Even though my mouth has not been in the best of shape this week I must say that this has been quite the week of delicious eats. There were our last meals with Chris before he headed back to grad school on Sunday that began with a breakfast of fresh baked gluten free chocolate chip cream scones, espresso with vanilla silk and a sauté consisting of olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, spinach, artichoke, ham, basil and cheddar cheese (with eggs added to it only after I removed a bit for egg hating me of course!). For dinner I made an even healthier meal of chili and homemade six cheese macaroni and cheese (white cheddar, extra sharp cheddar, mature Irish cheddar, romano, gouda and parmesan…oh my!).
The following day was Monday or as I like to call it dental torture day (see previous post for more detail) and while I thought I would be in for a day of bland and unappealing culinary creations it ended up being full of delicious surprises. Like the amazing tomato basil soup with crème fraiche I got for lunch that I always wanted to try at Waters but had not until then been able to bring myself to not order one of their delicious gluten free sandwiches. For dinner I continued with the soft foods theme and made a bowl of mashed yams with honey and then had chocolate soy pudding and tapioca pudding for dessert.
Aside from having a 24 hour headache as a result of dental torture day, Tuesday was even more delicious than Monday. We had a company lunch (all 4 of us!) and went to Sushi Station on the 101 to celebrate Cathy’s belated birthday. I have always wanted to try it because their motto is, “the food on your plate today was sleeping in the ocean last night”. I let Craig order as I am still quite the novice when it comes to ordering the raw fishies. We had one roll with salmon and avocado, another with tuna and real crab and a couple other super colorful and amazingly scrumptious twisty fishy creations. I found out we would be going for sushi the day prior and came prepared bringing along my own gluten free soy sauce which I mixed up with extra wasabi to make a nose tingling sushi dunking sauce. As if that was not enough yummy Asian cuisine for one day that evening I drove over to my favorite couples house, the Ford’s, for Dave’s going away Chinese dinner party. Justin had gone to Ranch 99 to get all the fixings’ and Kelly had whipped up a big batch of white rice the day prior to make the fried rice with (apparently a must when making authentic fried rice!). Justin manned the fryer and fried up crispy pork and chicken while Kelly stir fried the chicken again to make a scrumptious sweet and sour dish. Being the wonderful host and hostess they are they had bought gluten free soy sauce and set aside some chicken and plain veggies for me so I could whip up a gluten free dish for myself (I <3 them!). We marinated my chicken with toasted sesame oil, gluten free soy sauce, chili sauce, chinese five spice and fresh ginger and garlic. Later we pan fried this with bell peppers, onion, celery and pineapple and served it alongside steamed long skinny beans, broccoli and an ample serving of Kelly’s fried rice. It was amazing and defiantly the best home cooked Chinese meal I have ever had.
As if three delicious days were not enough on Wednesday the yummieness continued. Since I had such success with chewing on one side on Tuesday I went back to Waters on Wednesday and got my favorite, the turkey panini with roasted red peppers, spinach, pesto and cheese on gluten free focaccia (one of the many things I will dearly miss when we move to the new office). For dinner that night I made breakfast. Chicken apple sausage, freshly baked Irish soda bread with honey butter and sautéed artichoke, garlic, onion and spinach sprinkled with feta. Delish!
As for today I was still feeling quite full this morning from such a big dinner last night so I skipped breakfast and opted for multiple cups of tea and soymilk since I had planned to have lunch at one of the first places I fell in love with when I started working in Solana Beach last year, Naked Café. Soft tacos with chicken in a creamy peanut sauce, fresh salsa and leafy greens served along side coconut brown rice and black beans with my favorite drink, an yerba matte latte with extra foam. Lunches at Naked Café make me forget that I am mid work day. Watching kids playing at Fletcher Cove, surfers passing by with their boards and people riding by on beach cruisers wearing flip flops tricks my mind into thinking I have all the time in the world to sit and relax. Gazing at the ocean off in the distance as I sit and eat delicious food causes me to instantaneously slip into holiday mode. The beach has always had that effect on me which is one of the reasons I was so excited about going to work in an office that was just a hop skip and a jump away from the sand, sea and shells. But the feeling at this lunch was different, my heart was not as light and my spirit slightly troubled as I was unable to shake the thought that this time next month having lunch at this favorite spot of mine would not be so easy to do and that far too soon there would be fifteen extra miles added to the distance between my desk and the ocean.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Rachel gets some bling bling
I have always had good teeth. Aside from a few fillings when I was a youngster and a couple tiny chips in my front teeth from my terrible habit of opening bobby pins with my teeth I have never really had any issues. I never needed braces or a retainer (even though I really wanted one when I was 9). I even managed to avoid having my wisdom teeth removed. For years I have listened as friends and family told me tales of root canals, braces tightening and dental visits that included multiple fillings. As I listened I pretended to understand their pain as I sat there with my mouthful of nearly perfect natural white teeth. Little did I know that only a few weeks into my 28th year of life my flawless molars would be forever scarred after a tragic run in with a granola bar.
