A Bug's Life... in my apartment.

Watch the first 10 seconds of this video.

Last night a mosquito went to town on the Bloody Marys while I slept, which is to say that I woke up to a lot of mosquito bites.  Mosquitos loooooove me.

The movie A Bug's Life taught me how to kill snails.  Snails gross me out (I also hate and have nightmares about caterpillars).  My old apartment had a snail infestation, and my first response when I found out was to recall the snail in an earlier part of this scene in A Bug's Life who yelled after a waiter "I said no salt!" as its lips frothed and sizzled.  Let me tell you, the reaction is way more satisfying in person.  On a related note, I accidentally stepped on a caterpillar today; it was not satisfying.  It was gross.

The Wild Brunch, and Why I'll never order french toast.

The name "The Wild Brunch" comes from an episode of Gossip Girl.  While I don't watch Gossip Girl anymore, I was a semi-regular viewer for Seasons 1-3.  The Wild Brunch is my favorite episode, because it involves brunch.

I decided to write a brunch blog, because Ben and I have been having brunch basically every weekend since I started my new job, which usually does not involve working on the weekends.  I have been living in Sacramento for about 7 months, and I'm having a major brunch-o-rama phase.  So feel free to use my brunching strategies (i.e. eat and drink a lot), or be inspired to come visit me one weekend and I'll take you along for some firsthand experience.

And now, the first of many Shady Lady stories (not for the weak of heart or stomach),

My enemy

I had brunch with Ben, my sister Erin, and Erin's friend Callie...

Wait.  Side story to all MacPhee family members.  During that particular brunch, Erin and I found out that Callie's dad was a higher-up at STAR MARKET for like 15 years.  RIP Star Market, Times Market is not the same.

Okay so back to my intended french toast story.  Ben and I had already decided on our food choices, Eggs Benedict and the Steak and Arugula salad, respectively, but Erin and Callie were still perusing the menu.  Since I'm such a good sister, I informed Erin that Ben had tried the french toast the week before and had decided it was very good, so she should consider ordering it, although I had not tried a single bite.  Erin's breakfast identity is the opposite of my breakfast identity.  I'm strictly a salty/savory breakfast person, and Erin is a waffles/pancakes/french toast/SYRUP person.  She has a syrup problem.  Obviously we both like bacon. 

You may be asking yourself, "Now, why wouldn't Corey try a bite of french toast?  Isn't she interested in all things brunch?"  My response goes way back to my childhood.  When our family was living in San Antonio, TX (the first house, not the second), I think I was around 4-6 years old, and Samantha (my other sister) and I were eating french toast for breakfast.  I think Erin was in her high chair somewhere making a mess.  One minute, I was just sitting at our blue plastic and laminate Fisher Price table, enjoying french toast.  The next minute, I had barfed my weight in french toast all over the Fisher Price table.  Ever since this day, I've never looked at french toast in the same way.  So don't expect me to review french toast in a brunch blog post from a firsthand experience, but you can assume I will occasionally dine with a french toast eater.

Note to Dad: I know I say I don't like waffles, pancakes, and french toast, but I do like your waffles I promise.

edit:  Erin is a recovering syrup addict.

That thing's bigger than you are!

I started playing the cello in the sixth grade, and I had to carry it to and from school, through the hallways.  As a four-foot-something middle schooler, helpful parents and students were always exclaiming, "That thing's bigger than you are!"  As if I didn't feel like a big enough loser for being the only person to take my instrument home and practice it.  One day, I finally surpassed my instrument's height, and I still heard the same phrase.  Until one day, I went to college and stopped practicing my cello on a regular basis, and I thought I had gotten past the insensitive comments from strangers who've clearly had a large helping of self esteem for a large part of their lives.

