A new site to appreciate--

me: http://chickswithstevebuscemeyes.tumblr.com/

Erica: that is really disturbing

need a kitten video

STAT

French Country Omelette

This morning was my first attempt at making a French country omelette, Jacques Pepin style. He makes it seem easy enough, right?

My own beautiful disaster. Needless to say, it still tastes good, but the pan was too hot and too big.

Dear Stanford,

With the 81 degree weather, please don't make it any harder for me to leave you.

It is officially spring here...

Is it possible to be so excited you can't breathe?

Yep.

It's hard to put words to it.

Wow(?)

Done.

Project for break

obwn.tumblr.com

the next big thing to hit the blogosphere

keep an eye out

Rainy day music

Music for a rainy day, such as today:

Angus and Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane

Ellie Goulding - Heartbeats cover

Deadmau5 - Bleed

Burial, Four Tet and Thom Yorke - Mirror

Austin Eterno - I Remember Shelter (The XX vs. Deadmau5 vs. Kaskade)

Open letter to my eyes

Dear eyes,

I know I abuse you and make you stare at a computer for hours upon hours each day, but it isn't going to make anything better for our relationship if you continue to deteriorate. Yes, I can frame you in pretty glasses (and can get new ones as you decide to stop working as hard and focusing as well), but really... you look so much better without them, don't you think?

Please take it into consideration...

Love,

Me.

Went to the eye doctor this morning... stronger prescription? Check.

Shh!!!

Vertebrate limb development and cats?! My life is complete.

Happy daylight savings!

Happy daylight savings!

At the end of yet another quarter, and I always wonder how we got here. Hard at work or hardly working? It's the same question, whether as a student, or as a contributing member of the work force.

Spring break is less than a week away. On the agenda: exploring Los Angeles. I always take my home city for granted, and I've decided to take advantage of what it has to offer: eats, drinks, the sights, the sounds.

Speaking of eats and drinks:

I decided to continue the trend of photographing my food with animals that are present... in this case: chickens!

I had a wonderful breakfast of oatmeal pancakes on Friday with Heatherrrrr: an incredibly relaxing way to usher in a weekend full of work. I'm more of a waffle person, but appreciate a good pancake... and these are good pancakes. First off, their appeal lies in how simple they are to make. Secondly, you can snack on whatever leftover oatmeal you make that doesn't go into the dough (me: always a fan of the snacking during meal making). Thirdly, they are perfectly sweet on their own without syrup, and go perfectly with a handful of berries on the side. Fourthly, these are just so comforting. The oatmeal makes them substantial and doesn't make you feel like you're eating just fluff (as they can sometimes feel). Confirmed: raspberries remain my favorite fruit.

Next, I visited Orenchi Ramen, a ramen place in Santa Clara, upon the recommendation of James (and Yelp). It opens at 5:30 for dinner, so getting there at 5:25 should be sufficient, right? Nope. Line out the door, and the entire waiting area is crowded. My name goes on the list, and we manage to miss the first wave of seating. Luckily, a Korean market is across the street, so I geek out over Asian goods, like kimchi, Pocky, and Botan rice candy (sadly, no kimpop to be found) while waiting to be seated. The service at Orenchi is quite prompt and friendly, so we were seated about 45 minutes after first signing up, and brought our beverages a few minutes after getting to our table.

Meet the best chicken karaage.

I felt mildly guilty that I was eating this chicken, since I had visited such cute ones just the day before... but this was too good to feel guilty. Hot, crispy, flavorful... with cold beer? Definitely. Paired with Yebisu, it was incredible. Japanese fried chicken and beer, mmm. Just about tied with my favorite combination of pizza and beer. I was sad to have just one piece and have to share the rest, but I figured I had another treat coming for me... and indeed I did.

Meet tonkotsu ramen.

The broth was thick-- so savory and not very salty (although I feel like I've been drinking gallons of water after the fact). But, the best part was the noodles: so chewy and relatively thick, which were very satisfying. The egg was perfectly poached, although I think my favorite still may be at Himawari or Daikokuya.

Verdict? The 25 minute drive is definitely worth it. Even if they didn't have ramen, give me a plate of karaage and a cold Yebisu, and I'm a happy girl.

Scientific studies...

... sort of, not really. I/any other girl could have told you this: The Allure of a Man's Uncertainty

Modern food!

Crazy Modernist cuisine, but pretty pictures

Apparently vegan

I was inspired by this recipe that popped up on one of my favorite food sites (Diner's Journal of the NY Times): Vegan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash and Apple With Candied Walnuts.

I had to go to Trader Joe's to pick up some food, so why not get some of my favorite ingredients? Love me some B.sprouts, B.squash, and apples! Regardless of how this experiment turned out, I could still roast the sprouts and the squash and eat it... and eat the apples. Basically, this was a win-win situation.

