Practically Productive!

Totally blinded by the light

Hey! I got a new phone today. This is my third Droid 2 since August, and while I like the phone itself, I don't like the random quirks that have made it stop working. Last time the touch screen stopped responding and this recent exchange is because the camera wouldn't work anymore. Now I'm seeing spots because I blinded myself with the flash while trying to do self-portraits.

Despite having a relatively non-productive day, I'm at least pleased with myself for:

1) Getting my hair done.

I'm insanely lucky to have come across the girls at Vidal Sassoon (Beverly Hills) who are going through training and only charge $20. They do an incredibly job and I don't know what I'd do without them. If you're interested in shorter hair (above the shoulder), ask me for the contact!

2) Typing up our "Renters Resume"

We're hoping to move into a new apartment sometime in the next couple of months, so I wanted to get this ready to go. 

3) Making a scrumptious salad

Romaine lettuce, tomato, almonds, and seared tofu cooked in vegan Worcestershire, oil, and garlic. I squeezed a lot of fresh lemon juice on top, ground on some fresh black pepper, and nibbled on some lentil chips from Trader Joe's on the side. All washed down with some cranberry juice.

4) Activating and setting up my new phone.

Now I just have to ship the old one back. Bye Droid 2 #2... I hope this is the last exchange I have to make on this phone.

5) Scheduling an interview for representation with a Print Agent.

I had a legit agency contact me about print representation. I wouldn't be particularly interested except that they also have a commercial and theatrical division and it might be worth it to get in with them for that reason. Not sure what to expect from the interview, but I'll let you know how it goes! (Basically, they invited me to their weekly open call, but better to be called in than go in cold, I think)

 All in all, not a bad day! Especially when I'm feeling a bit lazy. 

Holiday Treats and Hodgepodge Meals!

 I had an absolutely lovely day with my friend Amy yesterday! We went to Sprinkles for the sole purpose of getting some Peppermint Chocolate cupcakes! Amy truly understands and supports my cupcake obsession! Neither of us ever has to feel guilty when we get cupcakes together! After some coffee and cupcakes, we went to The Grove to enjoy some window shopping and pretty lights! Even though I work at The Grove, my restaurant is on the outskirts, so I don't get to enjoy the pretty displays.

While we were hanging out in the Farmer's Market, this really crazy looking lady approached us and asked if we were actors. After a moment's awkward silence, I asked why she wanted to know. She then went on rambling about some kind of acting studio and how great it was. She gave us cards and when I tried to brush her off with a "sounds good, I'll look it up" she asked me if I wanted to go in for a reading right then and there. It was so bizarre. After looking the place up, it definitely looks like one of those places that offers some classes, but is mostly a money making machine designed to get you to pay for their headshots and helps you make a "reel." Obviously, this lady got something for getting others to sign up.

My lunch before meeting Amy was another one of those hodgepodge meals... Leftover brown rice with kidney beans (seasoned with a leftover taco packet!), spinach, tomatoes, and creme fraiche with lots of pepper and fresh lime juice! This was actually pretty tasty! Although similar, it was way better than the last thrown together meal. We're running so low on groceries that I just got a Subway sandwich tonight. I'm also tired of dishes. It was a long lunch shift. The holiday season is definitely upon us! I worked from 10 AM and didn't leave work until 7:30 PM!!! But the money is good, so I can't complain.

Mint Toothpaste and Cashews

That's what LP always accuses me of using to concoct hodgepodge meals. I'm one of those people who can't stand to buy groceries unless the cupboards and fridge are nearly bare. I hate letting food sit at the back of a shelf or go bad in the refrigerator. Unless I have a hankering to make a specific recipe, I try to use what I've got sitting around. Comes from having frugal parents, I suppose. And it does help me to stretch my grocery budget.

Yesterday was definitely one of those Mint Toothpaste and Cashew Hodgepodge kind of meals. What you're looking at here is leftover wild rice with black beans, tomato, sauteed red onion, spinach and radicchio, with a dollop of creme fraiche on top and cracked black pepper. It was pretty good except for the radicchio. Cooking it just made it bitter. It's obviously better left raw. You can't see the beans or the rice so it actually looks more appetizing in the photo, I think.

