My mother expressed some shock and concern over my spending on my Sushi splurge. So I thought I would make it clear that I am generally (out of necessity more than anything) very very frugal.
I have only 4 times in my life spent more than $50 on myself on a meal... I will remember all of those events forever. Two of those three events were Sushi, one was a glorious meal in Australia with our winnings from gambling, and one was Elemental at Gasworks.
There is a great line in Hello Dolly/The Matchmaker "Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow." - Thornton Wilder. I love this line, I would rather go to some small independent restaurant than a chain, I'd rather spend lots of money for something truly remarkable than a little for something indifferent
I sometimes go weeks without eating out, I tend to shop at places like Grocery Outlet or use coupons or only get things that are on sale at the regular market when getting food. For Clothes Ross and Target and thrift shops are where you will tend to find me. Again this is mostly out of necessity, I have never had tons of money, I do enjoy the "finer things" in life. So once every great while I will take myself someplace nice and splurge.
So I am not a spoiled brat ...I wish sometimes I were... I would love to have enough to shop at Nordstrom and fancy boutiques and eat at all the nice restaurants in Seattle ... but somehow I suspect if it were a common occurrence it wouldn't be as special and I wouldn't appreciate it quite so much when I do have those rare extravagant adventures.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Flying Apron Bakery -Gluten Free, Vegan & Awesome!
FOOD INTOLERANCES SUCK!
I really like food. Being told I shouldn't eat such and such a thing is like getting slapped in the face. Especially when it's some of your favorite things ... like eggs, gluten, dairy (THESE THINGS ARE IN EVERYTHING!).... so pretty much pastries are right out right? Wrong! Thank heaven for Flying Apron!
After trying a slough of gluten free breads from various grocery stores and being sorely disappointed, and only finding ok cookies that usually would only meet 1 of the qualifications - ie gluten free but containing eggs or vegan but containing flour, therefore causing me to throw up my hands in dismay and lead me to cheating, causing my digestion to be upset, my naturopath to scold and my waistline to get no smaller, I have finally found a delightful shop to meet all my baked goods needs. And its delicious! And they have a cookbook!!
Located on Fremont and about 35th this fabulous shop is full of tasty delights that will please everyone and they are ALL vegan and gluten free! The staff was super friendly and recommended a couple of things for me to try - I had ravioli with "cheese" and spinach in a tomato sauce (they have prepared food as well!) and a Apricot thumb print cookie.
Let me rave about the cookie for a while... I ate it first, while my ravioli was warmed up... (life is short, sometimes you have to eat dessert first, I see nothing wrong with this). It was amazing! I would not have known it was vegan or gluten free, it had the perfect cookie consistency - ie: not to crisp and not too doughy , the flavor was delightful and I was in heaven.
The Ravioli gave me hope for continued eating of my favorite pasta, it too was delicious, the sauce could have been improved , but the pasta itself and the filling were delicious.
I took home a frozen pie crust from them which also turned out to be awesome and tackled making a vegan gluten free key lime style pie, which I think turned out quite well if I do say so myself.
I can hardly wait to go back and try more of their things and pick up the cookbook and try making them myself!
I really like food. Being told I shouldn't eat such and such a thing is like getting slapped in the face. Especially when it's some of your favorite things ... like eggs, gluten, dairy (THESE THINGS ARE IN EVERYTHING!).... so pretty much pastries are right out right? Wrong! Thank heaven for Flying Apron!
After trying a slough of gluten free breads from various grocery stores and being sorely disappointed, and only finding ok cookies that usually would only meet 1 of the qualifications - ie gluten free but containing eggs or vegan but containing flour, therefore causing me to throw up my hands in dismay and lead me to cheating, causing my digestion to be upset, my naturopath to scold and my waistline to get no smaller, I have finally found a delightful shop to meet all my baked goods needs. And its delicious! And they have a cookbook!!
Located on Fremont and about 35th this fabulous shop is full of tasty delights that will please everyone and they are ALL vegan and gluten free! The staff was super friendly and recommended a couple of things for me to try - I had ravioli with "cheese" and spinach in a tomato sauce (they have prepared food as well!) and a Apricot thumb print cookie.
Let me rave about the cookie for a while... I ate it first, while my ravioli was warmed up... (life is short, sometimes you have to eat dessert first, I see nothing wrong with this). It was amazing! I would not have known it was vegan or gluten free, it had the perfect cookie consistency - ie: not to crisp and not too doughy , the flavor was delightful and I was in heaven.
The Ravioli gave me hope for continued eating of my favorite pasta, it too was delicious, the sauce could have been improved , but the pasta itself and the filling were delicious.
