When We Stand Together As One

The United Nations has officially declared famine in East Africa.

CNN has an article discussing the ways in which we can help. 

The article identifies various charitable organizations around the globe, as well as the efforts that each of these groups are putting forth in an effort to help those afflicted in Somalia. 

So if you've got some extra time or some spare change, consider helping out. A mere $10 can make an incredible impact. 

Don't Drink the Water

One of my longtime traveling wishes is to visit all 30 baseball stadiums. If I counted driving or walking past as visiting, I'd be in semi-decent shape, but at present time, my wish is best filed under "Not in This Lifetime."

Of course, visiting every Major League ballpark does mean that I would have to enter Fenway Park. This is a daunting prospect, to say the least.

First, it's located in Boston, a city that I appreciate for its prettiness and historical presence (Fenway included), but that I don't entirely love.

Second, it's home to the Red Sox. And its fans.

I've tried explaining this notion to some people, but not everybody understands. There are some places that, when you visit, are instantaneously comfortable, despite possibly being new or unfamiliar. Boston is not one of those places. 

In a blog post on The New Yorker's website today, Robert Mankoff sums it up well: "I don't feel right at home when I'm in Boston. I'm a Yankees fan..."

Bonus points for calling Red Sox fans "the infected." Well said, Mr. Mankoff.

To offset the fact that I devoted too much of this post to the Sox, I will end with this:

With the Sea Light of Greece

I spent last weekend more or less eating my way through the Bay Area, from San Francisco (Happy Shabu Shabu and Sweet Maple), to Menlo Park (Amici's), to Redwood City (Milagro's). My final stop brought me to Castro Street in Mountain View, to a quaint Greek place by the name of Cafe Baklava.

I hadn't had Mediterranean food in a long time, and I started salivating a little at the mere thought of falafel and spanikopita. This place did not disappoint me one bit.

After much deliberation over what to order, I decided upon the falafel wrap, foregoing other delicious-looking choices such as the chicken wrap and the spanikopita (which, at this restaurant, is served as a meal, rather than as an appetizer).

The restaurant serves its patrons complimentary (and extremely tasty) pita bread with an olive oil-based dip, and since my friends and I love all carbs, we polished off our basket fairly quickly.

The falafel was great; a good combination of moist and crispy. I added cucumbers to my wrap, because I love them, and because they are just delectable when accompanied by tzatziki sauce. My meal drew raves from my friends as well, as did the doner wrap and the tavuk wrap (lamb and chicken, respectively). 

This restaurant is definitely worth checking out: a nice downtown location, delicious food, good service, and outdoor seating, for those sunny days on the Peninsula.

Seating is limited (both outdoors and indoors), so either make a reservation, or be prepared to put in some time waiting for a table. I think it's worth it, though. 

Easy Like Sunday Morning

I had Sunday morning breakfast for the second week in a row, and I am beyond pleased. This morning, I had a mid-morning breakfast at Copenhagen Bakery in downtown Burlingame. 

Copenhagen is broken up in to two parts. The first is the bakery section, which offers an array of unique and beautiful cakes, pastries, and breads. The second is the restaurant portion, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The establishment on the whole has a quaint, homely feel to it, helped by the rudimentary and sparse decorations. Things tend to impress me when they don't try to do too much.

As usual, I spent about ten minutes jumping back and forth amongst potential meal options (French toast? Eggs? Pancakes?) before deciding upon strawberries and cream Belgian waffles (sans whipped cream, and with the strawberries on the side). The waffles were fantastic--perfectly golden, and with the right combination of crunch and softness.

I sampled a little bit of my friends' meals as well, and items such as the French toast and chocolate chip pancakes received raves all around.

After breakfast came time to conquer the bakery portion, during which I twiddled my thumbs while my friends tried out some of the various baked goods.

Okay, that's a lie. I tried a little bit of something and had to quell the urge not to spit it back out immediately. It had an excellent almond and vanilla essence, but otherwise tasted like straight sugar, only cookie-shaped. Which I guess is the whole point, for those who are in to that sort of thing.

I'd love to go back, despite the Bakery being more of a hike than is probably necessary for weekend brunch. But Burlingame is a cute town, it has a great farmer's market, and has several restaurants just waiting to be explored--or revisited, as the case may be.

New York State of Mind

A couple of recent events have made me really yearn for New York City.

1. Jon Stewart's recent bit on New York pizza. I want some thin-crusted, cheesy goodness right now, please.

2. Last night's Tony Awards:

I'm hoping to see the touring production of Billy Elliot in San Francisco this summer, but nothing quite compares to being in NYC's Theatre District. Also, I want to see The Book of Mormon so badly (interesting, given my general dislike for South Park), but that's pretty unlikely to happen any time soon. 

3. I've been listening to a lot of Billy Joel recently, courtesy of both 103.7 FM and my own iTunes collection. True, he's technically a Long Islander, but I still always associate him with New York in general.

4. It's baseball season! I caught a few minutes of YES Network's coverage via MLB's Gameday last week, and I sat at my computer, literally beaming at the sound of Paul O'Neill's voice. Michael Kay's, too, to a lesser degree, as embarrassing as that is to admit.

It's no fun being out of territory.  I have to settle for catching errant games on ESPN; at least this way, I occasionally get to hear Aaron Boone in the booth. I wish traveling long distances were as easy as Carmen Sandiego made it seem.

If I Were a Rich Man

Back in January, I posted an entry in which I discussed tipping etiquette.

