It's about that time of year again! Being a commission-based insurance guy, any type of day off is a rarity for me. In the past two years, I've taken a single sick day, and only the sporadic vacation day.
The end of December, however, is an exception.
Every year, I take the last few weeks to recharge the insurance guy batteries, so to speak. Mainly, the timing of this is just due to the fact that no one actually wants to talk about insurance during this type of year. But, of course, I have various holiday gatherings to attend as well. Whatever the reasoning, the end result is the same: it's time for some much-needed time off.
So for those of you looking for your friendly neighborhood insurance advisor, you're likely better off searching hole-in-the-wall restaurants in the area. You likely won't see me around the deep, dark insurance mines for the rest of the year.
Until we meet again, have a great holiday season! May the rest of your year be filled with family gatherings, friends and of course, great food.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Office Party
Here in the deep, dark insurance mines, having a holiday party isn't always a top priority. In fact, we haven't had anything other than a last-minute deal at a chain restaurant for years just due to budget restraints. Thankfully, that changed this year.
It wasn't anything over the top, nor was it held at the actual office (and thank goodness for that! Deep, dark insurance mines aren't generally a party environment), but it WAS a blast. I'm a big believer in fun gatherings outside of work. It's a heck of a lot easier to work with folks if you can laugh and visit with them every now and then without being on the clock.
To those that generally avoid this type of event, I give you this note: the people that miss out on these parties are often the ones that could benefit from attending them. If you could have seen my workplace on Monday and the sheer amount of laughs, story-telling and overall good cheer that went along with it, you might understand.
It wasn't anything over the top, nor was it held at the actual office (and thank goodness for that! Deep, dark insurance mines aren't generally a party environment), but it WAS a blast. I'm a big believer in fun gatherings outside of work. It's a heck of a lot easier to work with folks if you can laugh and visit with them every now and then without being on the clock.
To those that generally avoid this type of event, I give you this note: the people that miss out on these parties are often the ones that could benefit from attending them. If you could have seen my workplace on Monday and the sheer amount of laughs, story-telling and overall good cheer that went along with it, you might understand.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Dreaded Holiday Push-Off
It's that time of year again! Everyone is in full holiday prep-mode (myself included) and people are flocking to the malls to buy presents, look for great deals, get decorations and everything else folks seem to do around this time of year.
Do you know the one thing people DON'T want to do?
Talk about insurance!
Ah yes, the dreaded 1.5 month window between Thanksgiving and the end of the year: every insurance guy or gal's worst nightmare. The refrain we hear over and over? "Call me after the 1st."
Now admittedly, I can get a little bit focused on the holidays as well, but don't people generally like saving money around this time of year? That's what we're trying to do here, folks! In all seriousness, I'm not at all offended that people would want to wait until January. I might even push some things out until that time of year too. But does EVERYONE have to do it?
So if you'd like to make your friendly neighborhood insurance advisor a happy person, make their January a little less crazy. Put down the Christmas lights and ornaments for a few minutes and finish up some business sooner than later. Trust me, it will be appreciated!
Do you know the one thing people DON'T want to do?
Talk about insurance!
Ah yes, the dreaded 1.5 month window between Thanksgiving and the end of the year: every insurance guy or gal's worst nightmare. The refrain we hear over and over? "Call me after the 1st."
Now admittedly, I can get a little bit focused on the holidays as well, but don't people generally like saving money around this time of year? That's what we're trying to do here, folks! In all seriousness, I'm not at all offended that people would want to wait until January. I might even push some things out until that time of year too. But does EVERYONE have to do it?
So if you'd like to make your friendly neighborhood insurance advisor a happy person, make their January a little less crazy. Put down the Christmas lights and ornaments for a few minutes and finish up some business sooner than later. Trust me, it will be appreciated!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
SactoMofo 3 Recap
Circumstance is a wonderful thing sometimes, isn't it? In this case, the awesome crossing of paths was this: one of the organizers of SactoMofo is my client.
So, mobile food guy and dutiful insurance advisor I am, I pitched in. So did the future Mrs. SactoFoodAndInsurance! It made for quite the fun morning actually. Running around, strategically placing garbage bins, previewing all of the trucks, and making a last-second stop by a Kinko's to get some color copies made me feel like I was on the Amazing Race.
And then... the feast.
The fiancee and I went as a pair, so I was sad to be without a big team for the first time. However, as I was posting signs, I ran into a few friends of mine from the Sacramento Dish Crawls and we did a quick impromptu team-up. As you may have seen me note before, teaming up is the way to go. Everyone splits up, hits a truck for everyone and meets back up with food in-hand.
Behold! The spoils of a group working together. We sampled delicious food from the following trucks: Chairman Bao, Hapa SF, An the Go, Bacon Bacon, Cajun Wagon, El Porteno, JapaCurry.
Some of the big stand-outs of the day? The breaded catfish from the Cajun Wagon was crispy, flavorful and overall delicious! As always, I'm a big fan of the garlic noodles from An the Go. I also sampled a pork bun with what appeared to be curried daikon radish from Chairman Bao, and that was a one-way trip to flavortown. The savory empanadas from El Porteno were wonderful toasty treats for a cool day. Plus, I'm never going to turn down pastry stuffed with beef or mushrooms. Honorable mention goes to the crazy double-barreled-pork-blast-to-the-face that was the pork belly and bacon taco from Bacon Bacon.
Speaking of honorable mention, I was not able to sample any food from Seoul on Wheels, but a big shout out to them. They broke down on the way, and they got towed a pretty major distance. For them to overcome that and still show up to put on a culinary show speaks volumes of how they run their business.
The crowds weren't too bad, either! I'm not sure if it was the location or the number of trucks, but everything seemed a bit more relaxed from SactoMofo 1. I hope that it still led to monster days from all trucks of course, but it was nice to be able to avoid multi-hour long lines.
Overall grade? A+. Great trucks, wonderful folks (both in the trucks and eating from them) and an overall good feeling about the day makes this a must-see event. If you haven't done one of these before, mark your calendar as soon as you see the next one on the horizon. It'll be worth your time and money.
So, mobile food guy and dutiful insurance advisor I am, I pitched in. So did the future Mrs. SactoFoodAndInsurance! It made for quite the fun morning actually. Running around, strategically placing garbage bins, previewing all of the trucks, and making a last-second stop by a Kinko's to get some color copies made me feel like I was on the Amazing Race.
And then... the feast.
The fiancee and I went as a pair, so I was sad to be without a big team for the first time. However, as I was posting signs, I ran into a few friends of mine from the Sacramento Dish Crawls and we did a quick impromptu team-up. As you may have seen me note before, teaming up is the way to go. Everyone splits up, hits a truck for everyone and meets back up with food in-hand.
Behold! The spoils of a group working together. We sampled delicious food from the following trucks: Chairman Bao, Hapa SF, An the Go, Bacon Bacon, Cajun Wagon, El Porteno, JapaCurry.
Some of the big stand-outs of the day? The breaded catfish from the Cajun Wagon was crispy, flavorful and overall delicious! As always, I'm a big fan of the garlic noodles from An the Go. I also sampled a pork bun with what appeared to be curried daikon radish from Chairman Bao, and that was a one-way trip to flavortown. The savory empanadas from El Porteno were wonderful toasty treats for a cool day. Plus, I'm never going to turn down pastry stuffed with beef or mushrooms. Honorable mention goes to the crazy double-barreled-pork-blast-to-the-face that was the pork belly and bacon taco from Bacon Bacon.
Speaking of honorable mention, I was not able to sample any food from Seoul on Wheels, but a big shout out to them. They broke down on the way, and they got towed a pretty major distance. For them to overcome that and still show up to put on a culinary show speaks volumes of how they run their business.
The crowds weren't too bad, either! I'm not sure if it was the location or the number of trucks, but everything seemed a bit more relaxed from SactoMofo 1. I hope that it still led to monster days from all trucks of course, but it was nice to be able to avoid multi-hour long lines.
Overall grade? A+. Great trucks, wonderful folks (both in the trucks and eating from them) and an overall good feeling about the day makes this a must-see event. If you haven't done one of these before, mark your calendar as soon as you see the next one on the horizon. It'll be worth your time and money.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
On Renter's Insurance
The other morning, I heard quite a few sirens when I was getting ready for work. And they were quite close, too! It's one of those things that made me start to wonder if something had gone wrong not far from my house.
That train of thought suddenly brought me back about 5 years when I was living in an apartment. On my way home, I noticed a pretty pronounced plume of smoke from my neighborhood. I then started to panic. I had been cooking in a crock pot that day! What if it shorted out, or boiled over, or did something else to cause a fire? Could my split-pea soup end up destroying the place I lived and all of my things?
Luckily enough, my long distance vision wasn't so great and it ended up coming from down the street. Still, it got me thinking! What if it had been my place? How would I even replace my wardrobe, which was now filled with suits, slacks, button-down shirts and other insurance-guy apparel? Or my pots, pans and other food-guy accessories?
The answer was simple: I wouldn't be able to.
Being a fledgling insurance guy at the time, my cash reserves were not so great. I would have been in a very tough spot! So the next day, I practiced what I preached and got myself a modest renter's insurance policy. Nothing outlandish, but something that would make sure that my most important items were covered. Thankfully, it was simple and inexpensive. If my memory serves me correctly, it ended up being about $20 per month.
So ask yourself the same question I did: how would you replace your belongings if something DID go wrong? If you don't have a good answer either, strongly consider protecting yourself. Consult your favorite insurance advisor and see if they can come up with a good plan for you.
And oddly enough, if you don't have an insurance advisor, I happen to know a pretty good one. Go figure, right?
That train of thought suddenly brought me back about 5 years when I was living in an apartment. On my way home, I noticed a pretty pronounced plume of smoke from my neighborhood. I then started to panic. I had been cooking in a crock pot that day! What if it shorted out, or boiled over, or did something else to cause a fire? Could my split-pea soup end up destroying the place I lived and all of my things?
Luckily enough, my long distance vision wasn't so great and it ended up coming from down the street. Still, it got me thinking! What if it had been my place? How would I even replace my wardrobe, which was now filled with suits, slacks, button-down shirts and other insurance-guy apparel? Or my pots, pans and other food-guy accessories?
The answer was simple: I wouldn't be able to.
Being a fledgling insurance guy at the time, my cash reserves were not so great. I would have been in a very tough spot! So the next day, I practiced what I preached and got myself a modest renter's insurance policy. Nothing outlandish, but something that would make sure that my most important items were covered. Thankfully, it was simple and inexpensive. If my memory serves me correctly, it ended up being about $20 per month.
So ask yourself the same question I did: how would you replace your belongings if something DID go wrong? If you don't have a good answer either, strongly consider protecting yourself. Consult your favorite insurance advisor and see if they can come up with a good plan for you.
And oddly enough, if you don't have an insurance advisor, I happen to know a pretty good one. Go figure, right?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
SactoMofo Part 3: Revenge of the San Francisco trucks
I've been hearing quite a bit from friends, clients and pretty much everyone else that knows of my love of food: SactoMofo is returning.
This Saturday the 3rd, starting at 11:00 am, the trucks will be meeting in downtown/midtown Sacramento. And I am EXCITED!
However, I have a problem. Last time, I was able to meet up with several family members and friends, and we used an old trick: divide and conquer. Each of us went to a single truck, bought enough food for everyone, and met back up.
The problem? I don't have a group. YET.
That's where you come in, Sacto foodies! Would you like to join your resident insurance advisor and food truck junkie for food truck domination? Comment, E-Mail or Tweet at me, and we'll round up a posse. I guarantee you that this is infinitely better than trying to take on 4-5 lines in a day.
This Saturday the 3rd, starting at 11:00 am, the trucks will be meeting in downtown/midtown Sacramento. And I am EXCITED!
However, I have a problem. Last time, I was able to meet up with several family members and friends, and we used an old trick: divide and conquer. Each of us went to a single truck, bought enough food for everyone, and met back up.
The problem? I don't have a group. YET.
That's where you come in, Sacto foodies! Would you like to join your resident insurance advisor and food truck junkie for food truck domination? Comment, E-Mail or Tweet at me, and we'll round up a posse. I guarantee you that this is infinitely better than trying to take on 4-5 lines in a day.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Lemons
Thanksgiving is always a time for reflection, and though it can be a bit of a cornball activity, I did happen to think of some of the things I'm thankful for. It shouldn't surprise most folks that one of the things I'm thankful for happens to be a food item. What might surprise you is WHY I'm thankful for it.
I am thankful... for lemons.
Strange, right? Well, it is. And strange on several levels, in fact. Let me enlighten you a bit as to what I'm talking about.
Though I do enjoy the occasional lemon-flavored item, it's not just the food I'm speaking of. My family has a strange tradition that started roughly 5 years back. I'm really not sure how or why it began, but two of my younger cousins and I ended up up sitting around in the living room, tossing a lemon back and forth. Over time, it evolved into multiple lemons and more family members. There are only two rules: throw it softly, and if a lemon starts to become "juicy", it is retired. Bizarrely enough, many of my cousins look forward to this each year. If I'm being honest, I look forward to it, too.
Now, you might ask yourself, why would I look forward to this? It's strange, yes, but this activity is always accompanied with a rare form of belly-laughter. Maybe it's the absurdity to it that people enjoy. Perhaps we enjoy the occasional missed catch that leads to a lemon head-shot. In my case, I think it's the joy of seeing several of my teenage and relatively mopey cousins put down their phones and just spend time with family for a while. Whatever it is, everyone involved seems to have a great time.
Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekends! I hope you've managed to spend some time with family, lemons or not.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Freaking Onions
I did a test run of my green bean casserole today, and for the life of me, I still cannot get the baked onions to come out right. They always burn. Curse you, Alton Brown!
Does anyone out there have a good method for doing a baked onion ring? I won't stoop to the canned french fried onions, nor do I want to do a deep-fried variety either. Are there any other options out there beyond baking? Or is baking a good method, and I'm just doing it wrong?
Does anyone out there have a good method for doing a baked onion ring? I won't stoop to the canned french fried onions, nor do I want to do a deep-fried variety either. Are there any other options out there beyond baking? Or is baking a good method, and I'm just doing it wrong?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Getting excited (and nervous!) about Thanksgiving
I'm not sure why, but I'm getting exceedingly excited about Thanksgiving this year. Not only the eating, but the cooking! I actually offered to take on the whole meal for my father's side of the family (which is quite a large group), but I ended up just taking on a few of the sides. It looks like I'll be making the potatoes and gravy and green bean casserole. All from scratch, of course!
In addition to being excited, I'm starting to get a little freaked out. I've only ever tackled a single project at a time for Thanksgiving. I'm pretty confident I can pull things off, but if things go awry, there goes a good chunk of Thanksgiving dinner.
Any recommendations? I don't want to stress out, get careless and slice my left hand again.
In addition to being excited, I'm starting to get a little freaked out. I've only ever tackled a single project at a time for Thanksgiving. I'm pretty confident I can pull things off, but if things go awry, there goes a good chunk of Thanksgiving dinner.
Any recommendations? I don't want to stress out, get careless and slice my left hand again.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The "New Guy Ceremony"
Whenever we get a new person working here in the office, I always extend the offer to take them out to lunch as a "get to know you" type situation. I think it helps the newbies feel welcomed and hopefully works towards a friendlier environment as a whole.
This all sounds very nice, but I have to admit that a lot of it has to do with my undying love of food.
Am I being slightly self-serving? Perhaps. Everything I said earlier is true. It helps the new person feel included. I'm sure it helps! But basically, I'm just coming up with excuses to have an awesome lunch. Today's lunch will be a jaunt to one of my favorites: Cafe Rolle. I'll admit, I always get weird looks when I mention that it's French food, but most people are converts after they try it.
So, welcome to the insurance mines, new guy! I hope you don't mind that I'll be utterly silent when the food hits the table.
This all sounds very nice, but I have to admit that a lot of it has to do with my undying love of food.
