I recently partook in a spring roll eating competition for the Seattle Chinatown/International District Preservation and Development Association. Or, affectionately, SCID/PDA. Honestly I got roped into it at the last minute and I partly wanted to just represent women on the eating stage, as well as the International Examiner.
Let me just say...competitive eaters have skill. It is seriously hard to shove spring rolls, with crispy fried wrappers down your gullet un-chewed. I at least thought I had a leg up on Dino Rossi because he confessed to me in the green room that he hated cabbage. But alas, he beat me by 2. But at least he has some gas as a result of the competition. I comfortably made the rounds and topped off on chicken wings and fried rice.
Here's a pic of me with the rest of the competitors, Dow Constantine, King County Councilman (and running for King County Exec.) famed controversial "GOP" gubernatorial candidate, Paul Costant, books editor at The Stranger, Toby Crittenden of Washington Bus, Brock Huard, former Husky and Seahawk, James Sun, former contestant on The Apprentice and Uncle Bob Santos, "Mayor of the ID" (not pictured). Here's The Stranger's Paul Costant crowing on his victory.
And the video