Hina's Weight Loss Mantra

"My weight loss is a happy byproduct of a healthy lifestyle. I am working towards a Healthy Life, not just a skinny life." ~ Me

I came up with my mantra while giving a weight loss pep talk to one of my friends. She has managed to lose a considerable amount of weight through dedication, personal strength, and hard work. She inspires me to stay true to my newly acquired healthy lifestyle, and I am extremely proud of her. (You know who you are, and I am SO proud of you! You are awesome!)

I know how hard it is to lose weight. I have been overweight for almost my entire life, and I hated it. I was a normal sized child, but when puberty hit me (and it hit pretty early) I packed on the pounds. I was bookish and studious, but I was not born with the "sports gene." Growing up as the "fat kid" was hard, especially with a skinny, athletic sibling. Kids can be cruel, and I was teased a lot.

You'd think things would get easier when you're an adult. Sure, most people mature and acquire some tact. (Most people do. Others will be inconsiderate jerks for much longer, until someone butters their floor, and possibly even after that.) I'm 5'7", and at my heaviest, I weighed roughly 228 lbs. I may have weighed more, but I stopped weighing myself because it was too depressing. I was a size 18 before I knew what happened to me, and that was when I was 23 years old! Do you have any idea how hard it is to be overweight, in your twenties, and living in Los Angeles? LA is the land of red carpet couture, Hollywood diets, and all kinds pretense designed to make you feel like you're not good enough, not pretty/handsome/sexy enough. Want proof? A coworker once told me that he wasn't in-shape enough to go to his neighborhood gym in Hollywood. I asked him if the point of going to the gym wasn't to get fit and get in shape. He replied, "Yes," but too many celebs, models and industry affiliates worked out there. Imagine that - having to lose weight before you can set foot in a gym.

I managed to lose 20 lbs. in my mid to late 20's, but I was still clinically obese. However, I have just entered my 30's, and in the last nine months I have lost (drum roll, please!) ..... 62 pounds!! Pretty cool, huh? In April 2006, I was a size 14. I'm now around a size 6/7. In nine months, I have lost 30% of my body weight. I think that's awesome, and I am totally proud of my accomplishment! You know what's better? I'm not starving, I'm not deprived of chocolate, my weight is not going up and down on a yo-yo, and I've actually acquired some great tools for living a healthy lifestyle. And I personally believe that you cannot have mental or physical health without some good chocolate.

People ask me what I did to lose weight, because when they see me, the difference is pretty dramatic. I'd like to say there was a miracle pill. (Wouldn't you love it if there was a miracle pill?) I'd like to say that I found a miracle diet that worked magic on my body. However, the truth is that I just decided, for various reasons, that I needed to get healthy, and that means eating healthy foods in moderation and exercise. As my husband told me so often, the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume.

I started out using Nutrisystem, which really taught me a lot. I learned about portion size and how to count my calories. It sounds so elementary, but you wouldn't believe how many people out there have no idea how many calories they consume in a day. I had no idea about my intake, although I knew that FDA food labeling standards put forth a 2000 calorie per day average. When I started a food log to find out, I was shocked to find out that I was downing about 5000 calories every day. And this is when I thought I was being rather health conscious! (Health tip: Trail mix, although usually loaded with protein, omega 3s, and antioxidants, is also fairly high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. Yikes!) I also subscribe to Hungry Girl, a most fantastic resource for people looking to lose weight. Among other helpful tips and information, Hungry Girl provides insight into high calorie, high fat food frights, and provides diet empowering alternatives.

I am no longer on Nutrisystem, because I don't feel like I need it anymore. It is incredibly convenient, but it's also pricey for me. Besides, I have found, and also created, some simple, tasty, low cal dishes. I do still read Hungry Girl daily. I also have some other resources, which help me daily with my weight goals.

If you're looking to lose weight, I recommend a few things. These are things I did, things I believe in, and things that worked for me. I'm not a dietician or a physician, but hey, I lost over 60 lbs., and I'm still losing. I can't be completely full of it, right?

1. Definitely talk to your doctor. My doctor gave me a few dietary and exercise guidelines, and they were extremely helpful. Safety first!

