Kitchen Update

"Yeah, I want the tofu spring rolls... except I don't eat tofu. So, do you have, like, a tofu-flavored chicken you can substitute in for me?"

Hee! Thanks, JeffC!

So. the kitchen designer and I met. Unlike my previous designer on my bathroom project, this one hated every idea I had. She wants to do a grey kitchen. Not only had I never looked at grey kitchens in all my perusing of websites over the past several years, but I don't really like grey as a kitchen color. It looks sort of like a cinder block prison cell.

Oh, I know it's a very popular kitchen color, just like the white I've been complaining about for a while. Well, I am proud to say I've learned to love white, in lieu of soul-sucking, penitentiary grey.

She thinks I should get rid of the over-the-range microwave, then get a microwave/convection oven and thermal oven to replace my double oven. Sounds like a no-brainer. We had even mulled that thought ourselves. Turns out though, that microwave/convection ovens have the following drawbacks I found on a message board, or two, or ten:

1) Can't use the microwave when the convection oven is in use
2) Can't use the microwave for a while after the convection oven is used, because it is HOT
3) Can't use the convection oven if any morsel of microwave splatter is present, else it bakes onto the surface
4) No self-clean mode, because it's a microwave really, so lots of scraping both oven messes and baked-on microwave splatters

I think I'll stick with a double oven and separate microwave.

I could move the microwave to a drawer, which I think is supercool, but that would be a big jump in the budget, since I'd then have to buy a drawer microwave $$$ (over the range microwaves are only $$) and a hood $$.

Then there is the matter of the cabinets. We originally wanted to stain them darker and get new doors. The contractor had said this would be no problem. At some point, we realized the oak grain would show through on the boxes and wouldn't match the doors, so we decided we could paint instead.

The designer said the stain would never have matched between new doors and existing boxes anyway. So... 'matching the stain is no problem' or 'they'll never match'? Gah.

Then she said paint will show the texture of the grain on the boxes, so to paint, we'd have to buy all oak doors so the paint would match the grainy texture of the boxes. It's a huge waste of money. To avoid this, she wants to stain the boxes and paint new paint-grade doors to match the stain. I think I will hate it with a flaming passion, but I agreed to let her take a door as a sample to show me what this grey stain is going to look like.

I've definitely decided I cannot abide stain on the boxes and paint on the doors, which will accentuate the different woods.

I think we're probably going to keep the existing doors and either stain the whole thing or paint the whole thing white. Not buying new doors will save me some money, and that is always a good thing. Our cabinets are 20 years old, but they don't have big ol' visible hinges or anything particularly dated. I think the kitchen will look just fine with the current doors. With hardware added, they should be even more updated.

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Survey Saturday

Sunday StealingPuzzler Meme

What time is it? 6:54
Quick. What’s the first green thing you see?  the throw on the sofa
Do you like those Sudoku puzzles? love them
Do you own a plaid shirt? two- both bright blue and turquoise, one in flannel and the other in a gauzy summer material
What’s your favorite kind of pie? chocolate
Have you read a book today? no
Do you like going to museums? yes!
Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? Or your nation's capital? No
Have you ever been to the state of Washington? No
Do you like apple juice? it's ok
How cold is it outside? 70 degrees
Have you ever taken a course in Chemistry? yep
Do you like to draw? no
What do you put on your french fries? totally varies- nothing, ketchup, mayonnaise or spicy ketchup
Do you like everything to match? no, but I like there to be a definite continuity and relationship between elements
Do you like mustard? yes
Would you ever work at a movie theater? sure
Do you have a phone charger in your car? yes
Have you ever slept through an alarm? no
Do you like pineapple on pizza? yes
Do you like to hold hands? yes
Do you want a tattoo? no
When is the last time you ordered from a catalog? I can't remember.
Do you know anyone who has a collection of old records? Jim probably has a record collection, but I don't know for sure.
What’s the name of the gas station you last stopped at? Shell
What was the first song you heard today? "What Hurts the Most" Rascal Flatts
Have you ever gotten a magazine subscription as a gift? several times
What was the last video you watched on YouTube? 

