Like politicians, some restaurant critics get a palpable thrill from going negative. English writer A. A. Gill, who never goes anywhere without the word “acerbic” attached to his name, once referred to a Jean-Georges Vongerichten dish as “fishy, liver-filled condoms.” Me, I try to avoid writing negative reviews. I don’t mean to be holier-than-Gill. I certainly […]
Hey, do you know the secret to getting better quality and lower-priced ground meat at the supermarket? I do. Wait until beef chuck (pot roast) or boneless pork shoulder (butt) are on sale. Where I live, the sale price for these is $2/lb, and each tends to go on sale once a month. Find a nice roast, […]
My mom said, “If you’re going to Whole Foods, pick Dad up some almond butter.” I did, and realized I hadn’t had almond butter in years, and it sounded good. So I grabbed a jar for us, too. Whole Foods sells its own almond butter for $6. There’s also some gourmet brand for—I kid you […]
I’m at the new location of Espresso Vivace, one of Seattle’s best espresso bars. It’s in an area of South Lake Union where everything is under construction. While I was waiting for my macchiato, a construction worker with a blue hard hat came in. He ordered quiche lorraine and a tall nonfat latte.
When you have a kid, you start thinking about stuff that never registered much before. Like the beauty of a simple sunset and pretty horses and, wait, not that stuff. Stuff like, hmm, when I open my wallet, flies fly out. I wonder if I could lower my weekly French toast bill without compromising on […]