I just finished off some of the last of the cereal and soymilk this morning. Still oatmeal left to eat.... but the rest of my meals are going to be odd like this!

On another note, it looks like we're finally getting to autumn-like weather in Los Angeles! I love the street where I park for work. Real deciduous trees! I go out of my way to crunch through the leaves!

Healthy Food and Houseplants

The LP is back from visiting family for Thanksgiving. I picked him up from LAX late Saturday night/ early Sunday morning. It's almost silly how much I missed him. It was only a week, but LP vowed that we would never again spend our holidays apart. Time with the family is nice, but we're a family too, so no matter where we go to celebrate a holiday, we should spend that time together. 

I had to work yesterday lunch, but I got out at a decent time and we went out for pizza, beer, and gelato for one last splurge before we spend the rest of the month eating healthy and frugal. I don't really get the idea behind pigging out all through December, only to beat yourself up after the New Year. Now is the time for better eating. Although... I may make some exceptions for cupcakes. :-)

No work today, so I slept in. Here's today's healthy lunch:

Homemade hummus with rice/nut crackers and a Spinach and Radicchio Salad. I tossed in some dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and bleu cheese. It's very similar to what I made for Thanksgiving, except that I didn't have any Asian pears. I sauteed some red onions in olive oil before adding them to the salad to help wilt the spinach a little bit. The dressing is my own concoction of apple cider vinegar, oil, and pepper. So good!

As I took pictures of my lunch by the window, I couldn't help myself and took some of our houseplants, too! We don't have the greenest thumbs, but we try.  We've got a couple of avocado trees growing that we started ourselves from pits. LP has been trying this for years and there's been some losses along the way. But these current guys seem to be doing pretty well. My pride and joy is my Philodendron. These are about the easiest plants to grow because they are nearly impossible to kill. I've had this one (middle) for about 3 or 4 years and it's just exploded recently. Philly sits on top of a speaker and its tendrils nearly reach the floor! The last plant... I call it a Polka Dot plant. It used to be a lot taller, but it got sort of weedy looking and couldn't support itself. After some research, I discovered that these plants have to be cut back. So I chopped the whole thing down to little nubs and it's really thriving now! I'm just glad I didn't kill it!

I realize that plant talk may be about the most boring subject in the world for some people, so I apologize. But we don't have any pets aside from my sad little goldfish, so we really obsess over our plants instead. We really need a dog.

Oof.

Stuffed. To. The. Brim. 

I rarely eat until I'm full. I usually save something for later or eat multiple little meals throughout the day. Today, I am crammed. This morning I just nibbled on little bits of this or that while I was cooking. From the moment I reached my brother's place at 2:30 PM until 12:30 AM it was non-stop eating. I'm so uncomfortable right now and all of the wine didn't help either. I don't think I drank any water today. Just wine, coffee, and Bailey's. 

I have to say that I am fairly embarrassed because I FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES! All of that work... undocumented. *sigh* When I got to my brother's, I immediately started setting up the food I brought, then kept my niece entertained, and then started to help serve food. It would have been pretty rude to stop and take photos. So... :-( Lots of other people took pictures though, so maybe my food is hiding in some of them. I hope.

The soup was a major hit. I roasted the squash for 35 minutes along with two peeled and sliced Granny Smiths. Then I caramelized two sliced leeks (white parts only) in olive oil in a big Dutch Oven, then added two cloves of garlic and a 1/2 cup of white wine. After I cooked that down, I added the squash flesh and cooked apples, 6 cups veggie broth, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Then I let the soup cool overnight and blended it in the morning, then cooked it for 15 more minutes in the slow cooker on low. We served the soup with Creme Fraiche (whipped with apple cider) and sliced leeks. EVERYONE loved it. Well, except for one lonely squash hater in the group, but there's no pleasing everyone. This was waaaaaaaaay better than when I made it the last time with butternut squash. Too sweet.