On Tuesday, Jim Boulden, a CNN correspondent, discussed the subject of tipping in a CNN business blog, and I wanted to share it here as a follow-up to my previous post.

Boulden identifies the problems with tipping within America, both inherent and brought upon, and I think he raises a few interesting points. 

Tipping continues to be an unfamiliar concept to most people who are foreigners to America. After all, in places like Italy, India, and Costa Rica, it's not customary to tip waiters or bartenders—the number at the end of your bill is usually all you're expected to pay.

Conversely, Americans who go into another country are probably instinctively ready to tip at the end of a meal. In many countries, servers will probably willingly take your money, and your ignorance will translate into an unexpected profit for them. However, there are other countries in which servers will be either confused, or worse, insulted, by your attempts to give them money for a job for which they are already receiving a (non-paltry) salary.

I don't want there to be some worldwide tipping protocol—these differences are part of what make traveling to new locales a unique experience—but this subject just goes back to the benefits of being as informed a traveler as you possibly can. 

It's easy, really: If you're going abroad, do your homework.

Breakfast of Champions

On Sunday morning, my friends and I had breakfast at Panini Cafe, located in Aliso Viejo. The restaurant is a chain, and in addition to its primary fare of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine (YUM), it also serves breakfast. 

I spent a few minutes staring longingly at the listing for French Toast, before deciding that I really wanted more of a savory breakfast. The restaurant offers all kinds of scrambles, omelettes, and breakfast sandwiches, each one more delicious-sounding than the last. I finally decided on the Mediterranean omelette, minus the olives, which left me with a combination of egg whites, feta, tomatoes, and spinach.  

The omelette was so, so good. For the first time in maybe my entire life, I did not feel the need to salt my eggs. That's probably because feta often has a higher sodium content than most cheeses, so its presence was enough to increase the saltiness of the spinach and eggs as well.
Additionally, the potatoes that accompanied my meal were seasoned, and enough so that they didn't require any salt for flavor. My blood pressure is probably so appreciative of this meal.

Some other things that I enjoyed:

• The Panini Cafe does a nice job with their sides. They offer a side of either roasted potatoes or fresh fruit (I chose the former, since I don't enjoy fruit when it's mixed together), and either sourdough or nine-grain toast. Also found on the plate: a random sprig of lettuce adorned by a tomato slice.

• Egg whites are available for substitution at no extra cost, which is awesome, since most places charge you up to a dollar more just for choosing a healthier option. 

• The wait staff is attentive and friendly. At no point were we rushed to order, or rushed to depart the restaurant, which allowed us to enjoy a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast. The waiters and waitresses also consistently returned to our table to refill our drinks, and made sure that we had everything we needed at all times, without resorting to hovering.

• The restaurant offers unlimited free refills on coffee. Also, their coffee brand of choice is Lavazza, a tasty Italian brand that my father drank often when I was a child. I may or may not have once invented a song involving Lavazza, my father, and...cars. And feet.

I don't expect to be returning here any time soon, mainly because I don't know when I'll be in Southern California again—and if I am, there are still so many places that I'd like to discover. However, I'd really love to explore the lunch/dinner portion of their menu (caprese paninis make my belly so happy), so...we'll see.

We'll Have Food, Lots of Food

In my world, the best way to eat at Disneyland (and other theme parks) is cost-effectively. That said, I would like not to torture my taste buds, so it's still important to choose meals wisely.

If you're looking not to break the bank any further (since you already did a bit just to enter the park), stay away from the formal sit-down restaurants and opt for the smaller places located around the park. I'd recommend staying away from the mobile stands, though, unless it's to purchase churros, soft drinks, ice cream, or soft pretzels. I saw far too many suspect chimichangas and turkey legs over the course of the day. 

While in the park on Saturday, we had lunch at Hungry Bear, located on Critter Country. The menu's not terribly extensive, but there's still enough from which to order. Also, there are sweet potato fries! All three of us ordered the turkey and provolone sandwich with a side of the sweet potato fries, although I got my sandwich without the basil mayonnaise spread, since I dislike all condiments not called ketchup.

This sandwich was, without a doubt, the best meal I ate all day. I also spent under $10, which I consider to be a huge win. There was a smidge too much turkey for my liking, and I would have found it dry had I not added ketchup, but overall, the sandwich was really tasty. It was served on soft whole-grain roll, too. The sweet potato fries were well-salted (although surprise, surprise, I added more), and the perfect combination of soft and crisp.
The staff at the restaurant was really friendly, too. I suppose you can't very well be a sourpuss when you work at the Happiest Place on Earth, but both women with whom I primarily interacted were really genial and kind—one even randomly gave my friend a free soft drink.

We had a midday snack of ice cream on Main Street, at Gibson Girl. There were a bunch of different flavors (all of Dreyer's brand), and I wanted to branch out a little from my standard chocolate—I was drawn temporarily to the cookie dough, but remembered that it's failed me before (at Baskin Robbins), and so decided on chocolate chip in a waffle cone. The ice cream wasn't bad, but it really reinforced the fact that Halo Pub is the only place at which I truly adore chocolate chip ice cream. All other ice cream shops and brands need not apply.

For dinner, we stopped in at Pizza Port, an eatery located in Tomorrowland. Pizza Port has a few different counters, at which you can pick up one or more plates of ready-made food. Patrons can choose from a small array of salads, pastas, and pizzas. I chose the vegetable pizza (although the cheese looked scrumptious, too), which smelled fantastic and looked to be quite tasty. 

Only it wasn't. At all. 