Am I being slightly self-serving? Perhaps. Everything I said earlier is true. It helps the new person feel included. I'm sure it helps! But basically, I'm just coming up with excuses to have an awesome lunch. Today's lunch will be a jaunt to one of my favorites: Cafe Rolle. I'll admit, I always get weird looks when I mention that it's French food, but most people are converts after they try it.
So, welcome to the insurance mines, new guy! I hope you don't mind that I'll be utterly silent when the food hits the table.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Food Truck Q&A
Q: How do you know when you frequent food trucks too much?
A: When one of them Tweets at you and asks where you've been recently!
Hilariously, this just happened to me. Equally hilariously, it completely worked. I wondered to myself, "Wow, when was the last time I managed to get some food from there?" and now I've been checking my schedule to see when I can hit them up next.
Oh you clever folks over at Wicked 'Wich. You'll get my money, I just need to find you!
A: When one of them Tweets at you and asks where you've been recently!
Hilariously, this just happened to me. Equally hilariously, it completely worked. I wondered to myself, "Wow, when was the last time I managed to get some food from there?" and now I've been checking my schedule to see when I can hit them up next.
Oh you clever folks over at Wicked 'Wich. You'll get my money, I just need to find you!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
More Charity Interactions!
Just when things wrap up for the Making Strides charity event for the American Cancer Society, it looks like I'm back on the charity front! No bake sales this time around, but I'll be helping to support the American Cancer Society yet again. This time it's for their Relay for Life event in Elk Grove California.
I'll be working with the Re/Max Gold Elk Grove branch this time around, and we'll be doing things a bit differently. This time, insurance is actually going to be involved! And you can be too, if you'd like.
Here's how it works: I'll be donating $5 to the American Cancer Society per quote for car or home insurance during the months of November and December. Just make sure to mention the Relay for Life in Elk Grove. I'll do my best to earn your business of course, but the quotes are no-obligation. If you don't like what we can do, the money is still donated regardless.
It's an awesome cause, so if you've been at all curious about working with me in the past, now would be a great time. Post a comment, Tweet at me @sactofoodandins or E-Mail me at Sactofoodandins@gmail.com, and we'll see what we can do.
I'll be working with the Re/Max Gold Elk Grove branch this time around, and we'll be doing things a bit differently. This time, insurance is actually going to be involved! And you can be too, if you'd like.
Here's how it works: I'll be donating $5 to the American Cancer Society per quote for car or home insurance during the months of November and December. Just make sure to mention the Relay for Life in Elk Grove. I'll do my best to earn your business of course, but the quotes are no-obligation. If you don't like what we can do, the money is still donated regardless.
It's an awesome cause, so if you've been at all curious about working with me in the past, now would be a great time. Post a comment, Tweet at me @sactofoodandins or E-Mail me at Sactofoodandins@gmail.com, and we'll see what we can do.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Inconclusive Results
Battle Apple has come and gone. The results? Tough to say. First, let me introduce you to the competitors...
Both are made from scratch and were fresh from the oven just the other night. Very different preparations, though! One was a more traditional pie with a flaky crust, and the other was a skillet-pie with a biscuit crust. Between my fiancee and I, we couldn't decide upon a clear winner. So we decided to go the only fair route we could imagine: blind taste test.
Both options were brought into the insurance mines for a best-of-seven taste test. Sounds simple, right? Well, that's where things got complex. I asked folks in the office to taste the pies and I got many volunteers, but we went with the first seven available folks, and I got what I thought was a close (but conclusive) results. Four votes to three votes in favor of pie "A", the picture on the bottom. BUT, hours later, two of the folks I had asked to participate but were unable to at the time came back and voted for pie "B". So the best-of-seven quickly turned into a best-of-nine.
However, at that point, the taste test wasn't so blind! After the initial seven votes, people wanted to know who made what. So word got out! Either way you slice it, a tainted victory for either pie "A" or pie "B". Scandal!
So, what would you do in my shoes, not know which pie is mine? Declare pie "B" the winner, as defined by the original best-of-seven votes? Or throw in the two additional, possibly-not-so-blind votes and give the victory to pie "A"?
Both options were brought into the insurance mines for a best-of-seven taste test. Sounds simple, right? Well, that's where things got complex. I asked folks in the office to taste the pies and I got many volunteers, but we went with the first seven available folks, and I got what I thought was a close (but conclusive) results. Four votes to three votes in favor of pie "A", the picture on the bottom. BUT, hours later, two of the folks I had asked to participate but were unable to at the time came back and voted for pie "B". So the best-of-seven quickly turned into a best-of-nine.
However, at that point, the taste test wasn't so blind! After the initial seven votes, people wanted to know who made what. So word got out! Either way you slice it, a tainted victory for either pie "A" or pie "B". Scandal!
So, what would you do in my shoes, not know which pie is mine? Declare pie "B" the winner, as defined by the original best-of-seven votes? Or throw in the two additional, possibly-not-so-blind votes and give the victory to pie "A"?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Battle Apple
Those that know me pretty well know that I'm quite competitive. Those that read this blog also know that I love food. Did you know that I also love food competition?
Not only am I a fan of shows like Iron Chef, Chopped and Sweet Genius, but I apparently like to imitate these shows during my free time. Example? This weekend, prior to a trip to Apple Hill, I proposed an idea to my fiancee: let's each plan to make an apple pie and see who makes the superior pastry. I even put the idea out there of doing a full Chopped-style deal of an appetizer, main course and dessert involving apples, but I was sadly shot down.
I'm already at a disadvantage in that my fiancee has recently turned out to be quite the baker, but I figure it should be fun regardless. I already struck first, albeit informally, with some baked apples, but it looks like my competitor will be making the first official pie tonight.
I think I already have my recipe ready to go (and a trick up my sleeve!), but if anyone has a secret weapon I should know about, please let me know. I'll take any advantage I can get. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed both for the taste of my pie, and also for the health of my left hand. Knives and my hand don't always get along so well!
Not only am I a fan of shows like Iron Chef, Chopped and Sweet Genius, but I apparently like to imitate these shows during my free time. Example? This weekend, prior to a trip to Apple Hill, I proposed an idea to my fiancee: let's each plan to make an apple pie and see who makes the superior pastry. I even put the idea out there of doing a full Chopped-style deal of an appetizer, main course and dessert involving apples, but I was sadly shot down.
I'm already at a disadvantage in that my fiancee has recently turned out to be quite the baker, but I figure it should be fun regardless. I already struck first, albeit informally, with some baked apples, but it looks like my competitor will be making the first official pie tonight.
I think I already have my recipe ready to go (and a trick up my sleeve!), but if anyone has a secret weapon I should know about, please let me know. I'll take any advantage I can get. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed both for the taste of my pie, and also for the health of my left hand. Knives and my hand don't always get along so well!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Conquering my tastebuds: Chicken Tikka Masala
Every now and then, I make something so tasty for dinner that I can't wait to eat the leftovers. Earlier this week, I managed this rare feat. This time it was Chicken Tikka Masala.
Ever since SactoMoFo when I experienced a burrito of the same variety, I'd been keeping an eye out for a recipe, or a place that serves it. Something! I had to have it again. Lo and behold, while prepping for a shopping outing this past Sunday, I stumbled upon a tasty version from the neverending contributors to my gluttony over at the Food Network kitchens.
It is one of the more time-intensive things I've made in some time, but holy cow, it was worth it. The sheer amount of ginger, garlic and spices going into this should have tipped me off, but it ended up being a punch-to-the-face full of flavor. I was unable to find any Naan to have with it, but regardless, it was a taste revelation. And it looked restaurant quality, too! Plus, any opportunities to use my kitchen gadgets like my stick blender are always welcome.
I've been so excited about this particular dish that I've been talking the ears off of my co-workers at the insurance mines where I work. And today, I finally broke down and brought in the last of it for lunch. I was trying to hold off and save it for Friday when I wouldn't be able to leave the office for lunch, but it didn't make it.
And now here I am blogging about it! Are you convinced as to how much I like this dish yet? If you're adventurous enough, I highly recommend giving it a try. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Ever since SactoMoFo when I experienced a burrito of the same variety, I'd been keeping an eye out for a recipe, or a place that serves it. Something! I had to have it again. Lo and behold, while prepping for a shopping outing this past Sunday, I stumbled upon a tasty version from the neverending contributors to my gluttony over at the Food Network kitchens.
It is one of the more time-intensive things I've made in some time, but holy cow, it was worth it. The sheer amount of ginger, garlic and spices going into this should have tipped me off, but it ended up being a punch-to-the-face full of flavor. I was unable to find any Naan to have with it, but regardless, it was a taste revelation. And it looked restaurant quality, too! Plus, any opportunities to use my kitchen gadgets like my stick blender are always welcome.
I've been so excited about this particular dish that I've been talking the ears off of my co-workers at the insurance mines where I work. And today, I finally broke down and brought in the last of it for lunch. I was trying to hold off and save it for Friday when I wouldn't be able to leave the office for lunch, but it didn't make it.
And now here I am blogging about it! Are you convinced as to how much I like this dish yet? If you're adventurous enough, I highly recommend giving it a try. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Hand injuries part 2
Do you recall when I mentioned that I can't seem to keep my left arm safe while cooking? Well, lightning has struck for the... fourth time? Fifth time? I think I've lost track.
While dicing some onions, celery and carrots for mirepoix (which DID still end up contributing to deliciousness), my hand slipped and my good knife decided that it was time to cause self-injury again. So, through a part of my thumb it went! Luckily, it stopped at the nail, but yeesh, it was a gusher.
I appear to be just fine, and thankfully, I did not bleed on my food. However! If I continue at this rate, I'll be cooking fine foods with only one hand. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take!
While dicing some onions, celery and carrots for mirepoix (which DID still end up contributing to deliciousness), my hand slipped and my good knife decided that it was time to cause self-injury again. So, through a part of my thumb it went! Luckily, it stopped at the nail, but yeesh, it was a gusher.
I appear to be just fine, and thankfully, I did not bleed on my food. However! If I continue at this rate, I'll be cooking fine foods with only one hand. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take!
Under a rock?
Rest assured, I have not been hiding under one.
It's been a strange month or so. I spent a good portion of last month interviewing for a positon out of state. So, why be so quiet about it? Basically, I didn't feel it was right to keep positioning myself as your local source of insurance and food information if I wasn't sure I'd still actually be local! Not very fair to you, especially on the insurance side of things.
As it turns out, I remain a local, and will be staying as such for the foreseeable future. Apologies to anyone who thought I was under a rock, or had fallen off of the edge of the world!
It's been a strange month or so. I spent a good portion of last month interviewing for a positon out of state. So, why be so quiet about it? Basically, I didn't feel it was right to keep positioning myself as your local source of insurance and food information if I wasn't sure I'd still actually be local! Not very fair to you, especially on the insurance side of things.
As it turns out, I remain a local, and will be staying as such for the foreseeable future. Apologies to anyone who thought I was under a rock, or had fallen off of the edge of the world!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
When insurance gets rough, turn to... schnitzel?
It's been a little overwhelming at work these days! Luckily, not all things are bad. On the food front, things have been quite positive. These days, it's been more of a cooking thing than a restaurant thing, and I think I can mainly thank Food Network for that.
First off, if you haven't heard of Jeff Mauro, go do your research. He may be the best thing to happen to food-based television in some time. He is the self-proclaimed "sandwich king", and we've been poaching his recipes since he came on TV. Oddly enough, we're taking some of his sandwich-based ideas and bringing them back to a fork and knife deal, but it's still delcious. For example, his Schnitzel Biscuit. We just took some of the basics and ran with it. It worked out very well, and I'm aching to try a few more of his ideas too! I don't think I've ever run into a show that makes me want to create meals quite so badly.
Even with football season in full swing, take a moment on your Sundays to check out his show. It's highly worth it!
First off, if you haven't heard of Jeff Mauro, go do your research. He may be the best thing to happen to food-based television in some time. He is the self-proclaimed "sandwich king", and we've been poaching his recipes since he came on TV. Oddly enough, we're taking some of his sandwich-based ideas and bringing them back to a fork and knife deal, but it's still delcious. For example, his Schnitzel Biscuit. We just took some of the basics and ran with it. It worked out very well, and I'm aching to try a few more of his ideas too! I don't think I've ever run into a show that makes me want to create meals quite so badly.
Even with football season in full swing, take a moment on your Sundays to check out his show. It's highly worth it!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Difficult times
This past Friday, I probably had to field the most difficult phone call I've ever taken.
I won't go too far in-depth to respect the privacy of my clients, but I received a call that a client of mine who I have worked with regularly in the past few years passed away late last month. As her insurance advisor, I now have the difficult task of working to make sure that her life insurance is paid out to her family quickly.
As someone who deals with life insurance, you logically know that you need it, and that it's an important thing, but only when you're really confronted with it do you really understand. The money will not replace her by any means, but it lessens the financial stress that comes along with such an extremely difficult time.
My thoughts and prayers are with my client's family.
I won't go too far in-depth to respect the privacy of my clients, but I received a call that a client of mine who I have worked with regularly in the past few years passed away late last month. As her insurance advisor, I now have the difficult task of working to make sure that her life insurance is paid out to her family quickly.
As someone who deals with life insurance, you logically know that you need it, and that it's an important thing, but only when you're really confronted with it do you really understand. The money will not replace her by any means, but it lessens the financial stress that comes along with such an extremely difficult time.
My thoughts and prayers are with my client's family.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Of Bake Sales and Insurance
You wouldn't really think of an insurance office as a place for a bake sale, but hey, you probably don't think of food when you think insurance at all! As the title of my blog may indicate, I love both food AND insurance. It turns out I also love a good cause!
Every year since I've joined up with my current company, I've helped to raise money for the American Cancer Society leading up to their walk in Sacramento each October. It's a great cause that I was turned onto by a co-worker of mine who is a breast cancer survivor. I had never really taken notice of a particular cause up until I happened to meet her, but she's a fantastic woman, and I can't imagine that I'd have taken in all of the knowledge and experience that I have if I didn't have the opportunity to work with her. Now I do what I can each year to help contribute to a cause that she cares deeply about!
So with October coming up shortly, the charity bake sales start up again. So in addition to my normal insurancely-duties, I'll also be baking and hustling all over my building to sell delicious baked goods every other Friday.
You knew it was coming, but here comes the pitch: I'll be taking contributions of baked goods. Any monies taken in from their sales go directly to the American Cancer Society. The first bake sale will be on Friday, September 16th.
On my end, I'm thinking I'll likely go simple with some Rice Crispy squares, but I might get a little fancy and try something like Amish Friendship Bread, or a cake, or something wild like that. I don't bake a ton, but for a good cause, I'll give things a shot.
Every year since I've joined up with my current company, I've helped to raise money for the American Cancer Society leading up to their walk in Sacramento each October. It's a great cause that I was turned onto by a co-worker of mine who is a breast cancer survivor. I had never really taken notice of a particular cause up until I happened to meet her, but she's a fantastic woman, and I can't imagine that I'd have taken in all of the knowledge and experience that I have if I didn't have the opportunity to work with her. Now I do what I can each year to help contribute to a cause that she cares deeply about!
So with October coming up shortly, the charity bake sales start up again. So in addition to my normal insurancely-duties, I'll also be baking and hustling all over my building to sell delicious baked goods every other Friday.
You knew it was coming, but here comes the pitch: I'll be taking contributions of baked goods. Any monies taken in from their sales go directly to the American Cancer Society. The first bake sale will be on Friday, September 16th.
On my end, I'm thinking I'll likely go simple with some Rice Crispy squares, but I might get a little fancy and try something like Amish Friendship Bread, or a cake, or something wild like that. I don't bake a ton, but for a good cause, I'll give things a shot.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
So, you think you know Home Insurance? The answers!
I have to thank those of you who captained the last-minute charge to answer some of these questions! It's much appreciated that you took the time to go over these, and I hope you take something away from it! Other than the one of you that wins the gift card, of course.
And without further delay, I give you... the answers.
Question 1) What are the two main occurrences NOT covered under standard home insurance policies in California?
ANSWER: Flood and earthquake. They are both covered under separate policies. Seems like most people knew this one, but it is still something to keep in mind. Especially flood insurance in Sacramento!
