Letting Go

Breaking Bad at Aquatennial

To celebrate Aquatennial, we are invited to Mr White's house (his real name).  It is not however Mr White who is cooking, but rather Mrs White.  It appears, Mr White does not have the right lab equipment to prepare his specialty....

There is no loss however, the menu will please just about anyone.  We start with a beet salad, artfully presented in stacked circles with goat cheese (and a touch of mascarpone), pistachios and a tarragon sauce.  Great start.

The soup that follows is just about the perfect way to warm up the stomach for the main entree.  Asparagus soup with some gruyere pastries (with we devour and alarming speed).

The man in entree is a grilled flank steak (I guess Mr White did cook after all) served as a salad with greens and grilled corn and topped with a chimichurri sauce.   The combination is just what the warm summer night is asking for.  The steak is cooked to perfection and the lightness of the salad (as opposed to a heavy starch) results in a great pairing.

Before we get to dessert we are interrupted by a number explosions outside.  Are they gunshots?  Has the DEA finally figure out that Mr White is Heisenberg?  Not at all, the Aquatennial fireworks will postpone our craving for a sweet ending to this meal.  Back from the light and sound show courtesy of Target, we find a berry tiramisu in a jar.  The mascarpone topping is sweet as can be but held at bay by the tartness and acidity of the berries and then rescued again by the sweetness often lady fingers.  The espresso will be served on the side courtesy of Mr White (who clearly remembers the coffee making instructions for chemist colleague Gale Boetticher, because it it heavenly).

The evening is over when Mr White says it's over.  We leave with stomachs full, minds stimulated by the conversation, and the feeling that we somehow dodged a bullet.

Thanks Mr and Mrs White for a great evening.

Les Running Misérables

Following a 16 mile run on June 10, I start having some pain on the bottom of my right foot.  A few days later it has not gone away and I end up at the doctor (I choose a Filipino woman who is specialized in sports medicine and is herself a marathon runner).  A few tests later I am diagnosed with a pre-stress fracture.  That is not quite a stress fracture, but if I keep running it will likely become one.  The treatment is basically the same as a fracture.  4 weeks down :-(

Every time I am off my feet I am miserable.  I feel I will get lazy and never go back to running.  I feel like a sloth, dragging my body through the day.  After four weeks, my doctor allows me to go back to light-duty running.  For the next 14 days I can run for 20 minutes three times per week.

You'd think I'd be static to go back to running, but somehow it is not quite happening.  For sure I do lace up and the first week squeeze every minute out of my 20 prescribed, but I don't seem to get the pleasure I used to.  The second week I do just two our of my three possible runs.  What's happening?  Did I loose my appetite for running?

After two weeks I am supposed to see my doctor again to learn how far I can run, but I've had no pain for over four weeks. I opt to skip the consultation and self prescribe a long run.  This morning I run 11.88 miles in 1:50:32 and just a few miles into my run I feel the love back (the love for the run, that is. It is a tad late for my usual Sunday run (7:00AM) and very hot and humid (80 and 70%) and should be a miserable run.  I think precisely because it is, I love it.

As I do my last few miles I realize I am not a runner as I used to think, I am a long-distance-runner.   Everything starts making sense.  When not injures, I run 5 days a week, but four out of those runs are under 6 miles, often even under 5.  I could not care less about those.  I simply run those in preparation for my long Sunday run.  That is the one that's worth my time.  It is not the endorphins or the running high I seek.  It s the misery of the long run.  The numbness of the mind that only a long, monotonous run can produce.  I realize I have joined the ranks of Les Running Misérables.

Paradoxically, I am miserable in my short runs because they don't do much for me, but it is the long miserable run on Sunday that gives me pleasure.  It is that realization that also give me pleasure.  We live and we learn.  We age and get more complex.  We add layers.  And the process of peeling those layers and discovering who we are makes us more human.  I am eager to keep exploring.  Bring it on!

The Times they Are A Changed

Undoubtedly, the Internet has changed our lives very significantly in the last few years.  Music, individual songs, not albums, are available for purchase instantly after using an app to identify a song that is playing.  A couple of google searches and you a ready like a pro to enter a car dealership.   Wanna know what is that strange rash behind your ear?  Web MD is every  hypochondriac dream website.

