Surprised myself by waking up so early this morning considering I went to bed rather late last night but the sun was shining and it seemed to me like a rollerblading morning. So I got to the park and called up a few local friends and met up with them for a lil bit of skating. Since I usually skate at dusk into nightfall, it was really different to skate in broad daylight. But the weather was perfect, breezy and slightly warm without being sodden with sweat. This certainly makes up for the surf minus the turf that's sitting in my stomach from last night. Ugh.

Met up with another group of friends tonight in Old Town Pasadena at Gordon Biersch for a combo birthday party. My friend S decided at the last minute to come back to So Cal to 1. look for more wedding reception places and 2. to celebrate her birthday with friends and family together. Since her birthday is on the 3rd and mine is on the 1st, we decided to get together and have some fun.

Gordon Biersch
41 Hugus Alley
Pasadena, CA 91103
626.449.0052

Considering the many years I've sauntered around Old Town, it's utterly surprising that I've never been to Gordon Biersch before. Maybe it's always been the dark wood that turns me away but I'm glad I finally got a chance and a good reason to go.

The food was good but definitely not spectacular. Perhaps it was just the things that I tried but I have to give credit that the garlic fries were really superb. K had the pork loin (above) that verged a bit too much on being cajun-y and it was tough. Not that cajuny isn't good but when I don't want something to be cajuny and it is, I don't like it. The flavor reminded me of the jambalaya from last night. Bleech.

I didn't get to try the ribs - which people tell me is the best thing on the menu. I will have to give it a go next time. I'm just always leery of eating ribs in front of strangers and when I have nice makeup on. :P I always think that when I'm there to eat ribs, I'm in a dirty tshirt, no makeup and I wouldn't give a fuck who sees me. And don't forget the wet naps and dental floss. But yeah, the ribs come with the garlic fries. Yummmmmmmm! And with garlic fries this tasty, you wouldn't give a fuck who you talk to or kiss that night.

I ordered the pan seared ahi tuna with baby bok choy over a bed of rice. It reminded me of eating something at Sam Choy's but the flavor didn't compare. The sauce was too salty and I believe much too heavy for the delicate raw ahi in the center. You know, I'm not a fucking food critic but I'm just telling you how my taste buds reacted. That's all. I was trying to make believe it was pan seared poke in my mind. :P Overall, it was another place that was hit or miss but I had a great time nonetheless catching up with some old friends and making new ones.

:::

So I bet you're all wondering what I got this year. Or...maybe you're not wondering but I'm gonna tell you anyway since a lot of people wrote saying "i hope you got something useful this year." Well baby, everyone seems to know me well enough to get me something that I will use.

• 2 japanese cookbooks (out of all the things on my wishlist, people gravitate towards food. i think they all want a free meal out of me)
• 2 zagat guides (again....food)
• 3 cds (because music goes well with cooking and eating and....thus, food)
• 1 dvd (because i like watching tv when i'm eating my food)
• digital camera (because i like to take photos of food)
• money (who couldn't use more dough...hence, food)
• gift certs to amazons (because the best gift is to choose what i want outside of food)
• gift cert to fry's electonics (because they know i'm a electronics freak)
• a swarowski crystal (because i like shiny things)
• cool purse (because i'm a girl)
• soap (because someone's telling me i stink)
• candles and bath and body stuff (again, i stink and i should get rid of my stink by candlelight)
• dinner IOUs (i like these...creative)

and finally,

• a snowboarding pass for 8 hours of boarding and 1.5 hours of instruction. (let's see how long my sorry ass will last up in the snow capped mountains as this will be my very first time up on the slopes.) :P

And thanks for the numerous (e)cards, homemade cards, snail mail cards and well wishes again.

I'm out.