Eating from the hot pot

It looks like fall has packed its bags and left the building. It got cold and rainy/sleety yesterday here in Chicagoland and it looks like that unpleasantness is going to stick around awhile.

With the weather turning cold, thoughts turn to foods that warm. A typical Midwest winter dinner doesn't center on the hot pot, but ours did last night. And it was delicious! We've been trying to get together with some friends who recently returned from a big trip to China so we could trade Asian travel stories and last night was the night.

Derek and Mari put on a wonderful dinner. It was a traditional Asian hot pot meal. Think a really hearty soup, chock full of Asian elements. It was really fun to watch it all being prepared. The vegetables that made their way in were tremendous and the fish, meat, and dim sum just made it all the more amazing. I had made some bao (did chicken this time) to accompany the hot pot. We had a great time talking over our travels through Asia and then we moved onto Europe and our mutual experiences there.

We also found ourselves talking about our mutual university experiences. Mutual in the sense that we all went to the same university, but I was once again reminded that I'm old. We got to talking about my recent visit back to campus to visit Our Lady of BYU and Mari mentioned a French class she took in the JKHB. I mentioned how surprised I was by the renovation, which I thought had been done recently. Turns out it was done while she was an undergrad there, which wasn't so long ago. Shari reminded me at that point that I'm old. And I guess I am getting there.

Since I am old, per my family, I felt no guilt today in literally taking it easy most of the day. I gave blood this morning and took the counsel of the folks there to rest up today. So I holed up in the basement, watched a few episodes of "The Office" - Season Four on DVD, and have been laughing a lot. You just can't get enough of watching Michael Scott mowing down Meredith in the first episode. Good times!

The Day After

What an interesting time to be from Chicagoland?! Our Senator has been elected as the 44th President of the United States of America. Looks like the mantra of "change" resonated with the electorate. It was something to watch the crowds massed in Grant Park last night. What a great way to showcase this amazing city! Can I give my city a shout out too?! No riots, no overturned vehicles - I mean Philly did that when they won the World Series.

What an election this has been! It's caused so much introspection at a personal level and that translated so deeply in the voting booth. I know the ever patient Shari and I had several conversations about this election and we never questioned how the other would vote. Frankly we didn't know how either would vote until our votes had been cast. I was also impressed at how the Boy took an interest in this. We sat up for awhile last night watching the returns. I appreciated getting the perspective of a thirteen year old on all the madness. He's got some wisdom, that one.

So now, two more months until Barack moves into the Casa Blanca. I kind of think GW is already trunky and may have most of his stuff packed so I don't think it will take the Obamas long to settle in. I am on my way to Dallas right now...maybe I can scope out some new digs for GW and Laura.

It's almost over!

Praise the heavens, my friends (how many of will puke if you hear either of the Presidential candidates-in particular McCain-call the masses "my friends" again!?), it is almost over. A matter of hours and the longest Presidential campaign EVER will be over.

Now if you happen to be watching any of the network coverage, it would appear that this election is over. And it would seem that the Angriest Man in the US Senate will remain angry, but just not in the White House. Um...shame on the networks. How is it that they are calling winners when, on average, the percentages upon which they are basing their calls are under 10%. Do none of these saps remember the debacle of 2000? Not that I think that this election is going to be decided by the brain trust that is the US Supreme Court, but c'mon, network wads, let's dial it back. Case in point - I cast my vote at 630PM and had to use a paper ballot and based on the Cataract Crew of volunteers working our precinct here in Chicagoland, I can assure you my vote has yet to be counted.

Hopefully when this is all over, and may that be soon, can we all take a collective breather and calm down just a little? Seriously. Matter of fact to get it started, watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert cover the election tonight on Comedy Central. Laugh a little.

A Tale of Two Meals

I am never one to turn down a good meal, ever. As a result, I got a little thick around the middle (code for FAT). It got worse once I hit my 40's. I knew it was time to change when the concept of wearing a bro, or a mansierre (gracias, Kramer of Seinfeld fame), was beginning to make sense. So about ten months ago, I embarked on the weight loss bonanza (better diet and running) and so far, it's worked. That being said, I still refuse to turn down a good meal.

Last weekend, I had a meal that was not good, with a capital "G". Of course, the target is an easy one. It's cafeteria food. And by cafeteria food, I don't mean Luby's, Chuck-A-Rama (or Upchuck-A-Rama as we loving called it) or their commercial ilk...no, I mean genuine Grade-D university cafeteria food. I dined with Our Lady of BYU at her cafeteria, the newly rebuilt Cannon Center. Our Lady and her friends, Meesh and Sheridan, swore six ways til Sunday that the best option was the omelette and something from the grill. So I followed their counsel. You be the judge, jury, and executioner:

The omelette is in the upper right hand corner of the picture. That's exactly as it was served. I hadn't even touched it yet. Looks like it was shot out of a rifle at point blank range. The main, pork loin and sweet potato fries, finished it out. This much I will admit...the sweet potato fries were good. It is a little unfair to pile on about cafeteria food, I get it. But c'mon. I'll give them this much though - this will keep the dreaded "Freshman 15" weight gain from happening.

Now, this afternoon, it was a much better meal. We finally went to the Flat Top Grill here in our neck of the Chicago suburbs. It's a chain (but that seems to be a requirement if a restaurant is to survive in the 'burbs) with a little more upscale take on Mongolian BBQ. Very friendly service and they put out a good meal. I loaded up my bowl with spinach, edamame, carrots, celery, garlic, pad thai noodles, and a kickin' vindaloo sauce with sirloin to round out the protein compliment. Take a look:

The roti is really good too. You can use that as your fork. Everybody in Casa Lyons was happy with this place. We'll go back...

Now speaking of good cooking, we all remember Julia Child, who went to the big French kitchen in the sky a few years ago. French cooking is not my favorite and I never could figure Julia out. The accent drove me to complete and utter distraction. For those of you that miss her terribly, do you realize you need look no further than Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) to see her again?


When did Julia inhabit Liddy? I first noticed it earlier this week when USA Today ran a picture of the Senator. She was a dead ringer, no pun intended, for the late Julia. Freaked me out. But I may not have to worry much about it after Tuesday. It looks like Sen. Dole may get swept out in the anti-Republican fervor that has gripped the nation. But as Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!" said today, in not so many words, "Leave it to the Democrats to lose an election with so much going in their favor." Well, let's see what Tuesday brings.