Sundae in the Park

I got it! It's sooooooo shiny. Can't wait to try it out.

We have a bunch of their stores out here. The cakes are consistently nice (my office gets them for birthdays) but are...bundts. There really isn't much besides the shape to distinguish them from other cakes. However, the smaller bundlets (slightly bigger than big cupcakes), while (I think) expensive for their size, do make a nice host/ess gifts. They are cute and if you bring a few folks can try different flavors.

Yeah, we still like the Northridge location better and are willing to drive the 10 extra miles roundtrip (a big deal anywhere in LA!) to get there when we have time. It's a less formal, always-bustling spot that feels warm and welcoming no matter the time you walk in. And the food, probably psychosomatically at this point, tastes just a bit better - spicier, noodles with just the right chew, veggies tender-crisp, etc. Though maybe it is because the kitchen is more open to the dining room so there are more deliciously pungent aromas of Thai food wafting about the room. Who knows? Regardless, we are always happy when we go.

Yeah, my husband has been making fun of me for recycling for years, as it is wayyyyyy less effective for re-using materials than we have been led to believe (and I work in the waste management industry! So I do know this!). The difference is that I think we should do something to help mitigate the problem, instead of throwing up our hands and carrying on in hopelessness. So we have a lot of reusable items to try and do our part in little ways. Cloth grocery bags before they were cool, reusable water bottles and straws, non-plastic food containers, buying in less-packaged bulk when possible, re-using takeout containers as many times as possible, etc. Just trying to reduce the use of packaging where possible. One area I wrestle with are the plastic fibers in most clothing, which are being sent out to sea as nanoparticles with each wash (these particles are too small to be removed by most wastewater treatment). I adore certain qualities of lycra-ed and jersey-ed materials for clothes, and find many natural fibers itchy and pricey. But it is something I think about and am trying to switch our family to more cotton and linen.

Available/offered to eat for the past two nights: manicotti, sausages, assorted cut fruit, roasted asparagus, and sauteed eggplant and peppers. The Big has eaten sausages with white rice dug out from the fridge and the Little has only eaten sausages. Before that we had some lovely homemade chicken tenders that both enthusiastically scarfed for dinner and then refused completely the next day. By the way, while both kids enjoyed the Costco dumplings mightily while we were in the store, they won't touch them at home. I'm somewhat flattered that my homemade dumplings are acceptable and also kind of furious. Lee, the Big kid just turned 4 and the Little kid is just 1.5, so I don't really expect too much out of either of them (though I dearly miss when #1 would eat anything we gave him, but that has been done for over a year and his formerly wide palate is re-emerging only incrementally). Giving the Big the choice to earn his treats has been less effective during these holidays, as treats are here and there and everywhere and we have been quite indulgent, but has been moderately successful in getting him to revisit the least challenging fruits and vegetables (mostly apples, bananas, pears, and cucumbers). One upside of our method seems to be that he likes treats, but doesn't feel any desperation towards them, as minimum treat attainment is entirely within his control. We're still working on his Halloween candy, which he is happy to share. This is so different from my own childhood, in which sugary treats were generally banned, and I had already begun filching/hoarding sweets by age 4. While I'm sure a lot of it has to do with our kid's personality, it is a much preferable state of affairs. As for the Little, we just feed him whatever he will take and try to remove the refused food before it flies through the air.

Last night I made manicotti for the first and last time. That pasta is the devil and I understand why they were still available when all the big shells were gone!! Trying to stuff a slippery pasta slug with ever tinier spoons is rather horrifying and messy. They tasted rich and cozy, especially when served with roasted asparagus and sausages cooked with peppers and eggplant, so at least the effort was worthwhile. Tonight we had leftovers from yesterday, plus a few more sausages. We like sausages.

