taco taco

Dinner-wise, the past two days seem like the same point in time in alternate dimensions.

Yesterday the gang got together and attempted to go to Off the Grid in Berkeley - we were desiring all sorts of burritos and fried items - but alas, these lines were snaking down the street. Even more discouraging was the lack of movement in those lengthy lines...

So an executive decision was made and we headed over to Picoso in the Epicurious Garden on Shattuck Avenue for a Mexican fix... I picked fish tacos and was pleasantly surprised:

crispy fried fish with mangoes, cabbage, and avocado aioli!
You can't go wrong with aioli!

park it here!

Were we starving? Yes, but that doesn't take away from the deliciousness of these tacos. Aioli should be in everything!

Today at work I learned that Bacon Bacon would make an appearance at Off the Grid on Stanyan Street. However, this odyssey also ended in failure to nab desired food from desired truck... after surviving an hour-long bus ride home to get my car and almost getting hit by a punk in a Mercedes, I stumbled to Bacon Bacon only to find that they had stopped taking orders. What!? With over thirty minutes left before OTG's closing time, surely there was room to cook up a quick pork belly sandwich!

This isn't the first time I've heard of delays for Bacon Bacon. The first and only other time I visited Bacon Bacon there was a pair of women who made it their duty to vocalize how long they had been waiting. When Bacon Bacon stopped by AT&T Park on a weekday lunch, no one from the office could go. But an acquaintance reported that she had waited one hour to get her food. Who waits one hour for food!? Well, there is the chicken and bread salad at Zuni Café, and they tell you upfront that it's an hour for the two-person dinner.


I'm sure the artists behind Bacon Bacon have figured out that they are not ready to take on the flash crowds that frequent OTG and singular food trucks... but they need to fix that pronto. Maybe they should offer just 2 sandwiches per day instead of the full menu of six? That might streamline operations. Bottom line: you shouldn't have to turn any customer away because of time.

After my disappointing odyssey, I took stock of the other trucks at OTG and decided to try Seoul on Wheels. Clever name! Unfortunately this truck was sold out of Korritos - burritos with predominantly Korean fillings like kim chi and bulgogi as well as classic touches like cheese and sour cream. What a shame, I've always wanted to say I've eaten a Korrito! Settled on Korean tacos with bulgogi, marinated rib meat that tastes like ambrosia for cavemen.

bulgogi, lots of lettuce, some white radish, pepper paste, and sour cream

Though the meat flavor was good, it's nothing super special... I am spoiled by my mother who knows how to marinate her own bulgogi so nothing can really compare to that. Also, so long as you have the marinade, it's really difficult to screw up bulgogi. So yes, it was undoubtedly good and I expected nothing less.

The ample lettuce reminded me of the way that we eat bulgogi at my mom's: with rice and in lettuce "cups." In fact, bulgogi-rice tacos with lettuce shells are quite possibly the first "tacos" I've ever had!

What I did like was the stuff that I usually do not add to my bulgogi. White radish is a condiment that's as common in Korean cuisine as ketchup is with fries in the States. But we never felt a need to have it with bulgogi, so I liked the addition to my taco. And once again, I'm a sucker for the sauce: the mix of hot and slightly sweet pepper paste and sour cream is sublime!

Seoul on Wheels saved my OTG outing from turning into a complete nightmare. I like this truck, and I like their sense of humor... "BBQ Princess of Yoon, from the Province of Yummi..."

stuck in my head...

For some reason, I've had an urge to listen to "La Tortura" on my ipod repeatedly... it is hands down one of my favorite songs ever... Shakira + Alejandro Sanz = magic!

I love everything about this video! The words, Shakira's mesmerizing dancing, Alejandro Sanz's slightly raspy yet rich voice... and I really appreciate Shakira's slightly grungy look for this production, complete with untamed curly hair... you can see her freckles! This song has stuck with me for a while and I don't think it'll be leaving anytime soon.

more of Shakira's gorgeously natural look
(but slightly made up... can't see her freckles here)

Not everyone can appreciate her voice - at times it has a guttural quality and she oftentimes sings a key or so deeper. But I love it because it's unique and encourages you to think on the words... the perfect medium for an alternative folksy-rock-pop chanteuse with plenty of messages.

A prime example of her listen-to-my-words style... "Pies Descalzos" from her earlier work (before she broke into the hearts of the mainstream US audience...)

She even dances barefoot (pies descalzos) here!

