Cafe Berlin

Cafe Berlin once occupied that odd, little building on Providence and Walnut. Before that, it was the Root Cellar. Cafe Berlin's food was mediocre at best the first time we tried it. I had a ham sandwich, something I could have made ten times better at home. I didn't have much hope for the place.

Then it seemed like we were hearing from everyone we knew that a great breakfast could be had at Cafe Berlin. Ever since Cucina Sorella left Ninth Street, COMO was in desperate need of a good breakfast joint that wasn't a diner or bakery. We hoped maybe Cafe Berlin will fill the void.

Cafe Berlin has been a weekend staple for this family after we gave it another try. The coffee is good and the pancake burritos are better. Rarely is there a Saturday or Sunday we don't make a trip to our favorite breakfast joint. (That and the owners have a daughter who is the only Lucia we know outside our own.)

Our breakfast needs were fulfilled, but one day Cafe Berlin moved. Why? I didn't know. Who would leave such a prime location near downtown?

Well, this past weekend we finally got our answer. We headed out to CB's new locale on 10th and Park, across from Mojo's. In what used to be a gas station/convenience store, Cafe Berlin set up shop.

The new spot has a lot of amenities over the old building. First, it looks more like a restaurant with plenty of windows, a bar(!), booths(!!), and the potential for outdoor seating. The joint is not finished, but it's way roomier than the old place.

I know that I complain about living here, but I do like to see good, local business thrive. Cafe Berlin is such a business. This new move only makes it a better breakfast option and expands the scope of things to do downtown.

Now, if we could just get a proper Thai restaurant...

A Trip to the Farm

Living two hours from the closest major city (or cities) provides one opportunities for agrarian experiences. Today, our friends invited us out to their farm for such an adventure. There was dinner involved as well, but more on that later.

Our friends own a nice plot of land backed up to a creek with space for cows, ducks, chickens, pigs, and turkeys. We've eaten some of their chickens and eggs and have not been disappointed thus far. Despite growing up in a farming community, I rarely tasted meat grown by someone I knew. (This does not take into account the numerous times I've eaten my father's lamb in adulthood.) There's something comforting about eating an animal that was carefully and humanly raised by a friend or acquaintance.

Anyway, Lucia had a great time meeting the chickens, turkeys, and dogs. She seemed unsure of the cows. Of particular interest was a poor caterpillar who could not escape her grasp.

One thing that Lucia loved (as well as the adults) was dinner. The coq au vin our hosts put together was pretty unreal. It's not often one eats rooster slow cooked in a pot of wine. Maybe that doesn't sound great to you, but it was pretty awesome. Only in rural Misery...or France. (We washed it down with an Ommegang Abbey Ale. Perfect pairing.)

After dinner and some delicious custard, we headed down to the creek. Lucia enjoyed the water as she was simultaneously thrilled and terrified of the running water. We'll certainly have to bring her back once it's warm again and I remember my Tevas.

Overall, it was a nice evening on the farm.

For all the cracks I make about Misery and COMO, I do appreciate what the countryside has to offer. We are regulars at the farmer's market and buy several other foods from local farmers through other networks. This we like about Misery.

(If interested or just plain voyeuristic, click on the pics for the source or click below for the set.)

A Trip to the Farm

Ten Things to Make COMO Better

I realize that my whining gets on people's nerves, but they should realize...


1. Get a Trader Joe's and/or Whole Foods. I'm all for supporting local, organic grocers, but I have my issues with the prices and food care of certain stores in COMO. The competition and variety these two chains would provide COMO would be very welcome. There is a large store that stands empty just west of downtown. One of these stores would fit perfectly.


2. We need a record store that is the equivalent of Used Kids or at least Vintage Vinyl. OK, so I've harped on this before, but it's worth repeating. Columbus' Used Kids was a weekly mecca for me. It is what record stores are supposed to be: grungy, manned with drunk record snobs, and cheap. STL's Vintage Vinyl would also be an acceptable alternative, as they stock a huge amount of vinyl and an impressive back catalog. Either way, there is no record culture here and I'm starving.


3. Establish a beer bar with 40 or so beers on tap and another 200+ in the bottle. If a town like Asheville, NC can boast several breweries and a couple of these monster tap rooms, COMO should be able to support one. And don't give me this recession crap. Craft beer sales have been on the rise over the several years. It seems people are staying home for their vacations. They have to drink somewhere, I guess.


4. Speaking of beer...COMO needs a beer shop the way Top Ten Wines fills our wine needs. Top Ten Wines is a great spot to get some good wine, a little wine 411, and a chance to meet some characters (no, not just winos). Beer is growing in popularity here, but there is no suitable place to hang out and buy some hard-to-find beer. When I saw Seattle's Bottleworks last spring, I knew exactly what we needed in this town.


5. We need a real Thai restaurant. Bangkok Gardens is not an authentic Thai option. You'd know what I'm talking about if you've ever had authentic Thai cuisine. I always forget how amazing great Thai food until we travel and eat real Thai. The spices and flavors are otherworldly. Trust me.


