mother

I was thinking I was dying and I called Scott and we figured out that our new coffee filters caused us to both overdose on caffeine. Seriously! We made coffee at a different time so that's why we had to talk about it on the phone. I was like "I feel insane, my hands are going numb". The filter ran really slow and so my giant cup of chemex light roast coffee has poisoned me and I can't really do my work today. It sucks! My vision looks blurry and shit. Laugh if you must.

 God, that picture above makes me laugh. Their brand is called "If You Care". What kind of passive-aggressive hippy shit it that?!?!

"Oh, what? You bought Mellitta brand filters? I guess you just don't care about Mother Earth, huh"

"You didn't use If You Care Cheesecloth? Why don't you just throw mercury down the sewers because you obviously don't give a shit about anyone except yourself"

 I ate at Mother last night! This was dessert omg. Fucking salted sage brown butter cookies.

We got quite a bit of food for three people as you can see. I especially loved the ricotta dumplings. Great meal and fun, chill experience. I'm stoked they are going to start table service soon

bun b sadness

There are 3 things you can count on: death, taxes, and that my coworkers will want to get burgers when we go out to lunch.

I am about to begin a week of forced sobriety because I will be on-call after hours for a week. Crazy. There is very little chance I will have to do anything but I have to be ready to drive to Davis at any time.

I can't believe that Bun B and Kirko Bangz are playing in the Bay the exact same day I'll be in Big Sur. What are the odds that they would play a huge city on a SUNDAY?!? On Saturday I would have been able to go. Bun B is one of my top five rappers. I kinda wanna cry when I think about this so I will try not to. Of course Big Sur wins out that goes without saying.

I posted about the baconfest judging on SacFoodways.

four eyes show on Saturday at bow. it's their last show. you better go. I am missing both dj mustard and urijah faber's fight to be in attendance. I'm hoping maybe the pourhouse will be playing it. do they even have tvs? it sucks that so many things are on the same night since I have nothing to do all week including Friday. but I can't wait for the four eyes show!!

baconfest

Gucci Mane's Trap God is one of my favorite mixtapes and my favorite thing he's ever put out. It's consistent and not too long. Download it on datpiff if you're interested.

Baconfest judging was way more fun this year as the panel was less bro-ey and more friendly. Fun to hang with Thiemann. Fun to sip the delicious bourbon I brought and see that everyone loved it. I ate a tiny snack beforehand and then 36 courses with bacon and then obviously nothing else the rest of the day. I am so salt-bloated today. Most of the bacon was too salty. The scandal is there were many dishes that I loved, and also the non-traditional face bacon (which won), but I wasn't passionate about ANY of the plain bacons. A lot of them didn't come out warm or hot, which is key with bacon cuz when the fact congeals or it gets tough it loses its appeal. Don't tell anyone but I still like Oscar mayer traditional the best. I just do not like thick cut bacon. I want to see through my bacon.

I only guessed a couple of the chefs, but Thiemann guessed every goddamn one simply by their cooking. Impressive. The best dish went to a woman named Rachel something who is the chef at Revolution Wines! Incredible. I guess I will have to go there, although can I bring my own wine? The dish was bacon on a crostini with a white wine reduction with brie (it didn't have a strong brie taste), brussel spouts and trumpet mushrooms. More creative than the average dish by a mile and coherent despite the long list of ingredients.

Gnocchi from the guy at Lucca (I think) was delicious as well for the excellent gnocchi. I want to go there and order more gnocchi. He won best in show, and Thiemann thinks he's a super good chef. Who the fuck knew?

I also thought both of these dishes would have been better without the bacon! Ha!

women still make 77 cents on the dollar

I had a couple of really thought-provoking incidents in the last 24 hours. One was that, during a meeting yesterday with a powerful committee (won't say what), the head of the committee, a male (who is awesome), turned to my supervisor (female) and thanked her for taking minutes. Not that big a deal except he followed it up with the statement that somehow at every meeting he's ever been at, a female ends up taking this duty.

Next to my supervisor was a man who is her equivalent, who has a different position but one that is not superior, and he has never been asked to take minutes, nor can I picture that happening. The only time my boss didn't do it was once when I volunteered, just to give her a break, because she has MANY more important things to do.

Then, this morning I listened to the TED talk by Sheryl Sandburg, the woman that wrote Lean In. That book has been discussed amongst my friends since it came out. This talk did not really focus on child-related issues, but the book does. Those aren't an issue for me, although it's an important issue.

