Monday, Monday

I was all psyched to bake dried apples, rather than buying processed apple chips, and then I read a comment under a recipe that said you basically spend 3 hours baking one apple's worth of dried apple slices on two trays. Bummer. I did read that if you bake thick slices, rather than mandolin-shaved ones, they are chewy and good, so that would at least make more servings per recipe.

We watched another crap movie the other night- The Assistant. We really like Julia Garner from Ozark, so we wanted to check it out, even though it is one of those movies with a higher critic score and abysmal viewer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Always a terrible sign. We should have known. It was an hour-and-a-half watching an admin assistant at a production company go through a single crappy work day, dealing with a dirtbag boss that we literally never saw. 

 

Long scenes of stirring coffee, washing break room dishes, walking to the adjoining building... She doesn't really speak to anyone socially, which is sad and strange, and also adds to the dullness of the day. It was just so laughably boring. We would have turned it off, but we began to think something ultra-dramatic would happen at the end of the day, then she went to get a muffin and... then the movie ended. Wow. We were tricked into staying with that thing to the very end. At least it didn't go two full hours. We're still Julia Garner fans.

 

We watched The Butler, which was good.  Next up in entertainment viewing, the new season of The Servant. YES. 

Laura is getting her vaccine tomorrow. She's in Hays county where people don't wear masks, so I'm not too keen on going there to wait in line for the shot. I may wait until the Johnson and Johnson vaccine comes, so I only have to go in once. We'll see how things go. Hopefully the process will improve a lot over the next couple of weeks. Right now, we just aren't getting enough vaccine in Austin, like most places, I guess!

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Parade of Homes 'n Stuff

Do I think NSYNC should tour without JT? Uh, YES. I'd rather them tour with him, for the sake of completeness, but without is fine as well. They do have another lead singer, yes? :p

So J and I went to College Station for the weekend last weekend, just for funzies. Stayed at The Stella. Always lovely.

We did to the Brazos Valley Builders Association Parade of Homes, which was really fun! Very different from the high-brow Greater Austin Parade of Homes, where you tour multi-million dollar homes wearing hospital booties over your shoes. In College Station, it was model homes and spec homes ranging from like $150,000 to $750,000, all over town and the surrounding areas. We liked so many of them.

The biggest current building trend is the utility room off the master closet, in a

master bedroom>bathroom>giant closet>utility room 

arrangement. So you just walk from your closet through a door into the utility room to do laundry! NICE. Several homes even had a laundry door in the closet, so you can just dump dirty clothes through a little flap, directly into a laundry basket or hamper in the utility room on the other side of the wall. No need to walk all the way into the utility room from the closet. (#firstworldproblems)

OMG. I'm making mojo sauce for the first time and there wasn't a warning that the entire house would smell like garlic. WOW-WEE. *cough*

Anyhoo... I went with Scott-n-Kerstin to a storage locker auction on Tuesday! Very interesting. It was the fastest 25 minutes ever. Walked to a locker, had about 30 seconds to look into it, then a brief auction, then moved on to the next one. Zippity-zee. You could tell there was a group of regulars, and a few of us newbies. One of the Texas Storage Wars guys was there, although I don't watch that show, so I didn't know him. Lockers went from $5 to $500. Keep an eye on your local newspaper for the next locker sale in your area.

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Weekend Update - Asian Edition

Yesterday, we finally did the Asian market day we've been planning since H-Mart and 99 Ranch Market opened in Austin earlier this year. Scott-n-Julie and Jeff and I headed to H-Mart first, so we could get lunch at the 8-restaurant food court there. We tried several things from a few of them, and almost everything we tried was a hit! My favorites were the Kimchi Tater Tots and Bulgogi Sandwich from EStreet Tacos, and the garlic-soy Korean Chicken Bites from Donkey Mo's. And omg, EStreet has something called Chicken Skin Chicharrones, also very highly recommended, which I will definitely try next time. Their queso supposedly rocks as well. So, EStreet and Donkey Mo's, y'all. Write. That. Down.

We perused the aisles at H-Mart, which is very large and bright, and looks just like a regular grocery store, other than the products are almost all Asian. Their produce was OUTSTANDING. Just beautiful. I complain all the time about our produce at our grocery stores. Their stuff was exceptional and not expensive.

Next we headed to 99 Ranch Market. It is smaller than H-Mart (still big though!), and less well-lit. Their produce looked just like my HEB, pretty average. Their prices ran quite a bit less than H-Mart. They also have Peking Duck for $20 and live lobster for $8 per pound. I almost bought a vat of Kikkoman soy sauce (the only one I use), 2 quarts worth, for $5 and change. Couldn't figure out where to store it, so I didn't, but just as an example, they do have great prices. Plenty of selection, too. I did get some grapeseed oil (the best for stir fry, according to Jet Tila) and sesame oil there.

We stopped into the Beto campaign office in the 99 Ranch Market shopping center, to buy a bumper sticker. I was going to take a photo of Jeff entering the glass doors with a big sign for the Texas Democratic Party, just to send his parents for funsies, but they are reaching that age where we don't want to shock them too much.

Last night, Jeff and I went to a new-to-us restaurant so I could try Banh Mi for the first time. It was really good. We need to hit one of the more acclaimed banh mi spots to compare though.

