Just before heading out for the day, my blood sugar felt low so I had a couple slices of roast beef and a piece of havarty cheese.

That really stabilized my blood sugar and kept me tied over for a couple of hours. We walked around Carytown for a bit and once we were hungry, we ate lunch at Ginger Thai, one of my favorite Thai places. Since I knew that I was going to be eating all day, we skipped appetizers and soup and went right for the main dish. I got what I always gets, spicy noodles of the drunk with tofu. Yum!

After lunch, we walked around a little more and then stopped into The Baker's Crust for a chocolate filled croissant. It ended up being very dry an not what my heart desired so after a couple of bites, I threw it out. When we were on our honeymoon in Hawaii, I had the best chocolate filled croissant in the world and have been in search of that perfection ever since.

By mid afternoon, we were pretty wiped out and still had evening plans so we stopped by starbucks for a pic me up, I got a grande vanilla latte. It was just what I needed to get me through the day. Shortly after, we met up with our friends, Sarah and FJ, and the in laws. We met at a local sushi and hibachi place that I can not remember the name of! The dear husband and I shared four rolls, I probably ate one roll worth as they were huge! Here is an action shot from the hibachi that the dear husbands family ordered.

A birthday would not be complete without cake and ice cream so we headed over to Cold Stone. I got birthday cake batter ice cream with vanilla cake chunks and fudge. It was the perfect way to end my Birthday.

QOTD: Do you have any birhday traditions? What do you like to do on your Birthday?

Fredag blev det simning, lite mat och sedan följdes jag, mamma och Matte på bion Rallybrudar. Ganska rolig film och Matte uppskattade helt klart de grymma volvo-bilarna!

Matte åkte och köpte en bil precis efter filmen och jag gick hem och somnade framför tvn. Han ringde när han kom tillbaka och jag följde honom och drog några raggar, träffade lite folk och sen for vi hem och såg lite tv bara.

På lördagsmorgonen så åkte jag hem och sov några timmar när Matte for till BB för att skruva strax före elva. Det är alldeles för tidigt för mig. När jag vaknade igen så kokade jag sushiris som fick svalna innan jag rullade sushi alldeles själv!

Se så duktig jag var! Nästa gång kommer det nog gå ännu bättre! Det blev i alla fall gott och ganska snyggt för att vara första gången.

När jag sedan hade ätit, duschat och fixat håret så gick jag ner till min söta Lillemor och öppnade en öl. Där satt vi och surrade i några timmar. Matte och co kom förbi och när vi blivit lite berusade åkte vi ut och raggade några svängar på samhället. Satt en stund på capsicum också men jag och Matte gick hem och la oss rätt så tidigt, klockan var inte ens tolv.

Igår blev det hämtmat från grekiska grillen, filmen Kautokeino - upproret (mäktig film!), spinning, bodypump och några karameller där emellan.

Snart är det simning igen, sen ska jag och Mattias äta tacos!

Had ta very good briyani today at this place near BP KFC and pizza hut..suitable for my palate..lol..but it is a bit pricey lar as Azman described it the night b4...but worth it i think...MUST TRY

Anyways...looking forward to tonight's dinner...SUSHI KING 2 RINGGIT BONANZA...WAHAHAHA!! so much good food..my waist circumference will have to suffer..oh well exercise, eat healthy, die anyway..(HOPE my patients dunno about this)

More updates when i have more to write...TTFN

Now, onto the food.....veggie sushi from Nama.

Tofu nigiri, Avocado nigiri, avocado maki in mamenori soy wrap.

Deeply inauthentic but cool-looking Japanese conveyor-belt based restaurant chain Yo Sushi! is offering more recession-based bogof action.

See how cheap overpriced sushi can be, especially when you have to buy a total of 10 plates for it to kick in. Thanks, Mr Woodroffe.

I signed up for a hatha flow yoga class on Saturday mornings since the dear husband agreed to do his marathon training on Saturdays from now on. The class starts at 8:30 and I was pretty excited to get back into the yoga studio. Practice at home and in a studio are such different experiences. Honestly, the biggest difference to me is my ego. When I practice at home, I, of course, don't compare myself to others but at the studio, my mind often wonders to how I stack up. I do, however, enjoy practicing in a studio because I get to learn new things and I am reminded of proper alignment with a hands on approach rather than just words.

The class I took yesterday was with Laura, she is the owner of the studio and probably the most gentle of the teachers there. Her approach is soft and kind and her passion for yoga really shines. This class we focused on strengthening our core with a focus on the lower abdominal. I have a very weak core so it was just the class I needed. We went through many poses that you would never get somewhere else. In fact, plank and side plank never entered the 75 minute class. But today, I am sore from my shoulders all the way down to the top of my legs all the way around. Needless to say, it was a good class.

After a quick catch up session with Laura, I headed next door to Ukrop's to do a little grocery shopping. I should have had a snack before I went in because I was really hungry by this time. But I guess the truth is, I came out of there with a good stock of foods that my body must have been craving without me realizing it. Thankfully, it wasn't a bunch of "junk" food.

