Entry tags:
If only I had Craig Pelton to give my good news/bad news.
I have good news and bad news.
The good news is, Talis went for his eye checkup yesterday and he's in the clear! The eye has healed, so for the first time in WEEKS he got to go around without the cone on.
Now I'm thinking of getting pet insurance. J. raves about how great hers is, and I've been told that eye ulcers are very common in Lhasa Apsos, so it's almost certainly going to recur, probably in the eye that was unaffected before. ><
The bad news is, my Pontiac died. This is my secondary car that I use to take Talis around places and to park at the park & ride so that I don't have to worry about bad thngs happening to my primary car, so it's not a huge deal, it's just a bummer. I was hoping that it would last longer than it did, but also am surprised that it lasted as long as it did. I spent $1,500 on the car, plus maybe $200 in repairs, so it basically cost me about $100/month to own. I'm OK with that.
I was actually lucky the way it happened. I was on the freeway close to my exit when something "popped" in the engine and a loud rattling noise started happening. Whenever I'd press on the brake pedal, the noise increased in frequency and volume, and the car didn't accelerate well. I sweated bullets all the way, but managed to get it back to my house. I was afraid the car was going to blow up any second, because I could smell gasoline. It was SO LOUD that I'm sure the other cars on the road could hear it and were like WTF.
I called the auto mechanics who I've taken the car to before and described what happened. They asked if I had oil in the car; I said yes, because I'd only gotten an oil change 2 months before. They said, well maybe there was a leak. It seemed unlikely to me, because I'd driven the car for over a year before that, and if that was an issue it wouldn't have manifested itself suddenly after a new oil change. I think it's a possibility that they forgot to replace the oil at all, though that also seems kind of unlikely. Anyway, they said that that was the only thing they could guess at without actually seeing the car. They told me to check and see if there was oil in the car. I said, if there isn't, do I just put oil in it? And they said no, from what I described, if that was the problem then it was already too late. Of course the next logical question was if it would be worth it to repair. After getting the specs on the car from me, the mechanic was like, yeah no, it would cost more to repair than the car's worth -- which is pretty much what I expected.
So now I'm looking to donate the car. I read up about the various things to watch out for, such as the fact that many charities use for-profit companies to manage the selling of the car and keep part of the proceeds. I read that you should donate to a charity that gets at least 85% of the proceeds. But that has been IMPOSSIBLE to find. I also think it's kind of B.S. Only really big charities are able to do in-house car donations; most have to go through a third-party to do it. So, what, screw the little guys if they can't? (Consider that even Goodwill goes through a third party to do car donations.) Getting 50% of the proceeds is better than none. Also, proceeds come after fees are taken out. So what if a place gives 65% of the proceeds, but their fees are higher? Then it'll end up that the charity gets less of the money anyway, even if the percentage is higher. Ugh, so yeah, that's been a bit of a headache too.
And another Restaurant Week has come and gone. I did three more since my last post. :D
The Georgian (with![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
corianderstem! We both ordered the same starter and entree)
First Course
First of the Season Heirloom Tomato Soup, Parmesan Air, Black Pepper Cracker
[Delicious. The parmesan foam was a little odd. Usually when foam is done, it's a coda to the rest of the dish, just a small bit. This was like a giant head of foam. It was pretty weird. I told K. it was like someone had been washing their hair then scooped off a giant ball of bubbles and dropped it into the soup. Anyway, the soup was great.]
Second Course
Seared Scallops, Crisp Potatoes, Melted Young Leeks, Truffle Bacon Butter Sauce
[Very good. Only 3 scallops, but the dish came together well. On the regular menu this dish alone cost $39. O.o Crazy.]
Third Course
A.: Jack's Chocolate Pot au Crème
[A. said this was really rich. I'm sure it was better than mine.]
Me: Limoncello Savarin, Rhubarb Stew
[At first bite, this was great. The presentation was lovely. It came in like this big brandy glass. A bit of brioche at the bottom soaked with limoncello, then topped with the rhubarb stew, followed by lemon ice cream. A thin sheet of honey candy was placed over the top, which the server told me to break with my spoon so the pieces would fall into the glass. After the second bite though, it became very clear that ths dessert was not balanced at all. It was tart on top of tart on top of tart, with the honey doing nothing. I couldn't finish it; the sourness was overwhelming after awhile, making all the other flavors blend together.