Question 2) True or false: The best way to compare different home insurance companies is to have them quote you using the exact same coverage as each other.
ANSWER: False. It seems logical enough to do a direct comparison, but think of it like this: if you employ this technique, and the first person led you astray or somehow got something wrong, you might not know it for years. Also, different companies employ different ways of evaluating how much insurance you'll actually need. If one company says your home can be rebuilt for $175k, and another says $200k, they're both probably correct, but only for the given company. Lastly, some companies have coverage options that others do not, and by ignoring them, you could be missing out on savings, great coverage, etc. Phew! That all being said, if you trust your insurance agent, let them help guide you a bit. I think I tricked most of you on this one, but now you know!
Question 3) True or false: Like auto insurance, you can only be surcharged for "at-fault" claims on your home insurance.
ANSWER: False. With auto insurance, a claim is generally only held against you if you caused it. So if someone hits you, your insurance doesn't go up. Not so with home insurance! Even if you're robbed, your insurance CAN go up. This varies with companies (I've seen some companies hold you responsible for weather claims, some do not) but the rule-of-thumb is that ANY claim over a certain dollar can be held against you. Only the ex insurance agent got that one!
Question 4) True or false: A home that you own and reside in will be insured with a different type of policy than one that you own but rent out.
ANSWER: True. Everyone got this right. If you own a home and rent it out, you need a different policy than if you own and reside in a home. As a friend of mine was quick to point out, renter's insurance is also a concern here and frankly, you should strongly consider it if you haven't looked into it. It's inexpensive and can get you out of a jam.
Question 5) Of the following, which three have limited coverage under most home policies in California: computers, TVs, jewelry, sports cards, designer clothing, furniture, video game consoles, or appliances.
ANSWER: Computers, jewelry and sports cards. Now mind you, this is just going from what I know. You may run into carriers that have minor variations here, but in general, those are the limits you'll see. Two of these (computers and jewelry) are relatively reasy to increase coverage for, but sports cards are tough. Being a collector myself, I had to jump through a few hopes to get proper help there. A lot of folks picked designer clothing, but I've never seen any sort of limits there. Expensive taste in clothing won't get you in a bind, apparently.
And of course, we have the matter of the $10 Chevron card. I'm plugging the entrants into Random.org, and your random winner is...
Susan B, aka YetAnotherSusan on Twitter! Comment or Tweet at me when you have a moment. I'll need your mailing address to send your prize on over, unless you'd prefer dropping by the dreaded insurance mines that I work in. Your call!
And without further delay, I give you... the answers.
Question 1) What are the two main occurrences NOT covered under standard home insurance policies in California?
ANSWER: Flood and earthquake. They are both covered under separate policies. Seems like most people knew this one, but it is still something to keep in mind. Especially flood insurance in Sacramento!
Question 2) True or false: The best way to compare different home insurance companies is to have them quote you using the exact same coverage as each other.
ANSWER: False. It seems logical enough to do a direct comparison, but think of it like this: if you employ this technique, and the first person led you astray or somehow got something wrong, you might not know it for years. Also, different companies employ different ways of evaluating how much insurance you'll actually need. If one company says your home can be rebuilt for $175k, and another says $200k, they're both probably correct, but only for the given company. Lastly, some companies have coverage options that others do not, and by ignoring them, you could be missing out on savings, great coverage, etc. Phew! That all being said, if you trust your insurance agent, let them help guide you a bit. I think I tricked most of you on this one, but now you know!
Question 3) True or false: Like auto insurance, you can only be surcharged for "at-fault" claims on your home insurance.
ANSWER: False. With auto insurance, a claim is generally only held against you if you caused it. So if someone hits you, your insurance doesn't go up. Not so with home insurance! Even if you're robbed, your insurance CAN go up. This varies with companies (I've seen some companies hold you responsible for weather claims, some do not) but the rule-of-thumb is that ANY claim over a certain dollar can be held against you. Only the ex insurance agent got that one!
Question 4) True or false: A home that you own and reside in will be insured with a different type of policy than one that you own but rent out.
ANSWER: True. Everyone got this right. If you own a home and rent it out, you need a different policy than if you own and reside in a home. As a friend of mine was quick to point out, renter's insurance is also a concern here and frankly, you should strongly consider it if you haven't looked into it. It's inexpensive and can get you out of a jam.
Question 5) Of the following, which three have limited coverage under most home policies in California: computers, TVs, jewelry, sports cards, designer clothing, furniture, video game consoles, or appliances.
ANSWER: Computers, jewelry and sports cards. Now mind you, this is just going from what I know. You may run into carriers that have minor variations here, but in general, those are the limits you'll see. Two of these (computers and jewelry) are relatively reasy to increase coverage for, but sports cards are tough. Being a collector myself, I had to jump through a few hopes to get proper help there. A lot of folks picked designer clothing, but I've never seen any sort of limits there. Expensive taste in clothing won't get you in a bind, apparently.
And of course, we have the matter of the $10 Chevron card. I'm plugging the entrants into Random.org, and your random winner is...
Susan B, aka YetAnotherSusan on Twitter! Comment or Tweet at me when you have a moment. I'll need your mailing address to send your prize on over, unless you'd prefer dropping by the dreaded insurance mines that I work in. Your call!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thoughtful insurance guy
So, I'll be the first to admit, I'm a bit stumped. Giving away a pair of $10 Chevron gas cards with no difficult barrier to enter, and I get a total of 3 entries over two separate contests. The most recent contest has just a single entry! I thought for sure this would generate more interest, but perhaps I'm looking at things the wrong way.
So, I'll pose the question to you! Do you want more interactive things, like the insurance quizzes? More informational stuff, like the occasional "did you know?" type posts? Or would you be happier if it was SactoFoodAndPleaseStopTalkingAboutBoringInsurance?
Inquiring insurance guys want to know! I want to educate, but I also don't want to bore folks.
So, I'll pose the question to you! Do you want more interactive things, like the insurance quizzes? More informational stuff, like the occasional "did you know?" type posts? Or would you be happier if it was SactoFoodAndPleaseStopTalkingAboutBoringInsurance?
Inquiring insurance guys want to know! I want to educate, but I also don't want to bore folks.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
LasVegasFoodAndInsurance?
So it turns out that insurance guys need a break every now and then. Go figure! I'm still working in the local insurance mines for now, but I'll soon be spending a few days relaxing in Las Vegas! Fun stuff indeed, but, I have a bit of a question on my mind, and it involves food, of course.
Here's the thing: with no car to drive around, where are some good eats close to the strip? I don't need anything super-fancy (though I won't turn it down if it's incredible!), I do prefer hole-in-the-wall, and I won't turn my nose up at food trucks (in fact, I'd love to sample a new one!) or anything a little bizarre.
With that criteria in mind, does anyone have a spot or two to look into?
Here's the thing: with no car to drive around, where are some good eats close to the strip? I don't need anything super-fancy (though I won't turn it down if it's incredible!), I do prefer hole-in-the-wall, and I won't turn my nose up at food trucks (in fact, I'd love to sample a new one!) or anything a little bizarre.
With that criteria in mind, does anyone have a spot or two to look into?
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
So, you think you know home insurance?
It's that time again! If you've been following me at all, you may have seen my similar contest on car insurance several months back. This time around, it's all about home insurance. Keep in mind, this isn't just for owned homes. This is about home insurance, renter's insurance or condo insurance.
Now, same as last time, take this quiz and leave me a comment OR Tweet at me at @SactoFoodAndIns with your answers. I won't judge this on the number of answers correct! This isn't a contest to see who can Google things, but really to test your own knowledge to make sure you really "get" your policy. For one random California resident who submits their answers, a $10 Chevron gas card is on me.
Question 1) What are the two main occurrences NOT covered under standard home insurance policies in California?
Question 2) True or false: The best way to compare different home insurance companies is to have them quote you using the exact same coverage as each other.
Question 3) True or false: Like auto insurance, you can only be surcharged for "at-fault" claims on your home insurance.
Question 4) True or false: A home that you own and reside in will be insured with a different type of policy than one that you own but rent out.
Question 5) Of the following, which three have limited coverage under most home policies in California: computers, TVs, jewelry, sports cards, designer clothing, furniture, video game consoles, or appliances.
Easy, right? Comment or Tweet away, and just make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. I'll select the winner on Thursday, 9/1!
Now, same as last time, take this quiz and leave me a comment OR Tweet at me at @SactoFoodAndIns with your answers. I won't judge this on the number of answers correct! This isn't a contest to see who can Google things, but really to test your own knowledge to make sure you really "get" your policy. For one random California resident who submits their answers, a $10 Chevron gas card is on me.
Question 1) What are the two main occurrences NOT covered under standard home insurance policies in California?
Question 2) True or false: The best way to compare different home insurance companies is to have them quote you using the exact same coverage as each other.
Question 3) True or false: Like auto insurance, you can only be surcharged for "at-fault" claims on your home insurance.
Question 4) True or false: A home that you own and reside in will be insured with a different type of policy than one that you own but rent out.
Question 5) Of the following, which three have limited coverage under most home policies in California: computers, TVs, jewelry, sports cards, designer clothing, furniture, video game consoles, or appliances.
Easy, right? Comment or Tweet away, and just make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. I'll select the winner on Thursday, 9/1!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Feeling good. Looking similar (?)
There's something about getting healthy. The world just looks, sounds and feels a heck of a lot better. Combine that with a haircut and a freshly cleaned suit, and things just look good.
Don't confuse this with me being vain! Quite the opposite. I'm the first person to crack a joke about my overall looks (a leftover from Jr. High School), but I do clean up decently when the stars align.
Now the big question: will this help me sell anything? The answer: probably not. I've been doing quite well while recovering from a cold while having borderline unruly hair, but man, I just FEEL good today. Let's hope this is a trend for the week!
Don't confuse this with me being vain! Quite the opposite. I'm the first person to crack a joke about my overall looks (a leftover from Jr. High School), but I do clean up decently when the stars align.
Now the big question: will this help me sell anything? The answer: probably not. I've been doing quite well while recovering from a cold while having borderline unruly hair, but man, I just FEEL good today. Let's hope this is a trend for the week!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Flash mobs
Maybe it's because I'm planning to marry someone who's worked as a dance teacher for much of her life, but I've always really been intrigued by the idea of a flash mob. Not so much being IN one (though I wouldn't rule it out), but just seeing them. Or just liking the idea. I'm really not sure.
Lo and behold, today, while eating a burrito over by the Arden Fair Mall, I witnessed a small flash mob. I was enjoying some lunch with a couple of fellow insurance guys, when Justin Bieber's "Baby" started blasting mid-bite, and I turn around to see a group of mothers dancing around with their small children and strollers. Pretty interesting thing to see.
Putting on my insurance guy hat for a second though, that type of thing must driver building or property management crazy. 20+ people suddenly breaking into dance, involving things on wheels? I'm pretty sure your liability risk just went up a ton.
Lo and behold, today, while eating a burrito over by the Arden Fair Mall, I witnessed a small flash mob. I was enjoying some lunch with a couple of fellow insurance guys, when Justin Bieber's "Baby" started blasting mid-bite, and I turn around to see a group of mothers dancing around with their small children and strollers. Pretty interesting thing to see.
Putting on my insurance guy hat for a second though, that type of thing must driver building or property management crazy. 20+ people suddenly breaking into dance, involving things on wheels? I'm pretty sure your liability risk just went up a ton.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Let's Get Life Insurance-y!
Taking a break from my normal chatter about eating and food-related topics, I do have a pretty serious topic to give folks a nudge about: life insurance.
I run into a strange occurence with my clients: people have it through work (which is good!) but don't know how much they have, and are still convinced that they have enough (which is bad).
The strange thing about it is that with home or car insurance, my clients are extremely interested in making sure they have enough coverage. I've been grilled for hours with various questions about how one thing will be covered, if they have enough coverage for this type of accident, etc. But I very rarely get that about life insurance! I just get the, "I have coverage already" response, and no more.
Please, do yourself a favor and make sure. Do your homework and see if the coverage you have is enough! If the answer is no, just tell me no. I definitely won't be offended. But also, don't think that $25,000 coverage through work is realistically going to be enough if you're married, have a child, and have a mortgage to pay. If you're in a dual income household, that's just a drop in the bucket. Having coverage through work is a great start, especially because it's usually quite inexpensive. But just having that likely won't be enough.
Bottom-line: get a trusted professional to review things with you. If you know and trust your advisor, you likely won't have to worry about any sort of high-pressure tactics. You might be surprised at how inexpensive coverage can be if you're healthy!
I run into a strange occurence with my clients: people have it through work (which is good!) but don't know how much they have, and are still convinced that they have enough (which is bad).
The strange thing about it is that with home or car insurance, my clients are extremely interested in making sure they have enough coverage. I've been grilled for hours with various questions about how one thing will be covered, if they have enough coverage for this type of accident, etc. But I very rarely get that about life insurance! I just get the, "I have coverage already" response, and no more.
Please, do yourself a favor and make sure. Do your homework and see if the coverage you have is enough! If the answer is no, just tell me no. I definitely won't be offended. But also, don't think that $25,000 coverage through work is realistically going to be enough if you're married, have a child, and have a mortgage to pay. If you're in a dual income household, that's just a drop in the bucket. Having coverage through work is a great start, especially because it's usually quite inexpensive. But just having that likely won't be enough.
Bottom-line: get a trusted professional to review things with you. If you know and trust your advisor, you likely won't have to worry about any sort of high-pressure tactics. You might be surprised at how inexpensive coverage can be if you're healthy!
Monday, August 8, 2011
There's a first time for everything
I found out that I was sick. And do you know what? For the first time since the days of elementary school, I was happy to find out that I was sick. Because I thought I was just losing my mind. Turns out I had a nice fever going and somehow didn't realize it!
So, word to the wise: if you can help it, don't go to work with a fever. If you do, you might end up like me and forget lunch, and then spend hours later in the day trying to remember what in the world you did for two hours instead of eating.
Normal posting to resume soon now that I've rediscoved my brain!
So, word to the wise: if you can help it, don't go to work with a fever. If you do, you might end up like me and forget lunch, and then spend hours later in the day trying to remember what in the world you did for two hours instead of eating.
Normal posting to resume soon now that I've rediscoved my brain!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Minor Fair Food Update
So, as noted earlier, I ventured to the California State Fair this past weekend and went a little crazy on the food. I did miss out on a few things I wanted to try though, and since I was going back I figured that I'd be able to sample a few more things and update my reviews! Sadly, I didn't get as much eating done as I anticipated, but I'll share what I've got:
BBQ Pork Sandwich - I know, I know, relatively standard stuff. Nothing really crazy about this, but it's still pretty good. Admittedly, it's also pretty expensive at the fair, but it's more about the experience than anything else. We got our food out in the big BBQ area with the stage, a whole seating area, etc. I think it was Big Bear BBQ, if memory serves. It's slathered in a tasty sauce, so there's that.
Grilled Corn-On-The-Cob - I'm not sure why I never did this until recently, but grilled corn is awesome. Since I started grilling at home more frequently, I tried this out and I've never looked back. It was delicious at the fair, too! And it had a bit of a "fair food" twist to boot. When we were getting our food, they asked us if we wanted butter, to which I responded, "Sure, a little is fine." The guy they opened up a crock pot full of melted butter and poured about 3/4 of a cup of melted butter onto the corn. We made sure to revise that to, "just a tiny bit" for the second serving.
Deep-fried Moon Pie - I'm a closet fan of Moon Pies, so this was one I was looking forward to! And it was pretty tasty. A bit like a S'more, with the cookies, chocolate and marshmallow filling. Also, compared to many of the other deep-fried options, it was relatively cheap. I think it was $3, where many of the other options are $4 or $5. I'm not sure why, since it was a pretty big item! Big enough where I, a pretty big eater, couldn't handle it all. Sadly, we were not able to pair this with the planned deep-fried peanut butter cups, as they were out. Next time around, I suppose!
