Friday, May 28, 2010

Idol Worship

I make no attempt to think that this blog, this quest, is an original pursuit. As I have said here and to people I talk to, even the press, my spiritual guide and inspiration in food writing is the one and only:

Anthony Bourdain

Without spiraling out of control and gushing like an out-of-control groupie...let me say that to me he embodies the ethos of the thoughtful rebel as he travels the world looking for unique food experiences, using them to learn more about the people and places he visits. I appreciate that he seeks out his fellow rebels and misfits from the culinary, literary and artistic worlds, inviting them to share their foods and the places they call home. Whether it be eating Voodoo Donuts in Portland with Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk (I will say I maybe had Anthony beat here because I did the same with a beautiful woman as my guide), eating sausage in Cleveland with comic book artist Harvey Pekar, drinking hawaiian cocktails in a tiki bar with David Johansen of the New York Dolls or sharing a meal of fresh fish with Spanish food revolutionary Ferran Adria; Bourdain uses food as a way to tell deeper stories about what it's like to live or grow up in the places he visits.

I've tried to take the same approach- using the experience of sharing a meal at an out of the way place to tell a story about Sacramento or some of the interesting experiences I or people I know have had living and growing up here. It may not be as good, or as cool as the things that Bourdain does, but it's certainly fun for me and the people I con into going with me and, hopefully, for you, the reader, as well. I know have, and will probably continue to, take little non-food detours as well, but if he can do it, so will I.

So why am I gushing about Mr. Bourdain today?

BECAUSE HE IS COMING TO SACRAMENTO!!!

Yes, you read it correctly:

ANTHONY BOURDAIN IS COMING TO SACRAMENTO!!!

I had to pass this on, because if you read this blog, you either already are or aren't yet a fan of his and would certainly want to have an evening listening to him talk about food and travel.

He will be appearing at the Memorial Auditorium on Friday, September 17th at 8pm.

I am going to be there, and if you are a fan of food, street food, travel, or all of the above, you ought to be there too!


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