FUNFUNFUN weekend

I hope everybody enjoyed their Friday at Fun Fun Fun fest. The fun is not over -- tonight brings a whole new bag of goodies. If you've been receiving my NYLON Daily e-mails, you'd know that I fully support this after-party, featuring some of my favorite local DJs and bands:

@ Beauty Bar / $5 with FFFfest wristband / 21+
Delorean, Lemonade, Cowabunga Babez, Burger City Rock n' Roll!

It's also not too late to visit Gypsy Picnic before going to the festival!

Oh! Oh! Don't forget my buddy/amazing musician, Paul Bank's album release party at Stubb's BBQ. Entrance is $8!

Natalie San Luis: The First Kitchen

I recently wrote an article, or made a video rather, for The Horn about local blogger and UT student Natalie San Luis. I was turned onto her blog by Tolly, who relentlessly plugs her at any chance (simply because Natalie's blog is awesome). It's a food/cooking blog called The First Kitchen, where she talks about her adventures in the kitchen. I remember getting my first kitchen and just making scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and heating frozen pizzas. So, I am in awe at Natalie's skill and quick learning.

Here's the video I made for the piece, check it out on the website too!

Who doesn't love Brigitte Bardot?

Balsamic Honey Glazed Pork Chops

This is the first time, and perhaps only time, I'll be posting about something I've cooked.

A) because I hardly ever cook,

and B) I am horrible about posting things that I do in real life.

Anyway, I had a day off work finally and decided to prepare something to eat that wasn't tortellini or Ramen noodles. I had $1.50 thin pork loin chops from H.E.B. and thought I'd find something good to make. I found a recipe on Cooks.com for Balsamic Honey Glazed Pork Chops, which sounded good because I had all the right ingredients and I like a sweet pork dish. Sorry vegetarians, I am a meat eater.

I changed it up a little from the original recipe online.

Mine included:

Ingredients

+ 5 thin pork loin chops

+ Olive Oil (extra virgin)

+ Parmesan Herb spice

+ Salt & Pepper

+ Honey

+ Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

Instructions

1. You heat a moderate portion of olive oil on the frying pan on medium high.

2. ...meanwhile rubbing salt, pepper and parmesan herb on both sides of the pork chops for flavor.

3. Afterward, brown both sides of the chops on the stove.

4. When done, lower the heat to medium-low and dribble honey and balsamic vinaigrette dressing on both sides of each cut.

5. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

That was it, and it was pretty delicious! I should probably start cooking more. Give me ideas, if you have any.

Burger City: free pool, free chili dogs!

Despite the burger inspired name, Burger City Rock n Roll (the Monday weekly party at The Grand) is giving away free chili dogs tonight ... along with bringing you rock n roll via DJs and local band The Dead Space. As always, free pool for service industry folks and cheap drinks.

+

=

the new maki

Continuing on with my last post - I visited the new How Do You Roll? Maki Sushi Bar in the warehouse district a few hours after they officially opened! I was not disappointed.

A review:

I am always in awe of the edgy, mod look of newer establishments. With just splashes of the right colors, new shapes, and good lighting, any restaurant can look good. HDYR is no exception; it's design is flawless. The customer service was A+, the dudes were very nice to us (and even recognized my friend, a once semi-regular at the Arboretum location). The price gets an A++ because for 7 dollars, you get a large roll that is 10 pieces; it's like getting two rolls! The taste is also great, you wouldn't think you are eating budget sushi -- I'd say it's as good as the rolls at pricier establishments (but I'm no food snob).

Check out photos from my eating experience:

This is the sushi bar, Chipotle style. Look at all the meat and veggie choices. There's my roll being made!

My finished roll, essentially a Philly roll with Unagi (eel) sauce on it. Check out that ambiance.

Located at:
454 W. 2nd St. Austin 78701

Sun-Thurs open 11am - 9pm
Fri-Sat open 11am - 10pm

Go now if you haven't tried it yet!

How do you roll?

Well hello hello, I'm back!

Okay, so, my Internet has been rocky since I have been back to Austin (yesterday) so once again, another horrible blogging week. New York was amazing, so perhaps I'll be updating with some vaca recap photos. I am excited about revisiting sometime in the near future.

I have even better news though!

Maki "How Do You Roll?" Sushi is finally opening tomorrow - June 1. I have been awaiting this day for a while, calling the Domain location and asking more than twice haha. Who wouldn't want to check this out.