Once I arrived home, I made myself some lunch with my new loot. I made a sandwich on local 9 grain bread topped with sabra spicy (!!) hummus, havarty cheese, thin sliced pesto parmesan ham, romaine and local tomatoes. This sandwich was just what I wanted and before my trip to the store, I didn't even know it!

After lunch, the dear husband and I hung out in our office until he fell asleep. I decided to take advantage of the quiet time by giving my bathroom a quick scrub. My cleaning habits have once again gone to the toilet, no pun intended, so it really needed it. By then, the dear husband was awake and we headed downstairs for some R & R. We watched LA Ink on the DVR and a little Food Network.

Around 2, I was hungry again so I had the sushi I picked up at Ukrop's. It was called a crunchy roll and while eating it, I could not figure out why because there was nothing crunchy about it. Despite that, it was still delicious.

It was very spicy that left me with a killer sweet tooth so I turned to my vitamuffins. I ate one and it really hit the spot.

After this, I read for a while and ended up taking a really long nap. When I woke up, I made a quick dinner with the Blogger Secret Ingredient, Polenta! I made:

 Creamy Blue Corn Polenta with Meat Sauce

For the Polenta

2 cups milk

1/2 cup blue corn meal

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen chopped spinach

1 tsp dried basil

For the Sauce

1/2 lb ground meat ( I use bison)

1 1/4 cup marinara sauce

Parmesan Cheese for topping

Instructions

Brown meat on medium high heat to ensure it browns rather than steams. If the meat is very lean, add a little olive oil. Once the meat is brown, add the marinara sauce and let simmer.  In a separate pot, combine salt and milk over medium heat. While the milk heats up slowly whisk in the corn meal a tbsp at a time being sure to whisk well after each addition. Once all of the corn meal is incorporated, switch to a wooden spoon and stir often. Once it is thickened, add in the cheese and spinach and lower the heat to a simmer. If the polenta becomes too thick add a little water until it is the desired texture. At the very end, add in the basil. Serve the meat sauce on top of the polenta and top with paremsan cheese.  Yellow corn meal can be used in place of blue but the blue is very fun!

Polenta and sauce is one of my all time favorite comfort foods but for some reason, it wasn't doing it for me. I had really been thinking about the cold stone ice cream I plan to get on my birthday (today) and I just wanted something sweet. I only took a few bites and gave the rest to the dear husband. I ended up eating another vita muffin and then called it a night. I had to rest up for my birthday festivities!

QOTD: Do you like to grocery shop on a hungry stomach or a full stomach? I am actually finding that I buy more "real" food when I shop when I am hungry.

1.  It went by way too fast. 

2.  We had too much fun. 

3.  Our toes look great.

4.  We didn't eat any sushi.

5.  We drank way too much (but only tonight). 

6.  I'm sad for it to be over tomorrow. 

7.  I had the best pizza I've ever eaten in my life and it was at a restaurant in the Bishop Arts District.

8.  Wii is just too cool.

9.  My jaws are sore from laughing.  Yes, laughing.  It can't be from talking...it has to be from laughing. 

10.  I've really missed my blog reading and can't wait to catch up. 

11.  I sold two one houses during girls weekend.  WOO HOO 

12.  Is it Sunday already???????

13.  I'm really missing HBL. 

Now I need to go to bed as we've stayed up way too late every night and gone way too hard during the day.  I'm too old to do this more than twice a year.   :)  

HAPPY TRAILS, Y'ALL

I'll catch up with all my peep's blogs starting Sunday night.  But, then again, since HBL will be home Sunday night.......maybe you should expect me on Monday.  

My first stop was to Fresh Market for the software, and boy did I hit the jackpot! The fish guy had spent much time in Japan and loves sushi, so when I told him what I was doing he threw himself into getting me the best fruits de mer possible. He went to the back and pulled a portion of ahi tuna that they use for the sushi they make in house (score!) then packaged me a up a nice filet for tuna tatake (seared tuna). Then he gave me a sample of the tuna tatake they make there (nice!). I asked about the snow crab vs. king crab for a California roll and he gave me two legs for free because I was only making a small amount of CA roll. Talk about hooked up! Finally, I picked up some local Georgia shrimp.

When I got home, I assembled my wares: nori sheets, rolling mat, rice vinegar, wasabi paste, pickled ginger, sushi rice, soy sauce, and I was just getting started. I sliced up my cucumber and started assembling my sushi station.

After rinsing and draining the rice several times I put in on to cook and made the vinegar/salt/sugar mix (courtesy of Alton Brown). While I was waiting I made a cute little garnish to go with the tuna tatake (more on that later.) I also cooked up the shrimp for nigiri and the crab for the cali roll.

Once the rice was done I turned it out into a wooden dish, dumped on the vinegar mixture riceand started folding it in, fanning the rice with a paper plate. Apparently the fanning thing is important. Saying that this rice was sticky is like saying that diamonds are hard. Holy crap for crap! Once it was on my fingers I had to wash my hands to get it off! Anyway, it tasted good and there was no question it would stick together so I was happy.

I launched myself into roll making and nigiri sushi making. After watching the Good Eats episode "Wake Up Little Sushi" a couple of times I figured I had it down pretty good. My ingredients were all assembled and I became a sushi making MACHINE, BABY!

