A Clandestine Affair: Charleston's Underground Kitchen

Last weekend, I experienced yet another first in my life. I paid money to eat a mystery dinner with +/- 29 people I'd never met before in a secret location.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: The Underground Kitchen.

Charleston's Underground Kitchen describes itself as "...a giant, infrequent dinner party involving strangers and amateur cooks who like good food and don’t mind making a few new friends." Who on earth would not be intrigued by this claim?

I learned about Underground Kitchen from the blogosphere, of all places. Being a newcomer to Charleston, I've poked around on the Internet quite a bit over the last couple months. I've found that the best way to learn about a city's offerings is to find the local bloggers. While perusing a local blog aggregator one evening, I noticed the term "underground kitchen" popping up in a couple different spots, and my interest was immediately piqued. Like a bloodhound, I followed the scent right to The Underground Kitchen's website. After reading how it worked and admiring the site's design (a well-designed website goes a long way with me), I wasted no time signing up for the invite list.

Within a couple days, I received an e-mail from The Underground Kitchen announcing the date for their next affair. "I should do this," I thought. Mom has been telling me I need to get out and meet people, and she's never given me bad advice. I've known this as well, but really haven't felt up to it. The Underground Kitchen, I decided, would be just the catalyst I needed. So, I did the following:

1. Paid $40.00 of my hard-earned scratch to someone I'd never met, let alone heard of, via PayPal.
   
2. Immediately wondered if I'd just given $40.00 of my hard-earned scratch to a pimply-faced Belarusian teenage genius with an affinity for illegal-in-most-countries Internet porn and pirated MP3s.
   
3. Shrugged and waited for further instruction.
   

Between the time I paid for my reservation and received the e-mail disclosing the supersecretninja location, I told anyone and everyone who would listen about what I had just signed myself up for. Everyone's reaction can be summed up as follows: "Wow, really? That sounds SO cool. Wait... this is in Charleston?" Having never been to anything like this, I wasn't sure how to accurately describe it. "Well," I'd say, "I think it's kind of like a rave, without the candy kids. Or like Eyes Wide Shut, without the whole freaky, masked orgy thing going on*. I won't know where it is until a couple days before, and I won't know who will be there or what we'll be eating until I arrive." Needless to say, everyone I talked to about it was intrigued.

Fast-forward to last Saturday, when I pulled into the parking lot of Charleston's Habitat for Humanity ReStore with a chilled bottle of wine and a major case of the butterflies. A couple days before the event, I was talking with Bridget on the phone and nervously telling her that I felt certifiably insane for making my first social outing in Charleston a mystery dinner party with 30 strangers. She stated in her calming, matter-of-fact way, "Dinner with 30 strangers is a lot less scary than dinner with three strangers." A genius observation, and exactly what I needed to hear. As I walked to the door I chanted in my head, "30 is less scary than three. 30 is less scary than three." And I was golden. I even squashed the urge to declare, "Fidelio!" as I made my presence known.

I walked in to a dark-ish warehouse, atmospheric in its string-lights and candle-lit dimness, the hum of fans (it was a hot evening and the venue was not air conditioned), laughter and various conversations, and the most amazing smells ever. I was greeted by one of the chefs and introduced to the other, who was feverishly chopping what looked like cilantro. My first impression of the non-chopping chef was that this guy seems like he never meets a stranger, and I felt immediately at ease. Both of these guys were genuinely friendly, despite being in the throes of cooking for 30 people in a warehouse. These people seemed cool. I was not going to need my brass knuckles after all.

After putting my name on a sticker and a place card, I went over to the wine chilling station and just started talking. I'm an interrogator's dream come true... when I get nervous, I talk. So talk I did. And I met some very cool people in the process. I'm horrible at remembering names, but was able to piece some names together with websites and blogs I'd visited or people I'd seen on Twitter. At that moment I realized, once again, what a trip the world wide web is.

Dinner was a study in social engineering; place cards had been strategically set to ensure that people who knew each other well were not seated directly next to each other. I was seated in a wonderful little pocket of guests, as I'm sure the entire table was. The people in my immediate vicinity were warm, welcoming, friendly and excellent conversationalists. Several topics were breached, and nobody's delicate sensibilities were offended, no insults were hurled, nobody burst into tears. I felt very comfortable and happy among what felt like were like-minded individuals.

