Thursday, February 15, 2007

Thursday Tidbits

A handful of things I need to comment on this evening:

1. I just dropped $15 on marked-down assorted chocolates in red foil and/or heart shapes. And something called Tandoori Sizzler! Doritos. You can really taste that exclamation point.

2. I had my first Dim Sum experience today. This is v. exciting - as I think everyone reading this knows, I'm a bit of a foodie who spent seven years trapped in northern Indiana, where the selection of good ethnic eats is...shall we say...a wee bit lacking. And while I was raised by foodie parents, they are cheap foodie parents and eating out is not something we did except on exceedingly rare occasions while I was growing up. So I've had to develop most of my tastes via meals prepared by my parents or myself at home. Now, we are collectively quite a culinary force to be reckoned with, but dim sum is a decidedly "out" experience - you can't really do it at home, because the whole point is to watch the carts going by and pick out the things that look good. Plus, it helps to go with actual Chinese people who can tell you exactly what everything is so you can choose wisely. I'm a big fan of any food experience where the food comes to you in small amounts so you can get a little bit of everything to share with the group. This is why I am very sad that the tapas trend ended before I moved somewhere trendy enough to have a tapas bar. You may logically conclude from this that I also love buffets - this is where you would be wrong. You'll notice I specified that the food a) comes to you and b) in SMALL amounts. This is why the buffet concept does not work for me - I take too much food, and end up feeling sick and stuffed, overwhelming the pleasures of sampling diversity. Plus, I rarely find food on buffets that is as piping hot and fresh as the delightful little plates of dumplings and buns that wander by in dim sum. So yeah, I'm officially a fan. And I have to thank my new Chinese labmates for taking me, even though it does make me increasingly bitter towards my old Chinese labmates at Purdue who always made us go to greasy, flavorless Chinese buffets because they "can never find anything good to eat at American restaurants." It's so nice to have easy access to REAL Chinese food. And a big kung hei fatt choi to you all.

3. Reasons Ugly Betty is effing awesome: a) "Make it work." b) a decidedly Lost-esque sequence c) a decidedly My Name is Earl-esque sequence d) a decidedly Project Runway-esque sequence e) Henry e) Justin performing the entire score of Hairspray on the subway f) Henry and Betty FINALLY...WAIT...WHAT THE HELL??? HOW DARE YOU!!!! g) Lucy Liu h) Jerry O'Connell (wait...seriously? Can someone tell me how exactly THAT ends up with Rebecca Romijn???) i) whatever the song is playing over the final sequence.

4. There is no #4.

5. Dear Grey's Anatomy: Please stop this story arc. You're obviously trying to create a plotline that will evoke the drama and intensity of 9/11. I normally enjoy the outlandish melodrama, but only because it is outlandish. You are trying to stir up feelings that are all too real and fresh in the memory of the American people and introduce silly melodrama into that emotional framework. It is exploitative, and it needs to stop. I can't believe we still have another episode and a half of this crap.

6. Oh, and I am now officially a member of eharmony.com. In all honesty, I'm not optimistic, but hey, they were running a Valentine's special, so what the hell. I'll keep you all posted - it should at least make for some interesting blogging material, and I'm about due for a reminder that no date at all is better than a bad one.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dim Sum done right is one of the best experiences any foodie could have. There is a great place in the west end. I'll get the name and pass it on. My heart is pounding just thinking about it.

Wahooty said...

Thanks, Ian! Restaurant recommendations are ALWAYS welcome. :)