Lee's Summit, Missouri

At the end of September I headed back out to Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Lee’s Summit is a suburb of Kansas City (which I love). There isn’t a lot in Lee’s Summit but I had a nice hotel and a five minute commute so I can’t complain.

As for the food, I had to go into Kansas City to really eat well. Most of the restaurants in Lee’s Summit are chain restaurants and fast food. They even had a Jimmy John’s Sandwiches where I used to eat at while at BYU. It was a nice taste of nostalgia.

I try to eat where my students recommend as they tend to know the best local places. I was told to go to the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. It is a lovely outdoor shopping area that has some great shops and fancy restaurants. There are fountains and the whole plaza is done in Spanish/Mediterranean architecture. I ended up walking around for a while because the weather was so nice and lusting after the entire inventory of Williams-Sonoma. I got very hungry and ended up eating at the Cheesecake Factory. I even ate outside because the weather was lovely. I know that Cheesecake Factory isn’t a local place, but I love eating there when work pays.

After dinner I went to Half Price Books. I have been to that particular store before and it is one of the better Half Price Books. I am like a junkie at those stores; I see so many books that I can’t help myself and I start buying. Of course, I never get to read all the books that I buy because I am slow reader there is always so much good TV to watch.

The next day I headed back to the Savoy Grill at the Hotel Savoy. I ate there the last time I was in Kansas City and it was so good that I went back for more. I ended up getting steak (again!) and it was fantastic. The side salad had so much blue cheese on it I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I also think I spilled on myself with every bite that I took. I have problems.

Another student recommendation turned out to be a great dining experience. I headed to Lidia’s in Kansas City. Lidia’s is located in a former railroad station and it is very cool and well decorated. If you go, make sure that you look at the chandeliers – they are gorgeous. Rumor has it that Lidia hosts a cooking show on PBS.

The food was amazing. The bread that they bring, foccacia and tuscan style, was light, warm and fresh out of the oven. They provide an olive tapenade and a pesto spread that I thought was kind of bland. The Caesar salad I had was the best I have ever had. The dressing was light, tangy and had more vinegar than most. I liked that the dressing wasn’t so heavy and that you could even taste the lemon in the dressing. The salad also had homemade croutons which were fantastic. I had no idea that homemade croutons could make such a difference.

As for dinner, I ended up ordering the Pasta Trio. The Pasta Trio lets you have unlimited samples of three pasta dishes (which change daily). The three pastas I had were: fettuccini with braised beef sauce, ravioli with ricotta and Swiss chard in a sage-infused sauce, and penne with arabitatta sauce and garlic slivers. The ravioli had a fantastic flavor combination and I think all sauces should be sage-infused.

Dessert came with the Pasta Trio and I was not one to turn it away. I am not a fan of most Italian desserts as they never contain enough chocolate. I had the ice cream trio: blueberry, cherry plum sorbet and caramel ice cream. I have never had caramel ice cream before and I devoured it before the others. The flavor was complex. The cherry plum sorbet was more on the tart side, and I couldn’t help but thinking of how much my mom would like it because she loves anything tart. I would highly recommend Lidia’s to anyone visiting Kansas City.

I asked around for a good BBQ place (I loved Arthur Bryant’s but I wanted to try something different). I was told that Oklahoma Joe’s was voted the best of Kansas City. I drove to Olathe, KS and had a pulled pork sandwich which was very, very good. They also had really good fries.

I know this wasn’t the most exciting trip to report on, but I did eat well. And isn’t that what this blog is really all about?

Next Trip: Yellowstone

Ladies, Please Take Note

Mathieu's Bon Voyage Party

In June my wonderful, awesome, French friend Mathieu had to leave to go back to France. I don’t know why he felt like he had to go back to Paris; I mean Reston, VA is pretty nice. It isn’t like he has family, friends and a wonderful girlfriend back in France. I guess I just have to respect his decision whether I like it or not.


Before Mat left we had a bon voyage party at The Tombs in Georgetown. The Tombs is a popular hangout for Georgetown students, especially because it is conveniently located across the street from the University. Luckily, school was out for the summer so we were able to get a reservation for a large group. If you do have a large party, the staff at The Tombs was very accommodating. One of the hosts even put more money in my parking meter for me.

The food was very good and I really enjoyed the cream of asparagus soup. The waitress recommended it and I really enjoyed the smooth, creamy flavor. It was a great place because everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. Lala, Mat’s girlfriend, had the crab cakes because she wanted something that was representative of the local cuisine. The Tombs even has a trivia night and it was really fun playing along. Sadly, all of the questions that I answered correctly had to do with TV and movies. I have issues.

While the food was good, it was a bittersweet night because it meant that Mathieu was leaving. Come back soon Mathieu and Lala! America has great hamburgers and awesome television.