Christmas Eve morning as I munched away at my breakfast of a granola bar a tiny chip on the inner corner of my bottom left far back molar no bigger than 1/6 of a tic tac popped right off. I felt nothing and would not have even noticed it happened except for the fact that the granola bar was quite soft and as I chewed the tiny piece of sharp tooth was quite noticeable on my palate. I looked at the piece of tooth sitting in the palm of my hand and thought how odd it was that there was a bone fragment in my granola bar. Ten seconds later my heart sunk as I ran my tongue along my molars to clear out the remaining bits of breakfast that had settled in my teeth. The chip in my tooth felt massive to my tongue as it explored the surface where the tiny piece of tooth in my hand had once been so securely attached. I immediately ran to grab a flashlight and proceeded to show everyone I could find, my brother and then Hamilton and then later that day my Dad and Josephine, Grandpa, Steve, Mom, coworkers the list goes on and on and everyone’s reply was similar, “oooh that looks like it might need a crown”. A crown! What the heck is a crown?? It sounds like something fun and fancy a pretty mouth accessory for the rich and famous like veneers or that blue light thing that makes your teeth white. Believe me! Getting a crown is nothing near that description.
For me the two and a half hour ordeal included 3 different series of novocain shots during the first hour, having to hold my jaw open as wide as I could tolerate until my eyes would well up with tears and my mouth start to shake at which point I would rest for 5 minutes and then repeat the process. Having at the very least 5 foreign objects in my mouth at any given time and the best part having 4 different drill bits used to slowly drill away the majority of what was left of my pretty little chipped tooth. After all of that merriment I got to have the fun experience of having my mouth crammed with rigid trays filled with warm squishy goo so they could take a mold of the demolition site to aid in the fabrication of the so called “crown”. For now I have been fitted with an ill fitting temp that looks like someone took a bunch of those shiny silver balls that people used to decorate cookies with in the 80’s and melted them together into the shape of something that sort of resembles a tooth and crammed it in the hole where my tooth used to be. I think the thing is pretty much useless, I can’t chew on it and can’t floss near it and have to be wary of cold things touching it. Its sole purpose as far as I can tell is to keep me from crying from seeing how much of my tooth was drilled away. Oh and I guess to protect what is left of my tooth until 2 weeks from now I get to go back and have this ugly imposter yanked from my gums and replaced with a very permanent, very gold tooth.
Originally I really had my heart set on porcelain, I kinda wanted to just forget the whole thing ever happened and a fake tooth that looked like a real tooth seemed like the best means to achieve this goal. But after listening to the reasoning of both my dentist and hygienist as to the benefits of gold over porcelain I decided to take the advice of the professionals and go for the gold. Really it goes back to what I had imagined a crown to be in the first place, a pretty, fancy mouth accessory. I mean I think some people out there pay good money to have gold put on their teeth when they don’t even need it just so they can look cool. Right?
At the moment my mouth is feeling quite sore from all the shots and drilling and such and I am already missing my molar and solid food. All this drama because of one little chip! So chew carefully my friends, even if you think your teeth are perfect or if you only eat soft granola bars you are not out of harms way. You never know someday soon you too could be the proud owner of a gold tooth.
Christmas Eve morning as I munched away at my breakfast of a granola bar a tiny chip on the inner corner of my bottom left far back molar no bigger than 1/6 of a tic tac popped right off. I felt nothing and would not have even noticed it happened except for the fact that the granola bar was quite soft and as I chewed the tiny piece of sharp tooth was quite noticeable on my palate. I looked at the piece of tooth sitting in the palm of my hand and thought how odd it was that there was a bone fragment in my granola bar. Ten seconds later my heart sunk as I ran my tongue along my molars to clear out the remaining bits of breakfast that had settled in my teeth. The chip in my tooth felt massive to my tongue as it explored the surface where the tiny piece of tooth in my hand had once been so securely attached. I immediately ran to grab a flashlight and proceeded to show everyone I could find, my brother and then Hamilton and then later that day my Dad and Josephine, Grandpa, Steve, Mom, coworkers the list goes on and on and everyone’s reply was similar, “oooh that looks like it might need a crown”. A crown! What the heck is a crown?? It sounds like something fun and fancy a pretty mouth accessory for the rich and famous like veneers or that blue light thing that makes your teeth white. Believe me! Getting a crown is nothing near that description.
For me the two and a half hour ordeal included 3 different series of novocain shots during the first hour, having to hold my jaw open as wide as I could tolerate until my eyes would well up with tears and my mouth start to shake at which point I would rest for 5 minutes and then repeat the process. Having at the very least 5 foreign objects in my mouth at any given time and the best part having 4 different drill bits used to slowly drill away the majority of what was left of my pretty little chipped tooth. After all of that merriment I got to have the fun experience of having my mouth crammed with rigid trays filled with warm squishy goo so they could take a mold of the demolition site to aid in the fabrication of the so called “crown”. For now I have been fitted with an ill fitting temp that looks like someone took a bunch of those shiny silver balls that people used to decorate cookies with in the 80’s and melted them together into the shape of something that sort of resembles a tooth and crammed it in the hole where my tooth used to be. I think the thing is pretty much useless, I can’t chew on it and can’t floss near it and have to be wary of cold things touching it. Its sole purpose as far as I can tell is to keep me from crying from seeing how much of my tooth was drilled away. Oh and I guess to protect what is left of my tooth until 2 weeks from now I get to go back and have this ugly imposter yanked from my gums and replaced with a very permanent, very gold tooth.