And then there was the food. Let's talk about food. Okay, so these cats refer to themselves as amateur cooks... and I guess in the literal sense, they are. Do not mistake amateur for average, though, or even just pretty good. The food they prepared was excellent on a technical level, but more importantly, it was creative. Flavorful, inventive and freakin' delicious. The courses were as follows:

• Appetizer: Curried Chicken Salad with Walnuts & Cranberries and Curried Pea Dip
  
• Salad: Roasted Corn & Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese and Ginger/Tomatillo Sauce
  
• Entree: Grouper with Zucchini Cakes and Stewed Tomatoes & Olives
  
• Dessert: Chilled Pear Soup with Walnuts and Honey (I think)
  

A few things. First, the curried pea dip looked kind of like guacamole but I could not, for the life of me, place the flavor. It wasn't guacamole. Not even a hint of avocado, and a completely different consistency. Now that I know it was peas, I'm like, "DUH! PEAS!" When it's not easy to immediately place a flavor, you know something's been made both creatively and skillfully. Second, I love goat cheese. I love ginger. I love tomatillo sauce. NEVER would I think to put all three together. Yet, it worked magically.

I managed to take a few snaps, before the wine and food buzz really kicked in and I felt too jolly to be taking photos. Behold:


Our top secret location


People who actively seek out dinner parties at classified locations


Beautiful and tasty vittles

So, to sum up, The Underground Kitchen is a must-do if you like mystery, intrigue, good people and amazing food. The aspect of raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity was a really cool angle as well. Local readers, you have to try it. Just don't secure your reservation before I secure mine. And out-of-state friends and family, if one of your visits coincides with an installment of The Underground Kitchen, you can bet your sweet ass(es) I'll be taking you with me. Every city would benefit from something like this.

Finally, read about the evening from the perspective of the UGK Maestros themselves. I love, love, love that they gave a nod to Bridget's sage words of nerve-calming advice (a story I repeated several times throughout the evening with my rosy-cheeked, wine-buzzarded self).

Not even remotely scary... absolutely, deliciously cool. Right here in Charleston.

Edited to add: Local restaurant critiquing crew, Fork You Blog, have posted their take on the experience at Fork You Blog. It's a fun read.

*I can not vouch for what may or may not have happened after I left.

High Gas Prices...

...aren't all bad. Trust me, I am no cheerleader for paying $4.09/gallon (the current price for regular unleaded here in CRW), nor am I a cheerleader for where some of this money we're paying goes. But, there are positive things that can come from this major and often difficult shift in everyone's budget.

Time Magazine illustrates the half-full perspective in the ever-emptying glass of gas we've been sucking down. My favorite line from the article's introduction (emphasis mine):

...it's also true that Americans are finding options where there seemed to be none. They're ready to change — and waiting for their infrastructure to catch up.

One thing I have often thought since fuel prices began rising at such a rapid rate: I would love to see the United States implement a rail system comparable to that of Europe's. A network of high-speed, cross-country trains would be awesome.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the article:

10 Things You Can Like About $4 Gas (via)

I would like to add one more item to the list: Hopefully this means seeing fewer and fewer douchebags driving Hummers.



The cost of filling my Honda CR-V in May 2008.

While I'm on the subject, I'm reminded of some billboards I saw a couple weeks ago on my drive to Alabama. There were several of them along the Interstate during the eastern Tennessee leg of the trip. They were very simple; dark gray with the Exxon/Mobil logo and the following line of text in a slightly lighter shade of gray: "We're Drivers Too."



We're just like all y'all sorry suckers!

My initial reaction? It's condescending. It's passive-aggressive. It doesn't make me feel any better about skyrocketing gas prices. The Time article above helps shine a positive light on the topic, but Exxon/Mobil's new little tagline just... grates.

2008 BFI Contest Winner Has a Vision for Appalachia

Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World: The Challenge of Appalachia
submitted by Dr. John Todd

"The Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World project sets forth a revolutionary concept for the design of an entirely new economic model for a region that has been despoiled by extractive industries. Dr. Todd’s vision is inextricably bound to a set of highly advanced ecological design principles that he developed. Appropriately, they reflect not only deep understanding of biological systems, but also the best creative intelligence and cultural wisdom spanning the centuries. These principles are the fruit of Dr. Todd’s decades-long practice developing technologies around the world that build healthy symbiotic relationships between nature’s living systems and modern human needs."

via challenge.bfi.org

This is the first year the Buckminster Fuller Institute has held this challenge. Being that I have a strong affinity for ol' Bucky-- I was first introduced to him when I was on the Academic Decathlon team in high school and we studied some of his works for our Super Quiz (themed Habitat Earth)-- and that I am living in the heart of Appalachia now, trying to absorb as much as I can about this region and the issues it faces, it's really cool to me that the first winner of the first challenge's concept focuses on Appalachia and the mining industry here. The concept, however, can be scaled to eventually benefit energy production and the environment on a global level.