Eric Visits in June

I am lucky to live near DC. It is a cool place to live, it is beautiful in the fall, it has a dynamic energy about it, and people often come here for business, conferences and sight-seeing. I have been fortunate to have a lot of friends come out to visit over the last two years. My friend Eric came out for a conference in June and stayed with me. Eric and I were both in the same study abroad program in Madrid, Spain. He was the cool kid and I just tagged a long basking in his awesomeness. It was great to see Eric because we hadn’t seen each other since I left Utah. It was a reunion that was long overdue.

Sadly, Eric wasn’t in town for very long and he had to attend the conference and I had to work (I hate needing a paycheck). So I would drop Eric off at the Metro on my way to work and I would pick him up at a Metro stop or in DC after work and we would eat food. Eric and I love to eat food, I think it is what brought us together initially.

So here is where we ate:
• I took Eric to one of my favorite places, Kabob Palace. I have mentioned it before, but I just love that place and I love to take visitors there. If you come to see me, there is no escaping it – just ask Tiffany.
• We also headed to Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s Chili Bowl is a DC institution and I had never been. Eric swore to me that he liked chili so we made our way up to U Street. The chili was indeed very good and it is different than southwestern style chili as there were no beans anywhere. I would not recommend the slushees that they have, the one I ordered was so sweet I almost went into a diabetic coma. Eric and I both enjoyed the chili dogs. Eric also had potato salad that said was just okay.

Eric also wins the Guest of the Year award. I set Eric up in the basement is which is large and cold (which is great for the summer). Our dog, Lexy, rarely ventures into the basement for reasons that are known only to her. When she does go down there, however, it is to poop. Sometimes when Lexy can’t last the entire night the basement becomes her bathroom. It is a rare occurrence, but Seabreeze does have a seam cleaner on hand just in case.

Poor Eric was sleeping soundly when he heard Lexy come down the stairs. He told us that he got very excited that Lexy was going to hang out with him until she proceeded to poop right in front of him on the carpet. Wonderful Eric took Lexy out for a walk at 3:00 am and then proceeded to clean up her mess. Eric, you went above and beyond and are welcome here anytime – if you dare to return.

I hope that doesn’t scare the rest of you way.

Bella Visits in June and August 2009

In June my lovely friend Bella Tukuafu came out to DC for her new job. I was so excited that she was in town because it had been about 4 years since we had last seen each other. As usual, Bella was totally awesome. It was great to catch up with her and learn more about her sexy husband (I am just reporting the facts, right Bella?) and her totally adorable kids. Bella never ceases to amaze me; she is so cool and confident.

While in town, Seabreeze, Shelley, Bella and I went to our former mission president’s house for dinner (the mission president supervises all the missionaries). I hadn’t seen the Pratt’s in about 8 years and it was strange to see kids that were in high school when I knew them now married and with kids on the way. It was nice to catch up with them again.

Bella and I went out to dinner several times when she was in town. I took her to Cosi here in Reston and the s'moores were fantastic. Bella's co-worker Cecilia joined us as Cosi and instantly fit right in. Cecilia you are welcome here anytime. On her last night in town I headed to Rosa Mexicano in to join Bella and her co-workers for dinner. Boy did we eat up a lot of food and shared several desserts. I love people that love dessert.

What really made my day was that Bella came back in August and we were able to spend time together once more. I wish she didn’t live so far away – stupid Utah.

Savannah, GA

Right after I got back from NYC I headed down to Savannah, GA. I was really excited to go, because I was heading to my ancestral homeland. My maternal grandmother grew up outside of Savannah in Jesup. I have never been to this part of Georgia, so it was exciting to get an idea of my Grandma AJ’s background. One of the people I met said that they knew some Odum’s (my grandmother's maiden name) from Jesup and commented that they are some fun-loving drunks. I am glad I come from a line of people that know how to party.

The highlight of the trip was the night I spent in Savannah. There is a new Hampton Inn downtown that is really nice. It is located right in a lovely part of Savannah and is a good deal, although you do have to pay for parking. One benefit of staying a Hampton Inn is that they usually have a decent selection of cable channels. Sadly, I ended up spending way to much time in the hotel room as I felt the beginnings of a cold coming on.

Before I crashed for the night, I headed to Paula Dean’s restaurant, The Lady & Sons. I love to eat at local places and I was especially excited to eat the food of someone that appears on my beloved Food Network. Things actually went my way as I was able to find a free parking spot close to the restaurant and I got in without a reservation (because I was willing to eat at the bar).

