In keeping with tradition, I'll begin with some baseball talk...

Barry Bonds hit homerun #36, a 3-run opposite field blast, on the 3-1 pitch vs. Jared Wright of the Atlanta Braves today. He got the Giants on board, with a 3-0 lead. Soon after, the Braves tied it up, then scored two more to win the game, 5-3. sigh... Barry seriously needs offensive support and I am seriously losing faith in our rotation and bullpen.

Today, was an absolute scorcher in Burlingame! I took a quick afternoon walk with my friend, Rachel, at work today and it was too much to bear - we couldn't wait to get back to the air-conditioned office and just sit motionless...

Ok, now on to the FUN stuff - It's week 2 of Salsa class dancing in San Jose (YMCA on The Alameda). I simply can't put, into words, how much I enjoy dancing. It's always great fun to have a competent and fun lead during Salsa, and Dean is definitely a great lead. The Instructor is a fiesty energetic lady, Lisa King, who has a devoted following. So far, Salsa dancing has been coupled with great dining...

Last week, Dean and I had dinner at the new Straits Restaurant just down the street from my place in Burlingame, the night before my first Salsa class in years! Absolutely exquisite meal AND dessert! It was a beautiful, pleasant night and the Singaporean cuisine was perfect, though I'm told they 'skimped' on our order of fried calamari which I actually thought was quite huge! I ordered "Ikan Pangang" (salmon filet topped with pureed fresh chili, lemongrass, garlic and onion wrapped in banana leaves and grilled) - It was to-die-for and more than I was expecting after having read its description on their website. For dessert, Dean opted for the Lava cake (chocolate), while I stuck to my traditional "banana fritter" faire (gotta have my breaded and fried bananas when it's available!).

Tonight, after Salsa class, Lisa mentioned an Ethiopian restaurant she frequently visits after classes on Friday nights, so we headed over to "Queen of Sheba" right on The Alameda, just a little ways from the YMCA building. It's attached to a motel and serves as the "hotel diner" for travelers, so the menu is quite unique - Hamburgers, fries, then straight-up authentic Ethiopian cuisine just a few pages down! This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, so I was absolutely excited to try something new AND something I've always wanted to try, but kept putting off. The owner was so patient and welcoming and gracious. He offered to serve our three separate orders, family style, on one huge plate and gave us rice, along with the standard Ethiopian bread, "Injera" (a spongy, crepelike texture). Lisa had her separate order of cabbage and potatoes. Dean ordered a spicy, dried beef dish (mixed with Injera); Connie ordered another mild dish of beef strips; I ordered a saucy Chicken dish which I absolutely loved. I'm craving for the flavor already. It was a great meal, interesting conversation and great laughs. I will definitely return (no ambiance whatsoever, but great cuisine). All for now,
-o