I also made a Wilted Spinach Salad tossed with frisée, radicchio, toasted pecans, thinly sliced Asian pear, cranberries, and bleu cheese. I also finely chopped one shallot, blanched it for 20 seconds, then mixed it with 2 Tbs of apple cider vinegar for a dressing. Then, right before serving, I heated up some olive oil and poured it over the salad. That went over really well, too, but since it was just salad, no one seemed to go crazy over it.

The Autumn Rice Rissoles were just OK. I felt like they were a little dry and a bit too herb-y for my liking. I felt like all I could taste was the sage. Next time I would probably cut that down a tad and maybe use hot cooked rice instead of room temperature. Maybe that would add a bit more moisture. I also felt like the recipe's suggestion of serving it with cranberry sauce was just too sweet. I would make a vegetarian gravy instead. I'm a bit bummed that I forgot to grab those leftovers to take home because I know the bro and SIL won't eat them. 

I have to be at work early tomorrow. Is it wrong that I'm kind of frightened of that Black Friday shopping crowd? I'm going to be sluggish. Wish me luck!

3 AM Thanksgiving Prep

Last year, I was training for my current job. I spent the entire holiday following another server around, getting bread, water, and drinks for his tables. Since we have a completely different menu for Thanksgiving day, this training was almost completely pointless. I was stuck at the restaurant for the entire day and didn't get out until 10:30 PM. I missed it. "Upset" doesn't begin to describe how I felt. I called my brother as I was getting out of work, and everyone was already packing up and going to bed. I cried. It was thoroughly depressing.

But not this year!!!

My usual grocery bill for two weeks! Eek!

My restaurant demands that employees work 5 out of 7 mandatory holiday shifts. This year, my big pick to get off was Thanksgiving. Although I miss LP (visiting fam in Michigan), I'm still really excited for the holiday. We have a 5 year strong tradition of my oldest brother and his wife hosting the dinner for the siblings and their L.A. friends who don't have family nearby.

Since I had to close tonight, I didn't get home until after 11 PM and immediately got to work. I am the SLOWEST cook in the world, so prep is very important for me. I'm the only vegetarian in the family, so I usually bring a little extra to make sure it still feels like a feast to me. Never know if the person responsible for the green bean casserole is going to throw in some bacon grease. 

THE MENU: 
Autumn Rice Rissoles
Wilted Spinach Salad
Winter Squash Soup

After much debate, I settled on these three after pouring over a year's subscription of Vegetarian Times. Tonight, I formed the Rissoles patties (currently chilling in the fridge) and got started on the soup.  The "Autumn Rice Rissoles" are just fancy veggie patties. I'm not cooking them up until tomorrow, so we'll see how they turn out. I don't often have luck with this kind of thing. 

The recipe calls for 1 cup each of cooked wild rice and brown/basmati rice. Thank goodness for Trader Joe's! These fully cooked packages cost the same or less than their raw counterparts! I'm so glad I didn't have to waste 45 minutes ruining rice this evening. And no, I don't have a rice cooker! Some day we'll have the extra cabinet space, and THEN I'll get one!

If the Rissoles turn out, I think the secret will have been to chilling them for several hours AND... uniformity!

I used our beloved Alton Brown measuring plunger to dole out the prescribed 1/4 cup and then smooshed the rice mixture on to a parchment lined baking sheet while still in the plunger. Definitely easier than trying to make them with my bare hands, anyway! The real test will be when I try to cook them on the skillet! I love the flavor combination, so even if they fall apart, it could still be a tasty casserole! They have Wild and Brown rice, toasted pecans, cranberries, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, and red onion. My one twist on the recipe was using Pecan Rice Crackers instead of plain or saltines.

This is what Red Kuri squash looks like!!!

The Winter Squash soup features Granny Smith apples and leeks. I actually found the recommended squash, red kuri, at Whole Foods! Last time, I made this with butternut. It was OK, but a tiny bit bland. I also bought actual Creme Fraiche this time to use as a garnish.

