I stayed up late again last night watching Man v. Food episodes; I think my nocturnal nature is starting to come full-circle. When I woke up, I fully expected it to be afternoon. Colored me surprised when I discovered it was just after 10a. Not wanting to waste the day, I grabbed a shower and continued with my plan: The Tech.
The Tech Museum of Innovation is kind of a fledgling geek's paradise. A modern-day science museum, it has plenty to teach while keeping the attention of child and adult alike. The earthquake platform, face-drawing robot, 3D scanner, and roller coaster creator were the more popular attractions as I wandered through today. I've been here once with my girlfriend, her husband, and a friend of theirs, but it was nice seeing everything again at my own pace. I opted not to partake of an IMAX film; my stomach was already a bit queasy and the motion sickness would certainly *not* have helped. Instead, I attended the Genghis Khan exhibit.
I'd heard tales of how Genghis Khan was a terrible, evil man. I was floored to discover that there was another side to him, it seems, that tends to be avoided by the history books. The exhibit not only touched upon his life as both a warlord and a politician but also on the Mongol empire and some of their history and culture. We had the pleasure of watching a young Mongolian woman perform a dance of her people and the most interesting artifact on display is the skeletal remains of what was believed to be a Mongolian aristocrat. The exhibit was amazing, though a bit pricey at $22 for a student but it included standard museum admission and thus wasn't a terrible deal. I even had a lovely chat with the young lady who was taking care of the souvenir section about being young, pregnancy, children, and younger sisters. It was wonderful chatting with you, Amanda, and I wish you all of the best.
I'd only had some cereal bars for breakfast so by the time I wandered out of the museum gift shop (with a brand new Geek guide to the Silicon Valley in hand), I was starving. My first impulse was Billy Berk's, as I'd seen their Happy Hour advertisement outside their doors. The prices, however, seemed a bit steep and my understanding is that their appetizers are intended to be sharing size. I didn't have anyone to share them with, so I wandered north along First and happened into a restaurant called Bella Mia's. They claimed they had a Happy Hour on their front door, but wherever it was, I couldn't find it. I had a drink and wandered up the street to the Tandoori Oven who I had passed earlier and also claimed to have a Happy Hour. Mmm, chicken saag.
Happily overstuffed, I made my way north and east to Loves Cupcakes and was pleased to find they were open. The lady and gentleman at the counter were extremely friendly and their cupcakes looked delicious. I ordered a half dozen minis to bring home, then stopped into Safeway for girl beer and Ben and Jerry's Phish Food. I expect I'll be ill tomorrow.
Tonight's plan? I don't really have one. I could go see Twilight: Eclipse in the IMAX I suppose, but I'll likely just stay home and enjoy more Man v. Food, my delicious cupcakes, ice cream, and girl beer. Did I mention I'll be ill tomorrow?
Reviews
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Bella Mia RestaurantItalian
$$$
The exterior looked nice and cozy, I was thinking more of a mom-and-pop style bistro or something. It seems they're mainly a full-scale, fancy Italian restaurant. There was no one in the bar area and the maître d' was on the phone when I entered. I took a seat, but it was a while before the bartender arrived.
The 'Happy Hour' that they claimed to have in their window didn't seem to exist past draft beer and their prices were overkill for drinks. $8.50 for a 'Passiontini' that was simply flavored vodka and lemonade? It didn't even taste that great and the bartender didn't sugar my rim. In fact, the bartender didn't even know what the drink was, as he kept looking at the menu to see what was in it. It seemed he was brand new. He looked very much out of his element, didn't know where things were behind the bar, and I overheard the maître d' explaining their sad excuse for a Happy Hour to him, otherwise I would never had known myself. Who knows, maybe the Passiontini is actually worth its crazy price, but the version I enjoyed certainly was not.
I can't review their food as I didn't bother to stick around that long. A glance at the menu, however, was more than enough to tell me that I probably wouldn't ever be having dinner there while on this trip. $12 'small bites' appetizers? No thanks, I'd rather go over to Billy Berk's where at least their portions sound sharable for that price.
Tandoori OvenIndian
The building in which I worked for the last four years sits across the street from a parking lot which hosts what I lovingly call "Card Food Row". Mexican, Thai, European, Vegetarian, Indian--they have it all and my husband tells me they've even opened up a vegetarian "Soul Food" cart over there. One cart in particular has always help my attention on Thursdays where the meat special is chicken saag. Even though the immense amount of spinach is pretty much a laxative, it's so good I consume it on what is normally a weekly basis.
I was really craving Chicken Saag and Tandoori Oven delivered. They have some lovely patio seating but the inside is brightly painted and decorated and the boots are cozy. Their Happy Hour specials consist of half price beer, wine, and most appetizers, as well as a Summer special of $5.00 for all à la carte offerings. I didn't even realize the last special until after I was told my total and I'm certainly not complaining.
Their chicken saag is more of a traditional curry where the sauce is a bit more fluid than the saag I'd grown to love. It was also a bit more spicy, even in a mild form. The sauce actually soaked into the naan quite well. Oh, the naan! The bottom was lightly crisped and the edges were thick and soft while the interior was thin and delicate. I ordered a second piece to finish off my sauce, it was just that amazing.
Since I'd already had a drink I did not imbibe in their wine and beer offerings (not that I'm a huge fan of most of either), but at half price, I'm sure they'd be more than reasonable for someone of more of a mind toward them. They didn't offer pakora but that's the only shortcoming I could find. If you're in the mood for reasonable Indian food, this is a great place.
Loves CupcakesCupcakes
$$
Mmm, cupcakes. We had our wedding cupcakes made by a splendid local cupcakerie called Cupcake Jones and we've been fans of theirs for over a year now. I'm not sure how I heard about Loves Cupcakes but I knew I had to try them and today was my chance. Overall, I found the similarities between Cupcake Jones and Loves Cupcakes almost scary. Both small storefronts host a few spots for chowing down and cupcakes in both large and normal/jumbo sizes. Both make their cupcakes from scratch every day, using exceptional ingredients and local ones when available, and donate their leftover cupcakes to local food banks each night. Oh, and both will do weddings, parties, and custom orders. And did I mention Frosting Shots? I asked the young lady at Loves Cupcakes if they were familiar with Cupcake Jones; she wasn't but is heading to Oregon this week! Crazy.
They each have their own niches, however; Cupcake Jones specializes in filled cupcakes while Loves Cupcakes specializes in what they call Cupcake Truffles and "Cupcake on a Stick"s. I haven't tried either yet but if I can manage it, I will, oh I will. Their 'normal' cupcakes, however, are top-notch. The young lady slipped me a mini Fleur de Sal after I purchased my half-dozen to take home. The icing was decadent but not at all heavy, the homemade caramel had just the right amount of salt to counter the sweet, and the cake itself had the perfect amount of 'sproing' and very little crumble. I don't know that the six-pack will last the night at this rate! In fact, I'm finishing this up quickly so that I can go get started on them.
Prices for these gourmet cupcakes are higher than what you'd pay for cupcakes from Safeway or WalMart, but I assure you that you get what you pay for. Loves Cupcakes has great service and great sweets.
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