Today, Jeff and I saw Crazy Rich Asians, I guess to complete the Far East themed weekend we're having. I liked it, but I will warn you, it is a rom-com with the emphasis on the Rom. You probably think it's a comedy along the lines of The Hangover or Wedding Crashers from some of the trailers, but it is a normal romantic comedy, with a few laughs here and there. Still good! Just don't plan to blow Dr. Pepper out your nose laughing.

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Wait.

I'm supposed to "string" celery before serving it? Have you all been doing this or is it just a crazy rumor? I've never done such a thing. I guess it would make for a more pleasant experience... if you can call eating celery "pleasant."

Hmm.

I've finally come across a sliver of fame in my family tree! Joseph J. Mansfield was in the U.S. House of Representatives 1916-1947. (There's a big ol' dam named after him here in Austin.) Well, back in the late 1800's, he was the county judge for Colorado County, down the road, Columbus way. Also - a pallbearer for my great-great-great grandfather's nephew at his funeral. Hmm! I'm surprised I even made the connection when I read it. Interesting!

Sunday Stealing: First Things First

{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery:
I would move to a smaller house with lower taxes.

{2} First person you call when you get amazing news:

Other than Jeff/Lauren, probably Laura

{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day:

turn up the music

{4} First movie you went to without your parents:

Wow. I can't remember exactly which one was first. We went to sooooo many movies! Can't believe I don't know.

{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school):

basketball, then volleyball

{6} First major injury:

Stepping on a nail when I was about 5, through the shoe and almost through the top of my foot. It was sticking up through a 2x4 piece of construction wood I was walking on at our apartment complex.

{7} First product I use in the shower:

shampoo

{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!):

my grandparents' garage apartment in College Station, where I lived rent-free through undergrad

{9} First Roommate(s): 

I've never had a roommate!

{10} First Time Living Away from Home: 

at Texas A&M in College Station when I was 18

{11} First magazine subscription:

Seventeen, although I had been buying every single Tiger Beat and Teen Beat for years at the store before I had an actual subscription to a magazine

{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned:

My mom and dad bought me a pretty gold necklace with a pearl pendant when I was a freshman in high school. I lost it (or it may have been stolen) my senior year at senior musical practice one night. I thought I had put it in my purse, but it wasn't there and I never saw it again. So sad!

{13} First time staying home alone:

I don't remember. This question does remind me of the time I was home with a babysitter and we were watching a scary movie when we heard a noise in the attic. My mom was the Homeowners Association treasurer, so I knew all the association board members, one of whom was a district attorney or something, who drove the "community watch" vehicle around and checked out reports of mischief and such. I called him and he came over and checked the attic. All the neighbors came outside with us when he was there. It was fabulous. Mom about died of embarrassment. No more watching scary movies when an adult wasn't home. Ahaha.

{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge:

tea

{15} First car accident or traffic violation:

My registration sticker (or my inspection sticker) was out of date. I was about 20, in College Station.

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Harvey n' Stuff

Seeing the Hurricane Harvey coverage and friends' social media posts from the area gives me a stomach ache. It's been forever since I've been in a hurricane, but still it comes right back. Stay safe, coastal friends! And I see alligators are showing up in people's garages now. Creepy!

The news says if you see an alligator in your yard or garage, just stay away from it. I thought I would pass that along for everyone.... in case you didn't know.

A couple of years ago, we were planning a river vacation to Wimberley and during my extended research into accommodations, the town flooded. For the past couple of months, we've been talking about renting a house in Corpus or Galveston in September. Now it's hurricaning there. Gah.

I'm watching a rerun of The Chew with Scarlett Johanssen. I've watched this show for years and so rarely do you see a celebrity guest really cook. They're usually dressed to the nines and very carefully slicing one vegetable while they promote their movie/show/tour. ScarJo is really into the cooking. She is asking all sorts of questions, while she chops and stirs the pan on the stovetop. And she's dressed up, too.

She's also hilarious. "Do Italians leave the shrimp heads on just for the gross factor?" she just asked Batali. Ahaha.

Jeff and I went to Foreigner/Cheap Trick last weekend with his work buddies and their peeps. It was the first time I've sat on the HEB Lawn at the Austin 360 Amphitheater and I have to say, while it's a different vibe than being up close in the front sections I've always sat in, it's super casual and fun. Bring a blanket and/or those beach chairs with the tiny legs (no regular chairs are allowed). Most people took their shoes off and were dancing or lying on their blankets looking at the stars. Superfun!


Saturday 9: I Wish It Would Rain (1968)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song focuses on rain. Ombrophobia -- the fear of rain -- is fairly common in children. How do you feel about rainy days? 

I love a rainy day, unless it's been raining for days on end.

2) Lead singer David Ruffin always wore corrective lenses. Are you wearing glasses or contact lenses as you answer these questions?
No.

3) Those thick-rimmed glasses were David's trademark. When he custom-ordered a luxury car, he had the image of those glasses painted on the door. Tell us something that makes your vehicle distinctive.

Nothing at all. My A&M Former Students and Apple stickers are sitting on my desk, waiting to be applied to the rear window.

