CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

FIN is a True Culver City Hot Spot!

Fin has been open in Culver City for more than a year which is a whole lotta time in my life I was not enjoying Fin. Which is a shame. It's pretty damned delightful and I had one helluva meal there recently. 

Tip for future restaurants I go to: Welcome me with a cocktail. It's a huge win. This one in particular was an ideal choice as I am ever the girlish drinker. We all know by now that I gravitate toward the sweeter hand crafted beverages, yes? And thanks to technology (it's like magic!), I've lifted the ingredients right off the page! Please note it is impossible to order a "Hello Kitty" without smiling. 

Look at that amazing photography. That deep red is NOT filtered, guys. It reminded me of a deep, romantic sunset (pardon me whilst I fan myself), which was a great end for a great day and the perfect start for a perfect meal. 

The thing I liked most about Fin's menu? It's unexpected. You cannot pigeonhole this spot. While it's clearly Asian inspired, I challenge you to find another menu like it in the Los Angeles area. They also serve everything on the menu with class - you are enjoying the taste of five-star food in an elegant setting without an ounce of pretension. 

I'm not going in order - I'm starting with my favorite dish. The Spicy Rock Shrimp Tempura.

Pro tip: Do not let the endive go uneaten. Scoop up a couple pieces of shrimp and take a big bite. The contrast of the bitter leaf with the sweet and spicy shrimp is wonderful. Bonus points go to our server who noticed I wasn't eating it and made the recommendation. 

The Salmon Sashimi had a touch of citrus and a truffle salt. It was my very close second favorite. The salmon was so fresh and rich in flavor on its own but that truffle salt was a wonderful kick in the mouth. (But like a good kick in the mouth. For reals.) And how can you go wrong with pot-stickers? (It is worth noting that when I got to this point in writing the post, I stopped and ordered Chinese takeout. It wasn't as amazing as Fin, of course, but I just really needed pot-stickers in a hurry in that moment.) 

I love a light, warm, delicious baked crab hand roll. This one did not disappoint. And here is the biggest mind-blower. I found myself trying mushrooms! I HATE MUSHROOMS. But here, they're diced up and lightly battered, sprinkled over a pretty tasty beef carpaccio so it's actually a great accent to the dish. As the beef bursts with flavor, you get a nice, satisfying tang from the sauce and crunchy mushrooms. I loved it right down the sesame seeds. 

And that brings us to the end of this marvelous experience. Mochi is such a prefect dessert, guys. Always a sweet, refreshing little bite to top off a fabulous, savory meal.

Culver City is a great meeting spot -- it's so centrally located and is a hotbed of amazing restaurants and bars. Fin is a champion among the roster. They now serve dinner and lunch, parking is a breeze, it's great for groups or couples (shout out to the couple sitting across from us that was playing tonsil hockey all night) so you have no excuse! 

I was stuffed when all was said and done so I had to call it but I've already started a mental list of things I want to try next time I'm there.

More:

• Fin is located at 12223 W. Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
• There is ample street parking and they have a valet during high-traffic hours.
• You can follow them on all the socials: Twitter, Facebook and Instragram.
• They take reservations!

Even more because WAIT! That's not all! Fin has a secret speakeasy in the back!!! And it is AWESOME. Look for the alley opening to the right of the entrance (facing it) and head to the back. I think this place is coming soon to a birthday party near me (or, if you rather, near MAY). 

Disclosure: This meal was hosted by the lovely team at Fin Culver City. The food was hosted by my grateful belly. Opinions are my own. As if I could fool you, cleaver readers. 

Music Motivates - Revisiting Sol Republic and an Exciting Giveaway!

This weekend, I had pre-scheduled in my actual calendar that on Saturday, I was absolutely not make any plans and get my act together. My apartment, where I've lived for nearly a year now, is still lacking in organization and as I've been busy at work, chores around the house have fallen by the wayside. In fact even though I finally bought a vacuum, it had been in the box for weeks. 

 

Well, a couple weeks ago, my friends at Sol Republic sent me a care package of sorts.