The dough of the pizza tasted a bit like paper, while the consistency of the cheese is perhaps best described as...gritty. The vegetables had a little bit of flavor, which marginally helped to salvage the meal. That and the crushed red pepper I more or less poured all over my slice.

I found this non-meal particularly sad since I had been craving pizza all week long and had looked forward to having some since arriving at the park that morning. Not really the way I wanted to fulfill that craving. I made up for it on Sunday, though, by having lunch at the Z Pizza in Newport Beach, and indulging in two slices of their tomato and basil pizza. 

Tasty and inexpensive. Perfect.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

I spent all of Saturday in Disneyland, being a kid. That and dreaming of ways that I could cross paths with the Yankees, who were also in Anaheim for a weekend series against the Angels.

 

The last time I was at Disneyland was during the summer of '94, so I remembered very little about the park beyond Splash Mountain. Also, it's safe to say that despite my shaky memory, a sufficient number of things have changed/been added since my last visit, so I'd be unable to remember them anyway.

My more recent Disney memories take place at Disney World, which I visited for the first (and only) time in early 2004, so it was this park that I used to create my Disney frame of reference.

 

I can't compare my experiences, because they were so vastly different. I can, however, compare the rides and the parks as entities. Let's discuss.

 

Space Mountain in Florida? Awesome. Space Mountain in California? Made me queasy. It was apparently recently redone, and not for the better, if you ask me.

 

Tower of Terror: Equally horrifying, though having done it before in Florida, I was marginally less worried that I'd die this time around.

 

Muppet Theatre: FANTASTIC, no matter where.

 

Once you get past the similiarities, both locations are very distinct and each have their own pros and cons.

 

Disneyland is perfect for a one day trip; we bought park hopper passes between Disneyland and California Adventure and, with the assistance of a few FastTrak passes, tackled everything we wanted to do, and then some.

I got to experience a few rides that didn't exist back in 2004, and I loved all of them: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (it's interactive, it's different, and it's FUN!), Soarin' Over California, and the newly-opened Little Mermaid Ride.  

Disney World, on the other hand, is much more suited for a lengthier stay, particularly as it's comprised of four parks, each one chock-full of things to do.

Some of the big winners here include: Epcot (yes, all of it, although I think it has even more potential than it currently displays) and Animal Kingdom (there's a petting zoo, and several other fantastic attractions).

 

I have some general quibbles with the Disney Parks overall, though. I'd like to know why such Disney gems and classics such as Beauty and the Beast (my all-time favorite) and The Lion King have nary a presence (ride-wise, there are evidently shows dedicated to these films at Disney World), while films such as Tangled are awarded space. Aladdin, too, was avoided until recently--there's now a magic carpet ride (see what I did there?) in Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and "a musical spectacular" at Disneyland.

I doubt I could ever be someone who visits the park multiple times a year. But I'm enamored with Disney, and its theme parks, and so would love to visit every couple of years. When the distance between visits has been lengthy, I feel like I'm experiencing everything anew. At a place like Disney, there's no better feeling.

Tree By the River

Over Memorial Day weekend, I went camping up at Lake Sonoma. I was beyond excited for the trip, not only because it was sure to be fun, but because I hadn't been camping since I was 14. 

In the days that preceded the trip, I did a lot of preparation, in the form of finding directions, checking the weather, purchasing food, packing, and figuring out a few logistics, like sleeping bags and tents. 

Now that the trip is over, I know there are things for which I could have better prepared, and things for which I'm glad I prepared as well as I did. 

So I thought I'd share some things to keep in mind, should your travel plans ever involve camping—and they should, if only just once, because it's definitely a great experience. 

• If you're driving up to the site, check out gas prices along your route, so you know both where it's most cost-effective to fill up, as well as where the closest gas station is to your destination. Gas prices can vary so much, even within a small area, so it's beneficial to price-hunt a little, especially when you're filling up for a long drive. 

• Minimize the number of items that you're packing; or, if you're traveling with a companion (or two, or more), see if you can share certain items. Plus, if you're not driving directly to your campsite, you'll be carrying this stuff on your back, so it's in your best interest to make it as light as possible. We had about a 45-minute hike to our campsite from the parking lot, so packing lightly (or at least relatively so) made a huge difference.

• That said, don't skimp on clothing, especially if you're like me, and get cold really easily. You don't need five different outfits, but five layers might be prudent, particularly for when temperatures plummet at night. Also, despite the fact that the weather report might have you thinking that it's going to be sunny and warm all weekend, PACK YOUR RAINCOAT. I would have been soaked even more than I was if I'd blindly adhered to the high of 69 degrees that weather.com fed me the night before. 

• Time your arrivals and departures as best you can. Our particular camp was home to mountain lions, which my friends found out the hard way, during a nighttime hike to the campsite on Friday night. Obviously, none of us know this until we arrived, but you should really try to keep hiking to a daylight endeavor. 

• Get creative with your meals! Peanut butter sandwiches are easy and great, particularly after a hike, you don't have to be stuck eating them for every. single. meal. if you don't want to be. So long as there's a cooler and campfire, there's a lot that you can do with food combinations, with every last one being delicious. I ate a range of things over the two days, from chicken sausages, to salads, to a pizza-style Pudgy Pie.

And, of course, peanut butter sandwiches. 

Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls

Yesterday, The New York Times published "36 Hours in Niagara Falls" on their website. Niagara Falls is probably one of the more tourist-heavy locales that has been featured in this column, so I was curious as to the places the author might advise people to visit. I've been there three times, the most recent of which was nearly six years ago, but every trip has been distinct, despite the familiarity of the Falls themselves. 