4) David also had a penchant for mink. Rumor has it that he wore a mink-lined hat and even had that car upholstered in mink. If you could really splurge on anything right now, what would it be? Car? Travel? Clothes? Jewelry? (NO responsible answers allowed.)

Travel.

5) He sings that he badly wants to go outside. What are your plans for today? Will you be outdoors very much? 

I went to the grocery store to get some non-perishables this morning. It is very windy, pre-storm. I'm working a few hours today. I won't be outdoors much.

6) The Temptations originally called themselves The Elgins because in 1960, Elgin watches were the high-end timepiece of choice. Today, in the age of cellphones and FitBits, wristwatches aren't that popular anymore. Do you often wear a watch?

Never. I haven't worn a watch for years.

7) This sad song was inspired by a real-life event. Motown songwriter Rodger Penzabene discovered his wife was cheating on him. Much to his own surprise, he didn't want to divorce or even separate from her; he just wanted her to love him and only him again. Tell us about a time when you didn't react as you thought you would. (Your story doesn't have to be as dramatic as Rodger's.)

When the irrigation guy for our front yard project said he hadn't planned to do something we'd asked him to do, and started arguing with me about it, I stood my ground. I would normally have been exceedingly polite during this type of disagreement, but the issue was so ridiculous and we were already paying a lot and he was actually getting irritated with me, so I was adamant that he carry out what I felt was clearly the only correct plan.

8) In 1968, when this song was popular, a Pittsburgh McDonald's sold the first Big Mac (two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle and onion on a sesame seed bun). Describe your perfect hamburger.

Tookie's Squealer patty, Whataburger bun, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, blue cheese

9) Random question: When you catch a cold, do you soldier through it? Or are you a big baby?

Soldier through, unless I have the luxury of being able to just stay in bed. Even when I stay in bed, I'm not a big baby about it.

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Dolores's Kitchen

Oh. Mah. Gawd. Dolores Catania's kitchen reno before and after looks almost exactly like ours, right down to the gray island! Cool!

Dolores's
Mine

She has great taste. I just adore her and Siggy on RHONJ. Those two are like a couple of regular girls floating around in the sea of drama. They have the same shocked reactions to everything that we're having at home. I hope they stay around.

Lauren declared the Cheeseburger Spaghetti Pie I made last night for the first time to be "a recipe made up by high college students with a bunch of burger ingredients in the fridge." Neither she nor Jeff liked the ketchup that's in it. It tasted good to me, but I agree the sweetness is unexpected, since a more spicy or neutral tomato sauce is typically on pasta. I thought it would be a good alternative to pizza night, but it'll be a no-go!


Saturday 9: Tubular Bells (1973)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) According to Reader's Digest, The Exorcist is the scariest movie of all time. Have you seen it, and if so, did it scare you?

Yes and yes! It gets my vote for scariest. The Grudge is pretty damn scary as well.

2) The Exorcist has been made into a TV series on Fox, premiering last month. Have you become a fan of any of the season's new shows?

This is Us - the best new drama on TV. From the very first ad, it reminded me of Thirtysomething in a very good way, and I was thrilled to find out later that Ken Olin- Michael on Thirtysomething - is the executive producer. The characters are great. Perfect amount of humor thrown in. Bravo! Also, American Housewife cracks me up. 

3) "Tubular Bells" is a popular ringtone for both Android and iPhone. What's your ringtone?

Night Owl

4) As Halloween approaches, do you watch more scary shows and movies?

Not really.

5) Do you have any recurring nightmares?

I have a recurring one where I am driving and the road starts doing strange things, like going into the ocean, or straight up into the sky, or down in a steep spiral.

6) Have you carved a jack o' lantern this year?

Nope. We don't usually carve one. We did when Lauren was little.

7) Do you like the taste of pumpkin seeds?

Yes! Roasted and salted.

8) What will the trick or treaters who knock on your door get?

They'll get nothing if they knock on the door, because we'll be handing out Kit Kats with Scott-n-Julie's cul-de-sac.

9) A Halloween "let's pretend:" Back in the 1950s, a home in your neighborhood was the site of a gruesome murder/suicide. Relatives retained ownership of the house but declined to live there. During the ensuing decades, a legend grew: The tragic couple haunts the halls. Generations of schoolchildren insist they heard strange sounds and saw curtains often move mysteriously. Now the house is about to be demolished. A local charity is raising money by sponsoring a Halloween sleepover. Would you be willing to stay in this haunted house over night?

Hell to the no.

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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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Randomness! Tra La!

One of the funniest things is when people our parents' age (and Julie) begin their texts and Facebook posts with a salutation and end them with a closing and signature.

Hee!

JeffC brought us back some maple candies and maple syrup from Pennsylvania when he returned from his annual visit home. Lauren had been wanting pancakes, so I took the opportunity to get some bacon and make both pancakes with bacon AND my favorite roasted brussels sprouts with maple syrup and bacon! Yum!

So Anderson Cooper doesn't VOTE? WHA? I admire him for many reasons, including the fact that he fights against being biased in his reporting (which more reporters should do!!), but he should be able to vote. No matter how unbiased you are as you present the news, you do have a candidate you support, and the voting booth is the place to voice your opinion.

