cheddar and green onions. S went all out and had the country friend steak big breakfast platter. His "platter" was served on three separate plates...

definitely hit the spot for both of us!

Try out Kukje, I'd really recommend it for the produce- and many fun snacks. (and definitely cheaper than a Japanese market....shhhh....i didn't tell you that...)

Kukje Supermarket
2350 Junipero Serra Blvd
Daly City, CA 94015
(650) 992-0333

junk food day

Today was a laaazy junk food day. Yah, I had stuff I had to do. Yah, there was healthier food in the house. But some days, I just want some good ol greasy potato chips. Know what I mean?

Woke up late. Had:
-1/2 lemon danish (yuck...won't be doing that again!)
-very small bowl of of raisin bran crunch, then
-hillshire brat (these things seem to be neverending!) slathered in mustard because I wanted something warm

Lunch consisted of lay's salt and vinegar chips, dipped in french onion dip to cut the citric acid. I must have eaten too many since the fake vinegar practically ate my mouth away. I actually realize that I don't like these as much as I used to. Guess I've been spoiled by Kettle Chips' salt and vinegar. SOOOO much better!

After forcing myself to get out of the house and go to yoga (a great streching session by a militial barking "yogi"), I came home to baked salmon for dinner. Not usually my favorite, this version was nice since it didn't have the heavy salmony taste that keeps me from really liking salmon. Blanketed in a mayo-based sauce with sweet peppers and mushrooms, the fish was perfectly cooked. Definitely tasted better than it sounds. I went back for seconds! Roasted asparagus and green beans kept it healthy, while some sourdough toast soaked up the small amount of sauce on my plate. It felt bad-yet good- all at the same time! (I was told-by my mom-I had to eat salmon if I was going out on a date the next day so I would be beautiful. Guess that was some wasted salmon tonight!)

If you haven't noticed yet, I really like toast.

The night ended with a drumstick and a chocolate lace cookie. What an indulgent day! Tomorrow's 4.5 mile run will make up for it...

where's the beef?

Today started with a half turkey sandwich on toasted sourdough as my pre-run snack.

Six dehydrating (and slow) miles later, I had a kashi dark chocolate coconut bar mmm...

but what a good lemony home cooked dinner!
-a small but perfectly seared ny strip steak
-tender-crisp garlic sauteed green beans with a generous drizzle of lemon juice
-pan roasted red potatoes
-mixed baby green salad with lemon/olive oil dressing

With so much lemon on my plate, I squeezed a bit more on my slightly charred steak- perfect with the crust! I love the bright flavor of lemon, wakes up almost anything! It was the perfect dinner....I wanted more!

After a trip to the gym (spa) for some sauna and jacuzzi time, I came home and had a small leftover piece of steak with an egg-white omlete filled with jack cheese and topped with green tomatillo salsa and some toast to round it out. My own diner breakfast-for-dinner meal...hit the spot after a session in the steam.

quiet day of eating recovery

Today I had my turkey caprese sandwich again, with a few revisions- less tomato and mozzarella- and more basil, with a liberal squeeze of lemon juice. It added a light acidity that brightened up the flavors a bit without giving everything an overall lemony taste. I was going for a sort of lemon vinaigrette vibe. Decent, but not enough of a difference to really change the sandwich...

The summer-fresh vibe of my 'wich was completed with a perfectly ripened yellow nectarine. I love summer stone fruits!some mother's iced "lemonade" cookies for dessert

I think I should probably start giving myself restrictions so I don't eat the same thing every day. (At least it would be a definite relief to any readers, if i have any...)

The day was spent browsing the massive maze that is Ikea- with an obligatory stop at the cafe. I had a kid sized meal of meatballs smothered in gravy, mushy mac'n cheese, and a shared princess cake. Nothing was overly memorable, and everything tasted how I'd imagined- though the princess cake slightly exceeded my expectations. A nice light ending to my heavy meal. No cinnamon roll or soft serve this time...

