Oct. 15, 2008

8:30 am

1 bowl of vanilla-almond Special K

Special K is this week’s healthy cereal option. Special K by itself is disgusting. But this one, with some kind of sweet vanilla coating and almonds, is pretty darn good. And there’s a picture on the cereal box of a heart with a tape measure around it to signify that the cereal is healthy. Now I can eat 2-3 bowls without worrying about my heart exploding and causing an excruciating death. 

 

1 pm

Chicken bake

Chrissie made this lunch for me. What a sweetheart. She baked chicken underneath a breadcrumb crust and tomatoes. I inhaled it in five minutes because it was very tasty, I was hungry and I had a lot of work to do. Not to sound like Don Draper, but I like it when a woman cooks for me while I’m too busy working. Fuck it, I hereby adopt Don Draper as my workplace icon. I’m going to start wearing a wool suit to work, keep a bottle of Scotch in my desk and objectify women like an Eames chair.

 

3 pm

Marie Callendar’s

2 slices of lemon meringue pie

WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THAT OCTOBER IS PIE MONTH AT MARIE CALLENDARS!!! I went 14 days without getting a $6.99 pie. WTF?! I went across the street and bought this pie five minutes after my co-worker told me about the pie sale. Lemon meringue is arguably my favorite pie and I ate 2 slices (1/4 of the entire pie) to make up for lost times. There’s a good chance that I’ll write about 15 different pies over the rest of October. I smell a special series…

Marie Callendar’s Pies

 

9 pm

cambezola cheese with crackers and fig jam

1 roast pork tenderloin with a spice rub

side of wild rice and dried cherries

side of sauteed mini-portobello mushrooms

side salad of cambezola cheese, prosciutto and mini heirloom tomatoes

1 glass of white wine

1 slice of lemon meringue pie

My friend Lucy invited Abigail and I over for dinner on Wednesday, but I originally couldn’t go because of my weekly softball game. Well, the E! softball league cancelled all the games on Wednesday because the managers wanted to watch the Phillies and Dodgers instead. It totally makes sense for 11 people to cancel the games for everyone at the very last second so they can watch Jimmy Rollins ass-fuck the Dodgers into the offseason. I’m sure it was worth it.

Personally, I’m glad the games were cancelled. You see, Lucy is an excellent cook. Look at the picture above. That pork tenderloin, rice, salad and mushrooms? As the French might say, quel fucking awesome. And before dinner, she brought out a block of cambezola cheese, which is a cross of camembert and brie. Lucy, whoever marries you will be one happy and well-fed man. Alas, it can’t be me because it’s common knowledge that no woman can ever hope to tame me, nor put up with my 2 am Rock Band drumming (those things are LOUD). But I’ll be sure to pass along any fan e-mails and/or stalker letters. 

I should note that for dessert, we had more pie. Best $6.99 I’ve ever spent.

Oct. 14, 2008

9:15 am

1 Splitz Pop Tart

1 cup of coffee

 I’m done with Pop Tarts for a while after this breakfast.

 

12:15 pm

1 salami and mozzarella sandwich

1 bag of Doritos

1 white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie

1 can of Cherry Coke Zero

I worked through lunch and picked up this sandwich from Foodies in the E! kitchen. Useless fact of the day: Ryan gets the salami sandwich so often we named it after him, “The Muldowney.” 

 

3 pm

1/2 a package of Twix

It’s awesome when someone gets two snacks from the vending machine by accident and they give you the extra one. This happened to Chrissie and I was the benefactor. I shared the other Twix bar with Ryan.

 

7 pm

1 chanterelle and gruyere omelet with tarragon

1 glass of water

Joel Robuchon, a legendary French chef, used to make any potential hires cook him an omelet to test their skills. A part of me might think that learning how to cook eggs properly will make me an actual cook, albeit an amateurish one who always burn microwave popcorn. I cook with eggs a lot and it’ll appear regularly in this blog. Tonight, I made this omelet with a rather classic combination of gruyere and chanterelles. It came out thin because I used a pan that was a tad too big. I also didn’t fold it too evenly while taking it out of the pan. But it was cooked properly soft and I enjoyed it immensely. Hey, I ate this meal by myself. There was no girl to try and impress, so why bother. 