 

  

 

So when I woke up Saturday morning, needing a little extra inspiration and motivation to enact the great "AJ gets her life together" plan, I tore open a pair of new headphones. 

 

It was like Christmas morning! (Ok, I'm Jewish but I have imagination.)

 

It was a GREAT boost to my spirit! Music HEALS! And I kicked butt. I was emptying boxes, including the one my new vacuum was in -- and I USED IT! My floors looks fantastic. I'm so ecstatic.

 

And, as I do all Sol Republic products, I love these Master Tracks. So much so that for the very first time, I had to bring you guys an "unboxing" video because I really wanted to convey how great they are:

 

 

I mean, I think this counts as vlogging, guys. And I hate vlogging. 

In any case, once I started using them, I was instantly aware of the quality audio which is rich and full with these headphones. These are over-the-ear headphones so if you crank the volume up, you're really not going to hear anything else. They are totally the rockstar, sports car of headphones. And even though they are heavy for headphones, they are super comfortable and easily can be worn for long stretches. They could very well become my new travel headphones, especially because they come with a travel pouch -- always a plus. They don't fold up, but that's really not a big deal -- they take up however much space either way, and I applaud them for a unique design. You can also use them with an iPhone or iPad; the volume controls and mic are compatible. 

 

 

 

 

Let's also not forget how I loved their earbuds. If you're more of an in-ear headphone wearer, definitely consider Sol Republic's Relays Sport. If you buy those, or the Master Tracks, or ANY of their fantastic products (don't forget, you can also customize any purchase by switching up the color of your headband, chord, etc.!), please feel free to use this discount code: LOVEMUSIC01. That code is good through July 31. 

 

And in the meantime, I am more than happy to give away a pair of Sol Republic Tracks (value $99.99) as well! Enter below and help me spread the word about this terrific brand! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Disclosure: Like I said, these came to me via "care package" from Sol Republic. All opinions are my own and I'm even popping for postage on the giveaway pair. Because I'm just that awesome. You're welcome. 

Flip yer Food! Five Questions With Nikki Dinki

I love when my blog affords me the opportunity to meet fabulously talented people like Nikki Dinki! 

You know her from "Food Network Star" and now Dinki is back as the host of her own Cooking Channel show! Nikki and Bobby Deen hit the highway in June to seek out delicious and fattening local favorites in the new original series, JUNK FOOD FLIP, airing every Tuesdayat 9:00 pm ET/PT.   The dynamic cooking duo is seeking out the country's favorite guilty pleasure foods, and then do their best to recreate the delicious items in a healthier way.

Major applause to these guys. I should have asked how I might acquire a taste for kale.... YUCK. But enough scrunching up your nose, folks. We're here to smile and meet this charming lady:

Q: Have you come across any meals or foods you can't "flip" yet? What are the unflippable foods you stay away from altogether?

A: You always want to stay away from deep fried food -- sure it adds a nice crunch but the calories that come with it are crazy. I like to find crunch in other ways, maybe with an extra crunchy breading using pretzels or by adding a crunch element on top of the normally deep fried item. 

There is nothing I can’t flip. There are always places to take away calories and add nutrition. And that’s what we really try to prove on Junk Food Flip, is that we can make healthy food that is actually better than the original full-fat version. 

Q: When you want to indulge in something "naughty," what do you reach for? 

A: Cheese and cinnamon rolls. Not together of course! ;) I haven’t meet a cheese I didn’t like. 

Girl, ME TOO. 

Q: What are your non-food indulgences? (Because these are the things that keep us mentally healthy, right?!) 

A: I’m a good sleeper, I tend to get 8-9 hours a night, unless I'm shooting, then I suddenly get 6 hours or much less. There is nothing like a soft bed with cool sheets and a great foam pillow. Some of my best ideas for new dishes come while lying in bed or sleeping; it’s my other office. 

Q: Ok, this is a long one... I was really rooting for you on Food Network Star! I read your blog -- how hard it was to watch yourself cry?  Was there a massive relief in everything finally being revealed? When you were competing, what was the most challenging moment? 

