Kimmy's Garden

De-Lux! Worth driving to the West-end

kg — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:56:39 +0000

M and I went out tonight for a visiting Taiwanse elementary school (Wu Fu) diabolo group. After, we went out to seek a fine dinner before a movie.

And I was sort of hungry, so we searched out some sort of sit down place (not Hooters!!) in Bourbon Street, WEM. Et voila, we found D-Lux Burger Bar. Immediately, the Hostesses were friendly while we waited for a table. Honestly, I was a bit worried at first about paying $12-15 for just the burger, I have to say that the sides were generous for $3 more. We had beer battered onion rings (ah! great!!) and sweet potato fries (they were a bit over cooked though!). The beer was served with frosty mugs, I cannot tell you how much I love that, and a B-52 milkshake. OMG. It was thick, creamy and delicious. It was actually my husband’s, uh, drink, but I drank most of it. Let this be a warning to all to never let me try your drink or your food.

At the end of the meal, we did not finish the fries, nor had we room for the desserts. I didn’t even look at the list! But they served us something as a nice salutation with the bill. I won’t ruin the surprise. Cooler than a mint I can tell you.

Then the movie we went to was Scott Pilgrim vs the World, and that made for a really great night.

The Hat – possibly most bland spinach salad, ever

kg — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:27:45 +0000

OK, so I don’t blog regularly. I just have nothing to say unless my muses inspire me to write poetry. But I do eat, and I eat out a lot! So, witness the birth of my food opinions around the city.

My first experience worth commenting on is: The Hat. I met four colleagues downtown for drinks after work tonight. Service was great, the atmosphere was appropriate for the TGIF. The water droplet wall paper was very cool. I had everything to look forward to, and then the beer came. Delicious, now I am just fine! And a bit hungry… My colleagues ordered wraps, burgers, and some kind of dip with chips. DE-licious. And I ordered the spinach salad.

The food smelled great, as all sizzling and creamy things do, and as I was bringing the first forkful to my drooling mouth, one second later, all my tongue hopes were dashed: tasted like, um, spinach. Thsi may seem silly, but a spinach salad should not actually taste like spinach. If I wanted just spinach, I would have stayed home with my big box of “washed and ready to eat” and a fork.

Let’s review before we get into the constructive criticism: spinach, while often the main ingredient in a simple or complex salad, consisting of spinach and at least two (2) other things – salty & sweet, maybe a third of chewy – is pretty easy. This has always been a favorite, and not since 2001 have I ever had a bad spinach salad! And that one was only a let down because spinach was out of season and so not available and so I had to have the ceasar. This year alone I have had at least 10 spinach salads out, from a fruity orange segment with raspberry vinaigrette topped with almond slices to a spicy beet with goat cheese rendition drizzled with apple cider vinegar…honestly, a restaurant spinach salad has never disappointed. Until today.

The salad, while generous in portion size, had no cheese (need a salty!), the onions were cut far too large to give the proper sweet, and their bacon dressing was basically oil with little bits in it – I gave them the benefit of the doubt that perhaps the chef did not SHAKE the bottle before dispensing. After speaking discretely with the kind waitress, she brought me another oyster dish with more dressing, no charge, because it looked like there was no dressing on it! Ah, perhaps that was it. But then the oyster dish was filled with, well, oil that looked like bacon grease but lacked the characteristic saltiness. Eggs, mushrooms were there? What else can I say, it was dark where we were sitting. And, BTW, the other food was fab.

So, an almost perfect night. So, hopefully they will fix that before you go there next time.

No mammogram thank you, I just ate.

kg — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:20:22 +0000

After reading the CBC article on the new task force on mammograms not being recommended until 40, and after reading so many books on breast cancer for my project a few years ago, I can agree that the trouble of worrying is not worth the preventative effort of possible early detection.
However, I do not like the short statement about them also NOT recommending the breast self-exam. What? If women did the self-exam more often and taught how to do it properly, they would be more familiar with their body and how it changes depending on where they are in their cycles and be less afraid after the first “lump” experience. Be aware, ignorance is not bliss. Don’t even get me started on the new legislation that lets Parents pull their children out of sexual education classes at school. Hmm.

Gluten free eating takes practice…

kg — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:53:20 +0000

OK, so ten days down, and I have been lead a-stray just a few times…
that cranberry raisin bread [yea, i knew that...]
pasta salad? what? [ok, have now been introduced to rice pasta...]
couscous in my bean salad? and those sweet wheat berries are a no-no? ah! [dammit]
hamburger buns [ok, i needed to put the burger someone gave me somewhere...]

But, now I have adjusted my recipes to have buckwheat, and quinoa to replace some of the bean salad bits.
And I have a great brownie recipe made with brown rice flour and quinoa flour, and apple sauce too. very chocolatey.

What I miss most: toast!!
What I like most so far: hot wasabi rice crackers!

