Good restaurant

Discovered a really tasty, cool new restaurant last night. La Mar Cebicheria Peruana at Pier 1 1/2 on Embarcadero. Sometimes I actually do get good recommendations from Yelp. It's a Peruvian restaurant that specializes in cebiche (which I guess is how they spell the Peruvian version of ceviche). I was wrong in thinking that on a Wednesday night we didn't need a reservation - despite the fact that the restaurant's dining room seemed to be quite large, they were already fully booked for the evening. However, they sat us at the relatively sparsely populated cebiche bar, which worked just fine for us (we also had the option of taking a table in the front bar section, but it was quieter by the cebiche bar). Service was quite prompt and attentive. Food was yummy. We got the cebiche tasting which was a sampler of the mixto, the chifa, the clasico, and the nikei, which were all quite yummy. The only odd thing is that they seem to cut the pieces of raw fish really large - like sashimi - while I'm used to the smaller pieces in Mexican ceviche. In fact, it almost felt more like sashimi with accompaniments than how I usually think of ceviche, but still good (actually there was a lot of Asian influence all around - evidently Chinese-Peruvian food is a whole subgenre). For entrees, I got the duo de pato, which was two different types of duck - a duck confit on a bed of risotto and a few slices of duck breast on a tasty potato base with some sort of Asian-influenced sauce. They were both good, though I found the duck breast a bit more to my taste. My bf got the atun, or ahi tuna, which was crusted and seared in 3 chunks, each on top of a different base. Also good. For dessert, even though we were stuffed, I tried the fried pumpkin and sweet potato fritters which came with a kind of syrup to dip them in (I think it was passionfruit infused syrup, but the dessert menu isn't on their website so I can't be sure). They were different, and good, but not incredibly interesting (they sounded more unique on the menu). Kind of a light, airy, fried dough, basically. Oh, and instead of bread, they gave us a huge basket of plantain, yam, and potato chips which we started off by dipping in the 3 sauces they gave us, and then ended up using to scoop up the cebiche. Good stuff. All in all definitely not a cheap meal, but one of the better restaurants we've tried.

Updating

This blog is *supposed* to more or less be a record of stuff I do so I can remember it later, so of course it's totally useless that I haven't been updating.

So, a quick recap, for my own gratification.

We've been to plenty of restaurants that were indifferent or disappointing. Stuff that sounded good but just didn't taste that good. Or wasn't as interesting as it should have been. Places like Zare at Fly Trap, a Mediterranean place with an interesting sounding menu but eh food, or Oola, which is just disappointing.

Some highlights that we tried and very much enjoyed:
Isa (3324 Steiner btwn Chestnut and Lombard in Marina). Cute little restaurant, super-tasty food. A nice surprise, worth the trip up to Marina.

Range (842 Valencia St, btwn 19th and Cunningham Pl in Mission). Went there recently and just thought the food tasted really good. Got a pork chop (very large, very tender and juicy) with squash puree (I love butternut squash soup, very close to that) and swiss chard (yummy and done way better than how Oola did it). My bf got the hangar steak which was tender and good, though we didn't quite like the side as much (mostly b/c kale is more bitter than chard). His appetizer salad was also good. Very yummy, I'd go back.

Can't remember much else except that I'm not so keen to return to Siam Thai - just not that good quality - and I'm annoyed because Koh Samui and the Monkey decided to give themselves an additional $2 in tip (good thing I check my credit card bill pretty closely).

Went to see A Bronx Tale - a one man play written by and starring Chazz Palmintieri that was the basis of a Robert De Niro movie several years ago. It was surprisingly good, surprising mostly because I'm not familiar with one man shows and wasn't sure at first about this one guy up there for an hour and a half talking, but Chazz Palmintieri was very good. Very compelling, very amusing, very touching, and very energetic.

Also went to see Spring Awakening. Not sure what I think about that show. The music was nice, I quite liked it, but lyrically I had no idea what was going on. I kept trying to listen as closely as possible but missed a lot of lyrics. The stuff I did catch, about 80% of the time, didn't seem directly related to what was going on. Or it was related, but in that more abstract pop kind of way. Not as direct or obvious as typical musical lyrics. Plotwise, it seemed like "what are all the bad things we can throw at these teenagers al at once?" and only worked as a function of the time period. It's a show I don't know if I'd recommend, to be honest, even though the cast were talented and energetic and young, and the music sounded good. Though maybe others would like it.