Some of the places that Barbara Ireland, the article's author, visits are utterly unfamiliar to me, but sound interesting, particularly if you are seeking a fancy meal or a getaway from the waterfalls. 

Ireland recommends visiting Clifton Hill, a tacky subset of Niagara, Ontario, and I'm inclined to agree. Yes, it's overdone and overpriced. Yes, it's super touristy. But it's absolutely part of the experience. I've previously visited Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum, which I think I enjoyed at the time, being a young girl of 15. I have enough self-awareness to know that I'd probably roll my eyes if I visited today. There's no need to visit any specific attraction, though—merely walking around the area is enough. I've done it twice now, and I think I'm good. Forever.

As Ireland also mentions, the Canadian view of the falls is by far the superior one, even though Niagara has definitely sold its soul to tourism. Still, if you're visiting from the United States, it's absolutely worth a visit across the border (just don't forget your passport!) to see the other side. 

Ireland also states that all of the Falls' attractions, the Maid of the Mist is the one worth visiting, and she's absolutely correct. The tour boat takes visitors out into the waterfalls, and it's really staggering to be nearly enclosed in the Horseshoe portion of the falls. After the boat ride, visitors are also permitted to hike down a bit to get an alternate, but still up-close, view of the water.

Some additional things I'd suggest:

• If you have a car, there are some cost-effective motels and hotels to be found merely 20 minutes outside of Niagara. There's something to be said for a hotel room that offers an overhead view of the falls, or even just a shorter commute to the attraction, but for those on a budget, or even those just looking to cut costs, there are deals to be found outside of the city.

• Depending on the length of your stay, it's definitely worth exploring the areas surrounding Niagara Falls, both on the American and Canadian side. When I last visited in late 2005, I stayed on the Canadian side, and we found some excellent restaurants—a surefire way to win me over. My previous trip, back in July of 2002, had me staying in New York, so I spent a lot of time exploring Buffalo. It's certainly not a city that most are ever clamoring to visit, but it does have a fair amount to offer visitors, including a house built by the always-wonderful Frankie El Dubs. 

• Visit the waterfalls at night. They are all lit up by color projectors, and it's just part of the Niagara experience to see the Falls in shades of pink, purple, and green. Plus, it looks awesome. See?

From the Great Tablecloth

While in San Francisco yesterday, we had dinner at Clay Oven, an Indian restaurant chain with branches in the Bay Area.
We'd briefly toyed with ordering for takeout, feeling the influence of a late Sunday energy slump, but finally gained enough stamina to walk up to the restaurant. This proved to be a good choice, as the place was nearly empty upon our arrival (probably because it wasn't even 6:00 yet), and the interior the restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. 

Everyone was eyeing the chicken tikka masala, so we decided to order family style. We ordered three chicken tikka masalas, one aloo saag, two assorted baskets of naan, and three samosa trays (which amounted to six in total), which we (correctly!) figured would be enough for the eight of us present. 

The food was fantastic. We started off with samosas, which maintained the perfect contrast of crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and which were also nice and spicy. The tikka masala was good, though it could have used a bit more of a kick—we ordered it at medium spiciness, deciding to err on the safe side, but even that seem mild. My relationship with spinach tends to ebb and flow a bit, but it was full-on love last night; the saag was creamy and tasty, and there's rarely an occasion when potatoes aren't awesome. [Potato salad is the exception.] As is standard in most Indian meals/restaurants, the rice was cooked with cumin seeds, which gave the rice a really nice flavor. And the naan, while no different than at any other place, was still extremely tasty and soft. I continued to nibble on it, long after I'd "finished" eating, simply because it was sitting there, looking good. Have I mentioned before that I have no self-control?

There's plenty more on the menu just waiting to be explored, but I anticipate that it'll be a long time before I return there, since there isn't one extremely close by. But if you're ever near one, and craving some good Indian food—give this place a visit.

Down in New Orleans

Last night, I met up with friends at NOLA, a bar/restaurant in downtown Palo Alto. There are two parts to the establishment, the restaurant portion and the bar portion, the latter of which still serves the entire menu. We all sat/stood in the bar section, which was pretty small and somewhat tightly packed for about an hour or two after our arrival.

The clientele consisted of a lot of young professionals like ourselves, although there were a few outliers. One party, in particular, seemed to be of the still-in-college-mode variety of young professionals. For a bar as small as this one, there was a high number of televisions—around seven; most featured either the Giants/Diamondbacks game or the NBA Playoffs, though there was one screen in the corner that curiously played a foreign film with subtitles. The lighting struck me as a little dim at times, which I normally find grating, but which didn't bother me as much on this evening.

For the most part, the night's drink of choice was raspberry mojitos. I find raspberry to be pretty much disgusting, but my friends raved all evening about the deliciousness of this particular drink, so I'll just take their word for it.

Eventually, we decided that we should probably eat, especially me, since I hadn't bothered to have any dinner, and we were nearing 10pm. We decided on the BBQ chicken quesadilla, the mushroom quesadilla, a bowl of gumbo (the only New Orleanian cuisine we selected from the primarily NOLA-influenced menu), and the never-failing sweet potato fries. 
For once, the sweet potato fries took a backseat to my entrée, the chicken quesadilla, which was fantastic. There was a good balance of chicken, cheese, and barbeque sauce, without any one ingredient overpowering the dish.

