A couple of months ago, Sarasota Magazine called and asked to feature me as their “NoiseMaker,” quite appropriate as I can be a pretty gregarious, controversial gal. You see, I live in a city where the average age of the patrons at Outback Steakhouse is twice mine. This land of Sarasota is paradise. It’s where the rich retire. It’s a city full of restaurants where you’re guaranteed that 3 out of the 5 appetizer specials are “gummable.”
OH GOSH. I’m just kidding.
Sorta.
I do love this area, even though I miss my San Francisco grocery stores and ethnic corner eateries, living here actually inspired my cooking career, a fun story for another time.
So when John, the photographer for Sarasota Magazine showed up at my doorstep, I already had rehearsed in my head how I was going to convince him not to take a boring ol’ shot of me smiling-happy-holding-a-wok-spatula-pretending-to-cook-in-the-kitchen pose. YAWN. Thank heavens John was cool. In fact, he suggested that we photograph me eating on my Balinese day-bed.
We had to take several shots before John and I were happy with the lighting, pose, setting and of course, my LOOK. Because I had to decide if I was going to look:
a) Giddy
b) Hungry
c) Insane
We chose the “Draping Seductively Over the Balinese Love Lounge” look.
I’m a thirty-frickin’-five year old mother of two and I can still look hotter than habanero sunbathing in july.
yeeeesssssssssss………
oh and yeah, THAT is how Scott, Nathan, Andrew and I eat dinner every night. On dry-clean only embroidered silk.
{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh that “Jaden does Asian…” cracked me up and I am pretty sure you know what I am thinking
.
Congrats on getting featured in another paper. You must be Furikakishly happy
Yummy… Two very tasty dishes on one exotic hunk of furniture.
Maybe someday someone will want to do an article on a fat guy eating chili dogs on a couch that’s covered with cat hair. When that happens, that is so going to be me.
Ahhh… I can dream. I can dream…
Anyway, great picture, and congratulations on the press.
Jaden, you is just HOT woman.
Great shot.
you go girl! congratulations, well deserved recognition!
Bow chicka wow wow!
Of course you are hot! You look fabulous, darling!
(I am hot too but in a scary menopause womanly way!)
HOT STUFF! I mean you, not the noodles ok?!
Who knew a bowl of noodles could look soooo good!
well you could’ve added another adjective in your option, sexy!..:D
who’s da babe?
nice shot! are u cheeks really that chubby??(i am NOT saying fat!)
Feeling hot, hot, hot! So appropriate, you and your dishes are so good lookin’!
thats sizzling hot!!!! congrats darling
If that shot doesn’t sell a magazine, I don’t know what will… Hot hot hot!
Seriously “Hot Stuff” !! You look good! If I was directing the photography, I would have put a huge chili pepper in your chopsticks instead
Noodles? I don’t see no steenkink noodles.
BTW y’all, Jaden was also mentioned on Serious Eats out of NYC yesterday. Of course, she’s far too shy to mention something like that!
You go, girl! You are hot hot hot — and your career is hot, too. You deserve it all.
You look Fabulous!!! and you definitely deserve it
Jaden,now, if that’s not hot, what is…I mean, the lady
That is one hot shot…the half-smile did it, you naughty girl!
Yesss! indeed. I know you are going places , sister! Yes and you look seductively gorgeous! Steamy kitchen indeed!
Marvelous! Glad to see you’re becoming the face of Asian food in Sarasota! Great picture, too!
You are hot, lady!
Very cool.. and the food looks good, too!
Question.. my boyfriend moved away from his hometown in MN (we’re on the East Coast now) and desperately misses a Thai (we think) dish he used to eat. It’s called Pra Ram Long Song (sp?), and is chicken and steamed spinach in a slightly spicy (barely) peanut sauce.
We can’t find it anywhere. Is there any chance you know of this or maybe have a similar recipe I can try out? Thanks
Haha I think steamy kitchen is “steamy” because you’re too hot!
Yo lady, you are just too hot to handle. *sizzle* You friggin’ crack me up every time. LOVE the shot. Jaden, bringin’ authentic Asian to the masses! I’m so impressed that you can keep your furniture clean and lovely… you know, with your family eating noodles on it and all
Rock on, Jaden. You da wo-man.
you do! great photo, and i LOVE that necklace!
I want what you’re having! Those noodles look great! Oh yeah, great photo!
Hi Jaden – Just discovered your blog today, courtesy of Terry B over at Blue Kitchen. He had a link to your post on salting steaks (last August), and I thought my tea would shoot out my nose reading it! Now I discover a gorgeous woman is who is cracking me up. You go, girl!
My folks, who were not rich, retired to Sarasota many years ago, so I’m familiar with the town. Yes, lots of good restaurants, but it’s still the other side of the moon from San Francisco!
“Jaden does Asian”!?!?!? I wanna see the outtakes, not just the winning shot.
Hey, take some more trips to China and do a Tastes of China series on regional Chinese cuisines. Do one a year and them make the recipes into a cookbook.
Oops, forgot to add………some of the best chicken I’ve ever had is the white-feathered, fluffy (like it stuck its foot into an electric socket), black meat and bone chicken of China. How moist and wonderful. Have some recipes for that and get this chicken introduced to the American palate.
Yes, you are certainly steamy in a Chinese Poster girl sort of way, ahahahah!!!! You look amazing and you’re my hero! Got any recipes for making babies? I’m a little behind in the momma status…hey, send me a flick of your Balinese day bed!!!! Pleeeze!!!
*Wolf-Whistle*
Hahhaaa…just like Suji said “Jaden does Asian..”hehehe:D not a great tag line girl:D
but have to say John did take out the best in you:)ok ok…youd had a big role to play too:)
Haha, well done and you look beautiful. But I can’t say more than that, my wife is here
oh baby you do Asian like no one else I know. You are gorgeous. Here’s to all the gorgeous 35 year old mummies – Chinchin!
Congratulations! Great picture, and I agree that it’s better because it’s not posed fake-cooking! You look beautiful!!!
BTW – where did you get those Silk sheets….
Furkin’ A. Hot indeed.
Words escape me…
TBG
Jaden, that is a gorgeous picture! I have been trying to master the smile with my mouth closed for YEARS, but I always just look pissed off. And I love that necklace!
Lick finger, apply to hip. Sizzzzzzle. Yup, you’re hot. Way to go, steamy mama!
To quote the immortal Long Duk Dong: “What’s happenin’ hot stuff?” LOL!
Wow, you are absolutely gorgeous in that picture!
And just so you know, I’m still laughing over this word: FURIKAKE!!!
What an enticing photo! Fantastic!
Yeah baby! Strut your stuff. Congratulations! Well-deserved. I know how hard you work but you make it seem effortless.
One word ‘Hot’…umm..well i need to add one more ’sexy’. who in god’s name wud think u r one thirty-frickin’-five year old mother of two !!!
Jaden does Asians for Americans? The copyeditor who wrote that caption was just awful!
PS Did you find it? Use the search bar.
Look for gobo.
Jaden, you are putting an industry of publicists out of business. You do it all your own, who needs a publicist! Congrats on the hot cover! (Actually, I should say Congrats to the magazine editors for a successful feature!)
What a gorgeous photo! If I weren’t already into cooking & baking that photo would make me want to start putting around in the kitchen.
Woot! You sexy hoochie mama!!
A fantabulous shot and congrats on the magazine article!
xoxo