A Broad Reference

It’s been 24 hours since I played in my first squash tournament in 20 years. I’m still feeling the glow. The tournament was held in Santa Clara. It's at a swanky club in the same network as our home gym the SF Bay Club. The Decathlon Club is so swanky, there's a river running thru the foyer! (Sorry I forgot to take photos)
We had a whole contingent of players from the Bay Club entered and Wilda, Gwynie and I planned to stay down in the area and make a weekend of it (thanks to Carrie for the great suggestion). Despite our best planning efforts, we spent some time circling several expressways in the vicinity of the club due to poor directions.

We'd entered a range of divisions based on our levels, and it looked like we'd have several matches each day. Gwynie and Wildy had early games, mine was a little later in the afternoon, so I was their cheering section. Ahh the memories came flooding back with the sounds of the ball ricocheting off the wall, the squeaking shoes and junior players keeping score and ref'ing the games.

The team went on to do very well.
Gwynie won the Women's C division
Rohini won the Men's 4.0 division (beating the winner of the Men's 4.5 division)
Wildy came runner up in the Men's 2.5 division
I came runner up in the Men's 3.0 division

Of course now I can say that I knew we'd have a good time. Tournaments are always a challenging time mentally and emotionally more than physically. We've worked hard with purpose and I think this is the first of a long series of tournaments.

Posted by Misty at 01:38 AM | Permalink

3900 San Pablo Ave
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 597-1303
Categories: Burgers, Mediterranean
4 star rating

Food glorious food. Charming space NOT (you have to walk past a dumpster to get to the door).
Friendly, generous but slightly inattentive service (once things get busy).
Methinks perhaps the inspiration for the movie Wall-E from Pixar Studios, which is just down the street.
We had the complimentary lentil soup, tasty succulent lamb kebab plate, beef shwarma (sp?) plate, and a mixed plate of sides- hummus, babaganoush, falafel and tabbouleh. Everything comes with tossed mounds of salady bits and tomato chunks. Large portions for the price. I just wish there was perhaps a smaller portion for cheaper...
Go for the food, go again for the "secret menu" specials that change daily.
Grab an outside table in the alley on a sunny day for lunch.

Posted by Misty at 04:42 PM | Permalink

1045 San Pablo Ave
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 528-2375
Categories: Thai, Vegetarian
4 star rating

wow it's so spicy it's like eating shards of glass. but in a good way! So hot that my date started hiccuping. totally authentic flavors and sinus clearing spices. I'll be going back, but next time I'll wimp out and order medium spicy. to be fair the Thai waitress warned us that she only had the medium spicy, and that it couldn't be undone, and then checked again to make sure that we really wanted the SPICY. so consider yourself warned.

we had the naked (raw) shrimp papaya salad,
Tom Kha Gai
Duck curry
brown rice (really a nutty red)
Sauteed morning glory

all delicious, and i was super stuffed and happy.
lest you think that my taste buds aren't calibrated for heat, I grew up in Jamaica eating jerk pork and spent last Christmas in Thailand.

Posted by Misty at 04:47 PM | Permalink

2534 Mandela Pkwy
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 839-7685
Category: Soul Food
Neighborhood: West Oakland
3 star rating

My sister organized a brunch date with some co-workers and I got to tag along. Even tho we arrived early and there were many open tables, we were told that there was a 10 minute wait to be seated? Then after we negotiated a faster seating option by sitting at the counter (awkward for more than 2 people), we sat waiting for a server for what seemed to be an endless waste of time. Friendly enuff, after taking our drink order, the ever so hip waitress disappeared for another eon. Passing back thru bearing only a glass of OJ, she assured us that our coffee was on the way. Several crabby moments later our coffee appeared, and the waitress came back to take our order.

We split everything-
crispy spicy chicken (only 2 pieces - 1 wing) + light and airy waffle, cider apple syrup was overpowering on the waffle but a welcome smoky molasses accent to the fried fowl
cheddar cheese grits and poached eggs- creamy grits and rubbery eggs (they use vinegar in the poacher). Good flavor but the grits needed more texture and the eggs were a bust
buscuits and jam- delitefully fluffy with good layering and crumb, deliciously succulent with the artisanl blue chair jam

grind on coffee was too fine for esspresso machine, so grounds leaked thru into the latte making it gritty and slightly bitter

lots of staff milling about, no really good expediters. I'll give it another chance for the lunch food, but I left feeling a little frustrated with the service.

Posted by Misty at 04:50 PM | Permalink

1788 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 704-8004
Category: Italian
Neighborhoods: Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
3 star rating

Just ate here on Wednesday nite, walked in around 6pm with 5 people (one child) and were seated immediately. Shortly after the last 2 top was gone and a line started to accumulate outside the door. So reservations or an early dinner are recommended.

Space was elegantly decorated if a little spartan. Noise levels were very loud, to the point of not hearing the other people across the table. We had to wait a little to order but the waiter was affable and got our drinks quickly. We ordered family style but everyone loved their own dish so I didn't share so much as just snatching quick bites off plates before the fork tines ended up in my hand.

Cauliflower Sformatino- mashed cheesy cauliflower goodness
Mixed salad- says it all, good dressing and fresh croutons
Fried calamari- crispy with tentacles, slices of meyer lemon, baby red onions, garlic

Bread (provided only on request -- stated on the menu) crusty & tasty but foccacia was dry and grainy.
Spinach sauteed w/ garlic and chili flakes- very plain
grilled fish- Whole fish, slices of meyer lemon, baby red onions (similar flavor profile to calamari appetizer just not fried. Next time I'll order only one of the two)

Kale soup- with sunny egg yolk & grilled bread (My sister loved it, but the couple next to us were grossed out by the idea of "raw" egg yolk in their soup and pulled it out)
braised beef- tender and succulent
pasta & butter- kid friendly, plain and initially too hot for tiny mouths

All in all very good food- solid B+, if a little ordinary. However service was harried and inattentive. I'll definitely go back, but can't give too glowing a review yet.

Posted by Misty at 04:52 PM | Permalink