 

10:20 pm

Irish Times

10 pieces of pistachios

3 hot wings

3 bottles of Coors Light

There was a vending machine that sold pistachios for 25 cents at Irish Times. I was somewhat hungry but not really, so a small basket of pistachios sounded good. I got 13 nuts. I had to order hot wings to make up for it.

BTW, I didn’t want to go to trivia night, but finishing fourth the previous week left a bad taste in my mouth. This week, with the addition of a fifth member, Dustin, we thought we assembled the Dream Team of Irish Times Tuesday Night Trivia. We had the lead going into the final round, but we did not know the four US states where caucasians are the minorities. I had no idea whites were minorities in California. I live in Beachwood Canyon/Los Feliz area. Who knew the racial makeup of those neighborhoods is not indicative of the entire state?

Oct. 13, 2008

10 am

1 Splitz Pop Tart (1/2 strawberry, 1/2 chocolate)

1 cup of coffee

Besides cereal, I also eat a lot of Pop Tarts for breakfast. What can I say, it’s easy and it’s only a $1 in the vending machine. I actually brought this from home. The pink side is strawberry, the other side is chocolate. Those are my two favorite flavors of Pop Tarts so this should be like manna from heaven, right? Eh, it wasn’t that great. The flavors just muddled together. I learned a lesson in life while eating this Pop Tart. Sometimes, it’s better to commit to something completely instead of half-heartedly trying things without reason. Thanks for the advice, Pop Tarts!

 

1 pm

Subway

1 foot-long chicken pizziola sub

1 bag of Baked Lays

1 medium Diet Coke

Since Subway introduced the $5 foot-long (that incessant song  is stuck in my head!), I’ve been going there a lot for my work lunch. I heard business picked up since the deal was introduced, now Subway can’t get rid of it lest they risk losing newfound customers. When Hyundai tried to get rid of their image as a crappy car and draw customers, they had the 10-year unlimited warranty. The problem was, when Hyundai finally got a decent reputation and matching sales, they couldn’t get rid of the costly warranty because customers demanded it. The same thing happened to Subway. They’re stuck with the $5 menu no matter how much food costs rise. At least they’re more honest than Quizno’s, who also added a $5 to keep up with sales. I went to Quizno’s three weeks ago and they tried charging $2 for cheese. Buying a sandwich is now like buying a car with tons of hidden charges that the seller tries to slip in to rip you off. Damn, our economy is messed up if sandwich shops act like this. BTW, the chicken pizziola is a chicken sandwich with pizza sauce and pepperonis. It’s absolutely disgusting.

www.subway.com

 

3 pm

1/2 large-size Kit Kat

I went through hell to get this Kit Kat. Let us count the ways:

1. I had to borrow a dollar from Chrissie because I only had larger bills.

2. For some reason known only to the part of my brain that stopped working for a brief period, I accidentally put the dollar in the soda machine.

3. The soda machine ate my dollar.

4. I had to get a new dollar from my work’s facilities department

What should’ve been a 30 second task took 15 minutes for me to get the Kit Kat in the picture. Christy, my co-worker saw me buying my Kit Kat’s and said, “you know we have free mini-Kit Kats in the supply closet.” GAH!

 

8 pm

El Guapo

1 plate of Guapo nachos with chicken (shared)

1 glass Diet Coke with 2 refills

Chrissie and I decided to watch the second-half of the Dodgers-Phillies after work at El Guapo, a sports bar close to work. About the game, I would like to ask Joe Torre why he pulled Derek Lowe, who was cruising, in the 5th inning. I know he just pitched on Thursday and you don’t want to wear him out in case there’s a game seven. But it’s a lot harder to get to game seven down 3-1, which is where the Dodgers are now. They gave the Phillies repeated shots at the soft underbelly that is their middle relief. Jonathan Broxton’s matchup with Matt Stairs wasn’t the problem, I’d take that matchup anytime despite the home run. It was the previous moves that were questionable. They could’ve at least kept Lowe in for another inning, then Torre could have more options and less innings to get to Broxton. Torre got good performances from Clayton Kershaw, Chan Ho Park and Hong-Chih Kuo. But he overmanaged and used them too finely. Kuo, who gave up one single before being yanked, was pitching well. Instead, Wade came in right afterward and promptly gave up the game-tying home run to Shane Victorino. The Dodgers almost got to the end with the lead, but Torre managed to win four games while forgetting to win game four. Now they’re one loss from elimination. 

