a day that will live in gluttony

at 923am today, march 31st, the blogger formerly known as la choi was born at UC davis medical center, sacramento CA.

and according to her mother, she was born hungry...and constipated.

at any rate, today is the day that i will celebrate by eating and drinking my face off. for breakfast, i am going to indulge in a fat kid special. for dinner, i will be tasting delicious wines from all over the world and eating Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with red chili remoulade, sea salt-vinegar potato chips and cucumber dill slaw.

and then, i suddenly realized that i left out a very important meal....LUNCH!

so everyone, WFL today on my day of birth?

PS - for the DC WFLers: HH @ BB, 530pm today where unicorn will be providing a delicious birfday dessert...i'm so excited!!!!!

PPS - here's a picture of me when i was 3 taken from an expired passport. (hence the reason why you see the seal of the united states embossed across my head.) but ain't it cute?

Jury Duty and my new hero, Juror #3

I reported for Jury Duty earlier this week and successfully avoided a trial. Was my first Jury Duty appearance, and I loved it. I was able to read for 2 days. I was selected for one panel and it was the most fun I have ever had. Why? Because of one man, Juror #3, who was called onto the jury panel, and gave the greatest show I have ever witnessed. The story goes as follows:

18 jurors sitting in the box, answering the judges questions, and then being questioned by the attorneys. Oh I should state that the case was against a man convicted of selling crack cocaine out of his Harlem apartment to an undercover cop. Anyhow, juror #3 explains earlier when asked about previous court experiences that he had just been through a terrible custody battle but said that he thought he could be fair and impartial. This was on Monday, right before we were excused for the night. When we came back on Day 2, the judge finished and it was time for the attorney's to ask. We start with the smug prosecutor, a female, very professional, blonde hair, blue eyes, athletic build, and she had the look on her face that she thought she was so prim, proper and doing the right thing for the state of NY and that everyone loved her. So she starts with juror #3 and brings up the custody battle and asks him if it is going to affect his ability to pass judgement on this case. We're all in the audience thinking we're about to get a routine answer when he grabs the microphone and says to her, "I was actually up all night thinking about this, and you remind me of my ex-wife's attorney, and I HATE YOU." We all stood there with mouths open, not believing what we just heard. I was shocked and actually laughed. Then everyone started to laugh, even the judge. The Juror #3, looks at Mrs. Prosecutor, and says again, I HATE YOU. I hate all lawyers like you." It was awesome. I never admired someone so much. I wanted to jump over the rail and give him a high five. Needless to say he was excused from the case.

Anyhow, that's my jury duty hall of fame story. Does anyone else have great stories from Jury Duty? Lunch during Jury Duty is great too. Because of slow days on the court, we were given an hour and 45 minutes each day. I took my sweetass time and walked over to Tribeca and had some long lunches of reading and drinking coffee, and one day a panini with prosciutto & mozzarella, and a bowl of tomato soup and the next day a croque monsieur. I miss jury duty. Can't wait to be called back in 2 years.

Oh and WFL? It's 60+ degrees in NYC today! Is Spring finally here?

Kids don't like to share!

Kids don't like to share, I was forced as a child to share EVERYTHING with my brother who was a misrable 1 year younger than me. I thought my name was "the boys" until I was 11. I think it might have made me a (marginally) better person in the long term ... ok not better but more tolerant.

I find it funny that I am going to marry a girl who is an only child. She has no idea about how to share properly. If I offer her a bite of my gooey and delicious low-fat blueberry muffin in the morning, she will take a bite that is literally HALF of the muffin. What happened to sharing correctly?

Ok, today's topic, do you share your lunch? Do you like to share your lunch? Do you feel like punching people in the face (like I do) when they ask ... no matter how much you love them?

"The Chicken tastes like Wood"

have you ever went over a friends house to eat
and the food just aint no good
I mean the macaroni's soggy the peas are mushed
and the chicken tastes like wood
so you try to play it off like you think you can
by sayin that you’re full
and then your friend says momma he's just being polite
he aint finished uh uh that's bull
so your heart starts pumpin and you think of a lie
and you say that you already ate
and your friend says man there's plenty of food
so you pile some more on your plate
while the stinky foods steamin your mind starts to dreamin
of the moment that it's time to leave
and then you look at your plate
and your chickens slowly rottin
into something that looks like cheese
oh so you say that's it I got to leave this placeI don’t care what these people think
I'm just sittin here makin myself nauseous
with this ugly food that stinks
so you bust out the door while it’s still closed
still sick from the food you ate
and then you run to the store for quick relief
from a bottle of kaopectate
and then you call your friend two weeks later
to see how he has been
and he says I understand about the food
baby bubbah but we're still friends...


