Thursday, March 15, 2007

BLD, Urth Cafe and Life

"Hemp-Seed Crusted Tofu with the Olive Oil and Thyme braised Fingerlings, Garlic Rapini with the Red Wine Sauce please". As for life, i think "i'll need a little while longer", i hope.

Self-Contstruced Dinner option from BLD....Just like my life. Where i have a choice of what protein i want, i have a choice of what major i want. Where i have a choice of what two sides i want, i have a choice of what other classes i i'm going to take. And where i have a choice of what sauce to cover it all, i have a choice of where i want to go. Well,it seems like it has finally hit me-i'm a senior, about to enter the "real life", and i still don't know what i'm going to do.

Fortunately, i have help, such as those who are responsible for this enchanting night(you have no idea you guys have helped me out, seriously). I only hope that whatever i end up doing, it makes me happy just like my dinner did. I'm no vegan, just conscious of stuff, that's all. And this dish will certainly break stereotypes that tofu has gotten. Three thick cutlets, with it's crispy crust of what would of probably ended up getting me high if i never left Garfield H.S.(Hemp=Bud), and it's soft, moist almost fish-like flesh. The starch, veggies and sauce were alright, but next time i'll try some of their other options.

And what way to make this night even better? Going somewhere else for dessert and actually keeping up with my new years resolution(read earlier posts). Urth Cafe to be more specific, somewhere that hasn't gotten written up that much yet. Cheering myself up with a big slice of their Chocolate Heaven Vegan Cake, to have the full effects of the comforting catechins (chocolate anti-oxidants proven to make you feel better) and rounding it out with a side of some fresh whipped cream to let me know that i'm not a hippy.

Like i said earlier, this is what i want to do in life, i just don't know how to get payed for doing it.

BLD
7450 Beverly Blvd (Cross Street: Gardner Street)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-9744


Urth Cafe
267 S. Beverly Drive,
Los Angeles, CA 90212
(310) 205-9311,

3 comments:

Eddie Lin said...

TG,

If this is really what you want to do seriously in life, keep doing it. Also...

1) Study up on the grammar. Be serious about the craft. Don't be the "I'm only doing this blog for my friends and family" bullshit.

1a) Constantly expand your vocabulary. Love the English language. Write properly but keep an ear on the latest slang and pop culture patois.

2) Buy or steal these two books - "Counter Intelligence" by Jonathon Gold and "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain.

3) Learn how to cook the basics. Learn about food as much as possible. Be a cuisine sponge. Soak up info on ingredients to techniques to gear to other writers and of course cooks.

4) Read, read, read! Read writers you love no matter the subject. A food writer is still a writer.

5) Get inspired! Inspiration for articles is everywhere. Corey Lee, chef de cuisine of the French Laundry, said to me that his inspiration doesn't come from any one place. It could be a movie, a beautiful view or eavesdropping on a conversation.

6) Most importantly...network your skinny ass off! Go to foodblogger dinners! Go to events. Pitch article ideas to your favorite mags, rags and websites. Make sure the people who make the decisions or know the people who make the decisions know about you.

7) Get business cards. Get free ones at Vistaprint.

I gotta go take a leak. Later!

Eddie Lin said...

Unsolicited advice part 2:

1) Read shitty writers, then you'll know what not to do.

2) Find your voice or let your voice find you. Anyone who you respect will have an identifiable voice. I don't care if that person is a rap star or Frank Bruni - you have to have one.

3) Email the writer at LA Times who put you in that article about local food bloggers. She can give you invaluable advice and contacts. Avital Binschtock did it for me.

Later.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to second Eddie's invaluable advice.

Accurate spelling and grammar matters. It separates you as a thoughtful writer from all the wanna bes.

It's difficult to take a person's opinion seriously if they appear that they don't know what they are talking about (e.g. if they misspell a word or, say, a cooking term or ingredient).

I liken it to a musical performance: A misspelled word in an otherwise fine piece of writing is like a bum note that jarringly takes you out of the performance.

I read a helluva lot as a kid, so that is, I think, why I have a good grasp of spelling and grammar. Oh, I guess the Masters of Arts degree helps...

Whatevs -- READ voraciously! And always look up words that you are unsure of their meaning.