I took home a frozen pie crust from them which also turned out to be awesome and tackled making a vegan gluten free key lime style pie, which I think turned out quite well if I do say so myself.
I can hardly wait to go back and try more of their things and pick up the cookbook and try making them myself!
On Acting
Being an Actor is tough. Really, don't laugh, those of you who aren't actors - there is no other profession where you face such countless rejection time and time again. Liken it to going on constant job interviews every week, but instead of a nice long interview where you have half an hour to convince them how awesome you are, you have two minutes... You walk in the door say your name and then spit out two monologues and hope somehow that 1. You were connected to what you are saying. 2. You remember all your words to what you are saying and 3.You are just what they are looking for.... you have no idea what they are looking for. Its exhausting. Personally, I'd rather audition for strangers, Auditioning for friends is rough, somehow its more personal, there's more expectation on both sides. You want to believe that your friends believe in you and support you, sometimes they are your biggest critics too. You try not to take it personal when you don't even get a friggin callback... but really you think its pretty much bullshit and are terribly hurt. Especially when you think, hey I'm awesome for that! I know all about _______(insert topic of choice... ex: Egypt/Cleopatra etc, & certain time period)____. I try really hard to be logical about these things, but lets face it. I am an Actor... I am not in the least bit logical, I am an emotional, reactionary, think with my heart more often then my head mess of a woman. I do try though.
So Logically - you try and look at who all auditioned, try to put it together like a puzzle who works best, looks best, sounds best and fits the role, had a good grasp of the language, time, etc. That's tough. I don't envy directors for that. Now you look at yourself.... now I know that I'm a challenge in many aspects. I would like to think that I'm talented and have a slough of skills and am fun and easy to work with, however, I am lets face it a curvy gal, somehow this means my roles are : maid/nurse, matron, whore , sometimes a crazy combination of these things. I have only twice in my life played what I would consider a leading lady type role and I'm very grateful to both of those directors for the opportunity. I also am aware that despite my being 33 I look like I'm 22, that somehow confuses people as to what to do with me. I would like to argue on behalf of myself. Hey I'm an actor, lets put aside appearances for a minute and realize that I can portray whatever you need...I just played a Spanish old man in his early 60's come on now... makeup is pretty darn awesome for changing the appearance of age.
We were told at Cornish some odds of most actors will go on 100 auditions, maybe get called back for 30 and maybe get cast once.... again that's exhausting!
I admit, I need to go on more auditions, I am picky and I have not quite earned the right to be so just yet. I want to do good theatre, with good companies. Doing good theatre with good companies is HEAVEN, doing bad company with less reputable companies is ... well the opposite. I would love to get paid to be an actor, make a living at it. However right now, I would willingly work for nothing or little if it was someplace like Intiman, the Rep, ACT, New Century, Seattle Shakespeare, or Book it. I sadly am not really on their radar. Well, Seattle Shakes is aware of me, but yet to really make use of me, and lord I've been trying for years. Please? Please?!Please?!?!?!?!?!?
Blah Blah Blah... I really didn't mean to make this a pity party.
I love being an actor. Its my #1 favorite thing. There is no plan B, some other great passion that I can occupy myself with. I love being an actor, every other interest follows under the category of like. I'm an addict, despite the rejection, the long hours (day job + Rehearsal/Show = 14-16 hr days on average), The constant state of financial brokenness, I can't wait for my next show, I'm desperate to find one... seriously. I breathe better, I feel better, life is just generally better when I have a show to pour myself into.
What is the point of this post? A rant of an out of work actor....
If you know an actor, be gentle with them, love them, they deal with lots of rejection and really are just trying to bring a little art into the world.
So Logically - you try and look at who all auditioned, try to put it together like a puzzle who works best, looks best, sounds best and fits the role, had a good grasp of the language, time, etc. That's tough. I don't envy directors for that. Now you look at yourself.... now I know that I'm a challenge in many aspects. I would like to think that I'm talented and have a slough of skills and am fun and easy to work with, however, I am lets face it a curvy gal, somehow this means my roles are : maid/nurse, matron, whore , sometimes a crazy combination of these things. I have only twice in my life played what I would consider a leading lady type role and I'm very grateful to both of those directors for the opportunity. I also am aware that despite my being 33 I look like I'm 22, that somehow confuses people as to what to do with me. I would like to argue on behalf of myself. Hey I'm an actor, lets put aside appearances for a minute and realize that I can portray whatever you need...I just played a Spanish old man in his early 60's come on now... makeup is pretty darn awesome for changing the appearance of age.
We were told at Cornish some odds of most actors will go on 100 auditions, maybe get called back for 30 and maybe get cast once.... again that's exhausting!