She talked about how women are perceived as bossy or aggressive for behaving the same way men do in the workplace. This has become such a cliché that I don't think people take it seriously. One of the only doubts I have about my ability to advance career-wise pertains to the chance that I might be perceived as too aggressive. I know that I'm well-liked at work, which goes a long way, but I wonder if a man who was as outspoken as I am would worry about that? That's what's so hard about these issues - it's impossible to know.

She talked about how when people think about these issues, men and women, they can take steps to counteract some of them. Even in small ways, like not letting women take all the seats on the side of the room when a conference table is full. My department makes an obvious effort to hire women and is headed by a women, and my previous workplace was pretty much female-run.

If it's not blatant, it comes through in these insidious small ways like the taking of the minutes somehow seeming like a female job. I try to do the best I can to be outspoken and assertive. I have volunteered multiple times to speak in front of groups and give presentations in meetings. I even sometimes wear shoes with heels which make me about six feet tall, especially in a situation where I might be dealing with an intimidating male (which happens quite a bit). My job makes me happy I have that height, I'm not sure if you petite ladies out there have ever felt it to be a hindrance?

Anyway, lots of thoughts

no pink

I am looking for a pencil pouch to use at work and there are some fairly scathing reviews of this one on Amazon. Two people were very upset that their son got a pink one without realizing it. I guess the pink shame still continues today. Needless to say I won't be buying this shoddy pouch, although the fear of pink is not a factor.

weekend hijinks and shenanigans

Wow, pretty raging weekend. I wish I could have another 3 day weekend to have a completely non-raging weekend. This weekend is not shaping up to be non-raging, at least because of the !!! show and maybe something else I'm forgetting. Probably.

Friday I went to the Mother I-refuse-to-say-soft-opening. I can't wait to get their chile verde again and the desserts were off the chain. They did a last minute waldorf salad that was really good too. They opened yesterday so I wonder how that went. I think just for lunch and it was a state holiday. No offense to any state workers reading (I am one too) but they can be pretty harsh and don't expect to spend much. The Master Of The Woods kombucha was also delicious. I heard they are going to tone down the pepper but I hope they don't.

more after the jump

repectfully disagree

Rankings are rankings, and two people rarely agree, but I just have to say woahwoahwoah to any top ten ranking of Pho that does not include Pho Saigon. JM seems to be somewhat partial to chicken pho, which is Pho Anh Dao's specialty. That's why it gets so crazy, for some reason the rare Vietnamese restaurants that specialize in chicken pho are always hella crowded and often "sell out". I've seen PAD close early because of it. I don't like chicken pho - I find it to be bland. It tastes like something you would eat when you're sick. He does mention the beef pho there, i'm not sure I've had it.

I am a creature of habit when it comes to pho and 80% of the time I go to Pho Saigon. The Pho at Huong Lan is not bad. I don't think Pho Xe Lua can measure up to Saigon. I don't think Pho Bac can, either, although I have an old-school love of the Bac. And Star Ginger is pretty out of left field. I don't hate on Star Ginger, but I haven't tried their pho. Again, chicken pho is not really pho to me.

And Pho Saigon Bay suuuuxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ox pizzle

I enjoyed the article for what I learned about pho but I respectfully disagree with the rankings.

warms my heart

 These pics are out of order here. But anyway, we went to Yang's Noodles on Stockton last night, as recommended by MH on Sacramento Foodways (linked at right) and beautifully photographed by RD. Also AMR had reviewed it as News and Review but that one flew by  me a bit.

more after the jump

like wha?

Now that I can't tweet, I just have to say my tweets to Scott. It's not the same. Here was one, but he was doubtful that anyone else besides me has this problem:

There should have a name for the disorder when you can't estimate how much salad to make for two people.

I had to eat so much salad just so he would stop busting my chops about how much salad I made and there was still salad left. This is a the cruel world I live in.

There's a glowing piece in the Bee today about Thiemann's restaurant Mother. Pretty exciting. I hope you guys read that review of that weird Oak Park place Arthur Henry's Supper Club. I like that something opened there but when I heard that concept I was like, "wha?!"

