Gig 'em Aggies: TAMU vs Bama

I'm a bit of an anomaly in College Station. I generally follow football only if it's convenient to do so.  In over 10 years I've attended 2 games. Both when friends just weren't going to use their tickets at the last minute for night games. And I've had just a little exposure to Aggie tailgating.  So today I decided to go out there for the Alabama game, one where it's reported that up to 100,000+ extra people will be coming into College Station to attend, and check out the game day machine.

It might seem strange to cover this on a food blog, but I didn't attend the game. It's still going on. I just went to check out the awesomeness that is tailgating in Texas.  So without further ado I'll keep quiet and let my pictures do the talking. Enjoy!

I got to campus using the free bus service from Post Oak Mall. Buses go to and from the mall close to JC Penney.

Members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets march in before the game.

Former students will notice something missing in this picture: an entire building was recently removed.

Outside the Memorial Student Center just before march in.

Lots of food choices for sports fans.  Sandwiches is crossed out because they ran out of bread.

Fajitas

Fudruckers

Large crowds of mostly maroon. One Bama fan complained that it was "like a maroon wall".  It's important to note that everyone was extremely friendly regardless of the colors worn.

Well we are an agriculturally-based school. 

This was a multi-big-sponsor "fan experience". I found it annoying they packed up as soon as the game started.  It would have been nice to be able to watch the game on that big tv.

The Heisman is kind of a big deal.  It was on display inside this make-shift building.

Tailgates, tailgates everywhere.

Weather Underground says that it's 89F and feels like 95F. Actually it feels much hotter.  And these kids have the right idea.

It's tradition to have games such as this at the tailgates.

There are some seriously good spreads at some of the tailgates.

Seriously impressive spreads.

It is not uncommon to find flat-screen TVs among the tailgates.

 

Digital TV and internet

It's difficult to photograph the RV city that goes up before every game. However this is what several parking lots across campus look like before and during every home game.

The more undergrads change the more they stay the same. LOL!

Looks like a canon, but it's a grill. 

Insider tip: if you get overheated, as I did when I was over near Reed Arena, head over to the Student Rec Center.  Lots of TVs and A/C.

The snack bar in the Rec is now a Smoothie King.  A medium strawberry kiwi smoothie hit the spot, cooled me down, and kept me from overheating again the rest of the time I walked around campus.

Back at Kyle Field, each of the TAMU's former mascots is buried just outside of Kyle Field after they cross the Rainbow Bridge.  They get their own scoreboard so that they can keep track of the team. 

Just as I was walking by TAMU made a TD.

Tent city in Spencer Park

It's kind of freaky to see inside the stadium while people are on the upper deck.

Non-ticket holders can still get an interesting view...for now.  This will change with the renovations.

At this point I was too warm to stay outside so I headed home on the shuttle.  Right now the Aggies are behind 42-21. We all know that Ags don't lose, they just run out of time. Let's hope they can pick things up and not run out of time.  

Gig 'em Aggies!  Whoop!

Cocoamoda: Chocolates

Update (2/3/16): For more current blog posts regarding Cocoamoda, please go here. To order chocolates online (highly recommended) go to their website. The chocolate shop is still open, with reduced hours: Wednesdays through Sundays 10 am - 6 pm. The chocolates are still being made by hand each day. For updates regarding Chef Ken's accident and recovery visit his CaringBridge blog or the business' facebook page. They will not have weekend dinner service until Chef Ken fully recovers.

Original Blog Post:

Recently my folks came to Texas to visit The Lovely Spouse and I.  We live in a small town so we struggled with the eternal question of what to do when we don't want to travel far.  On this particular trip we decided to visit another small town about 20 minutes away: Calvert, TX.

The small town of Calvert, TX. Most people only see it from their cars along Highway 6.

Calvert is home to a chocolatier whom we had heard was one of the best in the world. So we had to find out for ourselves.

Cocoamoda stands out as you drive from the South heading North on  highway 6.  Also, watch out for the construction  Calvert's in the process of getting a make-over.

Cocoamoda is located on a corner of Main Street, also known as Highway 6, running straight through the middle of town. The town is so small, that if you miss it, park your car and walk around until you find it.

Cocoamoda also has a garden cafe out the back.  I'm told special events are often hosted there.

We visited on a Sunday afternoon, when not much else was open.  And upon entering were greeted by the chocolatier and chef himself: Ken Wilkinson.  And a gorgeous restaurant space in a lovingly restored historical building.  There were very few people in there the day we visited, however the very personable Chef Wilkinson put us at ease and talked with us while we enjoyed an afternoon tea.  We learned that Chef had been a television chef on a syndicated show called Cable Cookery in the 80s.  We also learned about all of the wonderfully flavorful chocolates available at the shop.

Chef Ken Wilkinson is a natural at hospitality.

The lovely dining room on a Sunday afternoon.