I skipped out on my swim today, so no extra treats for me...thought that means I can't slack off tomorrow!

A cozy latte refuel, and it was back home just in time for dinner. A quick glazed ham lettuce wrap and later a piece of wheat bread with peanut butter...followed by an original drumstick...undoubtedly the highlight of my day!

izakaya!

An eventful day yesterday! Had a meeting at 10, conveniently at panera bread...enjoyed a nice big capupuccino and bear claw on a beautiful day! Ran a few errands (one of which included buying a new pair of shoes), then went home to prepare for my run- with another brat in a toasted sourdough bread "bun" slathered in mustard and a few small pickles on the side...

Luckily, no ill aftereffects during my run.

Ran the lake (about 4.5 miles) in 47 mins. Not bad, breaking in some new running shoes/insoles, and felt better in them today than during a previous run.

Ate a banana to fuel the after-run metabolism, then went on to make dinner plans- It was decided (by me) that we would have izakaya! mmm....yay!

We tried out a new place, Oyaji, recommended not only by yelp, but also backed by my dad's super-critical recommendation. My first time having izakaya in the city...not bad, but does not even close to my fave, Honda-Ya....

the night's eats, among 3 of us:
-chicken thigh yakitori
-chicken meatballs (very good!! great caramelization)
-pork yakibuta
-pork tongue (kinda tough, with some strange cartilage- or crunchy-something in it)
-aspara-beef
-agedashi tofu
-kani cream korokke (pretty good, smaller size, but nice proportion of fried panko to filling)
-deep fried soft shell crab (very good, melted in my mouth!)
-buta no kakuni (stewed pork belly, decent)
-ankimo (monkfish liver...on my dislikes list...didn't try, but it got rave reviews)
-cucumber sunomono
-toro nigiri
-kampachi nigiri

I might have missed a few...but it was all washed down with cold refreshing Hakutsuru sake, sapporo, and a bit of Iichiko shochu. Notice there wasn't any onigiri, ochazuke, or udon (in other words- FILLER- and more importantly, something to soak up all that alcohol.) I'm pretty sure D and S thoroughly enjoyed their initiation into izakaya. It was also D's first time trying "real" sushi...with excellent sashimi-grade fish. I'd say it was a winner.

it all got a thumbs up!

If you go here, and you're a female...just make sure not to wear a low-cut shirt. Beware the owner is slightly pervy and enjoyed oogling all the females in the joint nearing the end of his drunken night. He does like to socialize with his patrons though! (i'm having a bit of a time imagining my dad at this place with his buddies, chatting it up with the owner....??!!)

We spent the rest of the night drinking/sobering up (I did a bit of both, while everyone else hit it hard) next door at Tee Off Bar, a pretty great neighborhood dive bar. The drinks were stiff, the crowd was unpretentious (though full of characters), and the music flowing from the jukebox. Of course, the night can't end here...and the last bits of ourselves were taken over to Mel's Diner for a BLT and chocolate shake nightcap. (I didn't realize that not all Mel's are not open 24 hours....I thought that's what they're there for!!!??!!)

All in all, a great night out.


Oyaji Restaurant
3123 Clement (x 31st)
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 379-3604

Tee Off Bar

3129 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121

(415) 752-5439

Mel's Drive-In **(NOT 24 HOURS)
3355 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 387-2244

day of rest

Today was a relaxing day of rest, filled with sleep, more sleep, and the Project Runway season premiere. Pretty interesting...I'm holding my breath to see what these guys can do...although it does worry me when a designer asks, "what's smocking"?

In between all that sleeping and tv-watching, i did eat a few things-




I remade my turkey caprese sandwich of a few days ago with the last 2 pieces of bread. Yes....it was just as good. I know, not so exciting, but hey...it's all about saving money right now. Gotta use ALL the food that's around! I always get a little feeling of accomplishment when I can use something all the way down to the last drop. That included using the heel of the loaf for today's 'wich. I DID take a pic this time, heel of bread included...but aren't sure what to do with it...we'll see...

