see, i'm all pissy right now. i just spent 30 minutes or so on a blog- a mighty introspective, fabulous blog...and this damn touchy mousepad on this @$#% laptop kept me hopping to keep the cursor on the page...anyways, i was working away and next thing i know...POOF...all my work was gone. grrrr i tell ya. i am positive i bumped something that popped up some delete-y thing-y and bing bam boom, Operation Piss-Off-Di was underway. So now- here is my bitter little post instead. SIGH.
i'm too grumpy to try and recreate all that right now. maybe later this evening? maybe in the morning? or maybe it will spend eternity ricocheting between my slipping memory and cyberspace.
think i'll crack open a can of icy cold diet dr pepper and go throw the bumper for Alleybottoms. afterall, tomorrow is another day...and tomorrow, i'm heading to Birmingham with my love for the Magic City Brewfest, so all is going to be just fine. technology be damned! well, at least until i need it again...
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Friday, November 13, 2009
coming home....
What's terribly sad here is that I've been away from my reflective self for far too long, and I have truly missed the writing.
My life has been full of change and growth, and I'm not sure how fully I'm willing to go back and chronicle my journey from July '09 to November '09. In these months, I stumbled and fell, got up and dusted off, fell deeper in love than I ever dreamed was possible, found a church that we really "feel", made some amazing food, ate some amazing food (thanks darling), met a lot of peeps, shed a few tears, laughed til I almost peed my pants, overcame obstacles, and even experienced a ginormous paradigm shift. And through it all, I gained a much clearer understanding of who I am and who I want to be.
Wow, this list seems so simplistic but it serves as a reminder to myself: life is about growth and growth is often messy and painful and dramatic.
My life has been full of change and growth, and I'm not sure how fully I'm willing to go back and chronicle my journey from July '09 to November '09. In these months, I stumbled and fell, got up and dusted off, fell deeper in love than I ever dreamed was possible, found a church that we really "feel", made some amazing food, ate some amazing food (thanks darling), met a lot of peeps, shed a few tears, laughed til I almost peed my pants, overcame obstacles, and even experienced a ginormous paradigm shift. And through it all, I gained a much clearer understanding of who I am and who I want to be.
Wow, this list seems so simplistic but it serves as a reminder to myself: life is about growth and growth is often messy and painful and dramatic.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
oh my gooooosh...
was what i heard sister Kim exclaim in pure exasperation just seconds before bellowing her daughter's first and middle names at the very top of her lungs. that's when ya know that you're in deep poo, isn't it? when you get both names? and heaven forbid if the surname follows, ya might consider relocating to another state, at the very least to another part of the house!
ya might ask what sweet lil 2 year old niece could possibly have done to encourage such a reaction from her mom...well, see, what had happened was kim sent darling nina to her room (unattended) and sort of forgot about it- ya know it's time to investigate when you hear silence. and anyways, nina availed herself of auntie di's very red nail polish and waded right into the beauty regimen. too funny. by the time kim discovered this, nina had painted all ten fingers and toes...and hands...and feet...and tummy...and the backs of her thighs...and even her cheek- amazing. she was so very proud.
and of course, kimmy was almost out of polish remover so we had to call a neighbor, get security clearance, and go borrow some from their place while they were out and about shopping. ha...took me 35 minutes to get that little one back to her normal color. she was so helpful.
kim couldn't understand why i wasn't pissed when she was so very undone. well, see, had one of my kids done that, i'd've been hard pressed not to beat the snot out of him, but as it happens, my niece was the culprit so it was my JOB as auntie di to laugh and make a big game of it. what a time we had- poured the stuff in a bowl and soaked her lil hands and feet and scrubbed with a rag. she was a good sport and it's all fine, except for that tee tiny lil spot in the carpet (tee hee, i don't think that kimmy has noticed that yet...it's all good- we're leaving early in the morning. won't be anywhere around that fallout! poor nina).