Have you ever sacrificed something for someone you love? I moved to Austin after college, where Jeff's job was, rather than taking a job in New Mexico or Washington.
Have you ever had your picture in the newspaper? a few times, usually for academic accomplishments

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Outdoor Repairs- Check! Kitchen Remodel Beginning

My outdoor repairs are now completed, by the original guy, surprisingly. I was just about to make a call to #2 when I received his bid. It feels GREAT to have everything fixed out there!!

On to the kitchen! We've signed the contract. Monday, I'll start working with the designer. We'll be deciding colors and materials. She will even shop with me, like they do on HGTV. Fancy!

Since we are refacing existing cabinets, sadly it looks like we'll have to forego the darker stain and have them painted instead. It turns out, oak grain shows through even dark stain, and it won't match my new cabinet doors ('cuz I am NOT getting oak doors). How much do I hate white kitchen cabinets? They are by far the most popular kitchen cabinet color. It's always been very cold and commercial looking to me. Hopefully, the designer can help me learn to love them next week.

I've looked at painting them another color, but most other colors make kitchens look very country cottage, which isn't my style.

So. White cabinets. Do you match the cabinets to your white trim? Go for a completely different white than the trim? Go off-white so they don't match at all? *sigh*

On the bright side, my kitchen is dark and could use the lighter backdrop.

Here are a couple of white kitchens I like:

All white cabs with black quartz, dark floor, beige backsplash

Dark island with white quartz, other cabs white with black quartz, dark floor

All white cabs, black quartz on lowers, white quartz on island

I'm leaning towards the last one at the moment.

I did want a warm, red/orange/dark green sort of backsplash. With white cabinets and a high contrast backsplash though, all you see when you look at the kitchen is the backsplash. It's not great. I think a beige backsplash is actually the one I like best with white cabinets. It's not white to blend in with the cabinets, and not contrasting, so it doesn't draw your eye directly to it.

We'll see what happens when we talk to the designer! Could be totally different next week when we actually start shopping.

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Best Thing I Ever Ate...

Today, I've created my own survey, pulling some titles from the six seasons of Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Cooking Channel. It actually took me a while to think about my answers, but here they are. These are mostly Austin joints, but some others as well!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate...

