09.29 to 09.30 - Notes to Self

1. Avoid pizza places that tout their "caramelized cheese crust" (which is, in actuality, just burnt cheese). The pizza may look and smell yummy, but one bite will break your heart.

2. Stay away from the udon from across the street. It's oily and it makes you excessively gassy. I'm serious. Stop thinking it was a one-time thing. It'll happen again, and being gassy at work is not fun.

3. Lastly, stop eating so much and, please, try to go to the gym. Seriously. Even once every two weeks would be an achievement.

09.26 to 09.28 - Wedding Weekend Cuisine

So, I attended the final wedding of the "summer" this past weekend, and considering that it was a beach wedding and that I was standing in it . . . you'd think I would have eaten a bit better. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Upon arriving in Daytona Beach, I had one and a half meat lover's calzone thingeys. That night for the rehearsal dinner, I had a ton of appetizers, bread, prime rib, and several slices of cake. The next day, I indulged in diner breakfast, had an Italian sub for lunch, and then stuffed myself with unlimited buffet (of pastas and other yummy carby things) at the wedding that night. The day after, I had no choice but to have all sorts of fatty airport food. Now, it's the next day and I still feel full and disgusting.

These were two of the appetizers at the rehearsal dinner and also a perfect example of "proper" portion size (for me):


 Instead, I had about six of those jack-cheese stuffed shrimp and three of those prosciutto-wrapped asparagus things. *sigh*

09.24 to 09.25 - Fattie Siblings

I haven't been able to spend a prolonged amount of time with my brother in awhile, so I forgot how similar our taste is in food. But over the last few weeks, I've really liked having him around-- particularly because he's become my indulgent partner in culinary crime. Here are some fond fatty moments:

• Two days in one week, we had the best fried chicken wings for lunch. The only reason we didn't have it the other days of the week is because they ran out before we got there. :\
• One night, we decided to have a hot dog feast, so we bought cheddar and swiss cheeses along with special bread for our kosher beef hotdogs.
• There was that one night that I had the crispy pata craving and I passed it onto him. Mmm.
• We shared a box of Velveeta mac and cheese late last night, and we probably would have had another one if there had been an extra box. :}

Since he'll be around a bit longer, we have plans for other fatty moments:

• sliced brisket
• ribs and au gratin
• three different pizza places
• more fried chicken
• sushi
• whatever else we happen to get cravings for

I'm pretty sure he's going to go back fatter than he was when he first got here. Hee hee . . .*

*No comment about how that will leave me.

09.23 - Necessity

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I'm not a fries person. Generally, if fries come with my meal, I'll pass it off on whoever else is eating with me. I actually prided myself on this because fries are chock-full of fat, but alas . . . times have changed. *sigh* Over the past few months, I have successfully acquired a taste for McDonald's fries, and I am quite annoyed with myself about it. I went to McDonald's for years without ever craving even a single fry. Now, I can't go there at all without getting at least a small fries. It's sad really, and I am no longer special. :(
 

In other news, I was walking briskly away from McDonald's after lunch today in an attempt to work off the chewed-up pile of double cheeseburger and french fries in my belly . . . when I suddenly realized that I was walking behind this couple. Ha. I had to slow down. I was amused. Is that really necessary?
 

09.22 - I'm Not Lying

Looking back on my own "awkward stage" of childhood, I remember two specific physical characteristics of mine very clearly. One, I had huge glasses that covered half of my narrow, small face. And two, my nose was huge in relation to the aforementioned face. :\ Needless to say, I was not particularly attractive and I was always quite self-conscious. It didn't help that I was also somewhat of a chubba bubba.

These days, I'm pleased to say that I am now an avid user of contacts and my face has grown out and become quite accomodating to the nose. So I should finally be at peace, right? Sadly, I realized this weekend that when I gain weight, I gain weight in my face. And when I gain weight in my face . . . I also seem to gain weight in my nose. *exasperated sigh* When I told my brother this revelation, he said, "Stop lying." I insisted I wasn't lying. He looked at me again and said, "Stop lying." It took me awhile to figure that one out. Ugh. I so do not like him.

Anyway, this is now my newest incentive to limit my excessive eating. I refuse to go back to the awkward stage, I tell you! I refuse!

"I know you ate that last piece of fried chicken, you fattie! Stop lying!" Jiminy Cricket says sternly.

09.19 to 09.21 - My Reward

I'm a classic buzzkill. I go out when I'm forced to-- and when I'm forced to, I usually stand there, only moving from side to side if there is music playing and I absolutely must. I am seldom ever excited to go out, and I would choose bumming at home with a book, fatty food, and a movie over getting dolled up and drinking any day.

This weekend consisted of another classic "night out" but . . . surprisingly, it was enjoyable. Enjoyable because the music was good or because there weren't sweaty people bumping into me the whole time or because I was there with a lot of people I actually liked? Partly. But, mainly, it was enjoyable because we went to eat at our favorite Chinatown joint after.