Watermelon Juice(?) - I'm not sure what we drank. I thought it was supposed to be a watermelon lemonade deal, but it didn't taste like lemonade. Frankly, I'm not even sure if it tasted like watermelon. But it was refreshing! My fiancee had a thought that we may have been so used to watermelon flavoring as opposed to actual watermelon, that we didn't recognize it when it wasn't in solid form. I'm still not sure, but, hey, it's worth a taste. I had my thoughtful face on every time I took a taste, though. I probably looked confused.
Funnel cake - It's a classic, and it's still amazing. If you somehow have not had funnel cake, just do it. It's like a deep-fried bird's nest of deliciousness.
I think that's all for me this year! I doubt I'll make it back again this year, but I'll be back next time around, and I'll be looking for my deep-fried or otherwise bizarre treats!
BBQ Pork Sandwich - I know, I know, relatively standard stuff. Nothing really crazy about this, but it's still pretty good. Admittedly, it's also pretty expensive at the fair, but it's more about the experience than anything else. We got our food out in the big BBQ area with the stage, a whole seating area, etc. I think it was Big Bear BBQ, if memory serves. It's slathered in a tasty sauce, so there's that.
Grilled Corn-On-The-Cob - I'm not sure why I never did this until recently, but grilled corn is awesome. Since I started grilling at home more frequently, I tried this out and I've never looked back. It was delicious at the fair, too! And it had a bit of a "fair food" twist to boot. When we were getting our food, they asked us if we wanted butter, to which I responded, "Sure, a little is fine." The guy they opened up a crock pot full of melted butter and poured about 3/4 of a cup of melted butter onto the corn. We made sure to revise that to, "just a tiny bit" for the second serving.
Deep-fried Moon Pie - I'm a closet fan of Moon Pies, so this was one I was looking forward to! And it was pretty tasty. A bit like a S'more, with the cookies, chocolate and marshmallow filling. Also, compared to many of the other deep-fried options, it was relatively cheap. I think it was $3, where many of the other options are $4 or $5. I'm not sure why, since it was a pretty big item! Big enough where I, a pretty big eater, couldn't handle it all. Sadly, we were not able to pair this with the planned deep-fried peanut butter cups, as they were out. Next time around, I suppose!
Watermelon Juice(?) - I'm not sure what we drank. I thought it was supposed to be a watermelon lemonade deal, but it didn't taste like lemonade. Frankly, I'm not even sure if it tasted like watermelon. But it was refreshing! My fiancee had a thought that we may have been so used to watermelon flavoring as opposed to actual watermelon, that we didn't recognize it when it wasn't in solid form. I'm still not sure, but, hey, it's worth a taste. I had my thoughtful face on every time I took a taste, though. I probably looked confused.
Funnel cake - It's a classic, and it's still amazing. If you somehow have not had funnel cake, just do it. It's like a deep-fried bird's nest of deliciousness.
I think that's all for me this year! I doubt I'll make it back again this year, but I'll be back next time around, and I'll be looking for my deep-fried or otherwise bizarre treats!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Dish Crawl Sacramento Part 2: The Recap
Being a huge fan of food, the whole Dish Crawl concept is right up my alley. Several months back, a co-worker of mine mentioned that he was helping to put one on in Sacramento, and I decided to roll the dice and tag along. I say "roll the dice", because one of the interesting things about a Dish Crawl is that you have no idea where you're going until the day of the event.
First time around, things were awesome. You can read all about the places we visited and see pictures of the food we ate in one of my earlier posts but today I'll be recapping the event from this past Sunday. I'll be adding pictures too, as soon as I have a moment!
Stop #1: 3 Fires Lounge - Since this was the first stop, the Dish Crawlers were mingling here before things officially kicked off. I was a bit surprised by the amount of people here, for one thing. I'd say we had roughly 10-15 more folks than the last time around. As for the restaurant, I hadn't been here in the past, but I believe this is actually a restaurant/bar connected to a hotel. It looked nice, and there was a nice outdoor eating area, but it looked like the main focus was the bar. I don't think I would have realized that this was a restaurant if I was just walking by.
Once things got rolling, we were introduced to our first three foods. First off was an assortment of sliders. They had a standard one with caramelized onions (which I ate), a "western" style with BBQ sauce and an onion ring, and a Hawaiian-style deal with pineapple and a Sriracha sauce. Sadly, they only had enough for us to sample one a piece. Not being aware, I got in line fast and got the most basic choice. I wish I had an opportunity to try the others, because the basic slider was a little underwhelming. Not very seasoned. Next, we had a penne carbonara. Pretty good stuff, but relatively standard fare. Lastly, we had black garlic fries. I've never sampled anything with black garlic before, and I'm not even sure I'd heard of it before! The fries were different than I would have expected, but quite good. A little sweeter than I would have expected, and a bit more "dry", for lack of a better term. No big chunks of garlic, not saucy by any means, but more of a garlic-encrusted deal. By far, the stand-out dish here.
Stop #2: 58 Degrees and Holding - Again, this is a place I hadn't heard of. And again, if I just walked by or poked my head in, I would have had no idea that this was a restaurant. The front of the place looks like a wine shop with a bar attached, but delving a bit deeper, we were taken to a private room with several plates of food. To start, we had two types of bruschetta: one with sun-dried tomatoes, and another with a rich cheese (can't recall which) and a fig compote. The latter was bursting with flavor, and I'd have gone back for seconds if I had the chance! We finished off with a crispy pork belly "sushi" on top of sushi rice with a bit of lemon zest. This had something spicy to it, but I'm not sure what. Whatever it was, it contributed to create the dish of the night, in my opinion. I would go back and eat about a half dozen of those!
Stop #3: Cafeteria 15L - I had been to a neighboring/attached restaurant that serves Korean tacos, and I'd been meaning to try this place, so I was happy to have an opportunity to sample some food here. We started off with something that looked like an alcoholic beverage, so I was a bit worried I wouldn't get a chance to partake. However, it ended up being what I can best describe as a gazpacho "shot". I believe it had an orange squash base with peppers and onions. For those not familiar with gazpacho, this was served cold. It was a bit of an odd texture, and the portion was small, but it wasn't bad. I'm not sure how I'd feel about it with a larger sample-size though.
Next up was a small portion of macaroni and cheese. I was chatting with someone earlier who had been here before, and they predicted that this would be our dish of choice, so this must be a bit of a specialty for them. It was a basic mac & cheese with a mild, white cheese, and it has some bread crumbs toasted on top. It also fell into the "good-not-great" category, unfortunately. I wanted a bit more depth to the flavor, or maybe a bit more spice. I'm not sure what would have helped, but as a whole, I felt a bit underwhelmed at this stop on both flavor and portion size.
Stop #4: Capitol Garage - I'd always thought that this was just a coffee shop, so we're continuing the tread of "I had no idea this was a restaurant" with our final stop. Here, we had more to eat than at any other stop by a wide margain. We started with a nice salad with asparagus, mozzarella and some diced salami. The dressing was tasty too, but I don't recall exactly what it was. A tasty start, as I'm always a fan of mixing up salads with meats and cheeses. Next up was a crispy thin-crust pizza with pepperoni and fresh basil. This one fell a bit short with me. Again, it didn't seem to have a heck of a lot of spices going on in the sauce. I had two pieces, and the latter had a bit more basil, which helped. Still, not something I'd hurry back to try. We followed that with some pork loin with mushroom sauce. It was tough to really get a feel here since we literally only got one small piece, but it was okay. A little bland for my tastes, but I didn't get a ton of sauce on my piece either. Lastly, we finished our journey with desert. We had a variety of house-made truffles, ranging in flavor from blackberry to Bailey's Irish Cream to a soy chai. Much like the sliders at our first stop, we only got to sample one (sadly), but what I DID try was delicious. I had the blackberry truffle, and I loved it. I'd be curious to try more to see if they follow suit, but they're rich to the point where it probably was a good thing I only ate one.
All things considered, I have to say that I didn't dig this Crawl quite as much as the first. It was more crowded, and the restaurant selection was not my favorite. I did have a few stand-out items, but as a whole it felt like we were checking out bars that also happened to serve food. Also, I wasn't even completely full at the end of things. Last time around, I was about ready to burst by the time we finished things up, but the portions were a much smaller this time around.
That being said, I still had fun. I'll also be looking forward to the next Dish Crawl, but I hope that the food involved mixes things up a bit. I'd love to see more hole-in-the-wall types of places, or some larger portions. It will be interesting to see where things go from here!
First time around, things were awesome. You can read all about the places we visited and see pictures of the food we ate in one of my earlier posts but today I'll be recapping the event from this past Sunday. I'll be adding pictures too, as soon as I have a moment!
Stop #1: 3 Fires Lounge - Since this was the first stop, the Dish Crawlers were mingling here before things officially kicked off. I was a bit surprised by the amount of people here, for one thing. I'd say we had roughly 10-15 more folks than the last time around. As for the restaurant, I hadn't been here in the past, but I believe this is actually a restaurant/bar connected to a hotel. It looked nice, and there was a nice outdoor eating area, but it looked like the main focus was the bar. I don't think I would have realized that this was a restaurant if I was just walking by.
Once things got rolling, we were introduced to our first three foods. First off was an assortment of sliders. They had a standard one with caramelized onions (which I ate), a "western" style with BBQ sauce and an onion ring, and a Hawaiian-style deal with pineapple and a Sriracha sauce. Sadly, they only had enough for us to sample one a piece. Not being aware, I got in line fast and got the most basic choice. I wish I had an opportunity to try the others, because the basic slider was a little underwhelming. Not very seasoned. Next, we had a penne carbonara. Pretty good stuff, but relatively standard fare. Lastly, we had black garlic fries. I've never sampled anything with black garlic before, and I'm not even sure I'd heard of it before! The fries were different than I would have expected, but quite good. A little sweeter than I would have expected, and a bit more "dry", for lack of a better term. No big chunks of garlic, not saucy by any means, but more of a garlic-encrusted deal. By far, the stand-out dish here.
Stop #2: 58 Degrees and Holding - Again, this is a place I hadn't heard of. And again, if I just walked by or poked my head in, I would have had no idea that this was a restaurant. The front of the place looks like a wine shop with a bar attached, but delving a bit deeper, we were taken to a private room with several plates of food. To start, we had two types of bruschetta: one with sun-dried tomatoes, and another with a rich cheese (can't recall which) and a fig compote. The latter was bursting with flavor, and I'd have gone back for seconds if I had the chance! We finished off with a crispy pork belly "sushi" on top of sushi rice with a bit of lemon zest. This had something spicy to it, but I'm not sure what. Whatever it was, it contributed to create the dish of the night, in my opinion. I would go back and eat about a half dozen of those!
Stop #3: Cafeteria 15L - I had been to a neighboring/attached restaurant that serves Korean tacos, and I'd been meaning to try this place, so I was happy to have an opportunity to sample some food here. We started off with something that looked like an alcoholic beverage, so I was a bit worried I wouldn't get a chance to partake. However, it ended up being what I can best describe as a gazpacho "shot". I believe it had an orange squash base with peppers and onions. For those not familiar with gazpacho, this was served cold. It was a bit of an odd texture, and the portion was small, but it wasn't bad. I'm not sure how I'd feel about it with a larger sample-size though.
Next up was a small portion of macaroni and cheese. I was chatting with someone earlier who had been here before, and they predicted that this would be our dish of choice, so this must be a bit of a specialty for them. It was a basic mac & cheese with a mild, white cheese, and it has some bread crumbs toasted on top. It also fell into the "good-not-great" category, unfortunately. I wanted a bit more depth to the flavor, or maybe a bit more spice. I'm not sure what would have helped, but as a whole, I felt a bit underwhelmed at this stop on both flavor and portion size.
Stop #4: Capitol Garage - I'd always thought that this was just a coffee shop, so we're continuing the tread of "I had no idea this was a restaurant" with our final stop. Here, we had more to eat than at any other stop by a wide margain. We started with a nice salad with asparagus, mozzarella and some diced salami. The dressing was tasty too, but I don't recall exactly what it was. A tasty start, as I'm always a fan of mixing up salads with meats and cheeses. Next up was a crispy thin-crust pizza with pepperoni and fresh basil. This one fell a bit short with me. Again, it didn't seem to have a heck of a lot of spices going on in the sauce. I had two pieces, and the latter had a bit more basil, which helped. Still, not something I'd hurry back to try. We followed that with some pork loin with mushroom sauce. It was tough to really get a feel here since we literally only got one small piece, but it was okay. A little bland for my tastes, but I didn't get a ton of sauce on my piece either. Lastly, we finished our journey with desert. We had a variety of house-made truffles, ranging in flavor from blackberry to Bailey's Irish Cream to a soy chai. Much like the sliders at our first stop, we only got to sample one (sadly), but what I DID try was delicious. I had the blackberry truffle, and I loved it. I'd be curious to try more to see if they follow suit, but they're rich to the point where it probably was a good thing I only ate one.
All things considered, I have to say that I didn't dig this Crawl quite as much as the first. It was more crowded, and the restaurant selection was not my favorite. I did have a few stand-out items, but as a whole it felt like we were checking out bars that also happened to serve food. Also, I wasn't even completely full at the end of things. Last time around, I was about ready to burst by the time we finished things up, but the portions were a much smaller this time around.
That being said, I still had fun. I'll also be looking forward to the next Dish Crawl, but I hope that the food involved mixes things up a bit. I'd love to see more hole-in-the-wall types of places, or some larger portions. It will be interesting to see where things go from here!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
The California State Fair, Part 1
I enjoy the State Fair for many reasons! The atmosphere, an opportunity to hang out with friends and family, the food, the music, the animals, the food, the events like the demolition derby, the food... did I mention the food?
Well, you get the picture. I love the food. I usually prepare for months, finding out all of the cool new creations that will be out there. Sadly, this year was mainly about how gross we can make food, apparently. A maggot melt? Deep-fried raccoon on a stick? No, thank you.
However, I still managed to find some odd new things, and I went for a delicious repeat or two as well! I plan on going back to try a few more things, but here's a quick review of the items I dined upon:
The Fat Darrell - You may have seen that I talked about this not too long ago. If you read my review, you probably know why I revisited this sandwich! I'd been day-dreaming about this thing since last year and it didn't damage it's reputation this time around! If anything, it was actually a bit crazier this time around. Let's take a look, shall we?
Well, you get the picture. I love the food. I usually prepare for months, finding out all of the cool new creations that will be out there. Sadly, this year was mainly about how gross we can make food, apparently. A maggot melt? Deep-fried raccoon on a stick? No, thank you.
However, I still managed to find some odd new things, and I went for a delicious repeat or two as well! I plan on going back to try a few more things, but here's a quick review of the items I dined upon:
The Fat Darrell - You may have seen that I talked about this not too long ago. If you read my review, you probably know why I revisited this sandwich! I'd been day-dreaming about this thing since last year and it didn't damage it's reputation this time around! If anything, it was actually a bit crazier this time around. Let's take a look, shall we?
Mozzarella sticks, finger steaks, french fries and some token vegetables, all spilling from one bun. This was definitely a, "two hands required" type sandwich, I'll say that much. I mean, really! It's basically a whole appetizer platter on a bun. It's well worth a try!
Deep-fried Kool-Aid - This was one of those deals where I was curious to see how they actually made it. Basically, it's Kool-Aid powder (tropical punch in my case) mixed into a cake batter and deep-fried in little blobs. It was strange, at first. They ended up an odd shade somewhere between pink and red, and really, it doesn't look or sound like something delicious. But it's pretty good! It's a bit tart and you definitely get the Kool-Aid flavor in there. I'm not sure if this is something I'd consider repeating, but it was worth sampling to be sure.
Deep-fried cookie dough - I won't lie, I gave my fiancee a little grief over this one. "Won't that just end up as a cookie?" Despite my jabs, she decided to go with it, and it really was a winner. The dough ended up being a hot gooey mess inside of the batter, not the cookie I anticipated. For any fans of cookie dough, it's an instant win.