6. Why isn't there a gay bar in the District? There are two gay bars (that I know of) in COMO. Neither are anywhere near downtown. How can you have a hopping club scene or downtown with no gay clubs? I've often complained about the lack of diversity in this town, this is only another example of such hegemony.


7. A Banana Republic would greatly help our clothing options. I realize this seems weird coming from my blog, but a BR or some equivalent would certainly up the shopping options, if not people's wardrobes. Besides, it would make my professional (and tall) partner rather happy.


8. We had this place called North Star in Columbus. We need one here too. There is no place in COMO that combines the tasty, organic sensibilities of Uprise with the down-home earthiness and variety of Cafe Berlin. Even imagining the combination of these two fine restaurants doesn't compare to North Star. This joint paid employees living wages and provided benefits. All there food was within a small radius of Columbus. Oh, and I forgot to mention that it was really good and vegetarian-friendly. (Besides, if the urinals at North Star look this good, don't you think we need one too?)


9. Lawrence, Kansas gets a way better concert lineup than COMO. Why is that? We are located within two hours of two major cities on a major highway. We area bigger town. Why do we suffer through so many seasons (particularly winter) with virtually no worthwhile shows. I guess we could all go see Tapes 'n Tapes again. Ugh.


10. A train. We need a train. With the energy crisis what it is and major cities so-close-yet-so-far, we need another way to travel. A train that connects KC, COMO, and STL would be great for starters, but imagine that line connected to trains that head to Colorado or Chicago or New Orleans? Imagine the energy savings, jobs created, and additional geographic access.

So, those are just a few of my ideas for making this a better place. I'm sure my COMO readers have more ideas than these ten. Also, if you know of any of the places I mentioned, back me up and tell people just how good they are.

This might be my only post of the week. Work has me swamped and I have to finish preparing a conference presentation...on blogging. So, don't worry if Friday hits and there's no more Misery to brighten your day. I'll be back.

Best of 2008: Homegrown in COMO

In order to make this place tolerable, I've had to search out local merchants and producers that fill my many wants and needs. I prefer local to corporate anything and COMO has a lot to offer in that department. So, here is my list of the best local businesses of 2008 (most likely not to change in 2009).

Best Farmers Market Vendor: (Tie) Show-Me Farms and Susie's Grass-Fed Meats
I was able to justify giving up my vegetarianism (7.5 years) once I realized you could buy locally meat that was not force-fed corn. Show-Me has been a staple in our household since moving here. We still have a bunch of meat from the cow we shared with friends. Plus, Show-Me makes a mean breakfast burrito and we always buy their eggs. We shared a lamb with neighbors from Susie. The lamb is fine, but her friendly nature is what sells the meat.

Best Ice Cream: Sparky's
This has been a hotly contested topic at other blogs, but the choice is clear. No other ice cream shop provides the same flavors and local color as Sparky's. Also, they serve alcohol.

Best Brewery: Flat Branch
This is easy since it is the only brewery in town (for now - look for the co-op by the Root Cellar), but it is a solid brewery. Sure some of the beers lack the characteristics you'd expect from particular brews and most of the wait staff don't know the difference between a porter and a Hefeweizen, but the beer is good overall and the food is among my favorites. (I'm currently obsessed with the stout meatloaf.)

Best Beer Selection: Sycamore
Sycamore has really improved as a restaurant since moving here, but the beer selection is what sets it apart. Sanford does an amazing job bringing in beers one does not normally find in Mid-Misery. New Belgian puts out several keg-only releases, and somehow Sanford always gets his hands on them.
A Close Second: The Ragtag - Barry has put together a solid, yet accessible selection in a short amount of time.

Best Restaurant - Dinner: Wine Cellar and Bistro
This is the home of R's favorite chef. We had our first date night since Lucia's birth at Wine Cellar and Bistro. Someone describes their food as "one-ingredient-too-many," but I would contend that it's better to have one-too-many than not enough. Plus, they hosted a fantastic beer dinner with Bells.

Best Restaurant - Breakfast: Cafe Berlin
When Cucina Sorella closed, we were fearful that we would never have a non-diner/bakery breakfast again...Then Cafe Berlin arrived. At first, the food was so-so, but the little family joint has prospered over the last year. The highlight for me is the pancake burrito. It's filling and satisfies both my salty and sweet desires simultaneously.

Best Restaurant - Old Stand-By: Murry's
Nothing about Murry's is spectacular. It's located in a strip mall. There's always a wait. But what Murry's is is consistent. I know that I can always get the steak "sandwich" when I'm in-need of some iron and protein. They have also been a great employer over the years, giving many in the COMO restaurant scene their first start.

Best Chocolate: Patric Chocolate
I'm not talking about confectioners and their bite-sized morsels in heart-shaped boxes. I'm talking real, from-the-bean-to-the-bar, artisan chocolate. And it exists in Columbia, Missouri. Alan (a beer-tasting buddy) makes the most intensely complex chocolate I've had. Seriously, buy his chocolate. I'll wait...