Dinner was a bit (really, like 1/4 cup) of Bertolli's pasta with a mixed baby green salad with oil and balsamic, and another Hillshire brat for added protein.

The best part of my day was dessert...
Breyer's Rocky Road (the one in the black container) is super good! I was pleasantly surprised, not really expecting anything special. But the marshmallow swirls are MUCH better than hardened marshmallow bits- and they added a sort of fudgesicle flavor to the chocolate. mmmm...there's always room for ice cream...it's a whole separate stomach!!

btw you should know:

I appear to be working out all the time, but I am actually training to run a half marathon in October. My last one was 2 years ago...and there have been many dinners, lunches, drinks, and desserts since, and so far, this one seems to be a tough one...

My motto is that I work out to eat.

I was only joking when I originally said that. But I think it may be more true than I'd even originally presumed.

Ideally, I'd like to eventually be 70 years old and still be physically fit and able to run, lift, exercise, and lead a generally healthy lifestyle- all while enjoying my food. It all starts now!

peach pie ala mode

Today I slept in a bit longer than I would have liked.

Having awakened at a strange time, I ended up eating a variety of things to satisfy all of my cravings and necessities for my first meal of the day:
-mixed berry yogurt (dairy)
-1/2 apple turnover (carbs)
-couple handfuls of baked ruffles with french onion dip (?!carbs?!)
-a large peach (fruit and fiber)
-a johnsonville brat (protien)

Yes...that doesn't really sound all that appetizing, especially all together...but I definitely wasn't left craving anything after that meal. A quick dinner of spaghetti before a killer workout...then on for the REAL meal-


I wanted something filling and satisfyingly bad after a hard workout, but not so bad as to undo the previous 3 hours. On to our after-gym standby, HEIDI'S PIES! I had a cup of chili with chips. Protein, fiber, carbs, all in one cup. But the real star of the meal? The recommendation from one of our waitresses...

her: "a piece of pie and ice cream? the peach pie is really good!"

me: "uuuhhh....nnnn-- oh, oookay"

duh...c'mon now! you CAN'T pass up a piece of pie at heidi's PIES. and if they say it's really good?? Now, I don't usually order peach pie. There's too much chance it will be mushy- peaches overcooked- or way too sweet...too many chances to fail.

But I was wrong, and am proud to admit it. This was a great piece of pie. It always pays to listen when someone tells you it's good. Especially if that someone works there.
The peaches were perfect- cooked just a bit, but still had some bite. The saucy part of the filling was not too sweet, but just right with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Really hit the spot and fulfilled (possibly created) a craving I didn't even know I had.

Tell her the late night workout girl sent ya...and get the peach pie!

(*edit- i just realized that the fresh peach pie is unbaked...much like a fresh strawberry pie...poured into a baked shell...oops...but still....very good!)

Heidi's Pies
1941 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 574-0505

www.heidipies.com

get it before it's gone

This blog is supposed to have pictures. I mean, what's a food blog without photos? I ate my post-late-night-workout meal much too fast, and with too much gusto to stop and take a picture of my creation. But booooy, it sure did beat the diner breakfasts (hash browns, eggs, toast) I've been eating after my gym time!

Oven roasted turkey lunch meat, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella slices, fragrant basil, a bit of spinach&artichoke cream cheese spread, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, all neatly stacked on toasted sourdough bread..... i'll definitely have to remember to make that again.

It was the perfect finish to my 4 mile run and strength training workout. Time for this vampire to get to bed!

you are what you eat

This blog will be my food journal. Instead of keeping track of calories or carbs, I will use it to keep myself mindful of what I put into my body- avoiding thoughtless eating, and making every meal count. I will be recording my thoughts, memories, and inspirations along the way, somehow all related to food....

Doesn't everyone seem to have a fascination with watching what everyone else is eating??

I know I do!