I went to Capers in downtown Tacoma recently. If you haven't been there, it's by Meconi's and close to The Matador. I was quite impressed by the simple layout and decor. Besides the decor, the food was quite good. You could tell that the staff takes their work seriously. The ingredients were all top notch and the meals were great. If you're looking for something a little different and nice, but still affordable, it's definitely worth a try.
I went to dinner at Le-Le Restaurant last night. If you’ve never been there, it’s a Vietnamese restaurant on MLK (close to Tempest and People’s Park). The food has been good every time I’ve gone there. It’s a Vietnamese restaurant, but there are some Thai and Korean dishes as well. And apparently, it’s a pseudo-hangout spot. They have free wi-fi and even while we were there, people were reading, hanging out, and one guy was listening to his iPod while he was doing his own thing. The vibe was very relaxed and the staff just seems to be happy that people are eating and spending time there. If you’re in the neighborhood, check it out. MLK doesn’t have any coffee shops that I know of, so I guess Le-Le is there to fill in on double duty. And what’s better than that? Good food, cheap prices, relaxed atmosphere and free wi-fi? And if that’s not enough, you could walk to Tempest for a drink (or three) afterwards.
Will we ever see the Mariners play a few games in a row without being rained or snowed out? Just as I’m getting into my baseball watching mode, Mother Nature decides she’s not ready for winter to end. Enough about that, let’s talk about food. I think it’s pretty cool that people I know are getting into trying different ethnic foods. When I was growing up, people seemed much less likely to visit a Vietnamese restaurant or to go somewhere outside of the typical comfort zone. Thankfully here in Tacoma we’ve got plenty of good ethnic and regional varieties of food. Whether it’s Greek, Thai, Indian or whatever else, there’s so much to try out there. I think food is really a great way to break down cultural barriers. Trying new things opens people up to seeing how other people live and eat. Hopefully the open-minded trend continues. Our town is so diverse that people will truly miss out if they don’t try to eat and live a little like their different neighbors. So if you’re stuck in your typical rut, get out and try something new for dinner. You’ll be surprised at how good you feel after adding something spicy to the old routine.
I’ve recently been trying to eat more organic and whole foods as opposed to my past diet which consisted of some rather horrible foods (too many to list). I’ve been going to various stores and I’m quite happy that places like Wal-Mart Superstores and other grocery stores like Fred Meyer have been improving their organic and natural food selections. And of course, Marlene’s is a great store to shop at as well. It would be nice if some other natural food stores would begin popping up in and around Hilltop as well. It’s still a battle to find a large selection of products. I’d be thrilled if a Whole Foods or PCC store would locate in or around Tacoma. But for now, the stores I’ve mentioned have some decent stuff. If you happen to know of any other stores that I’m unaware of, pass it along.
I've never been bad about working out. I actually like the physical activity and I always feel like my head has been cleared of stress and all of the other junk that accumulates on a person's being throughout the day. Of course, growing up it didn't hurt to have a dad and a step-dad who were both career army soldiers (somehow I think I had a little extra motivation sent my way because of that). But the diet part, that's been tough. I love greasy food and plenty of starchy carbs. Basically a lot of the crap you're not supposed to eat everyday. So lately I've been trying to eat better, and that even includes trying to eat organic or less refined foods when possible. And even though grocery shopping just got a lot more complicated, I've got to admit, I do think I feel the difference. I've always been one to be a little skeptical of people who make all of these health claims for going organic, but I must say that "they" were on to something. Like I said, you have to read the labels on EVERYTHING now and it is kind of a hassle. But honestly, I do think I feel the difference. I feel much better late in the day when I'm at work when typically I would be dropping like a brick at that time. It's hard to describe it, but if you've never tried to really clean up your diet, you won't really know the feeling I'm trying to describe. I'm not sure if there's a good adjective to communicate feeling better after clearing some of the garbage food from your body. And if you've never done it, you should really consider it. You'll feel so much better once you get rid of all of the processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and bleached flours, breads, etc. Healthy foods can really make a big difference in how you feel and even act throughout the day. Think about making a really good change for yourself and your family.