The recipe calls for Honeycrisp, but alas, TJ's was all out. I had to go for Pink Lady, which are pretty similar in taste (neither too tart nor too sweet, but pretty intense in flavor) and seem to hold up well when cooked. TJs is a godsend when it comes to butternut squash: the pre-cut, pre-peeled bagged version... so wonderful.

Easy peasy, throw it all in a baking dish together with olive oil, sage leaves, salt and pepper:

Let it sit in the oven for 45 minutes, and the apples come out all soft but not mushy, and everything else has been perfectly roasted. I decided to make some quinoa so I could throw the two together for lunch... naturally I had to try what tomorrow would bring:

Color explosion, basically. It was really really tasty, something I wasn't expecting. I have never thought to throw apples in with the other two veggies, but it adds a great sweetness. I did not add the maple syrup or the candied walnuts the recipe called for, since I'm definitely looking for it to be more savory than sweet; it doesn't seem to be missing anything at all! It would be a great side dish to some meat, but it goes fantastically with quinoa and will serve me well tomorrow.

Rainy Sunday... and a labor of love

What to do on a rainy Sunday? Ride the train and bake cookies, of course!

In order to uphold my reputation as the best cookie baker (and the best sister) in my brother's life, I promised that I would bake cookies for him one weekend. So, I took the train up to the city this morning, had delicious pho for lunch, and picked up ingredients from Whole Foods-- organic this, unbleached that. Not my usual stop for baking goods, but my opinion on that to come.

I knew going into this job that I wouldn't have my trust Kitchenaid mixer, the beautiful red machine that I've had since I was 12. I was a precocious young thing, asking for a mixer (of all possible gifts I could ever want) for Christmas. And, I have to say, it was one of the best presents I have ever received. Dear 12-year-old me: Good choice. It has added so much deliciousness to my life and to the lives of others. I thought, at the very least in this San Francisco kitchen, I would have a hand blender, the kind that you plug into the wall but have to stand there holding while it does the work for you. Turns out that was a no go. All I had at my disposal was a whisk. So, I had to go old school on these cookies, turning them into a veritable labor of love (and an arm workout).

Recipes these days take the stand mixer for granted. My trusted recipe for cookies sure does-- "Use the stand mixer that your kitchen must be equipped with (a no-brainer, since you're reading the New York Times), outfitted with the paddle attachment so that it can use the power of approximately a third of a horse to cream the softened butter and sugars together for 3 minutes." (I looked this up, and indeed, it's got a 250-watt motor, which according to Google, can be converted to 0.3352 horsepower)

Now, horses are much bigger than I am. In fact, they are a lot larger than my brother is, too. But, put the two of us together, and about 15 minutes later, you go from this:

to this:

Indeed, my brother and I put together approximately equal the amount of work that a third of a horse can do over the course of 3 minutes (except, give us over 10): to cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Luckily, the rest of the recipe is easy to do without working one's shoulder to death.

And the final product:

Yum. They turned out wonderfully-- a little crispier on the edges than I'm used to, but it provided a nice contrast to the chewiness of the center.

No more pretty pictures follow, but I'm going to give my opinion on using a place like Whole Foods to supply my baking goods-- ones that I consider to fall in what I call the "conscious" category. Organic, cage-free, unbleached are all options that they provide: options that are good for the environment and better for the body. In general, I would love to do a side by side comparison, using bleached versus unbleached all-purpose flour, organic light brown cane sugar versus "standard" light brown sugar. To be totally honest? I couldn't tell the difference. I'd like to say I'm enlightened when it comes to my choice of food-- I'd prefer organic to non-organic, same with unbleached to bleached. And sure, I buy free range/cage-free eggs when I can. But, when it comes down to the fact that the goods in the more "conscious" category are more expensive and there is no noticeable difference in taste, I'm more likely to go for the cheaper. The things to splurge on? The quality of chocolate, vanilla, butter-- things that are likely to affect flavor right off the bat. Because let's really think here- you aren't making cookies to be health conscious or environmentally friendly. Eggs, butter, sugar, and a whole lotta love are being mixed together to make something that warms the soul and makes people happy. In the long run, if I have a lifestyle that can sustain making choices that are better for the environment and making batch after batch of baked goods: no question, let's save that environment. But for now, keeping in mind that there's no difference, just eat the cookie and enjoy.

Enjoy the day!

It's a beautiful afternoon and I've discovered a new favorite pastime:

Eating and reading on my porch.

The 5-second rule

When did I first learn about the 5-second rule? Elementary school, at lunch time? Middle school? Preschool, even? It had to have been during those formative years, when such a golden rule could have had an enormous impact on my life.

Drop a tasty morsel.
FIVE SECOND RULE, I shout out, whether in my head or out loud (around others) to justify what I'm about to do.
Eat the tasty morsel.

Why waste food? Especially for something that's delicious (that's all I ever eat, duh), there's no reason to shun yumminess that was sullied by one's carelessness.

It is still something I follow to this day... after all, even biology has taught me that a little dirt can't hurt anyone or anything. In fact, it's more beneficial to one's immune system to be exposed to a wide variety of things that won't kill you!

