Queen's Bound

Day 6

My culinary adventure continues today with Dim Sum at my friends favorite place in Chinatown. What I didn't know before arriving was that the restaurant was vegetarian and kosher! Yea! There was such a mix of people and everyone was very nice. I can eat everything on the menu!! I have to say, Dim Sum is officially my new favorite thing. I love lots of little plates crowding the table and getting to taste a bit of everything. The best thing, according to me who ate most of it, was the veg. meat bun. Lovely little pillows of dough surrounding (what I think was) TVP in a sweet red sauce. It makes me dreamy just thinking about it. Also amazing were the crullers- puff pastry topped with rice sheets in a sweet soy sauce. Heaven!

Afterward, I really wanted to go to Babycakes, a vegan bakery I keep hearing about. If there is one thing I love (especially in NY) it's cupcakes. When they achieve the perfect balance of cake to icing I am hooked. The store is located on an unassuming street on the Lower East Side. Inside there is just enough space for 4 people to squeeze in, order, then get stuck. They are constantly making cupcakes, donuts (baked!), and cookies all day. They even wear 50s style peppermint striped blouses. Even better, the cupcakes are delicious! Besides being vegan, they also have gluten free options. They were also recently named New York's best place to stop for a sweet bite (out of all the places to stop- vegetarian, vegan, and "regular" alike!) A must stop!

We walked around the mostly residential neighborhood in search of life, finally finding it in Nolita. From there, we caught the 7 train to Flushing, Queens. Just over the bridge, there is an amazing mural covering 3 sides of a building. Apparently, they sporadically paint over it and start again. very cool.

By the time we got to Queens it had started to rain. On a positive note, it did lower the temperature. We ran down the crowded streets to Tai Pan Bakery. I had the red bean bun (yes please) and a mango smoothie. Even better, when you spend $5, you can buy a great big umbrella (advertising the bakery) for only $3. Of course I bought one! It's even UV protected so I can sit under it at the pool and protect my skin. God, I'm such a nerd...

We wondered up to the big Asian supermarket there and had so much fun looking at everything and photobombing each other. Next up was Flushing Mall with a really cool Manga store. I just had to have a bubble tea before we left (how do you go to Chinatown and not get one?). In my previous life (approximately 1 year ago), the thought of drinking a milky tea with tapioca balls would really turn my stomach. In reality, it is a nice treat and great for in between meals. I got a green tea flavored on with black tapioca balls. The medium turned out to be too much and I had to share!

Back in Brooklyn, we're debating whether or not to hit up the "Man Men" launch party in Times Square. I'm mostly worried it may rain again, plus it was already 7 PM by the time we got back. No way were we getting a good place to stand or any cool free stuff. Not to mention, walking really takes it out on you! We were exhausted so we called it a night.

Tomorrow, I get ready to leave and (finally) visit The Pit.

Walking Talking (& Eating) Robots!

Day 5

We're off to a bit of a late start today but that's okay. It is totally worth it when you're eating savory crepes! Mine was stuffed with goat cheese and basil, served with a salad of mixed greens, red onion, yellow peppers, almonds, and dried cranberries with a Balsamic dressing. So delicious and so filling!

Once we got motivated (and believe me it was hard, another 95 degree day), we head into the city to check out the Union Square Green Market. It was packed, not only with people but with the most amazing produce I have ever seen. It certainly put the Dallas Farmer's Market to shame. Already we're sweating and burning up, so we head across the street to Whole Foods for sunscreen and a bathroom.
[New York Survival Guide Tip #1: When you see a bathroom, use it!]

Next we went in search of the mythical #1 falafel. I wasn't sure how that would be something I wanted to eat (really? Only $1?) but I was intrigued. When we got to Cheeps in the Lower East Side we discovered that not only had they undergone renovation but the falafel's were now $2. Not a problem! The were so delicious! A medium sized pita is stuffed with 4-5 falafel and served with your choice of marinated lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olives, pickles, tahini, etc. The hot sauce will blow your mind and probably get all over your pants. A couple doors down is Pomme Frites, a Belgian fry place with at least 20 different kinds of dipping sauces. I recommend the roasted eggplant.

We needed to walk off our food coma, so we wondered around, looking into interesting shops. We checked out an Asian market I've been to before (just don't ask me the name), then around the corner to Panya for snow balls- try the lychee. It's heaven! I rode my first NY City bus (!) My recollection of the afternoon is a bit hazy (not sure why- honestly) so this may or may not be the order in which it appeared.

We set off for H&M (a must stop when on the East coast) but was disappointed by the selection. I had to buy shoes as my flip flops tried to kill me (you know it's hot when the tops of your feet are sweating) and it took FOREVER to find my size. Oh well. We walked down to City Bakery where I had some mac & cheese then is was off to Asian Pub and an amazing happy hour. All drinks were $1 off, so my double only cost $5! We munched on edamame and I marveled at the culture clash interior (think Irish pub with a kimono on the wall- brilliant)then wondered the Bowery looking for somewhere else to go. We discovered this amazing Irish Pub called Slainte.

After that we decided we should probably eat more (!) so we took off back to the East Side and a Korean place called Song 7.2. There we noshed on kimchi pancakes (my new favorite thing), dumplings, and some kind of stew. It was all really good. Down the street was a karaoke bar where we sang. It did not remind me of any karaoke bars in Dallas and I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing. There is no real DJ, you read a mammoth (bound) book and tell the bartender. The arrangements were a bit cheesy, but I had so much fun. There was such a diverse crowd and some of the older clientele really got into it.

The plan was to head to Veselka, an East Village legend that we all wanted to try, but we were so tired and a bit inebriated that we just went home. However, we couldn't bored the train to Brooklyn without stopping at Mr Frosty first! Everywhere you go in NY the ice cream trucks serve soft serve instead of the cheep novelty treats we're used to. You can get a cone dipped in almost anything!

I had so much fun, but it was exhausting. In all, I think the most I paid to eat at one sitting was $12. Pretty darn good! Tomorrow, we're off to Queens.

Holiday: Day Two

I don't know if there is anything more interesting and likely to be hilarious, as shopping in a foreign grocery store. No, I don't mean an ethnic or specialty food store (though we'll get to those), I mean any store that is not your own. You have no idea where anything is and must wander aimlessly looking at new products and brands you've never heard of. In the case of shopping in the Poconos, everything amazes me.

We stopped by Grand Union yesterday, but the place makes me a bit sad. Today, it was Price Chopper to the rescue! Every time I go, it seems to take on the appearance of a metropolitan grocery more and more. I mean, they had kimchi for gods sake! We also stopped at the dreaded Walmart (i.e. the devil) for an aux cable so we could finally listen to music in the car. Thank goodness!

For lunch, we went up the road to the Windy Dog to satisfy my sister's boyfriend's craving for deli sandwiches. The owner was very nice and accomodating with our veggie sandwiches which was overflowing with lettuce, onion, pickles, tomato, mushroom (on hers), and garlic mayonaise (on mine, made in house). It was too much to eat!

Back at the house, we're supposed to get ready for the reunion that Saturday. My attempt to do something useful (clean the kitchen) is met with a resounding "No!" Oh well, at least I tried. Now I can go back to reading my book and enjoying the cooling weather.

[side note: I judged my vacation by how far I read into Stephen King's newest book "Under the Dome". At over 1000 pages, it was seriously heavy so I knew I would read some of it- I had to after lugging it around! I think I made it about 1/4 of the way, so all in all, a successful vacation!]