With a bit of research and preparation, travel is entirely different today also thanks to the internet.  Having an iPhone and iPad with us (even with limited wifi access in Europe) made a huge difference. Here are some of the highlights:

• Not having decided where to go in Europe, we Google "European marathons" and find a list to choose from.  We select Milan. 
• A few other searches give us advice on how to get the lowest international fares for flights.
• Airbnb.com helped us find apartments to rent that were rated by previous guests.
• iPhone and iPad apps provided us with Italian and French dictionaries and a set of maps for every city visited (available even when offline, this was huge!)
• Courtesy of iTunes, we watched a movie of our choice on the plane and a couple while visiting Europe
• Thanks to a combination of apps, we maintained some contact with our jobs to keep up to date on email (very minimal, really)
• About.com gave us hints of how much to tip, were to take a walking tour and what was a must-see in every visit
• Yelp, Google and a number of other sites recommended restaurants in every visited city
• Wikipedia provided more details than the best trained tour guide for the landmarks we visited (all downloaded and available offline through the off line maps app)
• Also through the off-line map apps we had access to train, metro and bus maps
• Of course, our iPhone and AT&T gave us access to phone and text messages at a surprisingly low rate (as long as we kept them brief and few) to save us in a moment of need

I know I missed a number of things we did, searched and downloaded, but I think you get the point.  The times they are indeed a changin', and this is just the beginning…  Bring it on!

Alma's Soul

Just realized I have never created a post for Restaurant Alma.  A jewel just a few blocks from home and one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities.  Alma has a menu that changes four times a year and never, never disappoints.  The short menu includes five each of appetizers, first course and second course and offers a special to get one of each for $48.  Always a difficult selection.

Last night we headed to Alma, a last minute decision, and enjoyed these delicacies:

• Crispy Soft Cooked Egg with watercress, snap peas, oyster mushrooms & xo sauce
• Parmesan Flan with crispy artichokes, black olives & maple syrup
• Mussel & Squid "Fideos" with tomato, saffron & aioli 
• Crispy Bean Pancake with prawns, sesame & scallion sauce 
• Sauteed Halibut with herb sauce, wine braised artichokes & carrots 

My favorites were the parmesan flan (salty in a very good way and a great combination of flavors), the crispy bean pancake (very inventive and great texture) and the herb sauce that came with the halibut (the fish itself had beautiful color, but could have used a minute less in the oven, as it was a tad dry).

If you've never tried Alma, it is time to go.  

Raining outside, raining inside - A tale of two PRs

One of our reasons to visit Milan was running the Milano City Marathon.  Sharon is patient enough to allow us to schedule vacations around fun marathons... bless her heart.  This one was totally worth it.  The race started outside the city and winded its way downtown to the city center.  For me there perfect conditions.  Temperature in the 50s and non-stop rain (without rain I would have rather a temperature in the 40s).  

My previous PR was at Twin Cities in 2009, when it also rained.  Rain has a cooling effect on me.  It keeps me from overheating.  Sure, I rather run with dry shoes but all an all the wet shoes don;t bother me that much.  It is only 4 hours anyway.  Back in 2009, I broke (smashed) 4 hours by running the 26.2 in 3:51:49.  The next few (dry) marathons produced results just under 4 hours or well over that time.  As a result I thought that that was the best PR I was going to reach and decided to relax and run my races for fun, not trying to beat that time.

The cool/wet weather in Milan proved just the formula I needed.  The rain was constant but not drenching.  I made it to the half marathon mark with pretty dry shoes since I managed to avoid all puddles.  Unfortunately, the chip-timed race had a checkpoint right at the half-marathon mark that was completely under water (almost a foot deep) which made all my Italian counterparts shout things against "l'organizzazione!".  

Depending on the weather, I start feeling the weight of the race somewhere between mile 16 and mile 19.  By the time I reached mile 20 in Milan I felt great.  By mile 22 I already knew I was going to hit a PR, the question was by how much.  I crossed the finish line at 3:47:23, over 5 minutes better than my previous best time.  That seemed to confirm, if I want a good time, a PR, it needs to rain.    

