Salt City Girl

I moved!

2010-07-12T11:36:00.000-06:00

Actually, I think that's the anthem of my life this past month. I'm headed to South Korea and my blog found a new home at Salt City Girl. So you know, if you like what I have to say you should go over there. I'm still in the process of moving things so it's a bit of a mess. As always, thank you for reading. I'll see you there!

Life: Mostly endings...

2010-05-28T12:44:00.002-06:00

I thought today I would be telling you about how I'm so excited for my parents to get here and my big crazy family to come join me for graduation tomorrow. And I am excited about that.

I thought I would tell you today that I'm teaching English at the Say Say English Institute in Mokpo, South Korea. But I'm not.

A few days ago, I interviewed to teach at Say Say. The interview went okay. I certainly had mixed feelings about it. But I guess it went well because the next day they offered me a job.

I told Manfriend it was likely I would take this job. And he asked what that meant for us. I told him the same thing I've beens aying since March, "I want to try a long-distance relationship. I love you and I think it's worth the effort." And this time instead of saying, "I don't know," he said, "I don't think I can."

And that's when I started crying. We talked about it more. And I asked what would happen if I stayed here. I love Salt Lake City and I could find work here. I wouldn't mind staying. And if it meant staying with Manfriend, I might.

But he was determined to break up, I guess. He said I couldn't not go that I've been talking about teaching overseas for too long. That I'll always regret it if I stay. And he's right.

I just wish it didn't have to come to this. I guess it will just be one more things that ends this weekend.

Fuck.

Food: I need a bigger stomach so I can eat more

2010-05-26T09:00:00.001-06:00

The disturbing porn star-esque leering pig should not be taken as an indication of the barbecue that awaits you. Other possibly creepy factors include the maze of a restaurant space packed into what appears to be a converted factory and the paper dishes.

But then you remember, "Oh yeah, this is supposed to be a southern comfort experience" and that means picnic tables, paper plates and hot sauce.

And that's what Pat's Barbecue is, my friends. A delicious romp through barbecue to the accompaniment of live music. The weekend I was there with Big E, Amber and the family Blues on First was playing.

I love this band! They played last year at the Snowbird Beer Fest and they were perfect for beer sampling. Turns out they make barbecue even better.

I was thrilled to find red beans and rice on Pat's menu. After my Atlanta trip last summer, I was happy to see one of my Southern favorites on the menu. I also ordered the 1/4 rack of pork ribs and a Cutthroat.

The red beans and rice did not disappoint. They took me right back to Georgia with just the right amount of spice, ham hocks and beans all mixed together. I wish I could figure out how to make this dish.

The pork ribs! Oh man, the pork ribs! I took one bite and I was in love. The meat was so tender and juicy it just fell off the bone. I took Big E's suggestion and mixed the hot sauce with the mustard sauce. It was so good! Mmm...mmm...mmm...was had by all.

I also enjoyed the corn bread, but by the time I got to it I was so full I only had enough room for a couple of bites. So good...I can't wait to go back with Ava sometime soon.

Pat's Barbecue fills up quick so get there early to grab a seat. You'll be glad you did!

Food: Lemon cake cookies

2010-05-24T09:40:00.003-06:00

I used the recipe from Half Assed Kitchen. I threw together a box of lemon cake mix, a 1/2 cup of butter and two eggs. One suggestion I have to make is to let the cookies rest in the fridge overnight (or up to 48 hours).

I rolled my in sugar since I didn't have powder sugar on hand. And let them cook for about seven minutes in a 350 degree oven.

They came out soft, chewy and delicious.

Enjoy!

Life: Moving again

2010-05-20T10:41:00.002-06:00

Actually this isn't about me physically moving, nope, not yet.

I'm planning on moving the blog over to WordPress. A new host will provide me with more options to build a website I like more. And I hope you will find easier to navigate, read and enjoy.

When the new blog is launched I'll post a final good-bye to blogger and new navigation.

Thank you for reading! I hope you continue to enjoy my blog.

Food: So good, so naked

2010-05-20T10:09:00.003-06:00

Naked Fish Japanese Bistro in Downtown at 67 West 100 South is Salt Lake Magazine's Japanese Restaurant of 2010. And there is little question why.

Naked Fish is undoubtedly my new favorite place for sushi in the City of Salt. It started when Manfriend, Ava, Erin and I walked through the doors into the beautifully decorated space. The website says the concept of Naked Fish is to serve contemporary Japanese cuisine in a swanky Downtown location. They definitely hit the mark.

The place feels very modern, comfortable and clean. The bathrooms are AWESOME! I want to take the sink, floors and walls and move them to my apartment. Seriously if there was a shower I would move in.

We didn't make a reservation so we missed out on the private omakase rooms, but our table was still comfortable.

We started off with some drinks. Ava and I ordered some cocktails. My Cosmo with champagne was a touch too sugary for it to be my favorite drink, but it was well made and yummy. Erin had a glass of wine that paired well with the sushi. And Manfriend tried a Japanese beer for the first time. Not surprisingly, the beer went best with the sushi, but that's not keeping me from more cocktails at Naked Fish in the future.

The sushi rolls are between $7 and $12. One roll was plenty for me--so Naked Fish can be done cheaply. But it was Ava's birthday so we splurged.

These were hands down the best sushi rolls I have eaten. Ava ordered the caterpillar roll and loved it. I don't remember what roll Erin ordered, but I believe it was the tekka maki roll. It was also outstanding. I ordered a stand-by favorite of mine, the Wasatch roll. I was very impressed with the freshness of the ingredients, the solid construction and the great mix of flavors. Manfriend ordered the Mexi roll, while the flavor was great it was too hot for me, and I barely made it through one piece with a glass of water.

At this point, I had deiced Naked Fish is the BEST. JAPANESE. BISTRO. EVER. Manfriend disagreed. He insisted the mark of a good Japanese restaurant is in the vegetable tempura. He disagreed with Ava and said Tsunami was better. So of course, I had to take him up on the challenge. And I promptly ordered the vegetable tempura.

Oh.My.God. It was amazing! The asparagus, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and Japanese squash were all cooked perfectly. The tempura batter itself was crisp, light and delicious. The sauce on the side was also wonderful and went fantastic with each vegetable. Although I can't even begin to guess what was in it.

After the vegetable tempura, Manfriend acquiesced and agreed Naked Fish is the best Japanese restaurant in Salt Lake City. And that was before the ice cream.

The waitress suggested mochi ice cream for dessert. We had the plum and green tea ice cream rolled in mochi. (I'm not sure what mochi is, but I think it's a red bean paste.) I love, love green tea ice cream. It was the perfect dessert to end such a wonderful meal.

I can't wait to return to Naked Fish. And this time I'm making a reservation.

Life: T.S. Eliot and other cool literary people

2010-05-19T10:28:00.005-06:00

I've been reading The Norton Anthology of English Literature. And I love it! I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying the poetry and prose published between World War I and World War II.

So far I've read T.S. Eliot and "Black Elk Speaks" by John G. Neihardt. It's weird to see the contrast reading them right in a row like that.

And T.S. Eliot is amazing! I've come across so many great insights in his work. It really makes me think about what life must have been like for him in the 1920s and 30s. I also love that he spent seven years writing just one poem. According to the book, Eliot was instrumental in the movement of modern poetry, but I think most of you will remember him for saying,

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang,but a whimper.

--The Hollow Men

And interesting tidbit? It's a play on the children's rhyme, "Here we go around the mulberry bush."

I'm in love.

Food: It's like you're drunk or something...

2010-05-17T11:40:00.004-06:00

Ava's discovery of UrbanSpoon.com has led us down an interesting path. A path you come to when you are hungry, lazy and tired. A path that leads to Koyo Restaurant.

Manfriend, Ava and I arrived at Koyo after going to Iron Man 2, and the answer is yes, it is bad ass. The small restaurant was inviting once we got through the odd entryway. We waited awkwardly for a minute before our waitress sat us.

And this is where things get interesting.

There were three tables across from us in those nifty tea rooms with the rice paper walls. And one of the guests was very, very drunk.

So instead of telling you a story about delicious, perfectly prepared tempura, rice, fried chicken and beef sukiyaki, I'm going to tell you a story about how not to be obnoxious in public.

Rule number one: Don't drink until you can't stand up. Drunk Girl was so loud that the three tables around here could barely have a discussion among themselves. And needless to say, the talk of the restaurant was Drunk Girl in the middle.

Rule number two: Don't drink to the point that your friends are embarassed. When Drunk Girl left, it turned out she was meeting friends of a friend for the first time. The table quieted down considerably, but there was laughter at Drunk Girl's expense once she was gone. And Sober Friend explaining, why Drunk Girl was not a friend of hers anymore.

Rule number three: Don't drink until you steal someone else's shoes. I'm not making this up. Drunk Girl attempts to leave. Platinum Blonde has to help her stand. Drunk Girl puts on the first pair of flip-flops she sees and stumbles away. Later Sober Friend leaves and says, "I think she took my shoes." Oh yes, Drunk Girl, was so far gone she took someone else's shoes.

Rule number four: Don't be louder than the baby crying. Yep, after Drunk Girl left, I was suddenly aware that a small baby was crying on the other side of me for most of the night. Hmm...maybe I would rather listen to drunken stories of ex-boyfriends than a baby crying.

Rule number five: If you are Drunk Girl, or likely to ever be Drunk Girl, stay home.

An entirely delightful evening with wonderful food and friends was ruined by a complete stranger. Next time I see you Drunk Girl, I'll switch out your vodka for water and stuff painkillers in your food.

Not even kidding.

Alcohol: G'morning, Bloody Mary!

2010-05-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure what posessed me, but I bought a bottle of tomato juice. Then 48 hours later it hit me: I should be able to whip up an awesome Bloody Mary with my standby stock of vodka.

You see, where this is going? You are impressed.

So I took a jigger (ounce and a half) of vodka, an ounce of Worcesthershire sauce, a dash of Louisana Hot Sauce and a dash of siracha, half a cup of tomato juice, 1/2 a lemon freshly squeezed and shook it up with some ice in my cocktail shaker. I strained the concotion into my glass added a slice of lemon, a celery stick and salt and pepper.

Ta-da!

It was delicious and went awesome with Mad Men season three re-runs. Almost like Sally made it for me.

Food: Meet the Parents Part Deux

2010-05-12T09:00:00.000-06:00

Bambara Restaurant is housed in the Hotel Monaco in Downtown. Manfriend's dad was sweet enough to invite me to dinner at his favorite Salt Lake City restaurant when he was in town. On this visit, The Dad's wife came, too.

The Dad, The Step-Mom, and The Sister were running late which gave me time to explore the lounge of Bambara. It's the Vault. And it's awesome! The room is beautiful and Bambara used the vault to handle the Zion Curtain law (bar tenders could not serve drinks across the counter until 2008) in the most beautiful way I've seen. The bar tenders were very friendly and set me up with a great side car and conversation in just a few moments from when I took a seat at the bar.

Manfriend got a beer on tap and we had a nice, comfy half hour before the family showed up. We were promptly sat by the host. (He was amazing!) The outstanding service was the theme for the evening.

I started off with a tuna tartar The Step-Mom was brave enough to try. It was delicious. The tartar was served with fresh, homemade potato chips. The combination of soft flesh with crisp chip was amazing. The textures went together perfectly. The softer flavor of the tuna paired well with the lightly salted potato and the the Italian herb salsa cut right through. This is a dish I wish I could prepare on my own.

Next I tried the chicken because it was served with mashed potatoes. (It's physically impossible for me to say no to potatoes.) And I was so in love with this entree. The chicken was moist, the skin was crisp. It was so good! But after all that tuna I went straight for the veggies. The potatoes were so creamy and smooth, with mushrooms and garlic thrown in for delicious measure, I couldn't stop eating them. I ate until I was past full.

Then I ordered dessert.

A lovely dish of ice cream including strawberry, lemon and vanilla flavors. The waiter also brought us adorable cupcakes. The homemade ice cream was as good as it sounds.

Bambara brought me one of the most impressive and satisfying meals in my life with superb service. I would love another excuse to go back.

Not to mention, the company. The Family and I had a great time. And Manfriend also commented on how delicious the calimari, steak, and cupcakes were.

Bambara is worth the money.

Life: Famous last words?

2010-05-11T17:27:00.003-06:00

Probably not so much, but my final thoughts to sum up my Westminster experience are in The May Issue of the student newspaper.

You can read the article here.

And my favorite article from the issue is here.

And my best interview for this issue is here, and another great interview is here.

Yes, I'm a self-promoting whore. Just deal with it.

Food: Five Guys and a lady

2010-05-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Five Guys Burger and Fries has been blogged, printed, written about and loved by many. I must admit, I am a Five Guys devotee.

They only make burgers and fries. And they do it well. As Bayles says, "That's a great business plan." Every time I've been to Five Guys they've been busy.

I'm also inclined to agree with Naruto on Yahoo! who says, "Best hang over food and the service is friendly and quick." Admittedly, I've never had Five Guys while hung over, I have tendency to stay in my house after a long night. However the service is quick and friendly. And the grease quotient of the food would lend itself to hang over cure.

Here's what I love about Five Guys.

1. The guy with the radio voice. I promise there is a guy who works at Five Guys who is so friendly, so loud and has so much character you expect to hear the theme music to "The Five Guys Radio Show" at any moment.
2. And speaking of music, they like good music. I've never heard anything that makes me grit my teeth from the loud speakers.
3. The burgers. I love that I get to choose everything on my burger. My favorite is the little cheeseburger with green bell peppers, grilled mushrooms, grilled onions and mayonnaise.
4. The fries. My favorite are the Cajun fries with fry sauce. And keep in mind the regular size is enough for two. The serving portions at Five Guys are huge! So order small.
5. The peanuts. They have boxes of free peanuts. I love snacking on a few bites of salty goodness before digging into the main event.

Any time I feel like greasy, quick and easy I find myself at Five Guys.

You can thank Manfriend @WeirdGonePro for introducing Five Guys to me so I could introduce the deliciousness to you.

Life: Jesus is dead, tell him to leave me alone

2010-05-07T15:29:00.003-06:00

Before we go any further, I will be discussing religion and I will say things that will upset most of my family and friends.

If you do not want to keep reading, I understand.

You don't need to pray for me. I'm not worried about my soul. You might be. That's something we'll have to live with. This is the story of how I left the LDS faith and God.

A little more than three years ago, my younger brother, Ben and his best friend, Alex were seniors in high school. Until I graduated high school and moved away from home, Ben and I had never spent more than two weeks away. He was my best friend, my little/big brother and my biggest supporter.

Our whole lives we shared pretty much everything--rooms, friends, toys and family. Seriously, people thought we were twins until they saw me bossing Ben around.

It was a Saturday morning, much like any other my freshman year, I woke up at Amber's house. I played with the kids and got ready to go to work later that afternoon. Ava called me around 10 a.m. I could hear instantly that something that was wrong. She told me Alex had died.

My reaction was so strong the world felt physically different. I sat on the bed wondering how the world could move forward without Alex in it. I called my mom.

"Mom," I whispered. My throat was hoarse, my eyes watering. "Alex died."

"Does Ben know?," Mom asked. "You should call Ben."

I don't know if I'll ever fully forgive my mother for asking me to make this call. I was shaking. I was crying. I could barely speak.

"Ben," I said. "Alex died."

I cried for hours. I cried so hard my niece and nephew tried to comfort me. I could barley explain to Amber what had happened. I cried so hard, my body hurt. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't think.

