I agree with Rodzilla about photographing in restaurants. Some places hate it but in this day and age with camera phones, snapping shots of your meal is pretty ubiquitous. I take a few moments to assess my lighting, angle, and camera settings when the food arrives (even before) so I'm prepared when it comes out. That way, I can pop off a couple shots right away and avoid annoying anyone and get back to enjoying the meal. Most of my friends are pretty used to me taking pictures anyway and they actually push their dishes towards me before they eat :)

Sundubu jjigae is one of my top comfort foods.

I agree with Amy Cakes that Montana has a lot of quality beef, but I can see why my homeland is known for Rocky Mountain Oysters. Fried calf testicles are just so memorable!

My usual farmers' market is at Civic Center on Wednesdays and Sundays, but I will occasionally brave the crowds at the Ferry Plaza.

Right now I am housesitting for my friends who have a rooftop garden. They asked me to water it, and I'll definitely be raiding it.

About a month when I was abroad in France for a year. There were pizza places but in an effort to immerse myself in French culture I avoided my American eating habits (easy enough for burgers and such, but of course couldn't resist ordering a pizza margherita in an Italian restaurant occasionally). Once I got back stateside I definitely indulged in a large plain pizza from my favorite place in NY as soon as I could.

Nowadays I go a week at the most without grabbing a slice.

@simon Bar hopping and eating little plates along the way sounds like a great evening, and I can see how its translation into the American restaurant scene just doesn't work. I'm not sure about other cities, but here in San Francisco one would have to take cabs or the bus to hit up the tapas joints scattered around the city. Buzzkill!

@jayteemo - Good government is whatever its people want it to be. Privacy, freedom, and liberty are all issues to be dealt with (ie, how much?) within a government, among others like economy, health, and environment. Unfortunately some people see the government interfering with capitalistic enterprises as invasive for violating privacy, others see it as a necessity to combat the harmful effects that business is having on society. Either way, you can do something about it through your government. For the people, by the people.

@Leah - Yeah I know, I was just going for effect, or perhaps making a wish for the future. :)

@RichF - I have no love lost for the government but if we were talking about Exxon or some other corporation with obvious, seriously damaging effects on the environment would you be of a different mind? I wouldn't think the regulation of the corporation would be in the name specifically of ending child obesity. Child obesity would be on a very long list of detriments. Capitalism doesn't excuse CAFOs.

As a kid, the toy was never what really hooked me into wanting a Happy Meal - it was the icing on the cake that was the exciting television commercial and the idea of a meal made just for me, a kid! Children are a powerful player in the adult consumers' decision-making process and advertising companies know this. Banning the toys might help but there are so many other ways that McDonalds promotes the Happy Meal that I think ALL advertising directed at children should be banned to effectively combat obesity, diabetes, poor eating habits, etc..

Cute! My cat LOVES fruity ice treats. I don't know why but it can get a little annoying when I'm trying to have some me time with a pint of sorbet and won't leave me alone until I let her lick the spoon.

One of my favorite titles for a blog entry though I am curious about the wine to vegetable ratio. Obviously it depends on the amount of food, but just a splash? A full ounce?

I'm so sad I got only half right! I know a lot about the ingredients and cooking process but very little about its socio-cultural-historical significance. Or whatever.

And now I want some and I don't have any. Dang.