Octopuscarwash's Gourmet Adventures: Gingerbread, Takoyaki, Eggplant, Oh my!

Saturday:
I've decided to start posting a "lake shot of the day" photo:

I woke up this morning... It was beautiful, as per usual, so despite my aching legs, I set out on a run... nothing fancy, just to the playground and back (about half of what I did yesterday). My pace was faster, but MAN, was it windy! On the way back especially, there was a crazy amount of resistance.
I came back and made a beautifully light yet decadent breakfast:
A slice of gingerbread, heated
The last of the Greek yogurt
Half a banana and a tangerine

I found 4 apples WAY past their prime and decided to make an impromptu applesauce... the problem was I forgot about it and it burned like crazy. The whole kitchen was filled with smoke... and we have no ventilation. I had to open the door to the hallway and neighbors were asking if everything was okay... yes, it was pretty embarrassing.
BUT I could get all fancy and pretend it wasn't a mistake. In fact, I'm calling it caramelized apple chutney, because that's what it is now. I got rid of the charred bits, but I used some of the syrup I made from quince and pear better back on Thanksgiving, and it really did get a gorgeous copper hue and smokey flavor. I didn't puree it... hence, chutney! I also added lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and of course, some salt.
This would go REALLY well with poultry or pork, if I ate either.

I went to music school for my quartet at 11:30. I had a break from 12:30-2:00, so I decided to check out a cute little (new) sushi joint around the corner called Sushi Pink. It outdid my expectations! I managed to get three little dishes for 11.00 including tax (not tip, though)!
First of all, the atmosphere was awesome. The whole place was decked out in red and mirrors (why not pink though?). I ended up sitting at the bar, which I've never done, surprisingly.

I COULD NOT DECIDE WHAT TO GET, since I've never gone to a sushi place alone before. Should I get sushi over rice, or a handroll, or mix and match? I decided to mix and match: they said their special was grilled octopus, so I got that, plus 2 pieces of hamachi (my love) nigiri and a seaweed-cucumber salad.
The seaweed salad was just the way I like it: chewy seaweed on a bed of crunchy cucumbers with lots of sesame oil and vinegar.

After that, I waited... I couldn't figure out what was taking so long. Meanwhile, I saw some other people get brought a platter of fancy over-the-top rolls that had FLAMES in the center of the plate! No joke... I couldn't see far enough, but they had obviously put something flammable in the center and lit it on fire for dramatic effect.
When the octopus came, I realized what had taken so long. Instead of charcoaled octopus like I'd been expecting, I got TAKOYAKI! In case you don't know what that is, it's basically balls of egg batter with octopus hidden in the center. It can be baked or fried, and is usually served with okonimyaki sauce (kind of like worchestershire sauce) and a little mayo.
Now, that DEFINITELY doesn't sound like the kind of thing I would normally order, but I'm so glad I got to try it! I remember being at a food court in Singapore, watching them make the little balls and being so curious. Luckily, mine were baked, not fried. They were slightly crispy on the outside, eggy and creamy on the inside, and studded with little chunks of chewy, savory octopus. Almost like a savory profiterole or something! They were actually really light, except for the mayo, which I pretty much wiped off (hate mayo). The sauce was tangy, like barbecue sauce, and pretty addictive. There were 6 little balls, the perfect portion.

As for the hamachi, the fish was really fresh. It was hamachi, which I know and love... not much more to say about it.
Oh! Their bathroom has a 1-way mirror, so it seems as though everyone can see you through a window, but if you go outside it's just a mirror. Freaky! And the water also came out of the faucet like a waterfall.
I would definitely come back! Very decently priced... the only thing is that I heard the staff speaking Chinese... so maybe it's not the most authentic, but who am I to say that? Sushi Pink, you rock!

I went back to music school for theory, then ditched assembly to go get a much needed caffeine boost. I must say, this lunch didn't really hold me over that long... Now that I think about it, it really wasn't THAT much food. So I went to Starbucks for a banana and a nonfat latte that I sprinkled cocoa powder on.

But this is the embarrassing part-- my old music theory teacher and a flute teacher walked in and said, 'hey, aren't you supposed to be in assembly?"
I didn't lie or anything. I just kind of smiled and set "yes."
and they pretty much said "oh, okay."
Me: I usually go!
Theory teacher: Lida, I don't really care. So how's your book?
Ha, awesome.

After assembly was piano duo, and after that was GROCERY SHOPPING! We went to Whole Foods and then Chinatown.
The problem is, now our fridge is so full it can hardly close, what with the leftovers from last night, what we bought, and leftovers from dinner tonight. Goal tomorrow: do not cook at all!!!!!