You are what you eat…

kg — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:38:39 +0000

OK, so like many people I have been trying to get more fit, and lose a little weight for my health.
I just read a great book called “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by M. Pollan – and there was a section on how corn and soy bean have taken over the world, cows eating corn when they naturally shouldn’t, etc. The corn carbohydrate (C4) is slightly different than a wheat or barley carb (C3) … anyway. Bottom line, the difference that corn as food makes is that corn-(force)-fed cattle are deliciously marbled with fat – and thus so are the humans that eat them [my conclusion].
Instead of simply not eating flesh that was fed by corn, I have decided to cut out corn – except in my curried bean soup and the occasional nachos platter.
Also, reflecting on the fact that I also eat a lot of bread, I have determined that I am fairly bread-like. Soft, doughy, and pleasantly fluffy. What makes bread so wonderful? Gluten and air. Ok, keep air – say goodbye to gluten. This was actually the tough part.
Going gluten free for a month to see what happens. I am now eating my last strawberry Twizzler licorice, for a month. Who knew there was gluten in licorice? This is going to be tough.

Seriously Cool Altered Book Video

kg — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:08:20 +0000

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

Querida Mami:

kg — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:24:47 +0000

¿Cómo estas? ¿Cómo va la familia? Debo confesarte que no escribo correos electrónicos porque hago siempre mis tareas con la computadora y no la quiero tocar si no lo necesito absolumente.

No estoy estresada, pero estoy muy ocupada. Todas mis clases son interesantes. Saco buenas notas, y necesito estudiar mucho. ¡Tengo dos exámenes esta semana!

Sí, sí, duermo seis horas como minimo cada día. Los sábados, trabajo y después voy a bailar en la discoteca con amigas. Los domingos descanso todo el día con mi gatita nueva MeiMei. ¡Holgazana, yo sé! Hace dos días que no hago ejercicio, pero corro regularmente. Como muy bien, te lo juro. ¡El hecho es que yo engordo! En mi próxima visita, ¿puedes preparar tu ensalada de espinaca? Yo la ansio.

De verdad, Marcos tiene novia, ¡ya era hora! ¿Ella va a preparar la cena para tí y papi? Estoy un poco celosa, hay una influencia nueva en mi sensible hermano. Y Mariela, ¿cómo van sus clases? ¿A papá le gusta mucho el retiro? ¿Tiene unas actividades, o no sale de la casa el pobre?

Mamá, no te preocupes por mí. ¡Yo te llamo este fin de semana, lo prometo!

Cariñosamente, tu hija, Kim

Querida Estrella:

kg — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:13:39 +0000

¿Cómo estas? ¿Cómo van tus clases? Espero que todo esté bien.

Mis cuatro primas y yo estamos en Venezuela, en la ciudad de Caracas. ¡En la noche, es muy bonita! Hay pequeñas luces a miilares en la neblina. Hay también unos grandes escarabajos que cantan todas las noches. La música es espeluznante y preciosa.

Vamos todos los días a la playa, tomamos el sol y nadamos. Comemos en varios restaurantes, y compramos unas baratijas. Viajamos de un pueblecito a otro.

Hay muchos lugares interesantes en el norte de Venezuela. Me gustan los museos y las galerías de artes. Mi artista favorito es Jesús Soto; su enorme esfera naranja está en Caracas.

No hay muchos turistas en Venezuela, por eso no hay nucho inglés. ¡Qué bien! Los habitantes son muy majos y trabajadores. La gente vende comida en la calle. ¿Qué comida me gusta más? Pienso … para el desayuno, yo como arepas con huevos y queso, y muchas veces como también los plátanos fritos. ¡Disponibles en todas partes son los grandes mangos y aguacates frescos! ¡Deliciosos!

Pasado mañana, vamos a celebrar el 5 de julio, su día de Independencia. Vamos a bailar, cantar y beber toda la noche en la plaza con todo el mundo.

Te echo de menos, Kim

¡Hola Xiomara!

kg — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:06:42 +0000

Asunto: Anuncio

Respondo a tu anuncio del periódico personal: me gustan mucho los museos y decorar las casas, ¡sobre todo la mía! Soy canadiense, pero mi familia es originaria de Noruega. Tengo treinta y ocho años, soy activa, dinámica, dedicada y muy sociable. Trabajo en una grande biblioteca en la universidad de Alberta en Canadá. Todos los fines de semana, juego o arbitro los juegos de rugby – así es que estoy desmasiado ocupada. Descanso los domingos con las películas y muchas palomitas. ¡Quiero una vida más artistica! Necesito trambién un cambio en mi mundo.

¿Necesitas tal vez un nuevo punto de vista de una fotógrafa, y una nueva amiga? Deseo ser tu amiga. Por favor, escríbeme un correo electrónico a mi dirección. Hasta pronto, Kim

!Hola Estrella!

kg — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:03:08 +0000

!Cuanto tiempo sin verte! ?Qué tal?
?Comó son tus classes, y tus profesores? ¿Cuál es tu clase favorita? ¿Bailas o duermes las noches del sábado? Dime.

Me gusta el campus de la universidad de Alberta. De hecho, la universidad tiene 100 años este septiembre. Llego a la universidad a las ocho de la mañana, ¡casi la madrugata! Este semestre tengo solo tres clases porque cinco es desmasiado dificil. Matemáticas y español son muy interesantes, pero estadistica es aburrida! Trabajo en la biblioteca como siempe, y miro la televisión.

¿Cuándo visitas el Canada? ¡Vamos de tapas!
¡Hasta luego amiga! Kim