Sunday, November 16, 2008
Orient Express
(A Hamburgerland restaurant review.)
(I know, it's incongruous to have a review of an Asian restaurant on a blog called Hamburgerland. Maybe one of these days, I'll get around to reviewing hamburgers. Yeah, one of these days...)
Ugh, ngóh báau lak. We just got back from dinner at The Orient Express, a new Asian restaurant in town. If you know Seattle, you might have driven past Andy's Diner on Fourth Avenue South. For those of you from other lands, Andy's was a classic greasy spoon diner located in a number of railroad cars. The food was so-so, but the ambiance was great--small tables squeezed into a passenger car, the walls festooned with railroad photos and paraphernalia. But Andy's Diner, alas, shut down a while back. The doors were locked shut and a temporary chain-link fence sprouted up around the cars. My family and I mourned it's loss and wondered if this south end landmark would go the way of the Twin Teepees restaurant of days past.
Well, one day, not so long ago, I drove past Andy's and saw that the railroad cars had been painted bright green and orange. I wondered if this was graffiti gone amok, or if it was the prelude to some sort of demolition process. (I can take a pessimistic view of life at times.) A week or two later, I discovered that it was quite the opposite. Someone had affixed Chinese characters onto the restaurant's sign. A day or two later, the English side of the sign went up--Orient Express. We were delighted that the place had found new life and curious as to what kind of place it would be. A take out joint? A buffet? Dim sum? We were hoping it would open up by my birthday, so we could we could fit a trip to the restaurant into our very limited dining budget. However, my natal day came and went before the grand opening (I pigged out at Red Robin instead) so it looked like we weren't going to check the joint out anytime soon. Shows how much we knew. After this busy weekend and all the overtime I put in, we figured a restaurant treat was in order.
So how was our dining experience? Quite good actually. We first encountered the restaurant's ambiance. The owners of the Orient Express really didn't make too much effort to remodel. It was basically Andy's Diner with new booths, a fish tank at the entrance and a shrine where Andy's cashier used to be. The train pictures are still hanging and the 1950's flatware still adorns the tables. The food, of course, is totally different. Orient Express' menu has both a Thai and Chinese section. We pretty much went Chinese, ordering pot stickers, Kung Pao chicken, Szechwan string beans, stir fried beef and noodles and a beef-onion-ginger dish. We also ordered a Thai appetizer--satay chicken skewers with peanut sauce. It was all delightful, almost as if we were back in Yunnan. (I even had a moment when I accidentally gobbled up a chunk of pepper with the seeds in it. Tears running down my cheek, I desperately shoveled rice into my mouth to try and ease the burning.)
The best surprise was at the end. We got our bill and discovered that we had come on the last day of Orient Express' grand opening promotion--20% off the bill. Even without the discount, the price was quite reasonable. Dinner would have cost our family of four around $50. We left with full tummies and two doggie bags. My only complaint was trying to eat such fare with Andy's big old forks. Those utensils were great on steak and potatoes, but next time I'm either going to ask for a spoon to eat Thai style or chopsticks to eat Chinese.
(I know, it's incongruous to have a review of an Asian restaurant on a blog called Hamburgerland. Maybe one of these days, I'll get around to reviewing hamburgers. Yeah, one of these days...)
Well, one day, not so long ago, I drove past Andy's and saw that the railroad cars had been painted bright green and orange. I wondered if this was graffiti gone amok, or if it was the prelude to some sort of demolition process. (I can take a pessimistic view of life at times.) A week or two later, I discovered that it was quite the opposite. Someone had affixed Chinese characters onto the restaurant's sign. A day or two later, the English side of the sign went up--Orient Express. We were delighted that the place had found new life and curious as to what kind of place it would be. A take out joint? A buffet? Dim sum? We were hoping it would open up by my birthday, so we could we could fit a trip to the restaurant into our very limited dining budget. However, my natal day came and went before the grand opening (I pigged out at Red Robin instead) so it looked like we weren't going to check the joint out anytime soon. Shows how much we knew. After this busy weekend and all the overtime I put in, we figured a restaurant treat was in order.