My big problem with squash is its de-assemblage. This time, like last time, I cooked it for too long. The flesh and the skin just fell apart and while the rind was soft enough to eat, it probably would have added bitterness to the soup. But even taking out the stringy bits and seeds is difficult.

My recommendation? See item #17, on the left. It's a grapefruit spoon. I'm sure you can find them at any kitchy kitchen store. However, I received my pair from my grandma. Not only are they extremely useful for eating grapefruit, they are the IDEAL tool for scooping out squash goo.

Roommates will also use them to eat cereal when no regular spoons are left clean. It baffles the mind, people. Right now, I'm letting the soup cool for several hours so I can put it in the blender (WHY didn't I buy an immersion one, WHY?!) before reheating it in the slow cooker.

TIME FOR BED! I'll let you know how it all turns out

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Illegal Audition

OK, well... I barely got my foot in the door today, but I knew that was coming. The print campaign was for a casino and was required by law to hire people who were 25+ years old. I turn 25 in January. Hoping that the print campaign wouldn't post until January or later, I went to the audition anyway. Well, they checked IDs at sign-in and I was promptly turned away. Oh, well. It doesn't hurt to try!

I did, however, look very editorial today. Wish a better photo was possible. I love the zipper details that were on my skirt. And anything with skulls on it is always awesome.

And to comfort myself, I visited Pure Luck and got a faux Caesar salad with tofu and avocado and a 3 Philosophers draft beer. That thing was either really strong or my tummy was really empty, because I am still buzzing from it.


Better luck at the next audition! And... not lying about my age would be helpful!

Time to enjoy a chocolate coconut cupcake from Lark! I'm saving its buddy, the carrot cake one, for LP! Until he gets home, I'm just going to veg out, re-read Harry Potter #5 and eat a cupcake. Bliss.

Audition tomorrow!

This morning I got a call from a casting director. I have an interview/audition tomorrow. For a real job. Not some student thing, but an actual bona fide audition for a Vegas casino. It's just for print/internet use, but it pays pretty decently. I don't have high hopes for snagging it, but I'm happy just to get called in.

I'm supposed to wear a "casual short skirt and top." I only own three skirts, two of them are almost knee length and the other wouldn't really be considered short or casual since it's grey wool. Cute... but definitely not "Vegas." I may have to hit up the Forever 21 if I have time tomorrow. I'm really glad that I just happened to have the day off.

No matter what, though, I'm going to have to wear leggings! Look at the gnarly bruise I've got on my shin.  I bruise really easily, so I'm never quite positive where they come from, but I'm pretty sure this is the result of moving chairs around at work.

I'll never be a leg model.

In other news. Can I just share the most delicious meal in the world with you? In an ideal situation, this would be paired with red quinoa and some caramelized red onions , but since I didn't feel like dirtying many dishes and wanted dinner in less than ten minutes... I left them out. But still...

Brussels Sprouts, walnuts, veggie bacon, and Feta with fresh lemon juice and lots of sea salt and pepper. We already had the sprouts prepped in the fridge, so I just steamed them for a few minutes before throwing them into the iron skillet with the nuts and veggie bacon.




I eat this meal with random variations (different cheese, nuts, grain) with an absurd frequency whenever sprouts are available on the stalk. I'd never eaten sprouts until I watched an episode of Good Eats on it. I love Alton Brown.  So, so much.

Trip to Iowa!!! Weddings and Family

My cousin got married in Iowa this weekend, and since I can't go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas (and probably won't be able to visit again until MAY), it was the perfect opportunity to see family I haven't seen in ages. Highs of 98 in LA, Lows of 22 in Iowa. I had to borrow a coat.  BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

On Thursday, I flew to Cedar Rapids, where my friend Keri picked me up. We've been friends since Kindergarten-- great to see her. We went out for drinks in Iowa City that night with her boyfriend (also known since high school) and I spent the night at her place. We got incredibly trashed on cheap booze ($3.50 martinis, WHAT?!) and watched a horrible movie at her house called "The Room"... a long standing tradition of ours. When we were broke in high school, we would rent bad movies for 50 cents at Family Video and make fun of them in classic MST3K style (before we even knew what that was). The next morning she drove me to Davenport.