So how do I rate the chocolate?  The best I've had anywhere, hands down.  Better than the best chocolate I've had in Italy, imported from anywhere in Europe, or available anywhere else in the US.  Perfectly tempered chocolate.  Fillings made with all natural, real ingredients, not artificial extracts (nothing wrong with artificial flavors, but  you can tell the difference).  The key lime truffles tasted like actual limes, blended beautifully with smooth white chocolate.  The lavender truffles were filled with real lavender, with its herbal twang and accented with white chocolate.  The blackberry truffles had a smooth blackberry gelee inside and were enrobed in a perfectly complementary blend of dark chocolate.  The milk and honey truffles beat any milk chocolate truffle on the planet for creamy smooth texture and delicate taste.  All unbelievably for around $3 a truffle.

Yummy chocolates. 

And the tea?  We stayed for a proper tea.  The Lovely Spouse and I elected to try an herbal sage infusion recommended by the Chef.  We will be having fresh sage tea in the future.  It was lovely.  If you enjoy the flavor and aroma of fresh sage it can't be beat.  Mom had a "regular" English tea which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Sage tea.  Surprisingly complex.

Will we be back?  YES! We've made reservations for an anniversary dinner there.  Chef Wilkinson is also a classically trained chef who hosts dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings. The menu is what he decides to serve for the week.  Based upon what I saw on his facebook page, it's all amazing.

I highly recommend Cocoamoda.  You won't be disappointed.  Please check their website for hours of operation. If you can't make it to Calvert, TX you can also purchase their awesome creations on their website.

Chocolate: where it all starts. 

Shopping for a Gym in B/CS

Image source.

I've been asked how it is I can enjoy food so very much and yet stay healthy.  I love to work out - it's a reward for a hard day's work, not punishment for anything.

Anyways, with graduation quickly approaching I'm shopping for a new gym.  Requirements: must be within a reasonable distance of home, have reasonable rates, and have the equipment I need.  Mostly I need a power rack or squat rack with spotting arms. Here's what I've learned from free 7 day trial memberships to the ones that fit that description.

Aggieland Fitness Dome

Pros: perfect location, not too busy, and the clientele involve very few of that species I refer to as "dudebro". Very clean and well-maintained. Nice locker room with free lockers. Unlimited use of most fitness classes come with the membership. Nice and professional staff. Generally supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere.

Cons: a bit expensive and bench press racks do not have spotting arms.

$55 initiation fee (for the no-personal-trainer option) and $40, $45, or $50 per month depending on 2 year, 1 year or month-to-month memberships.

Anytime Fitness

Pros: good location, never overly busy, very nice staff, 24/7 access, everything is brand new, very clean. 2 power cages and an olympic platform, as well as bumper plates.  The other clients are nice enough. No need for lockers because of close proximity to car.

Cons: direct sunlight if you workout during the busy time of ~5-8 pm.  It's very bright and consistently gave me a headache.  Additionally since they very recently opened they only have 2 barbells for the entire facility. The power cages are used for bench press (no bench press racks), squats, and deadlifts and people cannot work in because there are only 2 barbells. I was there on Monday and there was a log jam in the gym...with only a handful of people there.

$100 initiation fee (currently waived as part of a special) + $49 for an electronic key + $35 or $40 per month depending on 18-month or 12-month membership + $25 annual improvement fee. They plan on purchasing more equipment as time goes on.  And they have only been open since January 2013. I'm sure the facility will improve with time.

Gold's Gym

Pros: large, established gym with a wide variety of equipment.  Clean locker room. Lots of classes. Just installed some new equipment.

Cons: gets quite busy at the times when I want to work out. Only one shaky power cage. Sometimes the equipment is not well maintained, particularly cardio. Some of the members have a problem of not wiping up after themselves.  No one wants to bench after you've left a puddle of sweat and hair gel, brah.

Rates range depending on a number of different promotional offers. Average rates I've seen are $0-60 initiation and $30-45 a month.

TAMU Rec Center

Pros: the best equipment and facility in town. Inexpensive.

Cons: extremely crowded. I haven't been able to find a time of day when classes are in session that doesn't involve a wait to use equipment. I've waited as long as 10-20 minutes between exercises when classes have been in session.  Limited hours, especially during academic breaks.  Closes for two weeks to a month every December. Membership is limited to students, faculty, staff, and their families. Parking is a challenge.  Parts of the gym are often inaccessible due to various events.

$150 a semester, $375 a year, or $32 a month. Classes cost an extra $2 each.

How is any of this relevant to a foodie blog? You can't lift well if you don't eat well.
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TEDxAustin 2013

Greetings and salutations readers!

I've passed my defense (whoot!), my dissertation has been submitted to the graduate committee, and my peer reviewed manuscript is in a holding pattern for now, therefore I'm back to blogging!  [Along the way I became a fan of the Oxford comma and Dropbox...after figuring out how it works. And I had to replace the laptop after frying it - which meant learning Windows 8 two weeks before my defense. Ack!]

During my hiatus I attended not one, but two TEDx events in Texas.  The most recent was TEDxAustin, held at the Circuit of the Americas Formula One track just outside of Austin, Texas.  [I also attended TEDxSanAntonio, which will be the subject of another post.]