Then I did what I had always been taught to do. I prayed. I kneeled down on the floor and I talked to God. I asked why Alex died, I asked why death existed, I asked why it hurt so much, I asked out loud all the questions I had been asking silently.

And I heard nothing.

There was no voice from above, there was no feeling of comfort. There was me, alone, in a bare bedroom.

I went to Alex's funeral. I comforted Ben as best as I could. I tried to comfort Alex's parents. And I continued to question God, religion and my beliefs. I asked everyone who would talk to me about their beliefs. I researched online and I read everything I could find about God, religion and belief systems.

I found exmormon.org and Atheists of Utah. I want to be clear: I spent a year calling myself agnostic and spiritual. After realizing I didn't believe the LDS religion to be "the one true church," I changed my mind about God. I now believe God, Jesus and Joseph Smith are myths. Ben, as an LDS missionary, strongly disagrees with me.

I think it's fair to say, I'm atheist. I'm not angry. I'm not bitter. I'm frustrated. I want to know why religion matters so much. Many of my family members have wondered how I can still be happy without religion.

Ignoring how much that question bothers me, let me tell you. The purpose of my life is to live. I want to live my life everyday in a way that makes me proud to say, "I'm Krista Mae Smith and I'm amazing." This means I have morals. I believe in truth, honesty, openness, kindness and empathy. And believing in truth is a big part of being a skeptical atheist humanist. This means I doubt claims until they are proven true. This means that science is pretty awesome. This means the natural world is beautiful. And the humanist bit means I believe in the goodness of the people around me.

I'm happy because I try everyday to focus on the here and now and loving every moment in my life. Less in big ideas and more in the day-to-day. This means I love clothes, cocktails and books. This means I avoid angry people, shopping and long lines.

I've thought about religion. I don't want to convert you to atheism. I wouldn't wish the process of losing faith on anyone. I'm telling you this story because I want you to understand who I am now and in some small way how I got here. I won't try to convert you, please don't try to convert me.

Jesus is dead, tell him to leave me alone.

Food: Meatloaf results are in

2010-04-29T14:30:00.002-06:00

My last column in The Forum will let you know, my meatloaf lost hard to Cristy and Manfriend.

Ah, well. I think everyone can agree the surprise strawberry short cake Jen brought was the best dish of all.

Thanks, everyone, for all your help!

Food: Inspiration cupcakes

2010-04-22T12:33:00.005-06:00

Look at this!

Ming Makes Cupcakes has over 20 easy and beautiful cupcake recipes. Including a florless recip for the gluten free, some of them just sound so wonderful "Sourcream Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting" or how about some "Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes with Baileys Irish Cream Frosting?" I can't believe this is real. It's so beautiful!

I feel so inspired. I'll have to try these out soon. The cookies and savouries (savory, rather than sweet, cupcaks) also sound delicious.

Amazing!

Life: Seriously

2010-04-21T13:46:00.004-06:00

I can't believe this is where I'm at.

I just keep thinking about the weird-ness of life. I never thought I would be the person I am today. But I'm happier than I believe I would be if I never left religion.

I'm about to graduate from college, which is an accomplishment. My family loves me, but couldn't provide much financial support. My oldest brother beat me to the first sibling Bachelor's degree last year, but I'm the youngest one to get their degree. So there!

My parents are planning on coming to graduation. I'm pretty excited to see them!

And just a few short months from now I will be flying to South Korea to teach English. I'm terrified of leaving all my life behind. But I'm excited for the future.

I can't wait to see what it's like. I'm excited for all the new adventures I will have and new friends I will make.

Food: My meatloaf brings all the boys to the yard

2010-04-14T22:37:00.002-06:00

My latest column brings on the comfort food show down.

Who's meatloaf will reign supreme? Find out April 23 at 12 p.m. in Converse Hall at Westminster College. Everyone is invited to taste test and vote!

Alcohol: The cocktails never taste so good

2010-04-14T11:55:00.006-06:00

The good news: the cocktails.

The bad news: bowing to Salt Lake City culture and adding a sports channel to the TV.

After presenting my senior project my posse of Ava, Erin, Lilian and Manfriend indulged my love of classic cocktails at the Speak Easy.

The Speak Easy is a 20s inspired bar in Downtown Salt Lake City (63 West 100 South). My friend Alex joined us later in the night. He just got back from South Korea, so you can blame him for my current indecision about teaching there or in Taiwan.

We had a great time with a lovely group of people who also sat in our comfy corner. The Speak Easy is a small venue, but has never been very packed. The live band was great and the cover charge was a reasonable $3 for one or $5 for two.

The space is lined with great comfortable couches and small tables. There are cool vintage mirrors above the stage area. And a small dance floor for the dancers of the group. The club has a dress code, but isn't too strict about it. In the name of dressing nice though, it's a great excuse for a cocktail dress and heels. There is a TV playing sports above the bar, but it's easy to ignore with all the other cool vintage things to watch.

The bar tenders know how to treat you right and will set you up with any cocktail. I tried the Bee's Knees and it was delicious. Lemony, sweet, and pretty, too. It was a little sweet for my taste so I went with a Long Island next.

I've explained the baseline theory of cocktails before, any one who can make a Long Island can make a cocktail. I said it at the bar and I'll say it at the blog, "Speak Easy makes the best Long Island's in Salt Lake." These people aren't afraid of their alcohol and you can taste it.

I finished the night with a side car. I love the cognac, lemon mix.

I also tried Manfriend's Singapore Sling. It was definitely too Kool-Aid like for me, but he liked it enough to get a second.

The Speak Easy also serves beer on tap.

I had a great night with a great group of people. I highly recommend Speak Easy to anyone who wants a different bar experience in the city of sports bars.

Life: So, yeah...food!

2010-04-05T09:41:00.007-06:00

I realize I haven't done a great job of keeping you posted about life or food via my blog. Twitter is my new favorite tool for annoying updates about myself and you can find me @kristamaesmith.

But I do have a few things, I would like to share with you.

First in food.

April 5 is officially Cafe Rio Day in Utah. So thank Governor Gary Herbert for giving you a reason to sit down with chips, salsa, guacomole, relleno and margaritas today. Or is that just me?

Meditirina was kind of a let down last time I was there. The house made sangria was delicious and the patas bravas were as delicious as I remembered. However the Drunken Oreos were soaked, not dipped, in port wine, not a reduction sauce. All in all, Manfriend and I still had a good experience, but I think I'll stick with my own Drunken Oreos in the future.

And I'm on a mission to steal the bruschetta recipe from the Meditirina kitchen as well. Balsamic and tarragon soaked strawberries with chevre cheese on top of crisp, buttery bread. Mmmm....so good!

In the past two months Millies and the Soup Kitchen have been mainly responsible for keeping my grease quota. But I've blogged enough about them for you to know how much I love burgers and onion rings from both of these great Sugar House icons.

Second in life...

I'll be graduating May 29 at 1 p.m.-ish at the E Center in West Valley, UT. If you like me enough to read my blog, you are invited. Of course, leading up to that I'll be in a panic about finishing my senior project, writing a research paper, writing a film theory paper, editing the paper and writing a column. So in advance, I'm thanking you for your patience. (Especially, Manfriend!)

I'm in the middle of my application to teach in Taiwan, but I feel good about getting it done on time. Next weekend, I should be able to get the video done. Once I have my passport, I will be elligible to begin training.

Otherwise things are pretty normal. The St. Patrick's day party was fun. We played "Apples to Apples' for forever. Long enough anyway for me to leave and talk with Harry. The sidecars were awesome! The combination of one part cognac to three parts lemon juice is so good! I love the sour tanginess of it.

I'm looking forward to trying an old school daquiri with rum and lime juice, next.

The potatoe skins were pretty good. I completely forgot to add any butter. Luckily, no one seemed to notice. I think they were distracted by the bacon. Or the booze, whatever.

Finally I tested out the Black Magic Chocolate cake recipe Amber recommended. My version didn't come out quite as good. I think because I did a buttercream frosting instead of cream cheese frosting. So next time, Sis, my chocolate will beat up your chocolate. Or at least, taste as good. The cake was easy to bak and did well divided up into a dozen cupcakes and a 9" square cake pan.

The next shindig I'm putting on will be the Mad Men cocktail party. So get out your cocktail wear and tell me your favorite classic cocktail. We'll be partying Don Draper style following my graduation.

I know, you're excited. I am.

Life: Column writing and other musings

2010-03-19T12:44:00.002-06:00

This semester I did a directed study in column writing for The Forum.

The latest column will catch you up on what I've been thinking about the last few weeks.

Writing this column helped me make the decision to go to Taiwan in July. I'm applying for my passport today and hopefully will have it in my hands by the first of June. Just in time for the final deadline on my application.

I plan to continue writing from Taiwan and all my adventures there. Hopefully, lots of cool food stories will come out of the change in country. (I'm weirdlly excited to try chicken feet.)

In the meantime, I'm focusing on enjoying the time I have left at Westminster because it's been such a wonderful experience for me. (Could I sound more like a brochure? Ew!) Starting off with an awesome belated St. Patty's day party this weekend.

I'm testing out potatoe skins (my own recipe) and sidecars.

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for reading!

Alcohol: Stirred, not shaken

2010-03-12T09:00:00.002-07:00

The Martini

1 part dry vermouth

4 parts vodka

Kalamata olives

Toothpicks

Olive juice

Pour the vermouth and vodka into a chilled martini glass. Add one kalamata olive pierced with a toothpick. Stir. Add olive juice to make it dirty.

After spending the day at the Salt Flats and in Wendover, Manfriend and I picked up some vermouth and vodka for $27 at the Desert Discount Liquor Store in West Wendover. I've been led to believe that alcohol is cheaper outside the Great State of Utah, but that belief has been amended to only some alcohol is cheaper in Nevada-vodka isn't one of them, vermouth is.

We decided to try out our cocktail mixing talents and put together a classic martini since the cognac for a sidecar was more than I wanted to spend.

By the second martini, I decided I like mine best extra dry and extra dirty. Manfriend wouldn't even drink a dirty martini after smelling it so apparently olive juice isn't for everyone. The mixture of booze with booze took me down fast so in the future I'll definitely be a one martini woman.

But it sure was delicious.

Food: The most diverse cookie. Ever.

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to try out an old family recipe. I like to call these cookies "Uncle Richard's cookies." But after some googling, I realized these powdered sugar cookies are also called Ukrainian, Mexican and German wedding cookies. Since these cookies are butter rolled in powdered sugar so I'll just call them delicious.

Powdered Sugar Cookies

1 C. soft butter

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon liqueur

2 C. flour

1/2 C. chopped pecans

1 lemon, zested

1-2 C. powdered sugar for rolling

Cream the butter and gradually add powdered sugar. I used a whisk because I don't have a mixer, but I think a rubber spatula would work better.

Next add the vanilla and lemon liqueur, cream well.

Now, gradually add in the flour, nuts and zest from one lemon. At this point, I switched to mixing with my hands. I used closer to 1 and 3/4 cups of flour than the 2 cups called for, so add the flour slowly and stop when the dough is smooth and crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Shape the dough into 1" to 1 and 1/2" balls. I made mine a little bigger--maybe 2" in diameter.

Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. The bottoms will be light brown, but the tops will still be white. My cookies took closer to 30 minutes and because I sprayed some water into the stove to create steam the cookies came out a little darker brown in color.

Take the cookies out of the oven. Put one to two cups powdered sugar in a large shallow dish. (I used a pie pan.)

Now roll the cookies in the powdered sugar and place on a serving platter. Let cool.

Enjoy your sugar and butter love! I know I did.

Food Review: The Paris Restaurant

2010-03-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

I went to the "zinc bar and grill" with CBC, The Sister and The Dad.

For meeting family for the first time-ness, it was a great place to be. The restaurant is pricey for me, but it still felt comfortable. The vibe is definitely that of a family-owned French cafe.

The food was delicious. The bread was amazing. It's served with a special butter that is somehow creamier and sweeter than most butters.

Next we moved on to the appetizers, I had pomme frites and the winter soup special. The pomme frites were served sans fry sauce, but otherwise delicious. I imagine if you asked for mayonnaise the friendly wait staff would be happy to bring it to you.

The winter soup was awesome! It had delicious pine nuts, butter squash and other yummy bits in it. It was warm and comforting. Everything you expect from a soup on a cold winter night.

For my entree I had the linguine with mussels. For some reason, The Paris Restaurant has a menu that is heavily Italian. However the main course was just as impressive as everything else I sampled. The seafood tasted fresh and the pasta was cooked to the perfect al dente. I enjoyed the sauce as well although it was a little thin for what I think of as traditional Italian food. I wonder if that makes it more French?

Through all of this we had a wonderful white wine, The Dad chose. It was nice, bright and crisp. I'm not a big fan of the whites, but it was definitely one of the best five whites I've ever had. It made a great complement to the seafood as well.

For desseret I had a wonderful fruit tart. It was much bigger than I expected, but it was so good I stuffed the whole thing down. I was worried my button might pop open I ate so much. But the tart was worth it.

The Paris has wonderful coffee and it's served in a full French press so prepare yourself for several cups of coffee at once.

My one complaint about the evening is the service. The wait staff was extremely helpful and friendly. But the unshaven waiters and busboys banging into tables in the cramped space left an unprofessional and untrained vibe behind them.

I would definitely go back to The Paris for the food, but I would be prepared for some spilling and inappropriate remarks from the wait staff.

In the end, we had a great dinner and everyone went home stuffed with delicious food.

Life: I love a good fight

2010-03-05T09:00:00.001-07:00

I love it when Manfriend and I have a fight.

That sounds terrible, right? We're a couple and I'm happy when we fight? What's wrong with me?

Well, nothing really. What I love about fights is how we fight. It doesn't actually feel like a fight; it seems like a disagreement that is settled civilly by adults.

For example, we were hanging out with the incomparable Ava and she has a gimp foot so walking is difficult. CBC and I took her home and he parked the car out in the street. So I said, "What? You can't park in the driveway so she doesn't have to walk as far? Come on, Chris."

I could tell CBC was upset. I tried to make it better by saying I was sorry and that I wasn't trying to be bossy. I just didn't want Ava to walk anymore than she has to with a hurt foot, I explained.

After Ava got out of the car, CBC said, "I know you're not trying to be controlling, but sometimes the way you say something...you're just snarky." I think snarky was a nice substitute word for bitchy.

Then I said, "You know what? You're right. I should've said that more politely. I'm sorry. I'll work on that."

The end!

Isn't that awesome? That was the whole friggin' thing. My ex-boyfriend and I used to scream at each other for an hour and get nowhere.

In less than five minutes now boyfriend and I resolved the whole thing.

By the way, it's really hard for me to not say the first mean thing in my head and make it nicer, but I'm trying. *Promise*

Food: Bread baking, maybe?

2010-03-04T15:28:00.004-07:00

Over spring break, I felt ambitious so I decided to make some bread.

My first experiement was with Julia Child's French bread recipe. It did not go well.

I love The Art of French Cooking mostly because it was a thoughtful and generous gift from CBC a.k.a Manfriend. However 1960s recipe writing really wasn't focused on how the recipe was used. For example, I had to flip three pages to see what step I was on in the recipe and how the dough should be kneaded.

In the end the bread came out hard, dense and burnt. The final loaf of the three I made came out the best, but I wasn't very proud of my baking efforts. It took a good seven hours for me to make the bread and it was a frustrating failure.

A few days later, I decided to take on an easier recipe. I used Emeril's Basic Italian Bread recipe. This time the process took about half as long and came out about twice as good. Perhaps I just needed less time to lose my patience. The bread was much tastier and althought still dense, I'll take Manfriend's suggestion and be careful to not let it overrise next time.

