The Pig-n-Fig at Earl's Gourmet Grub (Mar Vista, CA)
There are exactly two classes and one final exam between me and graduation. Until bar prep begins, I'm enjoying the sunshine! Eating outdoors! Taking long drives! Going to the beach! I've celebrated a friend's birthday outdoors, stood next to Joy the Baker at Whole Foods and was too scared to say hi (she confirmed via Twitter that it was in fact her), tended to my balcony plants, and chatted with Yvonne and Dean, the warm, wonderful people behind Earl's Gourmet Grub.
Liz said LA rewards people who stay here a long time and make the effort to explore (sorry, Liz, I'm paraphrasing). So true.
This relaxed mood has made me wonder how to improve this blog. Sometimes reading my own posts bores me. That can't be good. But I found some inspiration on the internets (see below) and came up with a few new goals:
1. Loosen up. Don't let a fear of runaway sentences (as opposed to run-on), incorrect grammar, and misspellings dominate. Value substance over style, expression over efficiency. Attempt, don't avoid.
2. Don't imitate others. Top ten lists, how-to instructionals, recipe roundups, and scheduled features. They might increase traffic, but all I want to do is to create something I find interesting and worth reading.
3. Have a sense of humor. I have one, it just comes out in strange ways, and to be frank, you probably wouldn't think I'm very funny. And have you ever tried writing humor? Not easy. Well, if I can't be funny, then I'll at least appreciate other people's skills. Bon Appetempt is my personal gold standard. Funny without strain, pretense, or snark.
Read, Watch, Eat:
- A Rogue Chef Tells All, Gabrielle Hamilton, Food & Wine. I hate the title, but the article is good. This bit stuck: "When I hear about a chef reaming out his staff, I can only think that he could use a good day off. If his menu looks exactly like a dozen others in town, all $40 foie gras and wild baby whatever, and his tables are empty, he needs to get out and see the eager people queuing up for a Nathan's frank and let that spark his imagination."
- The Twee Party, Benjamin Wallace, NY Mag. A verbal playground for adults and foodies. A true mirror turned on society, if you will (yes, I'm joking, and speaking of overused phrases, read this). I both laughed and cringed while reading this one.
- Ten (Super Rad) Blog Post Ideas, Joy the Baker. Bloggers who help other bloggers are, without question, good people. Even though these tips conflict with Goal #2 above, I still think helping other people is good.
- Bon Appetempt Goes to Paris. Am I really about to say that this is my favorite food blog? Well, no other name comes to mind quickly, so this must be it. Amelia Morris won best culinary essay in Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards last year, and this year, she has been nominated for best food humor blog. She has that ability to combine top-notch food (think Thomas Keller) with real talk and humor. For example, have you seen her music video, modeled after Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend?