It works a little something like this:

1. You get to pick a wrap - the traditional seaweed or a newer soy kind.

2. You pick the meat (or nonmeat) you want - salmon, crabstick, tuna, you name it.

3. You get two veggies, or more for additional cost - carrot, tofu, avocado, etc.

4. You can add a sauce on top - including my favorite eel sauce

5. A number of sides - miso, edamame, etc.

Enjoy!

Read about my previous experience there!

Let's go!!!

Become Cultured.

Austin Museum Day
Today, Sept 20
Austin Restaurant Week
Today - Sept 23
Flavors of Austin
Beginning Sept 28

"East Side Story"

Click for a higher resolution.

East Austinite and Progress Coffee created this little east side cheat sheet for us. What is missing? Las Cazuelas, Scoot Inn, Cheer Up Charlies, Liberty, East Side Showroom, Justine's, everything on Manor (but I understand that the map doesn't reach that far). There is more, I am sure. A few I mentioned I haven't even visited yet -- but plan to eventually. If you want to be added to the map, email joshua@progresscoffee.com.

Rainy Daze

I can't care about the rain, because I have mandated that today is going to be awesome for a couple of reasons. First of all, I woke up at 4 p.m. (damn). Second of all, it is the Second Sunday Sockhop at Shangri La -- which I still want to go to despite the humidity that I am sure will follow this drizzle. I am sure the dampness will have dried by then, though, and it doesn't seem like it's going to rain again. What bizarre weather patterns. Third of all, I began my day with delicious dim sum that I did not have to wake up early for at Get Sum Dim Sum (44th and Lamar). It's amazing -- I suggest everybody try it. It's really cute and contemporary, and it is kind of in the same vein as Maki, in the sense that it's a modernization of asian food. There are no carts at this restaurant.

Left: Pork Siu Mai, Right: Turnip Cake "Law Bak Gao"
(Photos by Carol L. from Yelp)

I think that turnip cake is pronounced in Cantonese there, because it definitely doesn't read how you pronounce it in mandarin, or maybe that is just bad Romanization.

Lastly, I am going to lay in bed and watch a movie. Adios.
Have a good one.

bleet-up

Who else is going? Free food, right? Plus, networking. Times like these, I wish I had a business card. If I made one, what would it look like? I always thought I'd make some just with my name on it, maybe my phone number, and put "American Playgirl" as my job title, and hand them to cute guys.

RIP

Shuggie's shrine in front of the trailer.

Shuggie's

and

The Peacock

I ate some last chili-cheese sliders today. So good, yet sad, in my mouth.

I have a new obsession

So, I fell in love yesterday. With a restaurant. Which hardly ever happens to me. I am not one to get into food funks with particular places. My sister has always been like that though; she is eternally obsessed with Chipotle and Chik-fil-a. I mean, I love places around town obviously but it's never been this intense. The place - Maki Sushi.

This utopia is off of N. Mopac. Here is their Yelp site (also where I got these photos, I don't bring digital cameras around with me). Anyway you make your own sushi roll, which is fucking amazing. You can pick between the soy or seaweed wrapper, then between a plethora of meats (raw and not) and vegetables - three come free with a meat choice. I got a seaweed wrapped Unagi (eel) with avocado, carrots and tofu skins covered in the Eel Teriyaki sauce. I can't stop thinking about going there again now. I guess that would be overload. I am probably overthinking this because I haven't eaten today.

It's seriously too good to be true.

Babies coming

So, today has been and is going to be a good day.
A) My buddies are coming into town for the 4th of July weekend.
B) Hopefully, they are bringing me celebratory sparklers.
C) I just ate 2 very cheap rolls at Silhouette.

Should I try one of these? (Dolce Vita)

I know tonight is the "Huge" party at Plush with French Roast and Wild Life at Barcelona with the Wild Life crew. That's all I've really quite gathered for tonight.

My face is in Rare!

So, one day I was at Waterloo Records when I came upon this issue of Rare. I knew it wasn't the May issue, which was blind embossed and white, so I checked it out. It was the June issue, which I knew that my face was going to appear in. Editor Carrie Crowe and Tolly Moseley, a writer for Rare slash Austin Eavesdropper, had set up this Blogger Editorial for this Living issue.

I really like the way the picture turned out. Shooting those was a lot of fun. Annie Ray was the photographer. Yeah, I'm blowing purple glitter out of a martini glass.

It was also too late that I realized I had actually started this blog in 2008. It really hasn't been that long. I also included a few of the little "blogs" I wrote for the article. I mentioned some of my favorite Austin things. Not included in here, but in the magazine, are Richard Gear, End of an Ear Records and Outwithme. By the way, 50-word limits are HARD, even for mini-blogs.