A: It was really challenging having no access to my family or friends and really the outside world in general. I’m a strong person but I need my support system and the system was missing. In the beginning I felt insecure and was really over analyzing myself, but luckily I snapped out of it, and by the end I think everyone was able to see the person I am outside of the competition. But it’s never easy to watch those tears I cried when my journey on the show was over, I was devastated, this was my dream, but luckily if you keep working hard there is never just one way to accomplish a goal. 

 

Q: Which blogs do you read and enjoy or get inspiration from? 

A: I like How Sweet It Is and Smitten Kitchen. I tend to get inspiration in the oddest places, though. Most of my food is a totally new concept that probably has not been done before, so thinking up these ideas takes a lot of time and patience.

Well this was delightful! THANK YOU, NIKKI! 

Please make sure you check out Junk Food Flip -- you will FLIP for NIKKI, no question! (She also has a great veggie-focused cookbook.)

Quote of the Day

I saw my friend Stevie tweet this yesterday. I loved it so.

Menday: That Guy Who's in Everything

Today we sing the praises of one of my favorite character actors. You know him as "that guy who's in everything" or if you're a Glee fan, you'll know him at that teacher who wore pastels and the polo sweaters: Stephen Tobolowsky. 

Here are his top five roles. Prepare to be like "OH YEAH! I loved that movie!"

5. Dr. Werner Brandes in SNEAKERS

You couldn't forget his name in this movie if you tried -- it's a big part of the heist. Fun fact -- this was the first movie I ever bought on DVD in 1999. Totally underrated, fantastic film.

4. Sammy Jankis in MEMENTO. I can't explain this role without ruining the whole movie. But you should see it because it's brilliant.

3. Dr. Kendrick in THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. I know. I have a soft spot for this movie. Especially because Ron Livingston plays a character named Gomez. WTF is that about?

2. The Indignant Captain in SPACEBALLS.

 

1. Ned Ryerson in GROUNDHOG DAY. Because of course.

 

BONUS: The unaired pilot episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He played the school principal, Mr. Flutie! There was also a different actress in the role of Willow! MIND. BLOWN. Of course it's on YouTube.

Something I Wrote Once About Dating When You're Plus Sized

I wrote this for the Bold Italic, for whom I had a short-lived freelance writing career. They wanted something honest about being my size and dating in Los Angeles. When they folded, it was returned to me to do as I wish. And then I suddenly found myself afraid to publish it so it's been in a folder for a few months. I don't know why, but I finally felt like sharing it. It's not really written like I'd write a blog post -- it's a little formal but my voice is still in there... 

Finding love is always challenging, but it’s especially hard in a city with tunnel-vision-like focus on appearance for someone who doesn’t match the high standards set for beauty in Los Angeles. 

LA is the national headquarters for the super-fit and the stunningly beautiful. Seemingly perfect-looking people flock here from all corners of the earth, whether for the lure of Hollywood glamour or the glorious weather and sprawling beaches. Perhaps the overflow of models, actresses, and beach bunnies is contributing to Los Angeles’s perpetually landing on lists like “Worst Cities for Women Looking to Marry.” Our “norm” is a practically unattainable standard.

I have never been “the norm.” I have been overweight all my adult life (see also heavy, curvy, voluptuous, fat, “BBW” — whatever term you want to use).

Being a single, overweight woman in Los Angeles, I learned early on that my dating life will never be normal. Not just because men (and women) treat you differently or because single women can be competitive, but because I am my own worst enemy. I impose the most rules, restrictions, and justifications in my life. As the chief lawmaker of my own village, I abide by a somewhat irrational code of conduct.

“If I wear this long jacket and stand just so, no one will even realize how overweight I am.”

“If the lighting at the restaurant is dim enough, I can totally get away with this top.”

“If I wear these heels, my legs will look slimmer. Who cares if my feet hurt like hell all night?”

“If I make self-deprecating jokes about the size of my ass and make him laugh, he’ll fall in love with my sense of humor.”