I'm really enjoying the baking this week, but I definitely need to be more committed to staying at home when I bake. Next up: Powdered Sugar Cookies.

Life: I suck!

2010-02-10T10:03:00.004-07:00

I'm so sorry I've been neglecting you blogger.

You would think with my shiny new Baby Mac I would blog away the days. *sigh*

But nope, between the move, the boyfriend, the friends, the work and the paper, I still find ways to put off blogging. I'm a terrible blogger.

I've decided I need to get a little more organized. I'm doing less things this semester, which so far is going well. I'm feeling more relaxed and happy than I have for awhile. I feel like I'm in a much more positive place than I was last time I wrote. I just need to figure out how to read my calendar.

School is keeping me busy with a capstone class to my communication degree program as well as a photoraphy class. Photography is a test of my patience and understanding. I just don't seem to understand the professor or the assignments. Not to mention, I hate seeing my photos next to artists' photos. There are people in my class who call themselves artists!

Ahhh! I would rather make money writing, thanks. Maybe I'll ask if we can compare writing samples one day just so I can feel better.

I'm also doing a research paper on gender, sexuality and race in news coverage of Prop. 8. It's the first research paper I've done since 10th grade English. I think I'm going to spend more time going over what a research paper is than researching just so I can get it done.

I signed up for May Term so I'm staying in Salt Lake through the end of May for sure. I'm taking two biology classes "Sex in the Brain" and "Evolution, Creation and Intelligent Design." I'm excited!Luckily, worky work asked me to stay so I'll be able to live in my new apartment and pay the rent.

In other life news, I still haven't figured out what I want to do June 1. Last night I found goals I had written down for myself during my freshman year. I was proud to see I had already accomplished some of my goals (like owning my own laptop), but there are others I would still like to achieve and some that are no longer relevant. All I know for sure is I have to figure out a way to pay the bills.

So what advice and experience would you like to share with me?

Film: Production Intern

2010-01-28T13:31:00.002-07:00

Salty Pictures is looking for a production intern for their upcoming Disney TV film.

Production dates are Feb. 9 through mid-March.
Filming will take place Tuesday through Saturday.
Call time is 7 a.m.

The intern will work with the Assistant Director department. They are willing to work with a class schedule except for days with a lot of extras on the set.

For contact information, please send me an email at kristamaesmith@gmail.com

Life: Big girl time

2010-01-22T15:16:00.002-07:00

It's time to take a big girl pill and tell the painful truth.

I'm making some changes in my life and I feel like I owe it to the few people who read my blog to explain where I've been and where I'm going.

The past few months have been incredibly difficult for me and in some ways the most trying times of my life. I have learned a great deal from these experiences I feel I have grown more in the last six months of my life than at any other time in my life. However the growing was not without its pains.

I've been adjusting to having a boyfriend and luckily CBC is patient enough to deal with my craziness and worries. He's been supportive, loyal and caring in a way that I find both impressive and unimaginable. I'm still surprised at how much he's willing to do for me. You know, the Krista who whines, bitches, complains, takes charge and seriously hates not getting her way. Yep, CBC still likes me even on the days when I act like the crazy person I'm scared of being.

And there have been a lot of those days.

I've mentioned before on this blog that being the editor at the student newspaper proved far more difficult than I expected. What I have not shared with most people is how severely the stress affected my health. I spent much of November, December and January ill with colds and infections. That may not sound like much, but for me this was extreme. I went to the doctor several times to be told to "eat better, exercise and rest" every time.

After one doctor visit too many, I got a wake up call from a close friend and realized it was time to take better care of myself.

The changes began with the student newspaper. We hired a new production and business manager at The Forum. We have a tremendously talented group of people working for Westminster's student newspaper. It has been a miracle to have so much more free time with their help on the paper each week. They continually help me breathe easier.

I also left Reel Griffins which has been challenging and painful in unexpected ways. However Harry, Erin and the rest of the gang have been doing a fantastic job. I'm very proud of them and the work they are doing. They've been kind enough to keep me included and I'm excited for the future of film at Westminster. This group is making cool things happen nearly every week on campus. They are amazing!

I also made the painful decision to move out. Erin, Ava and I have been living together for nearly three straight years. Other than Erin's Italy study abroad, we've been "the girls" for nearly all of my college experience. I'm terrified to be leaving, but I'm happy I'll be close by.

The new apartment is just up the street. I know it will be different and scary. Plus the new kitchen is tiny with an electric stove so my cooking mojo may suffer. And cooking for myself will be weird, I'll have to invite people over to eat with me. I hate it when leftovers go to waste and I kind of like people sometimes.

I'm moving next weekend with the help of family and friends. Everyone has been supportive and loving. I'm so grateful for the people in my life who helped me make this decision and are helping me through it. You are amazing! And my life is better because of each of you.

Finally I've started cooking lighter (as in less better and oil) and running agan. I know Julia Childs would be shocked, but I am feeling better. I know change is difficult, but I believe this is a positive change in my life teaching me how to better balance my life so I can be happy and healthy.

I hope you understand why I've been MIA this last while. After all this change, I hope I'll be better able to settle into a routine and start blogging regularly again. I have so many food experiences to share, I can't wait to write about them.

That's all the big girl I've got in me for now. I'm ready for some play time!

Casting Call!

2010-01-07T15:41:00.002-07:00

This Saturday bring your 10 to 12 year olds to audition for an adorable short.

Who:
Children ages 10 to 12

When:
Saturday, Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where:
Howa Board Room
Shaw Student Center
Westminster College
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City, UT

Copies of the script will be available at the audition. The short student film will be entered into a fundraiser for the Rape Recovery Center on Jan. 20. Make an appointment by contacting me at kristamaesmith@gmail.com or stop by.

Food Recipe: Congee, again!

2009-12-24T08:00:00.001-07:00

So I tried to be inventive and figure out how to make this dish on my own. Unfortunately, I should really stick with making traditional American/Italian comfort cuisine. Sometimes I can handle a taco, but you know anything else just throws me.

This picture is not what my congee looked like. It was much more gloppy and less overall appealing. I put 13 cups of water with one cup of rice vinegar into the 50s rice maker with two cups of medium grain rice. This was a bad idea. About four-fifths the way into the rice cooking, I realized I should've left the lid half off so the water could actually cook down.

The next bad idea was trying to recreate the century egg from Bay Leaf Cafe. I went ahead and steeped three bags of green tea into a pot of hot water for about 15 minutes. Then I boiled the eggs for about 20 minutes.

I successfully died the egg shells a funky brown color and made the eggs looked disease. This was clearly not enough tea time to actually have any effect on the egg.

In the end, I determined the congee was edible and served it up with some steak strips, onions, boiled egg and sweet red pepper. My thought was this would taste like a hearty breakfast dish perfect for dinner.

Ava was a good sport and ate some. She even said it was good for a first try. My roommates are amazing!

I think I'll try congee again. I just need to do some more research before I boil anything again.

Food Review: Get your vegan on

2009-12-23T08:00:00.002-07:00

Joan, CBC and I went to Vertical Diner after an In n' Out Burger misadventure. Turns out vegetarian burgers are pretty delicious if you know what you're doing.

Vertical Diner is a misplaced vegetarian restaurant next to a meat packing plant just off 2100 South in Sugar House. They have a teensy parking lot with no lights so drive extra safe if you're there at night, but once you get inside you forget about the scary parking.

The diner was a little cold the night we were there. I'm talking cold for a restaurant people, not just me whining about winter again.

Our server Caleb was helpful and fun. He was definitely light-hearted and helped us feel better about the long drive to the long line at In n' Out.

I tried the vegetarian burger with french fries. Turns out everything on the menu is vegan friendly--and I didn't even notice. It was surprisingly good. I was so impressed by the tofu burger I ate most of it. My only complaint is that the bun was a little dry.

The fries were served with vegan fry sauce that has left me wondering how it is even possible to make vegan mayonnaise. They were pretty tasty and if I hadn't known the fry sauce was vegan I wouldn't have noticed.

Joan loves the avocado sandwich from Vertical Diner. And CBC tested out a pulled pork sandwich. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the vegan food of Vertical Diner. Joan says Vertical Diner is the best place for non-vegans to go with their vegan friends.

The cost was about the same for any other diner in town, which is to say a burger or sandwich will run you about $8.

Food Review: Finn's Cafe

2009-12-18T08:00:00.001-07:00

Lovely Ava and I headed to the Salty City mainstay, Finn's Cafe for lunch one freezing winter afternoon.

Even though the world outside was gray and frigid, Finn's does a great job of being welcoming, bright and vibrant. The Cafe has been in operation since the 1940s and they have the memorabilia tastefully displayed to prove it.

Ava and I both had the cream of cauliflower soup. It was so good. I was not expecting the dish to be as delicious or pretty as it was. Finn's also serves onion rolls that were nice and crusty on the outside and all fluffy goodness on the inside.

I had the catch of the day for lunch. It turned out to be crab cakes and they were delicious. The sauce Finn's served with them was great! The whole dish was presented beautifully. Everything was so tasty I ate far more than I should've, which made this lunch a great intervention in an otherwise yucky day.

Ava had the weinerschintzel and she said it was good. It looked delicious! I'll have to try some of that soon. We both agreed the roasted potatoes and asparagus were good. The potatoes were cooked just right and seasoned well. Not surprisingly, the potatoes were my favorite part of the dish. Everything seemed to be cooked just right.

Our server was very helpful and did a great job of keeping an eye on us without hovering. The owner even stopped by to check everything tasted good. And it did! I have feeling you would be hard pressed to have a bad experience at Finn's. These people have been in business for over 60 years and it shows.

The only catch for me was the price. Lunch was a little more expensive for the two of us than I normally would like to spend, but the warm haven was well worth the price.

Food Review: Adventurous Chinese cuisine at a Southern cafe

2009-12-17T11:52:00.004-07:00

When CBC and I went to Bay Leaf Cafe, I tried this incredible dish called "congee." It is a delicious rice porridge served with ginger and an egg hard boiled in tea. The server said congee is a traditional breakfast dish from China and at his recommendation I tried it out.

The rice was warm, soft and about the consistency of a risotto. Mmmm...just the memory makes me want to go back for more. The rice seemed to have some sort of vinegar in it as a seasoning at first it was a little off-putting, but then when I got some of the fresh ginger with the vinegary rice there was an awesome blend of savory, bitter and sweet going on.

The century egg was somehow boiled in a tea until it turned dark purple. The egg looked a little intimidating, but ended up being much better than any other hard boiled egg I've ever tried. So good! This is a dish that changed my life, people.

We also had fried pickles because CBC just had to taste how delicious this amazingly Southern dish is. Once again, Bay Leaf delivered and I have to tell everyone to try out fried pickles. They are amazing!

CBC had the catfish po'boy. It was pretty good, but it didn't win mad adventure points like the congee or fried pickles. The ingredients were all fresh. And the sandwich wasn't dry and it wasn't mushy--it was just right.

Our server was amazing! He's definitely my favorite at Bay Leaf. I just can't remember his name. Maybe, Michael? Or Caleb? Something Bible related. Anyway, man with red hair was fantastic.

Bay Leaf Cafe, I love you. Please prove the statistic wrong and stay in business. Salt Lake City needs you. I need you.

Now, excuse me I'm off for some congee experimentation.

Life: I'm taking a personal day

2009-12-17T10:24:00.003-07:00

I finally have time to breathe!

This means I'm enjoying far too many cookies and too much coffee. Both make me happy.

It's been quite the semester this time around and I'm more than ready for break time. I can't wait to spend all day curled up on the couch with a good book and nothing to do, but read and pork out on holiday treats.

I learned a lot this semester as the president of film club and editor for the student newspaper. My friend Rikki wrote a fabulous post on what she learned as the Editor-in-Chief for the Daily Evergreen out at Washington State University. And I have to say I agree, sistah. This has been a semester for difficult life experiences that I still wouldn't trade if given a chance. (I'm lookin' at you, Walt.)

All in all, I spent way more time with the paper than I ever intended and this meant the film production started to slide. I'm not entirely sure how to prevent this from happening again next semester so any suggestions would be welcome.

Also school work pretty much became an in-my-spare-time occupation. So yeah, I may not have done very well in school. The low point here was realizing how much I don't care about school anymore. I just want my degree and I want to be done.

Finally in my wee bits of personal life time, where I wasn't trying to calm the craziness, keep the craziness going, or stop the craziness that is a student paper, I went and found a boy to keep me busy.

And it is good. So even though I survived the semester from hell, I'm actually pretty happy with my life. Because all I needed to discover how truly amazing the people in my life are, was a lot of craziness of drive me insane. So giant thank yous to all my friends and family. You people are made of pure awesome!

Alcohol Review: Beer buzzes in Utah

2009-11-20T10:58:00.005-07:00

So apparently there's this guy Dell Vance who really likes Utah and beer. I think we're soul mates. He opened the Beerhive Pub on 128 South Main Street in Downtown to share his favorite things with me.

Okay, maybe it's not all for me, but I'm going to pretend it is. I love this little place. The upstairs is comfortable and clean. There's also a nice mix of browns, reds and light in the decor. Seriously, a bar where you can see the people around you...amazing.

I visited the Beerhive with Patrick, Ava and Erin last weekend and it was a vast improvement over our first bar of choice the Green Pig. The vibe at the Beerhive is comfortable. It manages to feel like a bar where it's okay for the ladies to hang out by themselves without getting creepy comments and/or stares from the men who are also hanging out by themselves.

The beer menu is impressive with over 100 choices. I saw lots of beers I wanted to try, but in efforts to pay off my credit card I stuck with the cheap, local, on-tap brews and had some Uinta Cutthroat. (I'm down to the last credit card, people!)

We met some of Patrick's friends who were really cool and tried lots of tasty beers. All in all it made for a great night with a great server who was adorable, on top of things and fun.

Also I hear tell the food menu comes from Vienna Bistro and is made of Austrian goodness by their chef Frody Volgger so next time I head to the 'hive I'll have to try out some wiener schnitzel.

The photos come from City Weekly and SLCLunches.

Food Review: Turning the tide on my favorite sushi

2009-11-18T08:00:00.002-07:00

Ava and I made a visit to Tsunami in Sugar House this past week. She was craving sushi and I just like to eat.

Since our favorite sushi spot, Sapporo shut down we decided to return to another old favorite and made our way to the little place by the dollar theater. I should mention Tsuanmi is open until 10 p.m. on weeknights. Yes, Salters there is a place you can get a great dinner after 9 p.m. on a week night in the Salty City.

Ava chose to sit at a table, not the sushi bar. This made me happy because I find the sushi chefs rude and condescending-for some reason they don't seem to like it when I ask questions about fish. It turns out the table was a good choice as the sushi chefs spent much of the night arguing back and forth and writing the schedule with the manager.

I ordered the Tokyo Cowboy roll and Ava had the Malibu, then I ordered a veggie roll called Catalina.

The Tokyo wasn't as good as I remembered, it seemed a little bit spicier without the lovely balance of sweet and spicy my taste buds remember.

Ava liked the Malibu, but said she'll probably order something else next time. The Malibu had eel and was pretty tasty, but I wasn't a fan of the overall texture of the roll--it was just a little too smooth and slimy for me.

The Catalina had lots of delicious vegetables wrapped in soy paper. The weird part was that it tasted like peanuts only without peanuts. It wasn't bad, just unexpected. Even Ava who hates nuts ate some of the roll.