There is nothing like wonton soup, salt and pepper porkchops, and beef chow fun after a long night. Seriously, nothing.
 

09.18 - Lotta Pata

Why the heck is crispy pork skin so addictive? Why has my culture instilled this fattie vice on me?! *sigh* There's this one particular Filipino dish called crispy pata-- and it's essentially one gigantic salty pork rind wrapped around some fat, meat, and bones. It doesn't sound particularly appetizing, but you'd have to taste it to understand. Seriously.

Anyway, it didn't help that I suddenly got this craving for crispy pata earlier tonight right before I would be otherwise engaged for the next three hours. In my attempt to "pass on the craving," I sent a link of a restaurant to my brother with the picture below attached. I wrote, "In case you get a craving, go to this restaurant before 9 and then you can pick me up. Also, here's a visual. I know, it hurts."

Haha. I am pleased to say my plan worked-- and I was not only picked up after a long day, but I also got me some delicious, heart attack inducing crispy pata. My stomach and my brother's stomach are friends, and I am not ashamed for having used it to my advantage. ;)

09.15 to 09.17 - A Perfect Complement

Do you know what makes me happy? Really happy? When I find foods that complement each other. Oh man. That is really the best. It's good enough to have an outstanding dish in front of you. Imagine how much better it would be if you had another dish that went perfectly with the other.

Tonight, I experienced just that. For our friend's 21st birthday, a bunch of us decided to splurge on some rib tips and potatoes au gratin. Who knew they would be so perfect for each other?! Not I! Not till I tasted the sweet, spicy goodness of the pork mixed with the salty, cheesy wonderfulness of the potatoes au gratin did I know. *mouth watering with memory* Pure deliciousness, I tell you. Pure deliciousness . . .

09.13 to 09.14 - "Best"s

Food is good. There is lots of it. And a lot of it is good. So what does it take to say something is "the best" of something? I'm not sure exactly. I guess it just happens when you least expect it-- and when it does, it truly is a momentous occasion.

This weekend, we went out for my cousin's birthday. We had all eaten dinner already, but we headed to this popular, festive nuevo latino eatery for some drinks and dessert. Looking at the menu, we started feeling tempted by the savory dishes . . . and, eventually, a ropa vieja appetizer was ordered.

Ropa vieja is a popular dish, particularly in Cuba. In Spanish, it means "old clothes." Over time, I've had a lot of ropa vieja-- and it's all been quite good and surprisingly comforting. But this particular appetizer was, I have to say, pretty darn outstanding. I quietly watched several people at our table try it, and all their reactions were the same: eyes suddenly closed as the food hit their taste buds and they experienced a moment of bliss.

Haha. Each and every person. I personally made it a point not to outwardly follow suit, but I was smiling really big on the inside.

Ropa vieja + plantains + queso fresco + spicy mayo + who-knows-what-else =
the best darn ropa vieja ever (hands down!)

09.11 to 09.12 - Virtual Food

My kindred fatty cousin has told me on several occasions that this is his favorite site. Although the P word disturbs me a bit, I have to agree that this site is a winner. Gorgeous in-your-face photography of the most mouthwatering food. How can one go wrong??

If I look at the pictures long enough, I could probably salivate enough to make myself have to go to the bathroom. Haha. It's that bad. :\

09.10 - Common Sense Dictates . . .

that you should not stick your fingers in a chocolate fondue fountain!!

We had an office luncheon today and we were all delighted to find a chocolate fondue fountain with an assortment of goodies next to it (strawberries, pineapple, marshmallows, yellow cake, etc.). My coworker and I were "prepping" our plates by sticking toothpicks into our goodies of choice so we would be able to chocolatize them quickly and efficiently. While we were doing this, we noticed a lady next to us who was grabbing strawberries with her fingers and then sticking them into the chocolate. And she wasn't even being careful about it. The woman was straight-up jamming the strawberries under the waterfall of chocolate, getting her fingers caught in the line of fire and proceeding to lick the chocolate off mid-dip. It was only as she got to her fourth one that she looked over, noticed my toothpick-clad army, and said, "Oh. That would make more sense."

Eww. Seriously?! No common sense whatsoever. If I knew who she was and where she worked, I'd be tempted to send her a mean letter through interoffice mail. I don't want your nasty germs and skin cells in my fondue, I would say!

P.S. Despite this disturbing event, I am not ashamed to say that my army did, in fact, take a chocolate shower. Please don't judge me. :\ It was a fountain of chocolate, for goodness' sake!

 

09.08 to 09.09 - Genius Cereal Maker

Honey Bunches of Oats is a popular cereal. We've all seen the catchy TV commercials over the years, and I have to admit that the cereal is pretty yummy. But I never had a thing for the flakes. The flakes were quite boring compared to the yummy oat clusters-- and they'd get soggy a lot faster. I really hated that-- so most of the time, I'd pick out just the clusters and throw them into the cereal bowl or I'd eat the flakes first and save the clusters for later.