Deep-fried Cap'N Crunch - Noticing a trend? I try to sample 2-3 deep-fried items every year, and since I'm a big fan of the Cap'N, this seemed like a natural fit. And for those wondering exactly how this came into being, it's kind of similar to the Kool-Aid. They mixed the cereal in with some batter and then deep-fried the mixture. And of course, shoved it onto a stick. Sadly, this wasn't too great. The crunch was no longer and it was all a cake-like texture in the middle. For some reason, it just didn't work. I ended up throwing away the last bit of this one, which is never a good sign.
Next time around, I'll be mentioning a few more things. On the agenda, we have deep-fried peanut butter cups, a deep-fried Moon Pie and more!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Co-workers
It's interesting that even in the deep, dark insurance mines, people do really come to form a bit of a brotherhood. I'm sad to say that two of my long-time co-workers are co-workers no longer. It was probably for the best for them over the long run as I had a sense both wanted to go on to do different things, but when you spend 8+ hours per day, 5 days a week with the same people and then they're gone, it can be a bit rough.
Heck, these are people I'm planning to invite to my wedding. And, I mean, who do I drag out to weird lunch spots with me now?!
This does open the doors for others though, and in a tough economy, I'm sure people appreciate the chances. I just hope they're good, friendly folks who appreciate food from a truck, or my lunches are about the get lonely!
Heck, these are people I'm planning to invite to my wedding. And, I mean, who do I drag out to weird lunch spots with me now?!
This does open the doors for others though, and in a tough economy, I'm sure people appreciate the chances. I just hope they're good, friendly folks who appreciate food from a truck, or my lunches are about the get lonely!
Monday, July 18, 2011
The California State Fair Food Preview
As an insurance guy, especially one that works a lot with life insurance, I probably shouldn't be talking about all of the wondrous foods that I plan on trying or HAVE tried at the California State Fair.
But... I still will. Hey, just watch your cholesterol the rest of the year and have a day off! Or do your life insurance health exam, and THEN eat something deep-fried. It's that easy!
If you're planning on attending, allow me to give you a bit of a guide. Now, not all of these will still be available, nor will it be from the same vendor necessarily, but I imagine things will be pretty much the same if you can still find 'em. From my own archives, I bring to you, the last 10 things I've eaten at the California State Fair, in order from worst to best:
#10: Deep-fried White Castle Cheeseburger - Terrible. Just terrible. By far, the worst fair food I've ever eaten. And I wanted to like it so badly! It's deep-fried! It's a burger! What could go wrong? The answer? Everything. It was a hot, mushy, soggy, tasteless mess.
#9: Deep-fried M&Ms - This should never have happened. Again, it just didn't work. I expected individually fried M&M's. A bite-sized treat, right? Wrong. It was a big clump of them stuck together, and it was exceedingly difficult to ear.
#8: Hot pastrami grinder - I wanted to like this, but the meat was terrible. Super-fatty. Not a good pastrami sandwich.
#7: Deep-fried brownie - Nothing too special here. Much better deep-fried options are around. This was just sort of middle-of-the-road. Also, I felt bloated after I ate it and it limited me from eating OTHER wonderful things.
#6: Chocolate-covered bacon - Surprisingly non-toxic! This has the whole sweet and salty deal going on, and it works surprisingly well. However, there is a bit of a bacon aftertaste, and that, combined with chocolate, is a little odd.
#5: The Tornado Potato - Very cool looking item. It's basically a full potato that's spiral-cut and fried on a large wooden skewer. I had the chili version, and though it was difficult to eat (I bit down on the skewer once or twice and chili was flying everywhere), it was quite tasty!
#4: Deep-fried cheesecake - THIS is a good fit for the whole deep-fried trend. It's hot on the outside, cool and creamy in the middle and it just works. It usually has a drizzle of chocolate sauce or raspberry syrup or something, and the whole package is delicious.
#3: Funnelcake - A fair classic for a reason. Delicious mess of deep-fried goodness, smothered in sugary stuff. It's a mess, and it will kill a diet and clog your arteries, but it's worth it. Get some fruit on the top and pretend it's good for you!
#2: Deep-fried Snickers - The best of the deep-fried crop. It's roughly still the size of a Snickers, but one bite shows you that it's completely changed within. A hot mess of chocolate, nuts, caramel, etc, since it pretty much totally melts on the inside. It's an explosion of flavor! If you can, get it freshly fried.
#1: The Fat Darrell Sandwich - This one doesn't get a lot of press, but it should. It's a sandwich with either chicken strips of deep-fried finger steaks, fried mozzerella sticks, french fries and the sandwich fixins, all in one crazy sandwich disaster. I last ate one of these a year ago and I'm STILL thinking about it. There really is no reason that this should be quite so delicious, but all of the flavors somehow work together. Awesome.
Expect this list to be updated shortly! If you have anything that you think I need to try before I head to the fair this week, please do let me know! I'm happy to sample based on your recommendations.
But... I still will. Hey, just watch your cholesterol the rest of the year and have a day off! Or do your life insurance health exam, and THEN eat something deep-fried. It's that easy!
If you're planning on attending, allow me to give you a bit of a guide. Now, not all of these will still be available, nor will it be from the same vendor necessarily, but I imagine things will be pretty much the same if you can still find 'em. From my own archives, I bring to you, the last 10 things I've eaten at the California State Fair, in order from worst to best:
#10: Deep-fried White Castle Cheeseburger - Terrible. Just terrible. By far, the worst fair food I've ever eaten. And I wanted to like it so badly! It's deep-fried! It's a burger! What could go wrong? The answer? Everything. It was a hot, mushy, soggy, tasteless mess.
#9: Deep-fried M&Ms - This should never have happened. Again, it just didn't work. I expected individually fried M&M's. A bite-sized treat, right? Wrong. It was a big clump of them stuck together, and it was exceedingly difficult to ear.
#8: Hot pastrami grinder - I wanted to like this, but the meat was terrible. Super-fatty. Not a good pastrami sandwich.
#7: Deep-fried brownie - Nothing too special here. Much better deep-fried options are around. This was just sort of middle-of-the-road. Also, I felt bloated after I ate it and it limited me from eating OTHER wonderful things.
#6: Chocolate-covered bacon - Surprisingly non-toxic! This has the whole sweet and salty deal going on, and it works surprisingly well. However, there is a bit of a bacon aftertaste, and that, combined with chocolate, is a little odd.
#5: The Tornado Potato - Very cool looking item. It's basically a full potato that's spiral-cut and fried on a large wooden skewer. I had the chili version, and though it was difficult to eat (I bit down on the skewer once or twice and chili was flying everywhere), it was quite tasty!
#4: Deep-fried cheesecake - THIS is a good fit for the whole deep-fried trend. It's hot on the outside, cool and creamy in the middle and it just works. It usually has a drizzle of chocolate sauce or raspberry syrup or something, and the whole package is delicious.
#3: Funnelcake - A fair classic for a reason. Delicious mess of deep-fried goodness, smothered in sugary stuff. It's a mess, and it will kill a diet and clog your arteries, but it's worth it. Get some fruit on the top and pretend it's good for you!
#2: Deep-fried Snickers - The best of the deep-fried crop. It's roughly still the size of a Snickers, but one bite shows you that it's completely changed within. A hot mess of chocolate, nuts, caramel, etc, since it pretty much totally melts on the inside. It's an explosion of flavor! If you can, get it freshly fried.
#1: The Fat Darrell Sandwich - This one doesn't get a lot of press, but it should. It's a sandwich with either chicken strips of deep-fried finger steaks, fried mozzerella sticks, french fries and the sandwich fixins, all in one crazy sandwich disaster. I last ate one of these a year ago and I'm STILL thinking about it. There really is no reason that this should be quite so delicious, but all of the flavors somehow work together. Awesome.
Expect this list to be updated shortly! If you have anything that you think I need to try before I head to the fair this week, please do let me know! I'm happy to sample based on your recommendations.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Scary life insurance news
I try to stay away from the purely insurance related stuff on my blog, but something crossed my desk the other day that freaked me out a little bit.
Apparently, 10 of the largest life insurance companies are currently being investigated by the state of California for NOT paying out on death claims, even after they had received proof that the insured person was deceased. I haven't found out exactly how many of these companies have specific complaints filed and which are just being investigated, but still, scary stuff.
Thankfully, the company I work for was not under investigation, but still, it makes you think! Even if you have insurance, the fact that it might not pay out is freak-out worthy. Keep this in mind next time you price-shop insurance companies! It may seem like you're getting the same thing, and you may be paying less up front, but apparently, you get what you pay for. Yikes.
Apparently, 10 of the largest life insurance companies are currently being investigated by the state of California for NOT paying out on death claims, even after they had received proof that the insured person was deceased. I haven't found out exactly how many of these companies have specific complaints filed and which are just being investigated, but still, scary stuff.
Thankfully, the company I work for was not under investigation, but still, it makes you think! Even if you have insurance, the fact that it might not pay out is freak-out worthy. Keep this in mind next time you price-shop insurance companies! It may seem like you're getting the same thing, and you may be paying less up front, but apparently, you get what you pay for. Yikes.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Relief!
So, Dinner and a Deductible was today, and if you read my earlier posts (or if you had a chance to talk with me this past week or so!), I've been nervous. I'm not sure why considering I've done similar things, but I really was stressed about this!
Well, all things said and done, it really went off without a hitch! The seminar went well, went quickly, and I didn't see a single person fall asleep! In fact, people were following along, nodding, asking questions, sharing their own experiences and really, getting more out of this than I could have hoped for. So, all was well!
Then, there was food.
As always, Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen was amazing. Andrew, who runs the place, is a heck of a guy and was a rock star when it comes to food. We ended up with roughly 25 folks, and it was handled exceptionally well. I was also lucky enough to have heard about the secret menu item far enough in advance to plan for it! It was the Go Kart: Nutella, graham crackers and marshmallow creme, toasted on bread. S'more sandwich. And wow, it was a treat.
I, however, have one issue: the name. Someone on Twitter called it the "S'moreski" and I am forced to agree.
So, good news all around! Great seminar, great food, great ratio of seminar to food (20 minutes of talking, 1+ hour of eating!) and, to my surprise, people asking for Dinner and a Deductible: Part 2!
So, what say you, Sacramento? Shall we meet again next quarter? I think we may.
Well, all things said and done, it really went off without a hitch! The seminar went well, went quickly, and I didn't see a single person fall asleep! In fact, people were following along, nodding, asking questions, sharing their own experiences and really, getting more out of this than I could have hoped for. So, all was well!
Then, there was food.
As always, Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen was amazing. Andrew, who runs the place, is a heck of a guy and was a rock star when it comes to food. We ended up with roughly 25 folks, and it was handled exceptionally well. I was also lucky enough to have heard about the secret menu item far enough in advance to plan for it! It was the Go Kart: Nutella, graham crackers and marshmallow creme, toasted on bread. S'more sandwich. And wow, it was a treat.
I, however, have one issue: the name. Someone on Twitter called it the "S'moreski" and I am forced to agree.
So, good news all around! Great seminar, great food, great ratio of seminar to food (20 minutes of talking, 1+ hour of eating!) and, to my surprise, people asking for Dinner and a Deductible: Part 2!
So, what say you, Sacramento? Shall we meet again next quarter? I think we may.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Nervous!
It's funny, when I work in something new to my day-to-day business dealings, it always makes me nervous. Even if it's almost exactly the same thing, but with a new audience.
For example? Dinner and a Deductible. It's this Wednesday, and even though I've done similar seminars before, it's usually at an employer or something similar. Never in front of the foodie crowd.
So the idea born from the day of SactoMofo has finally come to life! And I'm shaking in my insurance-guy boots. Should be fun though!
For example? Dinner and a Deductible. It's this Wednesday, and even though I've done similar seminars before, it's usually at an employer or something similar. Never in front of the foodie crowd.
So the idea born from the day of SactoMofo has finally come to life! And I'm shaking in my insurance-guy boots. Should be fun though!
Friday, July 8, 2011
They DO exist! (The Triple Crown)
I was just about ready wrap up my day, deep within the fabled insurance mines that I work within, and lo and behold, I saw a tweet from Wicked 'Wich saying that they were finally out and about, and less than a mile from me. I already had plans for dinner, but I figured that a pre-dinner warm-up wouldn't be a bad thing. Plus, I'd been cyber-stalking the place for months! So off I went. I was first to review both Drewski's and Mini Burger Truck on Yelp, so I wanted the third jewel in my food truck Triple Crown, and I figured that I needed to work fast to get that done.
Oddly enough, I was just watching Man Vs. Food the other day, and they were talking about a particular sandwich place in Pittsburgh with coleslaw and french fries thrown right onto the sandwich. Since I'd seen the menu for Wicked 'Wich, I immediately saw where their concept came from. And, for the record, it WORKS. The slaw is oil-based, I believe. Not mayo-based. It brings a nice tangy flavor and it balances the meat very well. In my case, it was a top-notch pastrami. The fries are perfectly crispy and with everything involved, you have quite a few different textures/flavors/temperatures going on, but like I mentioned, it really works well.
I'm happy to say that I'm a fan of all three of the new-era Sacramento food trucks, and frankly, I hope I'll be able to talk about trucks number four, five, six and beyond! In fact, I'm excited enough about this one that perhaps Wicked 'Wich will be the next truck I work with for the second round of Dinner and a Deductible? Only time will tell.
Oddly enough, I was just watching Man Vs. Food the other day, and they were talking about a particular sandwich place in Pittsburgh with coleslaw and french fries thrown right onto the sandwich. Since I'd seen the menu for Wicked 'Wich, I immediately saw where their concept came from. And, for the record, it WORKS. The slaw is oil-based, I believe. Not mayo-based. It brings a nice tangy flavor and it balances the meat very well. In my case, it was a top-notch pastrami. The fries are perfectly crispy and with everything involved, you have quite a few different textures/flavors/temperatures going on, but like I mentioned, it really works well.
I'm happy to say that I'm a fan of all three of the new-era Sacramento food trucks, and frankly, I hope I'll be able to talk about trucks number four, five, six and beyond! In fact, I'm excited enough about this one that perhaps Wicked 'Wich will be the next truck I work with for the second round of Dinner and a Deductible? Only time will tell.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Sacramento "Super Friends" of Food Trucks: Week 3
Today, I was able to take off a bit earlier than normal and pick up my fiancee so that we could both enjoy the food truck alliance gathering. Sadly, I feel like we picked the least interesting week so far.
For those not in the know, the location of the gathering changed this week. Before, it was Tognotti's Auto on Fulton. I was pretty pleased with the location due to the shady areas which led to a pretty leisurely stroll to browse the trucks. This time around, it was Mel Rapton Honda, which was also on Fulton, but a bit further down the road. Sadly, the shade wasn't around to save us. I found myself sticking to the trucks like glue to try to get in the shade, but then I'd catch some heat from the trucks. I couldn't seem to win!
Also, this was the first week where we had no additional visitors! No Taco Azteca. No Corn Cakes. No Leaven and Earth (which is a HUGE loss). No music. Still no sign of Chando's or Wicked 'Wich. We still had Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen, Mini Burger Truck and Mama Kim On the Go, but I want more variety! A taco truck, a guest truck, or a new truck, or some other vendors like the folks from Simply Southern who brought the delicious Corn Cake to sample from last week. I just don't want things to get stale, and I'm worried that they will if something isn't done to spice things up soon.
However, all of that being said, the food was still awesome. Since I had a partner in crime this week, we divided and hit all three trucks pretty quickly. From Drewski's, I had a request for a repeat of last week in a Mustang sandwich, so we went that route. Still in a suit, this time I ate with elbows out, and the sandwich far away from my body. I'm pretty sure I looked ridiculous, but if I'm eating and my clothes remain clean, I don't really care. From MBT, we split a pair of mini burgers: the Cowbell (think a bacon burger) for the fiancee and an All-American for me, which was basically a small chili-cheese burger. Sadly, it was probably my least favorite from MBT, so I'll likely stick with the Ninja, but it was still tasty. Finally, from Mama Kim's, we went with a tuna salad sandwich with a wasabi aioli, accompanied by sweet potato chips. The chips may have been the highlight of the entire visit! Obviously freshly made, and perfectly done, they were an awesome side choice. The sandwich was quite good too, though I would have liked a more distinct sauce. I'm still not sure why people never seem to be lining up for Mama Kim's. Just because their social media presence isn't great doesn't mean their food isn't good. It's well-worth the trip!
