Light Me Up

There are many things that are "normal" where I'm from: real, worn-in cowboy boots, oversized diesel trucks, cattle, oil, chicken fried steak, Shiner beer, fresh shrimp, and Tex-Mex to name a few. Growing up, options for eating out largely included enchiladas, fried shrimp, and burgers. For variety and health's sakes, we didn't go out to eat much.

One cuisine particularly lacking in south Texas is Japanese food. I had sushi for the first time three years ago (love), kimchi two years ago (not as much love), and, as of this weekend, hibachi (most love).

Four friends and I trooped up the road to Staunton to go to Massaki, a Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar.

We were seated with another couple, clearly on date #1 or #2 and still in that awkward stage, and got ready for dinner to begin. I had no idea what I was in for.

I watched as an innocuous little man in a chef's coat and hat wheeled a cart over. He neatly laid out his utensils, confirmed everyone's order, and bustled about. He threw something on the grill, looked around with a smile, and then made the magic happen.

I now know why every child in the restaurant was saying, "WOOOAH!!!" Yeah, dudes. Woah.

While we sipped some soup and chatted, the chef was a busy man.

He'd set onions, zucchini, rice, shrimp and mushrooms out to cook, and then diced and sliced things on high speed. Seriously, though, how do they devein shrimp and cut vegetables so quickly?!

Presented with plates of steaming veggies, the chef cleared his cooktop and then prepared the rice and protein.

The final result, Teriyaki Chicken for me, was delicious. The fried rice had bits of egg and vegetables, and the chicken was cooked nicely. I particularly enjoyed the sides of ginger and yum yum sauces--added an extra something, I think.

For the grand finale, the chef stacked up a few rings of onion and... abracadabra!

I am most certainly a fan of hibachi now, and understand why most everyone I know likes it. I mean, what's not to like? Theatrics, a (decently healthy?) meal, and customization options galore.


If you're in the Staunton, Virginia, area, check out Massaki here!

A Visit To Polyface Farms

It's kind of embarrassing how excited my crunchy, granola, organic side is to share this with you.

I apologize for the photo bomb in advance.

On Friday, a group of us took a little trip out of Lexington to Swoope, Virginia, about 30 minutes up the road. Finding the farm is a bit of a hunt, winding down back country roads, though little towns and past many, many fields. Finally, we saw our destination in the distance: Polyface Farms.

We were met by our warm and knowledgeable tour guide, Brie, who gave us a brief history about the farm and then whisked us away to start the tour. She had a (not-so-)little helper, Michael.

Michael is an Akbash-Anatolian Shepherd cross, bred to be nocturnal. At night, he's up and at 'em, making laps around the farm and guarding the premises. During the day, though, he spends a whole lot of time like this... saving his strength, you know.

Polyface, America's premier non-industrial farm, has gained national fame after being featured in Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. In 1961, this land was some of the most eroded, damaged land in the county; Joel Salatin purchased the land and slowly nursed it back to health. No pesticides are used in production, and each animal is used to offset and benefit from the effects of other animals on the land. It's a cycle, just as nature intended.

Today, there are loads of different animals on the farm: chicks, chickens, pigs, cows, and rabbits. We got to see all of them, starting with the smallest...

Nine-day-old chicks!

When the babies are first brought to the Farm, they are kept in a little house that is a cool 90 degrees. Slowly, the temperature is reduced as they grow older, until they're ready to be outdoors.

They are the downiest, softest little things. You might even say they're light as (you know it's coming...) as a feather : )

We saw their grow up cousins, Plymouth Rock chickens:

The Farm also has many cows. We happened to arrive on one of the forty days each year when the cows are not out at pasture, but instead in their little shanty.

Dining on hay and socializing, the cows were supremely unimpressed by our arrival.

Photo op, anyone?

And finally, we came to my favorite farm animals: the piggies.

"Oh hello, you there with the camera!!"

What, I'm the only one that gives animals British accents and posh manners? How odd.

There are a few other creatures we encountered, including Mr. Bunny here,

 

This extremely protective goose, who informed me how much he disliked my looks with a series of honking and flapping of wings,

And Todd, the farm cat.

Polyface is a fully operational farm, one that does not slow down just because visitors have arrived. Farmhands were hard at work--farming is a very dirty, very manual-labor intensive job. Exhausts me just looking at it.

Oh, and Polyface also sells firewood and veggies. Really, what don't they have?!

And I think that might be the point of the entire visit. Polyface is a self-sustaining farm, a model of what is possible when you're kind to the earth. The animals are happy, the staff are happy, and the land is happy. It should (and often does) serve as a model for other farms, informing decisions made about animal raising and land cultivation.

Jump on over to their website if you're interested in visiting. Don't pass up on the opportunity to get your wellies dirty and breathe in some country air.

The locals are very friendly.

The Ultimate Tease

The weather can be such a nasty little tease. This was what campus looked like Friday:

And this was today.

I mean, c'mon!

Even though March 20th was technically the first day of spring, weather like this makes it awfully hard to believe. It is quite pretty, though.

Looking down the Colonnade...

And at Lee Chapel.

All shots taken on the trusty ol' iPhone on the walk home from the gym.

Currently Loving...

A few of my favorite things...

A gift from a friend: the Voluspa Petite Decorative Candle in Santiago Huckleberry, part of the Japonica collection. 

The scent is so wonderful - a mix of huckleberry, vanilla, and sugarcane - and it really fills the space. The candle is made with a coconut wax blend that burns ulta-clean and helps throw the fragrance. I think I'm going to have to try Baltic Amber next!

Here

Spring is coming this way ever... so... slowly... So I'm still getting life out of my favorite winter polishes. "We'll Always Have Paris" is originally from the 2008 OPI French Collection. It's a beautiful reddish eggplant color.

Here

Burberry London is one of my absolute favorite perfumes to wear. It's kind of floral, kind of musky - grown up without needing a walker.

Here

Recently, this little number has been giving London a run for its money. I snagged a sample as part of a recent Sephora purchase (review on those products to come!) and I. Am. In. Love.

LAVANILA Laboratories makes clean, safe, organic products that are free from the harsh chemicals many perfumes contain. This vanilla scent is just what it says: pure. Not at all cloying, the perfume is a blend of vanilla, freesia and heliotrope. I want the full size bottle, now!

Here

And finally, this book.

Mary Karr has a way of writing that just draws the reader in. The book is not for the faint of heart, describing her less-than-idyllic childhood, but it is so completely and totally honest and funny that I cannot put it down. There's a reason it's credited with rehabilitating the memoir movement.

Here