Then came May.  Just under a month after Milan, I find myself running a new race.  This time it is the Lake Wobegon Marathon in St Joseph MN (just outside St Cloud).  At the start of the race, I already know I am not going to do well.  It is a bright sunny day (not only heat bothers me while running, I am not crazy about the sun either), temperature in the 60s (20 degrees over my ideal temp) and the course doe snot seem particularly interesting (rails to trail sort of course with long stretches and not much of a view).  

I start running with the 8:35 pace group.  I have done that before.  The plan is to keep up with them until the half mark or a little later and then start falling behind.  Since I run with my own Gatorade, I usually get a little ahead of the pacing groups at the water stations, but then let them catch up.

During this race, since I have low expectations, I am trying two new things.  One is shortening my stride a bit.  not during the entire race, but in little bursts here and there.  I select music with a quicker beat and try to match the beat with my pace by taking faster, shorter steps.

The second change is the amount of Gatorade I am going to drink.  I used to run a marathon on a single 20 oz bottle and in the last couple of years I upped that to two.  This time, sip by sip, I decided to drink more frequently (by the time I had crossed the finish line I had probably drank somewhere between 4 and 5 of them (through refills).

By the time I hit the half marathon mark I feel great.  In fact, me and the guy in the red shirt in the picture (who has been shadowing me for a while) start to peel off from the pacing group.  I am thinking they will probably end up catching up to me, but why not try.

Much to my surprise I hit mile 19, 20, 21 and I feel little no no exhaustion.  My legs are responding (although I can feel cramping building up), my lungs have a rhythmic pace, my back and neck are relaxed.  I am thinking I can keep running to the end (none of the usual walking breaks that start at mile 19 or 20).  By mile 24 I am dumfounded.  I am going to hit another PR!  On a hot day!  Without rain?!?  It has got to be the extra Gatorade, the rain inside!  

I cross the finish line at 3:41:22.  Over 6 minutes over over my earlier PR a month earlier that was already 5 minutes over the one before that I thought I'd never pass.  I am thrilled!  An awesome achievement I celebrate with four slices of pizza.  Yeah, the flat course helped, but there may be some magic on that course.  

Two things are clear, I will continue to try my two changes, and will not say anymore things like "oh yeah, I won;t hit that time again!"

Lyon, 2012

Lyon was a terrific place.  Our first time in France, we didn't know what to expect.  We found the people warm, the food warm and inviting and the city beautiful.  From the medieval neighborhood to the street market every day except Mondays (picture below), we loved every inch of it (or every centimeter, since they use the metric system).

I do have to say that the French would be very surprised in learning what has been done around the world musically in the last 30 years.  I say this because all their radio stations and restaurants/bars play music almost exclusively from the 60s and 70s.  I think they would enjoy all the new music.

We ate wonderful things all over Lyon, but if I had to choose one, it probably would be this.  Pork meat encased in a pastry with aspic on top.  The one in the picture was purchased at the street market, but you could find them everywhere.  Instead of pistachios, you can find mushrooms or peppercorns, etc.  All delicious.  We are going to have to try more of France...

Dinner at the Craftsman

We found The Craftsman quite by accident several years ago and try to go there with some frequency.  The decor is warm with mission-style furniture and Frank Lloyd-Write touches throughout.  The menu is heavy on local, in-season and organic ingredients.  It always reminds me of Heartland, recent winner of the coveted James Beard Award and a subject of this blog.  Although The Craftsman has similar quality and ingredients but a lower price endless populous atmosphere.

Last night it was dinner with our friends and neighbors Warren and Chelle.  What a great time.  We started with a long conversation that seemed it could have gone for days, but our of hunger, I diverted my attention to the menu to get some nourishment.  We started sharing the charcuterie plate and a large cheese plate with some tempranillo.  The star was definitely the     charcuterie plate with great cured meats and pate/terrine like meats including pork, duck and rabbit.

For the main entree Chelle and I opted for the rabbit confit with polenta croutons and honey.  Although my rabbit was slightly dry (I like my birds just cooked), the flavor was spot-on and the croutons were delicious.   Warren's duck looked terrific and as he pointed out later, he cleaned the bone.  That good it was.  Sharon had a carbonara of which I got a taste and enjoyed the delicious, salty taste of pancetta.