Friday night, my parents, Keri, and I went to my old high school to see a performance of "Seussical." It wasn't as horrific as it could have been...it's a pretty easy show to put on. And the girl they had playing the Kangaroo was actually better than the girl who played that part at my University! So props to that young lady, she had an incredible voice and lots of sass. Mostly, I was glad to say hi to my old band, drama, and choir teachers!

Saturday was the wedding in Indianola (near Des Moines) at 4 PM. They had it at the local nature center, and even though it was breezy and bit chilly, the ceremony was outside. But the view was really gorgeous and they kept it short, so we all survived. Super cute was when my other cousin's 4 year started shouting "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!" when the couple was pronounced husband and wife.

 One my favorite elements of the wedding was the couple's personal logo. The husband is a graphic designer and he created this cute little cartoon of them. They had it on everything! It was on their invitations, the RSVP, the couple's wine glasses... but my favorite was their boxy wedding cake topper and their Yahtzee score card! Apparently, my cousin is obsessed with Yahtzee, so she had these and a bunch of dice at every table. My family played (mom won), and since there wasn't dancing, I thought this was good alternate entertainment.

The cake was cute, too. My uncle (her dad) made it for her. I guess it was a childhood tradition for my uncle to make them angel food cake each year with his special "7 Minute Icing," which the girls could have in whatever color they wanted on their birthday. It was tasty! They also had angel food in cupcake form, as well. I think I ate five. It's my favorite!

I was also extremely pleased to discover that my cousin is now a vegetarian, and while everyone else got pulled pork sandwiches (it's Iowa, this is very common at weddings), we ate black bean, sweet potato, and barley patties that were very tasty. They also had veggie meatballs. YUM! One of the first weddings I've ever been to where I got something besides vegetables and salad! She also made sure all of the table runners were reusable (muslin, for the groom's canvas art projects) with bio-degradable plates and napkins and silverware! The centerpieces featured bamboo (that people could take home) and Christmas lights (obviously reusable). Some people had gripes, as will always happen at weddings, but I thought it was lovely and personal and very thoughtful. At least it reflected the couple! I'm really happy for them!

After the wedding, the younger part of the crowd went out to a German Beer Bar in Des Moines and I stayed the night at my other cousin's apartment... Thanks Chelsea! We're 51 weeks apart in age (she's older, I'm the baby on both sides of the family) and we were shocked to see each other sporting the exact same haircut/color! We look so much alike, it's freaky. Except that I'm practically a foot taller...but other than that. Super short blond hair. Is it genetic to have a hairstyle preference? :-)

We drove home this afternoon and I was surprised by a big family dinner at Grandma's! I didn't know that my grandma and grandpa were hosting dinner at their house and had invited my cousins and aunts and uncles! I was so glad because I don't get to see them all very often.

Random thought: does everyone else refer to their uncles and aunts' spouses as their uncles and aunts? I always say "my aunt Jackie" because that's what I called her growing up. She's not blood related, but of course she's my aunt! I didn't really think about it until my one uncle got divorced and re-married. His wife Pam is lovely and so thoughtful and friendly. I like her a lot. In fact, I like her much better than my cousins' mother, the ex-wife. But that's who I grew up calling Aunt. And I don't automatically refer to Pam as my aunt. I would say, "my uncle's wife." But that's not fair when I would introduce my other uncle's wife as "Aunt." Confusing? Yes.

I've only got Monday left, and then I fly back home to L.A. on Tuesday. Short, but sweet!

Cooking and Voting and LACMA-- oh my! EPIC POST

Okay. So I'm a slacker. It's Saturday and I'm going to write about Monday through Wednesday. It's been a busy week. So sue me. But it's been a great week and I feel like I've had the perfect blend of productive and fun. I've also been submitting for roles on LA Casting and Actors Access every day. I even booked an audition, but the director changed her dates and I couldn't go at the new time. C'est la vie... but it's nice to be considered, at least.