All American- Hyde Park Fries at the Hyde Park Grill in Austin, with their yummilicious Hyde Park Sauce. We first had this at the original Hyde Park location with the Angs many, many moons ago.
New Orleans- Beignets at Cafe du Monde. Goes without saying.
Smoky- Smoked Potato Salad at Lucy's Fried Chicken in Austin, the best potato salad ever
Las Vegas- Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill smoked salmon pizza, with red onion, dill crème fraiche and caviar. Had this my very first lunch with the website gang on our first trip together!
Street Food- Baja Shrimp Taco at Torchy's Tacos in Austin, fried shrimp, slaw, pickled jalapeños and onions, queso fresco and cilantro
Ice Creamy- Dark Chocolate Ice Cream at Amy's Ice Cream in Austin, with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups thrown in for good measure
Finger Food- Grove Crispy Oysters at The Grove Wine Bar in Austin, oysters on house-made chips with spicy aioli and mango-poblano pico
At a Deli- the N.Y. Style Great Reuben at Larry's Giant Subs in Austin, with thick slices of corned beef, instead of your typical paper thin ones
Cakewalk- any cupcake from Sweet Treats bakery in Austin. They are SO incredibly delicious.
With Chopsticks- Sesame Chicken at Hunan Lion in Austin. First started going there with my coworkers back in the Pharmaco days, when the sesame chicken was superhot and you had to request a milder version. Now it's pretty mild.
Grilled- Swordfish at City Grill in Austin (closed for years), the ONLY good swordfish I have ever had, it was absolute perfection every time we went
Appetizers- Flammenkuchen at John Besh's restaurant Lüke in San Antonio, a sweet onion tart with bacon and Emmenthaler cheese. Went with those fun Bon Jovi gals, including my pal who lives in NOLA and knows Chef Besh.
In a Bowl- Tom Kha Gai soup at Satay in Austin, chicken coconut soup served in a big Thai hot pot for everyone to share. This was The First Thai Food I Ever Ate as well.
Sliced- Fried Calamari at Gumbo's in Austin (now closed here, but a location is still open in Georgetown), thick slices, perfectly cooked and seasoned, served with remoulade and tomato basil sauces
Cheesy- Figs/Brie/Julienned Apples Bruschetta OR the Artisan Cheese Plate at The Grove Wine Bar in Austin
Sauced- Shrimp Enchiladas at Iron Cactus in Austin, with cheese and yummy lobster cream sauce
Meat Fest- Ribeye Steak at Austin Land and Cattle in Austin. OH. YES.
Chocolate- The Original Chocolate Fondue at Melting Pot in Austin, milk chocolate fondue swirled with crunchy peanut butter
With Fruit- Banana Burrito (a.k.a. the famed "Banana Hoo Hoo") from Coyote Cafe in Austin (now closed), bananas/chocolate/nuts fried inside phyllo, drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce, with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
Crunchy- Italian Nachos at Johnny Carino's... any location. Pasta chips, black olives, pepperoncinis, Roma tomatoes, grilled chicken, alfredo sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.
Wake Up Call- Leberkäse at the Cafe Malerwinkel in Schönau am Königsee, Germany, a pan-fried, pressed porky meat loaf... with a runny egg on top please! (Always remember, leberkäse contains neither liver nor cheese.)
With My Hands- Spider Roll (or any roll really, but the spider is my fave) at Musashino Sushi Dokoro in Austin
Guilty Pleasures- Dirty Berry Donut at Gordough's Big. Fat. Donuts. trailer in Austin, a donut covered in hot fudge and grilled strawberries.
Totally Fried- Onion Ring Loaf at Luther's Bar-B-Q in Houston (now Pappas Bar B Q, without this side), a twisted block of long, skinny onion strings perfectly fried and salted
Barbecue- Pork Ribs at Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX
Pizza- The Carnivore at Via 313 in Austin, freakin' amazing Detroit-style pizza with smoked Pepperoni, regular Pepperoni, Ham, Sausage, Bacon

I'm sure I've left something off that I'll hear about later! Is it dinnertime yet?

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Yonkies and Blarbs, Yo

I've been playing a ton of Alphabetty lately. There have been several extraordinary words I've tried to pass off (particularly when I'm in a bind, trying to burst a final bubble), that I think sound completely legit, like...

tuvique (damn Q's)
yonkies
blarbs
mumsitty
drimbo
swirts
podina
armandita
nerpage
plord
joost (more than once- should totally be a word)
stovid

Think about it, Merriam-Webster. 

JOOST.

Sunday Stealing: Doodley-Do Meme

Do you keep notes, drawings or letters that people give you? 

Most of the time.

How many true best friends are present in your life? 

4

Do you currently have a significant other? 

Yes

Would you be able to stand being in the same room as someone you hate? 

Of course. Can't we all just get along?

Do you depend on people at all, in any way? 

Yep.

Have you ever lost a close friend? 

None of my close friends has died. As far as losing a friendship- there's Ina. I'll always be at a complete loss as to what happened with us. I don't even know if she's still living here.

Has anybody ever held a grudge against you for a dumb reason? 

Not that I'm aware of. They all have perfectly good reasons. Heh.

Have you ever stayed up late talking to someone you like on the phone or online? 

Yeah. I love those conversations that go on for hours about anything and everything!

Have you ever felt backstabbed by a close friend? 

Nope.

Have you ever regretted ignoring anybody?

Not that I recall.  I'm not one to ignore people, but if I ever did, it was for good reason.

Has a friend of yours ever confessed their love to you? 

A few times. (I always had mostly guy friends, so it was inevitable with the law of averages.)