OK, finally onto food. The Lard Lad donuts in SimpsonsWorld really are as big as a dinner plate and look lovely, but we couldn't imagine eating the whole thing. We mostly wanted to sample the wares of the Wizarding World, so had a couple butterbeers from the dedicated carts. That's in succession, not at the same time. Although it's $7 for basically a cream soda, the artificially sweet/buttery foam is interesting and tasty and cheering and does make you feel like you're trying something different/special. Or maybe the feeling comes from sipping the drink while wandering Hogsmeade. Regardless, we liked it enough to get another later in the day. Also, in case it wasn't clear, butterbeer is non-alcoholic (there has been some debate among my circle). Butterbeer-flavored ice cream, however, is a terrible flop, IMO. It's a (mercifully) small quantity of low-quality (icy, sandy) ice cream with some weak-tea butterscotch flavoring. Skip. If you ask around the park and read reviews, many folks will direct you to the Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World to eat. While the menu and pictures look like tempting English pub fare in cinematic setting, the wait can be very long (such that there is line-fencing outside the restaurant). We thought to the fried chicken and waffles at Cletus' Chicken Shack, but didn't feel like waiting in that line, either. We decided to bag eating in the park and left briefly to eat on Universal's Citywalk, which is the outdoor mall leading into the park (you have to walk through it to get to the park from the lot). Because the park is small and Citywalk is right outside, it's not really going out of your way to grab something to eat or take a break from Park crowds. I wanted to try LudoBird, which is one of the fast-casual outposts to get Chef Ludo Lefebvre's (of Trois Mec, etc.) fried chicken. I loved the chicken from his (late 😭) Ludobird food truck, and I've tried it from the location at the Staples Center and enjoyed it there as well. Unfortunately, at Citywalk there was no option for fried chicken in whole pieces; just tenders, a chicken sandwich, or popcorn chicken. We tried the tenders and the sandwich, which were both good (crispy, well-seasoned coating, juicy meat) if not exciting. The tenders are actually a much more generous portion than the sandwich (and the large chunks of breast meat are unexpectedly juicy), but the sandwich comes with a gentle slaw (not much mayo, with a hit of something acidic - quite good) and some jar pickle slices. Overall, it's a very slightly more upscale version of a Chick Fil-A sandwich. They have the famous lavender biscuits onsite, though we didn't order any. We enjoyed our meal and feel confident it was at least equal if not better than the food/value to be found in the park, but it wasn't anything I'd seek out on its own merits (unlike the truck, which I missed for years after it stopped circulating). After a long, tiring day, we still didn't want to settle for any of the Citywalk chains, so hit Lum Ka Naad on the way home for Northern Thai food and it was glorious.

I recommend bringing a bag/backpack. The rides are mostly gentle enough that you can keep your stuff with you or in the room (when you don't actually leave) and any time you are absolutely required to divest there are free lockers that you can use to stow bags and such. While we like to run through roller-coaster-heavy parks as unencumbered as possible, cargo pockets are not ideal for holding a whole day's worth of wallets, phones, etc. Also, the Universal food/water carry-in policy is very generous. The FAQs state that acceptable items include: Bottled water (maximum 2 liters) Small snacks Any food required for special dietary needs Any food required for medical purposes and medically-indicated nutritional supplements Baby food/baby formula Soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep. While all bags are searched upon entry, we had a few bottles of water, a couple slices of pizza in a zip-lock, a few granola bars, some fruit, and a big bag of mints, all of which passed with no comment. While we did buy things throughout the day, having supplemental food/drink with us was really nice, and would be essential if we had been with our kids. They especially recommend having munchables for the studio tour, as the line can get long and the tour itself is an hour long. (For The Good Place fans, at the moment you get to drive through the neighborhood during the studio tour!!! I saw the chowder fountain and the train station with my own eyes!!!) Another note about scheduling/timing - we didn't expect that nighttime would be the busiest part of the day, but apparently that is common during the holiday season (basically December, though certain events take place only on specified days), as thousands of people descend around nightfall to see the lights (per a staffer manning an extra line that popped up at night who confirmed our impressions). There is a holiday light show that plays on the Hogwarts Castle several times each evening, with "snowfall" on Hogsmeade before and after the show. The Wizarding World gets incredibly crowded at this time and a whole new set of barricades/lines to enter this area goes up just before dark. We lucked out and timed it perfectly, so if you want to see the show (it's pretty neat!) I would recommend going back to Hogsmeade before dusk to wander, getting settled as close to the Castle as possible just before showtime, and catching the first show. Then you're free to take in the rest of the park and hit your remaining attractions while many visitors are in line.