Monday was spent cleaning the apartment and researching for the Tuesday election. I posted to my other blog, as I wrote about last time, and got tons of hits. It was really a shock. But I felt good about making a conscientious effort towards my voting and made myself a tasty veggie medley to nibble on while I researched. Look at the color! Roasted potatoes, carrots, and red onion with just a little EVOO, fresh thyme and basil, salt, pepper, and fresh sauteed spinach. It was soooo tasty and satisfying! I also made a homemade vegetable stock (LP helped, thanks!) to use for a soup recipe the next day. I hadn't been able to cook as much lately, so I felt great about this. I did all this and worked the dinner shift!

Tuesday was just fantastic. I slept in a little, made myself a healthy berry-banana smoothie and an egg on a bed of spinach, then walked to our polling place with my current and former roommate. Yay for voting! I felt really informed and prepared with my little sample ballot filled out and ready to go.

After voting, I took our five full bins of recycling to the center--a herculean task, I assure you! Turns out we actually had $17 worth of stuff! WOW! There was about 72 lbs of glass alone. And I hauled that around by myself! It makes me glad that we don't throw all of that away. (Random side note: when driving back I was listening to Market Place on NPR and even that reporter commented that on Project Runway, MONDO was robbed. Completely unrelated to the topic at hand, and I totally agree. It just had to be said.)

After that, my friend Amy and I got fancy coffee and shared a crepe at Solar de Cahuenga in Hollywood. Nutella and Strawberries....mmm. Amy swears that she saw Josh Radnor of "How I Met Your Mother" out on the patio where we were sitting. I was completely oblivious, but she was probably right.

We waited until 5 PM, which is the magic hour for me in LA, because after that the LACMA is free to local residents. That leaves 3 whole hours for leisurely browsing before they close. The museum has a great collection for being as small as it is and I've been there quite a bit. And I always have to take a peek at my favorite painting of all. I geeked out the first time I realized it was there!

But we especially wanted to see their newest building and the latest exhibit on the History of Fashion. The clothes were GUH-OR-geous. Amy and I had an interesting conversation about feminism and fashion. She regrets not getting to dress so outstandingly today, but I feel like you can dress however you want... hoop skirts and corset? SURE! But if I felt restricted in my clothing options, you can sure as hell bet that I would rebel against whatever it was I was expected to wear. Even as recently as my mother's generation, girls could get sent home from school for wearing pants. PANTS, ladies! I can't imagine not getting to wear jeans, and I love that I have the option of wearing a skirt if I feel like it, men's clothes if I feel like it. Punk one day and feminine the next. Isn't it FANTASTIC that we have choices? I feel privileged.

I love the outside "sculpture" at the LACMA... its iconic light posts. One of my favorite LA image.

After a couple hours at the museum, I took Amy home and then went home to cook! I used my homemade stock in a Butternut Squash, Green Apple, and Leek soup! I took the recipe from the November/December issue of Vegetarian Times. My brother got me a subscription for Christmas and I definitely want to renew. They have a lot of great ideas and are a major source of inspiration for me. I wanted to test-drive the soup before Thanksgiving. It's one of my favorite holidays and I asked off for it this year so I can really make a feast! My oldest brother hosts, but I always bring something vegetarian. The soup was definitely a winner!

Tuesday was a great day, and I was so eager to make Wednesday great, too. LP got me up early when he forgot his keys, but I thanked him for it because that gave me the time to make Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes for breakfast! From a technical and taste standpoint, these were the best pancakes I've ever made. I even had leftovers that I ate the next morning for breakfast, spread with a little peanut butter (to go!). I spent the rest of Wednesday running errands before going to work at night.

And the rest of this week? Well, I doubt I'll have much time to update, but right now I'm in IOWA for my cousin's wedding! I'm so excited to see family that I haven't seen in two years or more, but I'm not so excited about the chilly weather. Going from 98 to 27 degrees is freaking brutal. But more on that to come!