No skating shows for me this fall, since Kurt Browning pulled out of the two Disson shows he'd been in, due to his father's illness (luckily he's better), and I pulled out of the one show I did have a trip planned to due to a cold.

A number of weddings, though, including one I was in. Big, beautiful affair at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay where I was in the wedding party (strapless dresses don't stay on! makeup doesn't come off! hair looked weird! still lots of fun!), and a more low key, but still nice, affair the next day at the Marriott San Mateo. Lots of weddings this year, got another one coming up in November, and another in December...

Otherwise, still indulging my Doctor Who obsession by watching every special feature there is on the DVDs and all the Doctor Who Confidentials I downloaded (since the DVDs only have the "cutdown" version).

Enough of an update for now, I can't remember anything else =).

David Tennant

Evidently my last blog post was a collection of YouTube links for Neil Patrick Harris. Well my newest actor interest is David Tennant, aka the 10th Doctor Who, who's currently winning critical acclaim onstage with the RSC as Hamlet and Berowne (Love's Labour Lost). Aside from being an excellent Doctor in the new Doctor Who, and possessing an incredibly charming Scottish accent and personality in interviews (and DVD commentaries - he's a total Doctor Who geek/fanboy), he's been in quite a number of things on British TV over the years. YouTube is a treasure trove of links to his past performances, so I figured I'd use this blog as a place to keep track of the various things I've found, some of which I haven't even watched yet, for easy future reference.

This is obviously a post basically for me.

People Like Us - a mockumentary about acting, featuring David as a struggling young actor, being followed by a camera crew for a day. Very dry, absurd sense of humor played totally straight.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Takin' Over the Asylum - one of David's first professional roles, and apparently recently released on DVD due to its popularity on YouTube. About an aspiring (but failing) Scottish DJ who tries to restart a radio station at a mental asylum. Features David as a young manic-depressive in the institution, and lets us get to know a number of patients over the course of six episodes. This is actually a really touching series that presents mental disorders quite seriously.
Episode 1, Part 1
Episode 1, Part 2
Episode 1, Part 3
Episode 1, Part 4
Episode 1, Part 5
Episode 2, Part 1
Episode 2, Part 2
...this is taking too long since there are 30 parts. Follow the "related" links to find the rest.

Recovery - one of his best roles, IMO. About a regular man - a husband, father of two, and supervisor of a construction site - who is struck by a truck one day, sustaining serious head trauma and waking up completely different. He has trouble with his memory, has lost all his inhibitions, and is quite unable to function as an independent adult. His wife struggles to deal with this new man, and his children don't know how to react to him. He filmed this between seasons of Doctor Who, I think, and there's not a trace of the Doctor in his performance.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9

Sweet Night, Good Heart - short film, with David's character completely screwing up his attempt to break up with his girlfriend.

Nine and a half minutes - another short film, this one evidently a couple playing out a relationship in 9.5 minutes, though there are some puzzling things about it I haven't quite figured out.

Measure for Measure - a scene from Measure for Measure, from a Shakespeare documentary.

Only Human - evidently a BBC pilot that was never picked up. Kind of an odd concept - David as a private eye or something who suddenly gets an AI helper
Part 1
Part 2

Love in the 21st Century - I don't know anything about the series but David was in one episode. A woman just turning 30 is pressured by her mom and everyone around her into thinking she wants to have a baby, and so she starts resorting to rather unconventional measures to get one... David is the doctor who catches her eye as a potential father of her baby.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

The Chatterly Affair - just David's scene, playing a professor who testified at the trials surrounding the banning of Lady Chatterly's Affair.

Mrs. Bradley Mysteries - haven't seen this yet. David and Peter Davison (one of the previous Doctors) in a shortish clip from one episode of this series.

The Deputy - someone just uploaded this. David doesn't have a huge role, and given it's about the Deputy Prime Minister of Britain, it's not terribly fascinating to me, but I do kind of enjoy his part, particularly his interactions with the Deputy PM (he's an aide).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

There's definitely a lot more - for instance, I haven't linked to anything from Blackpool, or Casanova (neither of which I've seen, both of which I've heard a lot of good about), and there are a number of other roles with clips on YouTube. But I'm kind of tired now and must do other things =).

What a crazy random happenstance!

Forgot to blog about it earlier, but luckily, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" is still up and available to watch for free on Hulu, or download on iTunes.

