Key West is Overrated

Down highway 1 on the pilgrimage to Key West I went, tongue lolling, belly grumbling. The highway looked like the tropics, palms, mom n' pop Cuban restaurants a sunny stretch as the abnormally cold climate bustled people around.

Now I don't know how the endless summer image was conjured up in my head, but I expected a big honking ocean with surfers and children swimming alike all askew with people swarming around the water like fruit flies to a rotten peach baking in the beating sun. Not so! When I say it was cold, I mean it was the coldest it's been for 130 years! If I couldn't have sun at least I would have a decent meal.

I was greeted with a pleasant old school tiled patio in front of a turquoise shack, and a host of locals chatting away and stuffing their faces happily. I knew by the smell that this was the Cuban food I wanted to try.

I began with my order to a guy with a paper hat, he answered with the patience of one who talks to the unknowing often. So I order, his eyes widening with every item after entree number three. Yes it's just for me.

Rubbing my hands together, I devoured the salad with camarones cocktail, a sort of watery salsa. The Cuban sandwich had a vegetable medley, spicy in flavor and came on a fresh Cuban white bread. Nevertheless, I'd glady order them up again. And let's be honest, when you're living on a dime, there's no better place (especially in the Keys) to fill up for under a five!

Key West actually looks more like this.

But I'm getting work done. I'm at a cafe writing a couple of articles.
Still on the child nutrition kick. I will put them up soon.

Florida Keys

My friend Rachel is getting married (I know, I know just like the movie) and
I'm flying out tomorrow for a short weekend trip. It will be nice
to get out of the cold and see my good friend get married.

Little Crop of Horror

I had no idea Ann Cooper — one of the brightest talents
among the new school of thinking about children's
nutrition — would do an appearance on The Daily
Show. Samantha Bee devised an evocative clip labeling
Cooper as a limousine liberal. This informed the heck out of me.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Little Crop of Horrors
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Mark Bittman on what's wrong with what we eat

While doing research for my interview with the "Renegade Lunch Lady" Ann Cooper,
I found this interesting talk with Marc Bittman, food columnist
at the New York Times. Bittman explains what the problems are with a
Western diet and how American eating habits are leading us down a path
of destruction. What can we do about it? Watch to learn how to
cut down on calories while reducing your carbon footprint.

Taking Photos

I had a wonderful time in California. To see my photos click here.

Home for the holidays...

I was scared too. Kidding. No, I was rather relieved. After a couple of rough weeks working on my thesis day-and-night, I needed badly to take a trip to my hometown to visit family and friends. To sleep in my old bed and cozy up with my old mutt seemed like the definition of comfort.

Comfort is also the many memories packed between the walls of the house I had lived at since I was twelve. Homes for some of us are our sanctuaries, shielding us from the rest of the world, so naturally we want to return to these places and feel the comfort whenever possible. When something goes awry, it's so crucial to have a reliable place to go.

Now when I go home, I start to feel a new urge. Is it a female thing to have domestic fantasies of how her own kitchen will look like one day? Basking in sunlight from vast windows and hovering over a stove on an immaculate clean counter? Did I just scare off any potential suitors? Sorry, guys.

I'm going to keep going with it though. Why? Well, because I'm at the age where these things fuel my dreams. Everyone wants a sense of comfort and style that is only their own and it's natural. I envision my home to be in a big city-the space is small but cozy and comfortable.

Stumbling around this weird thing called life, on my way to a white picket fence and eternal happiness (what else?), the notion of having my own home has settled right in. Something to lavish adoration upon that would be a loyal place to go when I'm cold/sad/stressed/tired or happy, something that couldn't exist without me. You know how that feels, right?

This is what I've been thinking about while I'm enjoying my time home.

My home won't be a place I need to travel to, but will be where I am (where ever that may be) and my family and friends will come to visit. Home seems like a dream for now, but is a reality I'm working on.