Here's where it gets hilarious, especially to those of us in the South and Midwest: There was a tornado warning. Seriously. Even better, was the weatherman who looked like he just came off the links and couldn't be bothered to change out of his gold costume. He wore black and white large checked hounds tooth pants with a white polo. He clearly has no idea what he was talking about as he could not tear his eyes away from the STACK of papers in his hands. Probably weather.com reports and WikiAnswers.com findings. Poor thing, I don't even think he knew where he was or what part of the world he was reporting on! He gave us the warning at 2:58 PM and it expired at 3. Great.

The entire time, I sit in my chair. The phone rings (it's the calling circle always found in small towns and private lanes) asking if we're watching the weather. "What should we do?" "Nothing," I replied. There was no way a tornado was coming anywhere near us. If there is one thing you know after a lifetime in Texas, it's when to get worried about the weather.

"It's going to rain for 6 minutes, then the sun will come out in 15-20," I predicted. And, wouldn't you know it I was right!

After that everyone went swimming which is totally crazy, not because of the weather but because it was maybe 80 outside. Way too cold!

My sister and I contribute to the festivities by making dinner. This was partially selfish on our parts as it's hard to eat vegetarian when your Gram tries to force ham salad on you, but also as a nice gesture. We debated long and hard and decided on enchilada's. They are a sure fire hit and no one will miss the meat! I made triple cheese enchilada's with roast onion and a red tomato sauce. My sister made roast vegetables (squash and zucchini) with a sour cream sauce. There was also Spanish rice, guacamole, vegetarian refried beans, and salad. In all the hullabaloo, I forgot to take any pictures of our delicious meal. Believe me though, all plates were cleared and 2nds and 3rds ordered. I never felt so good in a long time.

After dinner, as is tradition, we played Trivial Pursuit. My Gram loves auctions and usually comes back from one with some kind of crazy hat. She's built up a real collection! Whenever a game is on the table, you must wear a silly hat. Don't like you luck in the game? Change your hat!

Again, I'm up late reading and talking but I just can't justify going to be early on vacation. Heck, I can't justify it normally! Tomorrow, we're floating the Delaware (or how I originally heard it "going to Delaware").

It's Bambi- Run!!

I was so excited to be invited to my friends BBQ last night. We all look forward to the time of year when the venison hits the grill. I should mention, he is an avid hunter and his venison is like no other- moist, tender, flavorful. What better way to live my new principles than with grass fed, locally raised and butchered deer meat. What I didn't consider, was that my body would not react in the same way it has previously.

Long story short, I can no longer put away a pound of meat. I should have stopped at the hamburger. Instead, I went back for sausage and steak. It was so good, but so bad and I paid for it dearly this morning. If you're going to reduce or cut out anything from your routine, it's important to remember that you can't eat it like you used to. I just wish I had remembered that last night.

Which seems like the perfect segue into Meatless Monday and my new foodie blog. Recently, I feel as if I've spent too much time talking about food and food issues which was not the original intention of The Art of Throwing Stones. So, I decided to move my usual rants to a more appropriate place, Veggie Sometimes. It will be full of recipes, news, rants, politics, etc. I hope that those of you who enjoyed my food blogs will follow me there. This is not to say that I will never talk about food on these pages; Chez Gris your amateur cooking knowledge will still be here, as well as any recipes that are not appropriate for the other site. I look forward to seeing you all there!

What's Up Netflix!

Food, Inc.- 5 stars- I cried twice while watching this film; partly because I cry all the time now at the movies, and partially because it was so sad. I am already aware of what factory farming is and what it entails. If you are not, this will be a bit of an eye awakening. What I didn't expect was how the impact of those practices would affect others. I cried the first time during a segment on Kevin's Law, which would give the USDA the authority to enforce its own standards, help identify pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli, etc), and set performance standards in the processing of meat. Did you know it didn't have that authority? It's shocking! The law is named after a 2-year old boy who died while on vacation with his family after eating a tainted hamburger. The second time I cried was during a segment about soy. Who knew soy was such a touchy subject? Apparently, one company owns the rights to soy (they engineer the seeds and force farmers to use those only). Those who want to use their own seed are forced to hire "cleaners" to weed out the copy written product. The company then sues these cleaners for copy write infringement, effectively taking away their lively hood and putting them into further debt. It's sick. Watching this film confirmed for me something I have been feeling for a while- that to feel better about myself (both internally and externally) I need to be more aware of what I put into my body (market!). I am now cutting out most meat from my diet, eating only ethically raised meat when I do, and more fresh and leafy produce. I hope everyone watches this film and thinks about what they are doing, not just to themselves but to others.

Four Christmases- 2 stars- Maybe it's because I didn't see this movie until March when it finally came off long wait (what are people doing with this movie for 4 months?), but it is not good. I'd say it's really a 1 star movie, but I didn't turn it off, and that seems to be worth a star. The acting is fine, but the writing and premise are horrid. Selfish Vaughn and Witherspoon would rather do anything than see their family for the holidays. You start to feel bad for their families until you meet them. They are horrid. Did the writer visit the island of misfit toys to get the ridiculous archetypes for each branch of the family? There are the hillbillies, the evangelical Christians, the hippies, and the rich but absent father. I don't mind a bit of "whimsy" and comical artifice in my holiday movies, but this was ridiculous. I'd skip it all together and rent "Home for the Holidays" with Holly Hunter instead.

The Time Traveler's Wife- 3 stars- Let me be clear upfront: I haven't read the book. It seemed ridiculous and I think Oprah liked it and I can't support any novel Oprah deems relevant. I have added it to my "to reads" section of Goodreads, and hopefully it will expand on the themes and relationships in the movie. This is not to say they are not explained, simply that I'm not sure it could have been done to an outsider's satisfaction in 107 min. The film is well acted, especially by McAdams; as the long time but forgotten love of time travelling Bana. This movie was close to getting 4 stars, but the unanswered questions nagged me to the end. Why does he time travel? How long does he have between shifts? How can the past and future exist in the same time, let alone interact with each other? This movie needed a big dose of Sci-fi honesty to get another star. Still, it filled the void of girly-romance I was desperately in need of.

Witches of Eastwick- 4 stars- I didn't rent this; it was on TV a while ago and I finally got around to watching it again. I forgot how poorly it has aged. Everything from the opening credits to the camera angles remind me of a made for TV movie. Last year I tried to read the Updike book of which it is based but to no avail. To say it was a difficult read is an understatement- torturous may be a better word. I was so frustrated! I am an excellent reader, always have been. I loved Thackery for goodness sacks, but Updike was my undoing. Any notion I had of tackling Joyce soon was quickly put on the back burner. The performances are great, of course. Cher (where has she been?) is amazing as is Susan Sarandon. I'm still not sure how I feel about the casting of Jack Nicholson as the suave, handsome object of their desire; but you cannot help but find him mesmerizing. This may be why it works so well for women. What we find attractive is often so much more than physical beauty. You go… boy.

I'm Almost Too Bored for Saturday

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* So, my healthy eating plan is in full swing! I'm trying to cut back the number of meat servings I eat in a week and have been doing pretty well so far. This week, I made some delicious balsamic glazed chicken, had one beef fajita, and blackened chicken salad from Whole Foods. Everything else was veggie. The last one I just couldn't help myself- I love that stuff! Speaking of Whole Foods, they just opened a new flagship store off Park Lane (for all you Dallas readers) and it is inspiring. Everything is easy to find, the produce is clearly marked "organic" or "conventional" along with it's state/country of origin. They've got a bunch of great deals too since they're new. For even better deals, check out the Central Market a couple blocks away- they're topping WF by at least $1. Anywho, I spent a lot less than I thought I would but it will be worth it if I calculated correctly and don't have to go back to the store for 2 weeks.