To be fair, I added some amendments to this rule: carpet's pretty much a no-go. Something that sticks to the surface upon which it falls: also not to be eaten.

But. (there's always a but)

Thanks, New York Times, for changing my life. For the better? I'm not sure yet.

The 5-Second Rule, which really should be named the zero-second rule.

Sadness. I'm going to eat a cookie to mourn the loss of my childhood.

Impromptu yum

Impromptu dinner parties are the best.

On the menu from last night:

Brie bowl, linguine with beef ragu (tomato based, with mushrooms and bell peppers... see the artsy picture above), arugula salad, and chocolate chip cookies.

What a girl.

I'm not one to think about what kind of dress, color palette, or flowers I want to have at my future wedding.

But, when Anthropologie comes out with a wedding line called BHLDN, a girl can only dream. This girl, especially.

This dress has pockets. Anthro, you slay me.

This one is just... pretty. No pockets, however.

Oh, and take their quiz... what kind of bride are you? Hah, I'm also a sucker for online quizzes.

Reasons 72 and 2

Reason number 72 why I love where I am: Ike's sandwich.

Reason number 2 why I love where I am: Tiger spice chai with soy from Coupa.

Smile and mean it (not just smiling like you mean it)

Reason 143

Reason number 143 why I love where I am.

My heart just melted.

Best of Breed - Westminster Dog Show 2011 slideshow

Be prepared to laugh and cry (from cuteness).

+1 for Chicago

Next by Grant Achatz

"whole lobes of foie gras baked in brioche"

"first, custard infused with black truffle stock; then lightly salted cod mixed with potatoes and thyme- and garlic-scented cream; then a thick, lemony sauce crème, all topped with a pinch of black truffle shavings."

Yum and fun

A celebration of pasta:

Roasted butternut squash with sauteed mushrooms, shallots and garlic, on a bed of arugula with shaved pecorino romano.

Oh, butternut squash. How delicious you are, and how easy you are to prepare. I'm dreading the day that Trader Joe's will stop carrying the pre-sliced, pre-peeled chunks of goodness. In any case, this is one of my new favorite pastas: sweet butternut squash and bitter arugula... Mmmm.

Roasted roma tomato with garlic, thyme and oregano on linguine.

Crush the hot tomato on hot pasta, and you get fresh pasta sauce. I think that's all I need to say on that topic.

A celebration of dessert:

Happy Valentine's Day, done Sprinkles style. Chocolate chip cupcake with raspberry frosting.

Sad that I've discovered my favorite cupcake, and they only have them once a year... Another reason for why Valentine's Day should really be every day. No one really needs an excuse to share their love or to eat delicious cupcakes.

And now, Corte de Madera:

Beautiful day, beautiful hike...

Oh, Northern California, why would anyone want to be anywhere else?

I love my job.

Heather: anything else destroys my hemidesmosomes

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day!

NPR just made my day.

More where that came from!

Current practices in medicine?

I read this article last night, from the NY Times Sunday Magazine: Shaken-Baby Syndrome Faces New Questions in Court. It reminded me of a case I had breezed by when I spent my time shadowing at a children's hospital. The resident mentioned retinal hemmorhaging, and I asked what that meant; he responded once out of earshot of the that it was most likely caused by someone who had shaken the baby violently enough to cause blood vessels to burst in the retinas. I didn't get to follow the case after that conversation; there were other patients to see. But, this article made me wonder-- was there a guilty family member? friend? or was it really just caused by some sort of infection? I've wondered about what sort of protocols are currently in place in the medical field that may be based upon incomplete findings-- in essence, we're not seeing the whole picture.

Happy Monday

Going in to work late is a wonderful feeling. How wonderful? Croissant and tea for breakfast wonderful.

Make it rain

Good to know that you can make it rain, and the worst that could happen is a misdemeanor. Oh, football players and the money they're paid.

Oof, and sorry, Pittsburgh... it loses a Renoir to Wisconsin.

And... speaking of making it rain... Dean Schaffer.

Inspiration

Dear world,

At long last, hello!

I apologize for such a delay in updates... I've been looking for the appropriate inspiration, but haven't found much of anything, aside from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and iPhones, apparently.

I still love food and drink, don't get me wrong... I have had quite a few inspiring meals, have seen a lot of cute animal videos, but I haven't felt the need to blog about it as I have in the past. Maybe this will serve as a turning point for what "Oh, but why not?" will represent. After all, I'm growing up in the world...

I will be Dr. Wood in four to five years from now.

I will be welcoming new lives and seeing others depart. Lives will change in the matter of days or even minutes, and I'll be there to witness that. I don't mean to sound glib in any respect, but what the future holds and what I have accomplished up to this point in the last few months simply astonish me... how much things can change in the matter of an instant.

Just have to remember to hold on to those moments and enjoy the ride.

And now to do that, celebrating my last interview with a glass of wine, Cedric(moo), and (500) Days of Summer.

For your viewing pleasure until I return...