Our waitress was adorable and very helpful. So I'm taking back the sitting at the bar rule for sushi and amending it to say, "At Tsunami sit at a table and let the waitress deal with the sushi chef."

Food Review: Fry sauce ruins Millie's fries?

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

So after taking the week off, I guess we have some catching up to do.

First on the list of places I've been and you get to know about is Millie's Burgers on 2100 South in Sugar House.

I love this little 50s style hamburger shack that's just a short walk from my house. CBC and I went there for some burgers, fries and an introduction to that Utah wonder-fry sauce.

The Millie Burger was just as good as I remember--a quarter-pound of beef with cheese, pickles and fry sauce. Even though the burger was too big for me to finish, I was sad to see it go.

The fries were fresh, crispy and salty decliousness just waiting to be eaten. I think next time, I'll order to go and mix up some of my own fry sauce at home. They just don't seem to realize what a disservice it is to their fries to serve them with overly ketchuped fry sauce.

I warned CBC Millie's fry sauce is serviceable, but not the best ketchup-mayonnaise mixture in Utah. But he was brave and tried out the sauce, I don't think he liked it because the rest of the fry sauce was left for me.

As always the teenagers at Millie's were more than helpful. We had a very nice time in the cinder block restaurant with orange plastic tables. And the whole four other customers who were there at 9 p.m. on a Thursday night seemed to enjoy themselves, too.

Food Review: Fat's Revisited

2009-11-06T08:00:00.001-07:00

I like beer.

I don't like people.

So a place like Fat's, is easy for me to love.

As far as I can tell they keep a bartender, waitress and cook on staff at all times. An amazing waitress! I love the woman who works at Fat's. She is amazing! I have never once not had an amazing experience at Fat's. The wait staff deftly handles the most obnoxious customer, while still managing to do their job exceptionally well.

The tables are never full and pool is the big draw for most of the men there. Also, it seems kind of coupley as in guys like to take women there and "teach" them pool. I say "teach" because my observation skills tell me if this isn't an excuse for groping, it's an excuse for showing off a largely unnecessary life skill.

I love Fat's nachos because I love cheese. The nachos are served with an awesome salsa with corn so it's this great combination of sweet and spicy. The nachos are a giant serving with tons of sour cream, onions and olives and just a teensy little bit of tomatoes (they could totally up that on the plate).

They only have six beers on tap so I always end up getting Uinta's Golden Spike Hefeweizen, but they do offer a few different bottles as well. The Golden Spike is decent, and definitely helped by the slice of lemon Fat's serves on the side.

Fat's is a great, quiet bar where it's easy to feel comfortable gorging on grease while drinking a beer.

Food Review: Dear diner, Don't touch my coffee!

2009-11-04T08:00:00.002-07:00

Apparently all it takes to get service is man parts.

On Sunday I went to Blue Plate Diner with CBC and I had the best service from the wait staff there ever. Really, when I walked in by myself I waited about five minutes for the owner (who I blame Blue Plate's awful service on) to notice me and put my name on the list. Even though the line looked obscenely long, he said it would be about a 15 minute wait.

The second CBC shows up, we were seated on the patio. This never happens to me and the girls. We always wait forever to get our name on the list, then wait to be seated at an indoor table then wait another ten minutes for a server to ask us if we want coffee. Blue Plate is sexist or at least the wait staff seems more inclined to treat the men better than the ladies. That's it-I'm dressing in drag next time I go there. Maybe if I look like I belong on the wait staff, I won't have to wait.

I have very strong feelings about my coffee. What is with a server's need to put coffee in my cup every time they walk by? Coffee is a delicate balance of cream, sugar and coffee. Why are servers so intent on messing it up? I have it down to a science--one part sugar, two parts cream and three parts coffee. If a server adds coffee, they ruin the ratio. And my coffee is not the delicious sugary mess it was before.

I told my server three times, I didn't want her to add coffee to my cup. And every time she looked at me like I was crazy. What? I don't want you to ruin the deliciousness going on here, lady. Why would I knowingly let you corrupt my coffee? Geez. Maybe, I should explain the coffee ratios to her--that will totally help me sound less crazy.

Both CBC and I had the Blue Plate Breakfast, which is eggs, toast and hash browns. The eggs were fried just right and the toast was slathered with butter, which makes my tummy happy. But the hash browns? I just don't get it, Blue Plate.

I'm not sure why the fried potato chunks mixed with onions and bell peppers are even called hash browns. Breakfast fries would be more appropriate. Also they should come with a warning that they are unevenly cooked and the potatoes spend part of their life in a freezer without the onions and bell peppers. You will be able to taste the difference no matter how not-picky-about-potatoes-weird you are.

In the end, it was my best Blue Plate experience, which means they topped out at just above mediocre. There are still other breakfast places in town I like more. But I have a little more faith in this 50s-esque diner on 2100 South 2100 East as long as I bring my man parts.

Food Recipe: Tamales

2009-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

As per Rikki's request, courtesy of Amber.

Slow Cooker Mexican Style Meat

The yummy stuff for inside the tamale.

2-3 lbs. Pork roast (we used a butt roast and 4 lbs.)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 and 1/4 cups diced green chilie pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

hot pepper sauce

Add everything to crock pot and let cook over night -- you could also let it simmer covered on the stove. When the pork is done, use two forks to shred it into small pieces. Later, we'll wrap the shredded pork in the masa and corn husks to make a tamale.

After you shred the pork, this is a good time to crumble Mexican cheese (queso) and slice canned jalapenos. Of course, you should experiment and use what you like for inside your tamale.

Masa

The delicious corn mixture surrounding the shredded pork, cheese and peppers.

2 cups Masa Mix (tan bag)

1 teaspoon chicken stock granules

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon New Mexico Chili Powder

1 tablespoon California or Colorado Chili Powder

3/4 cup lard (blue box)

2 cups warm water

Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until well-blended. Add lard and cut into the dry mix--like you do for pie crust.

Add 1 cup warm water and mix by hand; add additional warm water to reach the right consistency as needed--with a double batch I add a little over 3 cups warm water. Do not make more than a double batch of the masa at a time.

Assemble tamales

The most time consuming step.

1 package dry corn husks (about 70 husks)

35-feet kitchen twine, cut into 6-inch pieces

Soak the corn husks in warm water for at least 15 minutes.

Roll a small of masa in your hands until it's the size of a fat thumb. Place the masa roll on a single corn husk (about 12 inches square). Smash out the masa until it is a 3 to 4 inch circle about a half inch thick.

In the middle of the masa circle, place a tablespoon of shredded meat, a pinch of crumbled queso and a canned and sliced jalapeno. You can use different mix-ins if you like.

Now pat out a smaller circle of masa (about the size of a quarter), place it on top of the meat, cheese and jalapeno. Use your fingers to stretch the masa out so the meat, cheese and jalapeno are completely covered.

Next use your burrito wrapping skills to fold in the sides of the corn husk. You want the masa to seal at the edges so none of the meat, cheese or jalapeno is poking out. Lay the sides of the corn husk back down and flat.

Pull the bottom of the corn husk up, over the top of the masa, gently pul the corn husk down until the masa feels tight. Then pull the sides of the corn husk back over the masa, wrapping it like a present.

Now use the kitchen twine to tie the top of the masa like a small purse. (They should look like the ones in the photo.)

Steam

Using a pot of boiling water, a colander and a lid steam the wrapped tamales for 15-20 minutes depending on size.

Remove from the colander using tongs.

Let cool. Enjoy!

Tamales is an all day process and shouldn't be taken lightly. If you are serious about making tamales give yourself plenty of time and space. Good luck!

The South in the City of Salt

2009-10-30T08:00:00.001-06:00

Squeezed in between two decimated buildings, across the street from Murphy's Downtown is a tiny new restaurant well worth the wait. The Bayleaf Cafe was originally slated to open in fall 2008, they finally opened their door in early September 2009. I don't know what happened in that extra year, but I'm sure happy they got it together an opened up.

This place is brought to Salt Lake City via Georgia. Everything from the decor to the menu screams the South to me. The cafe has a simple, clean elegance to it that makes their all night cafe tag line seem wrong. But it's not, Downtown officially has an all night restaurant that isn't Denny's--count your blessings. The one TV on the back wall seems out of place with the ambiance and decor, but give their Downtown Salt Lake City location I can't blame them for adding ESPN.

Although the wait staff is fairly new and inexperienced, they are helpful, friendly and happy to see you. The first visit I made was with Man-boy and we showed up buzzed. The waiter was chill and let us take our time ordering. At the waiter's suggestion I ordered the fried pickles to stave off my greasy, midnight, drunken food craving.

The pickles were the perfect fix. The chef uses a thick, crisp pickled battered in a spicy flour mixture. The pickles are deep fried just long enough for the batter to crisp then served with a side of fry sauce.

Pure deliciousness! I like pickles, but I normally wouldn't eat them without a hamburger. This appetizer I would happily eat as a meal, again.

And I did. The second visit I made to Bayleaf was with T. This time our waiter acted a little ADD. I'm not sure what was going on, but he seemed to have difficulty focusing on the waiting part of his job. He was exceptionally friendly and really sweet, just not waiter-ish.

Again, I ordered the fried pickles. Why explore the menu when you already know the best dish they serve, right? T had the hot wings to go with the football game on TV.

Once again, I loved the fried pickles and was completely happy with the dish. I have to try and make my own.

I couldn't resist the hot wings though. They were spicier than I expected. This place is so Southern, they serve drinks out of Mason Jars and sweet tea unless unsweetened is specified. I expected the usual definition of hot from the South as in mild. Nope, these wings were hot. The sauce had great flavor and was served with a fantastic blue cheese dressing (I'm guessing Lighthouse) and messy. Just the way great wings should be.

So for providing two lovely experiences I have to give Bayleaf mad props. I will be back again, not that I'll be venturing far from the fried pickles.

Film review: "And I thought could it be? A four man wolf pack?"

2009-10-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

Hey, "The Hangover" is finally at the dollar theatre. You have no excuse to not watchi it now.

So basically, this movie is just awesome. I have never laughed so hard during a film in my life.

There are way too many funny lines for starters. From, "Dude, there's a tiger in the bathroom!" to "When's the next Haley's comet?" to keep anyone from cracking up. I especially love, "I think he looks like a Carols, too." But it just keeps going, every line is funny.

The actors did a superb job of making you believe the craziness of their Las Vegas visit. Not to mention, some of the best cameos I have ever seen in a film. Mike Tyson as himself is about the funniest thing in this comedy. And I cannot get over Bradley Cooper. I love this man! I'm going to meet his gorgeousness in real life and giggle madly.

The funny film manages to have a story line that is interesting although, like most comedies it is a thin attempt to hang a number of hysterical scenes together. Luckily, the way the director, cinematographer, writer and/or producer (there are way too many people making a single film to give only one of them credit) decided to show the story make the story line less necessary than most films and they begin right where they end so the audience is left with a sense of closure.

But finally where this film really blew me away was the camera work. When it comes to comedy, I'm a cynical disbeliever. I expect to see basic camera work, obvious jokes and obnoxious characters. Not with "The Hangover." The crew did an exquisite job of putting together interesting shots on a well-lit set with an amazing set design. The opening and closing shots visually tie the story line together while both are well-executed and artistically interesting. Pretty amazing for a summer blockbuster film.

The day this is on DVD it's in my movie collection. I still crack up every time someone mentions wolves because they are now a "four man wolf pack."

Food: Savory sweet breakfast

2009-10-26T08:00:00.002-06:00

After a late night and an even later morning, I was craving breakfast with some serious punch so I came up with the savory and sweet combination of pancake eggs.

I've seen the "breakfast sandwich" on The Park Cafe menu, but I thought it sounded a little strange. Turns out, it's the perfect fix when you're starving for breakfast at 1 p.m.

First, for the pancake I threw together the Krusteaz mix (1/2 Cup mix with 1/2 Cup water) with a little cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon) and a little nutmeg (just a pinch).

Following Alton Brown's rules of pancake mixing, I whisked it four times clockwise and three time counter-clockwise. He says this keeps the dough soft and I concur since following this rule the texture of my pancakes has improved tremendously.

Next I poured the batter on my hot, buttery skillet.

Then I heated up a baby skillet for some egg frying. I used a little bit of spay-on grease and cracked the egg directly into the pan. I tossed in a pinch of Kosher salt and a dash of fresh ground pepper.

Back to the pancake side of the stove. When the dough on top started to bubble, I flipped the pancake to reveal a nice even golden brown crisp. My dad says the dough should bubble, burst and leave a hole in the dough. It's the best way I know to check a pancake is cooked without a lot of messy flipping.

I added just a drop of water to the frying egg and covered the pan. This is the key to properly frying eggs in my kitchen.

Then I removed the perfectly cooked pancake just like my dad taught me and slathered it with butter and syrup just like my mom would love.

Next I turned the flame off the egg and let it hiss for a couple minutes before sliding the egg on to the syrup drenched pancake.

Then into my tummy in about five minutes. This was such a delicious combination. I loved the salty sweet combination of syrup and salt. Plus the egg yolk mixed with the cinnamon, nutmeg pancake really well.

Now I'm off to enjoy a huge mug of coffee with loads of cream and sugar. Happy afternoon morning!

Life: Where I've been and other stories

2009-10-25T13:04:00.004-06:00

First, where I've been.

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. I was busy planning a film premiere that went really well. We're currently workshopping our next narrative film and hammering out a contract for a short documentary.

Then I have this paper to put together every couple weeks. It gets better every issue, I promise. I've even managed to write a few articles in the paper myself over the past months.

On Oct. 1 my beautiful niece, Sarah Anne was born so I had some serious family time. Big E even taught me how to make tamales. They were so delicious! My roommates and I couldn't stop eating them. Plus, they let me do tons of homework while I was visiting and I finally got caught up.

Second, the other stories.
There's even a theme! All my stories today are about men (boys?).

Up first is Man-boy.
He is fairly young, especially for the men I'm usually interested in. We work together and I knew he was interested months ago. We went on one coffee date and it didn't go very well. He's one of those guys who I like as a person and I think he's a good friend, but when it comes to attraction there is absolutely nothing between us.

I thought we were being friends and hanging out (as in drinking a couple beers and no physical contact every couple weeks) until I found out he told Ice we're dating. I'm not really sure how to handle that. I think the conversation will go like this:

Me
"Hey Man-boy, you know we're not dating, right?"

Man-boy looks at me like I'm crazy.

Me
"Because that would actually require you asking me out on a real date, physical attraction and spending time alone together. Three things that don't exist in this relationship."

Man-boy will either yell or leave. And it's quite possible he'll quit, which means I'm left doing his job and mine. Ah, me. Grown up responsibilities.

So this week I get to break up with someone I didn't even know I was dating.

Then there's Ghost.
I liked Ghost awhile back and I still kind of do. We had a more or less non-existent relationship. We liked each other, but neither of us was willing to make any effort to actually be in a relationship. At best, you could say we functioned as each other's booty call.

Then Ghost moved and I thought, "Well that's that. It was interesting-kind of wish it could've been something more."

Although in a different city, Ghost hasn't moved on. He text me the other day and wants things to go right back to how they were-only long distance. I'm not sure I'm okay with that.

What do I say? "Hey, I'm feeling more emotionally stable then I was nine months ago. So I'm not really up for that shitty feeling being a booty call leaves me with anymore. But if you want to try an actual relationship then I'm on board." I can see it now like a romantic comedy directed by Quentin Tarantino with slightly less blood.