To visually connect the dots of concepts and actions like the one Dr. John Todd submitted to the BFI challenge, check out this photo gallery I stumbled across while writing this entry. From the photo gallery's introduction page: ...with its images of the destructive power of industry juxtaposed against the quiet lives of the region's residents, is sobering, poignant, and powerful.

On Coal and Appalachia by Daniel Shea

Baby's First West Virginia Day

Mountaineers are always free.

Today is West Virginia day. In honor of West Virginia day, I'd like to take a little time to write about the state I have been calling home for a short three and a half months.

Recently, Vice President Dick Cheney made a joke about West Virginia, inferring that West Virginians have a proclivity for inbreeding. I'm not a native West Virginian, and I have only been a resident of the state since March. So, I didn't feel it was my place to be offended by the VP's attempt at humor. It's not the first time I'd heard West Virginia made fun of in such a way, so I just kind of rolled my eyes and thought to myself, "Old meme." I don't care for lazy, hackneyed humor and that's what this was. Besides, I seem to have a pattern of living in misunderstood states so I've heard all the tired, predictable jokes before. Houses in Alabama still have dirt floors; everyone from Utah has five mothers. West Virginia is populated with inbred ridge runners. Sure, there are some people here who play the banjo, but so did my dad, who was from southern California. The hills here are not alive with the sound of dueling banjos. For the record, Deliverance was set in Georgia, not West Virginia. People here seem pretty easygoing, and I haven't met anyone who thought Cheney's joke was a huge deal. What seems to have bothered most people was his quip about not having to watch what he says anymore now that he's not running for re-election.

But, my blog isn't about politics. It's about wild, wonderful West Virginia and the things I've discovered in my short time here. So, without further ado, here is a list of the things I love, in no particular order, about West Virginia... keeping in mind that I haven't had much of a chance to get very far outside of Charleston.

• Taylor Books
  I love this bookstore. It's progressive, has an excellent inventory, a great sale section, always smells like coffee (they've got a coffee bar) and is in a beautiful little spot on Capitol Street.
  
• The Blossom Deli
  I've never been for dinner, but the lunch offerings are nothing short of transcendent. Having tried every sandwich on the left-hand side of the menu, I'm kind of an authority on the topic. They have cream of mushroom soup once a month, and that's a day I never miss.
  
• The Capitol Market
  It's a farmer's market, and so much more. Besides farmer's market items including seasonal plants and produce, there is a wine shop, fish market, butcher, produce and bulk food market, restaurant, book store, coffee bar and foodstuffs/gift items specific to West Virginia. Last weekend I got a scented geranium for my patio. I've been looking for one of those for YEARS. I love this place.
  
• The Kanawha River
  I wouldn't dip my littlest toe into it, but I love the Kanawha river. I live about three blocks from the river, and work a block away from it. There is a trail that is wonderful for walking and biking, and at lunchtime it's a wonderful place to sit and watch the coal barges and speedboats go by. At night, the lights of Charleston reflect off the water. During her visit, Mom commented that this made Charleston remind her a lot of the little towns on Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
  
• The New River Gorge and Bridge
  When mom visited in April, we took a trip down to Fayetteville to check out the famed New River Gorge bridge. It is one of the most amazing structures I have ever seen! Photos do not do the massive nature of the bridge justice. More than the bridge, though, the entire area is breathtakingly beautiful. Green, rugged, completely alive. We drove back to Charleston on the Midland Trail, which at one point hugs the Gauley river and is dotted with small towns. I hope to be able to explore that area more in-depth during my time here.
  

Those are just a few things that I have fostered an affinity for here in the past couple months. I know as I get more established in the area, the list will grow.