I made four rolls: a traditional California roll, a not really philly roll (tuna, cream cheese, avocado) an inside out not really philly roll (rice on the outside of the roll) and a tekka maki (regular tuna roll, nori on the outside). I also made nigiri sushi (fish on rice) with tuna and the shrimp. I was going to do some with smoked salmon also but when I saw how much food there was going to be for the two of us I put the brakes on. It was already going to be an all-you-can-eat sushi extravaganza.

The final dish was tuna tatake. This is where I made my real kung faux pas of the night.Tuna Tatake?Tuna tatake is supposed to be slightly seared and raw in the middle. I guess I got distracted or something because mine was waaaay overdone when I cut it up. However, the garnish looks super cool and with the ponzu sauce the dish really did taste good!

Of course, no sushi dinner would be complete without a little sake to throw back! Woot!Test subject Bill and I settled in to eat and honestly it was suprisingly good. The fish was nice and clean tasting, tender, high quality. My california roll fell apart a little bit and I used too much

rice on the nigiri sushi but for a first attempt I think it turned out pretty darn good. My presentation skills could use some work and I'm lacking a fair amount of technique, but darn if I didn't make some tasty fish!

[caption id="attachment_78" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Tekka maki and nigiri sushi"][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_80" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Dinner time!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_82" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="California Roll"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_83" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Satisfied Customer"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_86" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Inside out non-philly roll"][/caption]

.

Anyway, we were eating in our local sushi spot the other day and I was watching the owner struggle with her little point & shoot camera to capture the beauty of a particular sashimi dish the chef just made. I happened to have my D3 and two speedlights with me, so I offered to shoot it for her. I arranged a nice background and voila - not bad for 10 minutes during lunch. We're going to schedule a full blown photo shoot now to capture all the amazing sushi art that this particular chef creates. he is truly skilled!

I´m home in Sweden, visiting my family. We all really like sushi and since we´ve never done it at home, ge gave it a try. I must say that I´m proud of us. It tasted really good :)

I´m now going to make sushi at home quite often if I know myself.... OR I´ll teach my boyfriend how to do it, and he´ll do it for me!

I did some other yummy stuff all by myself aswell..

We've been working out together at the Botanical Gardens and have had a few sleepovers. 

On on hand, I think What am I doing? We broke up- I'm not giving myself a chance to meet other people. But on the other hand, I think I don't want to meet any other people- I only have 2 1/2 months until I move to LA and I need to work on myself.

He's the only person in my life who #1 knows all of me (he is my best friend, after all) and #2 is trying to grow up like I am.

All of our other "friends" (who, by the way, I rarely hear from) are 2-3 years younger, stuck in the party-til-you-pass-out phase, and happy with it. Not to mention Wink and I are way beyond our years. We should be hanging out with thirty-something-year-olds. We're mature and want to have conversations about life and dreams complimented with a glass of wine. Not conversations about sex and drugs, and a bottle of Jack Daniels to compliment our problems- like our current circle of "friends".

It sounds like I'm making excuses about hanging out with Wink. I probably am. However, I've made a commitment to being honest about my life with my readers, and I intend to do that.

So, I'm being honest with you and telling you we're spending time together again. I am being very careful, nevertheless. 

We're not back together, we're just getting to know each other again. Which is nice, because there isn't any pressure. If I decide I want to see someone else, I promised I would let him know, and that would be the point where we go our separate ways, for real.

Although, to be honest, I don't think we ever will. I think there is something about our souls that just love each other- and at bare minimum we will continue to be friends.

Besides, I have 2 1/2 months left and all I want to do is get my Portable Empire (in the words of Pat O'Bryan) started, gain financial independence and feel confident in Blake again.

This time around, my friend Wink and I, are discussing life, what we want in a new group of friends, and how to get from here to there.

We've been reading together, working out together and eating sushi. I like this. I have plenty of time alone, but when I want to talk about my idealistic dreams and the predicted "showing" of the Galactic Federation of Light (an extraterrestrial light ship of Love and Peace scheduled to show itself in our atmosphere on Tuesday 10/14/08), I call Wink. Bet you guys didn't think I was that radical, did ya? Hope you love me anyway. :-)

This brings me to my next example of keeping a positive attitude in the face of disaster.

I was at Wink's house yesterday after class before we went to meet up with an old friend of mine I hadn't seen in a year at a sushi bar to celebrate her birthday. We were making dinner (we're both currently unemployed and trying not to use our credit cards) so we would only order one roll to share at the sushi bar to save money- great idea by the way! We only spent $40 for both of us and I got a little toasted :-) -when suddenly his roommate, we'll call him Red,  comes in the door and says,

"Blake, I just hit your car."

Up to this point, I had a huge smile on my face and wasn't going to let Red's irresponsible behavior ruin it. We went outside and saw that as (sober) Red was backing up, his Left side mirror struck the side of my car, leaving quite a few scratches in the paint, and a small dent. 

I knew getting upset would do no good, and I had been depression-free all day, so I forced myself to keep smiling, saying things like, "Red! You're sober and you can't even back up! (laugh) You definitely should never drink and drive!" 

