The New Ave

I'm eating kimchee fried rice with chunks of leftover turkey breast. It's good!

A few months ago, I was lamenting the lack of korean restaurants and groceries near my home. That was before I realized how korean the UDistrict has gotten. In fact, I hadn't really acknowedged the revitilization of the Ave, since the city resurfaced the streetscape.

This is because for the last ten years, I've avoided the UDistrict the way other people avoid their elementary schools; with a shudder. I had spent too much time in that neighborhood with plenty of free time and no car. It wasn't the same way that I shudder at the thought of Ann Arbor (shudder).

Anyway, the Ave, which entered a period of long decline when I was a freshman in college, has come back. Some of the anchors are gone (Place Two, Tower Records, McDonalds, China Worst), and they've been replaced by a Denny's Diner and a Chipotle Grill. Even Espresso Roma is gone.

Fortunately, the Ave has been revitalized by more ethnic small businesses. The Gyrocery has opened another branch, as has Than Brothers Pho. The chinese businesses seem to have gone, but the vietnamese places are going strong, and the koreans are all over the place; teriyaki places, sushi places, a mongolian grill, and even a couple of places dedicated to korean food!

I went to Ichiro, which was fine, except I'll try not to go again during Oprah. Free parking! I've been to Koreana twice; it was clean and serene with kpop and the food was good.... except one time I showed up for an early lunch and I was served YESTERDAY'S RICE. Yes, I know the difference between today's rice and yesterday's rice. I won't boycot them totally, but I'm definately not going there again for lunch. Sheesh!

Also, I don't ever need to eat out of a hot pot. Not at korean restaurants, not at chinese restaurants; definately not for udon. Too hot! I like the sizzle, but I don't really need my every bite of food to be piping hot.

Yesterday I ate at Huong Bihn. It was nice.

I've been sitting in front of the tv for the last hour, and I've seen four stories now about myspace.com, and how mean kids are to each other, and how disgusting they are in general.

There was also a story about 'freak dancing.' If high schools are offended by the way students dance with each other, we should STOP HOSTING DANCES. Everybody's life will improve.

And finally, the USA used white phospherous in the battle of Fallujah, where lots of civilians did not evacuate. Chemical warfare? Not technically, we say. It's a weapon, and it's a chemical, but it's not an illegal chemical weapon.

I can't wait until this war is over.