Sushi Mazi

We checked out Sushi Mazi last night for my Dad's birthday. I would totally recommend going during happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, where the menu is extensive enough to try an array of fresh fish... or go for the Grasshopper sushi! Yep, a real [deep fried] grasshopper . When Michael ordered it, I was all gung-ho about it. After all, I love trying new things! When it arrived, I excitedly whipped out my camera. The waitress even asked if she could take a picture of us with her own camera, since it's what they do when someone orders it so they can post it on their wall. After the hype settled, Michael and my dad each popped one in their mouths and chomped away. When I looked down at mine, it stared back me. And my whole outlook changed - Wait a minute... am I really going to eat an insect? Eww! I've had my fair share of strange foods - I've eaten sea snails, ostrich and kangaroo but never an insect! Bleh! All of a sudden, it looked massive. There was no way I was going to be able pop that entire thing in my mouth. Why was that mound of rice so unusually large? What if its eyeball rubbed against the roof of my mouth? I contemplated on biting it in half but didn't think I could do it without my tongue touching it. I studied the angles to see if there was a way I could pop it in my mouth, so that its body would land squarely between my molars and its body could crumble before touching my tongue. Meanwhile, my dad kept encouraging me, "Just eat it! It's really crunchy and really good!" but I knew better. Growing up, he use to trick me into eating odd meats by telling me it was chicken. Then there was Michael, staring me down. I could have easily told my dad I didn't want to eat it and he wouldn't push me. But Michael!... Michael didn't have to urge me to eat it. In fact, he probably wouldn't have batted an eyelash if I decided I couldn't do it, but I knew he wouldn't let me live it down. I could already see him mockingly shake his head in shame. After all, I'm suppose to be his partner in crime; his adventure buddy; the other half of his dynamic duo! (plus, I talk a lot of shit :)... and I couldn't even eat a grasshopper??? I HAD to do it. If not for anything besides to show my man what his woman was made of. After literally eight minutes of brooding over the grasshopper, I finally compromised. I had my dad bite of its head (so I wouldn't risk it looking at me while it went in my mouth) and quickly chewed it into bits. And you know what? It was really yummy!!! I should have known, you can't go wrong with anything deep-fried!

Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes

For my Dad's birthday tomorrow, I made my first ever attempt at baking cupcakes. Shredding carrots is a b*tch!

Ken's Artisan Pizza for 6 + 1 booster seat

I am not a huge fan of pizza (I know, I know "boo Yen, boo"), but hey, I eat it ok! And I even at times enjoy it :) It's just not my "favorite" food and I would probably be the last person to suggest we eat it unless it's "gourmet" pizza (cue Mario Batali)(hehe)... or clam pizza (yum)(again, cue Mario Batali). But like with most relationships, you make sacrifices. You do things your partner likes to do and you try harder at enjoying things your partner enjoys. Most of the time, we're on the same page with our likes and dislikes. Michael is actually quite understanding about our differences, but because I won't rock climb with him, I compromise...

... by eating pizza :)

Two of Portland's most talked about pizza joints, Apizza Scholls and Ken's Artisan Pizza had been on our list of restaurants to try. But that's the problem with hyped up eateries - the wait can be excruciatingly long, particularly when reservations are not accepted. That coupled with my lack of love for pizza hindered our motivation to actually try it, even though I was already sold on Ken's Artisan's dough (see my post on its sister establishment, Ken's Artisan's Bakery), so when Allison invited Tram and I, along with our boy toys Tommy, Souk and Michael out for dinner the other night, it was the catalyst we needed to get into the two-hour wait.

But this entry is not really about Ken's Artisan Pizza or about long waits. It's about our new munchkin friend, Jenny! Besides my friend Thuy, none of my other girl friends in Portland have kids. But on this fateful night, Allison and Tommy brought along their three year-old cousin Jenny to dinner. Now keep in my mind, my friends and I are not accustomed to being around kids. We are all very much "single" when it comes to that sort of mindset :) But imagine my surprise when Jenny occupied all six of our attention! A tomboy at heart and not one to be messed with, she is extremely articulate, smart and well behaved. She prefers black All-Star Converse to pink ones and her favorite color is blue. She loves watching "The Grinch" and is not a fan of American food or pizza for that matter. She favors guys and doesn't care for girls, unless you got something good for her to eat. Lucky for me, I had a box of Girl Scout cookies in my bag! We all fought and climbed over each other to steal her for a moment. She is so clever, I am baffled every time she opens her mouth to speak. She even taught Michael a thing or two in Vietnamese!

Dinner was a complete blur to me. I vaguely remember a ceasar salad and calamari appetizer... oh and four pizzas, one of which had anchovies on it (another one of my preferred pizza toppings :) but the highlight of my night was hanging out with Jenny. Maybe because it was a new experience for me to be around my old friends plus a kid. We had always been kids ourselves! Or maybe because I got to imagine what great parents my friends would be one day. Then again, it might have just been because it was funny when I saw Michael dizzily walking out of of the Papa Haydn, a cake bar we had dessert at, looking as if he had gotten hit by bus. Being around Jenny was exhausting - even with six of us to take turns watching her. But it was so much fun and very endearing.

