Monday, December 2, 2013

forget about doing dishes

dine out!

Let me be clear. I am a young active individual who agrees with experts that cooking at home and sitting around the kitchen table is more beneficial for your physical health. Dining out may/will eventually lead to a widening waistline and a slimming pocket book, but if you're anything like me, a foodie, that won't stop you. I workout hard and budget to allow me to enjoy the social experience of grabbing some company or enjoying my own and trying a new spot or local favorite in town for a meal. I live to eat rather than eat to live, that's what makes me a foodie! The delight of finding a new hole in the wall restaurant with amazing dishes and an atmosphere full of flavorful aromas is nothing short of spectacular, it's a hobby, it's more than that, it's a passion.

I am not a gourmand, though I enjoy cooking, being cooked for, and eating. I have zero culinary training, besides the skills I was forced to incur in homemeck class in high school. I have a decent idea of what array of spices and ingredients do exist, though I could not differentiate between the multitude of different types of curry. I do not claim to be an expert of any kind. What I am able to offer though is this : an awareness of my complex and diverse palate, an open mind and curiosity to try every dish imaginable (at least once), a honest opinion which harbors on constructive criticism rather than on judgement and finally, I'm frugal, yet love to feel wealthy by living well. 

I grew up in a small mining town with a pizza parlor and small cafe, yet at home my mother ensured that every dish that came across our kitchen table was unique, creative and ETHNIC. Louisiana hot sauce and salsa were condiments on our table rather than salt and pepper. She awoken my taste buds to a vast array of spices and cuisine at a very young age and therefore made me incredibly easy going and open minded to trying everything culinary wise from then until now. I have no fear. I have discovered that some of the most authentic and traditional dishes with the hardest names to pronounce can be the tastiest. I do not always judge a meal's potential by the way it looks, it's when it gets inside my mouth that really counts. I look for the beauty and delectable qualities in everything I come across, food items and dishes included. I have yet to come across any fare that I despise. I'm also an optimist, and will give any dish a second try if the first experience was less than enjoyable. With that being said, I DO expect that when I dine out that the items be well-priced for the portion size, that I leave feeling satisfied with the experience ie: the atmosphere, the customer service, the menu options etc., because I have in fact just spent a decent amount more dining out than had I stayed in. Call me crazy. And so, for all of the reasoning listed above, I have decided to write this blog, as the Lovely Local. 

My wish is to introduce locals to the endless culinary experiences right in their home town, and to hopefully attract visitors to those same locations. To support local business rather than restaurant chains with North American cuisine. To inspire individuals to venture out of their comfort zone and experience other types of foods. I love the city that I live in, though if it were up to me, I would be well traveled and this would be a foodie blog incorporating my experiences from around the globe. Though for now, I will experience other cultures and their specialties throughout the small city I am currently situated in. Kamloops' restaurant culture has the potential to awaken your taste buds and transport you to experience world wide diversity if you will allow it- I'm here to show you that. 

In closing, after a long winded introduction, I am the Lovely Local. Providing positive feedback and genuine accounts of my experience dining in local joints, the good, the potentially bad, and the possibly amazing.

Bon appetit. 

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