I thought about the fact that my dad would kill me, Wink and Red, if he found out about this (he's currently making my car payments- God bless him) but I didn't let that get to me, either. I knew getting upset was a waste of my time and I didn't want this situation to ruin the rest of my night.

I decided Wink and I would talk about it later, and we would work something out. I felt like I was in a very bad position, since Red was Wink's roommate, and I didn't want to file a claim for this reason- so I trusted the Universe that it would all work out.

Wink and I talked about it and he said he would take responsibility and help me take it to a shop where we could get it fixed, and he would make sure Red (or Red's parents) would cover the costs. He assured me he would talk to Red and get it taken care of. 

The situation still hasn't been dealt with, but I have faith that it will all go very smoothly.

In a situation when I could have blown off the gasket, I kept my cool, but most importantly, I didn't internalize my anger. I allowed it to flow through me. I felt an energy pulsing through my veins, but instead of allowing that energy to take on a life of its own as anxiety, I let it flow through me, integrating it into forgiveness.

Red still hasn't apologized once for what happened, but I have already forgiven him.

That's what forgiveness is all about- forgiving someone before they even apologize. Because most people won't. You can't let things like that get to you. You don't allow yourself to live your life when you do.

The other wonderful thing about forgiveness is that when you forgive, it opens up the door for you to forgive other aspects of your life. One dose of forgiveness gives you the glasses you need to see the other areas that need forgiveness too. And once you forgive, you feel clear and open to the possibilities of the Universe. 

For example, before this situation occurred, I had very mixed feelings about Red. I felt like he was an immature, irresponsible child stuck in a 20 year olds body. It drove me crazy that he never picked up after himself, was always taking advantage of Wink and leaving Wink to play the role of mommy. I didn't live there, so it wasn't my place to say anything, but I secretly was dying for Wink to move out of that mess hole. 

After the car accident, and my smooth attitude about the situation, I realized something.

Personal Development gurus have always said that when you are irritated with someone else in your life, the aspect of that person that irritates you is actually a reflection of something within yourself you dont' like and you aren't dealing with. This really hit home for me last night when I realized that the immature, child like aspect of Red was exactly what I am currently dealing with within myself. 

It drives me crazy that I am not responsible. I have discipline issues and I sleep through my alarm frequently, or have to press the snooze button 5 times before I can get out of bed. I am always struggling to pick up after myself and recently have been blaming others in my life for my problems.

I am behaving just as bad as Red!

Now that revelation wasn't as easy to admit as it seems, but once I did, a MASSIVE wave of forgiveness and acceptance swept over my entire Being. I felt like a HUGE weight had been lifted off me and it felt great.

Which lead to another revelation.

I'll make this quick since this blog is already at 1,366 words. :-)

Over the past month, through the breakup and get back together routine between me and Wink, I have had extreme animosity with a girl we will call Miss Forte. Miss Forte lives with two of my "friends" in the party circle and is very close to my roommate, we will call Mr. Alluring. Mr. Alluring and I had a few make out sessions while Wink and I were on a break. He is called Mr. Alluring for a reason- there is just something about him that I am extremely attracted to.

Apparently while Mr. Alluring and I were "hooking up" (not having sex, mind you) he was also "hooking up" with Miss Forte. He would come home late at night after spending time with her and hook up with me.

I didn't know this at the time- it was just exciting to me to spend time with something other than the routine boyfriend (whom I loved dearly- but the spark was beginning to dwell, hence we took a break).

After Wink and I decided to get back together (much too quickly- I barely had time to ingest what was going on) friction began to emerge between me and Mr. Alluring. He is my roommate (I live with 5 other people), after all.

It became apparent that Miss Forte didn't like me anywhere around Mr. Alluring, afraid that I would steal him away from her. I was confused because I thought they were just friends.

I confronted Mr. Alluring about  hooking up with Miss Forte at the same time as me (I wouldn't have minded, had he just been honest- I am an advocate for open relationships, after all) and he told me nothing was going on between them. Of course, I later heard otherwise, from Wink of all people, and more drama ensued.

Then, during a fight between Wink and I at a party at my house, Mr. Alluring and I stepped away from the chaos to discuss my well-being and he kissed me. I pulled away, telling him I liked him, but I  wasn't a cheater and left. After this, things just became awkward between me and Mr. Alluring, and Miss Forte was doing everything possible to keep me away from everyone. It is obvious that she doesn't like me and wants me to stay away from Mr. Alluring. It seems that some sort of "competition" has arisen, probably because she feels she has to compete because (this is hard to write without sounding conceited) I am better looking than she is.

Still to this day, I haven't confronted Mr. Alluring about lying, nor tried to straighten things out with her (obviously there is just a huge misunderstanding going on).

Instead, I have internalized my anger, frustration and jealousy and began to hate her.

Which is funny, because she didn't do anything wrong- Mr. Alluring is the one who hooked up with both of us at the same time, lied about it, then kissed me while I was with someone else, behind Miss Forte's back.

Yikes.

Back to forgiveness.

After the car accident situation with Red, and realizing he was only mirroring what I don't like about myself, I came to the same realization about the situation with Mr. Alluring and Miss Forte.

I am mad at her because she got the guy, he picked her over me, and I was lied to and used.