Given that there are an endless number of restaurants to try in Palo Alto, never mind the surrounding cities, I don't imagine that I'll consistently be returning here. But it's definitely worth another visit—or an initial one.

I Got My Eggs, I Got My Pancakes, Too

One of the things I miss most about the east coast (particularly New Jersey) is the prevalence of diners and other breakfast/brunch establishments. The west coast, at least in the Bay Area, is seriously lacking in this department. The city of San Francisco probably fares a little better, but it's beyond silly to travel up there just for some Belgian waffles on a Sunday morning.

Yesterday morning, I met a friend for breakfast in Mountain View, and while we easily found a run-of-the-mill cafe in which to grab bagels, it's not quite the nice sit-down that we would have preferred. Sure, there are a couple of nice restaurants (though you have to dig a little to find them) that serve standard breakfast, but they are few and far between.

In New Jersey, however, there were a number of places at my disposal if I was looking to grab breakfast or brunch with some friends on a weekend morning. Moreover, most of these places serve breakfast all day long; I've eaten pancakes for dinner/late-night meals more times than I can count.

While back east last week, I was able to get my fill of these places twice, as there was both a diner and a Perkins in close proximity to my hotel.

But now I'm back in The Land of No Breakfast, which is pretty much catastrophic for me, given that breakfast is my absolute favorite type of meal (well, that and any ethnic food). It'd be a sad world without the likes of waffles, French toast, and biscuits. 

Between the dearth of breakfast, the general mediocrity of bagels, and the absence of Dunkin' Donuts, mornings aren't as exciting as they could be out here. But their widespread presence back east is part of what makes home so lovely.

Oda al Tomate

This afternoon, while running errands in the Mountain View area, my friend and I stopped for a quick lunch. We wanted something ethnic (as always), and close by, so we found a Tex-Mex chain by the name of La Salsa.

How to describe this place? It's fast food-esque, but pricier than something like Taco Bell—and it tastes worse, too. La Salsa seems okay in theory; it has a relatively lengthy menu, and there's a salsa bar, complete with about eight different kinds of salsa.

I ordered two soft chicken tacos, which came with a side of tortilla chips. The tacos were about the size of my fist, so smaller than I expected; meanwhile, my friend, who ordered a taco salad, received a serving that was about the size of her head. Probably weighed about the same, too.

The food itself was mediocre, if that. The chips were a little bland—yes, I enjoy more salt than the average person, but these were really plain. Meanwhile, the chicken was extremely dry, and some of it was just straight up burnt and overcooked. I tried three different salsas, and while they weren't bad, they weren't good, either. I had some pico de gallo, which completely lacked spice, and which contained completely flavorless tomatoes--the cilantro was the only source of zest. Their regular salsa wasn't too bad, but I couldn't really differentiate it from something that would come out of a bottle marked "Pace" or "Old El Paso." And finally, I tried a "spicy" salsa, which had a nice kick, but that I couldn't really classify as tasty in any way.

I ended up eating most of what was on my plate, due more to hunger than anything else. And I've eaten worse, so I suppose I can't complain too much. But I'm pretty sure that I'm just never going to be coming back here--you should probably stay away, too. Your taste buds will thank you.

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk

Last night, a friend and I had dinner at the Stanford Creamery, located in the Stanford Shopping Center. The restaurant boasts pretty standard fare, from salads, to sandwiches and burgers, which we deemed perfect, since there wasn't a specific type of food that we craved.

The inside of the restaurant (see above) echoes the interior of an old diner, but since the weather was so gorgeous, we opted to sit outside; there's a covered patio section, with heaters for when the temperatures drop at night.

There was plenty to choose from on the menu, but since we are both apparently five years old on the inside, we ordered the exact same thing: grilled cheese sandwiches with greens on the side, and milkshakes—mine was chocolate, hers was peanut butter and chocolate.

As I've mentioned, I'm not too big on sweets, so I was uncertain about taking on an entire milkshake, but the Creamery is known for this particular item, so I decided to give it a try. I toyed briefly with getting the chocolate chip, but the waiter brought me over a sample, and I didn't think I could handle all that sweetness in drink form.

I don't think I've had a grilled cheese at a restaurant in years, so it was a refreshing change of pace—there's a lot of nicety in the simpler things sometimes.  The milkshake was good, too—even my friend seemed to like mine a little better than her own—if still a little sweeter than I would have liked. 

I'm not chomping at the bit to try other options on the Creamery's menu, mostly because all of them are pretty standard and can be found anywhere. But it's the perfect setting for a casual meal and definitely worth a visit. 

And if you're normal and enjoy sweets, don't skip that milkshake.

When I Return

I'm insanely obsessive-compulsive, so in preparing to travel anywhere, I always create a series of lists to cover anything and everything. There are packing lists, to-do lists, and occasionally, lists of phone numbers, addresses, and/or confirmation numbers. I also like to do a lot of prep work, if it seems like the trip is going to be a little complicated, or involve something out of the ordinary. 

For my trip back east, I had to park my car long-term at San Francisco's airport; this was not a problem, really, except that I had a) never before been to this airport and b) had no idea how to get from the parking lot to the terminal. And the prospect of undertaking something without a little foresight and preparation is always extremely daunting. I don't know how to fly by the seat of my pants.

But the good old internet is really helping the way in which we travel, because I logged onto SFO's website to do some research, and figured out everything I'd need to get from my house to my flight's gate on Sunday morning. Literally, everything, including which restaurants would be in closest proximity to my gate (I really need to stop thinking about food all the time). 