So how was our dining experience? Quite good actually. We first encountered the restaurant's ambiance. The owners of the Orient Express really didn't make too much effort to remodel. It was basically Andy's Diner with new booths, a fish tank at the entrance and a shrine where Andy's cashier used to be. The train pictures are still hanging and the 1950's flatware still adorns the tables. The food, of course, is totally different. Orient Express' menu has both a Thai and Chinese section. We pretty much went Chinese, ordering pot stickers, Kung Pao chicken, Szechwan string beans, stir fried beef and noodles and a beef-onion-ginger dish. We also ordered a Thai appetizer--satay chicken skewers with peanut sauce. It was all delightful, almost as if we were back in Yunnan. (I even had a moment when I accidentally gobbled up a chunk of pepper with the seeds in it. Tears running down my cheek, I desperately shoveled rice into my mouth to try and ease the burning.)
The best surprise was at the end. We got our bill and discovered that we had come on the last day of Orient Express' grand opening promotion--20% off the bill. Even without the discount, the price was quite reasonable. Dinner would have cost our family of four around $50. We left with full tummies and two doggie bags. My only complaint was trying to eat such fare with Andy's big old forks. Those utensils were great on steak and potatoes, but next time I'm either going to ask for a spoon to eat Thai style or chopsticks to eat Chinese.
Labels: life, restaurant, review, Seattle, SouthSeattle
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Fame
Ooooh wow! I got my name in the paper! A few weeks back, we had a little discussion on our neighborhood listserv over the use of the term "BeHi" as a nickname for Beacon Hill. Well, it turns out that yesterday was a slow news day and the Seattle Times ran an article on the gent who came up with the moniker. The author of the article also lifted my listserv posting in its entirety. Now I'm aglow with my new found fame.
Last I checked, the responses to the article are nigh unanimous in their distaste of the nickname. Either "BeHi" is not as popular as the article makes it out to be, or the "BeHi" faction were out enjoying the sunshine. I mean, if I was younger, hipper, more urban, had a sense of humor and didn't take life too seriously, I suppose I'd be out there too.
Last I checked, the responses to the article are nigh unanimous in their distaste of the nickname. Either "BeHi" is not as popular as the article makes it out to be, or the "BeHi" faction were out enjoying the sunshine. I mean, if I was younger, hipper, more urban, had a sense of humor and didn't take life too seriously, I suppose I'd be out there too.
Labels: BeaconHill, commentary, Seattle
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Ars Gratia Artis
Yesterday we went with Coffee to receive her award for that arts contest she won. Turns out that I don't need to be quite so jealous. Even though she won first place in the teen prose category, there was only one award given out in that category. Hmmmmm. Well, I still liked her piece. And besides the handy dandy certificate (suitable for framing) she won a free lunch or dinner for two at Roy's B-B-Q. I suppose in a show of South Seattle arts community solidarity we should have had supper there right away. Instead we scooted over to Georgetown and had a celebratory dinner at Herfy's. I suppose that's better than driving over to Factoria Mall for eats.
I was tempted to think, before the ceremony, that I was going to be wasting two hours' time and six dollars admission just to watch the kid receive her reward. But the reality is, I had a pretty good time. Sure, there are better poets, writers and photographers out there--but it was enjoyable to connect with these local kids and adults and listen to what they had to share with us. There's a lot of little community events like this out there, and I was thinking to myself that I really should take the time to experience them more often.
On the other hand, enjoying the local arts carries a greater risk than just popping in a video or joining the masses at some major concert venue. Meeting local artists runs the risk of establishing local relationships. For example, the other week we accompanied the child to her Washington Old Time Fiddler's meeting. Over the potluck lunch, we struck up conversation with the folks at our table. That led to a couple of the guys there were trying to get me to join the performances. (As a singer, that is, not a fiddler.) We don't want to go there. At least, not until I can perfect singing with a twang....
I was tempted to think, before the ceremony, that I was going to be wasting two hours' time and six dollars admission just to watch the kid receive her reward. But the reality is, I had a pretty good time. Sure, there are better poets, writers and photographers out there--but it was enjoyable to connect with these local kids and adults and listen to what they had to share with us. There's a lot of little community events like this out there, and I was thinking to myself that I really should take the time to experience them more often.
