Archive for the year 2016
Fork & Fennel
Posted on June 5, 2016 by Ching under Food and Drink, Reviews.
Brian and I got to try a new restaurant a couple of weeks ago. We were supposed to got to the Andover Rotary Club’s summer picnic but it was canceled due to weather. Plan B was to hit Central Standard Brewery, which is where the Flying Stove usually parks on Thursday nights. We texted them to see if they would be out but they hadn’t made the call yet. It was pretty clear on our side of town so we decided to go for drive and swing by CSB. We were so disappointed to find the truck absent. Apparently, though the weather was pretty clear downtown and on the East side, it had rained hard on the West side of town were the Flying Stove guys are from. They were worried that things would get worse so they made the call to turn around and cancel for the evening.
Brian and I were already out but didn’t really have an alternative plan in mind. We were driving East on Douglas, toward our house, when we came up Fork & Fennel. Neither of us had been there but I’d heard great things about the restaurant. A potentially stormy night seemed like the perfect time to try it. LOL.
The restaurant has a pretty cool interior, which is a huge departure from the old decor. The restaurant used to house a taco joint years ago.
It’s been completely transformed and looks great. I love the lighting and metal chairs. Note that the lack of people is not because the restaurant isn’t any good but because we were supposed to be in some kind of thunderstorm watch.
Here’s a glimpse of the menu which Brian carefully studied, as we should since we are first timers at the Fork & Fennel.
Brian and I had to try the waffle chips and dip. I’m glad we did because it was amazing. The waffle chips are like waffle fries but thinly sliced and crispy. The chips were great alone but phenomenal with the house dip, which had excellent flavor.
To keep ourselves from overeating, Brian and I decided to split the smokey bleu and bacon. I don’t particularly like onions so I would have them hold the red onion marmalade next time. Other than that, the burger was amazing.
The burger normally comes with a side of waffle chips but, since we had already stuffed our faces full of it, we opted for a side salad. For a nominal fee, they halved our burger for us and we each got our own salad.
The salad was amazing. I loved the pecans, blackberries, and cheese crumbles. We probably could have done with just one salad though, because Brian didn’t really eat his. I think it was too frou frou for him.
Anyway, if you’ve never been to Fork & Fennel you have to check it out. The food is delicious and the restaurant ambiance is unlike anywhere else in town.
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Date Night – Salina
Posted on June 3, 2016 by Ching under Food and Drink, Reviews, Things to Do.
Brian and I had the opportunity to watch Kathy Griffin’s stand up performance at Stiefel Theater in Salina a couple of weeks ago. Neither of us had been to the Stiefel Theater before. We actually thought the drive there would be longer. It’s really only a little over an hour. Anyway, we decided to make a night of it.
We decided to eat dinner at Tucson’s before the show because it’s pretty close to the theater. We also checked online and the restaurant had pretty good reviews.
Here are some pictures of our food.
I had the tilapia with rice and veggies.
Predictably, Brian got chicken tenders. He really should have ordered steak. It is a steakhouse after all. But neither of us that fond of beef. Why we picked a steakhouse to eat at for dinner, I have no idea. LOL.
I suppose we wanted to avoid fast food and there really weren’t that many options.
Here’s a picture of the sign in front of the theater.
This is where everyone congregated as we waited to be let in to the auditorium.
Here’s a picture of the theater auditorium.
It wasn’t too obvious from the previous picture but there’s also a balcony area.
We got really good floor seats. We were only seven rows from the stage.
Obligatory pre-show selfie.
And just in case some of you are not familiar with Kathy Griffin, I took a picture of the flyer. She’s semi-famous. LOL.
She’s also super hilarious. I really like her conversational, story-telling style. I don’t feel like I’m watching a stand-up comedian. It just seems like you’re listening to a friend tell you stories, except they’re juicy and funny and entertaining.
We drove home immediately after the show because we both had to work the next day. It was a long night but totally worth it. If you get a chance to see the “Like a Boss” tour – I think she’s hitting 80 cities on this tour – you should. Brian and I give it two thumbs up.
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Food Trucks at the Fountain
Posted on June 2, 2016 by Ching under Events, Things to Do.
If you’ve ever wondered what Food Trucks at the Fountain is like, click on the photo below. I took a ton of pics last month. Mainly I was looking for Kamayan Truck. They weren’t at their usual spot so Brian and I walked all over looking for them. I figured if I was going to look at every single truck, I might as well take photos of them also.
Over 30 trucks participated last month, including a couple of booze trucks, but no Kamayan Truck. I found out later that they had truck issues and that’s why they were absent. Brian and I used the opportunity to sample the other offerings.
Predictably Brian got pizza. I got the grilled cheese plus hamburger patty from BS Sandwich Press. I got the idea from someone we met at the YPW Mingle last month. It wasn’t actually on the menu but they were happy to make it so then that’s what I ordered the next chance I got.