"Anh Hai [that's what she calls Souk], why are you bald?!"
:: rub rub rub ::

Michael napping while he's suppose to be watching Jenny. lol JK!

"Look, I've worn Michael out! Now I can eat his ice cream!"

O.C.B.T. Part 1 - Pets

A.K.A. Only Child Brown Thumb Syndrome

When I was a kid, my uncle bought me some guppy fish. While attempting to clean the bowl one day, I dropped a few on the floor, panicked and proceeded to step on them. They didn't make it under the weight of a six year old's body.

In high school, I had a fish tank in my bedroom with a a few goldfishes. A few days later, I woke up and found one of them belly up. I was so skeeved out by it, I didn't even bother scooping it out. I just left it there! Apparently, that screwed up the pH balance and killed off the rest of the fish in the tank. Traumatized at this point, I was too scared to tell my parents, but would have problems falling asleep with the dead fishies floating just a few feet away from my bed (until my mom finally discovered the incident a few days later).

Needless to say, I have never had a real pet my entire life. I don't think Michael has either. I can't even keep a plant alive! It must be dominant trait in only children. But we both would like a dog some day... me more so than him, but specifically a French bull dog. So when my friends Allison and Tommy went away to Mexico for 10 days last week, I volunteered to doggie-sit for their two dogs Elroy and Ellie.

I was nervous I'd lose them or kill them... but other than a few puddles of pee here and there and some mushy poop to pick up, it was really fun! It's amazing how smart dogs are - they can hear and understand the word "treat" about 20 blocks away!

The (Simple) Life

High of 59 degrees today.

Not a cloud in the sky.

Slight breeze.

Light sweater weather!

It's utterly and extraordinarily beautiful outside.

Tram and I just got back from having brunch at Village Inn, a Dennys-like breakfast joint, famous for their pies. Everyone there, including the waitresses was seriously three times older than us. As we sunk into our booth by the window, letting the vitamin D soak in, we happily ate our chicken fried steak, eggs, bacon, hash brown, pancakes and simultaneously breathed blissful sighs of content. We could get use to this life!

"No pie?!" the surprised, but friendly hostess asked us as we paid the bill. Though old enough to teach even our moms a thing or two, she was full of life and looked as if she had so much more to live for! "We're stuffed... maybe next time!" I replied. Then a slight wave of sadness swept over me. I'm starting this thing called "work" at the end of the month and wonder when "next time" will actually be. Then as if to purposely distract me, a cute old man whizzed by with his walker exclaiming, "(Out of my way) I gotta' use the little boys room!!!"

For all those of who think you'd get bored if you didn't work, I suggest you think again :) It's all in the eye of the beholder. Ok I'm going to attempt to do some yoga in the sun now, then maybe jump on my bed and sing along to some "Please Mr. Postman" oldies jams.

Year of the Tiger

My dad's version of Cay Mai (it blooms only during this time of year).

Happy (Lunar) New Year! I think this year will be a good one... what do you think?!

Unleash the Beast

I feel like I always forget how much I actually really love Valentine's Day... until the date nears, that is! Maybe it's the fact that over the years, my best girlfriend has gotten me into the spirit (it's her most favorite holiday) and even we give each other Valentines or perhaps it's because every shop and window is decked out in cut-out hearts and feel-good shades of pink and red! I don't believe in that whole "Valentine's Day is corporate/commercial made by Hallmark" b.s. or that you "don't need a holiday just to show her how much you love her" excuse because honestly, how many of you guys actually show her you love her everyday?! And girls don't even, we're just as guilty as they are. That's why Valentine's Day should be special (because the same argument could be used for Thanksgiving, Christmas or your birthday, yet no one gripes about that)! And for those few folks who actually do make a daily, consorted effort to show your lady/gentleman you care, then bravo! But anyone would be lying if they told you they didn't like attention especially on Valentine's Day! Every girl I know loves getting flowers delivered to her work (no matter how much they might tell you they hate flowers and to not waste your money) or surprises at their door. Even guys love the attention! As humans, we bask in the joy of having someone tell the whole world how much they love us! Sure, you might turn red when that singing telegram shows up at your office or when you get that panty-gram (yep, underwear delivered ;) that pops out of an envelop, but you LOVE it! And if you're single, get over it (that's why we threw that Singles Mingle :) because no one says you can't take your best single girlfriends out on a night on the town! One year in New York, two of my single girlfriends and I stayed in, ordered Thai food and watched a movie... then we thought, forget this! We raided my closet, hailed a cab and ended up with drinks in hand at some random bar 30 minutes later. Life is good people! Love it up!... with anyone!!!