Not that there's anything wrong with makeup or changing your style or making lots more money, just noting that there has been a definite change in Shakira's style... you'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not see that.

Shakira's newer material is very catchy and has brought this talented artist a lot more attention. The jump to a more glamourpuss and sexy look - as well as a more polished and heavily-produced sound style - starts with "She Wolf."

On the surface the song seems to be about club-crawling and bringing out your inner animal, whatever that may be. But History International has once again, taught me something new: back in Campagna during the days of the Roman Empire, a lupinaria was the term for a brothel. Literally, lupinaria means "den of the wolves," specifically a lady-wolf according to the guest speakers on History International. Prostitutes were referred to as she-wolves in slang at the time. Thus, Shakira adds a layer of hidden meaning - that stigma and shame (seen the cage?) associated with sex workers or even women who are liberated in their sexuality - to the palimpsest that is "She Wolf." That judgement is undoubtedly echoed in the comments left by those who are too quick to judge Shaki as a sellout.

"Rabiosa" is a fun collaboration with hitmaker Pitbull and makes you want to dance. It's a very good dance song but that's all it really is - a dance song. That and a risqué music video with Shakira taking her belly-dancing ways to another level.

Don't get me wrong, I still like this song and I always pump this jam while driving in the car (that's right, I gotta pump this jam!) I like the way she looks with the short bob and I like the party atmosphere of the song... I just happen to like her older work - the likes of "La Tortura" - a bit more.

summertime's TV review

After the fantastic yet bittersweet season finale of Camelot, I've had to turn to other avenues for entertainment as I knit.

First off, a very San Francisco show to watch: Showtime's The Franchise! I'm not terribly thrilled about the format so far... there was a sneak peek back in the spring where Pablo Sandoval showed off his new physique and Brandon Belt was ultimately called up... only to be followed by the first full episode released July 13, an episode that spanned the entire heartbreaking and tortuously gritty season thus far. It looks like subsequent episodes will review the past week's performance while profiling a few of the athletes at a time.

Still, your heart can't do anything else but melt when you see Jeremy Affeldt's little boy popping out of the garage when he comes home. You cheer him on every time Pablo the Panda smacks a home run or tackles that hill outside of Tempe Arizona, where he trained in the off-season to ensure his comeback. You think "man, no one deserves an All-Star nomination more than Vogey" when you hear Ryan Vogelsong's long road to greatness. And you gape openly at Brian Wilson showing up to the ESPYs in that very famous penguin-esque spandex tuxedo, complete with a cougar cane.

Some shots from the show's site...

Tim Lincecum on Opening Night, flaunting his new bling

The Most Interesting Closer in the World, Brian Wilson

Kung-Fu Panda!

The other show filling the void that Camelot has left? None other than another project from Starz, Torchwood: Miracle Day! This is the fourth in a very successful spin-off series from the zany Doctor Who and reads like a more modern, faster-paced incarnation of The X-Files. Now I haven't always been into science fiction - I grew up as a fantasy dork - but I'm starting to figure out fantasy and sci-fi are ultimately the same thing. Yay, just 17 years late!


Not only is it nice to see Mekhi Phifer back in action but I am totally in love with Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper. Myles plays one hell of a mother...

I wonder if baby will remember any of this...
image from culthub.com

I love this new series but it sort of reminds me of that floundering Flash Forward series by ABC... but this one's better. And Joseph Fiennes is definitely better suited as Merlin than Mark Benford.

As always, a big thanks to my landlords, who graciously include free satellite TV in my rent. They also gave me some key lime pie, which I absolutely adore.

1... 2... 3 slices of heaven!

Abrazos y besitos!

how to train an eater

Took Oddjob to the aforementioned Peruvian Food Festival at the Civic Center Plaza and had a blast! My mission: to get Oddjob to try as many new foods as possible!

First up... anticuchos!

I waiter until after Oddjob had finished hers and given the thumbs up
before disclosing that she had just eaten a cow's heart.
Haha, evil sister!

Next, beef empanadas from The Empanadero Factory!

Oddjob's favorite of the day!
Squeeze that lime into the filling, it is divine!

After walking around a bit and drinking some chicha morada, returned to the tail of the festival for aji de gallina!

Shredded chicken and potatoes in a creamy pepper sauce?
Who can resist?

After eating these three in quick succession, we decided to walk around a bit and take in the sights and music. Here, the most popular guy at the beer garden!

why so lonely?