And finally, there's T.
I actually like T. We met a few months ago and when he first asked me out, I said, "no." It was a bad time for me emotionally because of Ghost and I was out of town. Then he asked me out again and the second time, I said, "yes."

The date was great! We had a good time. We talked about everything from football to religion. We bonded over fried pickles, barbecue chicken wings and beer, pretty much the perfect Salty City date. I was totally ready for date number two.

And then he tells Facebook, "I really wish I could get over a girl." Awesome! At least when he never called, I wasn't surprsied just disappointed.

So between filmmaking, editing, writing, school, work and kind of-ish dating I haven't had much time for talking about food. I promise I still eat, I love beer and I've gotten really good at reheating leftovers in the microwave.

Life: I'm unhappy with blog world

2009-09-19T13:56:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile things have been ridiculously busy this semester. I know, college kids whining about school what a bitch, right?

Well, I'm going to take my moment in blogging to whine.

I started as editor for Westminster's student paper and it takes a lot more work than I anticipated. Kids are kids are kids umm...there's a lot of hand holding going on and I'm having a hard time learning how to deal with people. My non-people skills have so been past tested in this position. Luckily, the reporters are patient and nice so even though I keep making mistakes I'm forgiven.

I'm also getting really close to the premiere of the film "On the Other Side." It's a short, suspense film I helped write and produce. The premiere planning is more difficult than I thought. I'm really struggling with Utah liquor law, Westminster College policies (or the lack thereof) and working with people. I'm pretty sure I'm completely lacking in people skills so they are again being tested to their very limited limits. I'm so glad I only thought about being a wedding planner for like a day. (I still get to plan your wedding Ava.)

Thursday, September 24 around 7 p.m. anyone who's in the Salty City should swing by the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts at Westminster College on 1840 South 1300 East. We'll start the night off with a reception, followed by a screening of three other short films Reel Griffins have made then it's the PREMIERE. I hope you can make it. It will be a lot of fun.

Also I started working again. So I'm getting paid regularly. Yay! But these means 18 hours a week of my life are committed to someone else's schedule. At the time, it didn't seem like much, but fitting that in between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. when most my classes are is a little tricky.

Finally there is school itself. Umm...so homework is supposed to happen outside the classroom. Yeah, that's so not happening these days.

Ah well. I'll get back to food as soon as I figure out a better time plan.

Film: I'm writing, again.

2009-09-19T13:39:00.004-06:00

It's an invitation for all of you.

Everyone's invited to...

Reel Grififns-Westminster College Productions
premiere of
"On the Other Side"
A Harry Cross, Jr. Film

Thursday, September 24
7 p.m. Reception
8 p.m. Screening

Jewett Center for the Performing Arts
Westminster College
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105

This is a formal, fund raising event so please dress your best.

I hope to see you there. It will be a fabulous night with great people, conversation, food and film.

Food Review: At home with the Irish

2009-08-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

When @formulaoneut asked me what my favorite watering hole in the city of salt was, I didn't quite know what to say. Then I realized the one place Ava, Erin and I go to most often is the Irish pub proudly proclaiming itself, "a step down in social clubs." Yep, Murphy's Bar and Grill at 160 South Main Street.

It's not exactly the kind of place you would expect to find three 21-year old women on a Friday night, right? I mean, it's a pub in a basement lined with leprechauns. They serve PBR on tap, Irish stew and cheese fries. The food is good, but not yummy enough for me to go out of my way to get there. And it's not especially cheap, with $7 Newcastle and $9 burgers it's pretty average for a Salt Lake City pub.

Last time I was there, I had the fish and chips for just under $9. The menu declares the meal "world famous." I have no idea how it would have that designation given that the food was pretty average-exactly what you would expect from a pub.

So why is it when I'm starving and thirsty in Downtown, I inevitably end up at Murphy's? Well, because it is a pub. Murphy's is the kind of place where the city's blue collar guys go after a long day of work. They are at the bar to drink a few beers and talk with their buddies (intense man-bonding) before they head home to their wives and girlfriends.

And strangely enough, that suits me just fine. Every once in a while it's nice to go to a place where the guys are not ogligng every woman who walks in the door. Sure, no one pays for my drinks, but I can pay for myself. The waitresses aren't intent on picking up their clientele and manage to wear clothes that constitute cute, comfortable and covered. And if any guy gets out of hand, the waitresses are right there taking care of business.

So I guess on a quiet Friday night, I find myself with my two favorite girls at an Irish pub for middle-aged, blue collar guys because everyone is there just to hang out with their friends. And seriously, where else can you hear two Irish guys talk for hours about Ireland?

Where do you like to hang out after a long day?

Alcohol Review: No good Long Island, no good bar

2009-08-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you walk into a place and you know you will never be back there unless someone drags you.

For me, that place is Lumpy's Downtown. I'm not a fan of giving bars, restaurants and pubs negative reviews. I usually go with people I love to hang out with and have a good time unless the food is seriously disgusting, the service ridiculously awful or the ambiance is simply bizarre. Lucky for Lumpy's they strike out on all three.

Triple T, Ava and I arrived around 11 p.m. The owner was filming a commercial for his bar so the bouncer asked us to wait outside. The wait wasn't long as the camera wasn't ready and a PA let the bouncer know the kids could go inside.

Inside we were greeted by too loud hip hop and beautiful TVs showing the nights preseason NFL game. Lumpy's is a sports bar with a dance floor (it's what their website says) although no one was dancing to the sounds of crap blasting in the air. I'm always happy to hang in a sports bar. I like men tackling each other in tight pants as much as the next guy, but the TVs on the tables felt invasive like they were there to distract customers in case they didn't like the other people at their table, which could be helpful given Lumpy's clientele.

Our waitress was quick and courteous to serve us our first round of Cape Cods. The vodka cranberry cocktail was good-well mixed with just enough vodka and lime to taste. Next, we tried the watermelon kamikaze. Triple T pointed out it looked nothing like the one served at the bar she works at, but it still tasted yummy. The cocktail was a little sweet for my taste. It's definitely on the list of dangerous cocktails you could drink and drink without ever tasting the alcohol. My next choice was the standard Long Island. It was terrible. There was tons of club soda, no coke and a lot of whiskey in the cocktail. The total bill was about $15 a little less than I would expect for three cocktails in Utah.

The Long Island was so terrible I have decided it is my baseline cocktail. If I can go to a bar and get a decent Long Island, then I will give the bar a second chance even if they are yelling, "Quiet on the set" while playing music so loudly you can't hear the person across the table from you.

And if all that's not enough, Lumpy's is the kind of bar where everyone comes to get laid-I'm passing judgement based on the number of skanks and tool boxes I saw. That sounds rude, but no one wants to see your hooha when you bend over. And terrible one liners from films and TV will never be good no matter how young the woman you say it to is.

If you ever want to go out and have a good time with your friends, Lumpy's isn't the place. On the other hand, if you just want to go out, get smashed and get sexed up then Lumpy's is the place.

Food Review: Smash in line, Smashburger is in Utah

2009-08-24T13:54:00.003-06:00

Last week Ava, Eirn and I were invited to the opening of SmashBurger in Sugar House. Smashburger is a franchise and is located inside the same building as Pei Wei on 2100 South. The opening was a smashing success everything was on the house and the line was l-o-n-g.

I'm not a fan of crazy busy restaurants, but considering the food was free I'm not complaining. I had the mushroom swiss burger. It was yummy. My favorite part was the egg bun even though it sounded scary it was soft and delicious. I also tried out the haystack onion rings. The rings were paper thing slices briefly drudged in a batter before being quickly deep-fried. They were good, but they won't be replacing beer-battered rings for me any time soon. The aioli sauc (spicy fry sauce for Utahns) was very good. It had a nice kick and great flavor.

Erin had the spicy burger. It came with a few jalapenos and was a little too spicy for her taste buds. She also had the smashfries (shoestring fries with rosemary). She loved these little guys.

Ava also had the mushroom swiss burger and declared it good. I believe she had regular fries with salt and fry sauce. They were also very yummy. Ava and Erin also tried the chocolate shake, which I'm guessing they liked, but I don't remember hearing any comments about they level of yumminess to Smashburger's shake.

I probably won't be back to Smashburger anytime soon. As a casual-dining-meets-fast-food restaurant (think Noodles & Co. with burgers), the average burger costs about $7 along with $2 for fries, more than my beloved local Millie's across the street.

Any burger joint, you just can't get enough of?

Alcohol Review: Mixin' drinks ain't easy

2009-08-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

I've always thought if I were alive during the 20s I would be a flapper and maybe that's why Speakeasy was so easy for me to love. Ava and I went to Speakeasy in downtown to check out the location with the 20s name and live jazz entertainment. I also needed to speak with the fabulous Rita Boudreau about doing vocals for my upcoming film "On the Other Side."

Speakeasy has amazing decor. The owners are dedicated to their Prohibition-era theme. "Casablanca" was playing on the pretty, HD, big screen TVs before the live act was on. The lights are dimmed low and even the chairs feel like something my great-grandmother may have owned.

After being denied a lemon drop because the bartenders didn't know what one was, I started out the night with a dirty vodka martini. Mostly, because I've never had a straight-up martini before as I usually take mine with apple. And with Humphrey Bogart staring down at me I was feeling brave about the vodka and olive mixture. (Yes, I know a martini usually has gin, but I chickened out and went with Grey Goose.)

It was okay. Not my favorite cocktail, but I can see why it's considered classic. I love olives and should've asked for extras. And judging from the few men who were there drinking martinis as well I'm guessing Speakeasy makes a good one.

Next I tried the night's special "Sparkly Cosmopolitan," which was described as a regular Cosmo with champagne. When I ordered the bartender said okay, then proceeded to look up the recipe in his handy-dandy flip book. I'm okay with this and I waited patiently--after all, Speakeasy is a fairly new club and most likely he's a fairly new bartender. My complaint? All the ingredients for the drink are listed on their menu so I fought the urge to just hand over the menu to the bartender. The recipe search meant the wait was a little long.

Once I got my pink, girly drink, I was happy to down the sweet drink. I love cosmos and they rank in my top cocktail list right after Long Islands and Cape Cods. The addition of champagne made the drink a little too sweet for my tastes, but the drink was mixed well.

My next adventurous drink was the sidecar to finish off the night. Another classic cocktail, I hadn't tried before. This drink was my favorite discovery of the night. It was sour and sweet with a mixture of cointreau and lemon. Ava didn't like the harsh aftertaste, but I thought it was a great finish to such a sour drink. Maybe I just like knowing there is alcohol in my drink.

At the end of the night, Speakeasy was a great bar for a girls' night out. We'll definitely be back again for more classic cocktails, 20s ambiance and great music. Hopefully between now and next time, the bartenders learn how to mix a few drinks so even the wait for the drink is easy.

Food reviews: The armpit of the Elbow

2009-08-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

I ventured down to Fiddler's Elbow for a meeting with the staff from, The Forum. I haven't been to Fiddler's in a while. I always find the food mediocre, the menu lacks focus and the service is well--let's just say you know that Fiddler's is an equal opportunity employer.

As soon as I sat down a wine menu was shoved in my face because as a girl I must not drink beer. Of course, I promptly ordered Wasatch Apricot Hefeweizen ($4.50 on tap). The server informed me their keg was broken so they may not have it available. She left to go check. About five minutes later, she appeared empty handed and let me know the hefeweizen was available. "Would you like the hefeweizen?"

Uh...yes, please.

I ordered the garlic burger for just under $7 without cheese. It came with fries and no choice of how the burger was cooked, it showed up well-done. The burger was easily the best thing I have ever had from Fiddler's Elbow. It was garlicky without being overwhelming, juicy and an even burger to bun ratio. A nice positive change for a brew pub. I was so impressed by the flavor that I ignored how absolutely messy the burger was (my ketchup stained shirt is in the washer as I write this).

Strangely, they didn't serve fry sauce and at this point I was avoiding any further interactions with my server so I just went ahead and had fries like a non-Utahn with ketchup. The fries needed some serious salting, but they were cooked just right and I believe hand cut. Moving their fries from a previous rating of "crap" to "yum."

As always, I love the micro-brewed apricot hefe from Wasatch. It's a great light beer. Refreshing, sweet and delicious without being too light for even the darkest beer drinker.

So I must conclude that service is the armpit of this otherwise great pub. But, I'm still looking forward to the next staff meeting at Fiddler's as long as we can just once have a server who doesn't make me question their ability to fill out the application. Oh and for beer, burger and fries it was just under $15. Not too bad for a sports bar in Sugar House.

Life: I was a firestorm

2009-08-16T12:31:00.004-06:00

of blogging before August. (Yep, that picture was me in the blogosphere-you never knew I was so hot. Heehee!) Then I went home or more precisely I was away from the internet for a few days and I discovered *gasp* I could live without updating my blog or twitter everyday. Amazingly, it's lasted this long.

In the land of blogs I'm one of the many who fails to update regularly. That being said with the inevitable advent of school I will be much busier and hence less likely to blog regularly. But I will try to update you about my food adventures.

In slightly related news, I start a new job tomorrow. (Yay! Finally!) Which I guess means the biggest changes will be in my bank account and my wardrobe. I'm seriously considering wearing heels again. And maybe even pants.

I've also started working at the school paper, The Forum. In the way of college student newspapers, I'm already managing to piss off student government. I suppose I should be more upset, but every time I receive an email I think they desperately need a public relations lesson. The flaw of having an editor trained in PR, I guess.

In film news, the premiere of my film "On the Other Side" is inching closer. Everyone's invited to come Thursday, September 24 at 7 p.m. at the Jewett Center for Performing Arts on Westminster College's campus. It's been a crazy bit of planning and again working out how to pay for everything when I have no money.

Actually, that's pretty much the story of my life.

Food news?

2009-08-10T14:03:00.002-06:00

Fifteen bizarre restaurants. I like to eat, but not from corpses or toilets please. I can handle the hobbits, though.

And if that's not enought, here's some more weird. I want to be a ninja princess!

Food Review: Bruges in Salt Lake City

2009-08-06T12:13:00.006-06:00

Tuesdays Farmer's Market have begun at Pioneer Park. I found myself there with Ava and Erin and across the street I saw Bruges. I've heard great things about this little place near 300 South and 300 West that only offers fries and waffles made in the traditional Belgian style.

Ava and Erin were kind enough to indulge my nerdy excitement over finding such a highly praised restaurant. So after enjoying some fresh cherries and raspberries, we headed over to explore Bruges.

The shop is TEENY! The counter divides the shop in half against the windows is a line of stools at a bar. Most of the seating is outside and the two person staff is constantly getting in each other's way behind the counter as they take orders, cook waffles, fry potatoes and cut fruit.

At just 10 minutes to close, the staff was happy to help us and they continued to take orders until 7:15 p.m. We each ordered a small frites for just $3 with a side of "mayo." I put mayo in quotes because what you really get is mayonnaise mixed with a bunch of yumminess.

I had the andalouse sauce-a combination of Tabasco, basil, peppers and lemon. The sauce was spicy without being overwhelming and the basil gave a nice balance to the heat of the Tabasco. The andalouse was my favorite of the sauces. My next favorite sauce was the mammouth. This sauce tasted the most like traditional fry sauce, but had a few other flavors mixed in like onion and garlic. I also sampled the aioli sauce a combination of mayonnaise and garlic and my least favorite.

The frites themselves were hand-cut and deep-fried to a nice deep golden color. A small is big enough to serve as a huge snack or small meal. The frites were delicious! Plus, you get them in a really cool paper cone so you feel like your eating an ice cream cone of fries.