So, there you have it: good food, but an overall experience headed in the wrong direction. I will continue to attend, but I want more, folks! More variety. Better location. More of an "experience", not just a place to go for food! The experience is what has been setting the whole food truck thing apart, and I don't want to lose it.
On a semi-related note, I'm in the process of making my last push for Dinner and a Deductible, which is happening this coming Wednesday. If you still haven't had a chance to check out Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen, or if you have and you just want to go again, this is your chance to have dinner on me. I need a final head count by Monday the 11th, so don't delay. I hope to see you there!
For those not in the know, the location of the gathering changed this week. Before, it was Tognotti's Auto on Fulton. I was pretty pleased with the location due to the shady areas which led to a pretty leisurely stroll to browse the trucks. This time around, it was Mel Rapton Honda, which was also on Fulton, but a bit further down the road. Sadly, the shade wasn't around to save us. I found myself sticking to the trucks like glue to try to get in the shade, but then I'd catch some heat from the trucks. I couldn't seem to win!
Also, this was the first week where we had no additional visitors! No Taco Azteca. No Corn Cakes. No Leaven and Earth (which is a HUGE loss). No music. Still no sign of Chando's or Wicked 'Wich. We still had Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen, Mini Burger Truck and Mama Kim On the Go, but I want more variety! A taco truck, a guest truck, or a new truck, or some other vendors like the folks from Simply Southern who brought the delicious Corn Cake to sample from last week. I just don't want things to get stale, and I'm worried that they will if something isn't done to spice things up soon.
However, all of that being said, the food was still awesome. Since I had a partner in crime this week, we divided and hit all three trucks pretty quickly. From Drewski's, I had a request for a repeat of last week in a Mustang sandwich, so we went that route. Still in a suit, this time I ate with elbows out, and the sandwich far away from my body. I'm pretty sure I looked ridiculous, but if I'm eating and my clothes remain clean, I don't really care. From MBT, we split a pair of mini burgers: the Cowbell (think a bacon burger) for the fiancee and an All-American for me, which was basically a small chili-cheese burger. Sadly, it was probably my least favorite from MBT, so I'll likely stick with the Ninja, but it was still tasty. Finally, from Mama Kim's, we went with a tuna salad sandwich with a wasabi aioli, accompanied by sweet potato chips. The chips may have been the highlight of the entire visit! Obviously freshly made, and perfectly done, they were an awesome side choice. The sandwich was quite good too, though I would have liked a more distinct sauce. I'm still not sure why people never seem to be lining up for Mama Kim's. Just because their social media presence isn't great doesn't mean their food isn't good. It's well-worth the trip!
So, there you have it: good food, but an overall experience headed in the wrong direction. I will continue to attend, but I want more, folks! More variety. Better location. More of an "experience", not just a place to go for food! The experience is what has been setting the whole food truck thing apart, and I don't want to lose it.
On a semi-related note, I'm in the process of making my last push for Dinner and a Deductible, which is happening this coming Wednesday. If you still haven't had a chance to check out Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen, or if you have and you just want to go again, this is your chance to have dinner on me. I need a final head count by Monday the 11th, so don't delay. I hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Phone Etiquette and You!
It's funny how your job can change your point of view on things. I used to be one of those people that would pretty much immediately hang up on anything that sounded like phone solicitation, or use the pre-canned, "I'm not interested" approach without really even listening.
These days? Not so much.
Within about two weeks of starting an internship in the insurance field, I was hung up on by what sounded like an 8-year-old. This wasn't a cold call, nor are any of my calls, for that matter. This was my responding to a call I received earlier in the day. They were basically trained to hang up on anything that sounded even remotely close to a sales call. I never was able to get back to that person! Despite the fact that I was returning a call, I was being filtered out.
For the record, folks, having your day ruined by a trigger-happy 8-year-old is disheartening. What I quickly came to learn is that even when it IS a phone call, this is just people who are doing their job. There really is no reason to take things out on them.
Now, my whole approach is this: listen, decide and respond. It's simple, and I would definitely recommend it. Try this next time you get one of those calls you dread:
Listen: Give the person a tiny bit of time to say their peace. And really listen! The other day, I almost broke my own rule and hung up on something I thought was unsolicited, but it turns out, it was a return phone call. The poor guy on the other end of the phone was probably just new at his job and was a little uncomfortable on the line.
Decide: This one is simple. Am I interested? Yes, or no?
Respond: If I'm not interested at this point, I just politely decline. None of this, "call me later" or, "I'm busy" if that's not the real answer. Just say no if it's a no. This is a part I'm really adamant about because people don't seem to realize they do this quite as often as they do.
Just to illustrate this point a bit, a prospect I was working with a while back requested a call back a week after our initial meeting. I left them a message on the day they requested, and followed up a few more times over the next week without reply. Shortly after, they complained to their HR manager (who I also work with) that I was harassing them via phone. The HR manager asked for some further information, and eventually asked if the prospect returned my initial call. They said that they had no, so the HR manager mentioned that they might want to call me and respond. They did, and let me know they were not interested.
Oddly enough, they were surprised to see that the calls stopped immediately.
Really, they shouldn't have been surprised. Up until then, I seriously thought they were still interested! That was the first time I had heard anything other than a positive response, so I had been left in the dark until that point.
I promise you, as someone who uses the phone as one of their main lines of communication, this won't hurt anyone's feelings. And it WILL get the job done. Remember, politeness shouldn't go away just because the phone is involved!
These days? Not so much.
Within about two weeks of starting an internship in the insurance field, I was hung up on by what sounded like an 8-year-old. This wasn't a cold call, nor are any of my calls, for that matter. This was my responding to a call I received earlier in the day. They were basically trained to hang up on anything that sounded even remotely close to a sales call. I never was able to get back to that person! Despite the fact that I was returning a call, I was being filtered out.
For the record, folks, having your day ruined by a trigger-happy 8-year-old is disheartening. What I quickly came to learn is that even when it IS a phone call, this is just people who are doing their job. There really is no reason to take things out on them.
Now, my whole approach is this: listen, decide and respond. It's simple, and I would definitely recommend it. Try this next time you get one of those calls you dread:
Listen: Give the person a tiny bit of time to say their peace. And really listen! The other day, I almost broke my own rule and hung up on something I thought was unsolicited, but it turns out, it was a return phone call. The poor guy on the other end of the phone was probably just new at his job and was a little uncomfortable on the line.
Decide: This one is simple. Am I interested? Yes, or no?
Respond: If I'm not interested at this point, I just politely decline. None of this, "call me later" or, "I'm busy" if that's not the real answer. Just say no if it's a no. This is a part I'm really adamant about because people don't seem to realize they do this quite as often as they do.
Just to illustrate this point a bit, a prospect I was working with a while back requested a call back a week after our initial meeting. I left them a message on the day they requested, and followed up a few more times over the next week without reply. Shortly after, they complained to their HR manager (who I also work with) that I was harassing them via phone. The HR manager asked for some further information, and eventually asked if the prospect returned my initial call. They said that they had no, so the HR manager mentioned that they might want to call me and respond. They did, and let me know they were not interested.
Oddly enough, they were surprised to see that the calls stopped immediately.
Really, they shouldn't have been surprised. Up until then, I seriously thought they were still interested! That was the first time I had heard anything other than a positive response, so I had been left in the dark until that point.
I promise you, as someone who uses the phone as one of their main lines of communication, this won't hurt anyone's feelings. And it WILL get the job done. Remember, politeness shouldn't go away just because the phone is involved!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Dietary Theme Weeks
This may sound a little odd, but from time to time, I'll challenge myself to eat based on a theme for a week. I've had weeks without any caffeine. I've done gluten-free weeks to try and experience the food-related hardship of one of my co-workers. I've gone the vegetarian route for a week. Now, I haven't done one of these recently, but it turns out, I had an accidental theme week last week: beef week.
Just to help keep things a little on the healthier side, I try to stick to chicken and pork for the most part. However, through some strange twist of fate it was nearly all beef last week. From a craving for goulash, to a sale on tri-tip, to a quick trip to Drewski's and an unexpected steak, everything was turning up beef. Oddly enough, beef week actually ENDED on the 4th of July! No BBQing, unfortunately.
This all being said, it will probably end up being a week where close attention is paid to calorie intake to counteract the results of beef week. In fact, I'll probably be staying pretty far away from any scales this week.
Just to help keep things a little on the healthier side, I try to stick to chicken and pork for the most part. However, through some strange twist of fate it was nearly all beef last week. From a craving for goulash, to a sale on tri-tip, to a quick trip to Drewski's and an unexpected steak, everything was turning up beef. Oddly enough, beef week actually ENDED on the 4th of July! No BBQing, unfortunately.
This all being said, it will probably end up being a week where close attention is paid to calorie intake to counteract the results of beef week. In fact, I'll probably be staying pretty far away from any scales this week.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Dinner and a Deductible... and now, a Deadline
I mentioned this in a previous post, but I figured that this is important enough to mention in a separate post. Dinner and a Deductible, which I've discussed and mentioned many times in the past month, is coming up quickly. The event itself is on Wednesday, July 13th at 5:45 PM, but I need to give Drewski's a final head count in advance.
So, consider this your warning! Monday, July 11th is your FINAL day to RSVP and get your free dinner from Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen.
If you want in, you have options. E-Mail me at SactoFoodAndInsurance@Gmail.com. Follow me on twitter at SactoFoodAndIns and Direct Message me. Heck, you can even tell me in person! I'll be at the 3rd week of the Sacramento food truck gatherings at Tognotti's next Thursday. I'm pretty sure I was the only one there wearing a suit, so it's pretty easy to find me.
Whatever way you want to tell me you're coming, I'm happy to hear from you. Roughly 25 seats are left, FYI!
So, consider this your warning! Monday, July 11th is your FINAL day to RSVP and get your free dinner from Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen.
If you want in, you have options. E-Mail me at SactoFoodAndInsurance@Gmail.com. Follow me on twitter at SactoFoodAndIns and Direct Message me. Heck, you can even tell me in person! I'll be at the 3rd week of the Sacramento food truck gatherings at Tognotti's next Thursday. I'm pretty sure I was the only one there wearing a suit, so it's pretty easy to find me.
Whatever way you want to tell me you're coming, I'm happy to hear from you. Roughly 25 seats are left, FYI!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Sacramento "Super Friends" of Food Trucks: Week 2
So, remember how on Tuesday I talked about how I never had a food explosion on my work clothes? Well, it turns out that fate has interesting timing. On the way home from week two of the food truck "Super Friends" gathering, I was bringing home a Mustang sandwich from Drewski's and I decided, hey, why not have a bite? Ka-blam. Sauce all over my shirt and suit pants. Nothing a good dry cleaning won't fix, but still, ironic, right?
All of that aside, the second gathering was great. And this time, I didn't have work to rush back to so I had time to enjoy myself a bit more! First stop was Leaven & Earth Sandwich Co. All of the other three trucks had pretty sizable lines, but I was able to walk right up to Leaven & Earth. To all of the folks who walked right by, let me tell you this: you made a mistake. The sandwiches here are fantastic. They're not flashy, but things don't have to be flashy to be good. Sometimes doing something simple, and doing it extremely well is all you need. For the record, I had the Vermonter which had delicious smoked turkey, sliced apple and a really tasty cheddar cheese.
Do NOT pass them by again if they grace the food truck gathering next time around. It's worth the trip.
As I was finishing my first round of face-stuffing, I hear someone yelling at me! Sure enough, it's Meg and Cheree, who I've been lucky enough to meet from my adventures over on Twitter. We sat, chatted and discussed people throwing things from moving vehicles as we compared our food choices from the day. This was actually the first time I'd met Cheree in person, but we sat down and chatted away like old friends. Oh, how I love the internet!
Following that, I checked out a small vendor that set up in the adjacent parking lot. Simply Southern Foods was pitching something called Corn Cake and it was pretty interesting. Think a cross between pound cake and cornbread. Really, quite tasty. I brought that and half of the soon-to-explode-upon-my-suit Mustang sandwich home to the fiancee, and they were enjoyed. Good additions to the food gathering!
Also in attendance were Mini Burger Truck, Mama Kim on the Go and Taco Azteca. Chando's was still a no-show (mechanical issues this week I believe), and again, I'm starting to think that Wicked 'Wich is actually just a complex prank and not an actual food truck. It seems like they're never going to launch. Maybe next week? We'll see. I know I'll be there yet again.
Speaking of food trucks, if you haven't heard, you can try Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen for free on July 13th via Dinner and a Deductible. I'm still RSVPs up until 7/11, so if you're interested, make sure to contact me soon! You can E-Mail me at SactoFoodAndInsurance@gmail.com if you'd like to attend of if you'd like more information!
All of that aside, the second gathering was great. And this time, I didn't have work to rush back to so I had time to enjoy myself a bit more! First stop was Leaven & Earth Sandwich Co. All of the other three trucks had pretty sizable lines, but I was able to walk right up to Leaven & Earth. To all of the folks who walked right by, let me tell you this: you made a mistake. The sandwiches here are fantastic. They're not flashy, but things don't have to be flashy to be good. Sometimes doing something simple, and doing it extremely well is all you need. For the record, I had the Vermonter which had delicious smoked turkey, sliced apple and a really tasty cheddar cheese.
Do NOT pass them by again if they grace the food truck gathering next time around. It's worth the trip.
As I was finishing my first round of face-stuffing, I hear someone yelling at me! Sure enough, it's Meg and Cheree, who I've been lucky enough to meet from my adventures over on Twitter. We sat, chatted and discussed people throwing things from moving vehicles as we compared our food choices from the day. This was actually the first time I'd met Cheree in person, but we sat down and chatted away like old friends. Oh, how I love the internet!
Following that, I checked out a small vendor that set up in the adjacent parking lot. Simply Southern Foods was pitching something called Corn Cake and it was pretty interesting. Think a cross between pound cake and cornbread. Really, quite tasty. I brought that and half of the soon-to-explode-upon-my-suit Mustang sandwich home to the fiancee, and they were enjoyed. Good additions to the food gathering!
Also in attendance were Mini Burger Truck, Mama Kim on the Go and Taco Azteca. Chando's was still a no-show (mechanical issues this week I believe), and again, I'm starting to think that Wicked 'Wich is actually just a complex prank and not an actual food truck. It seems like they're never going to launch. Maybe next week? We'll see. I know I'll be there yet again.
Speaking of food trucks, if you haven't heard, you can try Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen for free on July 13th via Dinner and a Deductible. I'm still RSVPs up until 7/11, so if you're interested, make sure to contact me soon! You can E-Mail me at SactoFoodAndInsurance@gmail.com if you'd like to attend of if you'd like more information!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Storing food for the winter (or just a long day)
If you've worked in an office environment without immediate access to food, I'd be willing to bet that you started to build up some sort of food stockpile eventually. Currently, mine looks a little like this:
-A box of instant oatmeal packets.
-About 25 granola bars (purchased in bulk from Big Lots)
-A can of mixed nuts.
-A rotation of fresh fruit, usually oranges and bananas.
This actually pales in comparison to one of my co-workers. At one point, he has an entire drawer filled with ramen cups, a bunch of the flavor mix pouches for instant beverages, sunflower seeds, nuts, jerky, cans of Pringles, trail mix, croutons (for some reason) and a bunch of Sweet and Low. It's the like the strangest emergency kit I've ever seen! And quite possibly the craziest part is that he actually goes through this pretty regularly.
Speaking of food, time for yet another super-late lunches!
-A box of instant oatmeal packets.
-About 25 granola bars (purchased in bulk from Big Lots)
-A can of mixed nuts.
-A rotation of fresh fruit, usually oranges and bananas.
