It's Me, KP

Gourdoughs

You knew it was coming right? When I made my pilgrimage to Austin, I had a Texas sized list of food recommendations but hands down the one place that was the most popular is Gourdoughs. Donuts. Yes, please. Austin definitely seems to be food truck central so it was no suprise these donuts can be found in a parking lot (next to some tacos called Izzoz, which are raved about from my friends the Izzo's!) 

We tried the Son of a Peach and Flying Pig. Now the photo above may not be selling you but trust me. It's damn good. And you know that I know my way around a donut. (Covered in bacon. With warm maple syrup icing.)  So I join the crowds of people who demand that you put Gourdoughs at the top of your Austin list. We will all be very, very jealous.

Lunch at Gjelina

A few years ago Amy + JC took me to Gjelina, a beautiful small restaurant in their neighborhood in Venice.  It's quite possible that I've heard Amy talk about Gjelina (and the pot de creme, but we'll get to that later...) since the first day I met her.  This theory is supported by the fact that I now talk about Gjelina since that first day they took me there.  It's a such great place.

When I was in Southern California back in February, the trip was not complete without a meal at Gjelina so I talked my friends Kellie + Linda into meeting me for lunch.  The weather was perfect to sit out on the amazing patio and share a great feast of food. 

I've been lucky to share quite a few meals there now with Amy + JC and I know that as long as they're on the menu (which does change now and then) some standards will always be ordered.  White wine and oysters, for starters, along with the two things pictured below: the butterscotch pot de creme and mushroom pizza.  

One other thing I believe I learned from Amy on the first day that I met her is that she is not a dessert person.  We do not share this characteristic... until the butterscotch pot de creme is on the menu.  One of the best things that you'll eat.  Ever.  Creamy and salty and caramely.  And why not wash it down nicely with a glass of moscato, just for extra sweetness.  I'd love to have one right now in fact, so hopping a flight to California for lunch on the Gjelina patio sounds tempting.  Join me, won't you?

Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market

Last November after I went to Hong Kong, I had the awesome opportunity to stay with one of my best friends Chloe, who is currently living in Tokyo.  There are hundreds of photos from that trip that I still haven't even attempted to go through, but I did recently take a little walk down memory lane of my stroll through the Tsukiji Fish Market.

This is a foodie and photographer's dream combined, so as you can imagine I was in heaven.  I didn't wake up early enough to see the auction and the warehouse was pretty empty by the time I got there so I was able to take my time walking around.

I really enjoy seeing people do what they're meant to do really well, if you know what I mean.  And these amazing fisherman excel at being the best of the best in the world's biggest fish market.  It's pretty cool.

After my walk I waited over an hour (which is very typical) at one of the sushi restaurants right outside the market. I had a near death by sushi episode last April and hadn't touch a piece of sushi since.  I figured if there was any place to get back on the horse, this was it. Wasn't going to get any fresher or better than at Tsukiji.  However, I am sad to report sushi and I are still at odds.  Maybe on my next trip to Tokyo we can try to make amends once again. 

Little Goat Diner

Dinner last year at The Girl + The Goat in Chicago was one of my favorite meals.  We had such a great time and amazing food.  So it was no surprise that I adored lunch at Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard's new place Little Goat Diner. This is another one of the BOKA Group's restaurants and I have been a longtime fan of everything they do.  You can't lose dining with the BOKA boys.

We went on December 31st, just a few days after it had opened so it was completely packed with a long wait.  But totally worth it.  The food just made us all happy.  The menu is fun and inventive just like the diner's whole atmosphere.

I was still full after our breakfast feast of doughnuts at Glazed + Infused (which I definitely need to blog about as well - yum yum) so I only had the crab dip and it was delicious.  Everything was playful and well, pretty perfect.  I wish I had taken photos of the inside of the restaurant, it's definitely somewhere you want to sit and hang out.  They're open late and serve Stumptown coffee, so I think you'll know where you can find me once I move to Chicago.