On the other hand, enjoying the local arts carries a greater risk than just popping in a video or joining the masses at some major concert venue. Meeting local artists runs the risk of establishing local relationships. For example, the other week we accompanied the child to her Washington Old Time Fiddler's meeting. Over the potluck lunch, we struck up conversation with the folks at our table. That led to a couple of the guys there were trying to get me to join the performances. (As a singer, that is, not a fiddler.) We don't want to go there. At least, not until I can perfect singing with a twang....
Labels: dining, family, life, Seattle, SouthSeattle
Monday, February 18, 2008
Commuter
I took the long way home from work this afternoon. In honor of Presidents' Day, Noodles and the girls took the car and drove up to Mt. Rainier for some snowshoeing. This left me with the choice of either Metro transit or my own two feet to carry me home. Since it was a sunny day and I don't get enough exercise, I chose the latter. This is the first time I've walked home from work since 1991. Of course, back then it was a less than five minute walk. Today's commute took me about an hour.
There are many pleasant routes in this here city for walking. I don't know if the route from Georgetown to North Beacon Hill is one of them. I mean, it's not horrible. There are sidewalks all the way, which is a big plus. But the scenery is a bit lacking. The first leg of my journey mostly followed Fourth Avenue South. There are a few businesses along the way, but unlike the pedestrian friendly storefronts like you might find in Ballard, they're all pretty much non-descript. Then you get to climb an artificial hill as the road bridges over the train yards. Seeing the Sounder train pass beneath your feet is somewhat less satisfying than a scenic, rushing river. And looking down upon people lined up to buy gas at Costco, while definitely a Northwest scene, lacks a certain... majesty. On the positive side however, I was nigh alone on the sidewalk and, with all the traffic noise, I was able to start singing to myself without disturbing anyone. (Now if only I knew the words to more than two or three songs....)
At Spokane Street, I hung a right. Of the three choices I have to ascend Beacon Hill, Spokane Street was the most direct. Spokane Street has the distinction of being the least and most interesting part of the walk. On one hand, it was definitely not designed for pedestrians. The sidewalk lies in the shadow of the viaduct up until Airport Way, and before you geth there, you have to weave around the ramps to and from I-5. Then there's... the stairway. A flight of concrete steps that takes you up from the tideflats, along Columbian Way to, well, Spokane Street. It's a good, aerobic climb. (one that would have been daunting before I went through the Yunnan Diet and Fitness Program)
(I also had a bit of good fortune on that stretch. A number of weeks back I took a stroll down that particular hill and stairway. As I walked along Columbian Way, I noticed a discarded paper cup advertising a place that sold "Chicago Style Hot Dogs". As one who sorely misses that particular delicacy, I stopped and investigated the bit of litter. I took note of the url printed on the cup and determined to check it out to see if it was from a local establishment or if some traveller from Oregon had waited until reaching Seattle before tossing out their trash. Unfortunately, I misplaced my mental note of the restaurant's name and so was left in ignorance. Today, however, I was able to examine the same piece of trash and discover that it was from Woody's Hot Dogs--an upscale establishment apparently located at many Lowe's hardware stores in the Seattle area. (Just not the one in my neighborhood. Rats.))(Um, no, I, uh, didn't take the cup with me and put it in a proper container. Guess I should have done that, huh? Maybe next time I walk that way.)
Once I got to the upper Spokane Street, I was back in the 'hood. The journey was pretty routine as I traversed streets that were all too familiar. Boring, even. (Though I suppose it's better than a treadmill in a gym.) The only thing of note was when I passed a guy talking on his cell on 14th Avenue. He was speaking rather loudly, talking about filing some class action suit in Federal Court on behalf of himself and his friends. He looked nothing like a lawyer, so I suspect he was blowing smoke. However, he's probably more able to accomplish such a goal than I would ever be, so I really should behold judgment.
I finally arrived home at 4:31 p.m. It was a great workout and only took about fifteen minutes longer than taking the bus would have. Of course, having a sunny day made all the difference in the world....