Everyone who has a Discover Card, check the type of card you have. If you've had it for more than a few years, it may be a Discover More card. They don't make them anymore, because they have a new and improved cash back card called Discover It. Biggest difference is that you earn 1% cash back beginning with the first dollar you spend, rather than ramping up to 1% at the beginning of each year. There are other benefits, too, and it's an all-around better card than Discover More for most everyone, so check it out today! You can call to convert your More card to an It card.

And a survey, because why not?

Sunday Stealing: Healthy Meme

When was the last time you got a nose bleed? I've never had one.
Do you keep magazines by your toilet? Nope
If you were a waiter/waitress, would you make good tips? Yep
Have you ever stolen a road sign or traffic barrier? No
What are the best kind of Girl Scout cookies? Thin Mints
When was the last time you purchased alcohol? About two weeks ago, we tried Henry's Hard Orange Soda. (It tastes like orange soda.)
Do you find it attractive when a guy actually shows his feelings? Yes
Are you a fussy eater? No
List everything you ate and drank today: Leftover pancakes with milk for breakfast, a homemade hamburger on sourdough with roasted brussels sprouts for lunch, with tea.
How are you sitting? Ahhhahaha. I juuuuust slid down to "comfy position" mostly lying down, with my feet on the ottoman, my knees up and my upper back against the back of the sofa.
Waiting for something? a call from the neurosurgeon to schedule Lauren's surgery
Do you like pretzels? yes!
Do you wait until you’ve completely finished a certain makeup product before you buy a new one? I buy a new one before the old one is gone (I don't want to run out), but I finish the old one before I open the new one.
Did you wake up before 8:00 a.m. this morning? Of COURSE I did
Have you ever told anyone you were okay when you really weren’t? Haven't we all.
Do you have reason to cry right now? Yes, I'm quite frustrated with the surgeon not calling for over a week now.
How many sodas a week do you have? Usually zero.
Do you shop at Victoria’s Secret? Not recently.
Are you into sports? Some.
Can you easily touch your toes? Yes
What did the last shoes you wore look like? They look exactly like black flip flops.
What do you currently hear? TMZ Live on television
Have you ever done yoga? yes
Do you text a lot? I keep texting to a minimum. If we go back and forth more than about four times, I'm calling you.
Do you have a fax machine at home? Yes, but we don't have a land line, so I can't use it.
Do you know anyone who has diabetes? Yes
Have you ever had to block anyone online? Yes, years ago.
Are you afraid of thunder and lightning? No
Are you a shop-a-holic? I like shopping, but not to that point.
Are you healthy? I could be healthier. It hasn't been a priority for a while.

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Christmas 2015

So it's The Day After Boxing Day! I will never forget my dad, stepbrother, stepbro's BFF and I, ready to go shopping in London the day after Christmas 1983, when we found out all the stores were closed for something called Boxing Day.

What. The. ?!

Brits.

Anyhoo... The beef tenderloin was a big hit! It was super easy and the meat was fantastic. Not an everyday thing at $27 a pound, but yes. Good stuff. I also made crack potatoes, which everyone knows are the best potatoes ever invented. So it worked well. Lauren and Grandma made the strawberry jello, cream cheese, pretzel crust dessert thing, which was delicious. First family Christmas meal at my place is now in the memory books.

We didn't go out to eat one single time while the fam was here. That's probably some sort of record as well. We also didn't finish our 1000 piece puzzle for the first time ever! Ack. That thing is still sitting on the table. We will finish it!

We have finally made a pact with Steven that we will no longer purchase gift cards to exchange at Christmas. (I don't prefer to get anyone a gift card unless it's something really unique that requires it, but that's what he asks for every year.) It's just weird to trade gift cards. I mean, honestly. What exactly is the point? Now the cancellation of this horrible tradition has been decreed! Yaaaaay! And I am free to just give him a gag gift, which is WAY more fun.


Saturday 9: Happy Holidays!

1. As you can see, Sam loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. Yet some children are reluctant to climb into Jolly Old St. Nick's lap. Did you enjoy the tradition or were you shy? Or did you by pass it altogether -- either because you wrote him a letter or because your family didn't celebrate Christmas?
I always enjoyed it! Lots of pics of me on Santa's lap. I didn't want to miss telling him what I wanted, so he wouldn't give me clothes.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there?
Nice. I got there by making it through the entire year without silly stringing the office of that person we can't stand at work.

3. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If so, which one traveled the farthest?
I only shipped one (a live tabletop evergreen arrangement). It went to my Grandpa in Dallas.

4. Did you buy yourself a gift this year?
Guitar Hero Live

5. What's your favorite holiday-themed movie?
Love Actually

6. Thinking of movies, Christmas is lucrative for Hollywood. Have you ever gone to a movie theater on Christmas Day?
We usually go to a movie on Christmas afternoon. We didn't this year.

7. Have you ever suffered an embarrassing moment at the company Christmas party? 
I wish I had, so this answer would be entertaining, but no.

8. What's your favorite beverage in cold weather?
spiced cider

9. Share a memory from last Christmas. 
Going to Johnson City with Scott and Julie!

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Pitch Perfect Movie Night

Had all the work girls over last night for movie night. Neither Jennifer nor Crystal had seen Pitch Perfect. WHAT?! The rest of us were quoting and singing along.