2. Don't "go on a diet." Food is not a temporary thing, it's something you'll be living off of for the rest of your life. An ad for Weight Watchers reads, "We help you lose weight by teaching you to have a healthy relationship with food." This is so important, and so true! Learn to eat healthy portions of healthy foods for your every day meals. Learn how to eat a healthy diet.

3. Be knowledgeable and accountable for yourself. Know how many calories you consume in a day. If you don't know, start a food log. It doesn't have to be fancy. I keep a daily desk calendar in the kitchen. Whenever I eat something (a meal, a snack, whatever), I log the calories. At the end of the day, I tally everything to see how much I've eaten. The best part is, no matter what I've eaten, every morning I tear off yesterday's page, and start a clean new day. (Slightly hokey, but very mentally and metaphorically uplifting.) It keeps me aware of my nutrition, and I am accountable for my food decisions. It can also help you become aware of any eating habits you have, like constant snacking, or stress eating. Once you know how much you're eating, and when, you'll know where you need to make adjustments.

4. Do some exercise. I personally hate gyms. I hate the smell, the mindless hamster wheel-like exercises (the Stair Master stairs don't go anywhere!), and I hate to be around stinky, sweaty people. So I have to sneak in my exercise when I won't mind it so much. (Every little bit helps!) I park far away from store entrances so that I have to walk more. When my son watches The Backyardigans, I dance with him. When I take my boy to the park, I chase him up and down hills. I play music and dance around the house when I'm doing housework or cooking. Anything you can do to move your body, do it.

5. Just make a commitment and start to be healthy. Oddly, the hardest thing for me to do was Start. I made up my mind that I had to be healthier - for me, for my family. But for some reason it is so scary to make that change. What if I fail? What if I lose weight then gain it back? What if people say things about me? What if I have a heart attack while walking up this hill? Good grief, what if I succeed?! It's scary to take that first step, but I swear that once you get started, you gain momentum.

A good support system is also extremely helpful. Having encouragement at the right time can make or break you. I had my share of lows when I could have jumped into vat of melted ice cream to drown myself, rather than eat a salad. (I still have those days on occasion.) I could not have stayed focused without my loving husband telling me that I was very able to lose weight. My family and friends helped me, and they continue to help and inspire me to be a healthy individual. They remind me of what I have accomplished, what I started from, and how well I am doing. And that helps me keep going. I have 6 more pounds to shed until I reach my goal weight, then I only have to maintain that for the rest of my life. I'm very committed to living a healthy life, and I'm committed to teaching my son to live a healthy life. And I would like to inspire others to live a healthy life. It's a lot of hard work and discipline, but I believe I'm worth it.

Remember, don't just work towards a skinny life. Make a commitment to live a Healthy Life! If you develop healthy habits, the weight will come off! If you don't have a support group, or if you feel alone in your weight loss journey, feel free to drop me a line. I can be a very helpful weight loss cheerleader. Just ask my friend. She's managed to lose a considerable amount of weight, and I am so proud of her!

Hina's High Tea Eats

As you may have already guessed from past posts, I am extremely fond of tea. Not just the beverage, but also the entire afternoon tea or high tea experience, complete with petite finger sandwiches, savouries, pastries, jams, creams, and an enormous selection of desserts.

For your gustatory pleasure, I have assembled some of my favorite afternoon tea sandwich recipes. These are some of the tea sandwiches I have enjoyed since childhood. I am also making sure to include some recipes that may please the gentlemen. I think if more men knew that tea time includes a bounty of food, they would be more inclined to attend, and less likely to pass it off as a girly pastime. We recently had a family tea with husbands and fathers, wives and mothers, and children from 5 to 25 months of age. It was an extraordinarily congenial gathering.

Easy Tea Sandwiches
(Note: When making tea sandwiches with a moist filling, make sure you butter both slices of bread generously. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy.)

Cucumber and Mint (Difficulty Rating: Super Easy)
Ingredients: bread, softened unsalted butter, fresh mint sprigs, fresh cucumber - salt and pepper optional

Wash and dry mint thoroughly. Separate the mint leaves from the stems and chiffonade them. You'll want enough mint so that there are pieces in every bite, but not so much that it overwhelms the sandwich. This depends on how many sandwiches you are making. In a bowl, mix the mint with enough butter so that you have enough to spread generously on both slices of bread. Slice cucumber very thinly. Butter both slices of bread with mint butter. If you like, sprinkle some salt and pepper over the butter. Place several thin slices of cucumber on one piece of bread, layering slightly, no more than two to three slices high. Top with second buttered bread slice. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares).

