Taking a brief break from the Ed Cal – this needed to be shared. Are you fucking KIDDING me? One student should change while the bullies go on about their lives? FFS.

I like impressive women, and I am impressed by Chef Alana Peckham. She’s the only female chef competing in the upcoming Gold Medal Plate competition in Vancouver, BC on November 4th.

Raised in Vancouver, Alana Peckham studied at the Dubrulle International Culinary Arts institute. She worked at Feenie’s and Lumière before joining the staff at CRU, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the restaurant’s Executive Chef. Alana’s cooking style is influenced both by her training in traditional French culinary techniques and by her cultural heritage as a Chinese Canadian.

As the Executive Chef of a restaurant that focuses on pairing food and wine, she enjoys the challenge of preparing cuisine that works together with wine to create a complete sensory experience for guests.

Canada’s Gold Medal Plates competition is the ultimate celebration of Canadian Excellence in cuisine, wine, the arts and athletic achievement. Celebrated in eight cities across Canada in 2010 and nine in 2011, Gold Medal Plates features superb wines and the premier chefs in each city, paired with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes, in a competition to crown a gold, silver and bronze medal culinary team in each city, and subsequently nation-wide.

Good Luck Alana! Kick some boy-chef ass!

I’ve been sitting on this one for a while… I wasn’t exactly sure how to tackle it.

On one hand, I really liked this book; the character was engaging and interesting, as soon as she dropped the materialistic bullshit. I rather despised her (which I guess is an equally strong feeling to invoke) when she was “being herself”. The very idea that she needed to buy all the trappings in order to “meditate properly” drove me sideways.

I guess I should back up and tell you what the book is about first though, eh?

Syd Arthur is a middle-aged Jewish woman living in middle suburbia.  She shops, ignores homeless people, is completely consumed by her diet and spends more money on ridiculous things than many of us can fathom spending on the important things. her daughter has just left for college and poor Syd has just discovered she’s lonely. Poor empty nester.

She starts to wonder – as all of us do – whether this is it. Is this all life has to offer? – and starts on a spiritual journey. Personally, I can’t stand the very phrase “spiritual journey” even though I admit I’m probably on my own as we speak.

Regardless, Syd tries all sorts of things that many women in her place do – she finds her chakras, does yoga and goes on spiritual retreats that as her to just shhhhh for a little while. (aka, silent retreats).  Of course, her best friends she’s known her entire life think she’s crazy and try to convince her she’s just facing a midlife crisis because after all, she’s missing their weekly Mah Jongg game and they don’t understand what’s going on.

Overall… this was a fun, fast read. I would pass it onto someone else to read, and encourage them to pass it onto their friends. Probably a solid 2.5 stars outta 5. Worth a look if you come across it, but not something to search actively for.

Excuse me for a moment. I’m having a slight…problem with this.

Earlier this morning, Guu Izakya, a popular Japanese Izakaya downtown Vancouver tweeted this:

At first, that seems pretty innocuous, right? They’re just promoting their special tonight. And indeed, bluefin tuna is exceptionally special. So special that it’s being fished into oblivion and is marked as “Not Recommended” by Oceanwise, the final word when it comes to ethical, sustainable fishing.

Ocean Wise is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Ocean Wise works directly with restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers ensuring that they have the most current scientific information regarding seafood and helping them make ocean-friendly buying decisions. The options are highlighted on their menus and display cases with the Ocean Wise symbol, making it easier for consumers to make environmentally friendly seafood choices. The Ocean Wise logo next to a menu or seafood item is an assurance that the item is a good choice for keeping ocean life healthy and abundant for generations to come.

Clearly, Guu, the entire chain, has said fuckit to sustainable fishing and instead wants to make a quick dime off of unethical fishing methods. Way to go guys!

(For more information about Oceanwise, to find out which species are considered an ethical species and to find the list of restaurants who participate in the Oceanwise program, please visit them here.

For more information about ethical fishing methods (and their evil counterparts), check out Bottomfeeder.)

EDITED TO ADD: Guu Kobachi has responded and mentioned that their tuna is sustainably caught and farmed. I think that’s great, but they should have said that up front. Especially in the social media age of honesty, transparency and engagement.

What do you say?  Is fish farming a truly sustainable option? Discuss.