Mark Bittman Part II

Bittman is great because he understands that making good food quickly can be challenging, but he's always suggesting ways to make meals better and more authentic. Here, he gives tips about stocking the pantry so you can whip up stuff quickly. Sadly, I can't see myself giving up canned beans or broth anytime soon. But I'll try for you, Mark!

Dining Out Does You Good

For me, going out to dinner and discovering new restaurants is one of the great pleasures of living in a big city. Sure, it can be pricey and a place has the potential to suck. But dining out is one of the few times I feel like I'm really slowing down and enjoying things as opposed to thinking about all the stuff I should be doing or letting my mind go on autopilot via television or computer. 

I went to Tati Bistro last night and had a very nice meal of roasted beet salad and crispy-skinned pickerel (plus some tasty bread). I had the dilemma of ordering a la carte or going for the prix fixe, which, at $25 for three courses, was a hard deal to pass up. Sidecar, a restaurant in Little Italy, also has a reportedly excellent Sunday-Wednesday prix fixe for $22. These types of deals had me thinking that more people should be trying out little neighbourhood places like Tati as opposed to going to the chain restaurants that seem to be infiltrating Toronto at the moment (for a great reflection on this trend, see this James Chatto article in Toronto Life). Maybe it's just me showing my yuppie colours, but Jack Astor's on a Saturday night? Or any night? Really?! (Cut to exasperated sigh)

For more ideas on dining on the cheap (and being a little more adventurous, food-wise), check out this Toronto Star story by my friend Corey Mintz, who is an excellent writer and eater. 

Clever Commercials Part II

I just saw this commercial for the World Wildlife Fund Canada and it's a very clever piece of advertising. It also seems a fitting message after all the interest in shows like Mad Men and movies like Milk, which remind us that yes, certainly, things/times have changed. But that's not an excuse for complacency, laziness, or close-mindedness—there's always room to be better and do more.

Ah, New Year's Resolutions

I haven't spent much time thinking about my New Year's resolutions (yet), but I do think I should make some. 2008 was an important year for me, most notably career-wise, but I feel like it ended on a more lazy note than I would've liked it to. So I'll grant myself one more chill weekend and then get back to it. You heard it here.

What do I want to accomplish in 2009? The usual for me, I guess. Do more of the following: reading, cooking (improving chopping skills, in particular), learning about everything (right now it's economics), listening to interesting music, watching interesting films, practicing yoga, throwing dinner parties, exploring restaurants, promoting worthy causes, flossing, stream-of-consciousness writing. Do less of the following: sleeping, slouching, watching Gossip Girl, staring at the computer screen, complaining, mumbling. Oh yes, and post on this blog more often.

I have a bit of a head start on the list—I just finished a sort of oddball collection of short stories called No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July, a Christmas gift from my sister. It really captures feelings of loneliness and longing, and even though some of the characters are hard to like (and more screwed up than is comfortable to read about), the writing is honest and whimsical. I also liked, strangely, that none of the dialogue was in quotations. 

I've also been watching the PBS series Spain...On The Road Again with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali, Mark Bittman and Claudia Bassols. I'm a huge Bittman fan (his blog is one of my daily reads and his cookbook How To Cook Everything Vegetarian is one of my indispensable kitchen resources), and this series not only increases my fondness for the guy, but also makes me really want to go to Spain and eat lots of seafood. That might not happen until at least 2010, though, so I'll just stick to my slightly more realistic goal of returning to NYC this spring. To compensate, I've already tracked down a delicious sounding Spanish restaurant. 

Happy 2009!  

Three Good Discoveries

Update: I'm still jobless, but somehow the weeks keep slipping by—how is Christmas next Thursday? I must say, though, that not all my days have been wasted. Portions of them have been very well spent doing Christmas-y things (mostly eating and drinking), visiting people, and sleeping a blissful amount. And I've discovered some good stuff along the way. Here goes a rundown:

1. Christmas trees from Fiesta Farms

I love buying my groceries from this store because of its great product selection and manageable size (this ain't no Loblaws Superstore). Their outdoor garden centre with Christmas trees is also an example of excellent organization—the trees are hung in rows with little descriptors (e.g. fragrant, sturdy branches), ripe for the picking. We chose a Douglas Fir for the second year in a row and it's a looker. Pictures TK! 

2. Haircut at Shampoo Hair Studio

I don't have a problem cutting back on most luxuries during these tough economic times. But haircuts? That's a toughie. I desperately needed to see a hairdresser last week, and I knew it would be very non-prudent to go for my usual $70 chop at Coupe Bizarre. When I half-joked about going to TopCuts on Facebook I got a stern warning from a friend who had a nightmare experience. So I scouted Shampoo in Kensington as a slightly cheaper alternative. The service was friendly, the cut looks great, so some pennies were pinched...or maybe just gently squeezed. (p.s. Do under-$35 quality cuts exist in Toronto, not counting those hair schools? If so, do tell.) 

3. Great Lakes Winter Ale

The colder the weather, the more I crave richer, darker beers. This one's a seasonal treat, tasting sweet and spicy with hints of cinnamon and orange peel. In other words, Christmas in a pint glass. I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again: forget eggnog. Do this. Yum!

Honourable mentions: I also give kudos to amazon.ca for helping me do almost all my Christmas shopping on a slashed budget and shipping so quickly. And my last props go to those PC Blue Menu two-bite brownies, which I didn't realize were low-fat when I bought them in a mad rush, but which still tasted delicious. Keep up the good work, Galen!

End of Year "Best Of" Lists

One thing I love about the end of the year is all the "Best Of" lists that rank TV shows, movies, books, and other cultural things. Here's New York magazine's round-up. 

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of the Top 10 films, but I agree that Sean Penn put on a sweet performance in Milk (which I still haven't gotten around to writing about...coming soon!). I viewed many of the entries in the TV category, which I'm not sure I should be proud of. But it's nice to feel like you know what the writers are talking about. Here's what I agree with: standout performances by January Jones (Mad Men...I have an obsession), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother...he so crazy!), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live...I love Sue, her so freakin' excited character), and Amy Ryan (The Office). And yes, I'm finally a 30 Rock fan. 

What would be on your "Best Of" list for '08? I'll get back to you on mine when I bone up on my movie-watching. Revolutionary Road, here I come.  

Ad Props

I dislike TV ads in general, so like most people, I hate having to watch commercials before a film. But I was at the movies tonight to see Milk (more on that tomorrow...I have lots to say), and this Lexus commercial shown pre-previews didn't piss me off. I actually ended up liking it a lot. Sure, it's a bit self-congratulatory, but the "H" concept is really clever and it's feel-good without being too cheesy. It's also proof that good commercials exist, even though they're often hard to come by. (Hmmm...or maybe they're just hard for me to come by because I watch so much CBC, where the same five commercials are on constant rotation). 

Also, amid some annoying but very short ads for milk (the beverage), there was this fun H&M holiday ad. I don't know if I've ever seen an H&M TV ad, but this one was shot really well (case in point: model's face in the box!) and it's interesting beyond the clothes. It also made me sorta wish I had a holiday party to wear a cute dress to. Anyone need a date?