Here's more gripping information about me besides the salad thing: I thought I would read more books when I stopped subscribing to the New Yorker but instead I am just watching more crappy TV. Didn't see that one coming. I have been reading this Philip K Dick book with an Abraham Lincoln replicant in it for a while. Even though the book is funny I think I'm avoiding it a little bit. Recommendations?

todd barry guys

I've been neglecting heckasasc because of stupid facebook. I hate my phone. It's a weird modern phenomenon that scott pointed out. hating and loving a stupid thin rectangular thing that sits in your purse/pocket.  Being beholden to this constant stimulus. I am not exactly treading new ground here. Smiller pointed out that since I understand better than some exactly why this appeals to the human brain and becomes addictive I should maybe be better at dealing with it. I can't believe that I actually got busted texting in the front at a four eyes show. that is really really insane. yeah, it was people who needed to know how to get there but they either would have found it by texting someone else or I could have checked it during like a bathroom break or something.

so I'm going to check facebook less, I just deleted fb and twitter from my phone (not that I check twitter any more anyway) and luckily I have never figured out what the hell instagram is for even though I recently found out that friends have tagged me "hundreds of times".

Excited about the Halloween show! I didn't think I could think of a band and then within minutes I did and it was happening. The idea of being up there with a band rather than solo is a huge relief.

I'm djing the no bunny show on sunday. Matinee show starting at 5. I'm stoked I have the next day off so I can go to soul night after. I really want to spend 9 hours at the press apparently. rap seems weird at this show for sure but I asked NB and he said he's "down with the hippity hop". I offered a bubblegum/power pop set but he said rap. I will keep it light and silly with songs such as Laffy Taffy.

Friday/Saturday is Todd Barry. I might go to both since I paid for Friday and got passes for Saturday. It depends on the set.

polly want a sauce

So the REAL story of the Round Table at Round Table was not the Halloween show theme (ho hum) but the fact that the Round Table in Old Sac has the Polynesian Sauce. I was simply browsing the round table menu online (as you do) when I noted that they said that some locations did not have this sauce. That intrigued me, so I ordered a side of it. The guy behind the counter said "one side of Polly sauce" and that made me feel cool.

 It is sweet and spicy and everyone could not get enough of it. Smiller claimed he did not like it but you wouldn't have known it from how he was dipping his pizza in it (heh). Charles liked it so much he double dipped! Of course he did. All in all it was the hit of the round table at the square table at round table.

Halloween Show 2014

Matt S. is now in charge of the Halloween blog. I think he is just going to make a new one. He will probably get it up soon. Please for the love of miller don't just play this out on fb. It will make him sad (enraged).

spike jonze

If anyone reads this on Saturdays, there are two excellent art openings tonight, both starting at 6. Tim White has a new painting in a group show at Elliot Fouts and Future Art Notables have a show, "Gal Pals" at Delta Workshop. I really like Delta Workshop so that's a good reason to go, too.

Man, getting more and more bummed on Bows closing. I wish I had gone there a bit more. Sometimes it would fall of my radar a little bit, but everything does that. I had this phase of going to Lowbrau constantly and then not for like two months and now am back to occasionally. Aren't my habits fascinating psych.

There's a No Bunny show in Sac on the 19th. Starts at 5, which is awesome for a sunday show. Although the next day is a holiday so I will be going to soul night for sure. if you haven't been, I'd say that it's the most sac dance night perhaps next to old school lipstick. mixed races, mixed ages, sweaty crowd, it's awesome. speaking of dance nights, an old blogpost post (4 years but it seems like longer) about oh dang surfaced recently. Those ladies (and Rafter) really killed it with that thing. I only went to like 1 or 2 and didn't really cut loose, but it was packed with people having a super good time. Now I know how hard this is to pull off. One thing they did right was only had it a few times a year. I should do that with heckarap but since they want us to do it more and it's fun I have been caving on that. We have one in Feb and March.

Also, quite a few of the people behind making oh dang so rad have moved away. But really wow. The trip to me is how many of these people I didn't really know or barely knew that I know now. Probably mostly through OC.

I saw Her last night. I really liked it. Very thoughtful movie. ScarJo was actually perfect for the role of the disembodied voice. I used to think she was a terrible, stiff actress. She's better now but the fact that I thought this was her best acting ever shows that I think it's more her stiff or artificial physicality that makes her not as good as she could be. Maybe she'll grow into it. Maybe her stunning looks and the fact that people have been staring at her probably since she was a teen contribute to this?