I did the same on Philadelphia Airport's website, and didn't fare as well, as the quality of its website is equivalent to the quality of its airport. I'll let you do the math.
I needed to figure out how to get from my arrival gate to the Hertz rental site, since I had a rental car for the week. As I'm (only?) 24, I've obviously never rented a car before, so this was completely new territory for me. The website very succinctly told me to go to Zone 2—this, of course, meant nothing to me. 

And so I arrived in Philadelphia on Sunday evening, and proceeded to scrutinize every sign for arrows pointing towards Zone 2. They didn't exist; I instead followed signs for the exit, and it was only upon my arrival there that there were signs for various zones. By some lovely stroke of luck, the Hertz shuttle pulled up at the exact same time I walked out the door, so I didn't have to spend time internally panicking over whether or not I was in the right place. 

Within a half hour, I was sitting in the driver's seat of a Nissan Versa, blasting the sweet sounds of Radio 104.5, and driving down the familiar roads of I-95.

My return to California was also seamless, after an initial roadbump: I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get into the Hertz rental parking lot to return the car. Apparently you don't actually follow directions to the lot's address. Instead, you drive into the airport under "Arrivals," and follow signs for Rental Car Drop-off. Did everybody know this but me? Don't answer that; I don't want to know.
I learned this piece of information purely by chance, after making a few wrong turns (thank you GoogleMaps, for failing me), and trying to salvage the situation by turning again into the arrival lane of the airport. 

I get irrationally irate at myself when I make wrong turns or get lost, since I pride myself on being fairly competent when it comes to directions and navigation. Of course, it'd be a lot easier if places could pony up for some well-labeled signs. Finding the long-term parking lot in San Francisco would have been a breeze even if I hadn't looked up directions beforehand.

But once I pulled the car into the Hertz parking lot, everything that followed unfolded calmly and with ease, all the way back to my car in SFO's parking lot.

If there's ever a next time, I'm going to be a pro—and it will be awesome.

Learn to Fly

I flew United for the first time in years, during my travel back east. I spent the last three hours of a six-hour flight essentially trying not to waste away, since United is unable even to spring for a measly bag of peanuts or pretzels. I had briefly entertained purchasing food in Philly to eat when the inevitable hunger struck, but opted instead to fit in one last binge on Dunkin' Donuts. It was a really excellent idea at the time. 

So instead, I opted to distract myself with my surroundings. 

Unfortunately, I had an aisle seat, which means I was in prime location to overhear the uncomfortably garrulous passenger sitting across from me. He spent portions of take-off rambling on about how people bow their heads to avoid getting their necks snapped during plane crashes. Not okay, dude. Thankfully, once we were up in the air, I was able to throw on my headphones and effectively muffle this guy's ramblings. 

The in-flight entertainment started up pretty early; the movie they played was How Do You Know. Not even Paul Rudd could save this film for me, so I found myself dozing off about 25 minutes into the movie, despite having downed 20 oz. of coffee about an hour before. 

I really liked the constant stream of in-flight entertainment, though. I've never watched The Simpsons in my life before, nor do I care to, but I liked that they played hours of television and movies to keep passengers entertained. Some of the other shows included How I Met Your Mother, Frasier, and, my personal favorite, Cash Cab—the latter of which featured a contestant who was a dead-ringer for Maurice, of Beauty and the Beast fame. 

I spent most of my flight reading (The Perks of Being A Wallflower, for those who care) or listening to my iPod as I attempted to fall asleep. And barring my annoying aislemate (yes, I just created that word), the plane ride was pretty peaceful. I flew at night, which was helpful in creating a nice cozy environment in which to sleep, or at least to rest. 

So really, the only buzz kill was the lack of sustenance. I toyed briefly with purchasing one of those in-flight meals that probably taste a little stale, but by the time they got to my row (and I was only in 20), there was hardly anything left. 

Luckily, SFO is not one of those airports that shuts down at night (Oakland, I'm looking at you), so I was able to pick up a quick bite to eat at one of the coffee shops near the gate, once we'd landed and gotten off the plane. 

Overall, United wasn't terrible—the attendants were nice enough, and they had nonstop entertainment. But Southwest still wins, because I always think with my stomach first. 

The Coffee Song

Just dropping in to display one of the best things about the east coast—its good taste:

After I graduated from college, I successfully reduced my coffee intake, reserving consumption  primarily for days on which I truly needed the caffeine. Since landing in Philadelphia on Sunday, though, I've been drinking Dunkin' Donuts like it's water. After three days of this behavior, caffeine is sadly no longer having the effect that it should, but it's totally worth it. I'll ween myself off again once I head back west. 

Under African Skies

I had Ethiopian food for the first time last night, at Mudai, a restaurant in San Jose. 

The interior of Mudai isn't anything overly fancy; the tables and chairs were pretty rudimentary in looks. There appeared to be some authentic Ethiopian drums and other accoutrements located in the inlet behind out table, but beyond that, the remainder of the place was rather sparse.
We ordered family-style, which is customary for Ethiopian meals. We decided upon chicken, alicha lamb tips, and miser kik—lentils in spicy sauce. 

Ethiopian food is served unlike anything I've ever had before: The server spoons the dishes out onto a giant piece of enjera (Ethiopian bread), so the bread is essentially serving as an edible plate. In addition, diners are each given a smaller plate of bread to be eaten with the entrées.
Enjera is a bit like a spongy and porous pancake, though without the sweetness, and much larger in size.