Best Indie Label: Emergency Umbrella
Sometimes, like Patric Chocolate, COMO doesn't realize what they have. EU is on the rise. Let me run down the label's roster...Sinkane's Ahmed Gallab just toured as Of Montreal's second drummer and has done some recording with members of TV on the Radio and Yeasayer. Now there's word that Merge might be interested in Sinkane. Gentleman Auction House have a ton of buzz swirling around them with interest shown from Polyvinyl. Bald Eagle just secured a spot opening for Cursive on an upcoming tour and recently had a song picked up by Microsoft Zune for a marketing campaign. Drew Danburry is a favorite among the indie elite, including members of Death Cab for Cutie. Finally, there's the Foundry Field Recordings who have a record and tour on the horizon. FFR has been featured in numerous magazines and websites over the years, just Google them. Look for the label to possibly have a showcase at next year's SXSW.
Best Place to Take Visitors: Booches
If you want the best hamburger in the world, go to Booches. Need I say more? I order mine as "2 E, GRO" (everything, grilled onions).

Best Coffee: Kaldi's
This might be a cheat since Kaldi's is technically a STL product, but the best coffee in town was roasted by Kaldi's before they set up a shop in COMO and it still is now that their on 9th and Cherry.

Best Video Shop: Ninth Street Video
For whatever reason, I've never been a "regular" anyplace. If I have or will ever be considered a "regular," it will be at Ninth Street Video (now on Hitt St.). Almost everybody who works there knows that I'll return the movies late and that the account is under R's name. I've been let off the hook for so many late fees that I might be able to pay for my child's first three years of college. Besides that, the selection is second-to-none.

While we're at 10 Hitt Street...

Best Bar/Movie Theater/Bakery: Ragtag Cinema/Uprise Bakery
Sharing the building with Ninth Street Video is my favorite hangout. The Tag has been a beacon of light in my sea of Misery since moving here. And now, they have two screens. The bar/bakery area is spacious and hip. Uprise serves the best bread in town (available everywhere these days) and the bar is first-rate with its copper top and great beer selection. Have I mentioned my love for The Tag before?

There are plenty more local businesses that get my money, but few of them would thrive in other cities like New York, Seattle, Chicago, etc. These just happen to be businesses that I would put up against any other city's. So, you should support them (and their kind) with whatever money you have left. COMO can't afford to lose such homegrown successes as these joints to economic environment in which we find ourselves.

Sure, think globally, but buy locally.

"Inside" Columbia's "Best" of Poll

After a day on the road, I sat down to catch up on my social networking. I found a message from Sparky's (COMO's finest ice cream joint) encouraging fans to vote on Inside Columbia's Best of 2009 poll. So, in order to show my support, I looked up IC's website.

To my horror, I found what has to be the most out-of-touch survey in the history of city-best-of history. Not only did they not provide the best choices in several categories, but the folks at "Inside" Columbia often included non-local choices or those most fancied by frat boys.

Let me share some of the highlights...

Columbia's best band category may have been the most egregious offense. Among the choices was a metal band, a funk band, a band called "The Bubbas", a wedding band (who also happens to be the defending-champ), and a hippie jam band. Never mind that local bands like The Foundry Field Recordings and Bald Eagle have both received national recognition or that a band like Jerusalem and the Starbaskets is incredibly more compelling than any band on IC's list. Apparently, the folks at Inside Columbia hate music.

Another category close to my heart, best blogger, was weak as well. David Kurtz runs the rather accomplished Talking Points Memo, but he's more of an editor than he is an actual blogger. Two of the "bloggers" (Jason Rosenbaum and Pete Bland) are actually professional journalists, not citizen journalists. Sure, Rosenbaum and Bland write good columns, but bloggers they are not. Then there's Mike Martin, maybe the only true blogger of the bunch. Of course, his blog, The Columbia Heartbeat, is really just a glorified newsletter published on Blogger. I don't think my blog is the best in town, but the best can't possibly be in this group.

Five categories are dedicated to local TV personalities. Really.

The restaurant categories are wrought with problems. The favorite restaurant category was larger than most but was absent the best restaurant: Wine and Cheese Bistro. The best chocolate treat category failed to mention the best chocolate here or anywhere comes from the folks at Patric. While national chains are all over the lists, no other choice is as obscene as Olive Garden for best Italian. Speaking of "ethnic foods", IC somehow rounded up six choices for best Chinese food. (If you've ever been to COMO, you understand why that's ridiculous.) I have indigestion just thinking about some of the choices.

Of course, the worst list of choices for me was the one for best beer selection. Flat Branch Brewery makes sense. If the Blue Fugue didn't turn a blind eye to all the smoking, they would be legitimate as well. The other choices are crummy sports or undergrad bars. The two best beer selections in town didn't even make the list: The Ragtag and Sycamore.

The choices don't get much better after that. There are loads of corporate chains mixed in with both good and lame local joints. Maybe my biggest problem with the survey is that it's so long - 122 items long. You can vote for everything from best plumber to best teacher to best boss. Narrowing the best of COMO list to a manageable twenty would have been preferable, but whatever.

I actually did not cast my votes. I maybe voted for 10% of the items until I finally ran out of gas. Eventually, I'll post my own list, possibly without Survey Monkey's help.