It's an Internet musical about a wannabe low-rent supervillain, Dr. Horrible (played by Neil Patrick Harris, who is awesome), his arch-nemesis, the smarmy Captain Hammer (played by Nathan Fillion), and Penny, the girl at the laundromat he can't work up the courage to talk to (played by Felicia Day). Co-written, directed, and produced by Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly), it's got great songs, great humor, some awesome lines, and that priceless mix of cheese and unexpected emotion. Check it out!

Speaking of the awesome Neil Patrick Harris, some YouTube goodness (and evidently Doogie Howser seasons 1 & 2 are up on Hulu):

NPH and Jason Segal singing "Confrontation" from Les Miz on the Megan Mullally show. It's hysterical and awesome, all at once.

Telly's New Shoes - NPH on Sesame Street next season as the "Shoe Fairy". The guy can sing!

NPH's Old Spice commercial - just fun

NPH as Tobias in Sweeney Todd with Patti LuPone

NPH and Christian Menna sing "What You Own" from Rent on the Rosie O'Donnell show, circa 1997. Finally get to hear NPH as Mark! I'm not entirely sure I like how he sings this - he's kind of doing the Anthony Rapp but pinching his voice *just* a little too much for my taste. Sure sounds different than his later singing... Still, really neat.

Take Me Or Leave Me 1/2
Take Me Or Leave Me 2/2
This is just fun - Neil and his boyfriend David Burtka performing "Take Me or Leave Me" from "Rent" at "Broadway Backwards" which is evidently where women sing the men's parts and men sing the women's... from the "Kiss, Doogie" to NPH doing his best Joanne, it puts a smile on my face.

OK I should go to bed. But there's more!

Quick updates

I never have time to blog anymore.

Quick bits, hopefully to be filled in later:

El Farolito at Mission & 24th - didn't like. Mystery bits of meat, odd chile sauce mixed with meat, badly balanced burrito (huge chunk of rice, then a bunch of meat in middle, then a lot of beans at bottom). Supposed to be good, but disappointment. The strawberry agua fresca was yummy.

Le Charm French Bistro at 5th and Folsom - not bad. Cute restaurant, nice service (though the waitress forgot she hadn't given us the dessert). Good onion soup, duck leg confit was way too salty, apple tarte tartin dessert was delicious.

Schitzelhaus at 8th, I think? Went a while ago, didn't have the schnitzel, but what I did have, which slips my mind at the moment was very yummy. I liked. Would go back.

Muracci's at Kearny and Bush - Japanese curry - chicken katsu curry, specifically - for lunch. Bit of a wait. Quite yummy. Ended up super-full b/c of eating every bit of rice with sauce on it.

Cabo - fun! great view! yummy mangoes! sea kayaking and snorkeling is fun! Hopefully will write more later.

A Chorus Line - opening song very familiar. Overall show was ok. I think the cast were picked more for their dance skills (which were impressive) than their singing skills, so some of the women, in particular, seemed to have somewhat shrill, very musical-theater-esque voices. The songs weren't particularly memorable, though funny at times and touching at times. Honestly, overall didn't particularly like it. Didn't dislike it, but I wouldn't see it again and I wouldn't buy the soundtrack. At least now I've finally seen this very famous show, though, so I don't have to be curious anymore =).

I know I've gone to other restaurants, and done other stuff, but it's slipping my mind for now...

Hiking

I had no particular plans for the 4th of July this year, so when a friend called me up the night before and asked if my bf and I wanted to go hiking, we were all for it.

The particular hike we did was the Matt Davis/Steep Ravine/Dipsea Loop in the Mount Tamalpais State Park. It started at Stinson Beach, climbed up through the trees and the hill (mountain?) side, up and up...before looping around and descending again. The total loop was 7.3 miles of moderate hiking - enough to test my lungs and burning thighs on the ascent, and to stress my knees on the descent, but not challenging to anything except my fitness level.