There was a lot on the menu that looked very, very good. The only issue is that I have some weird preferences when it comes to food (my dad continuously mocks me, and rightfully so). I don’t like to eat meat on the bone. This means that I don’t really care for roasted chicken served on the bone or ribs. In fact, if it meant eating ribs or not eating at all, I wouldn’t eat. I don’t care to gnaw on bones and when you eat chicken on the bone, you don’t just get the meat, you end up eating gristle, tendons, and other nasty parts of the animal. Yuck. I also don’t care much for fish. I have never really enjoyed fish, aside from the fish stick or Filet-o-Fish variety. I also have issues with shellfish. I oftentimes have strange reactions to crab and lobster, so I just tend to avoid the whole group all together.

Now for the important part – Savannah is a southern coastal city - meaning that they are famous for their seafood and fried chicken (not necessarily together). So when I had to pick a meal, it was pretty much fish or fried chicken. Here is how I played it: The Lady & Sons has a meal called the “Southern Buffet.” It is all you can eat for $17.99 of pork loin, fried chicken, biscuits, corn bread, macaroni and cheese and a lot of other typical southern foods. The bartender recommended the Southern Buffet since I was only in town for the night and it was the best way to sample Paula Dean’s cooking.

The buffet was fantastic, aside from the pork loin which I found to be dry. I also didn’t love the peach cobbler – and I typically love peach cobbler. It just seemed a bit bland, as if there wasn’t enough cinnamon.

I may not eat much fried chicken on a regular basis, but it was the best fried chicken I have ever had. I even went back for seconds. The macaroni and cheese was totally decadent and the homemade corn bread was to die for – I had to force myself not to just eat carbs the entire time. Before you even head to the buffet, you are served garlic and cheddar biscuits – those biscuits prove that this is an inherently good world, as nothing that delicious could ever exist in a world of pure evil. I even tried some black eyed peas that were pretty tasty. But that fried chicken – oh man, that must be what fried chicken in heaven tastes like. Mom – you have to go.

Given the opportunity, I would happily go to Savannah again. Maybe this time I would be able to take a tour of the city, go to the Odum stomping grounds, and see that statue on the cover of the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

New York City, NY

Well, I did pretty well on my blog in August, yet like most of my efforts in life, the progress was short-lived. I am going to get back up on the blogging horse and try once more. Thanks for sticking with me.

In May I had the awesome assignment of going up to NYC for a three-day training course. It was especially nice because my good friend, Frank, was assigned to teach. Road Trip!

Frank and I decided to take the train up to New York instead of flying. I haven’t been on trains very much, but I like the concept. One argument for the train is that it takes you right from Union Station in DC to Penn Station in NYC, which is really convenient. While it is about a three hour train ride, you don’t have to arrive at the train station 1.5 hours early so you end up saving a fair amount of time. It is a much more laid back affair and it really was nice to not have to deal with taxis to and from LaGuardia or JFK. I would totally take the train again (although it not any cheaper than flying). Frank did not have such a fantastic experience. I came home a few days earlier than Frank as he has friends up on Long Island. On his way back someone jumped in front of his train and died, delaying it for hours. The exact quote from Frank was, “I wasn’t annoyed while I still had 30 Rock to watch, but once I finished with the DVD’s I got mad.”

Now I may come off sounding spoiled, because of where I stayed in New York, but I am not. Frank and I were lucky enough to book rooms at the Waldorf-Astoria. I never in a million years thought I would get to stay there. They were running a huge special and it was cheaper to stay at the Waldorf than it was to stay at a Hilton Garden Inn in Chelsea (I am not lying: $259 at the Waldorf compared to $269 at the Hilton Garden Inn). It was an amazing hotel with an absolutely beautiful lobby and a great location in Midtown. I will say that my room wasn’t remarkable, it was actually quite small. The hallways in the hotel also creeped out Frank, who said they reminded him too much of the “The Shining.” Judge for yourself...

The Waldorf is just a couple of blocks from Rockefeller Center. Naturally, Frank and I headed over there to try and stalk Tina Fey, but she was no where to be found. While there was no Tina, there was a Magnolia Bakery. For those of you that know I love tiny cakes, they don’t get much tinier than cupcakes. Frank and I went back to Magnolia several times and I fell in love with the chocolate on chocolate and the red velvet. Frank is weird and eats his cupcakes without frosting. Who does that?

Frank had never been to the Empire State Building so we totally had to go there. Now they try to upsale you with a special trip to the 102nd floor for an extra $15. It is not worth it. At that high up, the perspective is about the same and the entire floor is enclosed and slightly confining. Otherwise, it was a beautiful day to go and I as usual, the view was spectactular.

I talked Frank into going to Serendipity with me because I love their frozen hot chocolate (as stated in an earlier blog). I totally got us lost going there, but we arrived and I enjoyed my sandwich and my awesome frozen hot chocolate. I don’t know if Frank enjoyed it or not.