Cheddar and Pimiento (Difficulty Rating: Super Easy)
Ingredients: bread, shredded cheddar cheese, softened unsalted butter, 1 jar sliced pimientos - pepper optional

Drain pimientos very well. Chop into small pieces and place into a bowl. Add 1-½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese (more or less according to your taste). If you like, sprinkle some pepper. Mix with enough butter (about 1-½ to 2 sticks) to create a thick spread. Spread thickly on one piece of bread and top with second slice of bread. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares).

Pineapple Cream Cheese with Walnuts (Difficulty Rating: Super Easy)
Ingredients: bread, whipped cream cheese, 1 can pineapple in pineapple juice, 1 cup shelled walnut halves

Toast walnuts for a few minutes, until just lightly browned. Allow to cool. Drain pineapple well, removing as much liquid as possible, and chop into small to fine pieces. Chop walnuts into rough small pieces. In a bowl, combine pineapple, walnuts and whipped cream cheese. Generously spread mixture on one slice of bread and top with second slice. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares).

Man Sandwiches
(Note: These are designed to be a bit heartier, but don't over do it. Tea sandwiches are supposed to be finger food.)

Turkey Cranberry (Difficulty Rating: Super Easy)
Ingredients: bread, softened unsalted butter, thin sliced turkey (your own or from a deli), cranberry sauce (I feel it tastes better if you use an actual sauce with fruit pieces rather than a jelly) - pepper optional

Generously butter both slices of bread to prevent it from becoming soggy. Spread some cranberry sauce (about ½ to 1 tbsp) on each slice. If you like, sprinkle some pepper over the sauce. Neatly layer turkey slices across one slice of bread, as evenly as possible. Depending on the thickness of the turkey, use about 2 - 5 slices. Top with second slice of bread. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares).

Tuna and Water Chestnut (Difficulty Rating: Easy)
Ingredients: bread, softened unsalted butter, two 6oz cans albacore tuna packed in water, red onion, canned water chestnuts, mayonnaise or Vegennaise - pepper optional

Drain tuna very well and place in bowl. Finely chop red onion (about ½ to ¾ cups, more or less to your taste). Drain water chestnuts and rinse with very hot water to remove smell and canned taste. Dry water chestnuts and chop finely. Add onion and water chestnuts to the tuna. If you like, sprinkle some pepper. Add about ¾ cup mayonnaise or Vegennaise and mix, breaking up the tuna as much as possible. The mixture should be thick and chunky, but creamy enough to spread. Add more mayonnaise/Vegennaise if needed. Generously butter both slices of bread to prevent it from becoming soggy. Spread a thick layer of tuna mixture on one slice of bread and top with second slice. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares). Note: Since it can be difficult to cut these neatly, you may want to consider using cocktail bread. See my previous post Afternoon Tea - Sit, Chat, and Eat, Eat, Eat for explanations and further info.

Cold Smoked Salmon and Capers (Difficulty Rating: Easy)
Ingredients: bread, softened cream cheese, cold smoked salmon, capers - pepper optional

Generously spread cream cheese on both slices of bread to prevent it from becoming soggy. Drain capers well. Place a few capers, evenly distributed, on one slice of bread on top of the cream cheese. You can push them into the cream cheese slightly so that they don't roll off. (Note: Unless you or your guests really enjoy them, go easy on the capers. They have a very strong flavor.) If you like, sprinkle some pepper. Place 2-4 slices of salmon on top of the cream cheese and capers, layering as evenly as possible. Top with the second slice of bread. Trim crusts and cut the sandwich into quarters (triangles or squares).

I have mentioned bread in each recipe, but I haven't specified what kind. Please experiment with flavors, textures, and colors. I frequently use rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, and whole wheat breads. It adds a wonderful element of color to your table. For instance, I like my cucumber sandwiches on white bread because the green really pops out and looks vibrant. I put the salmon on pumpernickel because the orange color looks so striking against the brown. I find that rye bread adds a little extra flavor that seems to work well with my tuna and egg salad fillings. My little foodie heart swells with pride whenever I find a combination that works well, but the only way to find them is to try things out.