We didn't try the desserts (probably because of all the bread we had with the apps), but I have in the past and they are in keeping with the rest of the menu.  Really a terrific place worth to continue to patronize.

Italian Adventure

Probably our favorite place in the world to eat... Italy.  Pasta, pizza, lots of seafood and the best coffee in the world.  What's not to like?  This year we visited Milan and Florence, with short stops at places like Siena, San Gimignano and other little towns.  We did not have a bad meal.  The rainy and cold-ish weather could not put a damper (as much as it tried) to such a wonderful vacation.  Below are pics of the best things we ate...

Spinach and sausage pizza on our way to the center of Milan

Fritto Misto - Including what was by far the most tender calamari we ever ate

Fresh pasta with vegetables at a little bistro downtown Milan

An appetizer at Il Gnoccho Fritto, one of the most fun places we ate at

A great antipasto in Florence.  At the top (below the cheese) is bread with
Lardo.  Yep, that's basically lard (unrendered pork fat).  Delicious!

A little snack at Florence's Mercato Centrale.  Sausage, chicken, onion,
red peppers and bread.  All skewered and cooked in the oven.  

Our last dinner in Milan at a Michelin rated Sicilian restaurant specialized
in seafood.  Pictured is their Crudo plate (raw fish drizzled with olive oil
salt and pepper).  The shrimp was so fresh it reminded us of the raw sweet
shrimp we had in Japan.  The olive oil didn't hurt at all :-)

Doppio macchiato (our beverage of choice, a double shot of espresso with
a touch of milk).  The croisant had just come out of the oven.  This was the
last one we had before heading to the airport. 

Naviglio Grande in Milan.  A great, great area to live, eat and relax.  Our
apartment was just a few blocks on the left side.  Would move there
in a heart beat.   Maybe one day...

European Trip 2012 - Geneva

Not our first stop on our European spring tour, but I have not posted anything for a while and I am afraid to lose my two readers :-)

....


We did not think much of Geneva.  Sharon and I are far more in tune with the latin cultures of southern Europe and find little charm on the efficient and professional feel of places like Switzerland.  We took a walk and got lost taking a few wrong turns and ended up at a nice cafe close to the river.  The best part of this part of the trip was Cafe du Paris on Rue de Mont Blanc a recommendation from Bob that really saved the trip.

The place is right by the train station and has a single item on the menu entrecôte et frites.  As you are seated, the waitress asked for the temperature (medium rare for us) and what wine we wanted.  She then asked how many glasses we wanted to select the size of carafe to bring.

The salad that comes first thing is terrific.  It is just lettuce, fresh and nicely dressed with a little but of mustard.  The steak is served on a metal tray that sits on top of a table top burner/warmer.  It is served with herbed butter.  LOTS of herbed butter. As I see the serving platter I wonder how the couple in the neighboring table is managing to soak up all the butter with bread.  Seems too much.  Turns out it wasn't so.  The steak is tender and delicious.  The frites are great and we end up getting a second serving.  Soaked in the herbed butter are even better.  A second serving of bread also helps.  By the time they take the tray away, I don't think it will need much cleaning.

Dessert for Sharon was a mocha ice cream with cognac flambé. Not sure if it had a lot of cognac or if they didn't burn it long enough (probably a combination of the two), but it was like having a couple of shots with the ice cream.  I had a white chocolate mousse with a raspberry sauce that was pretty good too.

The next morning we get up early, have breakfast at the hotel and head back to Lyon.  We miss France and Italy. A day in Geneva was any for us, but will be forever grateful to Bob for his restaurant recommendation. Definitely the highlight of Geneva.

Entrecôte at Cafe du Paris

As a side note, we bought it fun to track the cost of Big Macs in Europe (no, we didn't even enter any McDonalds, it was just an interesting factoid to check on the European economy and inflation).  Here is what we saw (all prices in $USD):

• Geneva, Switzerland    $14.86
• Lyon, France                $10.98
• Florence, Italy                 $8.39
• USA                               $3.50