The thing is, she did nothing wrong. He lied to me- but I stirred up all this drama just as much as they did. I wasn't being entirely honest myself, nor was I being an adult about the situation and I was just as much to blame. I shouldn't have invested so much energy in someone who wanted me just for a fling, and I should have taken responsibility for sneaking around with the situation just as much as he did.

All in all, there is no reason for me to be mad. I have forgiven Miss Forte for projecting her anger onto me, and I have forgiven Mr. Alluring for lying and sneaking around.

Yesterday, I was dying to confront them both. Today, I am just happy that I have forgiven myself.

And that's all that really matters.

Wow, it feels good to be depression-free. One day at a time.

Until tomorrow,

Peace, Love and Forgiveness,

Blake

PS- Thank you for reading :-) It's a pleasure to write for such fine Beings.

Lo stile giapponese, che mi piace moltissimo, è inconfondibile. I servizi da tavola hanno forme geometriche semplici e pulite, che si adattano perfettamante al tipo di cibo che devono contenere. Piattini squadrati leggermente concavi e ciotole basse di diverse dimensioni, in porcellana molto sottile, sono il supporto ideale per cibi tradizionali giapponesi come il sushi, il riso o la salsa di soia. Immancabili le bacchette (hashi). Il sushi è ideale servirlo su un vassoio, con accanto delle ciotoline per la salsa di soia al centro della tavola.

Il menu della serata è stato di sole due portate ma direi più che abbondanti e molto squisite... per essere la prima volta "per noi e il sushi": ormai il sushi è uno dei cibi più apprezzati. Questo piatto è costituito da bocconcini di riso aromatizzato all'aceto su cui viene adagiato del pesce crudo. Sull'origine del sushi si sono varie ipotesi: c'è chi ritiene che nasca intorno al XV secolo come metodo per la conservazione del pesce; alcuni invece lo fanno risalire al 1820 abbinando al sushi, il nome di uno chef, tale Hanaya Yohei, che utilizzò per primo il pesce fresco abbinato al riso direttamente su una bancarella, da qui anche la preparazione del sushi fatta in diretta davanti ai comensali (SUSHI BAR). Da qui le variazioni che con il tempo hanno migliorato questo piatto semplice e prelibato: determinante è stata l'aggiunta dell'aceto. La coltura nipponica considera la cucina un'arte al pari della calligrafia, della pittura o della musica, e per questo i piatti vengono presentati in modo da sodisfare prima la vista e poi il palato. Se per noi sushi è sinonimo di pesce crudo, in Giappone s'intende una svariata gamma di piatti preparati partendo da un unico ingrediente: il riso sushi.

Menù della serata:

per 4 persone

JAPANESE RICE "Secondo DolciPensieri": coppetta di riso gamberetti e omelette 

SUSHI: sushi nigiri,hosomaki, uramaki

Preparazione e ingredienti per il RISO SUSHI: (utilizzato per il JAPANESE RICE e per il SUSHI).

540 grammi di riso (confezionato in atmosfera controllata)

675 ml di acqua fredda

2 cucchiai di aceto di riso o bianco

2 cucchiai di zucchero.

COTTURA DEL RISO: versare in una casseruola dal diametro di circa 26 cm l'acqua e poi il riso.Coprire la pentola e cuocere a fuoco medio fino a che l'acqua non inizia a bollire. Quando bolle abbassa la fiamma e proseguire la cottura per 15 minuti fino a completo assorbimento dell'acqua. Mantenere sempre la pentola coperta durante la cottura del riso (se il riso non risulta ancora cotto ma è asciutto, aggiungere un pò di acqua l'importante che sia calda). A fine cottura aggiungere, prima di toglierlo dal fuoco, l'aceto e lo zucchero e mescolare delicatamente. Porre il riso sushi in una ciotola per farlo rafreddare.

Preparazione e ingredienti per il SUSHI: (sushi nigiri, hosomaki e uramaki).

360 grammi di riso sushi

1 avocado

3 tranci di pesce rigorosamente fresco di: salmone (SAKE), tonno rosso (TORO) e spada

3 fogli di alga Nori

stuoietta di bamboo

semi di sesamo

salsa di soia.

Mentre raffredda il riso, preparare l'avocado a fette.

Prepare il pesce sfilettandolo dalla pelle, tagliarlo a bastoncini mentre solo per il sushi nigiri, tagliarlo a fettine sottilissime.

Distendere un foglio di alga Nori sulla stuoietta di bamboo. Inumidire le mani e ricoprire l'alga con il riso freddo. Far attenzione a lasciare libero circa 1/2 cm di alga su ciascuno lato lungo (attenzione al senso delle alghe, alcune sono già forate per il taglio finale). Disporre l'avocado e il pesce tagliato a bastoncini.

Abbiamo iniziato con HOSOMAKI:

Bagnare il bordo dell'alga che avete lasciato libero e arrotolare la tovaglietta di bamboo fino a richiuderla.

Togliere la stuoietta e, con un coltello molto affilato, tagliare in sei pezzi il rotolo così ottenuto.