El Guapo

7250 Melrose Ave. #1

Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 297-0471

www.elguapocantina.com

Oct. 12, 2008

9 am

1 bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch

I really can’t get enough of it.

 

2 pm

bin dae duk

1 bottle of water

It’s Sunday, which means it’s time for a post on Korean food. Today, it’s bin dae duk, a pancake made with scallions and mung bean paste. The flavor is akin to a less salty Funions in pancake form. How awesome does that sound? I could eat about 4 hubcap-size worth in one sitting, but I only ate two today. 

 

3:30 pm

1 bite-sized Halloween Kit Kat

2 fudge-striped cookies

It’s that time of year, when candies turn an unnatural orange and/or black. This mini Kit Kat was coated in white chocolate, I think. Because of it’s color, my mind naturally conjured up a slight orange flavor while eating it even though there were no citrus anything in that Kit Kat. As the Geto Boys once said in a classic Halloween song, “my mind’s playing tricks on me.”

 

7 pm

1 pan-fried chicken breast with a side of sauteed carrots and potatoes

2 bottles of water

OMG, I actually ate healthy for once.

Oct. 11, 2008

11:10 am

grilled cheese sandwich with gruyere and whole-grain mustard

I usually spend about $40 a week on groceries, sticking mostly to what’s on sale. But one thing I almost always splurge on is cheese. Sacre bleu! Remember that Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns walks across the ceiling to steal a teddy bear, only to be foiled by Homer eating 64 slices of individually wrapped cheese at night? I once ate 12 slices as a snack. Since then, I upgraded a little. I still keep a pack of Kraft’s individually-wrapped cheese , but I also keep something a little better. Gruyere and Manchego are two popular choices because they make great grilled cheese sandwiches, like the one pictured above.

 

12:30 pm

Big Wang’s

chicken strips with tater tots (shared)

1 glass Arnold Palmer

I have to explain why I ate two lunches. Abigail wanted to meet really quickly for lunch and we originally chose some cafe off Cahuenga. So when I get there, she says, “I want chicken strips.” Conveniently enough, we were outside a classy sports bar called Big Wang’s. I should note that Abigail hates sports, and bars devoted to sports and especially a sport bar called Big Wang’s. Just last week, when the Dodgers-Cubs game was on TV at a bar, she asked, “is that the World Series?” So the last place I expected to go, with Abigail, on a Saturday afternoon full of college football, was Big Wangs. I hesitated walking in because my mind couldn’t reconcile this fact. Needless to say, I inevitably ate two chicken strips and five pieces of tater tots. Abigail satisfied her chicken strip craving, and I got to watch Texas close out a big win in a sports bar. It worked out for both of us.

Big Wang’s

1562 N. Cahuenga Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 469-2449

 

7:30 pm

Vertical Wine Bar + Bistro

date poppers (dates with ham, gorgonzola and pickled jalapenos)

mini grilled cheese with radicchio

seared sea scallops with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus

bottle of 2007 Argiolas, Nuragas di Cagliari

Another Saturday in Pasadena. This time, it was for an art show that Abigail, Hilary and I never made it to. Oh well, at least there was dinner. 

Also, I only took one picture of my meal because the restaurant was WAY too dark. This is the only visible picture I have, of the date “poppers:

The dark interior is kinda cool though, a rather simple cream walls and dark woods. You have to walk up a flight of stairs to get to a pretty intimate space, the tables are pretty close together. There isn’t a lot of space for large parties, this is a better place for dates and small gatherings.

“Vertical Wine Bistro,” as the name implies, tries to be serious about wine while excusing itself for a more ambitious menu. There were two complimentary things we got right when we sat down, a glass of water with lemon and bread with a spicy red pepper remoulade. Most wine bars don’t put lemon in water because the citric acid throws off the palate. And the remoulade was so spicy, it would obliterate any wines.  The two appetizers we ordered, date “poppers” with ham, gorgonzola and jalapenos, and a grilled cheese on walnut bread and what ended up being a cranberry spread, were bracingly sweet and overpowering. The main dishes fared a lot better. Hilary’s wild salmon dish with figs, bacon and brussel sprout was spot-on and best of the night.  My seared scallops weren’t compelling, but it was still satisfying. Abigail made a light meal out of a small charcuterie plate of ham, point reyes blue and apples. The wine our friendly server steered us to, an Argiolas from Sardinia, worked out.

