12 Wednesday Aug 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Southern Living, Writing/Publishing
I just wanted to let all of you know that my photo is included in the Southern Living Magazine Party Book in stores right now! I’m the one in the blue!
The book also features 3 or 4 stories that I wrote.
04 Monday May 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Southern Living, Volunteering, Writing/Publishing
Last weekend I sorted and delivered groceries to those in need along with local high school students and adult volunteers. It was a rewarding and emotionally challenging event.
21 Tuesday Apr 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Restaurant Review, Southern Living, Sweet Potatoes
Read about a local Birmingham restaurant that serves the best sweet potato fries (in my humble opinion).
Black Market Bar on Highway 280 under Chef Jordan Cox
19 Sunday Apr 2009
Posted in Alabama, Baklava, Birmingham, Falafel, Festival
Food:
I sampled a selection of hummus, fallafel, and baklava. The rating went as following:
Hummus ($3) – pretty well balanced with lemon and garlic. The pita bread served with hummus was disappointing – you got half of a cold, stale-ish pita served in a zip-lock bag.
Falafel ($7) – This is definitely not Amsterdam Falafel (one of my favorite local spots in Washington DC). The falafel balls – made from ground up chickpeas and spices – were unfortunately cold and mushy. The flavor was good, but I really missed the light, golden brown balls that you typically get in a falafel sandwich. The sandwich was served in a large pita, which again was cold, and was so large that it overpowered everything that was inside – falafel balls, a smear of hummus, pickles, tomatoes and mint. This was actually the first time I had mint inside a falafel sandwich – not sold on the idea.
Baklava ($2/piece) – I saved the best for last. Dessert was great! I tried both pistachio and walnut baklava. Layers of phyllo dough saturated with honey and sugar, filled with chopped nuts. A touch of rose water and orange blossom added to this Lebanese delicacy.
We listened to live music by Amin Sultan band and people watched. And then it was time to head out.
14 Tuesday Apr 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Freezing, Southern Living, Writing/Publishing
My second blog post is up on Eating My Words site for Southern Living 🙂
Check it out to learn basic guidelines for freezing your food and which items are better left out of the freezer.
13 Monday Apr 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Russian, Writing/Publishing
I was at a Blockbuster’s location, sifting through the movies that I haven’t seen yet and wanted to watch (a very small pile) when a man approached me asking if the car parked outside of the store with NY license plates was mine. I got worried – was there something wrong with my car?
Turns out, the man was just curious because he has lived in New York prior to moving to Birmingham. When I told him that it was in fact my car, he detected an accent and asked if I was Russian. I said I was. And that was a start of a 10+ minute conversation, at the end of which I wanted to pull my hair out and run away – I did leave the store in such a hurry, that I left behind my cell phone.
Back to the man – he informed me that his great-grandparents were from Russia. Where in Russia you might ask? KIEV!!! For those of you who might not know, Kiev is a capital of Ukraine. So I informed him that his great-grandparents were actually from Ukraine, not Russia. Oh, but he insisted that Kiev used to be a part of Russia. Really? Interesting. But I stood my grounds.
Then he continued asking questions and talking in a very obnoxious way up until the moment I paid for my movie and left. And the movie? Not even worth it! It was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, II. The first one made me fall in love with Greece and I’ve been looking forward to seeing the second one, which disappointed, like most sequels do.
10 Friday Apr 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Grits, Southern Living, Writing/Publishing
It’s been a long time since my last post. Rather than writing here, I’ve been making mental notes and taking photos (which eventually will make it over on this blog).
But I wanted to share an exciting news. I am beginning to write for “Eat My Words” – a food blog from the staff of Southern Living magazine.
Check out my first blog In the Land of Grits
I plan to contribute to the blog on weekly basis. Have an idea for a post? Let me know, and keep on reading!
14 Saturday Mar 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Coffee, Pho, Restaurant Review, Vietnamese
…how a Jewish Food Fair turns into a casual lunch at Pho Que Huong.