Those are my contributions for today. If anyone else has some easy recipes to share, please do so. I'm always up for trying new recipes. My goal is to share the treat of afternoon tea with everyone, and to show that, although it may be presented in a fancy way, there is nothing intimidating or very difficult involved with hosting a delicious tea party.

"Tea! The panacea for everything from weariness to a cold to a murder. Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea."
Henry Fielding

When I grow up ... Or am I already there?

When I graduated high school, I thought I would feel all grown up. Then I went to college, and I felt like a kid pretending to be mature. When I had my 21^st birthday, I thought that would make me an “adult,” but I was working and paying bills, and learning horribly awful financial responsibility lessons. (To eat out or to buy shoes? *sigh*… Neither, because the rent is due.) I realized that I was still a kid learning to make it in a “grownup’s world.” When I got married, I thought that was certainly the point of Adulthood. However, my wonderful husband loves and pampers me, and I readily admit that I am, perhaps, more of a child than ever when I am with him. (The trash is stinky, Honey, please make it go away. Honey, there’s a giant spider monster in the bathroom!! Kill it, kill it!! I’m sad today. Would you please bring me some happy chocolate?) When I had my son, I thought, “Now I am truly an adult! There is nothing more grownup than becoming a parent!” And then I realized that I had no clue what to do with an upset, crying, shrieking baby who couldn’t just tell me what was wrong. …So I called my mommy and daddy who came over and made it all better. That day, I believe I regressed to my 8 year old self.

Sometimes it seems that I have been waiting for eons to cross that magical line in the dirt. You know, the line that separates children from adults. Once you cross the magical line and step through the “Grownup Gate,” you will suddenly know who you are, what you want to be, you have a career, your life is in order, and you can program the clocks on every single appliance in your entire house. I thought that reaching certain milestones would grant me the “Adult” status for which I have been searching. Instead, I found validation when I least expected it – at a tea party.

When I was growing up, my parents would have parties and get-togethers at our house. My dad would clean up the house, and my mom would be in the kitchen cooking fantastic meals. I was merely the assistant, running to get her platters, stirring the food, and setting the table. During the evening, guests would inevitably migrate into the “men’s group” and the “women’s group.” My mom and all the aunties would sit around and talk, kids would come running up to grab more food, and my dad and the uncles would be chatting away in the living room.

While talking with one of my friends, she mentioned that she had never had afternoon tea. I mentioned this to my mom, and she said that one of her friends had no idea what afternoon tea was. So I came up with the brilliant idea to hold a tea party for them so that we could all get together, and they could experience afternoon tea.

My mom agreed to have the tea at her house; after all, not only do my parents have a dining area for entertaining, my mom also has a full tea set complete with serving platters and things. Whereas I, …well, I live in a house with padded corners and furniture, which has been sectioned off into smaller, baby-proofed areas. It’s great for our baby, but we’re just not set up for entertaining.

I got to my parents’ house around 9:30am, figuring that I had plenty of time to make sandwiches. For goodness sake, they’re just sandwiches, and we weren’t having tea until 1:00pm. Wow, was I mistaken. Have you ever timed how long it takes to chop items like onions, pineapple, water chestnuts, or walnuts? Then I underestimated the time for mixing each individual sandwich filling. We had six different types of sandwiches, and I made the fillings for four of them. At 12:00pm, I had just started the first of the sandwich constructions. Thank goodness for my awesome friend who came early and helped put things together. She was better than a knight in shining armor. She was my princess in fashionable sweater-shirt ensemble with coordinating shoes! And no one knows tea like a princess. (You know who you are! Thank you for all your help! You so rock!) My mom baked some savoury puff pastries, and between the three of us, we got things plated, arranged on two tables, and tea was ready to be served shortly after all the guests arrived.

It was a very nice tea. We had plenty of food, tea, and lively discussion. Pot after pot of tea was served, all the savouries and scones were devoured, and the dessert table was considerably lightened by the end of the evening. The men ended up sitting in the living room, talking and sipping spirits, I was with the women sitting around the table, continuously munching and swapping stories, and the kids ran back and forth between groups, grabbing more food and playing around. With the help of my husband and father, who were both such wonderful hosts and babysitters, I was able to play hostess and keep people fed and entertained.