I prepared a pretty extravagant salad bar. Then the big attraction of the night was having movie theater popcorn from the new popper during the movie. So let me now warn you that serving salad and popcorn to people at a party will leave you searching for large bowls. I was almost serving popcorn in cooking pots. We managed to share out of a few large mixing bowls, so all was well.

The signature cocktail for the evening was lemonade and sweet tea vodka. BIG hit. Make the lemonade from real lemon juice and sugar, because those diet and other powdered/fake lemonades we've all been drinking for years suck.

We were talking about parents embarrassing you and I honestly cannot remember one moment when my mom OR dad embarrassed me. Too funny!!


Saturday 9: The Best Thing About Me Is You (2010)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) What would you say is your best quality?
I appreciate and enjoy the little things in life.

2) In this song, Ricky sings that he's "allergic to tragedy." Do you suffer from any allergies?
Yep. Cedar, mold and ragweed.

3) Benadryl, the popular allergy medication, is sometimes used to treat insomnia. What do you do when you can't sleep?
Take Benadryl. If I still can't sleep, I get up and watch TV or surf the web.

4) The lyrics to this week's song encourage us, "Don't wait until mañana." Are you a procrastinator?
Not typically. It's always a great feeling to get things off my to-do list.

5) Ricky Martin is a judge on The Voice ... Mexico, aired on Mexican television. When you watch competition shows like The Voice, Dancing with the Stars or American Idol, do you usually agree with the judges? Or do you think you could do a better job? 
I tend to be on the side of the more critical judges, because I think you have to be pretty darn amazing to become a part of the current music scene.

6) Ricky tells interviewers that when he was very young, he'd sing in the family kitchen, pretending a wooden spoon was his microphone. Crazy Sam admits to lip synching into a black Magic Marker. When you gave imaginary concerts, what did you use as a microphone?
A brush, of course.

7) Ricky began working at the tender age of 9, performing in commercials. How old were you when you received your first paycheck?
I started babysitting at 10.

8) Ricky does yoga to stay in shape. Have you ever tried yoga?
Yes. I'm not great at it.

9) Ricky is of primarily Spanish descent, with a little French mixed in. When you think of French cuisine, what comes to mind?
A tiny serving of delicate vegetables and a bite of chicken in a precious drizzle of sauce on a large white plate.

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Brussels Sprouts Rock

My new favorite snack is Brussels sprouts with a little olive oil and salt. No joke! Crystal got me hooked on the Bsprouts when she brought maple bacon Brussels sprouts to work several weeks ago. I made those for the fam, and they hated them. I loved them, but of course, one cannot eat much maple bacon anything.

She just finished off a bag of Bsprouts over several days, just microwaving them whole with olive oil. I had no idea they were so quick to cook in the microwave. I started making them, too, only I quarter and separate the leaves, toss the leaves into a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes and 45 seconds with just a little olive oil, then add a bit of salt.

YUMMO! Believe it! Beats the heck out of a salad, too.

We had Jack's going away happy hour last night. Here's a bit of conversation that ensued when he noticed Crystal had removed her case from her phone.

Jack: Where is your phone case?
Crystal: My phone won't fit into my wristlet with the case.
A: So it's totally unprotected.
Me: Ha. That's risky.
Crystal: Yeah, well... it was too big, so what can you do.
Jack: But now it looks like it's just going to slip out.
Crystal: It's not going to just 'slip out!' How big do you think this hole is?

Heh. Thanks, sangria!


Sunday Stealing: The Last Night Meme

Did anyone call you last night? Jeff. He's in San Francisco all week for work.
How late were you on the computer last night? I wasn't on the computer at all last night.
What did you have to eat last night? Lauren and I had Chicken Salsa Casserole and roasted cream cheese jalepenos
Did you watch any good TV shows or movies last night? Supernatural
Did any news items stand out to you last night? There was a turned-out-not-to-be-a-shooting at University of Oklahoma and winter weather advisory to start today through Friday.
Did you go out last night? to Jack's Happy Hour at Abuelo's!
What was the weather like last night? Really nice. About 65 degrees and clear.
What was the last thing you said last night? "Good night, dear!" to Lolo
What time did you go to bed last night? 10:30

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Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We've been hanging out with great friends, seeing movies and visiting family for the past week-and-a-half. I don't have to go back to work until the 2nd, so... YAY!

Loved The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (excellent effects) and loved Hunger Games: Catching Fire even more (Stanley Tucci just cracks me up!). American Hustle (Bradley Cooper and stuff) and Frozen (Lauren says it rocks) are next on our list.

(I should do all my movie reviews in parentheses.)

We finally watched the last two episodes of The Sing-Off (congrats to Home Free!). Nick Lachey hosts and he was the mentor for the second-to-last show. When he came walking up to Home Free while they were practicing, one of the guys commented, "Gosh darn it, he's pretty." I almost giggled myself onto the floor, because it was so funny... and because I was thinking the same thing. 98 Degrees sang "I'll Be Home for Christmas" a capella on the finale. Their vocals were tight! Beautiful.



Gosh darn it. He is pretty.