BTW-I would have voted for Joel Sager (artist), Craig Cyr (chef), Booche's (bang for the buck, best burger, best bar food), Sparky's (frozen treat, ice cream), Flat Branch (outdoor dining), and True/False Film Festival (local festival).

Genocide Celebration Day: 2008

Genocide Celebration Day came and went. We ate. We drank. And generally we were merry. I'm still recovering and have little to say about the whole thing. So, I'll supplement with pictures.

The fridge was fully stocked and we were ready to go. I made Buckeyes with organic peanut Butter and Ghirardelli chocolate. You can see them cooling in the fridge, below the olives and cheese and above the brining turkey. Actually, the fridge filled up even more later that evening when our friends from Ohio arrived with even more food.


The wine rack was fully stocked and the ice chest was filled with an assortment of beers, including some Bells and Boulevard.


Hors d'ouvres were served early in the afternoon. There were the aforementioned Buckeyes, plus olives, cheeses, honey, ginger preserve, fruit, etc. The cheeses, as usual, were the highlight. There was the aged Gouda, Piave, and Liden with cumin seeds. Between the honey, preserve, and assorted crackers, one could enjoy a different flavor with every sample of cheese.


Like most years, I was in-charge of the smoked turkey. This year, I opted to smoke out front for an easy transfer to the kitchen through the garage. I had all the supplies prepped: smoker, charcoal, wood chips soaked in cheap wine, and fire-starting supplies.

Thanks to the warm weather, the turkey steadily cooked in the smoker. We even smoked the neck for future use. After doing this for the past four GCD's, I have learned to leave the smoker alone and let it work its magic.


Meanwhile, the cooking commenced inside as potatoes, stuffing, desserts, and other various dishes were prepared.


The final spread was pretty impressive. The smoked turkey was surprisingly dry for the first time ever, but it was as smokey as usual. Additionally, we had all the other bases covered: sweet potato casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, two kinds of dressing (vegetarian and corn meal), vegetarian gravy, collard and mustard greens, ground nut stew, asparagus and artichokes, and home-made rolls.




When we were done, we took a break for some football, digesting, and to put a baby to bed. Then, there was dessert. R made her sweet potato pie with spicy dark chocolate and bourbon whipping cream. Additionally, we had some deliscious pumpkin bread pudding, and the Jeni's ice cream. There were eight varieties of ice cream: Olive Oil Pepita, Gravel Road, Salty Caramel, Marker's Mark Butter Peacan, Buttercream Chocolate Freckles, Crème Fraîche with Amarena Cherries, Lime Cardamom Yogurt w/ Lingonberries, and Saigon Cinnamon.


Of course, I had some beer. I started with a Coney Island Lager to stimulate my taste buds. This was followed by a Southern Tier Hoppe to go with the hors d'ouvres. D shared her Brother Thelonius Belgian Brown Ale - very chocolaty with a bourbon smell. I drank a Bells pale ale to hold me over 'till dinner.

Dinner marked when the beer drinking really took off. St. Bernardus Abt 12 was the beer for dinner. There really is nothing like a high-end Belgian at Thanksgiving. STL brewery, Schlafly's, provided the after-dinner treats. I've been hanging on to these beers since last winter and it was worth the wait. The Schlafly Reserve Imperial Stout (brewed in bourbon barrels) and Barley Wine filled our dessert and digestif needs, respectively.


Now, we will prepare our leftovers (after digesting some Booche's) and make plans for next year's GCD.

Bells Makes Misery Tolerable

When we moved to Misery, I was afraid I had left everything I loved about the Great Lakes region behind. In many ways, I had. However, one favorite from my days in Ohio followed us to Misery: Bell's Beers.

We moved here in the summer of 2005. As a beer drinker, I appreciated the Boulevard Wheat (with a slice of lemon) available at nearly every bar and restaurant, filling my need for a suitable summer beer. This made me hopeful for the beer in this town, but I still missed some of my favorites from back home. The best was Bell's Oberon, a seasonable wheat ale best served with an orange slice.

Luckily, Bell's Brewery out of Kalamazoo, Michigan ships to Misery. It's not available everywhere, but almost. I live off Two-Hearted Ale throughout the year. The beer is a welcome reminder of from where I come.Flash forward to the present. Last night, R and I enjoyed our first real night out together since Lucia's arrival. Lucia joined us of course for her very first beer event, the Bell's beer pairing dinner at The Wine Cellar and Bistro. The menu looked like this (my notes are in italics)...

Winter White Ale (Reception Beer)

Caramel Popcorn with Parmesan & Lavender

Was the caramel simply infused with lavender? Either way, it reminded me of my grandmother's homemade caramel corn. I once had this ale in a bottle which did it very few favors. The beer paired perfectly with our starter, meaning good things were to come.

Amber Ale

“Fresh baked pretzel” stuffed with shrimp, caraway Greystone pork sausage, spicy white cheddar emulsion and wasabi-whole grain mustard

This was actually a stuffed pretzel, believe it or not. I was afraid that the spices in the sausage and wasabi would clash terribly, but they actually complimented each other well. The amber is, according to the Bell's rep, the brewery's signature beer. It's light on the hops and alcohol, making it an ideal session beer (read: drink it all night long without getting sick).