Next time, I visit I'll try the waffles. They looked and smelled delicious. Judging from the line, it looks like Bruges has a permanent place in the hearts and tummies of Salt Lake City.

Food Review: The South is sweet, not spicy

2009-08-02T12:38:00.010-06:00

On Sunday night I flew to Athens, GA for MSCNE 2009, a conference for editors of student news media. Well, after the first 12 hour day of classes I realized this would be a long week of hotel food, college cafeteria fare and fast food.

It was a rough start to my foodie week. It started Sunday night with dry chicken, bland honey mustard sauce and over-cooked broccoli that will never make a good dinner even if it is catered by a hotel with a trained chef.

As for the offerings in the UGA cafeteria, it was pretty yuck. Georgia does not know how to do Mexican. The state loves their sweet and for some reason the salsas and guacamoles I sampled were sweet. There is also an overabundance of mayonnaise on nearly everything including in guacamole from the student cafeteria. I do have to praise their sweet tea though, it was yummy.

Friday afternoon Rikki, Jenny and I went to Don Juan in the CNN center in Atlanta. Once we got the mayo-guac with our chips and salsa we knew we should be afraid. Don Juan also advertised serving enchiladas with gravy. I mean really guys? Are there no Mexicans in your state? American food and Mexican food can mix and work, but brown gravy should never be the sauce to a spicy corn wrapped meat.

The end of the week brought the yummy to my week of food.

Thursday night Melissa, Rikki, Jenny and I went to RA Sushi. For mysterious reasons the menu described nearly every roll with cream cheese. Luckily they also had all the basics like caterpillar, rainbow and California rolls so I was a happy camper. The sushi was fresh and delicious. Melissa was terrified to try the raw fish, but she seemed pretty happy with the chicken terriyaki. I was proud of her for being brave enough to try the veggie roll Rikki ordered.

After days of deep-fried and mayo covered food, it was nice to eat something as fresh and light as the sushi at RA. The restaurant is very lounge-y and super cool as it caters to the young professional night life of Midtown Atlanta. After RA I think everyone felt ten times better about six days of living in hotel rooms and duffel bags.

Around midnight Friday, Melissa and I went to Taco Mac for some munchies. I ordered the original buffalo wings with french fries. Taco Mac was voted "Best Wings in Atlanta" at one point in their history because it says so on their menu. And I can see why.

The wings looked a little dry when they made their appearance. Thankfully appearances are misleading and the chicken was tender and juicy. The flavor was a nice blend of sweet and hot. Our server Louis said his favorite is the habanero spicy, but I stuck with medium. The blue cheese dressing on the side cooled the heat nicely. The fries were salty, crispy and fresh. I had them with a decent ranch dressing, but I missed fry sauce.

Louis also pointed out that Georgia is the home of Coke so asking for Pepsi is not wise. If you like soda, you will only find Coke products in the entire state. Nice little tidbit for you.

Saturday morning started off with my favorite breakfast at the Midtown Cafe. I started off with coffee and water. The coffee like most in my Georgia experience was weak, but it was definitely the best cup I had in Atlanta. The two eggs over-medium came out a little closer to over-easy and without any salt or pepper which I quickly remedied. Toast is toast and I don't really have anything to say other than yays for real butter. The hash browns suffered the same fate as the eggs and had no salt or pepper. But the potato was cooked all the way through and crispy on the outside so I dug right in and was happy to pay the $7 for a full breakfast.

After that it was back to airports and mass transit, now I'm off to enjoy some down home Salt City food.

There's burgers in them there hills

2009-07-26T14:27:00.006-06:00

Oh my readers, I have so many stories for you. I'm happy to say I have Internet access here in the land of peaches and peanuts for the next few days. So y'all better get used to hearing from me right regular again.

Now on to the recap for the so-called, "Burger Week."

St. George, UT
On the way to Las Vegas Erin, Ava and I stopped at Iceberg in St. George for lunch. I ordered the "Famous Thick Shake" in the flavor of lemon custard. The shake was nearly $5 and huge. I ordered the small and felt overwhelmed by the pint or more of ice cream staring me in the face. The ice cream itself was yummy. But I wouldn't recommend the lemon custard flavor. It was just too much cream for the sweet, artificial lemon to counteract. If you have a big appetite for a shake, Iceberg is worth the price for the size of their shake.

Las Vegas, NV
Oh yes, in Sin City we found burgers at Planet Hollywood. The food was not very good. Our waitress worked really hard to make sure our table was happy. The decor is pretty cool. It was exciting to see John Wayne's high school yearbook and Harrison Ford's jacket from "Indiana Jones." Unfortunately, the decor is not enough. I will most likely never go to another Planet Hollywood restaurant.

Our next burger joint stop was at In 'n Out Burger. As always with any chain the food is consistent. One of my favorite things about In 'n Out is there limited menu. I had the cheeseburger with french fries. The burger was pretty tasty. The fries are marked at mediocre. I suppose my only real complaint about In 'n Out is the ridiculous amount of people in line. Their food is good, but it's not that good. I just don't understand the In 'n Out cult following. Sorry, kids.

Salt Lake City, UT
In the in-between time, I went to Amber's for dinner. Eli made delicious BLTs with avocado replacing the lettuce. So I guess, it's a BAT. A cool trick I noticed was that he peppered the bacon before frying it. It worked out well. Although, I think when I try these on my own I'll have to forgo the dill rye bread. I like rye bread it just didn't work as well with the bacon as I would have liked.

Monticello, UT
Back to burgers again, my dad handled the grill for our family reunion. He made some dutch oven potatoes with bacon. As the man who gave me my love of anything potato he makes a pretty decent dutch. He also grilled burgers and it was dinner with the family. A million kids running around, everyone talking at once and more food than people.

Next up were Navajo tacos at the Pioneer Day celebration in Monticello. I love this dish. You pile up fry bread with chili beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Unfortunately, the booth I went to didn't have very good beans so the whole dish suffered. The beans were bland and undercooked as the ingredient to give the whole meal it's flavor that's a serious problem. However my craving for fry bread is temporarily fixed until next time I venture into San Juan County since it's apparently the only place to get traditional fry bread.

Athens, GA
Well, I just landed so I haven't eaten anything cool and new yet. But I was told that almost all the local restaurants have live music every night here. I'll be sure to check it out and let you know. Have a fantastic week!

Review: "The Date" as seen post-Vegas

2009-07-23T10:22:00.003-06:00

I've been away to Sin City for a few days and now I'm ridiculously far behind. I have a lot of food stories to share about my visit, but for now I'm leaving you with a link to my review of Kelsey Landry's "The Date." I hope I'll be able to catch you up before I head to Southern Utah. Have a wonderful Utah holiday! And for you non-Utahns, have an amazing weekend!

The Searchers

2009-07-19T11:08:00.004-06:00

My short story "The Searchers" is published online. I stole the title from that awesome John Wayne western because the Duke is just that bad ass.

I wrote this story one morning after a pretty intense dream. This is just the first chapter of the two and a half I've written. I didn't think it would publish anywhere, but AuthSpot picked it up so please read the story and let me know what you think.

For anyone who knows me, it shouldn't be too hard to see where this story is coming from. And I'll admit I'm a little worried this story may offend some of you, but please understand that this story is fictional and is not a direct reflection of anyone I know. Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy the read.

Beer and movies

2009-07-18T10:51:00.003-06:00

At least, I imagine those are the words behind the name of local beer pub Brewvies the only movie theater in Utah where you can drink while you take in a film.

I was there for the premiere of Kelsey Landry's directorial debut "The Date." A short film about classic mishaps of miscommunication. The film was well executed and a great script. Kelsey did a fantastic job. The Salt Lake film community was incredibly supportive with the best filmmakers volunteering their time and talent to this film.

Brewviews could use a little filmmaker magic. I have a theory that every so often a table becomes the bad luck table for the night. Last night, that was me.

Erin and I sat down and waited for a few minutes. No waiter showed up. I looked at the drink menu on the table. "Oh there isn't food on this," I said.

"The menu's over there," Erin answered and pointed to a stack of menus on the bar. I walked over and grabbed a couple menus. We looked over the menus and talked about what to order. I looked around. No waiter showed up.

"Do you want to move to the bar so we can get some service?" I asked Erin. Yes, I said it loudly and on purpose. Really, I'm five inside.

*Poof* Inexperienced waiter appeared. Blond-haired Emo-kid asked what we wanted I ordered a pitcher of Uinta Cutthroat Pale Ale. It's a nice local beer that is always good. I also asked for an appetizer of sweet potato fries.

Erin decided she wanted more time to choose an entree. So I sat back and waited for our beer and fries. While I was waiting, Esther showed up and asked if we wanted to order anything. I said we had ordered and we were waiting for our server to come back before ordering more. She said it was okay that they share tables. So I went ahead and ordered the nachos and Erin ordered the Pub Club sandwich with chips and salsa.

A different person (I'm guessing bus boy) stopped by with our beer and sweet potato fries. The fries were different. This was my first and last experience with sweet potato fries and I like normal fries better. The smoother, creamier texture of sweet potato isn't conducive to my taste buds for deep-fried starches. Although the bottled aioli at Brewvies much improved the fry, I won't order them again.

Esther brought the nachos and pub club. The sandwich looked delicious. The nachos looked sad. I was nervous about the pile of jalapenos and chicken atop crusty looking cheese. I should've been. I went for a chip on the edge avoiding the jalapenos I had asked to have removed from the nachos. It was stuck. The cheese had been microwaved on top of the chips then left to get cold. Leaving a hardened mess of goo on top of the now soggy chips covered with dry flavorless chicken.

I asked Esther if I could send the nachos back and try again. Luckily, she saw the chicken and jalapenos and said there was a mix up. She took the nachos back. In a few minutes she brought out a second order of much better looking nachos. In the meantime, Harry's order for a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries came out with regular french fries. So Emo-kid waiter took the order back.

Finally, we ended up with a pub club done right, edible nachos and a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. The cost of beer, sweet potato fries and nachos was about $25. Making beer the best part of the night's food.

When I'm at Brewvies for another premiere, I'll stick with the beer and movies.

Balsamic onion steak

2009-07-16T15:34:00.007-06:00

Let's talk about food again shall we? I know it's been awhile, but I want to share my secret for an incredible steak that is oh-so-summer easy.

For the tools, you will need:
A sharp knife
A cutting board
A skillet
A wooden spoon
A spatula

For the yummy stuff, you will need:
4 1-inch thick grilling steaks (like sirloin or round)
1 sweet onion
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 C. Balsamic vinegar
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Let the steak reach room temperature. I know, when you got your food handler's permit they said this was a no-no, but trust me your steak will be juicier and more tender.

Heat the skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Rub the salt and pepper into the room-warm steak. I just read about this method of salting if you're feeling adventurous. (I'll try it out and let you know how it goes.) Throw the steaks into the hot pan and let cook for seven-ish minutes.

While the steak is happily grilling, slice the onion. You want nice, thin even rings. So slice carefully and slowly. Now, mince the garlic clove. You should end up with about a cup of onion rings and two tablespoons of garlic.

Turn the steaks over and let cook for another seven-ish minutes. The outside should be a little bit charred and a nice brown.

When the steak is cooked through, remove to a plate and let rest for five minutes. The resting lets the steak reabsorb all it's yummy juices.

Keep the heat on your skillet. Toss in the EVOO, the onions and garlic and Kosher salt. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon until they are nice and sweaty-about five minutes. Add the 1/2 C. of balsamic vinegar and let everything simmer.

The onions should cook down until the juices run clear. The balsamic vinegar should cook down until it becomes sauce like in it's consistency. About seven more minutes.

You may notice this gives you more than five minutes for the steak to rest. I like to cover the steak with a tent of aluminum foil so it stays warm. If you must, you can cover the steak and place it in the oven on warm. Be warned: the oven will dry out the steak a little bit.

Top your yummy steak with your Balsamic caramelized onions. Enjoy!

Note: The recipe is for medium rare steak. The photo is from Colavita.

Film 101

2009-07-16T15:27:00.001-06:00

In case you've ever wondered, just what the Utah Film Commission does with your tax dollars.

This isn't everything they do, but a brief overview of their goals.

Film News: A chat with Marshall

2009-07-15T13:20:00.001-06:00

A profile piece on Marshall Moore, Director of the Utah Film Commission for Examiner.com

Article

Food News: Brookside is now Yellowfin

2009-07-15T12:39:00.002-06:00

A quick update in the Salty City food world.

Brookside Broiler and Grill near Hidden Hollow in the Sugar House Commons has closed. The beef kabobs will surely be missed.

Yellowfin will open in the same location soon. The sign still says broiler and grill, but I believe it's a sushi place. When I spoke with the owners today, they said they are hoping to open next week. The restaurant is waiting on a liquor license that has been delayed for two weeks.

Yay! Utah, always making it easier on your local business.

Film Notes: Harry Potterness actually worth buying

2009-07-15T10:20:00.005-06:00

Where were you at midnight? Sitting in a dark theater waiting for the previews to start before the magic of "Harry Potter" began. Me, too. And just to clutter up the online world of Harry Potter, I'm going to give you my two cents.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is a showcase of the best work in British filmmaking. David Yates is a God-send who has made the fifth and sixth films far better than any of the previous films by initimately understanding British culture, getting spectacular performance from his actors and envisioning a film with a specific look.

The attention to detail in this film was outstanding-the art department outdid themselves. The director of photography deserves huge accolade for his use of color and the frame. There are few big budget films with this much artistry in them. Finally, the music in the film was absolutely incredible it was never overwhelming nor underwhelming. Watching the fim, it is clear that everyone working on this film loved their job and put everything they could into it.

Now on to the actors. Oh. my. God. Tom Felton is amazing! All the kids have really started to come into their own, but I was blown away by Tom's depiction of a struggling kid who just wants to prove himself. Absolutely fantastic! All the actors playing Weasley's were again brillant and funny. Emma Watson brought a strength to Hermione the books didn't communicate to me.

So yeah, I'm pretty happy with awesomeness of Harry Potter and I'm looking forward to an early bedtime tonight.

Like I said last night, "This might be the only Harry Potter film worth buying on DVD."

Drunken Oreos II

2009-07-13T12:41:00.003-06:00

Remember, Drunken Oreos? The cookie and ice cream dessert of amazing deliciousness. Well, here's what it looks like.

I like to make one big plate for Erin, Ava and I to enjoy family style. Props to Erin for the beautiful photos.

We also enjoyed a great bottle of chianti with dessert.

Drunken Oreos were long enough ago, I don't remember specifically what I liked about this chianti, but I remember liking it.

Of course, the best are the originals at Meditrina.

Low-budget films earn incentives

2009-07-13T11:03:00.005-06:00

In Monday's film news, Utah is now offering incentives to films with a budget under one million dollars. For more info, go to my article. Warning: It's newsy, but great information if you ever want to dabble in filmmaking.

Bulky chicken

2009-07-10T14:52:00.003-06:00

This whole not having money thing means I've been eating at home a lot more, which in turn means I'm learning more about the value of knowing how to make something yummy with the food stuff that's been in the cupboard for a smidge bit too long.

For example, adding chicken stock to the water for instant rice. It adds much more flavor and since I usually have some stock in the pantry it doesn't cost anything more. (Thanks, Andrew!)

Or learning the combination of paprika, cayenne and pepper flakes will make salsa just as spicy as the jalapeno pepper I didn't buy. Oh and if I add some cumin I pretty much can make anything taste like Mexican.

And of course, the best trick for getting by when you can't go out is butter. Seriously, just add a little extra butter and the extra richness will make you think you're eating out.