After everyone had left, I helped clean up, wash dishes, put away food, and place the tea set back in the display cabinet. While I was rinsing off the Brie and cracker platter, my mom said to me, “Very good. You did very well for your first party.” And that’s when I felt it.

This was my party. I thought of it, I invited people, I created the menu, prepared the food, and played hostess. I was the one running back and forth to the kitchen filling teapots and food trays. I was the auntie sitting at the table with the women, occasionally with a child (my own, or my friend’s) on my lap. My friends are "aunties" to my son. My husband was the uncle sitting with the men while kids crawled through his legs.

I’d like to say, “When I grow up, I will have a real party that will be perfect.” Granted, this was not a perfect party. I ruined the second batch of scones, I didn’t allow enough time for my food prep, and I could have brought some children’s DVDs to help the kids stay occupied. But how much more perfect can I expect? Overall, it was a successful party and people enjoyed themselves. I got to hang out and socialize with fun people, I enjoyed myself tremendously, and I can honestly say that I would do this again willingly.

Maybe “When I grow up” is now, and maybe I’ve been an “Adult” for longer than I thought. Then again, I have a tummy ache from eating too many goodies at tea yesterday, and I think somebody should be taking care of me.

My Mommy Reality Check

Moms all over the world are laughing at me. I am sure of this.

I used to work for a child care center when I was in high school. I thought that had prepared me (at least a little) for what it's like to have a baby. I knew all about feeding, changing, and bathing - the smells, the smears, the spitting and the mess. I knew about playing with food, spraying liquids out of bottles and cups, and I even knew about the fountain of drool. I am a reasonably intelligent person. I know that babies are messy.

What I didn't count on was the fact that the mess is now in my house. The child care center didn't have wall to wall carpeting - but I do, with the exception of the kitchen. The child care center's floors were smooth tile and easy to clean. All the tables and chairs were solid pieces of non-porous plastic, with smooth surfaces, and easy to wipe off. We could even stand the tables on end, spray them down, then wipe them off with bleach. Everything was quick, easy, and very sanitary. .....I like sanitary.

My house is not set up like the child care center. I didn't think about cereal being thrown across my glass panel table, getting caught in nooks and crannies, and splattering on rugs and furniture. I didn't count on doing at least three full loads of laundry per week just for the baby because he likes to wear his lunch so often. I didn't think of milk vomit, or oatmeal vomit coming out at inopportune times - like when the baby was on the fabric upholstered sofa, or walking on the carpet, or resting on my chenille blanket. I also didn't think about how much food a baby can shove up his nose, and how shocking it is to see green peas come out when he sneezes. And it's amazing how fast milk can dry on a carpet. It smells bad, it's hard to scrub out, and all you can do is clean well and often, and air out the house every day. I use Febreeze on our furniture, I use Oust for getting rid of smells, and I use Lysol for any number of surfaces in the house - especially the diaper pail.

I read several authoritative books, several blogs, and subscribed to all the proper magazines. When my baby was born, I studied like it was finals week! I baby proofed and bought extra cleaning supplies, and I reveled in my preparedness. Yes, I did, stop laughing! I was so sure that a being so tiny would have a mess commensurate to his stature. Now, while I feel that I am fairly well read on this subject, I confess that I was sadly, woefully unprepared for the sheer volume of ick that comes from my child. I mean, really, I can't figure out how one cup of milk ends up coating my entire kitchen floor, kitchen table, and kitchen counters.

I talked with my mother about this, and she laughed at me. I know she talks with our relatives and her friends, many of whom are mothers themselves. I know that they in turn talk to other mothers, who will talk with even more mothers.

This is how I know. Moms all over the world are laughing at me.

Afternoon Tea - Sit, Chat, and Eat, Eat, Eat

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

I have a great fondness for afternoon tea. (Even better than that is high tea, but I usually end up skipping that and going straight for dinner.) I love the little sandwiches, I enjoy the hot tea with pretty sugars, cream, or lemon and honey, and I really, really enjoy my scones with thick clotted cream. It’s tasty and decadent, and not diet friendly in the least. I like it that way.

Have you ever held an afternoon tea party at home? If you’d like to try, and I do recommend that everyone try an afternoon tea at some point, I’ve got a few tips on ingredients.