I thought the musical entertainment was pretty fun... on the Larkin side there was a DJ playing all the hot reggaeton beats. The Polk Street stage, right in front of City Hall, showcased local bands... even the MC got in on the fun while between acts!

These ladies show their pride for Peru
and their support for the MC's mad karaoke skills.

In true Peruvian style, this lovely band charmed this woman to come closer.

See that tyke with the orange stick? He stole the show with his percussion!

Oddjob claimed to be stuffed but couldn't resist dancing without my encouragement - or a most comely dessert: gelatinas!

sunflower power

Needless to say, the lines for pollo a la brasa and lomo saltado were sprawling all over the plaza. I consoled myself by remembering that Oddjob had already enjoyed these delicacies at Limón Rotisserie and that we succeeded in getting Oddjob to try new food!

planning a food coma

Do you know what you are doing tomorrow?

If you don't have plans, I invite you all to join me as I take Oddjob to the 3rd Annual Peruvian Food Festival at the Civic Center, form 10AM to 7PM. I browsed the vendors for this year's exhibition and saw lomo saltado (beef and potatoes in a nice salty savory sauce,) aji de gallina (chicken in a great light pepper sauce,) and lots of other tasty treats... do not pass up the showstopping choclo!

choclo, the Peruvian word for "corn"

I believe I quite literally stumbled across this festival last year after brunch and all I thought was "dang, that huge corn looks good!" And then I actually went to Peru and ate some choclo - usually served with a slice of cheese by a nice short lady waiting outside of your tour bus around Cuzco. I cannot pass up this opportunity to make Oddjob's summer the best yet by having her samples tastes from the best food in the world.

a taste of Italy

for Wednesday dinner, I revisited a lovely little pizza place in Glen Park... Gialina! It just so happens that this little establishment serves up my very favorite pizza stateside.

One of my favorites is the amatriciana: spicy tomato-chilli sauce and pancetta topped by a glorious egg that cooks on the hot pizza pie as it is served. Fantastic.

This time Cabbage had a hankering for potatoes (see why we're friends?) so we decided on the Yukon Gold potato pizza with bacon (yes!) red onions, and gorgonzola cheese. We had no problem finishing this pizza over some much-needed girltime... in fact, we were nearly done before I remembered to photograph our food...

we just can't keep our hands off it!

It's more like photographing an accomplishment at this point.

you can't stop me but you can surely delay me

traffic, Muni, and this new bout of allergies... "delay" is the story of my life!

So back to what I did on WEDNESDAY... at work, Bunny and Speedy raved about the papaya salad at Perilla on Mission Street:

papaya salad with poached beef. Also has basil, carrots, peanuts, little fried shallots,
and of course, papaya (the white stuff that looks like short noodles)

mix with tangy nuoc mam dressing and enjoy!

I was surprised by the papaya... not that it was there (after all, it is a papaya salad) but by how well it replaced noodles. I guess I'm stuck on noodles right now... not only was the papaya a great alternative, but the beef was very tender and the fried shallots (fancy onions) made everything seem much more expensive than it was. Top notch lunch food for less than $10!

Just be sure to eat your food ASAP... if you let it sit for a bit while you go to the ATM, the papaya loses its crunch power.

check-up

So I haven't been too good about knitting every night but I guess 6 weeks is a good time for a quick update...

the blooming blanket has one fan!

It's about 30% done, so that's a little more than 12 weeks if I go at the same rate.

paid in sweat... yuck!

Last night I found Turbo Jam to be a lot more taxing than I thought so tonight I turned to my Dancing with the Stars Cardio DVD:

Cheryl and Maks are so much nicer on the DVD!

Very proud to say that I complete all four dance programs tonight! This is my second day of getting back to exercise - which as you all know is always easier than the first - but perhaps this also goes to show the extent of intensity in Chalene's Turbo Jam and the accessibility of DWTS. Oh, and each dance program is just 10 minutes long.

I must say that it doesn't feel so bad to exercise now... I'm feeling okay with this much more quickly than I thought I would but there is something really nice about stepping out of the shower feeling super-refreshed because I had something to really wash off!

about half a year late

but I'm finally starting everyone's favorite resolution: exercising!

People who know me know that I'm not a fan of the e-word... I don't like to sweat, I don't relish the idea of sweating and working out in a gym in front of strangers, and I'd like to think that I can maintain a healthy body by just eating balanced meals and walking... the thing is, even the "good stuff" stateside isn't really that good for you with all the weird chemicals and genetically modified junk goin' on. Not that I'm a fan of healthy-food-super-fiber-granola-organic diets (surprise!) but organic is normal abroad. So when I pig out on potatoes and cream sauces and pork in Europe or South America, I actually lose weight. But when I munch my way around here, there's always some level of processed (fake) sugar and funky -oxides and -iums in the food.

