Il Fornaio and my super gym.Despite all my food talk and everything related to it, I try to balance it by going to the gym. A perk at my workplace is free gym membership at a very large, national chain. The facility (a block away from my office) is a super gym: it has three... Continue Reading →
Commuting consumables
Fact: I live in one county and work in another here in Southern California. The approxiate distance between my doorstep and the parking garage in Irvine is 88 miles. I could choose to drive but I take the train. I won't go into how some days are worse than others, while other days it doesn't... Continue Reading →
Yeasty (but tasty) liege waffles
Eurorail waffle in 2002.My first experience with a liege waffle from Belgium was on a train from Kolm, Germany to Brussels in 2002. It was memorable because I wanted to try a true Belgium waffle. Unfortunately, the waffle was prewrapped and possibly created for the purpose of a long shelf life. Secondly, it was sold... Continue Reading →
Things to do with leftover Easter Candy
Stop the gorging of the Easter candy! This contest from the Washington Post gave readers permission to play with their Easter goodies and had a Peep diorama contest. Dioramas ranged from scenes from 'Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend' (below) to 'Soylent Green.' Selected entries can be seen here. Via USA Today. And you didn't... Continue Reading →
A trip back east Pt. II: Toronto
When I mention that a day trip to Toronto, the word day should be emphasized for this specific trip. Driving from Cleveland to St. Catherine's where my aunt lives is approximately four hours with an additional one hour tacked on between St. Catherine's and Toronto. Why the day trip? I was only on the East... Continue Reading →
A trip back east Pt. I: Cleveland
The main reason for visiting Cleveland was not for the sights but to visit my brother, Warren. A California native with a prior sentence at Detroit's Wayne State for several years before his current residence at Ohio's CASE Western doing researchy stuff. Warren previously described Cleveland to me as garden within a city. Well, there... Continue Reading →
“Eat a hearty breakfast, for tonight we dine in HELL!”
- Leonidas from "300"Actually dinner was at IKEA and not hell but something like it. Especially on the weekends. I've been in a super thrifty mood lately with an impeding trip and what else is cheaper than a meal at IKEA?I'm not going to bore you with a description of the meal despite the only... Continue Reading →
A barfly malady and cheap eats
On no occasion, can I remember, wanting to go to a bar solely for it's food. But McCormick & Schmitck's is the exception. Visiting a McCormick & Schmick's has become almost a weekly obsession. Sometimes twice weekly if time permits and I'm able to make it for the period they consider happy hour. Sometimes in... Continue Reading →
An invitation to dinner and a grilling experiment
My friend, Photogirl, emailed me asking me to dinner. A home cooked dinner. How could I refuse? Her white elephant party a few years ago introduced me to the wonderful combination of seasoned asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. And then there was the homemade popcorn that look just as long, perhaps even less than the microwaved... Continue Reading →
My Burning Kitchen... on the road 