Hypocrisy: Vegetarian Selling Veal

It's bothered me many times at work. Peddling meat. But that's my job, even if I don't believe in eating meat as a personal choice, I'm still going to sell it to others. When I was looking for a serving job, I tried to find one at a vegan or vegetarian friendly restaurant...but most of those places are so small, that there's hardly ever any openings, and even if there is, I probably couldn't make much money at those places or have a flexible schedule. I tried one of the bigger veggie places, a chain called Real Food Daily... but they weren't hiring or at least they weren't hiring me. So.... I sell meat.

Source

I figure that working at an Italian restaurant is at least better than working at a steak house, which I could certainly never do. I've never tasted 85% of our dishes, but I know the ingredients and their flavor profiles and I ask my co-workers what they think of every dish. So even though I don't eat meat, I know what to recommend. And I certainly recommend vegetarian dishes whenever it makes sense.

But I still feel guilty about it.

And I never feel more guilty than when I sell veal (which, by the way, I never suggest). Even one of our chefs isn't comfortable with veal and says that he tries to avoid eating it whenever he can. Surprisingly, there are a lot of people who don't even know what veal is...usually they're under the age of 30.

INNOCENT GUEST: Excuse me, um... but what is veal?

Now I'm wondering if I'll get in trouble or offend them if I tell them what it really is... Baby cow that's been trapped in a cage and not allowed to move. Apparently ours is fed "real" food and not a 100% milk diet which is supposed to be better for the calf?
ME: It's a type of beef?
INNOCENT GUEST: So, it's like, a different cut?
ME: Ummmm... no. It's a calf.
INNOCENT GUEST: A calf?
ME: A very, very young cow. 
INNOCENT GUEST: Oh. Does it taste better?
ME: (cringing) Um... I don't really eat it. Um... It's a very thin cut, so it's supposedly more tender. 
INNOCENT GUEST: Oh.

The other day, a girl ordered her boyfriend the Veal Chop for his birthday. It's an 18 oz, giant slab of baby cow with the bone still in. I can't think of anything more upsetting or disgusting. They were very excited about it because he had never had veal before and apparently it "melted in your mouth." Again, I had to feign enthusiasm so as not to be rude. Most servers would be thrilled that someone orders the Veal Chop because it's the most expensive dish on the menu.

The other day, an older gentleman and I had the following exchange.

OLD GUY: Ooooo... I'll have the picatta.
ME: Chicken picatta?
OLD GUY: No, veal picatta. Baby cow! Moooooo! Yum.

I did not crack a smile. He assumed I would find this amusing. He was NOT amused that I ignored his remark and moved on to his friend's order. What else could I do? It's my job.

So that's it. My confession. I'm a big vegetarian hypocrite who would someday like to make money by NOT selling meat.

Source

Post Cold Recovery Part 2

More vegetarian noms today! Hooray! This past week I really, really spoiled myself. I don't think anyone needs even ONE cupcake a week, but sometimes I can cram 3 or more into fewer than seven days. Let's call it a special talent.

Not too far from my place, in Franklin Village, near the UCB theatre, there is an amazing little place called Locali. It's a tiny health food convenience store and deli. I LOVE it.

You can get tons of gluten-free, vegan, free range, organic goodness there. They carry special dietary items or green household products. It's one of the only places where I can find vegan marshmallows at a decent price, and that's what I was craving when I went there. But of course, I couldn't resist. I had to get a Veggie Reuben. Being the German Midwestern girl that I am, I adore sauerkraut and I really do get cravings for delicious messy Reubens. Locali's is THE BEST.

I'm proud of my little camera phone!

Even my LP loved this. He doesn't eat pork or beef, but he thought this was better than most turkey reuben options. Locali didn't end up having any marshmallows in stock, so I'll have to check back sometime soon (perfect excuse!)... but I was able to get this vegan, gluten-free S'MORE cupcake!