I almost forgot to mention the salt. Ava's cousin said, "If something tastes a little off I just add a little salt and it's better." It's true, kids. Seriously, a pinch of Kosher will you get you far.

Then there's the tested truth of buying in bulk to save money. Sure this means I've eaten chicken for nearly every dinner since last Sunday. Just switch up the spices from the cupboard. One night it's Mexican (paprika, cayenne, cumin) the next it's Italian (oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil) and another it's American (garlic, onion and barbecue sauce) . Thus the monotony of eating chicken is staved off for a few days.

That is until the Cheez-Its I'm eating run out and I'm back to more chicken with lots of butter and a little bit of salt. Maybe, I'll try Japanese chicken tonight. After all I have some soy sauce in my fridge full of condiments.

Change is a comin'

2009-07-10T14:09:00.004-06:00

I feel a need to change a few things on the blog these days. Don't worry! I'll still be posting the usual reviews, stories and recipes, things will just look a little different. As always thank you for reading and supporting me.

Is that the lunch bell?

2009-07-09T15:20:00.002-06:00

For more reviews about the amazing food Salt Lake City has to offer, check out Heather King's Examiner.com page. It's full of helpful info about how to do lunch right.

Sundance Reviewed

2009-07-09T15:14:00.002-06:00

Here we go kidlets! Another review for your viewing pleasure. All about my nine favorite Sundance Festival films.

Summer memories

2009-07-07T11:24:00.004-06:00

I've been eating a lot of Otter Pops lately. And when I say a lot, what I mean to say is enough to have a blue covered tongue with drips of green down my shirt.

I still manage to eat the frozen treat like I'm six so it's inevitable my mouth and hands will be sticky and my shirt will be covered in goo. It's tough being coordinated some days. Besides, everyone knows blue and green are the best flavors of frozen water. Otter Pops are a sure-fire way to spark memories of the good ol' days: playing outside, eating mac and cheese and sucking on a Popsicle passing the slow, hot days of summer.

For a more grown up version of Otter Pops, try Erin's version of Strawberry Lemonade Slushies. It's super simple and very yummy.

In a blender add ice, frozen strawberries and lemonade. Blend until frozen and delicious. Pour into a glass. Enjoy.

For the happy sinners, add some vodka. We tried Ketel One in this mix and it was a great choice. Ketel is a fruitier vodka than most and mixes great with the strawberry lemon concoction.

Because I share

2009-07-06T17:33:00.000-06:00

A gig finally came to Salt Lake looking for PAs and guess what? It's with "So You Think You Can Dance" over July 24, 25 and 26.

I'm already committed to a family reunion and going to Atlanta for an editor's conference. So anyone else who is available and interested should apply. Here's the link to their Craigslist ad.

You can thank me later.

Review Time

2009-07-06T10:35:00.002-06:00

Here's my review of "Me and You and Everyone We Know" I'm about the only person I can find who doesn't love this film. But it still makes for decent reading and I even included a video. So get yourself over there.

She never had it so good

2009-07-03T12:23:00.004-06:00

Maybe it's anti-Semitic, maybe she never had it so good. Either way, all I know is I love Jewish Thursday.

What's that? You've never heard of Jewish Thursday. Well, let me explain each Thursday a group of friends and I buy the cheapest wine we can find and drink it down. It's always a great night with fascinating conversation. We've managed to cover Ancient Egypt, the anti-Semitism of Jew Thursday, human rights and religion. Plus, there's always film talk.

Last Jew Thursday, Mikey and Stryder (that's his real name) brought us wine in a bottle. It was amazing! I can't serve wine in plastic that comes in a bottle so for once we broke out the real wine glasses.

Between the Barefoot Cabernet Savignon and the Barefoot Merlot, I liked the Merlot just a smidgen better. The Merlot was more mellow and seemed to have a smokier spiciness to me. They were both pretty good and apparently not too expensive at the liquor store.

Our next bottle was Yellowtail Cabernet sponsored by the motherhood-centric Jeff. I've had the Yellowtail before and it seems like a good stand-by choice for a red wine. At this point, I had switched to a plastic cup because all our guests were using the real wine glasses so I didn't get nearly the flavor. The whole wine is better from a wine glass rule is... well, a rule for a reason. However, I've never been horribly disappointed in a Yellowtail so there's no reason not to drink even if it is from a plastic cup.

And of course Jew Thursday means having a box of Franzia Classic White on hand. This time I could really taste the sugar and I'm a little sad to have disliked my favorite boxed wine so much. But like true Jews, next Thursday we'll be back to boxed wine.

What? She never had it so good.

Boy will you cry

2009-07-02T13:52:00.002-06:00

My review of "Boys Don't Cry."Be a dear and read all about a film from the Sundance Institute Directors Lab in 1999.

This is the end, my friend.

2009-07-01T11:32:00.001-06:00

Just a happy reminder from me and The Doors: Utah's Private Clubs are extinct today. Yes! Utah is one baby step closer to making adulthood legal. Let's play!

Thinking thinkiness

2009-07-01T10:54:00.003-06:00

It was a balmy, dark night when Erin, Harry, Chris and I enjoyed some sushi from Ichiban on 200 East 350 South-ish.

Our waiter was adorable and amazing. He poured our wine an overpriced bottle of Lindeman's Shiraz perfectly. Plus, he did the whole taste testing thing, which I always think is cool. Oh yeah, and he let Harry make fun of everything in sight and laughed along.

We sat on the patio looking out onto 200 East-a small street that had more traffic than I thought it would for a Sunday night. The only downside to the patio was the ridiculously loud air conditioner from the apartments next door.

We had the Jazz, Dragon, Utah, Caterpillar and another Utah-named roll. Everyone agreed the rolls were much spicier than we anticipated. I suppose this could be the fault of the order and not Ichiban, but really four out of five rolls had some kind of spice included. That sounds way more Korean than Japanese to me. I also felt like these rolls were a lot richer than other sushi I'm wondering about the amount of Japanese mayo used or other sauces in the rolls.

However, the rolls were still flavorful and yummy. I really liked the caterpillar roll (non-spicy) it had a lot of avocado. All the fish in all the rolls seemed really fresh. We also tried a tempura fried roll, the tempura fried sushi was new for me. I really liked the crunch of the tempura, but it seemed to drown out the flavor of the rest of the fish and veggies in the roll itself so it was a little disappointing.

The shiraz was fairly good. Next time, though I'll be picking up a much cheaper bottle from the wine store. I was surprised by how much I liked this wine since I usually don't love wine. But it had a nice spiciness to it that I don't usually get out of my wine.

For our appetizer we had the miso soup. It was very good. The tofu pieces were bigger than the traditional soup usually has, but I liked the added chunkiness. The flavor was so good, I'm not usually a big fan of miso because it seems bland, but this soup had nice flavor with fresh herbs like cilantro really standing out.

I'm not sure about our total bill, but the average roll seemed to cost about $14. Definitely, not cheap eats for me. Luckily, Harry was kind enough to pick up the tab so this time it was cheap for me.

The experience of Ichiban leaves me wanting to go back, the food not so much. Maybe, next time I'll ask the adorable waiter for some suggestions on the sushi.

Kelsey Landry

2009-06-30T16:08:00.001-06:00

My piece about Kelsey Landry, a local filmmaker who started off as a film student and personal assistant who now owns her own production company and directs her own films.

Tell the world on your own lawn!

2009-06-29T16:47:00.003-06:00

Here's how you tell him you know he's cheating, honey.

Just don't let it on my lawn, next time.

Single smugness

2009-06-29T11:18:00.005-06:00

I'm sitting on my comfy, red couch enjoying the summer breeze with the living room door open and Nilla Wafers in hand when I hear a car screech to a stop outside my house. Traffic noises aren't uncommon, I live on a busy street. But the screeching, almost crashing sounds caught my attention. Hell, it was more interesting than actually writing anything today.

I leaned forward to look out the door and saw a couple I don't know. The woman was tall and beautiful. She had black hair and was wearing a blue dress. I assume she's Japanese because when she started yelling she had a thick accent and I only caught some of her words including "lie" and "cheat," which she screamed at a tall, beer-bellied middle-aged white guy in a Hawaiian shirt. He was soft spoken so I didn't hear his defense.

But after five minutes of listening in on their argument (I couldn't help it, she was yelling) my skills of deduction are telling me this guy cheated on her for years and when she confronted him about it about a month ago he denied his cheatin' ways only to continue sleeping with another woman. He chose today to confess his adultery. What an idiot! Seriously, honesty is the best policy. The rules from kindergarten will always be true.

Now, I'm enjoying the smug feeling of singlehood. What? It doesn't happen very often.

Wine, Dinner and Film

2009-06-27T10:00:00.002-06:00

Diva's Cupcakes is hosting a film night and everyone's invited for the price of a $30 ticket. The films will be great.

Here's the full article.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-14955-Salt-Lake-City-Indie-Movie-Examiner~y2009m6d26-Divas-free-film-festival

Enjoy!

Dairy Keen is King

2009-06-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

Dairy Keen in Heber, Utah is crazy. This little town is full of crazy coolness. I've heard lots of good things about Dairy Keen. I was excited to have the opportunity to stop by this little hamburger shop. The place is full of trains; on the ceilings, on the walls, outside, inside, everywhere for kids and big kids. They even have a Harry Potter train on display.

My brother Troy had the banana split and the chicken club sandwich. He loves their chicken club and always gets it. Unfortunately, he regretted ordering the banana spilt instead of his usual German chocolate shake.

About those shakes, that is some good ice cream. I don't know what Dairy Keen does, but their ice cream is thick, creamy and delicious. Anyone out there know if it's made nearby so I can buy some?

I had the strawberry shake. The strawberries were fresh and yummy. And the ice cream? I know I mentioned this before, but SERIOUSLY. GOOD.

I also had the Train Burger. The Train Burger is one of their signature items and is pretty much a ham-topped burger. It was way more meat than I was expecting, but still yummy. The ham is deli-sliced and salted while the hamburgers are made by hand. There's something about uneven edges on my burger that just makes my tummy happy.

Dairy Keen is a great local spot that has received lots of national coverage. If your ever in Heber, go ahead and stop by. Of course, I would love to check out some of their other local restaurants.

Just because there aren't people doesn't mean it isn't good

2009-06-26T16:06:00.004-06:00

We were seated in the small back room with traditional Japanese furnishings. The other birthday guests were nervous about being in the seemingly empty restaurant they had never heard of, but once we settled in and made our order John took care of the rest.

I tried the mermaid sushi roll, which was new. It had yellow tail, salmon and mussel with green tabiko. It was a little slimier in texture than I would've liked and for that I'll blame the mussel. The flavor was great and it had just the right amount of tabiko to give it some pop. Plus, the way it looks on the plate you can totally see why it's called the mermaid roll, the green tabiko is rolled on in a circular pattern than the rolls are laid out to look like a fish tail it's pretty nifty plating.

The terriyaki chicken and beef dishes looked and smelled delicious and were great for the non-seafood people in the party. They were served huge portions with tons of veggies so all the men and women were happy with the dish. The birthday girl said the steak her husband ordered was very good.

I also tried the dragon roll it was pretty good, but not my favorite--no particular reason it just lacked pizazz. I had a California roll and realized once again how I don't really like crab all that much. Then I had the sunshine roll and remembered it was one of my favorites at Sapporo. Janelle loved the sunshine roll including the plating with the lemon slices on top. She also said that with sushi it makes sense to eat the lemon rind or else you miss some of the flavor. I would have to agree, the sunshine roll is so delicious because of the lemon.

Some of the fish seemed a little off. It may have been because we were there on a Thursday, but the birthday girl's husband was overheard mentioning the fishiness of his shashimi. I believe it was salmon and yellow tail.

When we stopped to say hi to John, he totally remembered us and apologized for not realizing we were in the "special" room. We will definitely be seeing him again on a Friday when the fish is fresh. Oh and next time we'll be at the bar.

Summer time is coffee time

2009-06-25T11:27:00.003-06:00

My professor told me her favorite drink was coffee was in the summer. I thought it was a total oxymoron hot coffee in the summer? Yeah, right.

Turns out, she like to freeze milk ice cubes (I guess that's what you would call them) and put them in her coffee in the morning. I haven't tried it yet, but I did finally try an iced coffee from Sugar House Coffee.

I've always been a little nervous about iced coffee. I don't know why, something about the cold of a drink usually served hot seemed really off-putting to me. Lately, it's been so nice and summery, I decided to just go for it and try cold coffee.

I had an iced karmel sutra latte from Sugar House. It was delicious! I already knew I loved the karmel sutra, but iced was just as good as hot. Looks like I have a new summer wake up drink.

Tomorrow: milk ice cubes and coffee.

I'm published

2009-06-24T21:36:00.001-06:00

My first article for Examiner.com about Salt Lake City's independent film scene. Please be a doll and read it. Go here!

Loren, we need more deliciousness!

2009-06-24T13:54:00.004-06:00

After beer there's always room for barbecue. Following Sunday's Brewfest Harry, Erin, Laura, Ava and I made our way to Sugar House Barbecue for some yumminess. We were able to sit our on the back patio and our server was Loren, one of Salt Lake's best waiters. He is so amazing I remembered him from my last visit to the barbecue over a year ago.

The man is incredible! He endured three drunken girls and their alcoholic friend very well. He even remembered it was Erin's birthday and brought her a free dessert that was big enough to share. He also answered my questions about the menu and let us move inside once it cooled down outside.

I ordered the 1/3 rack of pork ribs with Greek potatoes and beans. As for the ribs, they were great. They had a nice, smoky crust on the outside and were soft on the inside. I thought they were a little dry, but with the house barbecue sauce it was so delicious it didn't matter. The house sauce is spicy, sweet and sour so all the flavors roll across your tongue. It's not the barbecue sauce I expected, but I still enjoyed it.

The potatoes were so good I felt inspired to make my own version at home the next day. Just dice some potatoes with the skin on toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian spices and cook until soft.

The grilled beans were way yummy and I can see why they are one of the most popular sides at Sugar House Barbecue. I'm not usually a huge fan of beans, even though I've been eating more of them lately. These beans were sweet, soft and flavorful.

Everyone else definitely loved their food, too because we all cleaned our plates. Harry said, "That was good. Where's dessert?" Harry and other men I've eaten there with seem to agree, Sugar House Barbecue doesn't serve enough barbecue. Sugar House Barbecue does serve a smaller portion than most restaurants. For me it just means I actually eat everything. I think the portion sizes are fine at Sugar House Barbecue because one meal is exactly enough to fill me up.

However, to each his own. If you go to Sugar House Barbecue, plan on spending around $15 per person on the entree. And if you bring a big appetite, you might want to order twice. Oh and do yourself a favor and ask for Loren.

Noodles, again.

2009-06-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

During my last weekend at Sundance, I spent a little more time with fast food.

James and I went to Noodles & Company on University Parkway in Orem. As always the food was consistent. Yay! Fast food chains.

I tried the Parmesan Crusted Chicken for the first time and was surprised by the richness of the crust. It was really yummy for a drizzly day of moving stuff. I also had the Pasta Fresca with cavatappi noodles. I didn't like the fresca as much as their Penne Rosa, but it was worth trying something new.

I definitely could use more vegetables in my pasta. I felt a little cheated by the lack of tomatoes and spinach in my pasta. I don't know if they always serve such a small amount of greens with their pasta, but this girl wants more.