Also, I don't walk around here nearly as much as your average French woman walks around Paris.

So I decided that maybe I should return to those cheesy work-out DVDs I got a few years ago... back when I did a program almost daily, I found that I could eat anything I want and keep a very happy 28-inch waist... I am very proud to say that when I gained 11 pounds on an Alaskan cruise vacation, following my DVDs shed those 11 and a little more. That is the exercise regimen for me!

So finally after months of forgetting, I remembered to pick up the spare DVD player from Mumsy's house. And now I have everything I need to begin...

the DVD player! Also plays VHS!
on top are the Turbo Jam DVDs my mom or brother got and the Dancing with the Stars cardio DVDs I bought

it's been a long time, Chalene...

Damn, it's been over a year since I put one of these in... here we go!

full circle

So I started off the weekend by joining some friends at the rum-enthusiast bar Smuggler's Cove, on Gough Street... this awesome joint recognizes the tumultuous history of rum and boasts over 100 different kinds of the liquor, using them to serve up tasty recipes from all over the Caribbean. I was thrilled that my friends loved this place so much... I've only been there once before but that might change...

drinks to make a swashbuckler proud

Then hopped off to see Part 2 - the end - of the Harry Potter saga. Not too many alterations to the book this time, and I liked the differences they chose to use. Watchout for Professor McGonagall because she can teach all those models a lesson in fierce. I'm also a fan of the casting choice for young Severus Snape:

Benedict Clarke as Severus Snape
image courtesy of fanpop.com

The young lad is Benedict Clarke. I'm not sure if this was intentional but I totally thought he looked like a baby Edward Scissorhands.

Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands

The next day I was supposed to bring my ever-popular whoopie pies to a friend's BBQ but something went horribly wrong... the graham cracker whoopies came out too thin and fragile, which means that the batter was too thin... and no, I never have time to do a second batch.

So after hearing from Bunny how I have to try this new bakery near my house, I hopped over to Devil's Teeth Bakery on Noriega Street... I appreciate the clean, no-frills look of the place. I get enough pink from Kara's...

Anyways, service was a little slow (the girls here look really young) but friendly. And thanks to their Lemon Bars and Raspberry Bars, Devil's Teeth saved my life!

party time!

I'm really beginning to take a shine to oatmeal in sweets... but only in sweets! Also picked up one for the road...

busy driving, so I took a picture of the bottom of this brownie

Today got Mumsy to touch up the roots of my hair and stuffed myself silly with potato pancakes... also found that Johnny Cat, who used to live on the streets and once had a waist you could circle with your hand, is really softening up... his bites are now playbites and he lets me pet him for long periods of bliss.

one sweet cat

Came home in time for a rerun of the Simpsons episode "Homer Scissorhands..." didn't I just see his doppelganger a few days ago?

these scissors are sharp!

playing papparazzi

is easy when your subject doesn't move!

After stuffing ourselves silly with pulled pork, Sangria and I headed over to Baker Beach so she could practice shooting with her new camera... she's been taking some photography classes and wanted to test out her newfound knowledge. For one, she said that the best time to take photos is around sunrise and sunset so you don't overexpose, um, things.

Me? I was just along for the ride with my old camera and amateur picture-taking...

Glad we took advantage of this skeleton hut when we did.
By the time we headed back, the hovel had toppled.

beyond the first range of rocks... looks like a private cove!

the biggest wave I could get.
As Sangria says, it's all about timing.

A little windy but not as cold as you'd expect tonight. Not bad for a Thursday night!

better eats

I went food-truck-crazy today...

first my co-worker Bunny made the mistake of announcing that Curry Up Now would be serving tikka masala fries at the truck on Bush Street... we've encountered a bit of trouble when trying to order these fries before... once we placed a web order only to learn that the particular truck in San Francisco wasn't making the fries that day. So when Bunny confirmed that they had specifically declared the fries to be served on Bush Street today, we hurried over to grab an order of fries today. Addicted without even having a taste, we are!

chicken tikka masala fries... loaded

Crosscut sweet potato fries covered in tikka masala sauce and loaded with chicken, tons of onions, and even a little cheese... an amazing mix of sweet, spicy and savory notes... super delish! These fries are no mere side dish; I think it's hearty enough for a meal. Speedy, Bunny, and I split this bad boy three ways but somehow I still felt stuffed before tackling my lunch from home.