I was talking about cooking shows with one of our recent interviewees at work (yeah, I start my interviews with hobbies and favorite TV shows and eventually work my way to human research ethics and methodologies) when he mentioned he is a fan of a YouTube series called Epic Meal Time. I finally had time to check it out. It's pretty entertaining. It's some guys cooking and eating various outrageous concoctions of bacon and stuff.



We're having friends over to watch the Aggies bowl game (BTHO Duke!) for New Year's Eve. Hope you all have a wonderful NYE and I'll see ya' in 2014.

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Random Wednesday

It's incredibly strange to see a friend become Facebook friends with the ADULT CHILD of one of your high school pals. I just can't believe my high school buddies have adult children. The whole thing is just superweird.

Speaking of adult children, my baby turns twenty this weekend, so, there's that.

And speaking of disturbing things (segueing--- it's an art)... Is anyone else completely creeped out that there is a student/school-nurse relationship happening on Glee? That's how you know you've run out of plot lines. You pitch the idea that a student gets it on with the nurse. During school. And your colleagues go, "YES! Let's run with that." Set it to happy, cheesy music and no one will notice the inappropriateness. Ack.

Speaking of boyfriends... Cathy has a new boyfriend. Billy! (♪ Weeee waaaant Biiiilly. Wheeeere iiiiiiis Biiiiilly? B-I-double L-Y, we're aaaaaall hiiiiiiis...) Billy lives here in Austin, so she'll be here more often. How awesome is that? We're going to do the double date thing next time she's up. She was here last weekend and he had to work on Saturday, so she ended up going to the game with me. It worked out perfectly! Maybe she'll finally move here. We'll see if Billy makes it past Cathy's three-week relationship limit. (Ahahaa. J/K, CJ!)

Speaking of... um... quantum leaps... Most of the girls from work feel guilty about things like getting manicures on their WFH days. I go grocery shopping on my WFH days and I don't feel guilty one bit. I do feel guilty writing in my blog at the moment. But I can't access the work computer right now, so what am I supposed to do? :)

During my teleconference this morning with Matthew at our England vendor, he told me that they are in the middle of their company's annual "American Thanksgiving Bake-Off." He has entered a Coca-Cola Pecan Pie. If he wins the department, he advances to the company-wide competition. Winners from the company-wide contest are able to enter the Christmas Bake-Off in December. Superfun!!

Meanwhile, back at my company, a data management girls' trip is in discussion. I was thinking Vegas. Crystal was thinking New Zealand. Seriously. (I guess if I were 29 and single, I'd say New Zealand, too. But mama needs a new kitchen, so not this year.)

Alright... going to try my work connection again...

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Cooookieeeeee

I've made all my cookies for Jean's party tomorrow night. Rum balls. I know, they are supposed to sit for a few days, but one day will have to do this time.

Laura: Are you going to Jean's party?
Me: I may go late. The presentation of the Heisman trophy is at 7, but who knows how long they'll stretch that thing out. This is funny-- I thought the Heisman announcement was Monday night, and I was trying to decide if I should cancel dinner plans with friends to watch! Turns out it's Saturday night, so it's not a problem.
Laura: Saturday?
Me: Yes.
Laura: Well Jean's party is on Sunday.
Me: I thought it was Saturday!

Yeesh. I think my brain is on vacation.


Saturday 9: Blue Christmas

1) Do you ever suffer the blues during the holidays?
No, although I have moments where I really miss my mom, who passed away December 19 six years ago.

2) More than 18 million visitors have toured Elvis' home, Graceland. Have you ever been there?
Strangely enough, Mom and I made a point of visiting the tiny, tiny home where Elvis was born in Tupelo, on our way to Nashville once, where we did NOT tour Graceland. It was her 20th high school reunion in Huntsville AL. Dad was working, so she and I went. We hung out there for a couple of days, did the reunion and stayed with her best friend Francis, and then went to Nashville for a couple of days with Francis and Larry and their kids.

Not to go on a tangent, but I am remembering vividly watching my mom chatting with her desperately serious and completely unattainable high school crush at the reunion. I can't believe I can't remember his name right now, but this was one of those über-popular guys who she adored back then, who was incredibly handsome (still was, at 38) and so charming and sweet, and made the effort to get to know kids from every single clique in the school. You know that guy, right? Everyone thinks he's awesome. I think every high school class has one. Ours was Peter Griffith.

Anyhoo... He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek when they met at the reunion, and I could tell she was DYING. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... So cute! He didn't do that with everyone. Many of the ladies, but not all of them. He sat at our table and talked with the group for quite a while. She and Francis giggled like teenagers about it for two days.

3) Elvis dyed his naturally light brown locks black. Do you dye your hair?
Nope

4) He also insisted his young girlfriend, Priscilla, dye her hair jet black. If your lover asked you to change your hair, would you?
Sure. As long as it doesn't look awful. Now ask Jeff how many times I've asked him to let his hair grow out into its wavy/curly glory. But noooooo...

5) Elvis served his country at an Army base in Friedberg, Germany. Have you ever been to Germany?
1) lived there from birth to age 3- Heidelberg/Worms area.
2) Visited when I was a freshman in high school- Dad's side of the family in Worms & Hamm, my uncle Brian and family then stationed at Wiesbaden, then toured all over the countryside up and down the Rhine staying in guest houses.
3) Jeff, Lauren and I went back when Lauren was 3- Munich for a week, then Berchtesgaden for a week.