FINALLY got to go to Universal Studios Hollywood! We missed the window early into our move here because we were maxing out our season passes to Six Flags and then were busy with babies for a while. I'm glad we went later, however, because it meant that we got to see the relatively new Wizarding World of Harry Potter during the Holidays!!! Which is great because we probably won't be back until the boys want to go. We had a wonderful time but when the ride descriptions say that they are not for folks subject to motion sickness, they mean it. I was prepared with a bucketload of mints because stronger meds make me sleepy and dizzier, and still spent most of the day at least slightly queasy. That said, no one forced me to get on all of the rides (including the HP Forbidden journey X 3) and I enjoyed each and every one. Almost every ride has at least some component of a virtual reality, most shake, rattle, and throw mist/water at you, and several had a 3-D component. Oddly enough, I did better on the 3-D rides, as the more immersive experience seemed to help my equilibrium, but my husband felt the opposite, so YMMV. Also, the park isn't all that large and there aren't that many rides, so the proportion of nausea-inducing rides is quite high. Even though the park is smallish, the lines can be long, so getting into all the rides and attractions might not be possible unless you strategize. We bought our tickets online, which come with a early admission (an hour, sort of). This, coupled with the fact that cold (for LA) winter mornings seem to be a less popular time for attendance, was essential in getting to see everything. We were ready to go as soon as they opened the gates for us at 8:30 AM and had fun walking around the HP area with such a reasonable crowd. Note that HP is pretty much the only thing open that early, so only go for the early admission if that is what you want to see. Hogsmeade is gorgeous and cobbly and atmospheric and adorable dressed for the holidays, complete with "snow" falling gently a few times each night. Because we got there so early, we were able to ride the HP Forbidden Journey ride twice with essentially no line (which, incidentally, set me up for hours of queasiness), as well as the wee roller coaster (very gentle). We had a short wait (<10 mins) to get into the Simpsons Ride, and then raced down to the lower lot just as they opened at 10 AM. That left us again, with very short waits for Transformers and the Mummy, which finished us out for the lower lot as Jurassic Park is currently closed for renovation. We hopped on the studio tour with no wait after that, so managed to get all the rides/experiences that typically have longer waits all done by noon and still didn't get to see everything until the last tick of 7 PM, when the park closed. This all a very long way of saying that, if you have limited time, want to see everything, and not as much luck/will to hustle, buying into the express passes or VIP tours might very well be worth it. More later..

"...as delicious as cheesecake is, it’s probably not work risking your life for." Mob scene @ the Clarendon Cheesecake Factory brought on by a free cheesecake offer! 😨

A lot of places in GCM are closed on a Sunday evening, but no worries, Sari Sari store is open and delicious. We grabbed two quick bowls, the chicken adobo fried rice and the tortang talong, eating a few bites and taking the rest to go. The chicken adobo rice was great, with beautifully seasoned fried rice, pickly and crunchy bits, and a lacy egg on top. The tortang talong, however, was amazing, and something I looked up immediately when I got home. The version we had was a rice bowl, so not the same as the eggplant-egg omelet that seems to be the most common recipe for that term. The Asian eggplant was deeply grilled and laid on top of coconut fried rice (or fried rice with coconut milk? It was kind of wet but not sloppily so), which was then topped with a fried egg and complemented by folded-in Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and broccoli, all of which were well-seasoned (a touch spicy and very rich) and well-seared. This was such a luxurious, delightful, fall-in-an-exotic-bowl dish, that no meat was missed in the slightest. I really, really want to learn to make something like it, especially since a glance at the current menu and yelp pictures reveals that this combination is seasonal and not always available. The buko (coconut custard) pie is apparently legendary but we were pie-ed out at the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. Next time!!

Lasa's website is here and Jonathan Gold (pre-)reviewed them in 2016 when they were supposed to be a temporary pop-up. Food and Wine loves them, making them one of their 10 restaurants of the year for 2018. So hungry now!!!

Lovely NYT article, and now I want to eat there: For These Brothers, the Real Thanksgiving Feast Is a Filipino Breakfast

So I'm lazy and pretty much have always cooked with at least some non-stick assistance in my pots and pans. I'm getting skeeved out by our burn rate through cheap non-stick pans, though, and am thinking of going big and getting the All-Clad 12-inch stainless frying pan, but am worried about learning to cooking on stainless (the sticking!!). Any tips, tricks, testimonials, or literature I should check out before taking the leap? Should I do it? What say ye?

The big one had eggplant parm last night! The little did not, with projectile vengeance. The big was delighted that the dish counts as a vegetable and so gleefully requested it for breakfast this morning to get his daily veg allotment out of the way early.* I'll take it! *We know that mandating veg and fruit to earn treats is not ideal, but it's working for now with 95% less daily negotiating so the tactic has been completely sanity-saving. The Satter method of dividing food responsibility cut down the negotiating but had us genuinely worried about malnutrition for a bit, so we built on it by adding incentive (yup, married to an economist) for him to make better-for-our-peace-of-mind choices. Yes, he tried right away to earn extra treats by eating more servings of fruit and veg but we shut that down hard and now he sort of understands step functions. I don't include this longer-than-original-post aside because I think DR-ers would be mean, but to show how we are dealing with our our more rational picky kid in case someone else is having a similar issue. The little is still a processed food monster that isn't shy about throwing food or going hungry. Sigh. I welcome any and all ideas for that one.

The baby knows how to make a quesadilla! Can't talk yet, but apparently can indicate through pointing, pantry burrowing, and yelling that he wants tortillas and cheese cooked on the stove. He ate most of it, too.

This seemingly recent (I think? Why isn't anything dated anymore??!! The stalls seem quite up-to-date, though) round-up from The Infatuation of the best places to eat at GCM has a lot of great pictures that will make you hungry and want to explore. Plenty of places to hit when the Eggslut line is too daunting...

