Happy Birthday, Dear Aki

    My little Aki is 4 years old today. We didn't do much to celebrate yet, as I had an event with the AMA at the Roasterie after work. They told us all about the partnerships between several Kansas City businesses and let us sample some of their food: Roasterie coffee and coffee ice cream, Oklahoma Joe's BBQ pork, sausage, and Cowtown BBQ sauce; Original Juan's chips, salsas and BBQ sauces, Andre's caramel-espresso chocolates and 75th Street Brewery beer. (Blanc Burger was there too, but inexplicably had nothing to sample—boo!) Danielle went with me, and we saw Jerrod there, and had a fun time snacking and listening to reps of each business talk about their process and their products. They really are innovative, and KC is a hidden gem in the culinary world as far as I'm concerned. We have some incredible restaurants here that rival anything I've had on my U.S. travels (OK, except for Nobu).

   So, I'll make it up to Aki by taking her to the dog park this weekend, after I've sent little Koko off to his new home (hopefully!) She deserves a party after being an awesome puppy raiser this week!

Dinner, aka my undoing

   I had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants tonight, Blanc Burger + Bottles. The funny thing is, I skipped dinner last night (went straight from work to a physical therapy appointment, then met my broker to close on the refinancing of my mortgage, then went out for drinks), and I didn't have a whole lot to eat today (coffee, chocolate oatmeal & some leftover risotto). I also spent an hour in yoga class & then swam for half an hour this afternoon. So I was starving when I got to Blanc, but between the Shatto fried cheese curds with tomatillo chutney, the sweet potato fries with homemade ketchup, the monstrous "American Kobe" burger, and the rich chocolate milk, I am hurting now! (Ok, granted, it was totally worth it, but ouch!)

"Heaven, I'm in Heaven..."

I realize this photo doesn't look nearly as appetizing as I promise this burger was. (That's what you get when you use a Blackberry camera, rather than my new camera with the "gourmet" setting!) the burgers, onion rings & sweet potato fries at Blanc are so good that it makes me weep just thinking about it. And they have a huge drink selection!

My buddy Eric Van Wagner is visiting from Columbus, Ohio, so we stopped at Blanc Burger in Westport for dinner, and then shuffled over to Murray's for dessert. I figure I shouldn't have to eat again for about 3 days.