* I am your new giant Jenga master- bow to me!

* Dear Murderville: I understand that you cannot be anything other than what you are, but can you explain to me why I was awoken by a baby screaming bloody murder outside at 4 in the morning? Shouldn't said baby be asleep, or at the very least in doors? To make things worse, it woke up my upstairs neighbors who took the opportunity to parade around their apartment and keep me up. PS- The crack heads who were carrying on across the street at 4:30 AM had the decency to go inside after 15 minutes. In closing, please keep you babies (and any other illegal number of tenants you have crammed in a tiny 1-bedroom) indoors at night and away from my window. That is all.

* "Did you try double knotting it?"- our imagined answer if you called tech support on your shoe laces. We may have had a few too many Murphy's Irish Stout as well...

* Jennie's word of the day is: pink socks (she is obsessed with her recently pink socks. I am a bit too considering they started life as grey). Her second choice in words is "mistakes" for those of you who cannot work pink socks into your conversation.

* It's all over the news, but I have just one question for Bombshell McGee the alleged former slut of Jesse James- "Exactly how are you not dressed like a Nazi?" Have you seen the pic? She claims this is not a Nazi outfit. Uh... I understand you're not very intelligent, but honey, it is.

* I finally learned something important from my Yahoo! homepage and immediately forgot it.

* Hogwart's is coming! As the movie/comic/life nerd that I am, I need to start planning my trip to Disney Florida asap. The new Harry Potter theme park opens June 18th. I'm so giggly it's ridiculous.



c/o married to the sea

A Kind Saturday... Sort of

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* As you know, I've been on a major food kick for the past year or so- as much organic and local produce as I can afford along with free range/grass fed meat. I think it's important to know what you're eating! Oprah has been running her "Best of..." shows all year and I got to catch one I had wanted to see all about food and responsibility. If you haven't seen it, you can check out clips and info here. The episode featured food author Michael Pollan ("The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Food Rules"), actress Alicia Silverstone, and clips from the film "Food, Inc.". I knew of Pollan but had never read any of his books, but I will just as soon as I find one at Half Price Books. His food rules are simple and easy to follow; his motto being "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much". The episode talked a lot about responsible eating and easy ways to change your habits. It seems daunting when you think about cutting out certain foods (I just can't quit you fast food, especially when I've been drinking), however, I haven't eaten a frozen dinner in I don't know how long and feel great about it. My Meatless Mondays leave me feeling refreshed and great all day and Tuesday morning. ( PS- I've been really good the past couple weeks and remembered it was Monday! I'm already prepared for the next Monday with some delicious colcannon I made- skip the bacon, it's not traditional and personally it's gross). Organic produce simply tastes better and isn't that much more expensive than the measly "regular" food. I'm always reminded of Margritte's painting "The Son of Man" whenever I eat an organic apple- they're huge!

Alicia Silverstone was on to talk about her new book "The Kind Diet" and her vegan lifestyle. I don't think I could do it since eggs and cheese are my two favorite foods, but I fully support it! I've been meaning to read her book and become a "flirter" (a person who flirts with vegetarianism/veganism). She is a great spokesperson for the movement and some of the recipes they mentioned sound delicious! The thing I liked most about her was her effervescent personality and charm. The biggest problem, I feel, between vegetarians and meat eaters is a lack of respect and understanding. We have this vision of a militant hippie shaking their fist at us while we eat a hamburger or the glare when you say your vegetarian. I'm sure there are people like that out there, but I've never met any. Think about it this way, if you were attacked daily about your food decisions, wouldn't you become a bit defensive too? Silverstone came across as the kind of person who supports all choices but secretly wishes you would join her on the "kind side". She's vegan and mostly macrobiotic, yet admitted that she's cheated with cheese before. I love it! Imperfection is perfection. I can't wait to get the book and give you a full report. You can learn all about her and the book at The Kind Diet. There is a lot of good information there.

I also thought a lot about my sister while watching this episode. She is vegetarian/pescatarian and has been for many years. It's kind of tough in our house to exclude meat and she has maintained a healthy disposition and perseverance throughout the teasing! While I am an outspoken supporter of everything my sister does, I realized I could do more. We always talk about going to different vegetarian restaurants but I never follow through. I think, in a way, I'm spooked out by them and worried I won't like what they have to serve. I am a historically picky eater. Funny thing is, she never was. the girl ate scrapple once! If I'd only done a bit of research, like I have today, and looked at a menu; I wouldn't have been so worried. So, I am prepared to go to a vegetarian restaurant when I visit you or next time you are in town!

* A recent conversation with Word-of-the-Day Jennie:
Jennie: "They've got a castle!" (I think she's playing some sort of Facebook farming game)
Me: "Well, get a castle then."
Jennie (in a mopey voice): "I can't afford it"
I just burst out laughing! She was so sad to not have this fictional castle... so cute.

* Speaking of which, the word of the day is: confusion (I have no idea why, but it seems to fit the day perfectly)
[UPDATE: For the 1st time, there is a second word of the day and it is "lurned", as in "I just lurned something new". Further proof that Facebook needs spell checker]

* PS- If you have a busy day planned, it's probably best not to stay out until 4 AM the previous night. I wish I could say lesson learned, but I'm sure it will happen again.

* It's hard to tell in the above picture (way to go, camera phone), but that couch says "No Beardos" on it. What the heck is a beardo and why don't they want them? Just another benefit to living in Murderville- discarded crack den furniture. PS- It's been by the curb for a week now. Why is the city not picking it up?

* "I guess I never knew the definition of berry. I thought it was just a fruit that grew on bushes- a bush fruit" (According to my Diet Peach Snapple, a strawberry is not a berry but a banana is. Turns out that is correct, a berry being by scientific definition a fruit whose seeds are evenly distributed on the inside of the flesh. The above was my response. Our general goofy mood and possible hangover made this statement hilarious and dirty. I almost choked on a carrot!

Random Random Olympics Random Random Saturday

* Once again, I forgot Monday was Monday and had to do Meatless Monday on Tuesday. Ugh. I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of this. Monday is just too close to the weekend and I forget about it. Also, I do most of my grocery shopping on weekdays so on Monday I have nothing to eat save a frozen steak- the veg and fruit is all gone. I'm sure it doesn't matter that I'm always a day off. What, is the veggie police going to give me a citation?

Anywho, I had Fruit Loops for breakfast (ick, but it's all I had), La Madeleine for lunch (salad, soup, potato galette), and... I cannot even remember what dinner was. I think there were eggs involved. Crud.