I'm not a huge fan of the Grilled Cheese Truck, but I'm thrilled when I'm at a food truck event and they show up. As a perennial crowd favorite, they are GREAT at drawing off people into their line! I've tried it a few times (waiting in a LONG line each time), but, in the end, it's a rapidly cooling cheese sandwich that you're eating in a parking lot somewhere. Turns out, I like to enjoy my grilled cheese more slowly, in a cozier setting, preferably with something soupy to dip into. I've tried the cheesy mac, cheesy mac-n-rib, and nutella melts - all are luscious and decadent, and they do serve tater tots(♥️), but it's just as easy to make something similar or better at home for a fraction of the cost. Since I hate to be able to say that about my outside-the-home food, no longer let myself be seduced by their cheesy promises 😉

But how did the peppers taste? They sound adorable and perfect for the season. We had Costco food last night - Kirkland fish sticks made in the toaster oven, and pork tamales made in the steamer (they aren't as good as ktmoomau's look, but they do the job, especially when you bother to steam them), with guacamole that we actually made ourselves. Easy peasy.

Haha, depending on the taste of the "spongy mass," that might actually be a benefit for us, since my kids are masters at picking out vegetables that are too loosely incorporated into meat. Looks like I'll cross my fingers that they are sampling them when we visit Costco but expect to buy a bag to try without going crazy. I have been making a lot of dumplings lately and could use a break here and there. Thanks for the feedback, all!

It's chicken week! Creamy chicken and wild rice soup for our batch meals, made on Saturday. Baked chicken tenders on Saturday night that were meh, dry, and under-marinated. Pan-fried chicken cutlets (same panko crust as the previous night) last night were MUCH better and served with mushroom-sherry sauce over pasta, sauteed asparagus, and plums.

Has anyone tried the Ling Ling frozen potstickers? They are on warehouse sale this month and I just got a chest freezer so if these are good, I'll be stocking up. The ingredient list seems pretty short and pronounceable for a prepared food.

Saturday was a whole bunch of turkey meatballs with spaghetti. Last night we made lentil soup, grilled gochujang pork loin, Santa Maria-style grilled tri-tip, and two pans of roasted zucchini. Should have enough food for a day or two 😉

We stayed at the Blue Horizon way back in 2008(!!) and loved its location. We had our engagement dinner at Joe Forte's on that same trip. It was clubby , nice, festive, and close-by, with wonderful service, and we expected it to be there in case we wanted to come back in the future. The food was good but not particularly memorable for Vancouver - I recall mostly very fresh fish and the warm atmosphere/service, but we expected that going in based on reviews so were happy with our visit and choice. Good to hear that it is still there and the experience sounds very much the same.

We have a fairly large house, two toddlers, and two adults, and we don't spend enough at Costco to make back the executive membership cost with the cash back, so we have the basic (Gold) membership. I've heard that some of the best $ savers from membership is for pet food/supplies and booze, neither of which apply to us. Diapers can be cheap there when on sale, but overall, an Amazon subscription is cheaper for baby stuff, too. We keep our membership because we like their products and the rest of the family LOVES the trip itself for trying samples. My kids will eat anything while there, even if they turn up their noses at the same food brought home. We typically get meats, cheeses (Babybels, especially on sale, are a fantastic deal), paper goods (parchment paper, TP, and paper towels), pesto, mushrooms, oilve oil, and frozen prepared foods. We like the tamales, spinach ravioli, breaded shrimp, fruit, and the Cod fillets > the fish sticks (though those are pretty decent, too). The frozen perogies, when available (only by special vendor event) are great for prepared foods. We also buy a lot of higher-end snacks, like jerky, chocolate treats, dried fruits, nuts, candies, etc. and they are quite a bit cheaper in bulk and last...long enough to be eaten down. The boxes of chocolates or other treats can also make nice hostess/host gifts. If you use the brands of toiletries they sell, you can save a bit there as well - all our lotions (Aveeno, Cetaphil) come from there. The price for regular grocery store snacks (Cheez-Its, Ritz, granola bars, chips) doesn't seem to be better than buying on sale and then you can do so in smaller quantities for a greater variety. We also buy some random household items/dry goods/clothes there as well, depending on what's available/on special sale. They've set it up in treasure hunt style so you never quite know what will be there to find. Their return policy is still quite generous, even with the recent pullbacks. For food that you tried and don't end up liking, they will accept the remainder, no questions asked, and refund your $. For example, the big thing of cream that spoiled? Brought in the empty container (per their instructions) on my next trip and received my $ and an apology. We go about once a month to catch whatever is on special warehouse sale that month plus to stock up on our usuals. Now that we have a chest freezer we might be stepping up on the prepared foods, but I don't want to go crazy for sodium-watching reasons. Many of the items are available for online order and free delivery, so if things are particularly bulky I'll check there first and just have the things sent to my house.