Any really bad meals stand out in your memory?
How did you deal with the situation?
And tell us of course WFL?

OWFL Pet Blogging Vol. 1

WFL?

Sun-Daze

ahhh...sunday mornings...I woke up with a serious crook in my neck, back, side, stomach...etc. After much too much wine last night, I rented Broken Flowers and ordered some really bad chinese food. Then pulled out my air mattress into the middle of my living room floor and settled in for the night. Unfortunately, I made it through about 30 minutes of the movie before I conked out...woke up this morning with a bowl of leftover lo mein on the floor next to me.

I haven't moved far since then...actually took a couple bites of the lo mein because I woke up starving, moved to my couch and have been watching the Foodnetwork for the past three hours and reading the Outlook section of the Post during commercials. I'm working on my third cup of coffee and my only plans right now are based on getting my fourth.

Ahhhhh...sundays!

Jo Reggelt!!

That's "good morning" to all you non-Hungarians. Today is bed moving day (thanks LT and Jo!) and I've got to get my house in order and go downtown and get my car. (HH at BB followed by Angles made driving home a laughable "option") I also need to clear out my guest room in order to make room for the bed.

I'm starving, but eating isn't on the agenda for a few hours. So, WFL this weekend? What goes with beer and basketball? (right, right - I know - everything!)

A somewhat morbid OWFL

Rarely am I surprised by lunch. When I order lunch at my usual haunt Metropolis, I know exactly what the Mediterranean salad with chicken is going to look like, or my other favorite, the smoked ham with provolone on French bread. Same thing when I pack my lunch, the yogurt and fruit never miraculously morph into something I'm not expecting on the trip from my home to my office.

Rarely too am I surprised by funerals. Besides having numerous family members pass away and more tragically some dear friends, I have also done volunteer work with Hospice as a counselor from terminally ill patients and as a result have been to many funerals over the years. Almost always there is some kind of lunch afterwards, and they are usually sad little pot luck ordeals. I'm not even referring to it being sad because of the nature of the event, because that does indeed cast a sad light over the gathering, but excepting all of that, they are sad because the food offering is rarely anything to get excited about. The Jews do it slightly better than most, because there is guaranteed to be a huge pile of fresh bagels and the good cream cheese from the deli and obscene amounts of smoked salmon. I do love me some good Nova.

It was therefore a complete and utter shock to me when I attended the funeral of the grandmother of some very close friends. I didn't know Gran particularly well, but the rest of the family was like a second family to me, so I went to the funeral to show solidarity for my friends. I'm not a Chicago native, and even as a transplant I am an avowed Northsider, so I wasn't familiar with the south side cemetery and the reception hall we went to the day. I was informed that they are a Chicago institution and the even Cardinal Joseph Bernadin is spending his eternal earthly slumber there. The funeral was typical sad, and the graveyard service was particularly heart wrenching when they lowered the casket and my friends mother started whimpering and crying out, "mama, mama, mama." But nothing could have prepared me for the lunch afterwards.

Because they are good Irish folks [see, I don't really hate the Irish] there were two ENORMOUS bars set up and we were all immediately encouraged to drink up. They mixed up heavenly, rich Bloody Mary's for us. A couple of them went down really easy when my nose detected the most delightful aroma of fresh bread and I was presented a basket of warm rolls from the oven. "Oh my God, you have to have one of these. NOW." my new grandmotherless friend insisted. And she was right. I did indeed need to have one. And then another. And then another. They were insanely good. We kept drinking and eating rolls and drinking and eating rolls until giant platters of food began to arrive and were set on the tables. I clearly remember tender roast beef, fried chicken, tortellini in tomato sauce, mashed potatoes and beef gravy, corn swimming in butter and I know many others, but I was soon swimming in a haze of alcohol and some of the richest and homiest food of my life. We sat for hours and ate and talked and people began to tell stories of Gran's life and we cried and laughed until tears streamed down our faces. I may have not known her well in her life, but I felt like I knew her after that lunch and I felt closer to those friends than ever before. Walking out of that lunch, I was renewed with a belief for embracing life and quite honestly the power of a good lunch shared with loved ones.