Then two years ago I turned 21, and apparently, no one told my face, because I've been told by countless airport employees, waiters and waitresses, and other checkers of IDs that I look extremely young for my age, and I'll be glad to hear it in about 10 years.  Thanks people.  I'm pretty sure I'll never feel quite comfortable with strangers telling me their opinions on my appearance.  Three memorable incidents are the following:

1. I was having a dinner with my family in Hawaii when I was 21 and I was not served the beer I ordered because I didn't look like I was 21, which I was not told to my face (Thanks to Uncle Trey for getting to the bottom of that situation).

2. This past summer at the airport I was kind enough to give up my seat on a plane so a family could sit together.  I was then asked how old I was, because they wanted to move me to an exit row.  Pretty sure you have to be 16 to sit in an exit row.

3. Last week, after working hard to prepare a wild rice field for sampling and take-down, I checked in to a hotel and the chatty man at the front desk asked me if the credit card I handed to him was mine, because I look a little young to have a credit card.  Um, didn't you just finish looking at my driver's license?

A word of advice: think before you speak, especially to strangers.  They probably don't care about your opinion as much as you do.

Anyways, back to this blog post's title.  This morning, my boyfriend Ben and I went to brunch at Pizza Rock on K Street in Sacramento (no link because there's really annoying music on their web page), and I got this:

Premium Bacon Bloody Mary

This thing was basically bigger than I am.  Not only did this bloody mary have a brunch staple, bacon, but it also had my all-time favorite food: green beans!  Also there's bacon in the actual bloody mary, and you can also see a slice of green bell pepper, onion, pepperocini, and an olive.  It was huge, but don't worry I finished it.

Location: Pizza Rock
Food: 8
Drinks: 9
Service and Ambiance: 9

Food we tried: The Wolfpack Pizza
Drinks we tried: Premium Bacon Bloody Mary, Bottomless Mimosa (Orange and Mango)

The Wolfpack pizza had eggs, three types of cheese, peppers, and two types of sausage.  I think we just ordered it because it reminded us of the movie The Hangover.  It was definitely enough pizza for 3 or 4 people.  They have a pizza with berries on it, which sounded pretty good.  Maybe next time.  The Bloody Mary was really good, but if it hadn't been adorned with bacon and green beans then I probably would have ordered the mimosas.  And it was huge, inducing a 2.5 hour nap when I got home.  The mango mimosa was better than the orange.  I think there may have been other types, but once I saw that my bloody mary was going to come with bacon, I got a little distracted.

I will definitely go back here!

The Shady Lady

Before I write an introduction to this blog, I'll be posting my first brunch review of The Shady Lady in Downtown Sacramento, where I have brunched more times than I care to admit.  I don't think the people who work there recognize me.  Yet.  I try to bring everyone I like to The Shady Lady [concept credit: Samantha].

Location: The Shady Lady Saloon

Food Rating (out of 10): 10

Drinks Rating (out of 10): 10

Ambiance and Service Rating (out of 10): 10

Food we tried: Two-egg breakfast, Eggs Benedict, Walnut and Black Currant French toast, Chimichanga, Breakfast Burrito, Huevos Rancheros, Omelet, Breakfast Sandwich, Chicken Sandwich, Veggie Sandwich

Drinks we tried: Beers, Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Bellini, Coffee, Irish Coffee, Pineapple juice.

My favorites (for now) include the Bloody Marys and the Two-Egg Breakfast.  The Eggs Benedict is a close second, but the Two-Egg Breakfast comes with bacon.  Also, every food and beverage I’ve tried is delicious.  I am convinced I’ll never find a brunch spot as good as this place, but I’ll keep trying.  I don’t like paying attention to ambiance too much, but so far this place hasn’t been too crowded, and there’s an undeniable (and intentional)  speakeasy vibe at the SL.  From now on, any brunches at this location will probably be more focused around the people I brunch with and the things that happen there, because I come here way too often.  My two tips for The Shady Lady: 1) If the Bellini is available, choose this over the Mimosa, and 2) I’m convinced everything on the menu is spectacular, so go with your instincts when ordering.