The food was amazing. I appreciated that all three dishes were spicy, though not so much that it overwhelmed any other flavor. Each of the three dishes were distinctive, and all were well complimented by the bread. We ordered three entrées for four people, which turned out to be the perfect amount. 

San Jose as a city didn't bowl me over—I don't know if I'd recommend a "just for fun" visit, unless it's to Santana Row—but little gems like Mudai make the city worth a visit.

Too Much Food

A friend and I found ourselves in Mountain View on Saturday night, eager to make use of our weekend night, though in a low-key way. 
We met up with another friend, who accompanied us to Tied House Brewery and Cafe, a local brewery that's been in existence for over 20 years.

It's a nice place, though it was surprisingly empty, particularly for a Saturday night. There are several televisions scattered around, many of which were showing the final period of the Sharks game on this particular evening. 

Both the food and drink menu are extensive, which I always appreciate. Since Tied House is a brewery, there are always of beers on draft, some of which are consistent, and some of which are seasonal. My friends opted to split an appetizer of buffalo tenderloins, and each got their own raspberry beer—Tied House always has a fruit beer, though the flavor varies on any given night.
Despite having eaten the remainder of my lunch (a Togo's turkey sandwich) a few hours earlier, I found myself inexplicably famished, and so opted for a second dinner. I ordered a cup of chicken tortilla soup with a small Santa Fe salad. 

My friends liked the beer, although they agreed that the raspberry flavor caused the drink to be a little too sweet overall. The buffalo tenderloins were a big hit, though, and I loved my fake Mexican meal, particularly the soup—it was thick and flavorful. The salad wasn't anything special (I find jicama a particularly useless item), but the chicken was tender and seasoned nicely, and the entire meal filled me up in a way that the aforementioned sandwich couldn't.

Tied House is definitely worth a visit; it's got a friendly wait staff, a range of tasty food and drinks, and a relaxing but upbeat environment—I'm already looking forward to coming back. There's a nice patio section that will be lovely to sit in when the weather gets nicer, and there's an entire menu of food just waiting to be explored. 

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

In honor of Major League Baseball's Opening Day, I thought I'd share a few photographs of baseball stadiums that I've photographed since moving to California.

First up, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

This picture was taken in a moving car, while driving down Route 57, hence the streaking window reflections.

Next, AT&T Park, home of the reigning World Champions, the San Francisco Giants:

Fun, right? 

Even more fun is the fact that my beloved darlings kicked off the season with a win and a really really wonderful ceremonial first pitch(er). 

Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)

Yesterday, two friends and I drove along the California coast down to Half Moon Bay, Monterey, Carmel, and Pebble Beach. Pictures and a more thorough explanation of the sights are forthcoming, once I have time to upload. 

On the drive back home, we stopped in Santa Cruz (for the second time that day) to grab dinner at Harbor Cafe. 

Now, on the whole, I think Santa Cruz is a little too hippie-ish for me, and while I don't think this restaurant is an exception, I love it nevertheless. It'd make for an excellent location to host an informal summer event. The restaurant possesses a relaxing vibe, the wait staff is friendly, and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. The place also appears to attract a high number of locals and regular visitors, since the waiters appeared to know nearly all the patrons except for us. 
We sat outdoors, where the bulk of the seating is located, and listened to the live band housed in the establishment's small interior. 

We were lucky; the restaurant is only open for dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, though it is open daily for breakfast and lunch.
Despite the dinner menu being relatively small, I still managed to spend about 10 minutes vacillating between meal options. Harbor Cafe's breakfast menu is extensive though, and looks fantastic, so I'd love to come back here for that particular meal. 

After my long contemplation, I finally ordered the garden burger with a side of french fries, while my friends ordered the turkey burger (substituting the fries for chips and guacamole) and the lime avo salad. 
As I mentioned, the food is fantastic. I'm normally a ketchup fiend, particularly in instances where sandwiches are too dry, but my burger was tender and moist, and had a flavorful seasoning. My friends, too, adored their meals. The guacamole (and avocado from the salad) was a bit hit, and I appreciate that the restaurant serves pita chips instead of the standard tortilla. Creativity, even on a minor level, is often a good thing.

Since I am usually a human vacuum, I also like that there are sizable portions. My meal kept me full for a long time (not always an easy feat), and from what I saw of neighboring patrons' plates, most of the dishes are equally substantial. 

The restaurant also offers some cost-effective drink deals; on the nights that it's open for dinner, from 6-6:30, one can purchase one dollar margaritas. Also, the dinner menu includes a five dollar taco and beer combo. Pretty nice.

It's a shame that Santa Cruz is such a hike, or I could see myself coming back here frequently. This place is definitely worth the visit if you're in the area; I'm already excited to return someday.

Take A Long Drive with Me, On California One

Yesterday, my friends and I drove down the Pacific coastline, via California State Route 1 (more commonly known as Highway 1). Our drive also included a drive around the entirety the 17-Mile Drive, a stretch of road owned and maintained by the Pebble Beach Corporation, and what is said to be one of the most scenic drives in the country. After seeing it, I'm inclined to agree.

Here are lots of pretty pictures so you can fawn over the gorgeousness:

Pebble Beach.

You can't see it in this picture, but there are about 20 sea otters sunning on the sand.

 A Monterey cypress tree known as The Lone Cypress. The tree is a local landmark.

The water is such a rich blue, and I never tired seeing the waves crash up against the rocks, no matter how many times we stopped to take in the view—and we stopped a lot. The drive is peppered with over 20 spots, all of which are laid out in the pamphlet and map provided to passengers upon their entry to the drive.