Have you written or drawn anything for somebody else? 

Many times. Writing, that is. Songs, poems and fiction. No one wants me to draw them anything!

Do you tend to hide your emotions from certain people? How do you hide them? 

I hide them in certain situations, not really with certain people. I just think about how much better the situation is without the added drama.

Do your friends know how to make you smile in tough times?

Definitely!

Could you picture yourself on a reality TV show?

Laura and I would make a great reality show.

Are you better at drawing or coloring?

Coloring.

Do you prefer meat or seafood?

meat

Have you ever read the Bill of Rights / Declaration of Independence? 

yes

Would you rather become a police officer or a firefighter?

Police officer. Firefighter requires cooking at the fire hall, and also wearing a hot, heavy outfit with a mask.

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Remodel

Well, my outside repairs still aren't done, and I've now had our master bathroom contractor out to make a bid on my kitchen remodel. Looks like I'm going to have to go with my second choice on the outdoor repairs, since the first choice is flaking on me. GRR.

But... excited for the kitchen! I want something like these two examples:

Ha! I didn't realize they were so similar! I must really like this color combo. I like the light countertops better, I think. We meet with the contractor again next week.

Saturday 9: These Boots Were Made for Walkin' (1966)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song/video, Ms. Sinatra's boots make a serious fashion statement. Do you choose footwear for comfort or fashion? 

Gotta have both.

2) This is by far the biggest hit of Nancy Sinatra's career, which includes 6 top ten hits. Can you name another? 

The only other one I know is "Wishin' and Hopin'."

3) Nancy recorded it on Reprise Records, which was founded by her father, Frank. Did your parents give you a leg up in your chosen career?

No. Although I originally wanted to be an aerospace engineer, which my dad could have helped me into, I ended up taking a completely different path.

4) Professionally Nancy has been involved in espionage, singing the theme to a James Bond movie and appearing in an episode of The Man from UNCLE. Do you enjoy spy/secret agent stories?

They're ok. It's not my favorite genre.

5) Nancy maintains the official Sinatra family website, which includes a link to the site of Mia Farrow. Ms. Farrow was, briefly, Nancy's stepmother, and obviously they are still on good terms. Do you have a big, extended family?

No, which is funny, considering my mom is one of five kids and my dad is one of three! Between those eight aunts/uncles from both sides of the family, there are only six of us cousins, and there are just two kids between the six of us. Jeff has a lot of cousins!

6) Nancy's music -- and posters -- were very popular with the troops during the Vietnam War. Nancy continues to return their loyalty and affection with her efforts on behalf of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Here's your chance to promote a cause that's near and dear to your heart. What charity gets your support?

MD Anderson

7) Nancy hosts a Sirius radio show devoted to her father's music. Do you have a subscription to a satellite radio or podcast network?

Jeff got me satellite radio for my birthday this year.

8) Nancy has said that she and her sister Tina had a more comfortable relationship with their famous father than their late brother, Frank, Jr., did. Do you think it's easier for mothers to get along with their sons, while fathers have an easier time with their daughters?

No, I think it's completely based on personality and family dynamics. There are moms/daughters and sons/fathers who are closer as well. I was always closer to my mom, even before my parents split up.

9) Random question: Tonight's dinner is on us. Would you prefer to eat at a casual restaurant with exceptional food, or an exclusive restaurant with so-so food but a celebrity clientele? Definitely a casual restaurant with exceptional food. That is always my preference.

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Monday, Monday, So Good to Me

Pun-Off was GREAT this year! We went with Scott-n-Julie. Their friends, Ed-n-Vickie, joined us as well. Punniest in Show was the same guy who won the first year we went in 2012. Then we ate at Javelina on Rainey St. The food was awesome. We'd never been to Rainey St. before, so it was cool to finally see it.

I was browsing my old LiveJournal yesterday. I wish Blogger had "Current Mood" and "Currently Listening To." Those are sometimes the most interesting things about blog posts! Especially if you used the silly emoji packs.