CONTINUIAMO CON URAMAKI:

Distendere un foglio di alga Nori sulla stuoietta di bamboo. Inumidire le mani e ricoprire l'alga con il riso freddo. Far attenzione a lasciare libero circa 1/2 cm di alga su ciascuno lato lungo (attenzione al senso delle alghe, alcune sono già forate per il taglio finale). Spolverare con il sesamo leggermente tostato in una padella su fuoco vivace. Rigirare l'alga im modo che il riso sia a contatto con la stuoietta. Disporre l'avocado e il pesce tagliato a bastoncini.

Bagnare il bordo dell'alga che avete lasciato libero e arrotolare la tovaglietta di bamboo fino a richiuderla.

Togliere la stuoietta e, con un coltello molto affilato, tagliare in sei pezzi il rotolo così ottenuto.

Ora passiamo al SUSHI NIGIRI:

con il riso sushi, fare un blocchetto e avvolgere sopra una fettina sottilissima di pesce.

...E per finire abbiamo fatto il JAPANESE RICE "Secondo DolciPensieri": una coppetta di riso con gamberetti e omelette alla salsa di soia.

Preparazione e ingredienti per il JAPANESE RICE:

180 grammi di riso sushi

1 uovo

2 cucchiaini di salsa di soia

125 grammi di gamberetti

2 cucchiaini di pinoli.

Sbattere l'uovo in una ciotola con la salsa di soia e fare una frittatina sottile, lasciarla raffreddare su un tovagliolo di carta assorbente per perdere l'olio.

In una pentola antiaderente, scaldare un goccio di olio e passare i gamberetti precedentemente lessati in acqua calda salata, e i pinoli; far brasare per 5 minuti. Tagliare l'omelette a strisce sottili.

Unire l'omelette ai gamberi e ai pinoli, aggiungere il riso, far saltare il tutto, per chi ama in particolare la salsa di soia, aggiungere ancora qualche goccia. Servire ben caldo in piccole coppette.

the sushi i had was pretty good.  I was pretty skeptical getting sushi in Bangladesh.  We decided to stay away from the raw fish as to avoid getting a stomach aomeba or something like that.  Instead we went for gyoza, tempura, and a shrimp tempura roll.  It was mighty tasty.

After teaching today i went back to the center and just in time for lunch.  Then when we had our second tea time (3:30) the cricket test match was on between New Zealand and Bangladesh.  When i first got to B'desh i saw a couple cricket matches on Tv and just thought it was really stupid.  Then I talked to some Australians about it a couple of days ago and i decided to give it another try.  After learning all the vocab (wickets, runs, overs, bowler) i started to kind of enjoy watching it.  Hopefully i'll be able to go to a cricket match sometime soon.

If you haven't noticed, i like talking about food. These are like samasas, but they are the B'deshi version of it and they're called shingaras.  It's less oily on the outside, is only filled with potato and curry, smaller, and not triangular.  Its really good and really cheap.  before lunch there are people selling these all over the place.  usually they are 3 for 10 taka, about 15 cents. grab a couple, stick them in the paper bag, and enjoy them during your CNG ride.

• Age discriminating- We understand that they're trying to be a trendy, po-mo designed, date spot but the green lighting is terrible and the check that was brought to us, much faster than all of the food might we add, was printed so lightly you could barely see it! What are all the old hipsters with fake glasses supposed to do?
• Low quality- The decor is laughable. Ikea anyone? Plus, there are scratches on the walls from the crappy aluminum chairs.
• Small portions- Pretty self-explanatory. This place is great if you want to go on a date with a guy that's loaded, doesn't like to eat, and plans on doing coke off of your body in a couple of hours.
• High prices-and no descriptions on the menu. I'm Asian and I didn't even know what half the shit was.

Oh, and we're most likely going out to eat again in a little bit since the portions were so scant, so we may have another review for you! Lucky us... we love spending money on bad food.

Aoki Takamasa + Tujiko Noriko - Vynil Words

[audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/5/3/1895115/Aoki%20Takamasa%20Tujiko%20Noriko%20-%20vinyl%20words.mp3]

OK, so maybe Liki Sushi in Amityville isn't within walking distance for everyone, but ample parking and it's location on Merrick Rd make it the perfect go-to spot for a bite after work when you're too tired to cook.

Last night my husband, two year old daughter (yes, they're kid friendly too), and I sat down in a private booth with beaded curtains and chowed down.  We started out with the Jalapeno Yellowtail appetizer.  Certainly a nod to the famed dish at Nobu, it was just spicy enough without going overboard.  The yellowtail was just slightly too thick, but maybe I'm used to the paper thin shavings at Nobu that seem to melt away.  Of course, Liki doesn't charge Nobu prices, so to hold them up to that standard is probably unfair.

We ordered Edamame as well, mainly for Maddie (our two year old).  If you haven't yet given some to your little one, give it a try!  Maddie pops 'em like candy!  A miso soup and a bowl of white rice rounded up Maddie's meal.  We dump about half the rice into the soup and let her have at it.  She thinks it is delicious, and we're happy to oblige!

The husband and I tried some sushi rolls.  I had the Fire Dragon Roll (spicy tuna, cucumber on top with tuna, avocado, and spicy wasabi sauce) and a Negi Hamachi roll (yellowtail and scallion).  The Fire Dragon Roll was done well.  Not too much rice, excellent texture, and not too cold (I don't like eating ice cold sushi).  My only complaint was that for a roll called Fire Dragon it didn't seem that spicy.  Fire Dragon is a pretty dramatic name, and I was expecting dramatic spice.  It fell a bit flat, but nothing extra wasabi couldn't solve.