Pale Ale

Smoked Patchwork ribs with roasted red pepper oatmeal, crispy sweet potatoes and ale reduction

Again, this was an excellent pairing. Pale ale just works with the smoked pork and sweet potatoes. The oatmeal was sort of a risotto-type of thing. The pale ale, like the white winter, definitely tastes better when allowed to breath from a glass.

Two-Hearted Ale

Pan seared scallops, saffron poached potatoes, kafir lime beer blanc, roasted carrots and fried leeks

This was going to be my favorite course before we even began. The food actually cut some of the bitterness of the IPA and pulled out some of the more aromatic aspects. Excellent.

Consecrator Doppelbock

Chestnut stuffed grilled quail and grilled duck, wilted local greens, topped with green tomato chutney and cilantro

I didn't remember this doppelbock as chocolaty as it was when I tasted it at the lager night for the beer club. Of course, I probably tasted 20 or so lagers prior to trying this one. Then I wasn't sure if such a flavor would go with the dish. I was wrong. These two paried very nicely.

Third Coast Old Ale (Barley wine)

Baked Missouri caramel apple soufflé with rosemary and bay infused anglaise and caramelized apples

I was a little disappointed to get such a fresh barley wine (a few weeks old). The rep suggested buying a six-pack, drinking one, and storing the rest for the future. Now that I had some at the dinner, I purchased a six-pack today to store the whole thing. What saved this beer was the dessert. The infusion of bay and rosemary matched the apple perfectly with the beer really pulling out the carmal flavor.

Bell’s Stout

Crater Lake blue cheese crème brûlée with blackberries and espresso syrup

I think I counted no more than four different Bells stouts on the Hyvee shelves this evening. Interestingly, the basic stout was served with our final course last night. Instead of the beer providing all the coffee flavor, the dessert's syrup filled the need for an afterdinner coffee. Surprisingly, the blue cheese fit in nicely.

All in all, it was a great night of beer and food. The pairings were both unique and well-matched. It is easy to see why we choose the bistro as our celebratory restaurant over and over. Although the beer was not as intense or varied as the event I missed at Sycamore, it was all as good as American craft beer gets. I highly recommend both The Wine Cellar and Bistro as well as my favorite brewery, Bell's.

Dude's Day Out: Friday

Dude's night out weekend started last night. Billy and I met at John McCain's new favorite restaurant, Buckingham Smokehouse. Other than the fact that they served a Republican presidential candidate, Buckingham has always been a favorite of mine. Last night did not disappoint.
The server was super fast and efficient. However, she didn't realize that it's actually a compliment to get carded for a dude in his Jesus year. She was young enough to find it a burden to be carded. When does that change? How old do you have to be when being carded becomes a compliment as opposed to an inconvenience?

Also last night (I know. The title says "Friday."), I actually watched TV. I haven't watched TV (aside from a few football games) in six weeks. What happened six weeks ago to cause this? Hmmm...

I watched pretty much anything that was funny or offensive or a little of both. Probably my favorite show, The Office, was half-way done by the time I sat down. That's OK, because I can watch the entire episode online. Although, I'm not sure that I want to watch this one. All the romantic storylines are turning it into just another crappy sitcom. Why do they ruin good shows with kissy-faces and mushy talk?

Saturday Night Live is trying to get in on The Daily Show/Colbert Report audience by showing half-hour weekend update segments as filler leading up to the election. The show has it's funny moments, but it's not Comedy Central.

(I haven't written this much about TV in a long time. Sorry. I normally despise the medium.)

After a forgettable South Park in which the boys pose as a Peruvian flute band and get shipped off to Peru in a secret plot to unleash giant guinea pigs on the world, I caught Sara Silverman's show. I like Silverman's brand of comedy. It's so over-the-top offensive that it's hard to determine whether she's really that bigoted and narcissistic or just really good at what she does. Either way, last night's episode was one of the most offensively hilarious things I've ever seen. Let me summarize...

Sara continually confuses men in beards for Osama Bin Laden and runs them over with her car, bike, or whatever mode of transportation she can get her hands on. Meanwhile, her sister is made to feel shameful for her overabundant pubic hair, a sort of tribute to her mom. Sara's gay neighbor gets a massage and confuses "full release" for defication. And that doesn't mention Sara's play in which she and her friends reenact the 9-11 tragedy. Trust me. It was funny.

Moving on to Friday as promised.

Friday has not gotten off to a great start. This is my real reason for wanting to write this post today. I have to complain about Kaldi's Coffeehouse.

I normally like Kaldi's. The coffee is good and the menu is more interesting than your typical coffee shop. They are one of the few places open downtown at 6:00 am. The people there are friendly and relatively responsive.

As I drove downtown before hitting the road for work, I figured that i could quickly get a coffee and a hardy breakfast sandwich at Kaldi's. Quick and easy.

