Perspective

When Jonathan and I arrived in Raleigh almost three years ago we hated it! We regretted our journey across the country and longed to go back to Portland. Although, when we arrived in Portland we hated it too. In Portland I longed for Cuban food, sunshine, hard rain fall, and family. When I arrived in Raleigh I longed for Stumptown's mochas, Voodoo’s doughnuts, and Blue Moose's eggless egg salad. It seems that the more time you spend in a city the more it grows on you.  I think when you move from one city to another, it is inevitable that you will miss something from the city you just left. Anyways, when we arrived in Raleigh, we hated it! Eventually we left the nest of our apartment and ventured to places like Chapel Hill and Durham, where great food was indeed found. Although each trip we made to Chapel Hill and Durham brought great food, it lacked a great people component. I disliked the Foucault-Pollan-Warhol personalities that seemed to share my affinity for great local and organic food. In an effort to find not only great food, but a great people component to that food, we ventured to Raleigh. Raleigh's food has not always been great and our efforts of finding a great people component did not fare better. Raleigh is a true melting pot, where pseudo-intellectuals mingle with yuppies, suburbanites, and hippies. So to sum everything up, there is undoubtedly great food in RTP, but there always seems to be a rather poor people component to this food.

So why am I telling you this? I want to provide you insight as to why you will find postings about my own cooking adventures at home. There is something to be said about cooking at home. You are guaranteed a quiet meal (no screaming, uncontrolled, and poorly parented child behind you). You can only blame yourself if the quality of the food is lacking. And you will always get to eat with the people you love. In short, you can get everything you want: great food and great people. I am not telling you my opinion of food in RTP solely to segue into cooking at home, but to allow you as the reader to gain perspective as I review newly ventured to places in RTP. It is my opinion that in order to have the best meal experience you need not only great food, but great people.

Following this post will be my review of The Morning Times in Raleigh.