6) Elvis famously had an affair with Ann-Margret during the filming of Viva Las Vegas. Have you ever indulged in a dalliance with a coworker?
I went out with a few waiters while I was a hostess in high school. I also dated JohnN, a comp sci major with whom I worked in the Dean's Office my junior year of college.

7) Thinking of his movies ... Elvis was, by and large, unhappy with his film career and once said, "The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one." Are you happy with the way your career is going/has gone?
*eye roll* The timing of this question is lovely. Not happy in any way, shape or form with the way my career is going. I've convinced myself that some perfect opportunity is about to come up.

8) Elvis lost "the battle of the bulge" toward end of his life. Are you happy with your weight?
I'm working on losing 15 pounds at the moment. Ask me again in a couple of months. :)

9) As a teenager, Elvis worked as an usher at a movie theater. What was your first job?
selling newspaper subscriptions over the phone for the Houston Post when I was 16

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Nope, Not Hallucinating

Proof this happened...



Yes, it's supposed to be funny and over-the-top. Still. When you're already feeling like you're going to lose your cookies, you have to look away.

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Monte Christo Lite

I have come up with a superb, lower-calorie alternative to the amazing Monte Christo sandwich. I've only eaten 1.5 Monte Christos in my lifetime, because if I'm going to throw caution to the wind and chow down on a single 1500-calorie food, it's going to involve some sort of cheesecake.

Sorry, fried sandwich.

The original Monte Christo is a ham and cheese sandwich (frequently club-style with a completely superfluous third piece of bread coming into play), battered and deep fried, then covered in powdered sugar and served with a side of jelly for dipping. Oh man, is it good.

My recipe is as follows:

Bread
Jelly of your choice (I prefer blackberry)
Ham slices
Cheddar cheese (or whatever cheese you like... Gruyere would be heavenly)

Toast the bread. While it's toasting, put your ham on a small plate and top with cheese. Heat it up in the microwave. Smear both pieces of of toast with jelly. Throw the hot ham and cheese onto the bread and make your sandwich. Ta-da!!

Now, it's quite possible that one could make this like a standard hot ham and cheese, putting together the sandwich and heating it up in a pan. I imagine the jelly would get a very molten-lava quality to it, and also the bread might get soggy, which gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies. But if you wanna try it, go for it!

In the end, the thing that makes the Monte Christo great is the combination of salty and sweet elements. This version still gives you those flavors. It's really good.

~

I've never been a big country music fan, but there are many country songs I love. They typically have a crossover vibe and very little in the way of twangy steel guitar. Lately, I've taken a shine to two country songs. (And I've evidently started using the phrase "taken a shine to...")

"Someone Else Callin' You Baby" by Luke Bryan (SUPERtwangy- egads) and especially "(Kissed You) Good Night" by Gloriana



...I should have kissed you
I should have pushed you up against the wall
I should have kissed you
Just like I wasn't scared at all

I turned off the car
Ran through the yard
Back to your front door
Before I could knock
You turned the lock
And met me on the front porch
And I kissed you
Goodnight
And now that I’ve kissed you
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight...

Gah. This one's going in the sidebar----->

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Spanish Flavor

Jeff and I went to the Spanish Flavor dinner and cooking class last night at Texas Hill Country Olive Company. We had a fabulous time! Before the class, we met a couple who were stopping into the store on their way between wineries, which is how we first discovered the place ourselves a few weeks ago. We got to talking with them and it turns out the guy, Jim, works at Jeff's company. He's fairly new there and works in another group. His fiancée, Kathy, was telling me about two breweries in the hill country who do tastings and tours as well. Jeff prefers beer to wine, so I told her he would be very excited to hear that. When we got back to the guys, they had already been talking about us all getting together at Jester King next weekend. Too fun!

The class was set up really well. Lots of seating at tables facing the kitchen. The menu: flank steak on crostini with chimichurri (one of my favorite all-time condiments), paella, mango and cheese empanadas and tres leches cake. Everyone got wine or beer through the evening. It was a lot more interactive that Central Market's classes, with opportunities for everyone to come up and help now and then. You could get up and take pictures at the stove, pictures with the chef, etc. We also got a full meal, rather than tastings of each item, like Central Market does.

Not to knock CM's classes, which are awesome. Most of CM's classes are just less hands-on and not intended to be a meal for the students. I did take a sushi class at Central Market with Kathy once, where we all had our own stations and made our own sushi. That was really cool!

This place could benefit from mirrors over the cooking area and a chef's mic. They are getting a microphone soon.

I do recommend the classes! They are monthly and are posted on Texas Hill Country Olive Company's Facebook page.

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Mall Fun

Doug and I had an impromptu mall outing yesterday. We spent a particularly long time looking at all the tools and gadgets in Williams-Sonoma, where the sales girls were amused at how much fun we were having. I love that store, but all I can think of when I'm in there is Alton Brown saying never to buy a special gadget that only does one kitchen task. But they're all so COOL!