There are many pleasant routes in this here city for walking. I don't know if the route from Georgetown to North Beacon Hill is one of them. I mean, it's not horrible. There are sidewalks all the way, which is a big plus. But the scenery is a bit lacking. The first leg of my journey mostly followed Fourth Avenue South. There are a few businesses along the way, but unlike the pedestrian friendly storefronts like you might find in Ballard, they're all pretty much non-descript. Then you get to climb an artificial hill as the road bridges over the train yards. Seeing the Sounder train pass beneath your feet is somewhat less satisfying than a scenic, rushing river. And looking down upon people lined up to buy gas at Costco, while definitely a Northwest scene, lacks a certain... majesty. On the positive side however, I was nigh alone on the sidewalk and, with all the traffic noise, I was able to start singing to myself without disturbing anyone. (Now if only I knew the words to more than two or three songs....)
At Spokane Street, I hung a right. Of the three choices I have to ascend Beacon Hill, Spokane Street was the most direct. Spokane Street has the distinction of being the least and most interesting part of the walk. On one hand, it was definitely not designed for pedestrians. The sidewalk lies in the shadow of the viaduct up until Airport Way, and before you geth there, you have to weave around the ramps to and from I-5. Then there's... the stairway. A flight of concrete steps that takes you up from the tideflats, along Columbian Way to, well, Spokane Street. It's a good, aerobic climb. (one that would have been daunting before I went through the Yunnan Diet and Fitness Program)
(I also had a bit of good fortune on that stretch. A number of weeks back I took a stroll down that particular hill and stairway. As I walked along Columbian Way, I noticed a discarded paper cup advertising a place that sold "Chicago Style Hot Dogs". As one who sorely misses that particular delicacy, I stopped and investigated the bit of litter. I took note of the url printed on the cup and determined to check it out to see if it was from a local establishment or if some traveller from Oregon had waited until reaching Seattle before tossing out their trash. Unfortunately, I misplaced my mental note of the restaurant's name and so was left in ignorance. Today, however, I was able to examine the same piece of trash and discover that it was from Woody's Hot Dogs--an upscale establishment apparently located at many Lowe's hardware stores in the Seattle area. (Just not the one in my neighborhood. Rats.))(Um, no, I, uh, didn't take the cup with me and put it in a proper container. Guess I should have done that, huh? Maybe next time I walk that way.)
Once I got to the upper Spokane Street, I was back in the 'hood. The journey was pretty routine as I traversed streets that were all too familiar. Boring, even. (Though I suppose it's better than a treadmill in a gym.) The only thing of note was when I passed a guy talking on his cell on 14th Avenue. He was speaking rather loudly, talking about filing some class action suit in Federal Court on behalf of himself and his friends. He looked nothing like a lawyer, so I suspect he was blowing smoke. However, he's probably more able to accomplish such a goal than I would ever be, so I really should behold judgment.
I finally arrived home at 4:31 p.m. It was a great workout and only took about fifteen minutes longer than taking the bus would have. Of course, having a sunny day made all the difference in the world....
Labels: BeaconHill, commuting, hotdogs, life, litter, Seattle, walking
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Signs, signs
I saw an odd thing today. While we were walking down the hill today, we saw that someone had defaced a number of real estate signs. A real estate agent name of Henry Ung had placed a bunch of little green signs on a number of corners along College St., I guess directing people to various homes he's selling. One of the neighbors apparently is honked off about this and took it upon themselves to paste bright magenta stickers over Henry's name and number. The sticker offers a wordy diatribe addressed to Mr. Ung, railing against his "offensive" and "illegal" signs. Now while I hardly think that the real estate signs beautify the 'hood, I don't really think the magenta stickers improve the landscape much. I mean, I always figured that signage was just part of the urban environment, like cars parked along the street and bus stops. Anyway, I don't understand why, if those little signs are so offensive, the offended neighbor just didn't remove all the illegal signs. They could have just dumped them at Mr. Ung's office door. (I should note that they had already attempted to contact Mr. Ung directly. He didn't return the calls.) Or, to be really nasty, they could have just moved all the signs so that they directed Seattle's home buyers to Mr. Ung's own residence. Oh, well. I guess I'll never understand activists.
Labels: BeaconHill, life, neighbors, Seattle
