Dutch Crunch

Many times when I go to a deli for a custom sandwich, I opt for the Dutch crunch roll. Whatever the required treatment to get the top of the roll to do that, I enjoy the difference in texture. Sure, sometimes it cuts up the roof of my mouth, but it's all in the enjoyment of the sandwich.

The Whole Foods in Redwood City, however, apparently had different ideas about what the 'crunch' in Dutch crunch actually means. The whole roll was sort of soft and squishy, like you'd expect from a giant corporate bakery, rather than some local "micro-bakery". And the critical bit--the Dutch crunch--wasn't crunchy at all! Perhaps they decided in a kindler, gentler way, that the risk of me abrading the roof of my mouth with the top of the roll was of paramount importance. Whatever the reason for the wimpy Dutch, I confess I was a bit disappointed.

Hungry!

I can't ever remember being kept awake by a hungry stomach before, but last night, that was the case. I was up late geeking, and I had started to feel a rumble, and thought nothing of it. As I continued to toss and turn, my stomach became increasingly insistent. I gave in, ran downstairs for a snack and promptly fell asleep.

Traffic Control

Last Saturday, I was headed for University Village to meet up with some friends at the Ram. Back when I lived in Berkeley, I had a very good understanding (hard-won, mind you) of what roads and areas of town to avoid after a Cal football game. My plan was to avoid traffic snarls, restaurants suddenly jammed with people looking to get a bite before heading home, and knots of cars (fans of the visiting team) who have found themselves on unfamiliar roads.

Since I've moved to Seattle, I haven't spent enough time near campus to have a feel for the road and traffic changes that occur as Husky Stadium drains. My route to U-Village was via NE 65th St to 25th Ave NE. Traffic snarled up pretty badly on 65th eastbound, so I diverted up a couple of blocks north, then tried to come down 25th from there.

That's when I ran into two traffic control cops. They had made 25th Ave NW into a one-way affair, heading north. I was required to turn left (east) onto 65th and then head to U-Village the back way, past TiCycles. But as I waited to turn left (through several cycles of the light) I was quietly amused by the reactions of drivers coming the opposite direction. Many tried to stop at the red light they were facing, despite repeated urging by the officers. Some came to the intersection with their left turn signal blinking; the officers shook their heads and kept waving them through. The reactions of these drivers were the best! Some of them looked vexed, as if to say "that was the only route I knew back to the freeway!" Others simply turned off their blinkers and kept going. The most amusing ones were those who looked upset or angry, as if the cops had some vendetta to carry out. I even saw one guy who was flinging obscenities, if my lip-reading skill is any good. That's going to get you nowhere fast!

Slurpy Foods

I just got back from dinner. I went down to Thaiku and had some noodly concoction with a yellow curry and coconut milk sauce. I thought I did OK at dinner, but the restaurant was dimly lit; in the full light of my house, I realized that I had tagged myself in a few places. White t-shirt. Just put on out of the shower. Great. But that's not the part that gets me.

Nope, I know I'm a sloppy eater. I have other t-shirts I can wear. The "victim" shirt is white, so I could bleach it if the food stains proved stubborn. No, what bugs me is the fact that I had just started a load of whites before I left the house to go eat. Doh.

Cake

Finally, the cake is gone!

Aww, man. The cake is gone.