Bread
Certainly, you can buy any bread you like and cut off the crusts, slice the sandwiches into triangles or mini rectangles, and you’ve got a great tea sandwich. But I found some great cocktail bread loaves from Whole Foods Market. Rubschlager Cocktail Breads come in several flavors (I bought the rye, pumpernickel, and sourdough), and they’re about 2 inches wide. They’re already tiny, so no extra trimming, they’re sliced very thin, and they’re adorable! They make perfect mini sandwiches! I love cute food!

Cream, Jam, and Chocolate for Scones
Staying with the great “mini” theme for my tea, I went to Cost Plus World Market. This is one of my favorite stores for food items. I picked up a few packages of my favorite digestive biscuits, McVities Original flavor. They are a great addition to tea, as they are very good plain, and also go well with chocolate or cheese. I also bought three different flavors of Sticky Fingers Bakeries scone mix. These are great scone mixes. All you add is water, mix it up and bake. The scones come out with an almost crisp outside with a very tender inside. I got the Original, Black Currant, and Cocoa-Chocolate Chip flavors, but there are lots of flavors to choose from. I also recommend the Pumpkin Cranberry for a rich flavor with a bit of sweet tartness.

However, the best items I bought here were the 1 oz. mini jams and chocolate spreads I got in the 99 cent bins. If you don’t want to get a huge jar of jam, which you may or may not use after tea time, these little jars are perfect. (And oh so cute!) I bought lemon curd, black currant jam, chocolate spread, and honey for the tea – all in little 1 oz. jars. They even carry clotted cream in these jar sizes, but unfortunately when I went they were out.

Savouries
For the savouries, I like quick and easy. Head to Costco for some frozen spanakopita, quiche, or other puff pastry items. There are several to choose from. You get a lot of food for your bucks, so there’s plenty for your guests. Or stop at Trader Joe’s. In the freezer aisle, they also have spanakopita, quiche, and puff pastries, although in smaller quantities.

Desserts
For the sweet tooth, I still head to Costco and Trader Joe’s. Costco has a great big tub of cream puffs. Take some out about half an hour before serving, place them on a platter or in a nice bowl, and let them soften up. Trader Joe’s has all kinds of cakes, tortes, and decadent desserts in the freezer aisle. Pick up an opera cake or a chocolate torte, let it thaw on a platter, and slice it into individual servings. Presto! Instant dessert!

Tea is a wonderful way to pamper yourself and others, to sit back with friends and family and eat and talk, eat and talk, eat and talk…. If you don’t have the cycles to whip up your own tea, I will be reviewing a few tea houses in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. Remember: Tea has lots of great health benefits, and good company is good for the soul. So, grab a friend and go have a cup!

"Come and share a pot of tea,
My home is warm and my friendship's free."
~Emilie Barnes

Foodie View: Hina Goes Fishing In San Diego (On Land Of Course!)

Ahh, the great weather of San Diego, the zoo and parks and many dog-friendly areas! This place is great - that is, until I want to get some seafood. Now, I started trying out some of the "Best Of San Diego" restaurants, and I was consistently disappointed. Not just with the boring and limited menus, but with the substandard dishes and lousy service. Salmon isn't the only fish in the sea, people!

So, I went fishing at some other restaurants, and I have come up with a few winners. King's Fish House is a big champion with several locations to choose from, and they're reasonably priced. Lots of dishes in the $12 - $20 range. I'm impressed with the quality of their food. FRESH! They print out their menus twice a day to reflect what they've got in stock. I highly recommend the Cold Seafood Combo. (For those of you counting calories, this is a low cal, low fat, high protein tummy pleaser!) Insider tip: If you like things a little spicy, ask your server for some of the Atomic Horseradish they keep in the back. It's great on the oysters, and I even put it in the Spicy Seafood Chowder. I've gotten great service every time I go. My only lament is the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake. Nice and chocolatey, but way over-sweet. (Of course, if you have a cup of coffee with it, everything works itself out.) King's is also family friendly, which is now fairly important to me. My boy got an activity booklet (not just a one page paper place mat), some crayons, and his own cup with a lid and straw. The kid's menu is good for kids, and Mr. Baby seemed to enjoy feeding himself his fish and chips.