I still think about that day, and although I hope my funeral is a long ways off, I hope it is very similar to Gran's: good friends and family laughing at my eccentricities and fueled with amazing food and drink. I'm still contemplating the menu, though. What would you want served at your funeral?

And of course, WFL?

"Let Them Eat Cake"

Of course we know Marie never really said this, but the title is illustrative of how food has been used to oppress the citizenry by dictatorial governments. While Marie Antoinette never actually uttered those words, there was a very real - and very intentiona - starvation problem among French peasants, at the time. Under Stalin's rule, a famine was induced in the Ukraine ("the Breadbasket of Europe," if you will) that, by many estimates, killed nearly 7 million people. In Ireland, the English shipped all of the other, non-potato, food out of the country, leaving the Irish people with nothing but potatoes for sustenance. Which, actually would have worked out if not for the blight. Famine was used in Colonial India to ensure that Indian workers would continue to basically be slave labor.

And on, and on, and on throughout history. "The Great Leap Forward," (okay, so Mao just fucked up on that one, it wasn't really intentional, but whatever, lots of Chinese people died and it was directly attributable to bad government), Ethiopia in '73, Vietnam in '45 (bastard Japanese - that's for Giggles), and every European famine on record - all the result of bad government.

But, now it's 2006. We live in a Democracy - in a country that actually pays its farmers not to produce. Food should no longer be used against us. Who would have thought then, that a leader would emerge who doesn't want to take our food away, but rather, not only wants us to eat it, but has gone so far as to impose a schedule to dictate when we are to write about it?!

I don't propose a revolution. In fact, the reasons for the imposition of the schedule are somewhat valid. But, know that you're being watched Lunch Czar. History hasn't been kind to leaders who impose their rule on the people. Be careful where you put your neck - I wouldn't want to see you end up like Ms. Antoinette.

Now, to the heart of the matter, because like many naifs before us, we do enjoy dancing to the master's tune, even if we're being forced to dance. What's everyone having for lunch? I'm back to South Beach land, so I'm not quite sure. Probably cold cuts and some cheese, side of lettuce and tomato, splash of mustard - no bread. How about everyone else - WFL?

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane . . . Eventually

I went skiing this past Sunday. As anyone who read yesterday's blog knows, I was in massive pain and also denied the opportunity for a delicious waffle. It also took me an extra 20 hours to get up to Vermont, seeing as how United's plane decided to take an unscheduled break (broken heating element - or so we were told). Eventually (at about 10:45pm) they just cancelled the flight & sent everyone to stand in a loooooong line to get re-booked the following day, after which everyone had to go stand in another line to get booked into a hotel & pick up food vouchers. I didn't really feel like coming to the airport to eat before my flight, so I had a grilled cheese at my parents' house. So the question is: what airports have the best food selection? The worst selection? What's your favorite airport meal before or during a trip? Is there any such thing? Personally, the only time I will willingly patronize a TGI Friday's, Ruby Tuesday's or the like (now with flair!) is at an airport. And I usually get the worst thing for you on the menu (cheese sticks or potato skins? why not both?), justifying it with "Well, I'm in an airport. It's not like I have many other options." Yes, I am a greasehound.

And, as always, WFL?

Monday Morning Blahs

So...yeah...I have a serious case of the Mondays today...if I could be kicking the crap out of some sort of office equipment right now, I would be. Or if the f'ing windows in our office would open...something would definitely be flying out of them...and if anyone tries to even touch my red swingline...I'll staple their ass cheeks together with it!

I have no idea WFL...but if anyone has any good ideas or any news, stories...something...ANYTHING to make this day go by a bit faster...please please please help a girl out!!!

Weekend Post

I'm bored. What's everyone eating?

I don't have anything in my fridge really, as I've not been grocery shopping, or even had anything delivered in weeks. There's the mediocre leftover pork pad-ped, but it's just not appealing. I'm thinking of making something with eggs (shocking, I know), but I'm just not sure what.

I am staying inside my house today and being lazy because I am exhausted, so there will be no running to the store for supplies. This will force me to be culinarily creative, so be warned.

