Tableau Vivante

June 24, 2008

BENTO: Wait…what?

Posted by tableauvivante under Bento, Food, wine
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Wow. Time really does fly. I look back on the past few weeks since I last posted and think to myself, dang, where you been, girl?! The answer is everywhere but here. Work is the main culprit. My life outside work is a close second. Did manage some wine tastings at some Malibu vineyards this past weekend (yes, they do exist). The markets are bursting with, well, almost everything. The camera has been left at home the past few trips because it’s been too hot for dilly dallying and…I’m lazy. For a partial penance, here are some grapes that will be Malibu wine in a few years time…

WINE: Gardener’s Addendum

Posted by Inspector Vino under Travel, inspector vino, wine
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Between Epcot’s Italy and Germany pavillions lies nestled a miniature European town planted like a bonsai forest, alive with dwarf species of all real, living trees.

It’s similar, but not quite as grand, as the scenery in a ride at Disneyland. As native Southern Californians with season passes, my wife and I visit Storybook Village several times a year. I’ve always wanted one.

We live in a townhome with no proper yard. There’s a patio, but the planter space is limited. A miniature garden, then, seemed like just the thing…

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June 14, 2008

WINE: Moroccan Supper

Posted by Inspector Vino under Food, Travel, inspector vino, wine
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Epcot stays open an hour later than the parks, making it just right to head on over to for eats after the amusements close. With at least one restaurant in each of the World Showcase’s eleven country pavillions, the place is fertile ground for foodies of all stripes.

Having tasted at their booth earlier, I was interested in further exploring the cuisine of Morocco. Lucky for me, my wife had booked us a reservation that night at the Restaurant Marrakesh.

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June 3, 2008

WINE: Mediterranean, Part Dos

Posted by Inspector Vino under Food, Travel, inspector vino, wine
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When last I’d left the Festival, I was working my way west along the Mediterranean, having gotten as far as the boot of Italy. Upon my return to the region this ninth day of our trip, I trekked further still along that route all the way out to Epcot’s representative for the Iberian peninsula.

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June 2, 2008

BENTO: Cheeseburger

Posted by tableauvivante under Bento, Food
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Today’s lunch is nice and summery - black plums, cucumbers, blueberries, white nectarines (which are pure heaven…NOM), orange bell peppers, sesame studded onigiri, and a leftover mini teriyaki cheeseburger from last night’s psuedo dinner party. It was good eatin’ all around. Kind of kicking myself for not bringing a couple of the mini-chocolate muffins I made yesterday though - aching for some chocolate about now.

May 29, 2008

BENTO: It’s business time

Posted by tableauvivante under Bento, Food
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Managed to squeak back into the bento habit this week. Funny what vacations and holidays do to the diet - not. Not terribly proud of this lunch’s looks, but it’s might tasty. Rainier cherries (pitted and halved for eating ease), cucumber slices, blueberries, little Juliet tomatoes, and two teriyaki chicken spring rolls filled with rice, cilantro, arugula, and yes, teriyaki chicken ala Noh of Hawaii. Nommity nom!

Tip! Spring roll wrappers don’t need soaking in water - single biggest failing I’ve seen when people try to make them. Wet paper towels (or clean, food safe towels if you’re not into disposables, though they tend to stick to the wrappers) well and layer them on a plate with the spring roll rice wrapper discs (plate, paper towel, disc, paper towel, disc, paper towel, disc, paper towel, etc.) In about 5-10 minutes, your wrappers will be ready to roll and not so thin and soggy that they fall apart on contact.

May 28, 2008

WINE: The Brown Derby

Posted by Inspector Vino under Food, Travel, inspector vino, wine
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As night fell on the 8th evening of our trip, my wife and I made our way through the retro neon turnstyles of Disney’s MGM Studios into a carefully reconstructed facsimile of a bygone Tinsel Town.

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May 27, 2008

TRAVEL: Saint Rose, Sebastopol

Posted by tableauvivante under California, Food, Review, Travel
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There were many great dining experiences while we were wandering around Sonoma. But there was one that truly stuck out – a hidden gem of a place, off the main streets and mentioned only in passing here and there. “It’s the kind of restaurant that shouldn’t work,” said one article. The chef changes the menu regularly according to what’s available and what he feels like serving. He melds together things off the mainstream palate, or things we wish we had thought of, or things we had thought of but only dared to consume in the privacy of our own homes, shrouded by guilt. The restaurant I speak of is Saint Rose in Sebastapol. And I’d have them move to Pasadena tomorrow if I thought we could handle the truth.

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May 25, 2008

FARMERS’ MARKET: Hollywood

Posted by tableauvivante under Farmers' Markets, Food
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I have some back posting to do about Sonoma. But I don’t want to get too behind on the season. If you’ve been paying attention to my twittering, you knew that on Saturday morning, instead of roaming the Pasadena market in the wee hours of the morning, I was planted firmly in a seat at the Springbok Bar in Van Nuys for a breakfast broadcast of rugby’s Heineken Cup. I was surrounded by the angry an jubilant United Nations of rugby fandom, all while consuming South African Boer sausage, bacon, eggs, roasted tomato, and toast. JJ is an ardent rugby fan, so Saturday morning was all for him. I’d have to settle for the Sunday market in Hollywood. Darn.

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May 18, 2008

FARMERS’ MARKET: Santa Rosa’s Saturday

Posted by tableauvivante under California, Farmers' Markets, Travel
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It’s almost impossible for me to travel and not visit the local markets. Local markets are a sort of community microscope, giving you the quick and dirty essentials you need to get the feel of the local culture. The only problem I faced in visiting the Sonoma/Napa markets was choosing which ones to go to. I had five days, two of which would be mostly travel days. Since we were staying in Santa Rosa, we hit the Saturday farmers’ market.