I really like their mignardises at the end, though. Rounds of dark chocolate that you dipped first into honey, then into a soft, pillowy pile of shaved white chocolate. Elegant and delicious.]
Dahlia Lounge (spontaneously went by myself for lunch yesterday, and boy am I glad I did)
First Course
Asparagus, country ham, hazelnuts, ramps, champagne vinaigrette
[Totally delightful. All the flavors and textures blended really well together.]
Second Course
Braised oregon lamb, green garlic-potato puree
[Sooooooo good. I was tempted by the grilled cheese sandwich originally, because it comes with their tomato soup and I really love that soup. But that's always on their menu, so I went with the lamb. It was different from what I expected, but not in a bad way. The braised lamb was shredded on top of a pile of mashed potatoes, with English peas, carrots, and ramps. It was kind of like a shepherd's pie, except with fresh vegetables and none of it was baked. REALLY good.]
Third Course
Coconut cream pie
[OK, this might have been a disappointment because what I wanted ended up being unavailable. The choices were the chocolate chunk cookie (made next door at the Dahlia Bakery), a chocolate whoopie pie, or a Hong Kong style egg custard. I really wanted to try the last, because Tom Douglas tends to do Asian flavors really well (and I love "dan tat"). However, they ran out, so the manager came around and said that if the other choices didn't appeal to me, they could also offer me their fresh-made doughnuts or their signature coconut cream pie. I jumped at that option, lol. I wasn't sure if they were going to give me the coconut cream pie bite, which is what they've done the last couple of RWs when it's on the menu. It's a small little taster of the pie that normally costs $2.50. Instead, they brought a full slice of the pie (normally costs $9 alone, and this whole meal cost $15!). It was awwwwwwwesome. It was also the biggest slice I've ever gotten of it, and I've gotten it many times at various TD restaurants. I couldn't even finish and had to take half of it home. :D]
Crush (with K.)
First Course:
Asparagus Veloute (we both ordered this)
[Very nice, but it was only warm, not hot, and I like my soups either cold or hot, not the somewhere in between. Also, the portion was small compared to The Georgian.]
Second Course:
K.: Roasted Pacific Ling Cod
[This was... not good. Maybe I just haven't had ling cod before, though I don't see how that could be. Good seafood isn't fishy, and I don't know if it was fishy or if that's just the way ling cod tastes. Either way, I didn't enjoy it.]
Me: 48 Hour Beef Short Rib Crepinette
[Very good, but I rarely don't like short rib. >.> Crush's portions are super small, so this one small 3-inch portion of short rib was the dish, with a bit of veggies on the side. I don't like how Crush's dishes tend to be deconstructed, so that you're having to put together all the parts yourself. It gets a bit tiresome (and pretentious). Also, on the menu this tiny portion of short rib costs $37.]
Third Course:
K.: Lemon Merignue Tart
[Good, but a little too tart for me. K. LOVED it.]
Me: Chocolate Olive Oil Cream Sundae
[Good, but it was chocolate ice cream. Soooo... nothing that special. I did enjoy the peanut macaron shell that came on top.]
Overall impressions... Crush is one of those restaurants that blew my mind the first time I went there. Yes, the service is snooty and the portions are small, but the food was fantastic. They also add in little touches that I appreciate, such as offering gougeres before the meal begins, and mignardises at the end of the meal. The last few times I've been there, though, I haven't been as impressed with it. The more I go, the more other restaurants (like Tilth and Staple & Fancy) compare much better. Both those places are not only more comfortable to dine at, but you also get more bang for your buck and the food is just as delicious if not more so. Tilth and The Georgian both also had mignardises, bread service and even an amuse bouche at the beginning of the meal. I think what I'm saying is... Crush is going to be taken off my list of "must dines" during RW. It's the end of an era!
Also, lulz that LJ changed the cut tags back. After all those changes they made that pissed off a lot of people and made them go to Dreamwidth, I remained unperturbed. But that horrible LJ cut might have done what all that other stuff didn't. And now that they've changed it back, I'm back to being fine with LJ. :))
The good news is, Talis went for his eye checkup yesterday and he's in the clear! The eye has healed, so for the first time in WEEKS he got to go around without the cone on.