How about everyone else? Recovering from St. Paddy's? (myself, I met up with TheFormerRoommate at Giggles' store and bought more wine than I need, then swung by Madhatter's to have a few with Uni and Mr. Uni and SheWhoComesToHHatBBbutDoesn'tEatMeat, then back to the Hill for a pitcher of margaritas and texmex at La Lomita II. (Sonoma was packed) There was much talk of Cap Lounge, but I was way too tired.)

What's going on out there in OWFL land?


OH! And, many thanks to Brian for sending me the pics from last weekend. This was the bucket o' rib tips and hot links from Honey 1. There are other pics available - email me for details.

Muff(elletta) Diving on St. Patty's Eve

LIZTURTLE ROCKS!!! LIZTURTLE ROCKS!!! LIZTURTLE ROCKS!!!

She rocks like none other. I'm sure you'll understand when you take a gander at this...

And take a closer look...

What you are looking at is an authentic Muffeletta sandwich created by Lizturtle yesterday that rivaled the so called original that you can get at Central Grocery in New Orleans. LizT continued the DC OWFL tradition of bringing food to happy hour with this amazing 5 POUND sandwich. It was beyond a treat and Lizturtle deserves the most high praise. Everyone enjoyed it. I want more...NOW.

Several members of the DC crew met last night at our beloved BB for extended HH, NCAA basketball and muffaletta (sp?) diving and the expected good times were had. LT truly set the bar high for eats this week and I feel bad for whoever has to follow her (not it!).

Which brings us to today. Despite having no idea what the origins of St. Patrick's Day are, I have never failed to celebrate with my Irish brethren (I expect the whole "Black Irish" comment no less than 6 times throughout the day).

How will YOU be celebrating this important high holy day? With drink? Food? Song? Colorful clothing? And tell us about any memorable (or forgettable) St. Patty's days in your past.

And of course, most importantly, WFL?

ERIN GO BRAGH!

little wallet, BIG appetite

so, i think it's time to start posting again about lunch. therefore, let me present a dillema for all of you...

what do you do when you are trying to save money and bring a sack lunch to work only to find that the lunch that you brought just isn't enough? what can you buy that will fill you up but won't cost you a fortune?

i've come across this many a time while at the office, my tummy grumbling after consuming a decent sized turkey and swiss sandwich on wheat bread. i am hungry one hour later and have to get a second lunch. oh, and throw in that i want to eat something that is healthy and you limit yourself to soup, some baby carrots, and maybe a bag of pretzels.

is this all there really is?

so kids, WFL and how does one solve this problem????

P.S. i cannot believe i got to work this early in the morning (arrived at 745am). i guess setting my clock WAAAAAYYYYY ahead of time really does work!

It's just me and Navin and all we need is this blog...

"And I don't need any of this! I don't need this stuff, , and I don't need you. I don't need anything except this, and that's it and that's the only thing I need, is this. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - I need this! The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches, for sure. Well what are you looking at? What do you think I am, some kind of a jerk or something? And this! And that's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, this magazine and the chair. And I don't need one other thing except my dog. Well I don't need my dog."


WFL? As if anyone is listening...

Potluck Lunch

I need to be here:

No joke, I am in serious need of a vacation involving beaches, umbrella drinks, long naps and unsolicited massages.

I should mention that the OWFL Mini-Convention of this past weekend did not involve a single lunch, but DID involve several hundred beers and dinners at Honey 1 BBQ and Piece.

I am just recovering from the work and conference induced sleep deprivation.

Let's try to get back on track today with an easy one folks.

Imagine we're having an OWFL potluck lunch.

What are you bringing?

And please give a hearty OWFL welcome back to the newlyweds, the bride and James Vernor, who have returned from their honeymoon in the Far East! As you can tell, you were missed!

What'd you bring me?

And, of course, WFL?

Jo note - If this post goes according to plan, it could directly lead to an influx of entries into the OWFL recipe post. Keep your fingers crossed.

hoopz won...

THANK GOD!

oh, and WFL?

If Rico has been crawling for the last half hour...

...he is G_d.

Ibuprofen was breakfast. What's for lunch?

Oh, and if anyone's up and has the Family Channel...Fact of Life Reunion in 8 minutes. I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect right now. There is a Rico.

Quik FoL triv: What did Natalie want to put in her bong?