And if that wasn't enough, I already had plans on going to Off the Grid at Stanyan with my friend Sangria:

a milling crowd

trucks ahoy!

the parking lot is your oyster

we settled on Southern Sandwich Co.

that tea comes out hot! You need to ice it yourself

I got hush puppies... maybe I should've tried their "tator wedges!"

the $7 Carolina pulled pork sandwich is what really drew us here

but then Sangria went big and got a 2-meat platter

my pulled pork sandwich with hush puppies

Sangria's dinner: pulled pork, beef brisket, hush pups, pepperjack mac & cheese, and white bread
Fit for a lumberjack or swampdweller, or whatever people do in the South

hush puppy head shot

pulled pork mug shot

Wow these portions are hefty! The pulled pork was very tender but could use more flavor... I think the boys behind Southern Sandwich Co. shouldn't be afraid to add a little rub to this mess. The cabbage slaw on top doesn't add much flavor or crunch... so good but not spectacular. If you want some really tender pork, be sure to sauce it up with mustard or whatever strikes your fancy.

Same goes for the hush puppies... I'm no expert at these little fried balls of cornmeal but I don't think they should taste very dry. Definitely needed a little mustard and mayonnaise.

The brightest star in the bunch was Sangria's beef brisket... this beef was so tender that it all but melts in your mouth. And unlike the pulled pork, the beef is well-seasoned and comes with its own character. I would return for the beef brisket.

Of course, I'll also have to return for the other trucks.

bacon haven

Today I found out that there's a new food truck in town, one that caters to the bacon-lovin' vices in most of us. Get thee to Bacon Bacon San Francisco! (Currently their website only sells T-shirts but you can unearth their whereabouts on facebook and twitter.)

It's hard to haul yourself out of the house once you return from work but this was something for which I absolutely could not wait another day. Drove to the DMV parking lot (is this legal?) and hopped the fence to the holy grail of food trucks...

blue-tinted windows? check.
vibrantly decorated exterior? check.
free samples of chocolate covered bacon? Hell yeah!

That's right, they didn't have rashers of chocolate-covered bacon to sell today but they made up for it with free samples of the product!

perfection in a one-inch square

I like the direction of their menu but decided to start simple with the Bacon Bacon Burger:

beef and onions and bacon, oh my!

Two tender beef patties on a slightly sweet bun, piled high with superbly caramelized onions and some sort of mixture of mustard and mayonnaise... nice and tangy. A few peppers snuck in, giving the burger a shot of spiciness perfect for gringas and chingras. The geniuses behind Bacon Bacon melted the cheese between the patties - I need to start doing that! And of course, the bacon... perfectly salted, heavenly-tasting bacon. This find could be dangerous.

A small point but a bonus nevertheless: besides being kept safe in a suspiciously eco-friendly box, the burger came on a square of waxed paper. This humble square of paper helps tremendously in keeping the burger together as you eat... do not toss or separate this square from the burger!

Hmmm... Am I always gushing about food? Maybe I'm not discerning enough but I just like what I eat. And I don't like to go to bad places... I mean, who does!?

Oh yes, and let's not forget the National League defeated the American League at the All-Star Game... great news for the Giants!

the more you know...

Watching another special on the History Channel, this time on the Dark Ages... can't find the show on the site but it's called The Dark Ages.

History International is pretty comprehensive without getting too much into details that us normal folk just wouldn't get. I thought I knew quite a bit and just needed a review but you know what? You learn something new everyday!

Today's tidbit: by no means did I think all knights were honorable heroes in shining armor but I thought for sure that their lords could keep them under some form control... Apparently after 1066 and the Vikings melted into England, there were thousands of unemployed knights armed to the teeth and looking for trouble. So even after the Viking threat was gone, Europe was plagued by roving bandits on the level of Medieval tanks. And this was enough trouble to contribute cause of a few of the Crusades.

Reminds me of the fallen samurai, or ronin, of Japan... Crazy!

I think this was the special I watched, but rather than buy the DVDs, why not wait for it to show up again on the TV Guide?

her name means hammer

and she is irresistible!

Maangchi is an adorable Korean lady who loves to cook and loves to demonstrate online at youtube... this is a recipe that Mumsy tried and it was sooo good... check it out!

And remember to taste!