I entered the shop at 6:40, thinking I had twenty minutes to be on the road in time to reach my destination early enough to prep for a training session. The coutner was empty as some jackass behind me was yelling into his phone about their crazy night (which I guess was just coming to an end) and how some girl was losing her driving privileges because she caused him to spill his drink all over himself.

6:45 arrived as did the first person I saw who actually worked at Kaldi's. She took my order. It was pricey ($7.60 for a bagel sandwich and large coffee, +tip), but I was paying for convenience.

Then the time passed. At about 7:00, someone finally asked me if I had been helped. I told her I was just waiting for my sandwich. She looked back and saw no sandwich ready to go. She offered me a half-pound of coffee, the day's promotion. I didn't want the coffee. I just wanted my sandwich so that I would not be late for work. She apologized.

Five minutes later, the girl behind the counter rushes out my sandwich and I hurry to my car. Upon opening the bag, I realize she had given me a crepe stuffed with egg, feta, spinach, and tomato. While this is a nice breakfast, it is not what I ordered and not that easy to eat while driving. I ate it anyway and swore to have my revenge on Kaldi's.

I reached my destination early enough to set up my training session despite the Kaldi's setback. As I closed the car door, it suddenly occured to me that my keys were still inside. This is how my Friday began.

Luckily, the locksmith unlocked my car and told me to pay later through the mail. Also, when I am done with work today, I am joining some folks on a road trip to STL for the Of Montreal show. While I am not a huge fan, I am excited to get in on the guest list as "+1." We'll meet up with Emergency Umbrella's Sinkane and Ahmed Gallab at the show. So, the day should get better. Now, my lunch period is almost up. I get back to all on the rest of my dude's night out weekend.

(BTW-R and Lucia survived their trip to Detroit.)

Back from Seattle

Shot from the Bainbridge ferry.

We made it back from Seattle last night. Besides some souvenirs, I brought back a cold...that's why I'm up at 5:20 AM posting on my blog. Luckily, the trip itself was free of illness. I plan to post some details of the trip, but thought I'd post an overview for now.

I knew this Seattle visit would be one of certain decadence when my first Stone Ruination IPA was handed to me almost as soon as we settled into our friends' apartment. I polished off three of those beers and many, many wings. (I know, I know. I left the home of barbecue only to eat wings in the Pacific Northwest.)

We slept in the next morning and made our way to the Bainbridge Island ferry. Bainbrindge Island is one of those little yuppie towns with quaint shops and 500K+ cottages. The only difference between this town and others is that it overlooks all of Seattle, keeping it in close proximity to an urban center. We had some delicious omelets and undercooked potatoes for brunch, wandered through the overpriced shops, and I had an amazingly rich milkshake before returning to the mainland.

Once downtown, R and I walked (a long walk) to the sculpture garden and back to Pike Place Market. We bought a woodcut print and saw a fish get tossed while people cheered and cameras flashed. But the real reason we stopped was to pick up a bag of donuts. Unfortunately, the Daily Dozen was closing up shop for the day and only had full bags for a reduced cost. This means there were no fresh donuts. Oh well.

The only picture I've been allowed to take of R since she became preggers.

After buying some cool Nikki McClure prints and numerous progressive publications at Left Banks, we headed up Capitol Hill to meet our host, M. We did some more shopping before landing in Elysian Brewing for a sampler of beers. I plan on writing more extensively about my the beer consumption on my trip, so that topic will have to wait.

M, knowing me very well, took us over to Sonic Boom Records for me to get my reckid fill. I left the store with some nice finds. There was an Elliott Smith 7-inch ("Needle in the Hay") I did not expect to find. I also bought the last Final Fantasy album that does not seem to exist in COMO. St. Vincent made my list, but I could have purchased that anywhere. The store had an extensive collection of books from the 33 1/3 series. I bought the book on Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. But the discovery of the night came when the store's staff played Port O'Brien's All We Could Do Was Sing. There will definitely be more written on this band in lim. You can be sure of that.

M's other half, A, took us out for a day of gluttony the following morning. First there was Salumi where we waited in a line down the street for a spot in the tiny storefront to swallow our meaty, Italian sandwiches. Then, after a brief stop at a fancy cheese shop, we visited a boutique where R could have a new purse custom-built for here. Since neither A nor I were interested in purses, we walked down to The Viking for a couple of IPA's.

Once R was done, the decadence continued as we drove over to Theo Chocolate. Unfortunately, we were unable to slip in for a tour, but trying the samples and loading up on chocolates to take home was rewarding enough. Besides that, no tour allowed us to head across the street for yet even more beer at the incredibly well-stocked Brouwer's Cafe. Never before have I seen more unique selections of beer in my lifetime. Again, there will be a beer post with more details to come.

We then made our way to Bottleworks. This shop was the beer-equivalent of a good, independent record store. The kid in the candy shop metaphor just does not do this store justice. I was able to limit myself to just a few items, some to have before we left and some to take home. The pic to the right sort of gives you an idea.

That evening we all went out with an old YMCA camping buddy of mine, Russ. We hit a Thai restaurant that was decent but provided terrible service. Russ wanted to continue the night elsewhere, so M took my pregnant better half home and we hit Linda's Tavern for some pints of the good stuff before stumbling home (or, more accurately, taking a cab).