I can't wait to try more of the enormous menu... I know I'm going to clean my plate and uncover that little goat every time.

Go Green

Often people are surprised to learn that I grew up in Michigan.  Yep, Asian girl growing up in West Michigan. I received my BA from Michigan State University and will forever bleed green + white (the exception being when I bleed Chicago Cubbie blue during baseball season.)  

Amanda also went to Michigan State, but we didn't meet until three years ago in New York.  But when we were both home for Christmas we stopped through East Lansing and paid a visit to our old friend Sparty.  He's lookin' pretty good I have to say.

We also paid a visit to our old friend Gumby's pizza, which has now changed its name to Goomba's pizza but never fear... they still have Pokey sticks.  We all know I know some good eats, so trust me when I tell you that these Pokey sticks are one of the best things you can eat on this planet.  Dough, butter, cheese.  Boom.  

I killed more than half of what was in that box above. And I was damn proud of it. I dream about these things. In fact, my wifi network in my apartment is called pokeysticks. They're that important to me, people. That important.

Hong Kong

Back in November I had the amazing opportunity to go to Hong Kong and it was an incredible trip.  I posted a lot of photos to an album on Facebook a while ago but also wanted to share a few favorites here.  Hong Kong was hands down one of my most favorite cities I've ever been to.  It sounds silly but I've never been somewhere so Asian and I completely enjoyed that.  Everything was exciting to me and I really loved the parts of the city I was able to explore.

I was only there for a couple of days but I had such a fantastic trip and would love to go back soon.  Thank you so much to all the people who made me feel welcome and my friend Jen + her husband for being my tour guides, and the terrific gals who came to my class - I loved spending time with you.  And with my homegirls Jenny + Janet from LA who happened to be there as well and brought me to the place with the best pork ever.  

Here's a little peek at my trip to Hong Kong...

EL Ideas

It should come as no surprise that I like people who are creative and even more unshocking that I like people who are creative with food.  I was in Chicago for a night last week and treated to a fantastic dinner at EL Ideas, where creativity hit the plate.  The most gorgeous of plates, in fact.  

EL Ideas is a 12 course dinner where the menu constantly changes and the chef/owner Phillip Foss brings out his imagination.  It's like we were being treated to play time in the kitchen and I was more than happy to join in.  The small restaurant holds about 16 dinner guests and everyone is encouraged to mingle (I might have eavesdropped and interrupted the girls conversation next to us - they were talking about Stumptown!), visit the kitchen, take photos, and even help plate the food.  

And the plating... that is where I was really impressed.  These were some of the most beautiful plates of food I've ever seen.  It's interesting to dine with John who is all about flavor, when often I am all about presentation.  Give me a pretty color scheme on a white plate and I begin to swoon.

My favorite dish was the chef's take on french fries and a milkshake which ended up being vanilla ice cream in potato soup.  I'm definitely one to dip my fries in my milkshakes at Shake Shack, so this creative dish was happiness in a bowl (a bowl that I wanted to lick clean like a cat, Cheshire smile at the end and all.)  The last dessert was a take on an Old Fashioned that was as light as air.

The music in the dining room was played from iTunes and consisted of a few mash-ups but mostly covers of some really fantastic songs.  I think this suited EL Ideas so nicely... the food is like covers themselves.  Something delicious and familiar remastered in a creatively fresh and new way, presented for you to enjoy.  And enjoy I did.

Crop & Create Saskatoon

Crop & Create in Saskatoon last weekend was a blast... and we got blasted with snow!  I grew up in Michigan so I'm used to Mother Nature dumping that fluffy white stuff down like powdered sugar, and we certainly got it while we were in Saskatoon.  Top that off with bone cold temps and I think we were all extra glad we had a good reason to stay inside and craft.