But I am quite lucky to have a man who's willing to put aside his true feelings about Valentine's Day and at least humor me on this lovely February day. Each year, Michael and I take turns planning Valentine's Day. See, I like to give LOVE too! Last year, we had the most amazing lunch at Gordon Ramsay's Maze Restaurant in London, where we witnessed food service like no other - before serving each course, the servers would line up against a wall to make sure they were taken notice before presenting the plate to diners. Even the "gourmet foam" as I'd like to call it, that accompanied some of the dishes were a sight in itself. A bit fru-fru sounding I know, but if you saw it, you'd think it was pretty cool too.

This year, was my turn to plan Vday. The bads news was the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tết also happen to fall on this day, so I had to consider family events when planning the day... but the good news was because of Tết, I only had to plan half a day :) (hehe)

I had been wanting to have brunch at one of Portland's biggest restaurant phenomenon's Beast, for quite some time. While likely more famous for its French-infused Pacific Northwest prix fixe dinners, most people know by now I am a huge fan of brunch. Beast only serves brunch on Sundays, usually requiring a reservation at one of its two seating times, 10AM or noon. And if you know me and Michael (particularly Michael :) we don't "do" Sunday morning commitments. Sundays, especially mornings should be a leisurely affair - wake up when you want, eat when you want, right? No one wants to rush to a reservation... unless its on Valentine's Day and your girl said SO!


Beast is a small ma-pa like joint, located in the residential area of the Alberta Arts District and owned by one of Food & Wine's 10 Best New Chefs of 2009, Naomi Pomeroy, who much to my own surprise was once a vegetarian for seven years and now, incorporates meat into most of her dishes (hence the name, Beast) and politely, but clearly declines substitutions.

Though seemingly impersonal in its seating arrangement of two long communal tables, which accommodates 10 and 14 people respectively during each seating, the service is sharp, intimate and the immaculate menu yesterday consisted of:

Brioche & Baguette Bread Pudding
Maple Bourbon Sauce
Candied Hazelnuts & Glazed Bacon

Milk Braised Pork Shoulder
Brussel Sprouts, Apples & Market Potato
Poached Farm Egg
Hollandaise

Selection of Steve's Cheese
Frisee
Sherry & Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette

&
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Coffee Creme Anglais
Candied Citrus

Though we were both expecting a slightly more uncommon experience from the menu (it's what happens when people rant and rave about a place - your expectations get set too high :) Michael and I were both still very satisfied and happy nonetheless. The candied bacon was to say the least, the bomb. As a quote on their blackboard wall said, "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon!" Or in this case, if it tasted like Beast's brussel sprouts! WTH. Those brussel sprouts must have been dipped in crack. They were so yummy! And to think I didn't like brussel sprouts! (Apparently, they are all the rage now - I saw a pic of Rachel Bilson in L.A. buying some at a farmers market in a recent US Weekly ;) I will defintely come back to Beast and try out what everyone else has been telling me is the proper experience, dinner. In the meantime, I look forward to next year's Valentine's Day. "Quiche me baby, quiche me!"

Cupids for Charity Results

We've finally tallied up the results of our Cupids for Charity singles event and with over 80 attendees, we raised $2,510 for Haiti!!! That's a pretty darn successful first attempt at hosting my first singles /charity event... wouldn't you say?

The event itself was only three hours long and while it turned out that a lot of people ended up already knowing one another (gosh, this world is small - or maybe it's just Portland - we need to branch out, people!) I had a ton of fun. In fact, I think I had too much fun, considering I'm not even single! lol Don't worry, Michael came to help out too and insisted he helped a couple of guys on their "3-second pitch." :P Spontaneously, a friend's brother cleverly concocted an auction where the highest bidders would win a lunch date with a lovely lady or hunky hottie. I was afraid people wouldn't bid (hey, it's Portland; it's a tough economy and again, it's Portland :) but to my surprise, bids went as high as $120! I heard there was even a guy who doubled the amount he bidded after he went on his date! Wow! That one must have went well ;) It's for a good cause, right?... in more ways than one :: wink wink ::

Here are a few of our brave auction volunteers...

Bachelorette #1: Tran

Bachelor #5: JeoLida

Bachelorette #6Bachelor #9

It was really heartwarming to see all my girl hostesses (also spoken for and thus perhaps more gung-ho) hustle their hot asses around the floor swaying guys to open up their wallets and toss their dolla' dolla' bills in our donation box. Little did these poor guys know they didn't stand a chance. haha JUST KIDDING! But seriously, they were working it so hard, I didn't barely have to do anything! Man, if the corporate world operated like us and had employees like this, we would not be in a recession right now :) Everyone really pulled together, worked super hard and as a result, we raised enough money to essentially sponsor at least three victims of the Haiti earthquake for an entire year!... but of course, Mercy Corps will decide to use the money the best way needed right now. Thank you and Guddah Bless!

Left to right: The "Other" Yen, Thuy (hostess), Tram (hostess), Minh, Me - Yen (duh)(hostess), Vi (hostess), Allison (hostess) and Tran (Missing: Annie Thao, hostess)