This actually pales in comparison to one of my co-workers. At one point, he has an entire drawer filled with ramen cups, a bunch of the flavor mix pouches for instant beverages, sunflower seeds, nuts, jerky, cans of Pringles, trail mix, croutons (for some reason) and a bunch of Sweet and Low. It's the like the strangest emergency kit I've ever seen! And quite possibly the craziest part is that he actually goes through this pretty regularly.
Speaking of food, time for yet another super-late lunches!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
When my job and my food choices collide
So, as you may be able to see from my smiling headshot atop the SactoFoodAndInsurance blog, I wear suits. That happens pretty regularly. Almost every day, in fact! Do I have time to run and change clothing before I have lunch at a local Mongolian BBQ? No, I do not. I also do not have time to change clothes before I make a run to one of my favorite food truck spots. And for those of you who have visited such places, you generally end up sitting on a curb eating food from a box. This is delicious, but it's not really helpful when it comes to keeping suits clean.
What have I done to deserve this? Clothing that is difficult/expensive to clean, and a love for all foods delicious and messy. These things do not go together. Luckily, I've avoided having to go to an appointment with a large food-related stain on my chest so far. The key words here are "so far."
Any recommendations on what I can do to keep this streak alive? Should I look into having a spare shirt in the office, or perhaps go for the instant stain-removal route? Or go the prevention method and either avoid messy foods or go low-tech like a bib? My streak is admirable, but I cannot believe it will last forever. And I'd love to avoid going to see a client with half a bowl of pasta on my shirt.
What have I done to deserve this? Clothing that is difficult/expensive to clean, and a love for all foods delicious and messy. These things do not go together. Luckily, I've avoided having to go to an appointment with a large food-related stain on my chest so far. The key words here are "so far."
Any recommendations on what I can do to keep this streak alive? Should I look into having a spare shirt in the office, or perhaps go for the instant stain-removal route? Or go the prevention method and either avoid messy foods or go low-tech like a bib? My streak is admirable, but I cannot believe it will last forever. And I'd love to avoid going to see a client with half a bowl of pasta on my shirt.
Monday, June 27, 2011
A balance between quality and atmosphere
I've always been someone to focus on the food at any given restaurant. I don't care how it looks or how nice the decor is, I just want it to taste amazing.
Well... my judgment is being tested after this weekend. For any of my Twitter followers with sharp eyes, I mentioned that Chevy's was in my future. For Sacramento-dwellers, you likely know a little about the Chevy's on Garden Highway, generally known as "On the River" variety of Chevy's.
My fiancee and I went there on Saturday for some birthday celebrations, along with a few of her close friends. Only afterwards did I really realize that, hey, my fajitas weren't all that good. In fact, the chicken was bone-dry. The reason? Because we all just had such a good time. There was laughing, there were stories, there were balloon animals and balloon head-apparel (no joke!) and all-around, everyone just enjoyed themselves. We had a balloon snake that at one point ended up in a large Margarita glass, which led to seemingly infinite "Snake in the Glass" comments. I hurt myself laughing at one point, and I had no beverage other than water!
But they took forever to serve us, they kept trying to give us the wrong food and I had the aforementioned chicken that appeared to have been sapped of any juices that it may have once had. Even then, bottom-line, we still had fun. "Best dinner ever" had been mentioned, and not in an ironic sense either.
So what does this mean about the restaurant, exactly? Is it just the proximity to the river that made it fun? The occasion? At what point does the sheer fun of things outweigh the fact that the food really wasn't that good? I went to review this particular branch on Yelp earlier today, and I'm really just stuck. How the heck do I rate this?
Well... my judgment is being tested after this weekend. For any of my Twitter followers with sharp eyes, I mentioned that Chevy's was in my future. For Sacramento-dwellers, you likely know a little about the Chevy's on Garden Highway, generally known as "On the River" variety of Chevy's.
My fiancee and I went there on Saturday for some birthday celebrations, along with a few of her close friends. Only afterwards did I really realize that, hey, my fajitas weren't all that good. In fact, the chicken was bone-dry. The reason? Because we all just had such a good time. There was laughing, there were stories, there were balloon animals and balloon head-apparel (no joke!) and all-around, everyone just enjoyed themselves. We had a balloon snake that at one point ended up in a large Margarita glass, which led to seemingly infinite "Snake in the Glass" comments. I hurt myself laughing at one point, and I had no beverage other than water!
But they took forever to serve us, they kept trying to give us the wrong food and I had the aforementioned chicken that appeared to have been sapped of any juices that it may have once had. Even then, bottom-line, we still had fun. "Best dinner ever" had been mentioned, and not in an ironic sense either.
So what does this mean about the restaurant, exactly? Is it just the proximity to the river that made it fun? The occasion? At what point does the sheer fun of things outweigh the fact that the food really wasn't that good? I went to review this particular branch on Yelp earlier today, and I'm really just stuck. How the heck do I rate this?
Friday, June 24, 2011
The Sacramento "Super Friends" of Food Trucks: Week 1
I managed to head on over to the very first meeting of the Sacramento Food Truck Alliance (SFTA, I suppose?) just yesterday, and I have to say, I'm really encouraged by how many people showed up. I left pretty early, but it was coming together pretty nicely. In attendance were Drewski's, Mini Burger Truck and Mama Kim's On The Go, and I can now officially say I've had them all. They're all delicious. It's really nice to have Mama Kim's there to offer a little bit of a lighter fare as well.
Missing was Chando's truck, along with the always-rumored-but-never-confirmed Wicked 'Wich. I'm hoping they'll be on board shortly. However, for those with keen vision, a taco truck was right in the same parking lot! Taco Azteca was the truck, and obviously, tacos were there game. I guess they heard about it but hadn't officially been invited. Good for them for getting in there to boost business a little bit! For the record, their tacos were good, but almost devilishly spicy. Fresh off the grill and smothered in a hot salsa combined to make me red in the face. Seriously though, don't be scared off by the plain exterior of the truck if they show up next week! It's worth a shot at $1.25 a taco.
I REALLY hope this keeps going. I've always been a food junkie, and the more variety I have available to me, the better. However, for the Food Truck Super Friends (I really think they should go with THIS name, FYI), I have a recommendation: create a way to get a sampler from all trucks. For example, have everyone agree on something they can sell for roughly $1.50 each, and create something like this:
-A taco from Chando's
-A basic mini burger from MBT
-A side of the garlic/rosemary tots from Drewski's
-A small noodle/veggie salad from Mama Kim's.
Just have a neutral vendor collect the food, collect the cash from the folks, and evenly redistribute things afterwards. I, for one, would buy this IN ADDITION to making a stop or two at individual trucks.
Think it over, guys and gals. I'd be all over it.
Missing was Chando's truck, along with the always-rumored-but-never-confirmed Wicked 'Wich. I'm hoping they'll be on board shortly. However, for those with keen vision, a taco truck was right in the same parking lot! Taco Azteca was the truck, and obviously, tacos were there game. I guess they heard about it but hadn't officially been invited. Good for them for getting in there to boost business a little bit! For the record, their tacos were good, but almost devilishly spicy. Fresh off the grill and smothered in a hot salsa combined to make me red in the face. Seriously though, don't be scared off by the plain exterior of the truck if they show up next week! It's worth a shot at $1.25 a taco.
I REALLY hope this keeps going. I've always been a food junkie, and the more variety I have available to me, the better. However, for the Food Truck Super Friends (I really think they should go with THIS name, FYI), I have a recommendation: create a way to get a sampler from all trucks. For example, have everyone agree on something they can sell for roughly $1.50 each, and create something like this:
-A taco from Chando's
-A basic mini burger from MBT
-A side of the garlic/rosemary tots from Drewski's
-A small noodle/veggie salad from Mama Kim's.
Just have a neutral vendor collect the food, collect the cash from the folks, and evenly redistribute things afterwards. I, for one, would buy this IN ADDITION to making a stop or two at individual trucks.
Think it over, guys and gals. I'd be all over it.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Insurance Quiz: The Answers! (For the two people that care)
I'm not going to lie: I was hoping more people would be interested in the gift card. Interested enough to take a look at the quiz and see how their knowledge checked out.
For those that are interested, here are the answers:
Question 1) Assuming your car isn't financed ,what is the one and only portion of your auto insurance policy that you're required to have?
ANSWER: Liability coverage. In California, the minimal amount required is 15/30/5, which means $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident for bodily injury to others, and $5000 for property damage. FYI, this really isn't a heck of a lot of coverage, especially on the property damage side.
Question 2) Now let's assume your car IS financed! What are the other two portions you're now required to have?
ANSWER: Comprehensive and collision, generally. I've seen other requirements too, but if the car is financed, you'd better believe they'll require that you carry physical damage coverage on your car. If you don't, they'll buy it for you! And that type of coverage is VERY expensive.
Question 3) What are the two pieces of your policy that generally cost you the most?
ANSWER: Usually, the liability and collision coverage is the most expensive. One of these is actually a pretty good place to save money. The other isn't. Come on down to Dinner and a Deductible and I'll tell you more on this one.
Question 4) True or false: Any at-fault physical damage claim you file on your own car can cause you to be surcharged on your policy.
ANSWER: False. It depends on the type of claim (comprehensive vs. collision, for example) AND how much is paid out. Also, not all carriers treat this the same way!
Question 5) True or false: Age, type of car, type of coverage and your driving record all come into play with your overall policy pricing.
ANSWER: Believe it or not, false. Age, with many carriers, actually does not matter a bit. What DOES matter? Number of years of driving experience. So if you were first licensed at 30 and you go and get coverage? Might be a little rough in terms of price.
Gets you all fired up to learn more, doesn't it?! Right?? Well, hey, if not, I hope it was at least useful to know. Like I mentioned, come on down to Dinner and a Deductible on July 13th, and I'll do my best to give you all sorts of useful tidbits!
For the record, both entrants for 2/5 answers right. One of those was good enough for $10 from Chevron, and according to random.org, that person is...
Jeremiah! I'll be contacting you shortly to find out where to send your prize.
For those that are interested, here are the answers:
Question 1) Assuming your car isn't financed ,what is the one and only portion of your auto insurance policy that you're required to have?
ANSWER: Liability coverage. In California, the minimal amount required is 15/30/5, which means $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident for bodily injury to others, and $5000 for property damage. FYI, this really isn't a heck of a lot of coverage, especially on the property damage side.
Question 2) Now let's assume your car IS financed! What are the other two portions you're now required to have?
ANSWER: Comprehensive and collision, generally. I've seen other requirements too, but if the car is financed, you'd better believe they'll require that you carry physical damage coverage on your car. If you don't, they'll buy it for you! And that type of coverage is VERY expensive.
Question 3) What are the two pieces of your policy that generally cost you the most?
ANSWER: Usually, the liability and collision coverage is the most expensive. One of these is actually a pretty good place to save money. The other isn't. Come on down to Dinner and a Deductible and I'll tell you more on this one.
Question 4) True or false: Any at-fault physical damage claim you file on your own car can cause you to be surcharged on your policy.
ANSWER: False. It depends on the type of claim (comprehensive vs. collision, for example) AND how much is paid out. Also, not all carriers treat this the same way!
Question 5) True or false: Age, type of car, type of coverage and your driving record all come into play with your overall policy pricing.
ANSWER: Believe it or not, false. Age, with many carriers, actually does not matter a bit. What DOES matter? Number of years of driving experience. So if you were first licensed at 30 and you go and get coverage? Might be a little rough in terms of price.
Gets you all fired up to learn more, doesn't it?! Right?? Well, hey, if not, I hope it was at least useful to know. Like I mentioned, come on down to Dinner and a Deductible on July 13th, and I'll do my best to give you all sorts of useful tidbits!
For the record, both entrants for 2/5 answers right. One of those was good enough for $10 from Chevron, and according to random.org, that person is...
Jeremiah! I'll be contacting you shortly to find out where to send your prize.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Minor food truck update!
FYI, if the idea of the mini food truck gatherings sounds enticing, do NOT head to MK Auto tomorrow, 6/23. It's been relocated to Tognotti's over on Fulton.
Big shout out to Tognotti's for helping out food truck followers on short notice! I will be there, and I promise I won't even laugh at the name of your store this time.
Big shout out to Tognotti's for helping out food truck followers on short notice! I will be there, and I promise I won't even laugh at the name of your store this time.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Insurance guys want to know...
What's important to YOU, the consumer? It's always been interesting to me that what we (the folks on the insurance side of things) think consumers want, and what they actually want varies so wildly.
When I first got into the industry, we were hammered over and over with the whole "the customer loves great service" refrain. And to me, yes, that totally makes sense. But the first time I had a client leave to another insurance company for $50 less per year, I was flabbergasted. "But they don't even have local agents", I exclaimed! It didn't matter. Conversely, I do seem to have quite a few clients who value me as their advisor, but it really does seem to be all over the map.
So, hey, that's where you come in!
What do YOU, the end-consumer, actually care about when it comes to insurance?
Humor an insurance guy. I'd really be curious to know! Is it price? Service? Having a local agent? Availability? Something else completely? Heck, I remember I once had a client choose me over some other options because I was able to pronounce her name right off the bat.
What matters to YOU?
When I first got into the industry, we were hammered over and over with the whole "the customer loves great service" refrain. And to me, yes, that totally makes sense. But the first time I had a client leave to another insurance company for $50 less per year, I was flabbergasted. "But they don't even have local agents", I exclaimed! It didn't matter. Conversely, I do seem to have quite a few clients who value me as their advisor, but it really does seem to be all over the map.
So, hey, that's where you come in!
What do YOU, the end-consumer, actually care about when it comes to insurance?
Humor an insurance guy. I'd really be curious to know! Is it price? Service? Having a local agent? Availability? Something else completely? Heck, I remember I once had a client choose me over some other options because I was able to pronounce her name right off the bat.
What matters to YOU?
Monday, June 20, 2011
A tale of two (delicious) meals!
This past weekend, my fiancee and I had a rare chance to take a break and enjoy a few meals away from the house. True to form, we had pretty wildly different experiences from our meals.
First, we wanted a nice, relaxing date-night type meal. On the recommendation of a co-worker, we ended up at Shabu Japanese Fondue in downtown Sacramento. The meal was something unlike either of us had tried previously, and it was really quite good! For those unfamiliar with the format, you have a broth boiling on the table, and you have meats, veggies and noodles to cook right in front of you. As you go, it basically seasons the broth, and you have a bit of a soup afterwards.
It was a great, tasty meal. Also, unlike how I normally eat, it forces you to be a little bit slower-paced. I wouldn't go so far as to call it romantic, but it really was quite a nice evening, and a nice change of pace.
Then, on Saturday, we switched things up. We went from a nice dinner downtown to eating burgers from a box on a curb. And it was awesome. For those not in the know, food trucks are all the rage in Sacramento at the moment. Mini Burger Truck, my first food truck love, is the originator of said recent trend. And they're pretty dang amazing. Several mini burgers, an order of sweet potato tots and some deliciously-done fries later, we were spent.
Oddly enough, I was the one to suggest Shabu, and the fiancee was the one craving the burgers. Talk about reversals of normal behavior! Either way, it's always nice to get a reminder of how pleasant it can be to spend time together over some great food, if it's in a nice restaurant downtown, or simply chilling on a curb.
As always, if you haven't tried either place, now is a great time to learn more! I give my personal stamp of approval on both, if that matters at all for you (which it should!)
Mini Burger Truck - http://www.miniburgertruck.com/
Shabu Japanese Fondue - http://www.shabu-fondue.com/
First, we wanted a nice, relaxing date-night type meal. On the recommendation of a co-worker, we ended up at Shabu Japanese Fondue in downtown Sacramento. The meal was something unlike either of us had tried previously, and it was really quite good! For those unfamiliar with the format, you have a broth boiling on the table, and you have meats, veggies and noodles to cook right in front of you. As you go, it basically seasons the broth, and you have a bit of a soup afterwards.
It was a great, tasty meal. Also, unlike how I normally eat, it forces you to be a little bit slower-paced. I wouldn't go so far as to call it romantic, but it really was quite a nice evening, and a nice change of pace.