I admit, I need to go on more auditions, I am picky and I have not quite earned the right to be so just yet. I want to do good theatre, with good companies. Doing good theatre with good companies is HEAVEN, doing bad company with less reputable companies is ... well the opposite. I would love to get paid to be an actor, make a living at it. However right now, I would willingly work for nothing or little if it was someplace like Intiman, the Rep, ACT, New Century, Seattle Shakespeare, or Book it. I sadly am not really on their radar. Well, Seattle Shakes is aware of me, but yet to really make use of me, and lord I've been trying for years. Please? Please?!Please?!?!?!?!?!?
Blah Blah Blah... I really didn't mean to make this a pity party.
I love being an actor. Its my #1 favorite thing. There is no plan B, some other great passion that I can occupy myself with. I love being an actor, every other interest follows under the category of like. I'm an addict, despite the rejection, the long hours (day job + Rehearsal/Show = 14-16 hr days on average), The constant state of financial brokenness, I can't wait for my next show, I'm desperate to find one... seriously. I breathe better, I feel better, life is just generally better when I have a show to pour myself into.
What is the point of this post? A rant of an out of work actor....
If you know an actor, be gentle with them, love them, they deal with lots of rejection and really are just trying to bring a little art into the world.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Thoughts on Sushi, and reviews of two of my favorite spots...
Ok, so my shows over (Thanks to everyone who came!) and I've been being told by everyone "WRITE MORE!". Ok! I hear you!
So today I will talk about one of my #1 favorite food - Sushi. Sushi is sexy, it is, despite the fact that some rolls are so big you end up looking like a chipmunk once you get them in your mouth. It's still sexy
My #1 Sushi rule (when dining in a nice sushi restaurant) always (if budget allows) order Omakase (Japanese for "Its up to you"). Now I will warn you I have on multiple occasions spent upwards of $70 on myself in this manner (life is short, its just money... the memory lasts forever). It's worth it. You will get what the sushi chef considers is best and what he loves to make. I have been introduced to some delicious things I never would have dreamt of (ex. last week I was introduced to fish liver... I think it was salmon... it was like salmon butter... so yummy) of course sometimes I've been introduced to things that I'm somewhat less enthusiastic about ( fried Shrimp heads.. while I'm told are a delicacy and lots of people like them were just not for me). The experience is always is worthwhile and I've found automatically endears you to the chef. Honestly if I could do this at every restaurant I went to, I'd be a happy camper.(probably a reason why Elemental at Gasworks is one of my favorite restaurants, this is how they function.)
I am not a sushi snob ...OK, that's totally a lie... I am.. but, I'm also a sushi addict and as sadly I can't afford to go and spend $70 on myself every week for an exquisite sushi meal (and yes I would eat sushi every week if I had the means) sometimes I wind up at places like Blue C sushi and Sushi land... the McDonalds of sushi. What is sad to me is that for a great many people, this is what they consider good sushi. It's not awful, it will do in a pinch, when you have to get a sushi fix for cheap, but its not the: make you cry its so good, orgasmically make you dance in your chair good, that I've experienced at places like J Sushi or Mori Japanese Restaurant (my current top 2 favorite Sushi bars in the greater Seattle area).
So Let me tell you about these two jewels of sushi heaven:
J Sushi:
Located : 674 South Weller Street, Seattle, WA 98104(206) 287-9000
I stumbled upon J sushi before doing a staged reading one evening last fall at Theatre off Jackson. A cozy little establishment with a well stocked sushi case and beautiful murals on the wall. Sitting myself down along the bar I let J take care of me in . Scallops are my long standing favorite and I love a good Spicy Scallop roll, J informed me I'm highly uncouth (ok he didn't say uncouth... but he did argue with me) for wanting such a thing, as the spicy overwhelms the scallop and proceeded to make me something better. The scallop he seasoned with lemon and salt and who knows what else, delicately placed on a bit of rice, I'm not going to lie, I cried a little it was so good. I've gone back a couple of times and each time it has been consistently delicious. The "Dessert" which contains eel "unagi" also deserves mentioning.
I just stumbled upon Mori Japanese Restaurant : 101 N. 85th St. Seattle, WA 98103 206-783-7708
last week, escaping from a sudden hail storm I pulled into the little parking lot and entered. Now I have driven by this place hundreds of times and thought very little of it, the yelp reviews were all favorable, it was time to stop in. I had the place entirely to myself. This caused me some concern, it was about 1pm and I would have expected a few others for a late lunch. It was needless concern, Mori is my new favorite. What I had intended as a little splurge simple lunch turned into a huge splurge but I don't regret a second of it. My Omakase adventure started with being asked "Do you like the scary things?"... me "I like pretty much everything" the afore mentioned fish liver appeared before me... I like foie gras after all (a different liver) so why not? it was delicious, smooth and creamy with a light fish taste. Next followed a plate of Sashimi, beautiful ahi tuna, white tuna, octopus, and something else (maybe mackerel?)... then a stunning plate of Nagiri, I don't even know what all was on it, just that it was mind blowingly delicious. Dessert was an Avocado stuffed with spicy scallop (my uncouth self was in heaven) and some squid in what tasted like a spicy plum sauce. It was a rapturous meal that left me in a state of bliss. The sushi chef and waitress were pleasant and I can hardly wait to go back, I just need another $70...