* According to The Restaurant Refugee , Friday was International Crush Day (mind you, he made it up, but holidays have to start somewhere!). In honor, I am posting my crushes. I think the point is to tell someone you actually know but whatever. I prefer to stick with what works and share my love for strangers. Not real strangers mind you (I have a serious case of Stranger Danger), just celebrities. Today's crushes are:

(Boreanez only in "Bones"- I never got him before then. And, I basically just want to be Chelsea Handler for a day)

* I made a mix tape for my friend with my favorite songs/artists on it. After I had collected all the tracks on iTunes, I realized I had enough for 2 or 3 discs. A little ambitious to say the least! I tried to make it as eclectic as I was without completely alienating him (yep, him; so nothing too girly or lovey dovey which thankfully I don't have a lot of). Featured on my mix was: Lily Allen "Fuck You" (his request), Neko Case "Knock Loud", April March "Chick Magnet", Nina Simone "Ne me quitte pas", Belly "#1 Hot Burrito", Atmosphere "Woman with the Tattooed Hands", Bouncing Souls "Wish Me Well", Swingin' Utters "As You Start Leaving", Gogol Bordello "Alcohol", and a bunch more I can't remember. The final product ended up with 23 songs on it! I love mix tapes, the art of them, choosing just the right songs for the right person. Editing together what you finally chose into something that makes sense. I challenge everyone to pick a buddy and exchange CD's. It's a lot of fun and you should learn some new bands; not to mention a lot about your friend. His CD for me was uncommonly mellow (though he did warn me as such). For the most part I liked it- he had me at Connie Francis!; but I could have done with less Aria and chanting. I almost fell asleep at the wheel driving to work that morning (which I'm sure was the point of the song, but inappropriate for sleepy morning driving)! Hopefully we will get to exchange more music in the future!!

* Jennie's Word of the Day: streusel

* I am officially addicted to curling. However, why's it have to be so expensive? I understand it's a winter sport (i.e. rich, white, American), but I don't have $185 for shoes I would wear everyday let alone a couple times a month. I need someone in the DFW area to get on this immediately! We should have curling allies like there are bowling allies. We would rent shoes and equipment, sell beer, make millions! Well, maybe we'd only make thousands but still. I need the scientists to get on that immediately.

[side note: there is nothing funnier than a group of 20-30 somethings sitting at the bar captivated by curling]

Meat Free Tuesday- Success! And, Why TV and Movies Are Pissing Me Off.

So, Monday I failed at my first ever Meatless Monday, but I redeemed myself with a Meatfree Tuesday. A big shout out to genius pending for the best comment I think I've ever received on a post. Not only did it include profanity, but I felt it was a big high five to Texas. Or, at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Tuesday I planned the whole thing out, kinda, and more importantly remembered what I was supposed to do that day. Breakfast was whole grain toast with honey. Lunch was a salad with my "world-famous" shallot dressing. Dinner was a lot more fun to come up with as I didn't know I was going to do this when I went to the grocery last week, so my choices were a bit slim. I knew I as going to saute the last of my fresh green beans in a little olive oil and garlic, but other than that- no clue.


My favorite dish when I go out for tapas, Spanish tapas that is, is potatoes in a piquant sauce. Basically, potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce, often served with crème fraiche, sour cream, or an herb aioli on top. Delish! So, I decided to make my version of this dish. It was Delicious and spicy and satisfying. So good!!

This just came on my radar and I wanted to share it with you. I promise to never become too crunchy (I am not a hippie), but if you are like minded I thought you should know. The USDA is deliberating over whether or not to allow GMO (a genetically modified organism) in certified organic produce (the current case is specific to alfalfa). Their stance is that consumers don't care if produce is genetically altered, even those certified organic. I'm pretty sure altered organic produce is an oxymoron as organic products is supposed to be free from pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically altered. If it has any of these traits, it's not organic. Period. To allow them to alter one foodstuff would open the door to genetic tampering in all organic produce. If you like to eat organic, to ensure that what you are eating is the closest to growing it in your own backyard, then join me in sending a letter to the USDA saying we DO have a voice and it should be heard. You can find more information, as well as a virtual letter to send, at True Food Now . The Center for Food Safety works to "protect human health and the environment by curbing the proliferation of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture". Basically, they want you to have a choice in what you buy and give ways to support local and organic production, end factory farming, and support the environment in the US.

Okay, I'm going to get off my soap box. And now for something completely different:

An Open Letter to Writer's of TV and Film: Hey guys, just want to let you know I appreciate all you do. However, I've got a bone to pick with you- research. I know you have researchers looking into the history, reality of locations, time periods, etc; yet you seem to throw caution to the wind on a regular basis. Example Case #1: Have you ever been to New York in winter? I have, several times. Never have I seen someone walking down the street in a lightweight jacket, open, with no scarf. It's quite the opposite- heavy parkas, scarves, hats, gloves, boots. The craziest thing I saw was a woman without a hat in 20 degree weather. I'm sure there are "crazies" out there who dress likes it's perpetually 75 (I know we have them in Texas), but they are few and far between. Would it really ruin your shot if your actor zipped up their coat? Wore a kicky hat? Gloves? I highly doubt it.

I'd also like to address your feelings about recorded history and artifacts. What the French? Would "Public Enemies" be any less effective if you showed that Dillinger was outlived by the majority of his gang instead of them all dying before him? No, and on a positive note the movie probably would have been shorter and viewers would learn something (which I thought was the point of a biopic). Furthermore, you were a stickler to detail and historical accuracy in the actual death of John Dillenger, so now I'm even more confused.

Last night I was watching disc 2 of "Hex", a BBC drama about a young witch who's best friend's a ghost and is impregnated by a fallen angel (aka Awesome). I understand you're already stretching belief with the fantasy theme, but did you need to misrepresent Egyptian hieroglyphics as well? They're read top to bottom, left to right. Not side to side. Clearly someone must have done some research to find the symbols used (don't get me started there); did they not also discover how they were written? And, in what universe is an Egyptian named Hera? Probably not this one. You made me sad BBC. So very sad.

In closing, reality is more interesting than fantasy. If you're going to change the past, have the courtesy of doing it in a big bold way a la "Inglourious Basterds". Don't do it half-assed.

We wonder why the youth of today are ignorant of history and truth- Just look to TV and movies, the main source of their education. I know that John Stewart is a comedian with hilarious views purposefully skewed to the right for laughs. I also know "The Daily Show" is not a source for real news anymore than "The Onion" or "Weekend Update" on "SNL" is. They're entertainment shows. Hopefully, they cause the viewer to research it's topics more. I don't even care if you're using wikipedia as long as you're trying to better yourself and your education. Come on writers- why so lazy?

Meat Monday...Oops!

So, my first attempt at Meatless Monday as a bust. I didn't remember it was Monday until I had already started defrosting the ground Bison (so delicious and somewhat ironic). However, I am determined to make up for it today! Breakfast was whole grain toast with honey. Lunch is... in limbo. I put in my whitening trays before hopping on the computer (the only time I knew I could stop smoking and/or eating long enough for them to work), unfortunately I forgot to eat something first so now it's 1:42 and I'm starving. So, perhaps a late light salad when I get home.

Dinner is going to be sauteed green beans and shallots, glazed carrots, and.... No idea. I need some sort of protein replacement but I'm at a loss. I don't like beans; I have no dark leafy greens. It looks like carrots have some as well as potatoes, so maybe... Ah hell!

Our 1st DFW blogger meeting/drink-a-thon is tomorrow at Sherlock's on 75 and Park at 7:30 PM. The guest list includes so far: Shine, Gofahne, Natalie, Mary, Carissa, possibly Blue-eyed Brunette, Antje, and Me (and you?). I am looking forward to meeting many of these bloggers for the 1st time and learning the ways of the jedi.

This may be the shortest post I've ever done, but I can't take it anymore! I'm hungry. Damn you teeth whitening! Can't I just get the surgery? I'm off to finish watching disc 1 of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". It was strongly recommended to me by several friends and now I know why: They are these guys! See you on the flip side.

Moooo-ve Over Monday!