Then, on Saturday, we switched things up. We went from a nice dinner downtown to eating burgers from a box on a curb. And it was awesome. For those not in the know, food trucks are all the rage in Sacramento at the moment. Mini Burger Truck, my first food truck love, is the originator of said recent trend. And they're pretty dang amazing. Several mini burgers, an order of sweet potato tots and some deliciously-done fries later, we were spent.
Oddly enough, I was the one to suggest Shabu, and the fiancee was the one craving the burgers. Talk about reversals of normal behavior! Either way, it's always nice to get a reminder of how pleasant it can be to spend time together over some great food, if it's in a nice restaurant downtown, or simply chilling on a curb.
As always, if you haven't tried either place, now is a great time to learn more! I give my personal stamp of approval on both, if that matters at all for you (which it should!)
Mini Burger Truck - http://www.miniburgertruck.com/
Shabu Japanese Fondue - http://www.shabu-fondue.com/
Friday, June 17, 2011
Four words
Weekly. Food. Truck. Gathering.
So the word on the street is that all of the major Sacramento food trucks including Drewski's (featured at Dinner and a Deductible, shockingly enough), Mini Burger Truck, Mama Kim's and Chando's Tacos have decided to do a weekly gathering of food trucks right outside of Sacramento City limits.
Well, they picked a good place: MK Auto, over at Arden and Bell. And wouldn't you know it? Mr. SactoFoodAndInsurance himself works less than a mile from there.
To you four trucks, the Super Friends of the Sacramento mobile food community, I thank you. You choice of locations is amazing, and I will enjoy it. I will likely put on many pounds due to this gathering, but I will love every second of it.
If you attend this, keep an eye out for a spikey-haired insurance professional lurking about. And make sure to say hi!
So the word on the street is that all of the major Sacramento food trucks including Drewski's (featured at Dinner and a Deductible, shockingly enough), Mini Burger Truck, Mama Kim's and Chando's Tacos have decided to do a weekly gathering of food trucks right outside of Sacramento City limits.
Well, they picked a good place: MK Auto, over at Arden and Bell. And wouldn't you know it? Mr. SactoFoodAndInsurance himself works less than a mile from there.
To you four trucks, the Super Friends of the Sacramento mobile food community, I thank you. You choice of locations is amazing, and I will enjoy it. I will likely put on many pounds due to this gathering, but I will love every second of it.
If you attend this, keep an eye out for a spikey-haired insurance professional lurking about. And make sure to say hi!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
So, you think you know car insurance?
So, I'm not getting much in the way of RSVPs for Dinner and a Deductible (featuring a free meal from Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen), so you folks must all totally understand your car coverage, right?
Well, let's find out. For all of you California-dwelling folks, I welcome you to take this quiz and leave me a comment with your answers. I won't judge this on the number of answers correct! This isn't a contest to see who can Google things, but really to test your own knowledge to make sure you really "get" your policy. For one random California resident who submits their answers, a $10 Chevron gas card is on me.
Sound good? Get your brains fired up:
Question 1) Assuming your car isn't financed ,what is the one and only portion of your auto insurance policy that you're required to have?
Question 2) Now let's assume your car IS financed! What are the other two portions you're now required to have?
Question 3) What are the two pieces of your policy that generally cost you the most?
Question 4) True or false: Any at-fault physical damage claim you file on your own car can cause you to be surcharged on your policy.
Question 5) True or false: Age, type of car, type of coverage and your driving record all come into play with your overall policy pricing.
Simply enough, right? Comment away, and just make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. I'll select the winner on Thursday, 6/23!
Well, let's find out. For all of you California-dwelling folks, I welcome you to take this quiz and leave me a comment with your answers. I won't judge this on the number of answers correct! This isn't a contest to see who can Google things, but really to test your own knowledge to make sure you really "get" your policy. For one random California resident who submits their answers, a $10 Chevron gas card is on me.
Sound good? Get your brains fired up:
Question 1) Assuming your car isn't financed ,what is the one and only portion of your auto insurance policy that you're required to have?
Question 2) Now let's assume your car IS financed! What are the other two portions you're now required to have?
Question 3) What are the two pieces of your policy that generally cost you the most?
Question 4) True or false: Any at-fault physical damage claim you file on your own car can cause you to be surcharged on your policy.
Question 5) True or false: Age, type of car, type of coverage and your driving record all come into play with your overall policy pricing.
Simply enough, right? Comment away, and just make sure to leave me a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. I'll select the winner on Thursday, 6/23!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Sacramento Dish Crawl: The Recap
Without getting too wordy, last night's Dish Crawl was amazingly fun. Good food, good folks and an overall good time!
For interested parties, I'm recapping the four stops we made and giving a little info about what was on tap at each.
Stop #1: Sugar and Spice - This was the only place that I'd been before the Dish Crawl. I loved it then, and I loved it now. We had three items to sample: a creamsicle Panna Cotta, a peach pie tart, and a s'more-type pastry. The Panna Cotta was probably my favorite, and actually remained my favorite for much of the journey. Both the peach pie and the s'more were also quite good. Definitely no slouches either. The owner was incredibly friendly and chatted with us about their place, the food, and the use of bacon (!) in their pastries. Overall a great start, and it was an interesting twist to start with dessert.
Stop #2: 524 Mexican Restaurant - I'd heard good things about 524, and it did not disappoint. The food was relatively standard fare, but it was tasty. And SPICY! I sampled a bit of everything, including a burrito (steak, I think?), a carnitas quesadilla, a pork tamale and some rice and beans. There were a few bowls of salsa as well, including one that was what I thought was a standard, mild, pico de gallo. It was pico de gallo, but it sure wasn't mild. Punch-you-in-the-face spicy was more like it. I like it, but I just wasn't prepared! My only problem here was that I ate TOO much. It made the next two stops tough.
Stop #3: Brew It Up! - Not being a drinker, I wasn't sure what I'd make of this place. Frankly, it was pretty cool! I thought the whole concept of being able to create your own beer and then come back later to have it bottled and drink your very own brew-creation was pretty cool. This is coming from someone who bought their father a home brewing kit a few years back, so I suppose I'm a little biased, but still. The food we were served was pretty indulgent pub grub. I sampled panko-breaded onion rings, some kettle chips with basil, blue cheese and a balsamic glaze, asparagus with prosciutto, and a mac-and-cheese pizza. I couldn't finish my portions, so we had ample food to work with. I'm planning on checking the place out again with an empty stomach to fully enjoy it. (Pardon the slightly fuzzy picture, btw)
Stop #4: Blue Prynt - I was a little skeptical of this place for some reason. Maybe it was the location? I've dined right down the street from here many times and had never even heard of it. Whatever instinct it was, it was immediately proven WRONG. My favorite restaurant of the night, which featured my favorite dish of the night as well. We started with a cocktail. It was a caramel apple martini, I believe. Again, I don't drink, but it looked delicious. I passed it off to my lucky dinner partners at the time. That was followed by a crab cake, which was tasty, though I wasn't a huge fan of the texture. Just a me thing, but still, very delicious. Then, it came. Chicken Cordon Bleu and a Thai Basil Ratatouille. Man oh man, I loved it from bite one. Again, I was stuffed at this point, so for me to be into this, the deliciousness had to overcome that fact. And it did. I was especially impressed by the Ratatouille! Well-spiced and perfectly cooked. Yum indeed! So good, that it was the one thing I didn't manage to photograph! Lastly, we finished the night with a Baked Alaska. I'd never had this before, but I really enjoyed the hot-cold dynamic, along with the multiple textures.
Phew! What a night. Good food, great dining partners, and some discussion about Dinner and a Deductible. If you haven't yet tried a Dish Crawl, do it. It's worth it. I'll be back, and I'll be coming hungry.
Want to know more about the fine establishments we sampled? Check out their websites:
Sugar and Spice: http://www.sugarandspice.me
524 Mexican Restaurant: http://www.524mexicanrestaurant.com/
Brew It Up!: http://www.brewitup.com/
Blue Prynt: http://bluepryntsacramento.com/
For interested parties, I'm recapping the four stops we made and giving a little info about what was on tap at each.
Stop #1: Sugar and Spice - This was the only place that I'd been before the Dish Crawl. I loved it then, and I loved it now. We had three items to sample: a creamsicle Panna Cotta, a peach pie tart, and a s'more-type pastry. The Panna Cotta was probably my favorite, and actually remained my favorite for much of the journey. Both the peach pie and the s'more were also quite good. Definitely no slouches either. The owner was incredibly friendly and chatted with us about their place, the food, and the use of bacon (!) in their pastries. Overall a great start, and it was an interesting twist to start with dessert.
Stop #2: 524 Mexican Restaurant - I'd heard good things about 524, and it did not disappoint. The food was relatively standard fare, but it was tasty. And SPICY! I sampled a bit of everything, including a burrito (steak, I think?), a carnitas quesadilla, a pork tamale and some rice and beans. There were a few bowls of salsa as well, including one that was what I thought was a standard, mild, pico de gallo. It was pico de gallo, but it sure wasn't mild. Punch-you-in-the-face spicy was more like it. I like it, but I just wasn't prepared! My only problem here was that I ate TOO much. It made the next two stops tough.
Stop #3: Brew It Up! - Not being a drinker, I wasn't sure what I'd make of this place. Frankly, it was pretty cool! I thought the whole concept of being able to create your own beer and then come back later to have it bottled and drink your very own brew-creation was pretty cool. This is coming from someone who bought their father a home brewing kit a few years back, so I suppose I'm a little biased, but still. The food we were served was pretty indulgent pub grub. I sampled panko-breaded onion rings, some kettle chips with basil, blue cheese and a balsamic glaze, asparagus with prosciutto, and a mac-and-cheese pizza. I couldn't finish my portions, so we had ample food to work with. I'm planning on checking the place out again with an empty stomach to fully enjoy it. (Pardon the slightly fuzzy picture, btw)
Stop #4: Blue Prynt - I was a little skeptical of this place for some reason. Maybe it was the location? I've dined right down the street from here many times and had never even heard of it. Whatever instinct it was, it was immediately proven WRONG. My favorite restaurant of the night, which featured my favorite dish of the night as well. We started with a cocktail. It was a caramel apple martini, I believe. Again, I don't drink, but it looked delicious. I passed it off to my lucky dinner partners at the time. That was followed by a crab cake, which was tasty, though I wasn't a huge fan of the texture. Just a me thing, but still, very delicious. Then, it came. Chicken Cordon Bleu and a Thai Basil Ratatouille. Man oh man, I loved it from bite one. Again, I was stuffed at this point, so for me to be into this, the deliciousness had to overcome that fact. And it did. I was especially impressed by the Ratatouille! Well-spiced and perfectly cooked. Yum indeed! So good, that it was the one thing I didn't manage to photograph! Lastly, we finished the night with a Baked Alaska. I'd never had this before, but I really enjoyed the hot-cold dynamic, along with the multiple textures.
Phew! What a night. Good food, great dining partners, and some discussion about Dinner and a Deductible. If you haven't yet tried a Dish Crawl, do it. It's worth it. I'll be back, and I'll be coming hungry.
Want to know more about the fine establishments we sampled? Check out their websites:
Sugar and Spice: http://www.sugarandspice.me
524 Mexican Restaurant: http://www.524mexicanrestaurant.com/
Brew It Up!: http://www.brewitup.com/
Blue Prynt: http://bluepryntsacramento.com/
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Busy busy!
Eating lunch at 3:30 PM is a good indicator that, yes, business is going well, but I'm also exceedingly hungry and will probably have to stoop to something reheated in order to not pass out.
I yearn for the days of mandatory snack and nap time like back in Kindergarten. How much I'd give for something like that now.
Speaking of naps, have you seen these?
http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/google-uses-high-tech-nap-pods-to-keep-employees-energized-20100618/
Nap pods. Man, oh man. If ever I ruled the roost here, I'd have these. Right next to the carving station, in case anyone was in need of a quick snack of roast turkey. Despite the claims, I'm sure productivity would plummet, but seriously... the naps!
I yearn for the days of mandatory snack and nap time like back in Kindergarten. How much I'd give for something like that now.
Speaking of naps, have you seen these?
http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/google-uses-high-tech-nap-pods-to-keep-employees-energized-20100618/
Nap pods. Man, oh man. If ever I ruled the roost here, I'd have these. Right next to the carving station, in case anyone was in need of a quick snack of roast turkey. Despite the claims, I'm sure productivity would plummet, but seriously... the naps!
Monday, June 13, 2011
The lost art of socializing
I'll admit, when I think of restaurants, it's the quality of the food that I think of first. I mean, why else eat? The food has to be good. But often, an overlooked aspect of the restaurant is the people involved.
I'm just as guilty as the next person in that I don't always take this into consideration, but sometimes, it's too much to ignore. I'll give you both a good and a bad example of what I mean.
We'll start with the bad. A burger place that shall not be named went from the top of my list to the bottom. The reason? Mainly, the people. I used to love the place for many reasons, but I always felt welcome when I went there. I'd sit, chat away with the owner and the folks running the place for the day. I just felt like I was at home! The place has since sold, and that whole vibe went away, and it went away fast. They still try, but it's forced. Just wasn't right! For the record, the food went downhill too, but it was more the people.
On the good side of things, I'll give you a specific example: Cafe Europa over on Howe. The owner is among the nicest guys I've met around here. Extremely personable and easy to talk to. Heck, every time I've come in there, I end up in a genuine conversation. Today, we talked a bit about sales positions and (surprise!) insurance. You cannot fake the type of enthusiasm he puts into the day-to-day dealings with customers. Would it make the restaurant a winner if the food wasn't good? No, but the food IS good. My chicken gyro that I had for lunch today hit the spot! It all adds up to a great experience.
Not convinced? Give the place a try. Find out more information about Cafe Europa here: http://cafeeuropasacramento.wordpress.com/
I'm just as guilty as the next person in that I don't always take this into consideration, but sometimes, it's too much to ignore. I'll give you both a good and a bad example of what I mean.
We'll start with the bad. A burger place that shall not be named went from the top of my list to the bottom. The reason? Mainly, the people. I used to love the place for many reasons, but I always felt welcome when I went there. I'd sit, chat away with the owner and the folks running the place for the day. I just felt like I was at home! The place has since sold, and that whole vibe went away, and it went away fast. They still try, but it's forced. Just wasn't right! For the record, the food went downhill too, but it was more the people.
On the good side of things, I'll give you a specific example: Cafe Europa over on Howe. The owner is among the nicest guys I've met around here. Extremely personable and easy to talk to. Heck, every time I've come in there, I end up in a genuine conversation. Today, we talked a bit about sales positions and (surprise!) insurance. You cannot fake the type of enthusiasm he puts into the day-to-day dealings with customers. Would it make the restaurant a winner if the food wasn't good? No, but the food IS good. My chicken gyro that I had for lunch today hit the spot! It all adds up to a great experience.
Not convinced? Give the place a try. Find out more information about Cafe Europa here: http://cafeeuropasacramento.wordpress.com/
Friday, June 10, 2011
Sad day in my little food world
It's not as bad as the last day of the original Squeeze Inn (I lined up at 9:30 AM for a burger, FYI) but it's still a bit of a sad one.
I'm sorry to say that my co-workers and I mourn the loss of Maali Thai today. It was a little hole-in-the-wall Thai place that we have been frequenting for about a year now. I'll be honest, the place didn't look all that hot. I was terrified to eat there at first, but it found a place in my heart. A half dozen of us were at least able to celebrate with Thai fried rice and Pad Thai once last time, thankfully.
Funny how food and restaurants can turn on the emotions at times, isn't it? Any food-related sob stories on your end, readers?
I'm sorry to say that my co-workers and I mourn the loss of Maali Thai today. It was a little hole-in-the-wall Thai place that we have been frequenting for about a year now. I'll be honest, the place didn't look all that hot. I was terrified to eat there at first, but it found a place in my heart. A half dozen of us were at least able to celebrate with Thai fried rice and Pad Thai once last time, thankfully.
Funny how food and restaurants can turn on the emotions at times, isn't it? Any food-related sob stories on your end, readers?
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