My favorite thing about it was how, because she was a disembodied voice, there romance was much more talking and laughing than just having sex, which is shorthand for love in most movies. Think about how romantic some woody allen movies are and what's his most iconic love scene ever (and not only his most but any group of critics would agree probably one of the top 5 romantic movie moments in film)? Alvy and Annie Hall laughing in the kitchen when the lobster escapes. Those moments are really what a relationship is about. If you can't laugh and talk forever you are screwed. Scott and I just chatting about comic strips can be my favorite part of the day. BTW, Crankshaft is having a really shitty storyline right now where he is joking about using agent orange and napalm on weeds. wow, insensitive. luann it having a gross story line about blueballs. why isn't she having sex with her boyfriend? she's in college.

I can't help but compare Spike Jonze really favorably to Wes Anderson. They both have fussy visual styles but Jonze doesn't let his overwhelm the movie and make it feel precious. And the music doesn't overwhelm either. Anderson tries to use songs as shortcuts to emotion and it's cheap. I loved Rushmore just as much as anyone else, and liked the last one, but his movies are not very affecting.

round table approacheth, my lady

Show tonight at Bows! Audacity/2014/Croissants/another Burger Band. This is our month to say goodbye to Bows, which is very very sadmaking.

I haven't had a drink in 5 days. That probably happened some time in the last few years but not more than a time or two. I just need to lower my tolerance a little to save money (jk). Doesn't feel that different but my face is less puffy although I doubt anyone would notice except me. I think when I'm in the bag I always get dehydrated.

Not only did I eat roundtable last night (which is a sure sign I had to stay late at work) but the first Round Table at Round Table at the round table of 2014 is this weekend. At this point I don't really have a dog in the fight. Well, two: I don't want a theme that will overly encourage 90s bands, and I would like to do M.I.A.

Don't forget to check sacramentofoodways and "like" us on facebook to get post reminders! We are going gangbusters for only being a week old.

yonce

Here are some stats for ya: 406,798 pageviews, 3194 posts

That's right, suckas, I'm closing in on 10 years of heckasac and only a pube's breadth (which is different than pube breath) away from 500,000 pageviews. I never noticed this stat before. 

And now you, all half million readers, are waiting to hear what I think of the Beyonce album. I love Drunk In Love as much as anyone else, I'm human after all. I was very happy to see that Hype Williams directed it. It was especially good to see something from him after seeing Belly to remind me that he can actually direct as long as it doesn't entail anything more complicated than walking in slow motion while a song plays.  NH observed that Jay Z does look like he's actually drunk and I agree with her.

I really like Yonce and was thinking I might play it at Heckarap. It was fun picking out all the people in No Angel but I really only recognized Paul Wall and Bun B. The video with the skinheads and moshing kind of embarrassed me and was kind of awesome.

There are finally a couple of good shows this week. Audacity/2014/Croissants at Bows on Tuesday. Black to the Future and Charles Albright Band on Thursday at Press. I don't know who this Charles Albright is but I read in the news and review that he has something to do with the arena plan, so I'm going to go protest at the show. I am also collecting signatures so that we can bring his existence to a vote on the ballot. My only problem is that so many people want to vote this guy out of existence that I have to keep replacing my front door...because everyone keeps knocking it down! 

snapseed to icloud to wordpress

I've become the person who is sitting here with a laptop and two cellphones (one is for work). How did this happen? It's because of freelancing for three pubs (including foodways) and because i like everyone else am addicted to my iphone. I also just bought beats by dre earbuds (which horrifyingly do not seem to be that much better than regular ones!) and a jbl flip speaker thing that uses bluetooth to communicate with my phone so i can listen to mostly podcasts and maybe some music in my kitchen while I cook.

I am currently struggling to upload my snapseed food photos to icloud so I can insert them into a wordpress post. My god. PS it's not working. Has anyone else heard of snapseed? I read about it in saveur. It's an app specifically for making food photos look better. I have to improve mine so they look nice enough to be on foodways with all those good photographers.

well, I give up. I am going to s.s.' house to taste some sriracha-style sauce for a piece she is writing and then to pick up crabs for a dinner tonight. I accomplished nothing.

sacramento foodways is born

Happy New Year! For me it doesn't feel like things are back to normal, at least work-wise, because the quarter still hasn't started so I can't get back into the full swing. I am really ready so I will be glad after the 6th.

Let's not talk about New Year, or the holidays, let's move on! Sacramento Foodways is a new website about, uh, food.  Check it out. I like the name - it was Ryan D's idea. He said I was not allowed to come up with something that had "sac" in the name, understandably enough. I will just have to wait until I launch my website about lunch: The Lunch Sac. We are working stuff out right now but I think it will settle in nicely soon. I'm very excited that MH is going to write for it. Stay tuned!