My husband had the standard spicy tuna roll and a Boston roll.  He said both were rather tasty.  I tried his spicy tuna and thought it lacked spice, but he didn't agree, so maybe I was just having a bad taste bud day.

All in all I think Liki Sushi is a great go-to sushi spot.  I know we'll certainly be back either to dine-in or to take-out.

Liki Sushi, 111-04 Merrick Road, Amityville

631.598.1688

Susan says...

We chose Ichiban as the spot for a nice double date with our friends, Monica and Sterling (Monica posts a guest review below).  Located on Capitol Street adjacent to Bar 101, the restaurant has ornate, high ceilings and a beautiful bar.  The furnishings are nice but the tables are crowded very close to each other.  I felt like I was dining with ten people instead of the three I intended to eat with.  Even so, we didn't have a problem hearing the conversation among us...maybe we are simply loud and we were infringing upon others' dialogue.  Oh well, worked for us.

An extensive list of a la carte, maki and sushi dinners were available from the two sushi chefs working behind the bar on the upper level.  From that listing, I ordered the Jayden Maki - rolled sushi of tuna, cilantro, cucumber, spicy oil, smelt roe and chili pepper - 6 pieces for $10.50. 

The sushi tasted good, however I did not get "spicy" from it.  Either they forgot to include the spicy oil I was promised or their definition of spicy is a whole lot different from mine.

I would have liked more spice, but I also would have liked a smaller price tag.  I get 6 pieces of spicy tuna roll at Taste of Asia for less than $7.  Another disappointment was that my new favorite sushi - the spicy scallop roll - is not available at Ichiban. 

Ron rubs some wasabi on top of his sushi piece, places a slice of pickled ginger on top of that (which Monica and I tell him is not meant to be eaten with the sushi, rather as a palate cleanser between types of sushi) and picks his creation up with his fingers.  I refer to this as "hilljacking of the sushi".  Sterling told Ron to never mind the women's critiquing of his style...because Sterling "thinks it's pretty".  Quote of the evening!

I was invited to taste the sushi Monica & Sterling chose for their meal.  It didn't knock my socks off, but it tasted good and I enjoyed being able to try a few different things - like a mini sushi buffet!

The vegetable spring rolls were nicely crisped, however you only got 2 rolls cut in half for around $8. 

In honor of the soon-to-open Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Vinh Long, in South Charleston, I opted for a Vietnamese appetizer: spring rolls. This choice threw Ron for a loop.  He wasn't expecting the cold wrapper, but that's how they're supposed to be.  I received two spring rolls, cut diagonally in half, for $8.  Hmmm.....$4 per spring roll.  At least they were filled to maximum density with shrimp, right?  Wrong.  There were maybe two small shrimp cut into pieces per roll.  Accompanying the shrimp to form the roll was lettuce, fine rice noodles, crushed peanuts and mint served with a spicy oyster sauce.  The sauce was indeed spicy and it really added to the rolls.  I am glad I tried them, but probably wouldn't order the cold-style rolls in the future.  I guess I prefer the deep-fried Chinese version.

Ron chose our entrée of Asian Bourbon Pork for $22.  I tasted one bite of the thick pork chop, half an asparagus spear, and one "Asian" potato, which truly was just roasted potatoes with rosemary (I didn't taste anything Asian about them) because I was too full from tasting Monica's sushi.

I washed all this down with a tall Sapporo, priced at $6. 

Continuing my reputation for trying everyone else's food, I sampled the ice cream balls our friends ordered for dessert.  The presentation was very pretty and whatever sauce they used to write the character on the plate was yummy.  The ice cream balls tasted good, even though the names wouldn't be something you would naturally associate with a dessert course in American culture.  The dough, though, was odd.  It was gummy-feeling and I had wished it wasn't covering the tasty ice cream - I would have enjoyed them more without the dough but that is traditional to the dish.

My overall impression of Ichiban is a nice atmosphere with average-tasting food at an above-average price.  I greatly prefer Taste of Asia, however, downtowners would have to drive to at least South Charleston to enjoy it.  My review (and my very frequent meals) are partaken at the Teays Valley location.

I rate Ichiban TWO FORKS.

Ron says...

09.23.08

I'm scratching Ichiban right off my list of things to do and not worry about doing them again.   This is the second time I've come here, once for some Sushi and drinks, and now this time, for "the works" {sushi, drinks, and dinner}

I can't say I wouldn't eat here again, because the sushi is good ~ albeit I can't taste the difference between this sushi and the Taste Of Asia or Kroger's.  That's probably because I soak it in teryaki and paste it with Wasabi, then wash it down with a beer and ginger.   But my Sushi rating credibility is limited to the "lick it, slam it, suck it" variety of drinking Tequila.  I keep it simple as that's the way I like it.