As always with Noodles I was impressed by their speedy service. The consistency of their food means nothing remarkable happens so I have nothing remarkable to say. So thanks for bringing a decent consistency to the fast food scene Noodles. I'll always be grateful for you when I don't know where else to eat.

I found new love

2009-06-22T11:57:00.004-06:00

Now that sunshine is back, my new love is beer. Yes, beer!

For Erin's birthday, we went to the Grill on the Hill at Snowbird where three ounce beer samples cost a dollar, but admission is free.

I enjoyed $14 worth of local beers. Including some new ones.

My favorite new beer discovery is the Desert Edge Brewery's Anniversary Amber Ale. The Desert Edge is located at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City. I'll be stopping by to check out their food. The other brews they had on tap weren't nearly as sweet and smooth, but still a decent beer.

My favorite new brewery is Hoppers in Midvale, Utah. Sadly their beer is not available in stores. The bar tender informed they're looking at a bottling line in the next six months. So watch for their Pale Morning Ale and Orange Honey Hefeweizen. Ava and I are already planning a future trip to their brew pub in Midvale, perhaps a student loan payment victory beer?

I also liked the Moab Brewery's Deadhorse Ale. It was a little bitter, but I know what I'll drink next time I'm in town. They also served anoter Ale and a Pilsner. The Scorpion Ale was a little more bitter than the Deadhorse. I didn't try the Pilsner, but was told it was one of their more popular beers.

Bohemian Brewery from some place (I completely forgot which country in Europe) had a Bloch which was way to heavy and bitter for me. I also tried their red brew. Again, I've forgotten which type of beer it was. The red was much smoother, but not something I'll go out of my way to find. Bohemian gets props for their tagling, "Serving blonds, redheads and brunettes daily." Instant love!

I also had Uinta's Cutthroat again. A nice beer I've always enjoyed, but Uinta only served brews I've tried before so I stayed away from their booth for most the day.

Squatter's was again serving their Polygamy Porter, which is a great beer. It's dark enough I feel like a real beer drinker, but smooth enough I can actually drink it. The opposite of Captain Bastard's Stout from Squatters.

I also had the Chasing Tail Pale Ale again. It's a nice ale that goes down easy. I especially like the brightness of this brew.

After sampling so many beers I have to retract my love of Squatter's Hefeweizen a little, it's more bitter than a few other hefe's I tried, but still a nice brew from a local pub. My new love is their Summer Ale. It's a nice citrusy drink that goes down smoother than Corona. Plus, buying it will support my local economy.

If you didn't make it to Snowbird's Brewfest, try Oktoberfest in the fall. The local beer scene just keeps getting better. And hopefully by then I can bring Hopper's beers home.

Provo food time, hold on to your tummy

2009-06-19T09:00:00.001-06:00

Another day in Provo meant another day of fast food for me. Wes, James and I went to Apollo's Burgers. This was my first visit to the Utah chain and one of very few I will make in my lifetime.

Apollo's was kind of gross. The open counter only shows off the uncleanliness of the kitchen. I ordered the cheeseburger combo just so I could upgrade to onion rings. The cashier said Apollo's won't allow you to order a kids' meal and substitute anything for the french fries. Apollo, take a hint from your big-time competitor Mickey D's: give people options.

The burger was pretty good. I was pretty happy with the grilled burger with lots of cheese and toppings. For fast food, it was good. The onion rings were just off. I'm not sure what went wrong, but the onion was undercooked, the breading bland and it tasted like the inside of the freezer. I don't know what happened, but they are possibly the worst onion rings I've ever had.

Then I went to the bathroom and I almost lost it. I've been in gas stations with cleaner bathrooms. It was disgusting. I really hope it was just an off day and they were understaffed. If I ever go back to Apollo's Burgers it sure won't be there Provo location.

The lesson here is to only order my favorite deep-fried side dish at the Soup Kitchen. Oh Provo, when will you have good food?

The Owl Bar

2009-06-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

In my time at Sundance, I've discovered the locals bar. The Owl Bar at the Sundance Resort is very cowboy. The building is a rebuilt cabin with tons of black and white photos of Robert Redford and other celebrities who made Westerns back in the day.

The waitresses are pretty awesome. They are very friendly and super chill. Plus, there's no cover charge on weekdays. And underagers tip: they appear to only check the idea of the person buying. Not that I'm encouraging illegal activities.

Now for the negatives, the price tag. A glass of beer on tap will run you $5 at the Owl Bar, which is a pretty hefty price for a 3.2% alcohol pint of Squatter's. A shot costs about $7.50 and I'm scared to even look at the cocktail list.

Next up for complaint, the food. The bar serves food from The Foundry Grill. The Grill is beyond overpriced a steak entree runs at about $37. I only ordered the cheese fries appetizer for $8.50 it was good. Nice hot, melty goodness.

I also tried the macaroni and cheese appetizer for $9.50. It was okay, but went a little bit more the way of traditional mac and cheese from home than I expected. It also came out of the kitchen so hot, I burnt my mouth a little. True, the waitress warned me, but it was still scary.

I love the atmosphere of the Owl Bar, they play amazing music and have a great staff. So here's my advice take a day trip to Sundance and pack a picnic basket. Enjoy a beautiful hike and eat by one of the many waterfalls in the area. Than finish off your day at the Owl Bar before heading home.

Enjoy your day in the Old West!

Wedding Food Trends

2009-06-17T15:05:00.001-06:00

I mean really?! You're giving up the cake?! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/dining/17wedd.html?_r=1&em

I can't believe it.

Props to Heartless Dolls for tweeting this.

It's all in the roux

2009-06-17T09:00:00.001-06:00

I attempted to make mac & cheese the other day. I thought a nice comfort food with bacon bits would go nicely with the drizzly weather these days. And it did sort of.

Unfortunately I didn't mix the flour in the bacon grease quite right so I ended up with a grainy roux. In my efforts to solve the grainy problem, I cooked the sauce for just a few minutes. The longer I let the sauce cook the grainier the roux seemed to become.

I'm not really sure what I did wrong so any advice or insights into how to fix my current roux problem please let me know.

I ended up with a thin, grainy cheese sauce, lots of bacon bits and overcooked pasta.

*Sigh* My cooking mojo has left me. Maybe I'll try something new. Any ideas?

Learn to fake it until you make it, honey!

2009-06-16T09:00:00.005-06:00

Really, is it that hard to fake it?

After Ava, Erin and I went to Blue Plate Diner at 2100 South 2100 East, Ava sent me this link to Bad Service.Reading these stories made me feel an itty-bit better about our experience, but come on.

Blue Plate was so busy this Sunday afternoon we waited for a table. The wait wasn't too long, but it was a little weird to be asked to wait. The hostess (who I believe is the owner's wife) handed me three menus and asked us to follow our waitress to the back booth that had taken ten or so minutes to get cleaned after all we got to watch while we waited.

We followed Jasmine back and sat down. She wandered off then came back a few minutes later to ask what we wanted to drink. Her first words to us were, "What would you like to drink?" All three of us ordered coffee and water.

A few minutes later we all had water, but I had no coffee. Apparently, when I asked for coffee she didn't hear me. Now I pride myself on being a good customer. I've worked in the restaurant business and I always tip well. I really believe that if I treat my server well, they will treat me well. Obviously, Jasmine has a different ideology. I was bugged that I had to ask twice for coffee, but I tried to not make a big deal out of it.

Many minutes later (Erin had time to choose what she wanted even), Jasmine made her way back to take our order. No smiles, no helpful-ness just "What do you want?" Seriously, what happened to piss her off so much that she couldn't even pretend to be cheerful for the five seconds it takes to write down an order?!

Our food came out fairly quickly and was good. But in the hour or so we spent eating Jasmine checked on us once and another waitress refilled our coffee after Erin asked for more. The second waitress also managed to make a hugely inappropriate joke at the same time about not having enough coffee for Ava.

Awesome! Because when you have a table of three unhappy people making a joke about not seeing we need something is golden.

I've eaten at Blue Plate often enough to know that this level of terrible service is most likely a fluke. But I'm upset enough by the experience that next time I want breakfast in the afternoon I'll go to the Park Cafe or try Finn's on 1700 South. Sorry, Blue Plate you gotta earn my love.

Nostalgia for a dollar

2009-06-15T15:32:00.002-06:00

I just spent a dollar on mint lemonade.

Never again, in my life will I attempt to drink mint lemonade. I blame children and childhood. I was walking home and two adorable little girls were selling lemonade outside their house. They had a super cool stand set up and wore matching aprons, plus one of the girls was holding a chicken like she was a cat. How is any adult going to say no to that cuteness?

The girl-without-the-chicken started screaming they had lemonade and cupcakes while I was still across the street. When I finally got to the girls, I asked for a small lemonade. I saw the cupcakes and decided my own homemade mess was probably safer for my stomach.

They were out of small cups, but I felt bad remembering my lemonade stand days and waiting forever for one kind soul to buy a cup of KoolAid lemonade. So I pulled out a bill and said it was okay. I asked for a large and was given a red plastic cup half-filled with mint lemonade. The mixer of the lemonade was proud to inform me of the mint concoction as she held onto her chicken, who apparently told her it was the best lemonade in the world. Sorry kid, the chicken lied.

I took one very small sip and wished them luck. It was only the memories of watching adults throw lemonade out on the corner that held me back from tossing the cup of yuck out. I walked all the way home before throwing the beverage down the sink. Mint and lemonade are two flavors that do not mix.

My only consolation is that my money went towards a good cause. May those girls and their chicken have better money management skills than me.

More Sundance

2009-06-09T20:49:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,

I'm too emotionally drained to talk about food.

I've been eating out a lot. Somehow spending 13 hours a day away from home just makes me want to gorge on grease than go to sleep. Of course, that's after my requisite TV and Internet time.

On a food side note: Blue Plate Diner waitresses are awful on a busy Sunday afternoon and homemade sauces are only as good as the roux you make. Longer posts to come later.

Talk soon,
Krista

Drinking in Utah County

2009-06-07T12:50:00.002-06:00

Where to get a margarita in Utah county?

It's a tough question to answer, but the answer seems to be Chili''s. Y'all know I don't like chains, but apparently that's all they have on University Parkway. Last night, the other Sundance interns and I went to dinner at Chili's.

Two good things, one: Presidente Margarita and two: The bar. I know that might sound redundant, but let me explain.

Utah County has a disgusting amount of children. I love my nieces and nephews. Children I don't know frighten me. When we walked in, everyone insisted we sit in the bar area. Our waitress Amber Rae was very friendly and a decent waitress. She seemed a little unprofessional and immature--most the staff appeared to be in their late teens so I was happy to have a waitress who could legally bring me alcohol.

The Presidente Margarita was nice and smooth. A little weak, a girl like me could always use a little more liquor. And like all Utah restaurant cocktails cost about $7.

The chicken fajita I ordered is really a bland quesadilla. It cost about $9 and came with fries. I will never order this again. I may not have been that hungry, but the fajita was past disappointing.

So if you ever find yourself in Orem, you can drink at Chili's. Good luck getting buzzed!

Sundance

2009-06-05T20:25:00.000-06:00

I met Robert Redford.

For the past two days, I've been working at the Sundance Institute Director's Lab. The lab's are catered so I've been eating mediocre restaurant food for two meals each day. Beyond increasing my rum cake addiction, catering brought me Bob.

Yep, that's what people who know him call him. Secretly, I call him the Sundance Kid, but I try to keep the girlish giggling to myself. Yesterday the Sundance Kid came to lunch while I was there. And he's totally cool!

The Sundance Kid introduced himself to all the new people (that's me!). It was amazing! So while the food itself was a little disappointing. The Sundance Kid is as amazingly awesome in real life as he is on film.

That's all for now folks!

The Park Cafe

2009-06-03T12:54:00.003-06:00

Hash browns a.k.a Park Potatoes and more coffee than anyone could possibly drink at one meal. The breakfast fare at Liberty Park is a great hangover cure, even if the servers hover.

Patrick, Erin and I went to The Park Cafe on 600 East 1300 South for a breakfast/lunch meal. The Park is only open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The menu is limited to breakfast and lunch items.

The only dish you need to worry about is Park Potatoes. These hash browns are so delicious. They remind me of the kind my mom used to make with grated potatoes and bacon grease. The Park has mastered the right level of crispy goodness to soft potato.

I also ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, which was a waste because after all the potatoes I didn't have room for the grilled cheese. Of the few bites I did take, it was good. But didnt' match the yumminess of the potatoes so I was disappointed.

Erin loved her huevos rancheros even though they didn't have chorizo and instead came with breakfast sausage that was ordered as a separate side. Patrick loves the chili at The Park and it's one of his favorite breakfast spots. I think we were all very happy with our food.

Our server was friendly, knowledgable and overly helpful. For some mysterious reason the bus boy and our waiter both refilled our coffees and waters about every ten seconds. I asked for a lot of coffee and water, but my glass was never less than three-quarters full. And my creamer, sugar with coffee beverage became coffee with creamer and sugar far too quickly. I kind of like to be left alone with my friends when we go out to eat. I never thoguht I'd say this, but the wait staff is too helpful.

For grilled cheese with Park potatoes and coffee my bill came to just under $6. For the food, it was well worth the price, but please leave my coffee alone.

Clear the Air Challenge

2009-06-02T18:29:00.004-06:00

Good karma, here I come!

Yeah, baby. I just joined the Utah Clear the Air Challenge. And I know this is kind of ironic since I have never owned a car and average driving someone else's vehicle less than once a month. But I could really use the karma.

So I'll be keeping up with my usual taking of the bus and walking lifestyle. But hey, it's for a good cause. Now I have a "reason" to not buy a car, I'm just environmentally conscious. Secretly, I'm hoping for karma in the form of a job, but other niceness will do.

Come on goodness!

Welcome to the Grove

2009-06-02T10:36:00.004-06:00

Oh. My. God. Is that a sandwich? I dare you, to not say that when you first see a sandwich from The Grove Market on Main Street and 1700 South-ish.

Sasquatch, Ava and I made our maiden voyage to The Grove Market because whenever I've gone by on the bus this little deli is packed. There are always people sitting outside on the tables and occasionally the line goes out the door and onto the small patio.

The afternoon we went the deli wasn't especially busy, but The Grove wasn't quite what I expected either. I had envisioned it to be a deli, which it is, but it's also a market. The little shop is packed to the gills with Ute memorabilia and other sports gear exploding off the shelves. The market has pretty much everything you would need, including a ridiculously vast selection of olives and hot sauce.

A full sandwich from The Grove will set you back about $10. A little expensive I know, but the sandwich is of such gargantuan proportions you are actually buying two separate sandwiches. There are not many people in this world who can eat an entire Grove sandwich in one sitting--Walt, don't even try.

I ordered the avocado, tomato sandwich because I was feeling like salad. Packed between two slices of thick French bread were avocado, tomato, lettuce, pickles, cheese, salt, pepper, mayo and mustard. The sandwich was so big it was somewhat intimidating.

I loved the pepper and pickles. The avocado all squished out so I ended up eating half my sandwich more like the salad I'd thought about ordering. Because of my problems with holding the sandwich together I'll probably ask for the bread rolls next time instead of slices.

I really enjoyed my sandwich and would love to go back to The Grove. However, Ava says the sandwich is too expensive for what you get and there is way too much mayonnaise and mustard. Sasquatch was somewhere between Ava and I. She really liked her sandwich, but also said her sandwich had too much mustard on it.

So my suggestion is order a half sandwich on a bread roll and ask for less condiments. I have no idea if the boys who look like they dropped out of Brooklyn will deliver, but they seem like nice kids. After all, it doesn't hurt to ask.