The Great Outdoors (a small shout out to John Candy)

So we are having a BEATUIFUL day in WDC today...currently 66 degrees with a bit of a breeze, with the possibility of hitting 74! This type of weather makes me crave any and all outdoor activities...especially camping! Now I don't want to portray myself as the straight up backpacker wandering 'round the mountains with nothing but dried food and a cantene of water...I am a car camper...I don't need to have a flushing toilet or a microwave set up in the trunk of a car or anything...but I do have ample supplies that I prefer to tote along. Most importantly a good camping chair with two drink holders preferably...one for my beer and the other for a pack of smokes.

And as much as I love cooking indoors, I love cooking outdoors as well. There is just something about a campfire that makes a hot dog taste a million times better...and I don't touch marshmallows unless it is on the end of the stick roasted until it gets slightly aflame..just enough to barely char the outside. I also love love love using dutch ovens...when done properly the meals you can create are more satisfying than any top notch restaurant...I'm talkin' breakfast casseroles made with a dozen eggs, a pound of bacon, a bag of hashbrowns, onions, green peppers, cheese cheese cheese and more cheese all topped off with a salsa verde....or a beef stew that simmers for hours so the meat falls apart when picked with a fork or an apple cobbler browned to a crisp with tender, spiced caramelized apples.

Last season I even delved into fondue making in the great outdoors...I've actually decided it is a perfect camping meal...but then again...if I have a pot of melted cheese in front of me with crusty bread, grilled meat and blanched veggies to dip into it...that's perfection anywhere! The key to great fondue in the outdoors though is what you heat the cheese over...I dug up my old girl scout skills and turned an old coffee can upside down and nailed some holes into it for ventilation and stuck a sterno under it...provides the much needed low even heat to keep the cheese melty and not scorched.

So as I day dream my work day away of sleeping under the stars and eating campfire meals...share your outdoor adventures with food...past campfire cooking experiences...the first time you made the perfect s'more, a pan fried trout that you caught at the break of dawn in a nearby stream...and of course WFL!!

Upgrades: OWFL 1.1

Perhaps you didn't notice, but if you look to the right on the mainpage you will see a new heading on the sidebar for "Always Pertinent Posts". From now on we can keep topics that are, uh, always pertinent, in a place where they can be easily accessed.

Under the "Favorite Recipes of OWFL" post we need you start putting your favorite recipes. We've all shared at least one before. Go back and find the one you have shared in the past or put some new ones up over yonder.

The second post under the new heading is "The Official Conference Post" that refers to the conference we are determined to someday have even if it kills us. Use that post to discuss your thoughts, ideas, issues or whatever comes to mind in regard to the conference that could be the catalyst for revolutionary change in lunches everywhere, (when we are through we'll be referring to it like the global warming conference at Kyoto, "After Washington, everything changed...").

We all need to give praise to our sister in lunch and OWFL Chief Technology Officer, The Jade, for making the blog upgrades last night. She has had a very busy week and stayed up past her bedtime to get it done for us. She will be rewarded with green beer this weekend at the First Annual OWFL mini-conference. Jade you are appreciated.

Today I'd like you to share some of your ideas for how we could "upgrade" the blog. Do we need to have more features? A weekly poll? Do we need to go on a "membership drive" of sorts and attract new people? Or do we need to stand pat and let things happen on their own? Where do you see this blog in the future?

So share with us your hopes and dreams for OWFL
No idea is too big or small (I still envision The Food Network calling someday...).

And of course WFL?

A Witty Topic: Eating on the Corner

Yesterday notwitty asked about street vendors.
In New York City the street vendors are everywhere and you can get anything from the standard kosher frank to some nice falafel (Moshe's right?). In DC within a block of my office you can find dogs, hot sausages, half smokes and a veggie burrito stand. The burrito stand has a loyal customer base for coffee in the morning and can get long lines for bean burritos (refried or black bean) with cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream ( rico's fave) and your choice of hot sauce.

In my travels I have probably eaten everything from beignets to souvlaki to breakfast enchiladas from corner vendors.

As a food lover (and also a bit of an idiot) I almost never think about the health concerns associated with cooking and serving food on a busy street corner. In fact I am probably more apt to order "the works" from a street vendor just to see what they've got.

Which brings us to notwitty's question.

"Do we have any strong opinions on street vendor carts? Is that playing with fire?"

Answer notwitty's query and please tell us about your life experience with food from "the corner".

And don't forget... WFL?

