Blog 4 Interview

For this blog, I am interviewing my friend Evan Brown. He is a native of the Santa Monica in California who has recently moved to the Reno/Sparks area. Evan is a very straight forward, yet thoughtful person. I, on the other hand, am a native of the bay area, a region on the other end of state. Below, my questions are in bold and his answers are beneath each question.

What is food?

Food is something you eat.

Why is bread food but not, say, a rock?

A rock is not food because it provides no nutrients. Bread can be digested while a rock would simply pass through the bowels. The ability to be digested is the key difference between food and non food.

Is food an object?

Yes.


Why do humans need to eat food?

Humans need to eat food because food provides energy which is necessary for the human body to function properly.

What happens if you don't eat food?

You starve.

Is it ever okay to not eat food?

Sure. If you are an ascetic ideologue and it's part of your religious beliefs. Or if you're on a hunger strike. Fasting can be something that's very worthwhile.

Food?

Definitely.

What foods are characteristic of the LA area?

In my estimation, the cuisine of Los Angeles is highly influenced by eastern traditions. This is likely because of their common proximity to the ocean. All restaurants I've been to have has at least one item of seafood on their menu. Japanese and Chinese restaurants are easy to come by and are almost as common as american restaurants. Sushi is an extremely popular food here and LA is home to some of the best sushi spots in the entire world. Another culinary style that exemplifies the area is modern, hipster foods. Lots of fried eggs and avocado toast. I've been to a restaurant that had gourmet peanut butter and jelly. I didn't order it but I remember thinking that this is something that would only be available in LA. Vegan restaurants and foods are extremely common. Vegetarians would never feel out of place around there. Falafel, hummus, salads, and imitation meat is all over the place.

In terms of food, what is unique about LA?

LA is really special, not because it's unique, but because it's the opposite. LA is the most culturally diverse city in the most culturally diverse state in the most culturally diverse country. Any type of food that could ever be desired can be found here. Authentic Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian, Cambodian, Brazilian, probably even food from Antarctica. Bakeries are everywhere as well. Donut shops, places that make cake, eclairs, and cronuts. Some of the best wines and alcoholic drinks in the country. There's this place called Birdie's which sells nothing but fried chicken and donuts so it is essentially the best place on Earth. Their pistachio donut is the one that everyone comes for and the they had the best chicken sandwich I've ever eaten in my life.