So I've started writing this post much earlier than usual in an attempt to actually get it out (especially since I promised it to you yesterday). The original plan was to write something rough last night and polish it out today, but let's just say I got distracted (and by distracted I mean I drank a bottle of wine at my friend's house while watching Project Runway and helping her write her performance review- super fun but unproductive).

Work has been really slow lately, so I've been cruising the interwebs (not in a dirty way!) and wasting as much time as possible; another reason there is no excuse to not post something and on time! I was reading my mail and got excited to see I had a message from GOOP. I'm relatively certain I've expounded on the evil joy that is Gwenyth Paltrow's weekly lifestyle newsletter but couldn't find the tag for it (don't worry, there will still be plenty of links in this post). Long story short/in summary: She publishes GOOP weekly and topics range from travel to wellness to food to whatever. The food ones are my favorite (big surprise), though she's had great gift ideas for any (ANY) budget and fun tidbits about foreign locals I have yet to visit.

This weeks newsletter was all about vegetarian dishes.

[side note: While Paltrow has previously dabbled in vegetarian and macrobiotic eating, she now eats meat. Check out her amazing and simple roast chicken recipe here .]

Immediately I forwarded a copy to my favorite Veggie, then went back to read what I had actually sent. Ms. Paltrow has joined the McCarthy's (that would be Stella and father/Beatle Paul) in their vegetarian mission: Meat Free Monday. From their mission statement:

"Meat Free Monday is an environmental campaign to raise awareness of the climate-changing impact of meat production and consumption. Many people are unaware that livestock production is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than the entire transport sector..."

Basically, by standing up and pledging to "go meatless" at least once a week, they hope to reduce the need for more grazing land, reduce greenhouse emissions, and promote healthy living. As many of you know, eating organic and as locally as possible (depending on my level of laziness) is very important to me. It seems as if this topic comes up every time I talk to my sister. As a future veterinarian (and current pescatarian), she has an insight into the production and health of meat in this country that I find invaluable and educational. The illogical system behind the slaughter of animals (don't even get me started) coupled with the "waste" of much of the worlds grain to feed animals but not people got me excited about participating in this mission.

Without planning it, or even really noticing, I tend to have at least one vegetarian meal a week. It couldn't be simpler to expand that thought to the whole day. Of course, I couldn't give up eating meat all together- I'm a firm believer in the food chain and the delicious power of BBQ; not to mention my hatred of many of the world's vegetables- but I do want to eat better and smarter. The resources available to us with delicious and nutritious vegetarian dishes is better than ever before. I hope you will check out the websites to learn more and pledge to do your part.

Meat Free Monday (UK)

Meatless Monday (USA)

Food Network- Conscious Cooking

I made this amazing macaroni and cheese dish the other day that I was going to share with you, but I forgot to download the pictures (and I'm pretty sure they didn't come out well either). So, that will have to wait. Instead, I'm giving you a recipe I saw recently that made my mouth water and begin the countdown to payday when I can make them. A big thanks to Giada De Laurentiis for bringing easy yet elegant food to my table. I can't wait to make these savory Goat Cheese w/Sun-dried Tomato Profiteroles . (Plus, I just like saying "profiterole"- pre-fit-e-rol)

Golden Globes, You Crack Me Up, or What I Did Last Night

Last night was the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards. You know how excited I've been getting and last night did not disappoint! I got together with a bunch of ladies, including shine and gofahne , to watch the show, stuff our faces, and drink ourselves silly. The spread was definitely cheese heavy (never a complaint mind you). I made two kinds of crostini- one with pepper goat cheese, tomato, and arugula; the other with regular goat cheese, Provencal turkey, arugula, and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. They were scrumptious if I may say so myself. I wish I could take soul credit for their creation, but that really goes here and here .

How did my predictions go? Ok, I'd say- 13 out of 25. My highlights:

* Ricky Gervais. Most of the blogs and entertainment sites slammed him, but we thought he was funny. I loved that he shilled his own DVD's, kept drinking beer from the podium (which lead to his best joke/introduction: "I enjoy a drink as much as the next guy... unless the next guy is Mel Gibson"), and shameless lambaste of any and every celebrity. That being said, did the Globes benefit from having a host this year? I don't think so.

* Robert Downey Jr's "all me" acceptance speech. I've always wanted someone to get up there, thank no one but themselves, and get off the stage. We got that, kinda, with Downey's funny speech. A definite YouTube moment.

* Mo'nique's speech. Not the god part (though someone did point out she was the only one who thanked god. Finally!), but the part at the end about speaking out about abuse and violence. "It's now time to tell, and it's okay". A lovely sentiment for anyone out there dealing with similar situations as in the movie "Precious".

* "The Hangover" wins best comedy. It never occurred to me to pick it- I thought there was no way in hell a raucous "frat-boy" movie would win. Wow! What a game changer. This opens the door for other "R" rated comedies to be recognized for the entertainment they provide.

* Can someone please shut James Cameron up? I'm still pissed he won Best Director (shouldn't he have just gotten a science & technology award? We're really praising the tech, the 3D, not his directing style. This should have gone to Tarrantino or Bigelow (it's about time a woman won, and if any were more poised to do so, it's her). Also, GET A HAIRCUT, HIPPIE! I know you've got the money to head to Supercuts. You look ridiculous.

* Outfits- i.e. The Horror. I was surprised at how few train wrecks there were this year. Little misses here and there (I'm not even going to talk about Cher and Christina Aguilara's "clothes").

* Martin Scorsese's Acceptance Speech. All the haters need to quiet down! I loved his speech. It's nice to hear a little reverence for the past, especially the man for which the award was named (Cecil B. DeMille). Surely there are hundred's of people out there for whom a history lesson is needed. I know several of the people I watched with learned something from the speech. For those in the know, what do you expect from him? He is film. This would be like asking Quentin Tarrantino to not reference movies when he speaks. Impossible!

* On the TV front, I couldn't believe "Glee" won, though I'm also not surprised. Best actor/actress drama was also a surprise. Julianna Margulies really deserved some recognition, who would have thought she'd get it with fellow nominees like Glenn Close, Anna Paquin, and Kyra Sedgwick? Michael C. Hall finally won for "Dexter"- it seemed like a lost cause and another surprise!

The best part, of course, was talking with friends about movies and TV- a dream come true for me! I'm not sure how it was suggested, but we are now starting a movie club- all the films you MUST see (the real classics, the ones that influenced filmmakers and entertainment of today, the ones most referenced, etc). I'm going to get started on my list. I anticipate it taking longer than expected. Suggestions?

Diary Entry #3: Maybe Not Very Random

* Thursday was lovely, spent with my folks at the movies for my Mom's bday. We saw "It's Complicated" (it was, I give it 3 stars but my parents would probably give it 4 1/2).

* My new obsession is Diet Snapple Peach Tea. Try it- I think it's even better than original Snapple which is often too sweet. Plus, you learn fun facts from the caps. Today's fact #705: Every ton of recycled paper saves about 17 trees. Not very interesting, sorry.

* The countdown has already begun on this blog- Golden Globes Sunday at 7 central! As of now, we have about 13 fabulous people confirmed for the watching party. I have never had so many people want to watch an awards show with me. I hope they know what they're getting themselves in to. See, I'm there to watch the show, eat snacks, drink champagne, and talk during commercials. I don't mind a bit of comment about attire, celebrity level of drunkenness, etc. while the show is on, but if I have to "shush" you.....