Just about anyone who spends any amount of time in academic circles and online is familiar with TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and hosts a high profile who's-who event in California every year.  TEDx events are independently organized events held around the world.  TEDx is far less expensive to attend and tend to focus on themes and speakers with topics of local interest. Attendees (livestreamed online for free or present in the auditorium) experience a variety of talks throughout an entire day of events and activities.  People who attend in person have additional hands-on experiences and a wonderful networking opportunity with other attendees and the speakers.

So other than the cool factor, what does a foodie blog have to do with TEDx or TEDxAustin? Lunch.  Just prior to lunch Elizabeth Andoh presented her TEDxAustin talk on Kansha and Washoku cooking.  Simply defined, kansha cooking is a philosophy that encourages preparing food in a way that minimizes waste and maximizes diner satisfaction. Washoku is a set of guidelines to follow in order to achieve nutritional and aesthetic harmony at the dinner table. I am, of course, oversimplifying.  Please watch her TEDxAustin talk here (I tried to embed the video but blogger wasn't having it).  After the talk we had lunch prepared by local chefs according to these principles.  When we registered for the event we selected from a list of food choices: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and FearLess.  I chose FearLess.

Dell donated these interesting biodegradable boxes for the event. 

We picked up lunch in the paddock area of the Circuit of the Americas. I know nothing about Formula One, but it's still cool.

We got to see a bit of the track on the way to lunch. 

Lunch was upstairs from the paddock.  This entire facility is less than a year old.

Lots of areas for networking or just hanging out.

Tables set for lunch.  That was water in the growlers, not beer. :-)   I met some really interesting people over lunch, including several primary school science teachers and a practicing shaman.

Steamed shrimp with a smoky gele.  I would love to figure out how to make that gel. It was quite fantastic.  The shrimp kind of reminded me of the steamed shrimp from back home.

A wonderfully pickled egg.  Subtle and not at all overpowering.

Surprisingly spicy seaweed with tofu stars. 

Pickles and daikon.  The rice had a sweet and umami character to it.

Beef tataki and shredded onions.  I know what you're saying "but aren't you intolerant to onions?"  Yes I am, and I just ate around them. 

Another shot of one of the dining rooms.

The ingredients were locally sourced.

So there you have it. TEDxAustin was surprisingly a foodie event. I learned some concepts about Buddhist and Japanese philosophy I hadn't even heard about previously and met some wonderful people while trying something new. Way cool.  Now, how's about some images of the rest of the conference?  Enjoy!  If you want to watch the rest of the videos go here.  If you're interested in attending next year's conference, follow them on facebook or on twitter at @TEDxAustin.

The living wall.

Detail of the living wall.

This cube was a really interesting set piece and backdrop.  It changed throughout the conference. 

The set as seen from the audience.

Book sale to raise money for TEDxYouth in Austin. This also featured books authored by the speakers.

An interesting interactive wall from Microsoft.  The squares are bar codes that can be read by the smart phone app for the conference and lead to supplemental material.

Networking galore. 

Entrance to the set or "the adult playground". It had a surreal feel to it.

More of the "adult playground"

One of the art installations around the set featured art in progress, including this really cool Formula One painting.

This playground even had a swing.

Another installation.

Many thanks to MisoHungry and WindAddict for a heads-up on TEDxAustin and for a place to stay.  Y'all are the best!

FYI

This blog isn't abandoned, I swear.  I got a [real!] job and am still finishing up my dissertation.  It'll be another couple of months.  Then I'll return to regular posts. Promise!

Up-coming Events

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Starting this weekend, October 6th and 7th, and running through November 25th, the Texas Renaissance Festival will bring you all the lords, ladies, galliwomps and wenches of years past to the fairgrounds just outside of Plantersville, Texas. Bring your appetites as I've been told that food selections have expanded significantly this year. My favorite selections include the prime rib sandwich and fish and chips at the Prince of Wales Pub, the Polish Food Sampler in the Polish section (I *heart* that they have a Polish section), the wonderful apple dumplings ala mode found throughout the festival, and absolutely delightful fudge and pastries at the cappuccino shop whose name I can never remember. The festival, of course, also has all the standard fare you'd expect at a Ren Fest, including everything on a stick. Come ready to imbibe as well as there is always a nice selection of national and international brand beers as well as craft beers.  And for the last 2 years there has also been a working brewery on-site known as Brigadoon Brewery.  They also have rootbeer for teatotallers.  I have many friends who work as merchants at Texas Renaissance Festival, so please support them all with your business!  [Merchants, send me your URLs and I'll post a link when I feature TRF in its own separate post.]

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Friday and Saturday October 12th and 13th bring the Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival to Bryan, Texas. Come and sample wines from across the region.  When you're ready for a break from the sipping sample steaks from some of the best steak grilling teams across Texas.  The festival was originally in June but was moved to October because of the oppressive heat in Texas in June.  The quickest, easiest parking can be found at Blinn College and a free shuttle will take you to the festival. Admission for the entire day is $5. Drink tickets, glasses and food are all extra.  And there are many other vendors if wine and steak aren't your thing.  All downtown restaurants will be open. There are plenty of awesome ones from which to choose. There will also be activities throughout the day, a kids' play area, and live music and performances from some of the regions best-known performers.