Plus... I loved my icons. I spent hours making them.

Heh. For snarky posts.

I was just trying to find a clip of that quote, but Google doesn't have a single result for it. No one else thought it was the height of hilarity, except Laura and me?? No way!

Years ago, Anderson was bantering back and forth with another CNN host, who accidentally said "Mexico Ocean" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." He was teasing her about it. SO great.

Sunday Stealing: Monsters in the Closet Meme

Do you usually sleep with your closet door open or closed?

Are you kidding? CLOSED. I don't want anything coming out of there and getting me in the darkness.

Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?

Only if I'm out in my guest room.

Have you ever ‘done it’ in a hotel room?

Uh, yes.

Where is your next vacation?

Probably somewhere fairly close, so Lauren can come along.

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?

Nope.

Who do you think reads these?

Hopefully, no one. :p

Do you have a calendar in your room?

No

Where are you?

My living room.

What’s your plan for the day?

Grocery shop this morning and clean the patio furniture this afternoon. 

Are you reading any books right now?

No

Do you ever count your steps when you walk?

No

Have you ever peed in the woods?

Yep

Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?

Of course.

Do you chew your pens and pencils?

I put them in my mouth, but I don't chew on them. That's what she said.

What is your “Song of the Week”?

Panic! at the Disco "Victorious"

Is it okay for guys to wear pink?

Yes

Do you still watch cartoons?

Archer and Family Guy. I'll watch Spongebob if it's on.

Whats your favorite love movie?

Love, Actually

What do you drink with dinner?

Water or tea

What do you dip Chicken Nuggets in?

honey mustard

What is your favorite food/cuisine?

ribeye steak/American

What movies could you watch over and over and still love?

The Hangover

50 First Dates

Moulin Rouge

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Last person you hugged/kissed?

Jeff

Were you ever a boy/girl scout?

I was a brownie and a junior.

Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?

Nah

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B-A-N-A-N-A-S

LOVE this Carpool Karaoke!



I didn't know what the heck she said in that line of "The Sweet Escape" either.

After their hilarious rendition of "Hollaback Girl" and George gives his thoughts on what a hollaback girl is...

Gwen: I think that's pretty close. It's your interpretation of the song. I don't want to project what I thought onto you.
George: It would help to know what you thought.

Ahaha. Yes! We want to know what the songwriter intended. There are tons of songs we thought were about one thing that were about another, or were originally written about one thing, but shockingly apply equally as well to a completely different subtext. That's one of the coolest things about song lyrics.

James is really a good singer. I love that he's always so into it!

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Recipe!

You must all go to the grocery store TODAY and purchase what you need to make the Six Sisters' Stuff recipe for Mexican Street Corn Salad.

Y'all.

It is the best side dish ever invented. It's good warm and fresh off the stove top, or cold, when you can't wait to reheat it in the microwave so you just dig in from the fridge.

I've made it three times in three weeks, tweaking a bit. I replaced the red onion with two chopped green onions. I omit the raw garlic and add garlic salt instead of plain salt. I use a whole jalapeño and I don't like a lot of heat, so it's fine. I also use more than 1/3 cup of cilantro, because I love cilantro!

ENJOY!!


Sunday Stealing: A to Z Meme
 
A) What does the last text you sent say? And to whom?
"Ahh" to Jeff

B) What does the last text you received say? And from whom?
"CNN is claiming that Kasich is out." from Jeff

C) What time do you wake up most mornings?
5:30

D) Are you afraid of walking alone at night?
Yep

E) What do you do to relax at the end of a stressful day?
Play games on my phone.

F) Where did your last kiss take place and with whom?
This morning with Jeff.

G) Do/did you get into trouble a lot at school?
Nope, although I was frequently chastised for talking during class.

H) Do you enjoy your job? If unemployed, are you content being so?
I especially enjoy my contract job with my old company, because I'm working for twice the amount I was working for before I left.