* Last night I went to a waxing party (yes, it is exactly what you're thinking). I'd never been to one and was a little nervous. I was only getting my brows did and I knew all the ladies there, but still... It's nerve racking to have someone new ripping the hair from your body. Thankfully, there was wine. The best part was hanging out with my girls, waiting our turns for torture, and drinking heavily. Of course, hilarity ensued. Example: "Berries, cream, nuts... Nuts and berries, very creamy, but I don't want another one cause you can't shoot cream all night". I have no idea what they were talking about, but I prey it wasn't food related. Also overheard, "Oh lord! What would she have looked like as a man". Again, no idea. After this, it gets a bit hazy... This was my first time out of the house in about 2 weeks due to illness, the first time drinking in as long. I may have overdone it.

* Jennie's word of the day: (she just gave me a face when I asked her.) "Uh.... I got nothing". Sorry Jen, that's more than one word. I'm going with "uh". Enjoy!

* Is it just me, or has The Tonight Show with Conan O'brien been the best it's ever been this week? Controversy works well for him. I have never laughed so hard. The interview with Ricky Gervais was genius. I can't believe (or I can) that he slammed NBC so hard considering he's hosting the Globes on the network Sunday, or not.

* I got into a conversation with some friends last night about crying at the movies. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I've become a "sniffler". Tears well up and I have to dab my eyes, trying to cover up that I'm crying a bit. There was a shift in my chemical make up, giving me more "feminine" characteristics. I don't mean that in an odd, or transsexual, or whatever, kind of way. Just that I have never been a very good "girl". I didn't play wedding. I didn't like romantic comedies (still not a big fan, but they have their time and place). Now, I get teary watching "(500) Days of Summer". Forget about "The Notebook"- though I'm almost proud to say I don't cry until the very end, and only that one time.

When I was younger, there was only one movie that made me cry. Just watching the trailer made me hold me breath. "Heavy" is one of my favorite movies of all time. I'm not sure how it missed my "Best Movies You've Never Heard of List", perhaps I wanted to keep it to myself. It is the first movie by James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted, Copland, Identity)- one of my hero's. It's the story of a small town, or more specifically, a dive bar/diner run by mother and son (Pruitt Taylor Vince, who turns up in everything now). Vince is overweight and anti-social. He's in love with the new waitress (Liv Tyler), but can't bring himself to do anything about it. Flitting in and out is Deborah Harry (I KNOW!!) as the sassy, slutty, waitress who thinks she deserves to be in everyone business. When the mother dies (Shelley Winters), Vince has to learn to stand on his own two feet, even if that means creating a major SNAFU. I makes me cry every time, I can't help it. Perhaps it planted the seed way back in '95 that I was a real live girl.

What's weirder to me, or more disturbing actually, is that I have no emotional response to actual events. Dog died? uh huh. You have cancer? That sucks. My attitude is sympathetic at best. I have no idea when I became "unfeeling", though I suspect I always was. My psyche is most interested in itself and how things pertain to it. I guess crying at movies is the only way I can remind myself I'm not a sociopath. That works right? Right?

* BAFTA (British Academy Awards) have published their long list nominations. Check it out. They take place Feb. 21st (smack between the Globes and the Oscars). I am super excited about who's on this list. I can't wait to find out when BBC America is going to air the show.

Party Like It's Still 2009

Happy 2010 peoples! From what I can remember, I had a good one. I'm just kidding, I remember every sordid detail. The evening started with a nap (yea) and a couple fried eggs and toast for protein and buffer against the impending doom of alcohol (not as delish as I'm sure some peoples NYE meals, but this is what you're working with if you haven't been to the store in several weeks). I picked up my gal Jennie and off we went to the liquor store with only 4 minutes to spare. I have never shopped for anything that quickly before in my life! I spend more time picking up smokes at 7-11.

We visited some friend's in the 'burbs- a bitch of a drive even on a good day, let alone a holiday with nothing by crazies driving about. We met some strangers, waited for familiar faces to arrive, drank vodka shots made with True Blood (vile stuff, like super strong Cointreau, but man, it did the trick), and made a mad dash to the city before the clock struck 12.

An open note to those who choose to live in the 'burbs- No, I do not want to come to your house. Ever. I don't like travelling north of 635, assuming it's a bleak apocalypse reminiscent of "The Road". I only travel "north of the border" for family and boys. Even the boys part is a bit of a stretch.... Can't they come down here where the fun is? So, in closing, don't get mad I'm leaving your party early. I made the trek because I love you and wouldn't miss your party. Now, I'm leaving. Kisses!

After dropping Jen at a bar, I made my way to an old friend's house for a "casual and low-key" party. You would think that by now I would know that "casual" and "low-key" are code for "who knows what the frak is going to happen, but you can bet someones getting molested in a good way". Thankfully, or not, there is some photographic evidence of the great time we had:

I left out the more risque pics for your protection. It was fun! I momentarily broke the TV (damned AT&T U-verse), saw a "blue moon", told a fireman that starting a bonfire in a Teflon pot was probably a bad idea, and drank too much champagne and prosecco.

The next day, I woke up a bit worse for wear, but better than others. Up at 2 PM, dressed and out the door before 3 PM to buy groceries and hopefully burn off some booze. Surprisingly, the grocery's were busy but not packed. I'm super excited about the brownies I'm going to make tonight (I've never made them from scratch and will document for all to see), and my yummy steak dinner that's also planned.

It's traditional to go meat free on New Years (or primarily meat free, depending on your house). We always had ham growing up, but as I haven't eaten pork in well over 10 years, that's out. The whole point of specialized foods is to ensure luck and prosperity in the new year. This is why people eat black-eyed peas, pork, fish, etc. When I was growing up, I asked my mom why I couldn't just have chicken.

"Because you can't eat anything that can look back on itself. It's bad luck. You want to have a good year, right?"

Kinda morbid really if you think of it, trying to eat things without necks... I stuck to tradition though and had the most delicious Boursin Cheese Souffle (from Central Market- seriously go get one right now if you live near a store), and blackened fish and salad for dinner. Truly, I don't know if I could have kept anymore down. Oh well... I'm not one for resolutions, they're so easy to break, but it certainly couldn't hurt to kick off the new year by eating better (minus the brownies, they totally don't count since they're from scratch) and making better choices in the food I eat. Don't get me started on food origins, that'll be another blog entirely for another time.

I hope everyone had a great party and good time. Now, here's to not mucking it up in 2010.

Happy Random Christmas

* Had a very traditional Christmas yesterday- opened presents, went to movies, drank too much, ate too little, passed out around 1:30 AM. I hope you all got what you wanted. I was surprised to find a food processor under the tree for me, it's lovely when your family (or anyone for that matter) remember something you said in passing. I haven't really looked at it, but am super excited about all the things I can make more easily now. I also received "Inglourious Basterd's"- there would have been hell to pay if I hadn't. My fav gift, however, came once again from my sister. She gave me this: It may seem weird, demented, freaky to you; but it fits right in at my house. I always wanted a skull, a real skull, and figured with a sister that's a vet, I should be able to get one! Yea! Now, I just have to figure out where to put it that it will be safe but visible. Next step, one with horns of some kind.

* Our Christmas movie this year was "Sherlock Holmes". We loved it- funny, smart, good action. I'm so glad Robert Downey Jr got his shit together because we is one of the most talented actors period. Jude Law was a great Watson, and Mark Strong as the baddie is always good. Let's get him in more movies please! Rachel McAdams as the love interest was the only weak link, but really, who cares? It's the Holmes & Watson show anyway.

* Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins officially announced they have broken up over the summer. I'm kinda bummed. I don't really care for Robbins, but they were one of my poster children against marriage. Now what? Certainly, they still qualify- breaking up is always better than divorce I say, but who will take their place? Don't let me down Kurt & Goldie, Brad & Angelina! Don't break up!!

* My gal Jennie's word of the day is: discombobulated (pretty good choice for today too!)

* I recently wrote about our annual Elf watching party and the wonderful food we had there. My friend Lauren (lover of baby goats and amazing baker) brought her now famous cake balls. Deliciously moist red velvet cake coated in dark and white chocolate. They were so lovely, I thought they were truffles. For Christmas, I decided to make some myself as she said they were messy but easy. I should state now that I am not now nor have I ever been a baker. Anything past tearing off pieces of cookie dough from a tube (most of it going straight into my mouth and bypassing the baking sheet), is lost to me. I see Nigella making beautifully simple cookies and cakes and meringue's, and I want to make them too. However, I simply don't have the baking gene. Give me a good steak or potato and I'll whip up Steak Dianne, but baking flour and baking soda? Oh dear. Needless to say, they didn't look like truffles at all:

I hope they tasted nice, I didn't even get to try them...

* "What do you call an illegally parked frog?"

......"Toad"

Hola Saturday

* I'm really tired of movies with beautiful actresses and actors who can't seem to find love. I'm sure it is hard to be Cameron Diaz, her love life isn't the best example I've seen, but she'd probably do fine if she weren't famous. Hell, I don't even go that way but if an unknown Cameron Diaz chatted me up I'd be tempted to go. She gorgious! So, Hollywood, lay off. We feel bad enough about ourselves as it is that we don't need to be reminded the beautiful people find love hard too. See: The Holiday, Bridget Jones (if that's fat, I'm a porpise), The Object of My Affection (Jen Aniston can't get a straight man so she tries to change her gay friend? Come on), I think I Love My Wife (poor Chris Rock and his hot wife), Love Potion #9 (Sandy Bullock has glasses and is therefore unattractive. I actually like this movie, but still!), and on and on and on.

You know why Twilight is such a hit? Because Kristen Stewart is average- average looking, average acting, average. We, the audience, can transpose ourselves onto her performance and become the object of desire. We, the lonely outcast Garbo-esque waif, who's caught the eye of the most beautiful boy in school. Which leads me to my next problem- that doesn't happen either. A 10 doesn't date a 6 and vice versa. Unless your rich. Or famous. Or rich and famous. Either way, I prefer this model to identify with and would like more of the same in the future. Perhaps Kate Winslet could star.

* Best thing said to me by a firefighter this week: "I love egg shaped balls"

* As promised, my Welsh rarebit recipe:

* Last Friday, my friend had baby goats. Well, she didn't have them, one of her goats did. It is amazing how close the wilderness and outdoors are from the city. In less than half an hour, my buddy Lauren and I were running and jumping with the little kids. I even made up a song just for them: "Baby goats! You're just a bunch of cute little baby goats! You like to run and jump and, baby goats! Baby goats! Your momma's not so good, oh baby goats. That's why we're here to play with baby goats!" Clearly, I should be a song writer. Never the less, I know want a goat.

I Blame Gordon Ramsey For This!

Last night I went to a birthday dinner for the lovely shine at Bolsa. The best things about the restaurant were the bartenders and our waiter Ben, a younger, more handsome, slightly ethnic Henry Thomas. The restaurant was packed when we got there at 7 PM, so we sidled up to the bar to peruse the cocktail menu. They have an extensive list of wine and spirits available. As soon as I saw the Applejack Sazerac I knew I was set. I asked the bartender if I could have a traditional Sazerac (my favorite cocktail!) and off he went. A few seconds later, the bar manager came over and said, "Who wanted the Sazerac?" I raised my hand, "Where have you been all my life?"

He was charming and peppered us with trivia knowledge about the drink and it's origins. "People say I make the best Sazerac this side of New Orleans."

"We'll see, sir," I replied "We'll see."

I was not disappointed- It was delicious!

Once we were all assembled, we took out seats on the patio and set about ordering. Not a small feat I assure you- 16 guests, 2 picnic tables= slightly awkward.

One of the things that impressed me about Bolsa, and a reason I always wanted to go there, is their commitment to local and organic produce. The menu changes daily based on what is available at market that morning. However, when our food finally arrived, I wondered if their idea of organic meant "sans salt". The problem with the dishes is that they are conceived and created as a whole, not as individual components that compliment one another.

I had the good fortune to sit next to my friend Natalie, vegetarian. As I had already consumed enough red meat to last a month, I decided to go in on a veggie plate with her. Our delicious waiter assured us this was "not [his] first time at the rodeo" (love!), and the kitchen would be happy to assemble something for us. What we got was the Twigs & Branch flatbread (arugula, goat cheese, grapes), marscapone polenta, ratatouille, and haricot verts in a salsa verde.

The polenta was bland, which is too often the case, and adding marscapone to it doesn't help. How about a little salt? Maybe some pepper? The green beans were delicious (yum, garlic!), and thank god for the grilled onions in the ratatouille which really helped liven up the flatbread.

I just don't understand a chef who's afraid of salt or seasoning. Our friends who ordered protein fared a bit better, as there was sauce to flavor the polenta and sides. The Braised short rib was delicious, but the risotto that came with it was a bit sad. I've never seen such a uncreamy mess in my life. This is why I don't try to cook it at home, I don't have the chops. Perhaps they should hold off as well. The Coq au Vin looked fantastic. The bruscetta appetizer was hit or miss. The toppings delicious (smoked salmon, apples and honey, prosciutto and figs), but some of the bread was soft, and some crispy. A bit of an execution error there.

I would love to go back to Bolsa for drinks, and I would try the food again but only after looking at the menu ahead of time to see if it was worth it. Regardless of the food, I had a lovely time with my friends and hope to do it again soon. I was totally serious about the girly slumber party!

Postcard from Murderville: Halloween Edition

It's Halloween in Murderville, what a glorious sight! I heart Halloween, as I'm sure you've gathered, and may love it even more since I moved to my current digs. Just two blocks up the road from me, lies an oasis in the heart of Murderville. One of the oldest boulevards in Dallas, it is lined with McMansions and beautiful magnolia trees. What's even better, it's populated with people who love to celebrate holidays. Almost every house participates in Halloween and Christmas, making it one of the best drives to and from work in the country.

Every year, workers come in the wee morning hours to begin setting up the festivities. Caution tape lines the sidewalks directing trick-or-treater traffic. Those few houses that don't wish to participate, simply block their drive with the tape. There are very few of these, and I'm always surprised they don't get TP'd or egged. One house has a cemetery, complete with rolling fog and an inflatable Ghost Rider. I saw the above gem on my way to work and had to pull over. Another always builds a haunted house in their garage and backyard. You think you've seen Halloween? Did your block get an estimated 10,000 trick or treaters last year? Mine did. I only hope I can escape before the likely hood of hitting a reveler or pissing off a parent becomes impossible.

[side note: I love the festivities, you know I do, however; I live here. As such, I am afforded the right to exit my driveway with out you yelling profanities at me in front of Spiderman over there. Knock it off. See also: joggers]

I'm sitting a work right now racking my brain for a costume idea. I've thought of several since yesterday, but they all involve a lot more preparation. Have no fear! I am writing them all down. Now, I just have to remember I did that and not lose the notebook. Best suggestion came from my friends Solly and Austin after we watched "Zombieland". "You should go as #406!" Genius! Do I need a teal cardigan as well, or would a "Hello! My name is 406" name tag work just as well? I was already leaning towards zombie...