The hike was quite nice. The initial part of the day was foggy and damp, with the trees periodically crying on us, and the views almost nonexistent in the shifting layers of fog and cloud. That actually worked quite well, though, since it coincided with the climbing part of the hike, so we didn't get too hot or worn out. Also, that part of the hike went up and up through trees and forest that at times felt like the Costa Rican cloudforest (lots of moss and ferns and twisted trees..not enough ephiphytes) so the clouds through the trees looked quite neat, while there wasn't much of a view (I don't think) because the trees blocked the way. We eventually broke the tree line (or something) and ended up hiking across what seemed like golden (yellow) fields (or ridges) of wheat (not actually wheat), periodically broken by stands of trees. We chose to lunch around 2pm in a flat spot on one of these sections, breaking out the various sandwich making goods, salami, trail mix, fruit, and other stuff we'd carried along, and taking a nice long rest. After lunch, the day started clearing up, and on our descent we found ourselves going through sun and bright blue skies. For a while, we were still in the woods, which were charming with the babbling brooks, fallen trees lying picturesquely across the brooks (or the paths, where they had been sawed off to allow people to pass), and tall trees. At one point, we had to descend a ladder along the side of a brook to get to the next part of the trail. Eventually we came out of the woods to descend down a gentle hill that sloped back towards Stinson Beach, with beautiful views of the beach and the bay behind it.

Overall, the hike was a beautiful one, though tough on my weak knees, and it was a nice way to spend the day. Of course, we were pretty well wiped out by the end of it, and ended up staying in and not seeing any fireworks. But that was totally fine with me.

Biscuity goodness

For the longest time, I've wanted to go to Brenda's Soul Food Cafe. The only time I actually physically got to the door, I found out they weren't open on Sundays. This week, since I'm not working, I've been determined to get myself to this restaurant to try out their "beignet flight," but discovered that it's now open on Sundays but *not* open on Tuesdays, my original planned day to visit.

Argh!

*Finally* I got myself there today, after deciding to postpone my workout until the afternoon and forget all the other projects I was hoping to get done today.

Was it all it was hyped up to be? Well, I can't completely answer that, since I only had the beignets and a biscuit, and none of the other food people rave over (po'boys, croque monsieur, gumbo, pancakes, french toast, grits and grillades, etc etc). The wait wasn't nearly as bad as people made it sound - I was there at 1pm, had maybe 5 people ahead of me, had to wait maybe 10 minutes, and then was quickly seated at the first available table (to my feeling of guilt - there was a couple behind me, yet I was one person seated at a table that could fit 3 - they later very apologetically asked if I'd be willing to move to a 2-person table, and I happily did so). The place seats 30 max (I counted) at several tables and one counter. The service was very friendly - all 3 waiters/waitresses had smiles whenever they walked by, and were very nice.

As for the food? Well I've only had beignets once before, at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, and actually wasn't all that impressed there. I think beignets are not really my thing. To my surprise, my very favorite beignet was the first I ate - the savory crawfish beignet. It wasn't at all spicy, but it was warm, salty, cheesy, and tasty, and I enjoyed every last bite. I didn't at all expect that b/c I'm a sweets lover and not a huge crawfish fan. As for the rest of the beignets... the Cafe du Monde beignet was fluffy and soft and spilled powdered sugar *everywhere*. The ones at Brenda's were fried in a more crispy way, and a couple of them had somewhat hard edges. This helped them to retain their structural integrity *and* keep the powdered topping on, but did change the texture somewhat. The plain beignet with sugar on top was fine, and made better by adding the homemade jam on the table. The chocolate one was all right, the apple cinnamon one was all right..neither was particularly special. Not bad, mind you, just not amazing. If I were to go back and order beignets again, I think I'd order the crawfish one...and maybe not the others. But like I said, I'm not a connoisseur of beignets - I didn't even like the one at the source of supposedly the best beignets ever in New Orleans.

After I finished my beignets, I wrestled my conscience a bit and then ordered a biscuit because people had raved about them and the photo on the website: Brenda's Soul Food looked delectable. Turned out to be a very good decision for my taste buds, if not my stomach. That was the best biscuit I ever had - warm, flaky, buttery, oh-so-subtly sweet, and delicious. I added a little bit of jam at one point but it was so very good by itself. Didn't need the butter pat at all. I was stuffed when I was done but so happy to have gotten the biscuit. Wow that was good. I also got the watermelon sweet tea, and despite not being the hugest fan of watermelons *or* tea, really enjoyed it. It's a subtly sweet, refreshing drink.

All-in-all, I'm kind of wishing I got the croque monsieur or the bbq chicken po'boy on the specials menu instead of the beignets, but I'm glad I tried them to satisfy my curiousity. The food seems as good as advertised, and I'd love to try something else there... BTW by 2pm (it closes at 3) there was pretty much no wait. They're open 8-3pm every day except Tuesday. Must try them again...