I had the pork chop, asian potatoes, and asparagus.  While waiting we tried a variety of appetizers inlcuding several differnet kinds of sushi, my least favorite was the spring roll... this uncooked egg roll material that reminded me of a skin graph gone bad.  It just wasn't my bag, so don't shoot the messenger.  However it was presented well, and because I have never tasted another spring roll like it to compare it to, I'll give the chefs the benefit of the doubt and not say that it sucked.  It just sucked for me.  Someone else may think it's the best thing in the world... and it very well may be.  Just not for me.

The sushi was more my speed... and yes it was good, but I can't tell you what separates this from the cheaper versions I get at Kroger's or your run of the mill chinese buffet.   Some may say they use better ingredients... well that may very well be true, but for me it didn't transfer into any appreciable benefit to my all important taste buds.. Therefore I would advise that if you can get by with something cheaper then do it.   But I'm no sushi chef, so what do I know.   It tasted good, but I still couldn't pick it out of a line up with other less expensive varieties.

Now what I did like about all the Sushi was the way you order it.  YES it's like playing KENO.  You have these little slips of paper and tiny pencils... and you order it by checking off little blocks.  The only thing missing is four or five TV screens announcing when your roll is up.

Now the all important drinks... This bar has always had good beers, either stocked, or on tap, and tonight was no different.  Unfortunately they price theirs a little higher than I feel is necessary.  But you can get good beers on tap. 

Now my main course - I was expecting some great tasting asian inspired pork chop with some fancy potatoes with some asparagus.  What I got was a well cut pork chop with some teriyaki or other similiar tasting marinade, with some potatoes, and some asparagus. 

• The Pork Chop - was the main ingredient.  It was a large thick and tender cut.  Wherever they got it from, I would advise all eating places to buy from them.  It's the way I like it.  It reminded me of the way the Outbacks Pork Chops used to be several years ago.  However there's where the good ends and the bad begins.  The sauce / marinade / seasoning ~ whatever was on it, I think came straight from Sam's Club.  The Teriyaki stir fry sauce that we buy for our stir fry.  I think they just smeared that on it and called it Asian.  You can make this in your back yard for all you do-it-yourself chefs.  It's good but not great.
• The Asparagus - Good, I can't complain, other than I thought I would get something that may inspire Susan to do something different when she makes asparagus as that is one of her favorite Vegetables.  (I mean we have asparagus with a side of asparagus at our crib some weeks)  But no.  I think they got this recipe out of a Rachel Ray cookbook but messed it up in that it took longer than the required 30 minutes to prepare.  (for all you people out there that are nit picking and taking our reviews literally, I would like to let you know that I do not remember how long it took for them to actually bring our meal out as I was too busy ordering items from the well.  My "30 minute" comment is a sarcastic remark concerning the item that made the aforementioned cook famous.  It may have taken longer than 30 minutes, but it shouldn't have)
• The potatoes ~ There was simply nothing asian about these things.  Nothing.  Zero.  Nada.  Quarter Potatoes, add spices and cook.  That's it. [caption id="attachment_1260" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Green Tea Ice Cream Balls"][/caption]

Now to be complete, our dining mates for the evening ordered some Ice Cream Balls.... I don't know what to think of these things... The Green Tea was terrible.  The other we got wasn't too bad... but... it just wasn't natural.  The skin on the outside made for plenty of comedic banter, and.. well let's just say this dessert item left a lot to be desired.  (maybe this was the only asian inspired thing)

Overall I think my meal was good, and if this was The Cracker Barrel I'd probabaly give it three forks.  However this was served to me under the guise of Asian food, so I can't quite give it that.   Plus it was expensive for home cooking (which for all practical purposes is what it was).  So again, I can only give it Two Forks.  Like Susan.

My recommendation is just go to Bar 101 after work, order some Sushi, and sip some cold beers and watch Sportscenter, or talk to Mr. Kent Carper, as he frequents this place a lot.  (least he's been there a few times that I've been there) give him a piece of your mind.  But overall, I think you can probably find a better place to spend your money.

TWO FORKS.

Monica says...

[caption id="attachment_1256" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Ahi tuna appetizer"][/caption]

As a return visitor to Ichiban's, I knew what to expect from my favorite sushi place.  After all, the name Ichiban means "the best" in Japanese.  I have been known to wait outside on the street for the doors to open promptly at 5 o'clock.  This time, I was meeting friends, so my husband and I arrived to a table already prepared for us.  I was a bit disappointed by the unusually dry personality of our waitress.  However, I knew the food would not disappoint me, so I ignored her nonchalant attitutde.  Instead, I completed my sushi bar order and requested my "usual" appetizer (seared Ahi tuna).  The waitress seemed annoyed at the length of time my friends were taking to decide what to order...so we continued with our recommendations of "everything is good here" which did not really help them make their decision.

The food came...and it was delicious!  The sushi was phenomenal and the wine was as dry as the personality of our server.  Since we were conducting a "review" we stepped outside of our traditional order and decided to sample dessert...that was a mistake!  I decided to try the highly recommended green tea flavored ice cream balls.  After some much needed humor ("balls" is such a funny word to adult men), our dining experience was concluded.

 The atmosphere was fun, eclectic and intimate, which is why Sterling and I are drawn to the place for an evening unwinder before our commute out of the city.

 I give it FOUR FORKS.