I) Do you often pick up on double entendres and innuendos?
Not only do I pick up on them, I sometimes think I've heard them, when they weren't intended.

J) Have you ever been offered drugs, but declined?
Yes.

K) Have you ever met someone who has completely altered your way of thinking?
There was that super-hot History prof at A&M who completely altered my way of thinking about boring old history!

L) Have you ever been offered drugs and accepted?
Yes.

M) Tell us something weird that turns you on.
Being touched between my toes. Even a sandy beach will do it.

N) When did someone last admit romantic or sexual feelings for you? Was the feeling mutual?
JohnN my junior year of college. It was mutual.

O) What is something you have given a lot of thought to lately?
A couple of people with whom I thought I had an especially close bond, who sort of slipped out of my life without any explanation.

P) When did you last swallow your beliefs to avoid an argument or confrontation?
Most days. Ha! I just don't have many beliefs that I'm willing to argue with anyone about. I don't really care if you agree with me or not. I'm interested in hearing what your view is, but like most people, I don't usually change my mind about the issue, nor will you. I am happy to chat about it, but I won't usually engage in any arguments. I did, however, get into it with Jeff and Scott and Julie about Prop 1! Geez Louise, why does the government have to make everything their responsibility and then take money from my pocket to pay for it?

Q) Do you usually initiate hugs?
No. I will, but I'm not usually the initiator.

R) Are you a very affectionate person?
Yes.

S) Can you roll your own cigarettes?
I don't smoke. I can't roll cigarettes.

T) What are you looking forward to?
Starting my kitchen remodel.

U) Do you have any tattoos. Do you want any/more?
I don't and I don't.

V) Are you mentally strong?
Yes.

W) Are you physically strong?
Not at the moment.

X) Do you think you’re a good person?
Yes.

Y) Name one thing you wish you could change about your life right now.
Easy. I wish Lauren wasn't in chronic pain, so she could do all the things she wants to do.

Z) What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Protein shake.

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Shrike and Boomslang

Today I was Googling why lizards puff out their red throats, and eventually ended up on a page about how and why chameleons change color. In part of the article, they discussed color-changing studies performed on chameleons from South Africa whose deadly enemies are the shrike and the boomslang.

Cutest animal species names ever!

A shrike is a little bird and a boomslang is a snake. 

That is all. Just... cute!

So.... we were in Dallas on Friday for Lauren to see the neurosurgeon there for a second opinion on the brain tumor. Boiling it WAY down, the neurosurgeon said that she doesn't think the mass on the MRIs has grown in the six months between images. Not that it absolutely isn't a brain tumor (they have ruled out most of the other things it could be), but it may not be, after all. She, like the local team, recommended another MRI in a few months. If it doesn't grow, it may be tissue affected by a previous unrecognized seizure or even just an artifact in the imaging due to who-knows-what. The hippocampus is an area prone to artifacts, she said.

Even if it does turn out to be a tumor, it is extremely slow growing and she would not do surgery until Lauren showed symptoms or the tumor became more aggressive. She explained that if she removed the left hippocampus now, Lauren would have a marked defect in her short-term memory; whereas, if she waits for the brain to recognize a deficit due to the tumor, it will start the amazing rewiring process to use the right hippocampus for short-term memory. If enough rewiring occurred prior to doing surgery, she could much more safely remove the hippocampus without as much damage to memory. Makes sense.

It's not a good area to do a biopsy, so that isn't recommended either, when you aren't sure what you're looking at and the patient is asymptomatic.

Incidentally a neurosurgeon with whom we work at my company took a look at Lauren's films and tests and said he doesn't think the area identified on the scans has grown either. He also recommended just following up with an MRI in a few months.

So I guess she'll be having an MRI in a few months! The news is very good in that it may not be a tumor, but it is also incredibly frustrating and overwhelming for her, to be told she has cancer, deal with that for six weeks and then the team takes a step back, to say they want to wait and do more tests. Tough situation all around, but at least it seems everyone is on the same page now.

Now we all need a VACATION!!

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