Three Latest and Best

Whoa, doggie, have I been in the bunker! Haven't left the house except to run or bike ride for the past few days and am glued to my desk chair for a little while more. (Which, of course, does nothing to improve the shape of my behind!) Good thing I foraged at the grocery store last week or I'd have been starved out. In the meantime, it was tough, but I managed to cobble together an odd -- but strangely satisfying -- Three Latest and Best:

14 West, Art, and the Fabulous Susan Brewer: I escaped from the office briefly on Friday night to enjoy the yearly Stutz Artists Open House. The trick to enjoying this nuttily crowded event is to go early and stay ahead of the big crowds. Plus, when you go early, most of the artists have food! We saw lots of great art, met many terrific artists, and enjoyed a lot of Charles Shaw. But the standout in not only the art scene but also the food was Susan Brewer. You may know her as one of the best bartenders in town at Ruth's Chris downtown. But we know her for her day job -- artist extraordinaire. 14 West executive chef Brandon Hamilton personally served his smoked salmon canapes and spring rolls with acai berry sauce to the crowd enjoying the beautiful abstract paintings in Susan's studio. And there were more than a few Ruth's regulars hanging around just to make Susan feel right at home!

My New Favorite Food: Yes, I'm an advertising target. If it's the latest, newest thing, I'll usually try it at least once. But my new favorite treat? Edy's ice cream Dibbs. They're ice cream nuggets! Covered in chocolate! In a tub! Both in vanilla and chocolate. Why didn't anyone think of this before.

Sambusas, Goat, and Strawberry-Watermelon Smoothies: Due for a little catch up with Mr. Kirts, we ventured last week onto West Washington street, one of the most interesting areas in town. While we mainly think of it for Mexican food, this time we were in search of Somali and East African and we found some cafe gems. You'll see more in next week's Nuvo, but the goat (Halal killed from a farm in Greenwood) was unbelievably fresh and well cooked, the fried meat pies were incredible, and we discovered that watermelon really does a fruit drink justice, especially when mixed with strawberry and banana. Look for specifics including names and locations in his article.