Hope everyone has a safe and haunted Halloween! Pics and stories to come.

On an unrelated note, there is an interesting article on farming and climate change that can be found here. I am a huge supporter of organic farming and strongly believe we should know what we are putting into our bodies. Whether you feel the same way, or don't care, this article is some food for thought. More to follow when it actually fits in with the theme of the post. I just couldn't resist a bit of randomness, it is Saturday after all.

Can you say "Random Saturday" in German?

* Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! In celebration, I'm re-posting a portion of yesterdays blog in pirate:
"I tried to look at all 'o these people as individuals. 'tis made it difficult because I didnt be knowin' everythin' 'bout their personal lives. I knew 'o Parker 'n th' Algonquin Round Table, how I wished to be seated thar one evenin'. Helen Keller 'n her political set the sails, Beethovens struggles wit' his salty sea-dog 'o a father 'n other peoples opinions, Poes bottomless depression, but extra wee 'bout th' others, except I loved their set the sails. What could I use to tie them together? th' only thin' that sprang to mind was each 'o their effects on me as a person. They have found a way to touch me soul whar no one else was allowed to reach. It seemed as if a cold fin'er had pricked me heart 'n scarred me in a way that I found pleasant. Each became exceptional 'n forced me to show emotion, which; I had seen as a weakness all me life."
Apparently, as a pirate, I'm really obsessed with setting the sails.

*I love misheard song lyrics. The other day at our neighborhood bar, I could have sworn the lyric to an Old '97s song was "I'll put a butthole in your heart". That didn't sound particularly pleasant or enjoyable for either party.

*There's this taco stand near my house called Tacos Y Mas. It used to look like your typical, run of the mill, grungy taco stand until they painted it in bright red and white stripes like this:

The point of the story isn't that this place now looks more like a Jiffy Lube than a taco stand; the point is what's on the sign: Fish Quesadillas. I don't know what brainiac thought that one up but I have two words for them: gross!

* I often wonder if screenwriters say the lines they've written out loud. You know, to hear how it sounds. This thought crossed my mind again while watching "Cadillac Records" last night. "Don't worry about where I'm from. My wife's gonna drive a Cadillac!" Seriously? Read that aloud. I'll give you a moment. See also: Any time the title of the movie is used as a line within the movie, usually around the beginning of the third act. It might do them some good to purchase a Dictaphone and read the sides aloud. Perhaps they have a friend they haven't run off yet who would read with them. A couple of beers and a pizza could do some good. See also: excessive use of voice over. That's just lazy.

* Why am I always getting felt up (and not in a nice sexy way)? At book club the other day, my friend totally felt me up, I think on accident. This may have been a result of our favorite line that day, "Can I fall into your vagina?" Several months ago at a work happy hour, one of my bosses kept feeling me up. She thought it was hilarious how weirded out I was. Come on people! Unless you are of the male persuasion, keep your grubby mitts to yourself.

* Old words in new ways: "I totally Wells Fargo'd that meal"

* "We've had a very happy marriage, I'm just saying." - A Korean woman on why she's kept a machete hidden from her husband.

* Why'd the little girl fall off the swings? Because she had no arms. (The cleanest joke I heard all week)

* When there's a lull in the conversation, yell out "ausfahrt". Trust me when I tell you, it will get the conversation going again!

[side note: my friend Lauren is learning German and I spent the better part of the day in her car learning along with her. "Ausfahrt" is our new favorite word. It means "exit". Coming in a close second is "gebaude" which rhymes with goiter and means building.]

* A young man in Britain was asked to remove his hood while shopping in a Tesco supermarket. Apparently, he is the founder of the Church of Jediism and refused to remove his hood as it was religious garb. He has issued a letter of complaint and is threatening to boycott the store. The bet part of this story is that there is an officially recognized Church of Jediism with some 400,000 members. Uh huh. Even better is this response from the supermarket: "He hasn’t been banned. Jedis are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods…Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all appeared hoodless without ever going over to the Dark Side and we are only aware of the Emperor as one who never removed his hood…If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers." The full story can be read here .

* I dug up this picture of me from senior year:

To put it in context: I was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in '99. This is the costume we had to wear (I was the Bride before Uma!). It was unusually cold and rainy and we had nothing to protect us except Lycra. Those smudges on my face? That's green paint. In front of Macy's every year, they paint the street. Obviously this cannot be permanent, but it isn't even remotely water proof. We walked in the freezing weather for 3 hours, performed, turned the corner and got on the metro. It was so much fun and an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. I just wish I'd had at least three more hand warmers. Hope you enjoy the spandex!

We eat all we can....

What a fun filled and exciting weekend. It all began Friday with a small gathering at my friend's @Nibbles22 for her Bon Voyage. She is leaving us for sunny Miami and I could not be more excited for her unless she were going somewhere with less heat and sun. Her mother made the most amazing Lebanese feast. The next day, there was a pool party where I missed shineoutloud , but did get to hang with @gaveupthefight, @NatalieCottrell, and more. It was a lot of fun, though I probably enjoyed hanging out with my girl E's sister's English Mastiffs. How can you not love something that outweighs you by 50 lbs?

Tuesday, my friend Lauren and I drove to Brenham, TX to visit the Blue Bell factory. What a lot of fun. We kept getting the fritzgiggles and she almost ran us off the road at least 3 times. I will have more to say on the actual car portion of our trip Saturday. Needless to say we were both excited. All we could think about was free ice cream and getting some BBQ while we were in the hill country.

* Here I am in a kicky paper hat waiting for the tour video to begin*

The tour itself is okay. Our hostess was friendly and pointed out all the machines quite well. It kinda sucks though, because you cannot take pictures on the tour. Something about respecting their workers- whatever! Have you ever seen how they make ice cream sandwiches? It's awesome, yet there will be not evidence of that on this blog. Bummer. We did take lots of pictures outside and I'll try to post the funniest ones later.

For the criticism: I thought it was very nice and clever to offer a handout on where to eat while in Brenham in the gift shop. Yea, address to plug into the Garmin! Problem is, there were only 3 BBQ places listed (I thought someone said they knew how to do BBQ there?). One of them was only open Sundays (odd since the factory is only open Monday-Friday), so it was out. I asked our tour guide which she would recommend and I should have known something was wrong when she couldn't figure out which of the 2 to pick. She finally picked the 1st one and we were off. Problem is, it isn't really a BBQ joint so much as it's a Shell gas station with a BBQ counter. A bit odd, we thought. No problems, we'll try the next one. When we found it, however, it was clear it had been closed for quite a while (no doubt due to the health inspector). Bummer squared. Typing BBQ into the Garmin (really not it's fault- I still love those devices), the only BBQ that came up was 30 miles away (basically College Station or Austin). Not helpful. Surely, there will be somewhere on the way back to the highway.

No. There was not.

So, we stopped at Woody's for a 2nd time (can never have too much jerky from the "jerky capital of the world" since we kinda remembered they had BBQ as well. Well, they do and they don't, but at this point we had to eat something or we were going to turn feral and eat a limb. If you can see where this story is now leading, you will no doubt of guessed that i got horribly ill from it. Yea!

Oh well... Still a lot of fun. Next time: Shiner!!