Mobile Foods

I tried DessertTruck for the first time yesterday evening, and now am hitting myself over the head for doing so belatedly. The "mysterious" J and I shared the Milk Chocolate Mousse, which is described as a "peanut butter cream center topped with caramel popcorn" (as featured in Food & Wine) and the Goat Cheese Cheesecake, "topped with fresh blackberries, rosemary caramel, and a pistachio crisp." Suffice it to say that these descriptions barely do the desserts justice.

Next stop: the competitively parked wafels & dinges. (I hope this answers a certain commenter's question.)

Stinky Drains

I'm not sure how people moved abroad in the past sans Internet - like my parents from Austin, TX, to Putte, the Netherlands, in 1985. Without Google, I would not have been able to find this gem of a welcome site for Americans, primarily military servicemen, moving to Brussels.

A few useful facts:

"Pour water into any drains you have in the garage on a routine basis. It will prevent an unpleasant odor." Hmmm.

"It is an unwritten law/tradition in Belgium that Sunday is a day of rest. If you work, do not mow your grass or do any loud outdoor work." I may be warming to this Belgium.

Good to know:

"Men and boys using the restroom anywhere outdoors is accepted as normal. Knowing this in advance can ease the initial shock."

Who knew?

"If you like candles, they are plentiful and inexpensive in Belgium." Phew.


And then, the best part - common sense that someone bothered to write up:

"When you receive local mail at your home, ensure it is nothing important before you throw it away, even if you can't read it. If unsure, get it translated!"

The Bane of My Existence

The ingenious-yet-sadistic momofuku ko online reservation system is driving me, for lack of a better word, bonkers. I am not alone in this; (more luminary) others have expressed similar frustration and despair.

My pathetic ritual goes as follows: I feel boundlessly hopeful every morning around 9:57, only to be inevitably let down by a red X-filled landscape mere minutes later. I have learned to position my mouse in the right quadrant of my screen, ready to pounce on yummy green checkmarks. If said checkmark appears on the grid, I feel elated - only to be casually informed shortly thereafter that someone else has "nabbed" my spot. My productivity ebbs and flows throughout the day as a function of my constant stalking of the site. In short, I am in need of serious help (or a convenient move to Brussels).