So, in honor of West Virginia day, there you have it. And, I hope this doesn't disappoint anyone... but I haven't met any inbred, sinister, grossly disfigured hillbillies up here. Everyone I have interacted with here is intelligent, educated, creative, warm and friendly. Downtown Charleston's vibe is both chic and funky. Granted, I have wound up in a couple hollar-type places while out on drives that were kind of unsettling, but I think that stems from the one way in, one way out nature of these little pockets and an unfamiliarity with the area. Otherwise, this place is the same as every other place in the country in ways to be expected, and special for its unique assets and charms.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go check on my 'shine.

Design and the Elastic Mind

Note: Many of the external links in this post go to a Flash-authored site. Completely annoying, yes, but the content is worth checking out. I promise.

Wow. I desperately, desperately want to check out this exhibition at MoMA.

Design and the Elastic Mind

It runs until May 12th. I've never been to New York City, much less the Museum of Modern Art. But I am going to try to make this happen. Especially after reading this review of the exhibit over at Core 77.

Where my New York people at?!

Despite my enthusiasm, some of the works featured in this exhibition freak me out. There are some prototypes of concepts that just don't sit well with me, but that I'd love to see nonetheless. Granted, the imaginings that make me nervous are merely that-- imaginings. If there is one thing I appreciate in life, it's imagination. However, were something like RFID tagging on human beings ever to become a mandated reality, I'd be one of the first people heading off to the hills to live in a cave. Nonetheless, I love that someone has the type gray matter in his or her head to envision and translate into something tangible such an idea.

That said, I fear visualizing an (even more) Orwellian future. Although not a tinfoil hat kind of girl, I am very private. Despite this public-facing blog, despite my varied online activity, I am reluctant to reveal too much of myself to anyone other than people whom I feel close to and have a strong sense of. Which is such a contradiction, given that I can be found on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, here, my personal website (if I ever get around to re-designing and re-launching it) but these accounts aren't so much a social thing for me as they are my attempt to keep ahead of the curve as it applies to my career. Yes, there is an interpersonal aspect of social networking and folksonomy-driven sites that I enjoy... I have friends and family all over the country that I love to keep in touch with. I like to know what people I care about are up to. But what I really get from these various accounts and interactions is simple: Knowledge. Ideas. Collaboration. The banter I engage in and follow with co-workers and other webby-type people on Twitter goes much further than a welcome diversion on a stressful work day. My profile on Colour Lovers isn't to make color buddies, but to stay abreast of color trends and to store and create palettes for future use in my designs. The Internet is an amazing resource, and as I gradually overcome my reluctance to make myself present "out there" the more I benefit professionally.

Because of these things, the Harvesting the Internet segment of the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition is what interests me most. The exhibition's website shows several Google Earth mashups, which thrills me to no end. About two years ago I was working on the fourth redesign of alabama.gov. During this time, I teamed up with our very talented and motivated lead developer, Robert. The goal was to create an interactive mapping segment of the portal with limited resources available to us. We didn't have a dedicated GIS or mapping agency to work with, so we had to be creative. Robert found a way to work with Google's API (before they openly made such an API publicly available) to sort of reverse-engineer Google's mapping features to fit our needs. I then skinned it and incorporated it into the overall site design. If I am not mistaken, alabama.gov was the first state government web portal to integrate Google maps into the site. Technically not a mashup in that whole Web 2.0 sense of the word, it's something we needed to innovate for ourselves and I am very proud of that. alabama.gov's mapping feature allows visitors to the site to locate everything from libraries to blood donation centers to locations of Alabama's 'moon trees' in one spot. To see similar and more sophisticated web applications being showcased in an exhibition at MoMA thrills me to no end.

But, I'm a design geek like that.

A design geek who shudders at the thought of paper as we know it being phased out for digital versions, but who (in her dreams) would absolutely love a 3-D printer so that she can design and print out her own custom fruit bowl, for the real!

Wanna go, wanna go, wanna go...

K-Von, you will be missed.

I never met Kurt Vonnegut; I would have liked to. When someone's words strike a chord in a person the way his did in me, it's almost like knowing that person. I was so sad when I heard the news.



There are so many passages and aphorisms from Mr. Vonnegut's writings and speeches that I could list as being favorites of mine. He was a man with a gift for saying, in so few words, volumes of insight that society could have only been improved by. He had a talent for summing up heartbreak, desperation, anger, disappointment and joy in both a profound and a humorous fashion. I can't think of any other writer aside from Wallace Stegner (another great loss) who had a gift for words the way Vonnegut did.

If I could, I would thank him for leaving his words behind for the rest of us.