“If I show up later in the evening, all the beautiful people will have gone home.”

“If I show up earlier in the evening, all the beautiful people won’t be there yet.”

“If he isn’t interested, it’s fine — who meets their soulmate in a bar anyway?”

The list goes on.

In a very pragmatic way, it is also actually physically hard to meet someone in Los Angeles. Our bars and restaurants are crowded, and I hate being the big girl trying to squeeze into a booth or through the room. It’s downright tough to leverage myself into a cluster of people waiting for drinks at a bar. I fear bumping into chairs. The most embarrassing moment of my life? Asking a restaurant hostess to move my party to another table because I literally could not fit into it. Sometimes the skinny girl’s easy, fun night out in Hollywood is the fat girl’s night of stressful geographic strategy.

On a more personal level, I’ve found that oftentimes, men can be cruel. I’ve been on the receiving end of some rather shocking insults I never would have dreamt a person could say. One I’ll never forget: “Your shape is not desirable to me.” At least he tried to make it sound like a business transaction. Another I will never forget, but not because it was so tactful: “I would have sex with you, but I’d never be able to introduce you to my friends or family.” I’m not an alien! In fact, I happen to be a very friendly person with a solid sense of humor. But my big hips preclude me from being relationship material? I'm great for a roll in the hay but not to meet mom.

Nobody likes to be insulted, and when it’s super-cruel in this way, it’s utterly heartbreaking.

Would this happen in the Midwest? I honestly don’t know. But it happens here.

Some men assume that if you’re overweight, you are also desperate and use that as an excuse to treat you like dirt. Some prey on the vulnerability of heavy girls, hoping to get laid quickly and get out without any further commitments. Worse, some men are fetishists and like you in such a way that it’s actually creepy to be around them. Those are the guys who “really love a cuddler” and couldn’t care less about getting to know you. They hide behind compliments that are really back-handed insults like, “There’s so much more of you for me to squeeze.”

It’s hard to remember that if a guy’s a douchebag, I don’t want him anyway. Of course I don’t. But sometimes all I can remember is the sting of rejection, his cruel remark, or him looking through me to the skinny model in the corner. Similarly, it’s always hard to remember that I do not have to settle, that I am entitled to my happy ending just as much as the next girl, whatever size she may be. No law says I have to lower my standards, even though sometimes a guy will make me feel like I do. Your friends may make you feel that way too. I’ll never forget the time a friend implied that I should “keep to my own.” Since I am heavy, I guess I need to date a heavy guy. There’s a judgmental subtext there. I'm not allowed to be attracted to Chris Evans because he's fit. A skinny guy would never be attracted to a fat girl. That it’s wrong.

To be clear, I’ve dated guys of all shapes and sizes. 

In addition to passing judgment, people make assumptions about what I like, how I feel, and what I eat. It’s always strange and amusing when a man is shocked to learn that I’m successful in my career, drive a new car, live in a nice home, etc. As if my being plus sized has somehow earmarked me for failure in life across the board. Surely, I must sit at home eating ice cream all the time watching Mike & Molly reruns.

My bottom line on dating is actually what I imagine it would be for many people: never let anyone convince you that you’re not entitled to self-respect and pride because of an abnormality. And I think that in the end, what people fail to remember is that we all have our abnormalities — our flaws. Some of them are just out there for everyone to see. Skinny girls have their own struggles when searching for love too. And if we can remember that fact, we might be able to join forces in the battle instead of walking into a room and identifying anyone who’s different from us as a competitor.

I also find a little comfort in pop culture. Having people like Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell on prime-time TV, and seeing bloggers like The Militant Baker and The Curvy Fashionista ascend to mainstream popularity, makes me feel a little less abnormal. Brands like Michael Kors and Calvin Klein are providing fashion options for larger women that are on-trend. These things may not help me find a man, but they do help me smile. And the smile can help me find a man. 

But in the end, I don’t know if the happy ending I’m seeking will be in finding my soulmate. I think instead it might be feeling truly comfortable in my own skin, learning how to be patient, and letting go of some of my silly rules.