Doug showed me his favorite stemware at Swarovski (love that place, too). Now I want them:

Well, the photos don't do them justice AT ALL. They are stunning. Go and see them if you have a Swarovski store near you! Only $390 for a set of 2 martini glasses. *cough*

The fam and I are cutting short our Boston/Binghamton trip this summer, and it turns out I booked (six months ahead, mind you) some non-refundable hotels. You'd think you could cancel two months in advance, but no. There are tales aplenty online of people saying not to waste your time trying to get your money back. Yes, I agreed to the non-refundable rate, which was a measly $10 a night cheaper. I won't do that again, unless I'm traveling very soon and know for sure that I won't need to cancel. Lesson learned!

At least I can change our flights without incurring a fee, which is helpful.

Ahaha! Yes.

Have a fab day, y'all!

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Busy Saturday

My mother-in-law was here for the day yesterday. She, Jeff and I did a couple of wineries on the Wine and Wildflower Trail. We found the Solaro Estate Winery near Dripping Springs to be so picturesque and the wines are really wonderful. (Here's more about them- they use all Texas grapes, which is very rare.) I'm not big into white wines, but surprisingly, their Arancia was one of my faves. Very citrusy and fresh, but not too dry. They make a Tempranillo, which the owner tells us is the up and coming defining "wine of Texas." My favorite wine of the day was their Bordorosso, a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Merlot.

We happened across the Texas Hill Country Olive Company orchards on our way out to the second winery and stopped to check them out. Loved the oils and their blueberry balsamic vinegar. They also have cooking classes! The chef was preparing for last night's class when we were there, and it smelled heavenly. The price of the class includes dinner as well. They have bread baking classes every weekend, too. They do an orchard and production tour, although we didn't have time to take it. We'll be back.

Last night we took Lauren and her boyfriend out to dinner. I spent the late evening at Kathy's, while she's in town for a few days. She and a colleague were accompanied by a British security guy to a couple of recent business meetings. (Yeah, her job is sort of like Sheldon Cooper meets Lara Croft.) The guy had the best stories. One time he was security for Tony Curtis on a yacht, and they happened to cross paths with P Diddy/Puff Daddy/Sean Combs and his group on their boat, and the guy ends up guarding Tony Curtis at this P Diddy yacht party. I wonder what P Diddy and Tony Curtis talk about at a party.


Sunday Stealing: The TV Show Meme

Before reading the questions: Pick 5 TV Shows you like. They can be past or present. Hint: pick shows that you are REALLY into. Hey! no peaking at the questions! List them:

1. Modern Family
2. New Girl
3. Whitney
4. Big Bang Theory
5. Rules of Engagement

1. Who is your favorite character in 2?
Jess

2. Who is your least favorite character in 1?
Aww, I like all of them. I guess Jay.

3. What’s your favorite episode of 4?
Most of them are fabulous, so I don't have one all-time fave. Any episode without very much Priya/Leonard. :\

4. What is your favorite season of 5?
Season 5

5. What’s your favorite relationship in 3?
Roxanne and Mark

6. Who is your anti-relationship in 2?
Schmidt and CeCe- I don't buy that for a second

7. How long have you watched 1?
since Day 1, September 2009

8. How did you become interested in 3?
saw an interview with Whitney Cummings and Chris D'Elia

9. Who is your favorite actor in 4?
Jim Parsons

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2, or 5?
Modern Family

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?
Modern Family

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?
Penny, although I'm nothing like her and most like Bernadette in real life.

13. How would you kill off any character in 5?
Russell catches an exotic and incurable STD.

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work?
Yes. The very strong female characters of Whitney meet the nerdy guys of BBT at a bar... Roxanne ends up with Raj for the night.

15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple.
Phil and Gloria

16. Overall, which show has the better cast, 3 or 5?
Rules of Engagement

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"I'll Let You Lick the Spoon Because It Tastes So Nice"

I am not one to stray from a recipe. If I see I'm out of a required ingredient, I either run up to the store or just make something else. Last night, I was at about step 326 of my complicated but excellent chicken enchilada recipe when I discovered that I needed FOUR cans of green chilis, not the ONE I bought for the sauce. Even if I wanted to substitute something there, I challenge you cooks to come up with an idea.

No?

Well... I actually searched my pantry and found... Mexicorn! (Green Giant's genius name. Probably the least Mexican thing in the grocery store.) So I tossed that in my blender with the chilis and 28 other ingredients of the sauce. It was fabulous! I was really excited about it.

We saw Hairspray at the Zach Scott Theatre last night. It's very good! I love the Kleberg Stage. We started going when I organized field trips for Mothers Club, back in the day. They did children's theater there. It's incredible to be in such an intimate venue for these big shows.

My very favorite actors were Warren Freeman (Corny Collins) and Janis Stinson (Motormouth Maybelle). Awesome casting there. Janis had everyone on their feet after "I Know Where I've Been." Such a powerful song. Loved it.

One note to anyone going- not only is there traffic from construction downtown and the Zilker Summer Musical nearby, but the parking at Zach is awful. They are building the Topfer Theatre and that seems to be taking up a large chunk of parking. We went down Toomey Rd.- DO NOT DO IT for Hairspray. You cannot reach Kleberg parking from there, and the road is clogged with all sorts of cars, so it's practically impossible to turn around. Go directly to Riverside and Lamar, and go west on Riverside to the parking lot there. Go early.

We have to see Footloose at Zilker next!

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