In other news, this drive reminded me of how badly I want a DSLR. One day. At which point maybe I'll return to this community of pretty.

I Like to Move It

Well. This video is simultaneously one of the most horrifying and hilarious things I've seen in some time:

The video is serving as the new in-flight safety video for New Zealand Airlines. Now, I think there are very few individuals who would be interested in watching Richard Simmons dance around while reciting safety precautions. If the airline's intent is to increase safety video viewership, though, I can see their tactic working. 

I'm 100 percent more likely to give this video at least a portion of my attention than I am the standard safety ones, even if it is just to roll my eyes and/or laugh. It's attention-grabbing in a way that no other airline safety video is. 

It does run the risk of scaring (and scarring) little children, though. Plus, the video would be beyond annoying if you're a frequent flier. Can you imagine watching this a few times a week? And if someone played this for me before 9am (and I say this as a morning person), I'd probably want to set myself on fire. 

Somehow I doubt this will catch on with other airlines.

On An Evening in Roma

Over the weekend, the city of Rome came up in conversation three times in a 36-hour window. I've loved the city since I last visited it in November of 2006, so I thought I'd extend those conversations to this blog. 

First, some random things about Rome that I simply adore:

- Suplees. These edible items are best described as little balls of happiness. They are little appetizers that are generally available in all pizzerias and restaurants. Suplees are egg-shaped; at the center sits a ball of mozzarella, which is surrounded by a marinara sauce and rice combination. The entire concoction is then dipped in batter to create one of the most delicious creations I've experienced. If you ever go there, EAT A SUPLEE. You will thank me, I promise.

- The freshness of the food. I ate pizza and pasta everyday, and at no point did it get old. That's because the ingredients used to make these items, even at restaurants, are so fresh, and the meals lack much of the processing that takes place here in America. 

- The walkability of the city. Although public transportation (such as subways and buses) is available, rarely did I use it to get around Rome. It's generally not necessary, and once you know where you're going, walking around the city is a convenient, healthy, enjoyable, and easy option. 

Next up, a few pictures that are not of the standard Trevi/Vatican/Colosseum variety. I apologize for their general crumminess; my photographic skills have improved since I was 20.

This is Stadio Olimpico, home of A.S. Roma. 

The thousand fountains in the city of Tivoli.

Ok, I lied: Here is a pretty standard (and slightly crooked) shot. This is Vatican City, taken from the top of St. Peter's Basilica.

Rome is one of the cities that strikes a nice balance with its offerings. Being in the city can amount to a cultural, historical, religious, and recreational experience in a way that not many places can. 

I'd love to go back someday, but I'd also love to explore the rest of Italy, and then some. I imagine none of these things will take place any time soon, but I can keep my fingers crossed, right? Right.

A Track and a Train

Public transportation in the Bay Area is a bit of a complicated and confusing process. Unlike New York or DC, which have just one primary method of transport (the Subway and Metro, respectively), there are two major options in the Bay Area, depending on the direction in which you want to travel. 

The BART is most comparable to the Metro—the seating arrangement is similar, it runs on a schedule, and the platforms have signs to inform passengers as to when the next train will be arriving. The ticket and payment operates very similarly to the DC Metro, too, in that the cost is determined by the length of your ride, rather than being a flat rate, á la the Subway. Although its name links it to the Bay Area in general, its primary use is for transportation between the East Bay and San Francisco. I've taken the BART a few times, and it's an easy process, assuming that the stations are in close proximity to where you want to go. 

From northwestern San Francisco (right near AT&T Park) down to San Jose, through what is known as the Peninsula and South Bay, the primary method of public transportation is the Caltrain. 
I took the Caltrain for the first time over the weekend, and it's a lot like the NJ Transit. There are several stations on the line, and as the train is used frequently by commuters on weekdays, there are several express trains that run from Monday to Friday. The process of buying tickets is a little confusing, though—rather than buy tickets from one station to another, one buys tickets from one zone to another. Each zone (there are six in total) comprises anywhere from two to nine stations, so you've got to look at a system map to figure out in what zone your intended destination falls before you can purchase your ticket. 

As I mentioned, these are the primary methods of transportation around the entirety of the Bay Area. But there are several more that operate on a smaller scale; the Muni tackles all public transportation in the city of San Francisco except for the BART, while most other regions in the Bay Area have access to buses. 

It's interesting, though, because while the people in this region pride themselves on conserving energy (and for good reason; there are bikers everywhere), when you really look into it, the region is not all that accessible by public transport. 

I know that probably sounds ridiculous, considering the various transportation methods I just detailed. But their reach is not as extensive as it could be, particularly considering the size of the entire Bay Area. 
The city of San Francisco, in particular, is where this void is most glaring. Once you're in the city, it's pretty difficult to get around from one region/neighborhood to the next, unless you're well acquainted with the Muni Metro or bus system—tourists, most likely, are not. Plus, even once you are familiar with these systems, they don't generally operate that efficiently, so it can be a colossal waste of time to travel this way. 
Driving is often the preferable method of getting around the city, which is problematic because it can be stressful, and because parking is next to impossible to find. 

I recognize that the tectonics of California (especially San Francisco) probably present a difficulty in building an expansive underground transportation system. And even if it were a geological possibility, that kind of system would be immensely difficult to implement at this point in time. 
But it's truly unfortunate that a city as lovely as San Francisco doesn't offer the kind of transportation access that's available in cities such as New York, London, Chicago, and DC. It'd make mobility around the city far easier.