Now I'm thinking of getting pet insurance. J. raves about how great hers is, and I've been told that eye ulcers are very common in Lhasa Apsos, so it's almost certainly going to recur, probably in the eye that was unaffected before. ><
The bad news is, my Pontiac died. This is my secondary car that I use to take Talis around places and to park at the park & ride so that I don't have to worry about bad thngs happening to my primary car, so it's not a huge deal, it's just a bummer. I was hoping that it would last longer than it did, but also am surprised that it lasted as long as it did. I spent $1,500 on the car, plus maybe $200 in repairs, so it basically cost me about $100/month to own. I'm OK with that.
I was actually lucky the way it happened. I was on the freeway close to my exit when something "popped" in the engine and a loud rattling noise started happening. Whenever I'd press on the brake pedal, the noise increased in frequency and volume, and the car didn't accelerate well. I sweated bullets all the way, but managed to get it back to my house. I was afraid the car was going to blow up any second, because I could smell gasoline. It was SO LOUD that I'm sure the other cars on the road could hear it and were like WTF.
I called the auto mechanics who I've taken the car to before and described what happened. They asked if I had oil in the car; I said yes, because I'd only gotten an oil change 2 months before. They said, well maybe there was a leak. It seemed unlikely to me, because I'd driven the car for over a year before that, and if that was an issue it wouldn't have manifested itself suddenly after a new oil change. I think it's a possibility that they forgot to replace the oil at all, though that also seems kind of unlikely. Anyway, they said that that was the only thing they could guess at without actually seeing the car. They told me to check and see if there was oil in the car. I said, if there isn't, do I just put oil in it? And they said no, from what I described, if that was the problem then it was already too late. Of course the next logical question was if it would be worth it to repair. After getting the specs on the car from me, the mechanic was like, yeah no, it would cost more to repair than the car's worth -- which is pretty much what I expected.
So now I'm looking to donate the car. I read up about the various things to watch out for, such as the fact that many charities use for-profit companies to manage the selling of the car and keep part of the proceeds. I read that you should donate to a charity that gets at least 85% of the proceeds. But that has been IMPOSSIBLE to find. I also think it's kind of B.S. Only really big charities are able to do in-house car donations; most have to go through a third-party to do it. So, what, screw the little guys if they can't? (Consider that even Goodwill goes through a third party to do car donations.) Getting 50% of the proceeds is better than none. Also, proceeds come after fees are taken out. So what if a place gives 65% of the proceeds, but their fees are higher? Then it'll end up that the charity gets less of the money anyway, even if the percentage is higher. Ugh, so yeah, that's been a bit of a headache too.
And another Restaurant Week has come and gone. I did three more since my last post. :D
The Georgian (with
corianderstem! We both ordered the same starter and entree)First Course
First of the Season Heirloom Tomato Soup, Parmesan Air, Black Pepper Cracker
[Delicious. The parmesan foam was a little odd. Usually when foam is done, it's a coda to the rest of the dish, just a small bit. This was like a giant head of foam. It was pretty weird. I told K. it was like someone had been washing their hair then scooped off a giant ball of bubbles and dropped it into the soup. Anyway, the soup was great.]
Second Course
Seared Scallops, Crisp Potatoes, Melted Young Leeks, Truffle Bacon Butter Sauce
[Very good. Only 3 scallops, but the dish came together well. On the regular menu this dish alone cost $39. O.o Crazy.]
Third Course
A.: Jack's Chocolate Pot au Crème
[A. said this was really rich. I'm sure it was better than mine.]
Me: Limoncello Savarin, Rhubarb Stew
[At first bite, this was great. The presentation was lovely. It came in like this big brandy glass. A bit of brioche at the bottom soaked with limoncello, then topped with the rhubarb stew, followed by lemon ice cream. A thin sheet of honey candy was placed over the top, which the server told me to break with my spoon so the pieces would fall into the glass. After the second bite though, it became very clear that ths dessert was not balanced at all. It was tart on top of tart on top of tart, with the honey doing nothing. I couldn't finish it; the sourness was overwhelming after awhile, making all the other flavors blend together.