My next find is Osetra, The Fishhouse in the Gaslamp Quarter. They're a little on the pricey side of my pocket, which is why it took me some time to make my way there. The cheapest entree on the menu is $28. First, they've got an oyster bar, and that's always a plus in my eyes. I had the Baked Oysters with masago cream sauce. They were rich and creamy and tender ... yummm ... Oh, and don't pass off the salad in the middle as just a garnish. Eat it all! Aside from being healthy veggies, it's very tasty with a fruity dressing. I would also recommend the Stuffed Shrimp. Three jumbo shrimp loaded with lobster, crab, and scallops. I couldn't finish it, but I made a valiant effort! The wine list here is very extensive (pages and pages and pages), and it's fun to sit at the bar and watch people scaling the three story wine tower. The Chocolate Passion dessert is one of the best. it's very moist and has hazelnut cream, and the ganache isn't insanely thick and dense. It's a rich, yet light chocolate cake. I'm going back for more.

I have also been searching for ages for a Great Sushi Restaurant in San Diego. Now before I get hit with lists of sushi places in San Diego, keep in mind that I'm looking for Great Sushi. Mediocre sushi need not apply. I'm not looking for a nightclub that serves spicy tuna rolls. I don't want a place where the rolls are smeared with cream cheese and avocado, dipped in tempura batter, fried in fat, and drenched in super sweet eel sauce. If the fish menu is limited to salmon, tuna, and eel, or if I can't SEE the chefs preparing my food, then it is NOT Great Sushi. I want a place with a variety of seafood. I want to sit down at the bar and ask my chef what's fresh today. I want to eat some Great Sushi!

..... And I did. At Taka Sushi, also in the Gaslamp Quarter. My husband took me here for our anniversary. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered omakase for two. Our chef very politely asked if there was anything we didn't eat, then proceeded to craft a spectacular dinner! I highly (oh so highly!) recommend the ankimo (monk fish liver), and the uni (sea urchin roe). We started off with ankimo, and it was sooooo rich and velvety. A good omen for the rest of the meal. If you've ever eaten old uni, you know how quickly your gag reflex works. Conversely, if you've eaten really good, really fresh uni, you know how the mental image alone makes you salivate like Pavlov's dog. This uni was very fresh and very buttery. All the fish we tried (including aji (Spanish mackerel), kanpachi (amberjack), toro (fatty tuna - way yummy!) and several others) were very fresh and tasty. I personally believe, for health as well as taste, that freshness should be at the top of your list when eating sushi and sashimi. I was happily surprised by the price. We left totally stuffed after consuming tons of food and a bottle of sake. Our bill was about $150. Taka Sushi is truly a Great Sushi restaurant.

I'm still fishing for more great seafood. Anyone have any bites for me?

I Remember Shopping Being Simpler

Ok, so we're having tea this Saturday, so I had shopping to do. I went to one store for some jams and scone mix, but they didn't have clotted cream. My darling 1 year old decided to poop. So in the middle of shopping, we stopped, went to the bathroom, and I changed my squirmy, poopy child on the tiniest counter in the universe. Then we came out to see that the efficient staff had taken away the "abandoned" shopping cart to replace the items on the shelves. So we started over again.

Then I went to Whole Foods for clotted cream and tea sandwich bread, and other supplies, and Mr. Baby decided to play with his juice cup. Then he got very angry with his juice cup because the straw came out and he couldn't get it back in. So he threw it on the floor where it broke open and spilled juice all over the high traffic deli area. So I grabbed some napkins at the counter to wipe up the spill, but Mr. Baby felt very neglected and he was missing his juice, so he started screaming and climbing out of the shopping cart. A very nice man told me he would clean up the spill for me so I could take care of my Mr. Angry Baby (or maybe he just wanted me to make the screaming stop). I ended up carrying my upset, tear-stained child in my arms, pushing the shopping cart with one hand, and grabbing whatever I could reach. While we were at the deli counter, my darling boy managed to pull down the display containers (scaring himself in the process which made him cry again), which the deli staff were kind enough to pick up for me. I took my veggies and ran to the checkout counter where I stood in line with a snippy childless woman behind me who asked me if I could go any faster. I politely informed her that she could stand in another line. I got groceries loaded into the car, strapped my poor crying boy into his car seat, handed him a new cup of water - and he magically transformed into a good, human child again.

*sigh* .............I used to love shopping.