I did venture outside to the hotel across the street since they had Coke (it's a problem, I'm addicted) and also Nanaimo bars.  Let me say that one more time.  Nanaimo bars!  Canada's nectar of the gods.  They are amazing treats and if you ever come across one you better buy three.  One for now, one for later, and one to give to the friend who will be extremely jealous when she sees you eating it.

Along with the awesome students in my classes, I got to spend time with Dawn + Lisa - who were just as sweet as could be.  I love that I get to meet so many online friends and sitting around to talk "shop" is my favorite part of these cool events.

Registration for Crop & Create Moncton just opened tonight and you can find more info right here.  I'll also be at Markham in February and looking forward to seeing a lot of my friends from Ottawa there!

One more note - you can find me (with a giveaway!) over on Stephanie's blog and also on Julie's Adventures in Arting podcast this week.  I had a great time taping the podcast with Julie and Eileen... we talked about my new business plans, food, scrapping, blogging, and so much more.  Give it a listen.  Thank you to both of these amazing friends for hosting me today.

Portland Eats

Every time I visit Portland I have the urge to buck my New York City life, pack it all up, and make a move out west.  Something about that city gets in my veins and there's a giant magnet pulling my heart to the state of Oregon.  Someday.  Maybe someday.

In the meantime, I love every minute I get to spend there... and every bite that I've ever had there.  Amazing food happening in PDX.  I thought I'd share a few favorites here.  When I was out there last month, I got lost in Powell's (which is easy to do and never a bad thing) and stumbled upon this book called Portland's 100 Best Places to Stuff Your Faces.

This is a gem of a book, so well written and exactly the kind of book I'd like to write.  I wish I had written this very book, in fact.  I highly recommend seeking it out for your next trip to the city.  Visit the author's blog here.

I haven't been lucky to sample 100 places in Portland but here's my list of where I've had excellent nibbles + feasts:

Le Pigeon (photos here and apparently I had too much to drink + sat crooked all night), Beast, Clyde Common, Ping, Toro Bravo.  Friends took me to Tasty n Sons for dinner and the enjoyable company was only slightly outdone by the dessert we shared - Auntie Paula's French Toast Sundae with bananas, caramel & nuts (pictured above.)

I believe Voodoo Doughnuts goes without saying (but I will say maple bacon bar!!!) and you can't miss the treats at Pine State Biscuits.  I love breakfast from Kenny + Zukes.  And of course I start every day in Portland off with a cup (or two or three) of Stumptown coffee, which is my favorite in the world.  When I stay on the other side of the river, I hit Burgerville so often that it was an understatement to call it an addiction.

During my last trip I requested that friends meet me for lunch at Pok Pok, which has also recently opened here in NYC.  I have to make a trip soon out to the local location because it was an amazing meal.  The fish sauce wings lived up to the very high hype I've heard so much about.  We also had a few rounds of drinking vinegar, which was a new treat for me.  I've never sampled the food carts but that magic is definitely happening on my next trip.

Undeniably one of the best things about eating in Portland (and what often makes me long for another trip) is the great company I always have when I'm there.  You really can't beat a cocktail + dinner at Clyde Common, a big heap of great conversation, and a pop into the photobooth at the Ace with a wonderful friend.  To me, Portland delivers on satisfaction and it delivers big.

More PDX posts here, here, here, and please feel free to leave your own Portland dining suggestions!

Yum Yum Yum Fenton's

That's it. My search is over, I finally found it.  The best ice cream ever.

Which is a lot to say because trust me, I've sampled my fair share of delicious ice cream.  But when I was in Berkeley, the lovely Scrapbook Territory ladies took me to dinner at Fenton's.  And just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite... I was devouring a giant sundae of the best ice cream ever.  Creamy, perfectly sweet, and so satisfying.

They also told me this was the ice cream place featured in the move Up.  Which just put the cherry on top of my best ice cream ever sundae.  I love that movie.

And I loved the ice cream.  It was a pure happy treat.


Now that my search for the best ice cream ever is complete... what adventure is next?