It wasn't the best gluten-free cupcake I've ever had. Lark (see previous post) does a flour-less chocolate cupcake that's incredible. It tasted more like a muffin, and I didn't really get much of a S'MORE flavor, but the marshmallow-y topping was scrumptious.

And that's why I LOVE L.A. because I have such a variety of amazing places to try and so many option available to me. I'm a lucky vegetarian.

Post-Cold Recovery

I am a big baby about being sick. HUGE. I stomp around the apartment all day in my pajamas and over-sized bathrobe, demand that my life partner buy me giant cartons of no pulp, low acid orange juice, and I SULK. Big baby. Luckily, I don't get sick very often and this last cold lasted a very, very short time. Even still, I decided to milk it, and spent the past week being lazy (and not writing, obviously) and treating myself to over-priced vegetarian goodies! Hooray!



While I was just getting over my cold, I took a trip to Sunset Junction for a pick me up. The photo on the right is the view from where I parked. I live really close to this area, and if I'd been feeling better, I probably would have biked.

First, I decided to visit Flore Vegan Cafe. Flore Vegan is a super small cafe. If you like people watching and can stand some traffic exhaust, I recommend sitting outside. But the inside is cozy and funky. Like if your Goodwill loving grandmother decided to decorate a vegan restaurant. I've been here with vegan friends before and everything is usually pretty tasty and not too expensive.

I got a big fat Veggie Club with potato salad and a Fresh Ginger Ale. The tempeh "bacon" they used was especially good, but the drink was my favorite part. It had a strong ginger flavor with a lot of kick and it even eased my crushing sinus pressure headache! The ginger ale made me feel SO much better that I decided to reward myself with some cupcakes.   Yes. That IS how my mind works.

I went to Lark Cake Shop, which is my FAVORITE place for cupcakes in Los Angeles. Yes, even more than Sprinkles, which is good, but overrated. I got a vegan Chocolate Orange cupcake. Even though I'm not vegan, this is still one of my favorites. I also tried the Coffee Cake cupcake for the first time. It was tasty, but was pretty much just like coffee cake in cupcake form. I don't know why I was expecting anything different. I wish my photo did it justice. But just look at the gorgeous chocolate frosting! It looks like a rose!

Tune in tomorrow for more tasty treats! I really spoiled myself this past week!

Fast Food Vegetarian

I've been a vegetarian for almost 10 years now, and that's pretty exciting to me. It's actually been pretty easy. Once I made the decision to go veg, I wasn't too tempted by meat anymore. Mostly, because I couldn't bear the thought of eating cute animals like this...

I love you ZooBorns!

How could I eat that? And soon goats and cats and dogs didn't seem that different from pigs or cows. And how could I differentiate between my pet bird and a farmyard chicken? Or my goldfish and a catfish? Nowadays, meat just grosses me out.

One of the reasons I love living in L.A. is how much easier it is being vegetarian out here than in Iowa. We have Whole Foods and my beloved Trader Joe's (if I ever had to live without one again I would cry). We live around the corner from awesome Thai food and mere blocks away from a health food convenience store and vegan restaurants. Over time, I'm looking forward to highlighting all of my favorite super awesome places.

But today... Today is an ode to Fast Food Vegetarian and the place that made me weep with joy when I first discovered it.

ASTRO BURGER.

This is not to be confused with the place I call "astrOburger" near Paramount on Melrose. That place is OK, but they've got a bunch of Greek food thrown on the menu and their onion rings suck. 

This is Astro Burger at 7475 Santa Monica Boulevard, not too far from the Trader Joe's... I don't know if the two restaurants are related or which one came first, but I know which one I prefer. 

What makes this place so magical is THIS:

Do you SEE that???? GARDENBURGER!

That's straight up, greasy spoon, fifties diner style FAST FOOD for vegetarians. I don't eat it often, but it hits the spot, I'm telling you. Their onion rings are also AMAZING. The place is cash only and a little over-priced...and those are my only gripes.

I love that my photo is focused on that weirdo in back.