Last Sunday, I had every intention to enjoy knishes and matzo ball soup at a Jewish Food Fair held at a local Temple Emanu-El. But something happened as I entered into a crowded hall, lined with tables that held egg-brushed challah bread, sliced brisket, pastrami sandwiches and freshly baked sweets. I walked around, through the crowd of hungry individuals, and decided that I was craving something else – plus there wasn’t a knish to be seen. And so, I turned and left the synagogue.
Where to for lunch? It was a beautiful sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, and I thought it’d be a perfect chance to go for a drive to a restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a few weeks. Why Pho Que Huong? Simple – after two months in Birmingham, I was craving something other than grits, bbq, and biscuits. And a light, flavorful, and inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine would do a trick, or so I hoped.
The menu was pretty standard – a wide selection of pho, noodle soups, noodle bowls, and traditional Vietnamese sandwiches made with french baguettes and sliced pork. Since this was my first time at the restaurant, I decided to go the traditional route – spring rolls, pho, and a Vietnamese iced coffee.
The spring roll – an upsetting disappointment – it had me seriously worried that the rest of the meal would only get worse. The rice paper was thick and chewy, not transparent and light like it needs to be. And the filling wasn’t much better. It seemed that instead of flavorful pork or shrimp and crisp vegetables, this spring roll was filled with noodles and lettuce. The dipping sauce helped slightly, but not enough to save this roll. Word of advice – skip the spring roll on your visit!
And then the pho arrived. Accessorized with fresh basil, lime wedges, and sprouts, the bowl of pho was sweetly perfumed. The key to good pho, in my opinion, is a clear, flavorful broth that is perfectly balanced with the addition of freshly squeezed lime, torn basil leaves and a touch of hot chili sauce. The slices of flank steak and rice noodles are a nice addition – the steak in my bowl was perfectly tender and lean, the noodles twirled just right around the chopsticks. The verdict – one good bowl of pho!
The ending to the meal? A healthy doze of caffeine – a traditional iced Vietnamese Coffee. The set up – a glass of ice, a shorter glass with condensed sweet milk on the bottom and a dripping coffee on top. You have to patiently wait until the coffee has finished dripping, then stir the coffee with the condensed milk and pour over a glass of ice. The end result? Perfection.
I will happily return to Pho Que Huong and hope you will too.
13 Friday Mar 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, GPS, Gym
For the last few months, I have tried to go to the JCC gym trying to take advantage of my two-month free membership. Sadly, my less-than-present love for the traditional work outs has kept me far away from the elliptical and arc trainers at the gym. On the days that I did make it over there, I was literally holding the wheel of my car for dear life as I took one turn after another, following one curvy road before taking yet another one. The drive home would be even worse, since apparently street lights have not been invented in Birmingham as of yet.
Luckily, my GPS has been a pretty good guide. And for the most part, I have managed to veer to the right, instead of the left, and correctly counted three turns as a British voice of my GPS clearly instructed “take a left, then keep left, then take the third right.” I believe I have named my British GPS co-pilot Ben – very British.
Back to the point. The last time I was driving to the gym, I decided to silent Ben and check to see if I could get to my destination on my own. And I did! I took all the right (and left) turns and when I arrived at the gym, I shared my success with the desk attendant. She smiled and simply said “small victories.” That got me thinking…sometimes, celebrating the smallest of victories can bring a satisfaction, even if short lived. And why not? Each small victory is just a step toward a big victory.
01 Sunday Mar 2009
Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Snow
Well, for once the weather forecasters were correct. Following a few days of 60-degree weather, it is in fact snowing in Birmingham, Alabama.
On March 1st, of all the days, the trees are covered in snow, the impatient buds that looked so full and ready to burst just a few days ago, are probably freezing, covered by the new blanket of white powder.
The snow is quietly, gracefully falling down, finding its resting place on the ground, and sticking to it!
Perhaps, Monday will be a day off work.