Originally I really had my heart set on porcelain, I kinda wanted to just forget the whole thing ever happened and a fake tooth that looked like a real tooth seemed like the best means to achieve this goal. But after listening to the reasoning of both my dentist and hygienist as to the benefits of gold over porcelain I decided to take the advice of the professionals and go for the gold. Really it goes back to what I had imagined a crown to be in the first place, a pretty, fancy mouth accessory. I mean I think some people out there pay good money to have gold put on their teeth when they don’t even need it just so they can look cool. Right?
At the moment my mouth is feeling quite sore from all the shots and drilling and such and I am already missing my molar and solid food. All this drama because of one little chip! So chew carefully my friends, even if you think your teeth are perfect or if you only eat soft granola bars you are not out of harms way. You never know someday soon you too could be the proud owner of a gold tooth.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
sicky start to the year
I should have known that working an opening shift at the theater on January 1, 2008 was not the best way for me to start off a new year. First of all it is in direct conflict with one of my many new years resolutions (resolution #1 to be exact). Secondly, it is not beneficial for anyone to be working at 8am after having only slept 5 hours especially not when that shift begins with 200+ ornery senior citizens (yay for the return of early morning Opera screenings!). After eight and a half hectic hours of work I went home and collapsed on the couch with fatigue. Even pho dinner with Steve and getting to bed at 8:30pm could not undo the damage of the exhausting day and at 12am I awoke sick as can be. Nausea, body aches, chills, fever, stuffiness and all sorts of colorful goo congestion (yucky!). I tried to go into work because after years of working through sickness it just seemed like no big deal to be working with all of the afore mentioned symptoms. Once Cathy arrived at the office though she quickly went into mom mode and sent me home (which really is what I needed). I then proceeded to sleep all day and all night only getting up for a few hours to watch television and eat some hot rice cereal. Today I am back at work and happily doped up on a slurry of meds courtesy of my doctor which I visited this morning on my way into the office.
There are some good things that have come out of being so sick, I got caught up on some much needed sleep, watched a few hours of television (resolution # 3) and postponed my dental appointment to get my very first crown until next week. The way I see it things can only get better from here! Well maybe from Monday on after the dentist has had his way with my mouth.
There are some good things that have come out of being so sick, I got caught up on some much needed sleep, watched a few hours of television (resolution # 3) and postponed my dental appointment to get my very first crown until next week. The way I see it things can only get better from here! Well maybe from Monday on after the dentist has had his way with my mouth.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008 to do list
1. Quit my job at the theater (currently have been employed there 7 years, one month and 11 days).
2. Finish bottles of wine (since I am only home to make/eat dinner on average 2 days a week I have a terrible habit of opening up wine on one of these days, drinking a few glasses and then forgetting about it until next time I cook and it has turned not so appealing. This resolution will probably be easier to achieve when I complete resolution #1. This resolution also has the potential to result in me drinking more but I think I am comfortable with that).
3. Watch more television shows and movies (Indian movies aside I saw two movies in the theater last year, pretty bad for someone who works at the theater, also the only television I watch is KUSI news and crappy sitcoms on nick at night before bed).
4. Start documenting my culinary creations on paper and not just in my head.
5. Move to north county coastal San Diego (anyone looking for a super fun and neat housemate that loves to cook?).
6. Take some fun classes (Natalie and I are taking an event/wedding planning course, anyone want to take a dance class, cooking course or learn a new language with me?).
7. Get back into glassblowing, not as a career or anything but as a fun and slightly dangerous hobby.
8. Find creative ways to not get lonely at the day job.
9. Develop a semi regular habit of posting on here and possibly share with others.
2. Finish bottles of wine (since I am only home to make/eat dinner on average 2 days a week I have a terrible habit of opening up wine on one of these days, drinking a few glasses and then forgetting about it until next time I cook and it has turned not so appealing. This resolution will probably be easier to achieve when I complete resolution #1. This resolution also has the potential to result in me drinking more but I think I am comfortable with that).
3. Watch more television shows and movies (Indian movies aside I saw two movies in the theater last year, pretty bad for someone who works at the theater, also the only television I watch is KUSI news and crappy sitcoms on nick at night before bed).
4. Start documenting my culinary creations on paper and not just in my head.
5. Move to north county coastal San Diego (anyone looking for a super fun and neat housemate that loves to cook?).
6. Take some fun classes (Natalie and I are taking an event/wedding planning course, anyone want to take a dance class, cooking course or learn a new language with me?).
7. Get back into glassblowing, not as a career or anything but as a fun and slightly dangerous hobby.
8. Find creative ways to not get lonely at the day job.
9. Develop a semi regular habit of posting on here and possibly share with others.
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