sunday

[dr4b]

I didn't update until today because yesterday Josh's dialup was being futzy.

Yesterday afternoon I slept late again, and then we went to Philadelphia Fever, this little sandwich shop thingy in Capitol Hill, that claims to make Philly cheesesteaks. Can I tell you something? The sandwich I got there was one of the worst imitation Philly cheesesteaks I have had in my life. Ugh. We went there because rubylou told us that the Philly's Best a little south of Cap Hill is really scary and full of mean people, but, dammit, I want to find a real cheesesteak, and I know the Philly's Best has real cheesesteaks. Bleah. My officemate tells me that there is one in Kent, near where he lives. I guess I should go there sometime.

After lunch, Eli and I went to the REI store. It is HUGE. Like, really really huge. I wanted to find a jacket. I didn't find one like I want (a lined hooded sweatshirt jacket that zips all the way down) but I did get a light fleece jacket nonetheless. While waiting for Eli to finish reading stuff, there was a woman reading books who had a cute dog. Everyone wanted to pet the dog because it was really friendly and cute. Everyone also seemed to talk to each other even though it was vaguely obvious that they were all strangers. Weird. One of them, it turns out, is a tour guide for the Seattle underground tour that we took yesterday. So she asked what we thought. I told her I didn't like it but it was cool in a weird way. Shrug. I ended up getting an REI membership.

We came home, and Eli went foodshopping, and I played FFX for like five hours because the dialup was down and all. I'm up to, umm, I finished the Djose temple and I think I finished Moonrow too, but I forget where I stopped. Eli made chicken lime chili for dinner which took about four hours to make anyway and we ate at 11:30 and then went up to read and sleep.

Comments

[biancaserrafina.livejournal.com]

you CANNOT get a real philly cheesesteak past about harrisburg/gettysburg, with the exception of what you can get from Uncle Sam's Subs out here. why? because they guys who own Uncle Sams are from PHILLADELPHIA! supprising, nee? NEways, theirs are close, but they call them by the heathen name "subs", and also put bermuda onions on them, which ive never had at home.

ive been told that, the farther west you go from Philladelphia, the more progressively worse "philly cheesesteaks" become. its really an amazing phenomena.

~joanna

ps - what do they call "soda" out there? remember, "pop" is a noise, "soda" is a beverag

[oren.livejournal.com]

Honestly Uncle Sams was the worst cheese steak I have ever had. If the owners are from Philadelphia they should be flogged since they should know better. :)

Charlies in Pittsburgh was at least reasonably good but they kept raising prices.

There's a place called Philly's Best out here in California with the owners from Philly. It's kind of hit and miss as to how good it is since they sometimes come out a bit too greasy for my liking. However, all the ingredients come from Philly. The cool thing is that they invite everyone to watch the Eagles games at the store. A little bit of Philly in Southern California. :)

Dee, there's a place in Seattle that has the same name? Freaky. I wonder if it's coincidence.

[dr4b]

my officemate says that the place out here also flies out the bread and tastykakes and crap daily from philly... it *sounds* like the same as your place was... i'll have to check it out sometime and let you know whether they're related or not.

[oren.livejournal.com]

http://www.eatphillysbest.com is the place I go to. Their only locations are Orange County.

I can't wait for the Eagles games to start again.

[rmitz.livejournal.com]

I would say that they have one of the worst *philly* cheesesteaks I've ever had--eh, not really, but it's a decent cheesesteak in and of itself.

[dr4b]

actually, i don't like uncle sam's cheesesteaks much. they're close but they're not like what you'd actually find in south philly. they are one of the best sandwich places in pittsburgh though - i like some of their other stuff.

there's a chain called "philly's best" - i went to one in california - they actually fly out amoroso rolls and stuff. wacky. the cheesesteaks there taste really good, but they make them wrong (put the cheese on the meat on the grill, rather than putting the cheese on the bread and then the meat in the bread so it melts the cheese). i dunno.

oh yeah. hmm, on the soda/pop issue - my officemate is also from center city philly, and he accidentally said "pop" the first day i was here, and i went "dude, you said 'pop'" and he said "oops. you have to remind me not to - people out here say pop and i've been slowly converting to it", and i was sort of freaked out over that. so i asked some other people and they said "hmm, i say soda. others say pop. most say coke. it depends on where they were imported to seattle from..." so, i don't really know. it seems, at least, that if you ask for a soda, nobody's going to look at you funny like they do in pittsburgh, at least.

[biancaserrafina.livejournal.com]

Uncle Sam's certainly isnt a "real" cheesesteak in the sense of the sandwich i grew up with. i only meant that is fairly close, but they dont use Amaroso and they dont melt the cheese the "right" way. and the meat is a bit too thick in my oppinion, but that could just be me. its not perfect, but its a far sight better than some of the "cheesesteaks" ive had. my aunt used to come back with horror stories for what passes in places like atlanta and florida *shudder*

[mrpeck.livejournal.com]

Uncle Sam's is sufficient to satisfy my regional dietary requirements. However, I'm from the suburbs and have never actually eaten at the 'authentic' places downtown so my standard doesn't seem to be as demanding.

[ohhim.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely shocked that you have been in Seattle this long without a fleece pullover. The two things that are eternally hammered into my brain after living in the pacific northwest (Victoria, B.C.) are:
1) Everybody has a fleece pullover
2) It rains quite a bit

Given the price and necessity of a good jacket in Seattle, you definitely should take your time when looking for one. Given the uniformity of the weather, going for something light but GoreTex is definitely advised, albeit pricey.

On the Sam's issue, yes, I've driven to Jim's on South Street twice this spring/summer (exclusively for his cheesesteaks), but find the quality of the meat and Mancini's breads (they use some lard in it) at Uncle Sam's to be definitely much higher quality than what I get there. Sam's is different, definitely not authentic Philly style (no Wiz, and the steak definitely doesn't slide down my throat), but still succulent.

REI

[ryani.livejournal.com]

REI is cool because they monogram all their stuff for me for free.