What is the ONE item that you could not function without in the kitchen, at work OR at home?
What is the furthest you have ever been from home?
-Salt, easily the most important ingredient in cooking.
-New York, when I was living in Sacramento, other than a brief visit to Canada, I have never been outside of the US.
When I think of San Francisco, two things come immediately to mind, right or wrong:
1) Chinatown
2) Gay men everywhere
What's your impression of Chinatown San Franciso? In general, specifically the food, and compared to other Chinatowns if possible.
Is the stereotype of San Francisco being a haven for gay guys for real or unfairly exaggerrated? Is it mostly just certain areas?
1- I honestly don't visit Chinatown, so I can't give an answer on that one.
2- They gay community is so prevalent in the Bay Area in general that when you live out here, you really don't notice it. From an outsider, especially from an area with a smaller gay community, it would probably be a bit of a shock, but seeing two men make out in public is just another thing, no big deal.
I just want to say that after a day in school, it was nice to come home to read the last couple pages of this thread. I am impressed with your answers, especially the inspirational post about your alcoholism.
Did you enjoy your lunch?
What did you eat?
What is your favorite cuisine? (Being that you are, as a chef, I am interested to see your answer for this one)
Yes, and the company too, see picture above. That is one of my best friends(she is the owner of the chihuahua seen in other threads), and the burger is from a place near Oakland called Val's, fucking killer doesn't begin to describe them.
As to my favorite cuisine, I love southern. The spice, the rich flavors, the amount of love and time put into the foods, like gumbo for example, is right in line with my culinary heart. I also love all the Mediterrenean cuisines, especially French, Italian, and Spanish.
My question(s) for you, lonestar, is / are:
Do you believe in (a) God? Do you believe there is any deeper meaning to our lives other than to replicate our DNA before we all inevitably pass out of existence? Is there any deeper purpose to life other than the meaning we can subjectively give it?
Thanks, and sorry for getting all depressing / philosophical on you 
If you asked me this a year ago, I would have given you a pat athiest answer, but a lot has happened in that time. I choose to believe in a higher power of my own choosing. Much of my beliefs come from Taoist readings, and I read the Tao Te Ching every night as part of my daily studies. I pray for my higher power every morning to take care of me, and free me from the bondage of self, so that my instincts and will won't drive my thinking, cause my thinking got me pretty fucked up. I try to live each moment within that moment, staying in tune with the frequency of the world around me, and can usually tell when my spiritual compass is off, and I need to meditate or pray to center it again. As to a meaning of life, I really don't have time to ponder that, I'm too busy having fun living it. As long as I keep my focus on keeping my heart in a state of love towards all people and things around me, I think I'll be OK. There is much to be said for replicating the DNA though, once you have a kid, your life does have purpose. Granted most of this is a work in progress, I try to keep an open mind and let my spiritual side develop as it may.
Lonestar, go back in time and tell 22 year old one thing that would make his overall quality of life better for the sake of future you.
I am a firm believer of the philosophy of no matter where I am in life, that is where I am supposed to be, which renders such a question meaningless. Even if I told my 22 year old self to sober up, I would have never met my ex(we met in a bar), and my daughter wouldn't have been born. That is wholly unacceptable, this world was meant to have my kid in it.
You seem to be pretty adventurous in terms of food and open to most anything. Have you always been open to foods that aren't considered everyday food items and willing to try almost anything?
I ask because right now I am picky as fuck and that doesn't help my case of one day maybe going to culinary school
I love trying new stuff, as I said earlier in the thread, the only things I've seen that make me squeemish are haggis and balut. I probably would try haggis, balut I'm still iffy on. If you are planning on going to culinary school, you better open up that culinary mind and stop being picky, your education is only as good as the effort you put into it. The more diverse of a chef you are, the more you can bring to the table.
Topic: The Ask black_floyd Thread (page 42) (Read 124662 times)