Who am I? Who are you?

You wake up one morning, and its not just the usual where am I? Who are you?

Its "Who am I" as well.

Since we've had so many issues with identity loss around here I thought I might ask the question

If you lost your identity (and memory), what would you do?

More importantly, What would you have for lunch?

"...He's just waitin' for someone to show."

It's 10:44 a.m. do you know where your lunchers are?

WFL?

Perhaps if I mention the mini-OWFL Conference in Chicago this weekend it will get people talking?

Ugh.

I'm sick. I have caught LaTroublemaker's "Evian" flu. It started the morning before yesterday with a scratchy throat, and by the time I came home from HH last night (after ONE drink - seriously, I attained the mythical goal of only having ONE drink!!) I had degenerated into a sneezing, coughing, mucous-y mess, complete with that whole chills/fever business.

I don't want food. I don't want anything to drink. I want to sleep, but I can't. I don't know why, but I can't fall asleep. So instead I'm watching Full House and seeing who out there in blogland is around this weekend.

What are yinz healthy guys eating this weekend?

The Minimalist approach

What's for lunch?

Seriously.
That's it.

Just tell us, in as much detail as you'd like, what you are having for lunch.

"T.V. Lunch" or "The Idiot Box"

I have no problem admitting I watch far too much television. As a child (latchkey) I was one of the kids (as Dave Chappelle said recently) who could tell you what time it was by seeing what show was on. The reason I never learned to play basketball can be directly linked to having cable in the 80's. In Kindergarten I remember coming home at noon and solving mysteries with James Garner on Rockford Files. In Elementary school I'd get home and watch a two hour cartoon block followed a three hour sitcom block until Primetime. In Middle School I'd add in the 3:00 soap opera (Santa Barbara or GH) before an hour of cartoons and then sitcoms/game shows into Prime Time. In High School I started to miss the 3:00-7:00 shows due to sports and girls but I was a Prime Time Warrior throughout. I could notice the slightest variation in a show's theme music and I always was ready with Alan Thicke trivia (which show's theme music did he write?) And speaking of theme music I get a lump in my throat when I hear the Hill St. Blues theme to this day, not to metion the smile that uncontrollably comes to my face when I hear the theme to L.A. Law or St. Elsewhere. I have fond memories of shows like V, The Misfits, Sonny Spoon and Stingray. I could go on for...well years.

I went through a period after college that was pretty much television free. Yes I watched, but I didn't have the obsessions that I grew up with. Sure I could tell you what the general storyline on Days of Our Lives was (no big feat) but I no longer set my watch by Prime Time. I'm not entirely sure why this happened but TV and I had "taken a break" (I actually know exactly why this happened but since this isn't my personal blog - stop snickering- I'll just move on).

Come 2001/2002 I found my love for television again. Slowly I worked myself back into the relationship. Then came DVR and now I am almost as bad as the adolescent who would wake up at 6:30 to watch G-Force on WGN or fake an illness to watch the premiere of the new Black soap opera Generations. But I really should stop and get to the point.

What is your relationship with TV?
Tell us some of your favorite all time television shows and memories.
Tell us some of the shows that are currently in your tv rotation.
What is that one TV gem that you watched but no one else seems to remember?
If you have DVR/Tivo how has it changed your TV life?
What kind of TV do you have?
Do you own TV trays (do you even use your dining room?).

No pressure to answer all of these questions in one comment, feel free to return throughout the day as things come to mind. And while you are reminiscing and regaling us with these TV tales don't forget to tell us, of course, WFL?

ho-hum, back to work

well, i'm back in the office after a nasty battle with a cold. i started getting paranoid and thought it could be bird flu. (or as the lil'choi accidentally called it the 'evian' flue...she's so cute!) but since i ate a lot of kim chi while in korea (and we all know that kim chi cures both the bird flu AND sars) i think that it was just a common cold from all that recycled nasty air on my 16 hour flight...i swear, a petri dish of nastiness.

so, now i'm depressed b/c i'd much rather be in korea right now enjoying my grandmother's amazing cooking. but i have to settle for a soggy salad that i made last night. what should one eat when coming back from the motherland of amazingly good food? what should one eat to lift one's spirits? WFL-ers, i need your help!

so, what sort of lunch will cure the motherland blues? oh, and also don't forget to tell me WFL in your neck of the woods.