Vertical Wine Bistro

70 N. Raymond Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91103

(626) 795-3999

www.verticalwinebistro.com

Oct. 10, 2008

10 am

1 macaroon

1 chocolate rugala

1 cup of coffee

I was going to buy Pop Tarts from the vending machine, but there was a bag of free cookies in the kitchen. It’s impossible to say no to free food.

 

12:30 pm

1 tuna melt with a side of fries

1 Diet Coke

I have nothing memorable to say about this meal. I don’t even remember the name of the place we ate. Ryan and I shoveled food into our face to hurry back to work. 

 

3:15 pm

Sun Chips

3 mini chocolate-chip cookies

5 pieces of bite-sized chocolates (Twix, Crunch, Reeses Cup, Milk Chocolate, Kit Kat)

This is what they serve in a 2+ hour legal meeting about libel and privacy laws. I should note that this was all eaten over a two hour period, although the picture is horrifyingly unhealthy. In my defense, I eat a lot more candy on Halloween. I’ll just pro-rate this snack from Oct. 31.

 

5:45 pm

1/2 a bbq chicken sandwich from Islands

8 pm

leftover broccoli and carrots

1 can of Diet Hanson’s black cherry soda

1 cup reduced-fat cookies n’ cream ice cream

It’s time for my first reader e-mail! This is from Tara in Los Angeles:

“I noticed you only eat vegetables when you go to your parents. You should eat more vegetables.”

Guilty as charged. I started this blog so I can keep track of what I eat. I do want to eat healthier. I thought some self-introspection will help identify where I should make the necessary changes in my eating habits. Well, after a week of chili-covered quesadillas, plate of candy and deep-fried pork chops, I think I identified some areas that can change. 

I think this week took a toll on me. I had zero appetite on Friday and eventually fell asleep at 11:45. That 1/2 a sandwich was just chicken, bun and sauce. And that container of vegetables I had in my fridge was the only thing that appealed to me. And I ate 3-4 spoons of reduced-fat ice cream as a modest dessert. I like to think that this dinner is the start of a better diet. Let’s see if this sticks.

Oct. 9, 2008

10 am

1 bagel with cream cheese

Thursday is free bagel day at E! It annoys me to no end that there are only 3-4 sesame bagels compared to 15 salt bagels. For the umpteenth time E!, no one likes salt bagels. Every week, at 11 am, there’s a leftover bag of salt bagels just waiting to be tossed by the janitors. Yet, they keep insisting on providing them in the hopes that employees will capitulate and eat salt bagels just because it’s there. It’s like watching NBC and getting inundated with ads for My Own Worst Enemy. Seeing Christian Slater 10 times while watching The Office motivates me to poke toothpicks in my eyes and not make an appointment to watch it on NBC’s “Must-see” lineup. So fuck salt bagels, and fuck Ben Silverman.

12:15 pm

Foodies

1 Chinese chicken salad

1 white-chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookie

1 can diet coke

I worked through lunch today. Sadness.

 

3:45 pm

1 bag of Cheetos

Cheetos is extruded corn meal that looks like hamster pellets, deep-fried and coated in orange, cheese-flavored powdered cocaine. That is why it’s so damn addictive.

 

9 pm

1 plate of Hamburger Helper made with ground turkey

side salad

2 cans of black cherry Diet Hanson’s soda

1 mini-mini mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich from Trader Joe’s

Hamburger Helper! When was the last time anyone ate this? Actually, I had this several months ago. Abigail, bless her heart, likes to recreate family meals from the 1970’s and 1980’s. Manwiches will make an inevitable appearance on this blog. Like frozen dinners and cheap immigrant daycare, Hamburger Helpers was supposed to make it easier for families. Except it takes 45 minutes to make Hamburger Helpers. It’s essentially pasta and meat. But it takes less time, and ingredients, to cook just pasta, sauce and a jar of sauce. For Hamburger Helpers, after you brown the meat (not included in the box), you mix in pasta, water, milk and the powdered sauce packet, then let it simmer slowly like risotto. It’s definitely not more convenient. But that time is necessary to let the cheese-flavored powder soak through everything. Let’s face it, Hamburger Helper is good because the resulting sauce tastes like liquid Cheetos. With meat. It possibly can’t be good for you (we did use turkey and skim milk). But it’s tasty. I ate seconds.