Saturday was as packed as the previous two. We started out with brunch at the incredibly delicious and highly recommended Portage Bay Cafe. I then got my opportunity to explore the Experience Music Project at the Seattle Center. The EMP had some interesting exhibits on Seattle music and Jimi Hendrix. Plus, the fact that it's one of Frank Gehry's more notorious buildings is a bonus. However, the museum was sort of lacking in its size and scope.

I followed up my EMP experience with two more local music stores, Silver Platters and Easy Street. Silver Platters was overrun with new and used DVD's, but it did provide me with a Bill Callahan CD and Grand Archives' new disc. Easy Street was more my kind of record store. They had an extensive vinyl selection, but I realized the limitations of my packing situation and stuck to CD's and 7-inches. The store had the Cap'n Jazz anthology plus 7-inches from a COMO band (White Rabbits) and a group from C-bus (Times New Viking).

We then hit West Seattle for some more browsing and refreshments before returning to M's apartment and our myriad of leftovers.

This was maybe my most varied trip to what is my favorite city. We did so much that I will surely write more about the beer, restaurants and record stores. Plus, I have some reviews to catch up on. Now, if I could just get over this cold.

Things I Learned This Memorial Day Weekend

It's been a busy Memorial Day weekend. I don't want to bore you with a play-by-play recap of the past four days. So, I'll just share what I've learned.

George Lucas knows how to ruin a successful movie franchise. The franchise of which I speak is the Indiana Jones series with the latest addition being The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, released this weekend. I could get into the troubling colonial undertones of the entire franchise, but there's no need. Lucas continues to wreak havoc all over the movie franchises that made him rich.

The first was the Star Wars trilogy, which he completely negated with his prequel trifecta of lameness. The first episode was The Phantom Menace with "menace" being an understatement. In that film, he killed off his best character since Boba Fett, who he later ruined in the second installment.

Now, he's slowly taking apart the Indiana Jones franchise with stupid CGI animals, an annoying heir to the throne, and Harrison Ford's ever advancing age. While watching The Kingdom, it occurred to me just how much Lucas films have depended on Ford's dead-on delivery. Now with his life expectancy shrinking, Lucas will need to find a new leading man with as much charisma and charm as Ford. I do know that this replacement won't be found in his new boy-toys, Hayden Christensen or Shia LeBouf.

It's nice to be a regular at a bar. Flat Branch was super crowded Friday night. It was difficult to find a spot at the bar much less get service. (From where did all these people come?) So, we headed out to the less-crowded Ragtag, or 'Tag as I'm calling it. As I mentioned before, bartender Barry stocks some good beer, particularly Bells Two-Hearted Ale. Now, he knows me when I come to the bar. He asked if the Two-Hearted would be my regular thing. Sure. We returned the following night and Barry remembered. Nothing beats being a regular at a bar.

I can make a mean guacamole. An invitation was extended for a Memorial weekend barbecue and I needed to bring something to contribute. Chips were suggested, so I took it one step further and whipped up a batch of guacamole. My guac' is loaded with cilantro, fresh garlic and plenty of lime juice. There are no measurements. I just throw it all in the food processor and add salt to taste. I may have to make another batch...

Wii Bowling will put actual bowling out of business. Sometime last week, I was introduced to the Wii by my partner's boss' ten-year-old son. I didn't do so well. When it was shared that the barbecue would be closed with some Wii bowling, I wasn't too enthused. However, what I found is that bowling on the game system is actually better than the real thing. There were no stinky shoes. You didn't have to search for hours for a ball that was just the right weight and fit your fingers. Also, I didn't get that pain in my forearm that often happens since I bowl maybe once a year.

Besides the absence of bowling negatives, Wii had a lot of features real bowling just can't offer. For one, we were able to pick our own characters. One guy was "Uncle Bob" (aka Bob Pollard). I was Stanley from The Office. You can put spin on the ball or bowl unbelievably straight without being an expert bowler. The play was otherwise very realistic, making me satisfied that I won't have to bowl (real or virtual) for another year.

The people who work at Flat Branch don't drink the beer at their own parties. By knowing someone who knows people, I was able to crash the after-work party for the Flat Branch staff. The people at Flat Branch are a fun lot, but they have surprising taste in beer. I was thinking that a Flat Branch party would have a load of KT Trail in growlers or at least a keg of the green chili beer. Much to my surprise, there was a keg of swill and Jello shots, not exactly fine, craft beers.

We can grow grass in our backyard. For those of you who have seen the backyard, you know what an accomplishment this is. For those of you who have never seen the backyard, it is completely shaded by trees and was once a mud hill where no grass would grow. Now, I have to mow the backyard. I don't know how, but there's grass there.

It's not a good idea to use regular furniture as a work bench when cutting through wood. The dog has been getting into the cat's food, so we figured that we should cut a cat door into the laundry room door. I looked around for a place to rest the door while I cut the hole. Our old dining room table looked like as good a place as any. Wrong. As I finished one side of the rectangular hole, the saw seemed to suddenly struggle. What I found out was that I had cut about one inch into the table's edge. Oops. Not to worry. I was able to patch it up with some wood filler. Of course, this probably doesn't get me out of trouble with R.

