ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Why, oh, why? That's what I keep asking myself. Did I have to fork over $7 for a chicken bánh mì that Alaska Airlines was offering for sale on my flight from Los Angeles to Seattle? Maybe I can be excused when Los Angeles International Airport has what must be the crappiest food service options... Continue Reading →
Hawaiian Airlines proudly boasts that it’s the only carrier that serves complimentary meals at mealtime on all its domestic flights. Not only that, the promise is for a meal that is island-inspired. Hawaiian even goes so far as to name its executive chef, Chai Chaowasaree (who helms Pacifica Honolulu in Waikiki), suggestive of a Hawaiian-themed breakfast to... Continue Reading →
Air New Zealand has a Premium Economy (PE) class that the airline touted as a significant step forward in comfort and service for economy passengers when introduced in 2010. Is it worth the more-than-double fare over economy? On a flight between Los Angeles and Auckland, my wife and I upgraded to PE. I’ll explain how below.... Continue Reading →
I often wonder, is seafood safe to eat anymore? Out there in our waterways floats a vast stew of toxins, the worst offenders being heavy metals and chemicals from industrial pollution, not to mention dangerous amounts of radioactive isotopes from Fukushima-like disasters. Unlike soil, whatever gets dumped into the oceans spreads far and wide, only... Continue Reading →
I am a big fan of Trader Joe's. It's my go-to store when I go shopping. Why? Because they have great values, no sale prices to worry about, have an increasing inventory of organic foods at excellent prices, and amazing variety for a store of its size. Furthermore, very few of their products have artificial... Continue Reading →
I came across this interesting article on an experience that most of us would prefer not to think about too seriously: eating airline food. It posed the question whether it was truly horrible or is it that we expect it to be. It turns out that one big physiological problem to be overcome is the... Continue Reading →
Millions of people love it. Taystee, a character in Netflix's made-for-TV drama, "Orange Is the New Black," wanted it for the prison. It's everywhere. From the looks of it, this condiment is almost as ubiquitous as ketchup, even appearing in non-Asian restaurants and doubtless millions of homes. Huy Fong Foods' sriracha sauce, more familiarly known... Continue Reading →
"Want ground beef and cheese with your ramen?" This question you don't ever expect to hear at a ramen restaurant. At least, for now anyway. But can it be that far behind when the latest craze of Japanifying popular American food is the ramen burger? Yep, that's right, a ground beef patty sandwiched between two... Continue Reading →
I've thought long about whether I should do this post. The subject has bothered me for some time since it affects me—or, I should say, members of my family—personally. The astronomically high cost-of-living in New Zealand. How do the Kiwis do it? It's been getting more expensive to live there year by year. Wages haven't... Continue Reading →
Yesterday's news that a large 6.5 earthquake hit Wellington, New Zealand's capital, following a 5.7 rattler only two days before, was yet another reminder that New Zealand remains seismically active. When I was here earlier in the year, Mt Tongariro on the North Island erupted. Volcanic activity and sudden earth movement are alive and well... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 