There should be another Food Trucks at the Fountain event coming up toward the end of the month. I recommend checking it out if you’ve never been. In the meantime, Riverfest starts tomorrow. I hope you guys got your buttons!
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The Muse
Posted on June 1, 2016 by Ching under Food and Drink, Reviews.
When we were at the Wichita Art Museum for the Summer Opening Party, Brian and I had dinner at the Muse Café. It was a real treat because they’re normally only open for lunch. Now that Brian no longer works downtown, we wouldn’t ever have the occasion to have lunch there unless we were both off in which case we probably wouldn’t be downtown. LOL.
I’d eaten there before but it had been a few years. Brian said he’d never been there until that night. I’m pretty sure he has, though. Anyway, if you’re looking for a nice, quiet place to have lunch that serves good food, this is the place.
The restaurant also boasts a fantastic view of the Paula and Barry Downing Amphitheater and the Arkansas River beyond.
I was trying to get the art garden in the background of this selfie but I failed miserably.
The art garden is awesome. If you haven’t been, you should definitely go check it out. Confluence did a fabulous job. One of the ways you can enjoy the beautiful, new grounds is by participating in “Yoga on the Lawn” held on the second Saturday of every month from May through October. There’s lots of other events that take advantage of the art garden but I digress… Back to the Muse.
We had light fare that night so I only have a couple of food pics. I had the shrimp tapa which had excellent flavor. Brian had the cheese and fruit tray.
I still like the cheese board that we got at the Ivy in Hell’s Kitchen. That’s in New York in case you were wondering.
Anyway, we really enjoyed our dining experience. I wish the cafe was open for dinner also. It would be a great place for a nice, romantic dinner. After dinner you could take a stroll through the art garden and maybe get proposed to.
Oh, yeah. We are already married. If I weren’t though, and I were to propose to someone, that’s definitely how I would do it. You have to time it just right though, because the Muse Café is only open for dinner on special occasions such as the Summer Opening Party. It’ll be worth all of the planning. You could even have the wedding there. I think it would be really cool to be married where the proposal happened. Do over!
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Summer Opening Party
Posted on May 31, 2016 by Ching under Community, Events.
Now that we are part of WAM Contemporaries, Brian and I are on the Wichita Art Museum’s mailing list and get invites to fun events like the opening of new exhibits. One of the events we recently had the opportunity to attend was the Summer Opening Party where we got to preview the Chihuly Drawings art exhibit.
Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor famed for his magnificent glass installations. The Wichita Art Museum has always had two of his glass installations on permanent display: the iconic Confetti Chandelier in the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall and the Persian Seaform Bridge. Through September 11, the museum will be showcasing his drawings as well. The Chihuly Drawings exhibition includes drawings from across the his career — with work in pencil, charcoal, and acrylic — and is quite a collection.
The exhibition’s opening night had a great turnout. We even ran into our friend Cindy. Of course, my friend Teresa was there. As the PR Manager for the Wichita Art Museum, she’s kind of a big deal and is at all of these events.
Speaking of big deal, Brian actually felt pretty special at this event. As we were walking up to the door he was like, “Do we have tickets for this?” I told him, “No. I RSVP’d so we should be on the list.”
When we got up to the check in desk, one of the Wichita Art Museum folks asks for our name which we readily gave but, before she could even look, Kourtney was like, “I remember seeing your names on the list. You are good to head on up.”
Brian was shocked. “They know who we are? That’s pretty cool!”
Well, when you ask for your name to be listed simply as “FLIP + CHING” on the Color Party X invitation, you kind of stand out. I don’t really know anyone else who has a symbol as part of their name besides the late Prince (may his soul rest in peace). They were probably thinking, “Look! It’s those two weirdos again.” LOL.
Anyway, check out the June issue of Splurge to see some pictures from the Color Party. Our picture, though not very good, actually made the spread. I’m sure that was my friend Teresa’s doing because they also had our name listed as “Flip + Ching” rather than our real names. The plus sign was actually her idea so I’m sure she’s just as tickled about our new monicker as we are.
While you’re checking things out, be sure to check out the Chihuly Drawings exhibition which is only on display through September 11.
Other events worth checking out this month include:
- June 2: Wichita State University Alumni Awards
- June 4: The Pando Initiative’s 25th Anniversary Gala
- June 12: Kansas DUI Impact Center’s Hope in Spring Gala
- June 14: Wichita Orpheum’s Celebrity & Chef Cookoff
- June 17: Tunes + Tallgrass at the Wichita Art Museum
- June 24: Final Friday
If you know of other events worth checking out, please post them in the comments. We’re always up for checking out new things and meeting new people. Let’s get out there, support some great causes, and enjoy our wonderful city!
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