I really like their mignardises at the end, though. Rounds of dark chocolate that you dipped first into honey, then into a soft, pillowy pile of shaved white chocolate. Elegant and delicious.]
Dahlia Lounge (spontaneously went by myself for lunch yesterday, and boy am I glad I did)
First Course
Asparagus, country ham, hazelnuts, ramps, champagne vinaigrette
[Totally delightful. All the flavors and textures blended really well together.]
Second Course
Braised oregon lamb, green garlic-potato puree
[Sooooooo good. I was tempted by the grilled cheese sandwich originally, because it comes with their tomato soup and I really love that soup. But that's always on their menu, so I went with the lamb. It was different from what I expected, but not in a bad way. The braised lamb was shredded on top of a pile of mashed potatoes, with English peas, carrots, and ramps. It was kind of like a shepherd's pie, except with fresh vegetables and none of it was baked. REALLY good.]
Third Course
Coconut cream pie
[OK, this might have been a disappointment because what I wanted ended up being unavailable. The choices were the chocolate chunk cookie (made next door at the Dahlia Bakery), a chocolate whoopie pie, or a Hong Kong style egg custard. I really wanted to try the last, because Tom Douglas tends to do Asian flavors really well (and I love "dan tat"). However, they ran out, so the manager came around and said that if the other choices didn't appeal to me, they could also offer me their fresh-made doughnuts or their signature coconut cream pie. I jumped at that option, lol. I wasn't sure if they were going to give me the coconut cream pie bite, which is what they've done the last couple of RWs when it's on the menu. It's a small little taster of the pie that normally costs $2.50. Instead, they brought a full slice of the pie (normally costs $9 alone, and this whole meal cost $15!). It was awwwwwwwesome. It was also the biggest slice I've ever gotten of it, and I've gotten it many times at various TD restaurants. I couldn't even finish and had to take half of it home. :D]
Crush (with K.)
First Course:
Asparagus Veloute (we both ordered this)
[Very nice, but it was only warm, not hot, and I like my soups either cold or hot, not the somewhere in between. Also, the portion was small compared to The Georgian.]
Second Course:
K.: Roasted Pacific Ling Cod
[This was... not good. Maybe I just haven't had ling cod before, though I don't see how that could be. Good seafood isn't fishy, and I don't know if it was fishy or if that's just the way ling cod tastes. Either way, I didn't enjoy it.]
Me: 48 Hour Beef Short Rib Crepinette
[Very good, but I rarely don't like short rib. >.> Crush's portions are super small, so this one small 3-inch portion of short rib was the dish, with a bit of veggies on the side. I don't like how Crush's dishes tend to be deconstructed, so that you're having to put together all the parts yourself. It gets a bit tiresome (and pretentious). Also, on the menu this tiny portion of short rib costs $37.]
Third Course:
K.: Lemon Merignue Tart
[Good, but a little too tart for me. K. LOVED it.]
Me: Chocolate Olive Oil Cream Sundae
[Good, but it was chocolate ice cream. Soooo... nothing that special. I did enjoy the peanut macaron shell that came on top.]
Overall impressions... Crush is one of those restaurants that blew my mind the first time I went there. Yes, the service is snooty and the portions are small, but the food was fantastic. They also add in little touches that I appreciate, such as offering gougeres before the meal begins, and mignardises at the end of the meal. The last few times I've been there, though, I haven't been as impressed with it. The more I go, the more other restaurants (like Tilth and Staple & Fancy) compare much better. Both those places are not only more comfortable to dine at, but you also get more bang for your buck and the food is just as delicious if not more so. Tilth and The Georgian both also had mignardises, bread service and even an amuse bouche at the beginning of the meal. I think what I'm saying is... Crush is going to be taken off my list of "must dines" during RW. It's the end of an era!
Also, lulz that LJ changed the cut tags back. After all those changes they made that pissed off a lot of people and made them go to Dreamwidth, I remained unperturbed. But that horrible LJ cut might have done what all that other stuff didn't. And now that they've changed it back, I'm back to being fine with LJ. :))