Category Archives: ahi tuna

Not Your Standard Mall Fare!

     Have you ever been to the food court at your local mall? If you haven’t (which is doubtful), let me be the one to break this to you: it sucks. It sucks unless you’re looking for nothing but deep-fried, mechanically separated meat that has been sitting under heating lamps for hours – if you’re into that, then please, close this page at once!

     If you have GOOD taste, however, let me introduce to you what mall food can really consist of:

MALLS have this stuff? It’s true!
Ahi tuna stack with Ponzu sauce and fried wontons.
Sweet potato fries with garlic aioli.
Crispy beef with garlic, balsamic, cherry sauce and hot chili peppers.
(This stuff will literally melt on your tongue!)
Garlic-orange chicken with tempura peppers.
Chopped garden salad with lime vinaigrette.
Lemon-garlic roasted chicken over arugula and grilled corn.
Lemony shrimp in Amazing-Heaven-Sent Sauce (I named this one myself).
Dessert. Nothing better than teeny chocolate-mint sticks!
     As you can see, mall food doesn’t have to be painful and gut-wrenching. My parental unit took me out to this delicious feast at Nordstrom’s restaurant “Blue Stove“, and completely made my Christmas season. There is nothing better than spending quality time with your loved ones over a glass of red wine and a delicious array of tapas-sized dishes. We were past stuffed and full of joy and love after this feast.
     On a second, and even better note, I’ll be turning in my two-week notice tomorrey! I’ve never been more happy to leave a job in my life! I am so sick of retail, and ready to move upward with my new job as an artist’s assistant – more details on that coming up soon!
What are your favorite family-oriented meals during the holidays?

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Filed under ahi tuna, Blue Stove, chopped salad, Christmas, family, grilled shrimp, mall, Merry Christmas, Nordstrom, orange chicken, Ovation, red wine, roasted garlic chicken, sweet potato fries

Vegan Donut Holes and Jewelry!

     Exercise of the day: 35 minutes on the elliptical in the teeny fitness room at level 12, followed by triceps and bicep weights, squats and crunches, all while watching the Colorado Avalanche game (they DESTROYED the Dallas Stars, 5-0. My night is complete now 🙂 ). I refueled with some of this:

Freshly-made fudge! Wholesome, eh? The guy running the fudge booth gave me an “artist discount” on a huge chunk of fudge that was so fresh, it was still warm.
     I started the day off right – a big, heart-healthy breakfast!
I got the avocado, egg, butter lettuce, and tomato on an english muffin with a side of fruit.
     I perused the show a bit more since it was a slow day….
     …then headed back to the booth to do some reading.
Which one do I read? They’re both so well written!!!
(Is anyone else obsessed with reading menus?)
I went back to Venues Cafe for lunch and got a salad of butter lettuce, figs, goat cheese and hazelnuts drizzled with balsamic syrup and a red wine vinaigrette. 
     When I got back to the booth, a friend of my artist had stopped by and dropped off some samples from a new restaurant she’s opening in December.
RAW ORGANIC VEGAN??? GIMME!!!
Vegan fudge with ginger and coconut.
Rich, chocolate-y and heavenly.
Next up were my favorites: DONUT HOLES!
I’m going to get more info on what’s in these tomorrow, but I know that there are dates, almonds, and something freaking MAGICAL in these soft, sweet and slightly salty balls of fluff. If you do order anything from her, these would be my first recommendation!!!
     Our booth neighbor, Julie Glassman, makes some amazing jewelry. I spent a lot of the day hanging out at her booth, staring longingly at the earrings.
We also rescued a cat today. We’re responsible like that.
She creates her jewelry with powdered glass and precious metals.
Each piece is like a tiny painting!
I think I’m going to go broke working at all these shows…
     For dinner, a group of artists went to a Mexican-fusion restaurant and had some interesting conversations about art, festivals, and neuroscience. Two of the artists who do photography used to work in neuroscience, then decided to leave their company and travel the world taking incredible pictures. It was a night full of variety, that’s for sure!
The courtyard we ate at is BEAUTIFUL!
Milk Stout? Longmont, CO? I had to try it!
HOLY GEEZ. This is the thickest beer I’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, but the first sip was like drinking sweetcream butter. Delicious, alcoholic sweetcream butter.
I ordered the spicy tacos with ahi tuna instead of mahi mahi.
It was served with jalapeno aiolo, spicy white beans and sliced avocado.
     I’m fairly certain I’ll be heading home with a few extra pounds on my frame, and I’m perfectly content with that. It’s a learning process :). Now I’m off to sleep so I can wake up and get to the show in five and a half hours… Oh, joy…

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Filed under ahi tuna, butter lettuce, Colorado Avalanche, donut holes, FUDGE, Julie Glassman, milk stout, organic, raw organic vegan, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, vegan, Venues Cafe