I encourage you to eat good sushi, I encourage you to order Omakase, I encourage you to take me with you.
So today I will talk about one of my #1 favorite food - Sushi. Sushi is sexy, it is, despite the fact that some rolls are so big you end up looking like a chipmunk once you get them in your mouth. It's still sexy
My #1 Sushi rule (when dining in a nice sushi restaurant) always (if budget allows) order Omakase (Japanese for "Its up to you"). Now I will warn you I have on multiple occasions spent upwards of $70 on myself in this manner (life is short, its just money... the memory lasts forever). It's worth it. You will get what the sushi chef considers is best and what he loves to make. I have been introduced to some delicious things I never would have dreamt of (ex. last week I was introduced to fish liver... I think it was salmon... it was like salmon butter... so yummy) of course sometimes I've been introduced to things that I'm somewhat less enthusiastic about ( fried Shrimp heads.. while I'm told are a delicacy and lots of people like them were just not for me). The experience is always is worthwhile and I've found automatically endears you to the chef. Honestly if I could do this at every restaurant I went to, I'd be a happy camper.(probably a reason why Elemental at Gasworks is one of my favorite restaurants, this is how they function.)
I am not a sushi snob ...OK, that's totally a lie... I am.. but, I'm also a sushi addict and as sadly I can't afford to go and spend $70 on myself every week for an exquisite sushi meal (and yes I would eat sushi every week if I had the means) sometimes I wind up at places like Blue C sushi and Sushi land... the McDonalds of sushi. What is sad to me is that for a great many people, this is what they consider good sushi. It's not awful, it will do in a pinch, when you have to get a sushi fix for cheap, but its not the: make you cry its so good, orgasmically make you dance in your chair good, that I've experienced at places like J Sushi or Mori Japanese Restaurant (my current top 2 favorite Sushi bars in the greater Seattle area).
So Let me tell you about these two jewels of sushi heaven:
J Sushi:
Located : 674 South Weller Street, Seattle, WA 98104
I stumbled upon J sushi before doing a staged reading one evening last fall at Theatre off Jackson. A cozy little establishment with a well stocked sushi case and beautiful murals on the wall. Sitting myself down along the bar I let J take care of me in . Scallops are my long standing favorite and I love a good Spicy Scallop roll, J informed me I'm highly uncouth (ok he didn't say uncouth... but he did argue with me) for wanting such a thing, as the spicy overwhelms the scallop and proceeded to make me something better. The scallop he seasoned with lemon and salt and who knows what else, delicately placed on a bit of rice, I'm not going to lie, I cried a little it was so good. I've gone back a couple of times and each time it has been consistently delicious. The "Dessert" which contains eel "unagi" also deserves mentioning.
I just stumbled upon Mori Japanese Restaurant : 101 N. 85th St. Seattle, WA 98103 206-783-7708
last week, escaping from a sudden hail storm I pulled into the little parking lot and entered. Now I have driven by this place hundreds of times and thought very little of it, the yelp reviews were all favorable, it was time to stop in. I had the place entirely to myself. This caused me some concern, it was about 1pm and I would have expected a few others for a late lunch. It was needless concern, Mori is my new favorite. What I had intended as a little splurge simple lunch turned into a huge splurge but I don't regret a second of it. My Omakase adventure started with being asked "Do you like the scary things?"... me "I like pretty much everything" the afore mentioned fish liver appeared before me... I like foie gras after all (a different liver) so why not? it was delicious, smooth and creamy with a light fish taste. Next followed a plate of Sashimi, beautiful ahi tuna, white tuna, octopus, and something else (maybe mackerel?)... then a stunning plate of Nagiri, I don't even know what all was on it, just that it was mind blowingly delicious. Dessert was an Avocado stuffed with spicy scallop (my uncouth self was in heaven) and some squid in what tasted like a spicy plum sauce. It was a rapturous meal that left me in a state of bliss. The sushi chef and waitress were pleasant and I can hardly wait to go back, I just need another $70...
I encourage you to eat good sushi, I encourage you to order Omakase, I encourage you to take me with you.
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