There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men are magnificent, yet violent films. After paying yet another late fee at Ninth Street, I rented two films that have been talked about more than any films I've heard in a long time. There Will Be Blood is an incredibly smart metaphor for the state of our current economical situation with blood-thirsty oil men taking advantage of their many advantages in expanding their wealth. No Country is a great piece of noir that's actually a western and period piece. Both films are incredibly violent and feature two of the most menacing characters in film history.

The NBA playoffs are kind of a yawn so far. There's very little drama even though there are many evenly matched teams. None of these teams are likable. In the west, the Lakers have Kobe Bryant who's not exactly the nicest guy in the league. The Spurs are just plain boring and now they're old to boot. The east may even be worse. The Celtics are supposed to be one of the most dominating teams in years, but they have struggled every step of the way this post season. Their opponents are the Detroit Pistons, the eastern equivalent of the Spurs. Some are talking about how great it would be to reignite the Lakers/Celtics rivalry. However, that match-up was great because of the players involved, particularly Bird vs. Magic.

I did a few other things this weekend that weren't so memorable. The nursery is a little closer to being done, I ate a lot of grilled food, and I'm still waiting for a shipment from Insound. I head to Seattle on Wednesday and may have to go on hiatus from the blog for a few days. Actually, I have been feeling the effects of constantly typing and using a touch pad, resulting in what I believe to be the beginning signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. Anyway, I'll get back to some more interesting stuff soon enough.

Dolsot Bibim Bap! Dolsot Bibim Bap!

Usually when I write about food, it's here. However, I feel it is my duty to support a restaurant that I believe needs the support.

When we used to live in Columbus, Ohio, there were days when nothing was going right. It would rain with 30-40 degree temperatures. Our jobs were not treating us well. It was Monday, etc.

Without hesitation, someone would suggest that we go get some Korean (food). And that's what we did. It was never hard to make a choice from the menu. We always chose Dolsot Bibim Bap.This particular Korean delicacy is served in a piping hot stone bowl that comes sizzling with flavor. Immediately, you cut into the egg in order to allow the yolk to spread. Slowly, you mix the contents of beef, various vegetables, spicy red sauce, and the rice. Oh that rice!

The stone bowl burns the rice slightly, causing it to have a delicious crunch.

Since we've lived in COMO, we have only enjoyed this Korean treat while traveling...that is, until last night.

Next to the MO-X headquarters, in the Parkade shopping center off the loop is Kojaba. The rest of the menu included both Japanese and Korean dishes (including some sushi). The feelings were mixed as far as the tastes, but the quality was good. I don't know that I'd eat everything on the menu, but I am tempted to go back once a week just for the Dolsot Bibim Bap.

Funerals, Flights, and Films*, Part One

Our long and eventful weekend of funerals, flights, and films began Thursday morning with a flight to Detroit Rock City. While traveling to major cities with real ethnic food and culture usually gets us excited, this trip was for a not-so-joyous reason. As mentioned in previous posts, R's grandmother passed earlier in the week and we were doing what family does which is pay our respects no matter the distance.

That evening with some family, we were able to enjoy some of the tastiest of that ethnic food at Priya's. Everyone ordered their dish Thali style which includes naan, various side dishes, and rice served in metal bowls and tray. Since no one ever orders vegetables in this group, R and I volunteered to order the palak paneer and okra fry. We passed the veggie, lamb, and chicken dishes around in order to enjoy an assortment of flavors. The food was excellent and made me long for better Indian food to come to COMO, like we had in Columbus. The mango lassi was among the best I've had.

The following day found us spending our time at a wake. It's one thing to attend someone's wake/viewing and it's another thing being a part of the family. When you're part of the family, you spend the day at the funeral home, awkwardly navigating through conversations with people you see once or twice a year. For much of the day, I was on nephew watch as my brother-in-law visited with family.

The most intriguing part of the funeral home was this very odd lounge in the basement. Just past the two-story waterfall and goldfish pool, was what can only be described as a sort of green room. Now, when I write "green room" I don't mean the space where performers await their turn on stage. I'm talking about a room with lawn furniture, green carpeting between brick walkways, and vine-covered trellises painted on the walls. Personally, I would not find this very comforting in a time of loss.

We were able to take a break from the green room and wake with some family across the street at Kirby's Coney Island. I won't go into great detail except to say that it is never a good idea to eat two Coney dogs in one sitting. Although, R's uncle ate three and was bugging a three-year-old for his hot dog.

The following morning we were right back at the funeral home for the actual funeral. It was a nice ceremony. It was short, sweet, and to the point, unusual for a Catholic anything. We quickly said our good-byes and made a break for the airport and a noon take-off.

The flight was delayed about twenty minutes when we arrived at the airport. It seems that four inches of snow only slows down some cities instead of completely shutting them down...like some places I know. So, we had time to breath and to consider what our return to COMO had in store for us...

To be continued.

*Title Credit: My partner, R, wanted me to be sure to give her credit for this post title.