I think it's obvious that cluster lovers have suffered for years . . . until now. I walked into Walgreens last week and was blown away when I saw a beautiful box of cereal entitled "Just Bunches." Just bunches!! Why the people at Post didn't think of this earlier, I have no idea. But someone over there is a genius. And that same genius has made me very happy. :}

09.06 to 09.07 - Always Trust Google (and Your Sister)

My brother and cousin were about to place a pizza order in time for the Bears game earlier tonight, but they were having some debate about topping choices. This is how the conversation between my bro G and my cousin S went:

G: My sister says the BLT pizza is really good.
S: BLT? Really? That sounds weird.
G: Hmm. Let's see what people have to say about it. (starts googling) Well, I googled the pizza place, and there's a Yelp link with a review quoted. This person says the BLT pizza is sooo good.
S: Really? (looks over G's shoulder at the screen, suddenly has uncertain look on face) Umm, are you sure that isn't your sister?
G: My sister?! No! There's no way it would be her! (clicks on the link to go to the Yelp site)
S & G: (both look intently at the screen, they read the reviewer's profile and realize that it is IN FACT me, then both start laughing hysterically)

When they told me this story later on, I was quite amused. I was also pleased to find out that my brother did order the BLT pizza and, luckily, it was enjoyed by all. ;)

09.05 - How Much Is Too Much?

In general, buffets are somewhat extravagant. You can eat whatever you want in whatever quantity you want. And for food lovers with little self-control, buffets are a deadly paradise. I must admit that I fall within the "little self-control" category-- and, in addition, I have a long-established rule that one does not go to a buffet without getting (at the very least) three new platefuls of food. Ha.

So yeah. I went to two buffets today. *sheepish look* The first time was for lunch at a Thai restaurant, and the second time was for dinner right before a baseball game in the basement of the ballpark. The Thai buffet was darn good-- particularly the crab rangoon which were rolled long like cigars (and had one long strip of imitation crab running through it). Mmm. And the ballpark buffet was also pretty darn good, but one can only have so many burgers and hot dogs before it gets to be a little too much (particularly after stuffing oneself at a Thai buffet).

So, overall, it was a full day of eating. And I wonder . . . are two buffets in a day too much? Or would it have been too much had I participated in a breakfast buffet as well? Mmm . . . three buffets in a day. I'll have to try that out one time . . . ;)

09.04 - The Singles Lunch Spot

Lunch has been harder for me to figure out these days, as one can tell from my last post. As a single person, going to the nearest Thai, Indian, Japanese, or Mexican place for lunch is not an option. Why? Because it's just awkward. Sitting there with a big piece of tandoori chicken or a big bowl of udon is just not as rewarding when you're occupying only one side of a table meant for two. People end up looking at you, and they start forming dramatic stories in their heads about why this poor girl is sitting in a nice eating establishment all by her lonesome.

So what's a girl to do other than roam aimlessly through city streets or sit in a quiet office lunchroom with gossipy middle-aged women? Well, today, I did roam around aimlessly . . . but, suddenly, like a giant lightbulb turning on in my head, I stepped into a Dunkin Donuts. "Do you still serve breakfast sandwiches?" I asked tentatively. The man shook his head-- but as I began to turn around to leave, he laughed and said they did. So I ordered a breakfast favorite: a sausage supreme omelet on a blueberry bagel. And upon receiving my beloved sandwich (which cost less than $4), I proceeded to sit there . . . all by my lonesome, biting into a yummy breakfast sandwich, and feeling completely comfortable about it all.

I've found that other fast food restaurants are pretty accomodating for singles as well, but Dunkin Donuts has officially become my ultimate spot. Not only does DD offer worry-free singles seating, but they still serve breakfast at 2:30 in the afternoon. You just can't beat that. ;)

 

08.30 to 09.03 - Lunch Constants

I'm not sure if you all remember my lunch buddy S, but he stopped working here sometime in June in order to pursue a big-shot, full-time law school existence. Before leaving, he made sure to emphasize to me that "we are not friends outside of work." I used to share at least one meal a week (and at most three meals a week) with him, so I just figured he was being characteristically mean to me. I've come to realize though that I might have been mistaken. I no longer see him anymore, let alone share even a whiff from the same eating establishments.

S was my lunch constant. Nowadays, my lunch constant is the all-too-familiar beige lunch room and a tried-and-true styrofoam cup of dehydrated sodium-laced noodles floating around in hot water. The latter will always remain the same, readily available when I have a dollar to spare, consistently tasty and satisfying. And as much as I miss the cold, biting personality of my former counterpart . . . a warm, flavorful cup of noodles is a welcome substitute.