By the way, I still haven't tried any of these hamburgers. Let's go.

Go pick your own copy up. Or wait till they scan them in for the online version.

Tonight at Beauty Bar:

Food on my mind

Can I just take a minute to discuss the amazing food I've been consuming lately? I'm a food fiend. Even though I may seem like I don't eat enough when busy, I think over-eating is really my issue; I consume way too many calories for a person my size.

For a bar, Jackalope has some great food. I had the Frito-Pie burger, yes you can think I'm disgusting for eating probably the least healthy thing on the menu, but it was great. I just wish there was more chili-cheese on it, because that's the kind of girl I am.
+Also, their Garlic Lovers pizza was pretty great and pretty huge. Among three of us, we couldn't even finish it. The tomatoes were perfect. Half off whole pizzas on Tuesdays almost made up for the fact that I did not drink one margarita on Cinco de Mayo.


I tried out Galaxy Cafe. The macaroni and cheese was not the best in the city, but it was pretty good. Also, another burger I've tried (Mushroom Swiss, always) and liked. It wasn't by any means top three status, but it has probably made its way to my top ten.
+ I also ate recently at Casino El Camino, which will always be on top of the list somewhere -- four to be precise with Citysearch. I out-ate my guy friend. Yes, I've got cheeseburger problems.

Pluckers will never fail to be some of the best comfort food. Best macaroni and cheese, hands down. Also, try their cheese enchilada soup and their magic mushrooms.


Nobody wanted to read a word of this. Maybe I'm just hungry again. /End food rant.

Cinco de Mayo fiesta

(I was going to attempt to type this entire post in Spanish but decided against embarrassing myself)


Tomorrow is the fifth of May,
or the 5th of May,
or Cinco de Mayo.

Which means that 137 years ago, the Mexicans defeated the French in the Battle of Puebla, but more so that people are going to use it as an excuse to drink margaritas during the day. Here's a block party in the Warehouse district for you to go to.

I'm not sure if the food and drinks advertised are free or not, but still. I tried La Condesa the night of My Bloody Valentine and it was pretty great - well the tortilla soup I ordered anyway. Frances probably could tell you more about their cuisine than I can.

Now let me tell you about some of the best places to get margaritas (that I'm aware of):
1. Red House Pizzeria
2. Trudy's
3. Polvo's
4. Lanai -has really cheap ones

I've never met a hotdog I didn't like

Just because Victoria told me to.

Spare me the sexual innuendos and the pig hoof comments. I really like chili-cheese dogs and it will remain that way.

Happy Birthday Matt & Brandon!
@ Tiniest Bar in Texas, I discovered they sell the most amazing hot dogs for just $3. They have sausages, too. You can put anything on them, as well, and the price remains the same. I'm pretty sure that is almost all I spent my money on last night -- a chili-cheese dog with ketchup. Totally worth it. Sorry vegetarians, I'm a total meatatarian (if you couldn't already tell by my cheeseburger obsession).

@ Back Alley Social, what happened to that place? Hmmm... I may give it another shot, though I don't usually believe in second chances.

What a mess of a weekend. That's all.

Rio Rita/Dazed/Top Notch

I know everyone else has gone, but I hadn't. I finally made it couple blocks further than S-la and went to Rio Rita last night. I liked the ambiance of the place. Since it was Monday, it was Record Player night, dubbed "Love and a 45," where you can bring your own music and pick what gets played. Also, they sell East Side Pies (delicious) slices - $3.50. I suggest you try the Moontower, if you haven't before. It's a million types of cheese on a thin crust. The chips and salsa are also good and only $2.50.

Speaking of which, I re-watched Dazed and Confused in order to catch all the Austin stuff I'd missed as a kid. Now, I want somebody to throw a non-Red Bull party at the moon tower and to eat a burger at Top Notch. I believe that is one of allotted the destinations in my hamburger hunt.

PC_Austin360

Does that not look absolutely delectable? Dang, now I'm hungry.

food obv on my mind

Dude, I might have to go to this. Free dinner? Poor college student to die for. I mean, my stomach has been hurting for the past few days and is slowly getting better, but obviously I should go shove my face full of fried steak right? And then, I think I'll join the Pizzapalooza pizza-eating contest.

Danny Devito's Limoncello

Amber D. is always on top of it when it comes to wine. Thus, I wasn't surprised when she posted this Yelp event of Danny DeVito coming to town to push his wine, Limoncello. It's at the Twin Liquors in the Hancock Center. I may just wake up earlier on a Saturday to go to this; it's Danny Devito, c'mon.

Anyone else just love that photo in the flier?