The building where we were training was located in Chelsea so I was able to go to the Chelsea Market for lunch. I loved that place, especially Hale and Hearty Soups. They have amazing corn chowder and wild mushroom soup. I also enjoyed their turkey cranberry sandwich. I ate there several times and really enjoyed the food and surly service.

I also had my first authentic New York Style pizza at Gotham Pizza. It was very yummy and not at all greasy. I typically like a thicker crust because I love bread, but I am becoming a thin crust convert. I my have to eat a lot of pizza to fully change my mind but I am up to the challenge.

There are some fantastic restaurants in Chelsea by chefs whose names I actually know. There was Tom Colicchio’s place, Craft, which had some delicious steaks smells coming out of the building and Iron Chef Morimoto’s Morimoto New York. It is at times when I am surrounded by fine dining that I really wish I had a lot of money.

I had my first, “let’s get some drinks at the Waldorf” experience and it was expensive. I paid $20 for two virgin daiquiris. I wonder what in those drinks cost $20 because I know there wasn’t $20 worth of booze in there? It was still a lot of fun and I totally downed a ton of the Chex mix-like food they had on the tables. I hope I ate $20 bucks worth of that mix.

Since I am not very familiar with New York I don’t know of a lot of places to eat that were within our price range. After wandering around and getting hungrier and hungrier Frank and I just gave up and picked a place to eat off Times Square. I had heard of Maxie’s Delicatessen before and for some reason had heard it was delicious. I was very, very mistaken. The food was totally disgusting and flavorless. I think that they take every order and just deep fry it. My southwestern egg rolls tasted just like my Ruben hamburger that tasted nothing like a Ruben. Everything ultimately tasted like old oil. Do not eat there – EVER!

Frank did figure out where the mistake came, there is a 4-star restaurant in New York called Maxie’s Bar and Grill. We were so close to goodness but yet so far…

On the way back from Maxie’s we passed a restaurant called Alfredo’s of Rome. Frank and I stopped to look at the menu and someone that was outside smoking told us the place was really delicious. Since she was dressed all in black, we assumed she was a waitress but she insisted she was not, just a happy customer. We went back the next day and I had the best fettuccini alfredo of my life. It was so creamy and simple. The sauce actually tasted like cheese and not like a cheese sauce derivative that came out of a can – I accuse you Olive Garden. It isn’t cheap, but not overly expensive. I would happily eat there again.

On our last night in New York we went to see The Lion King. I was totally jazzed to see the play as I had heard so many great things about the costumes and set design. I should preface the following by saying that I have never seen the movie The Lion King so I didn’t really know the story. Frank was a really good friend because he wanted to see a different play, but I insisted on The Lion King. The first number with the “Circle of Life” song was breathtaking. I was in shock at that creativity and imagination it took to make the savannah and its wildlife come to life so beautifully on stage. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Then things started going down hill. The jokes were lame and the kid actors had the emotional range of a rice cake. I went to the theater with higher expectations from the whole production. There were some stand out scenes for the costumes and sets, but the overacting and pathetic jokes just really took a great play and made it unfortunate. As Frank later reminded me, “it is a kid’s movie.” I owe you an apology Frank.

The day I was leaving to travel back to DC was my birthday. Frank and I decided to go to the Today show. According to internet sources, you should arrive at the Today show at about 5:30 am if you want to get onto Rockefeller Plaza. 5:30 am is early, but Frank and I were up until almost 1:30 am watching scenes being filmed for the upcoming movie, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice with Nicolas Cage so 5:30 am was really early. It was kind of boring watching them film the movie because took forever for them to do anything. The upside is that my failures to enter the movie business on the production side seem less like failures. We did get to see a garbage truck ram a car at about .5 mph in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. So if you see the movie that is part we saw being filmed.

We got to the Today show at about 5:30 and proceeded to stand in line for an hour until they let us onto the plaza. Frank made a sign for me to hold up (since he is more artistic than I am) wishing my Uncle Roger a happy birthday (we have the same birthday). It was the first installment of the Today summer concert series with Jennifer Hudson. We were able to listen to her warm up which was really fun.

One of the ladies standing next to us was chosen for the Ambush Makeover series. She was just so nice and if you watch during the fourth hour of the show, you can see Frank and me standing behind her and jumping up and down like idiots. I have to say that the guy who does the makeovers is Botoxed beyond belief. Yikes!

By 7:00 am we had seen Al Roker, talked a fellow visitor through a break-up with her boyfriend, heard Jennifer Hudson, and had aching feet. We both went back to the hotel and crashed.

Before I caught my train back to DC we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was amazing. I absolutely adore their collection of Greek and Roman statuary. It was especially wonderful having Frank there because he as a strong background in art and art history. I would highly recommend inviting Frank to any art museum you visit. I just wish we would have had more time to explore. I could spend days there, and I know nothing about art.

Next Trip: Savannah, GA