heheheheheheehee
ya might ask what sweet lil 2 year old niece could possibly have done to encourage such a reaction from her mom...well, see, what had happened was kim sent darling nina to her room (unattended) and sort of forgot about it- ya know it's time to investigate when you hear silence. and anyways, nina availed herself of auntie di's very red nail polish and waded right into the beauty regimen. too funny. by the time kim discovered this, nina had painted all ten fingers and toes...and hands...and feet...and tummy...and the backs of her thighs...and even her cheek- amazing. she was so very proud.
and of course, kimmy was almost out of polish remover so we had to call a neighbor, get security clearance, and go borrow some from their place while they were out and about shopping. ha...took me 35 minutes to get that little one back to her normal color. she was so helpful.
kim couldn't understand why i wasn't pissed when she was so very undone. well, see, had one of my kids done that, i'd've been hard pressed not to beat the snot out of him, but as it happens, my niece was the culprit so it was my JOB as auntie di to laugh and make a big game of it. what a time we had- poured the stuff in a bowl and soaked her lil hands and feet and scrubbed with a rag. she was a good sport and it's all fine, except for that tee tiny lil spot in the carpet (tee hee, i don't think that kimmy has noticed that yet...it's all good- we're leaving early in the morning. won't be anywhere around that fallout! poor nina).
heheheheheheehee
Friday, June 19, 2009
in and out
according to 45 little life lessons, what other people think of you is really none of your business. clever thought, that. this thought has danced in and out of my brain since i read it.
how can something so simple be so profound? pack such a punch? and it really is simple. in fact, it's quite liberating.
why indeed should we be slave to other peeps' thoughts? and hells, we have ill thoughts about other peeps all the time, do we not? we can't hold that against others if we do not hold against ourselves. what other people think is exactly that- what other people think.
heaven knows we all have other stuff to worry about...let it go. breathe in and breathe out. and when you exhale, let it all go- all the baddies will wash away.
how can something so simple be so profound? pack such a punch? and it really is simple. in fact, it's quite liberating.
why indeed should we be slave to other peeps' thoughts? and hells, we have ill thoughts about other peeps all the time, do we not? we can't hold that against others if we do not hold against ourselves. what other people think is exactly that- what other people think.
heaven knows we all have other stuff to worry about...let it go. breathe in and breathe out. and when you exhale, let it all go- all the baddies will wash away.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
45 life lessons
I figured i'd post this here for easier retrieval. got a couple i'm really hung up on that i'm sure will venture out of my brain's netherlands in blog of some sort.
Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written ."
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is ye t to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written ."
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is ye t to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
just call me SURVIVOR
i survived a fabulous family trip to new orleans with my wick (who did indeed live to see 30), his parents (who, i must say are night and day- i'm talking one extreme to the other), and two other peeps who work with his mom- dawn (who turns 48 today) and nic (who still resides in the decade that begins with a 2. sigh. whatever).
our trip began quite normally- as we shoved our bags into the cracks and crevices that remained in the back of the van, we made several trips back in to retrieve various and sundry items we overlooked- mom wanted an internal converter, wick wanted pillows, i couldn't find my hair clippie. you know the deal. so we finally set off, quite excited and bubbling about our jaunt. dawn was driving- wick and i were settled in the third row of seats and were fighting for position with pillows and all our crap that, at one point, seemed essential to this trip. dawn took a right of lindberg onto 12 and wick suggested we go a different way, so you know what she did? in the face of oncoming traffic that could not have been more than 5 car lengths away, that woman did a u-ey in the middle of the damn highway. i do believe i was stunned; it took me an hour and a half to turn to wick, my eyes still glazed, knuckles white from gripping the oh-shit bar, and say, ummm babe, did we just do a u-ey in the middle of highway 12? and that, my friends, was only the beginning. i believe that we had a grand total of 4 near death experiences on the drive down, causing wick to wonder, as it was the eve of his 30th birthday, whether indeed he'd even live to see 30. but as luck would have it, we made it safely to our resort and thus began our adventure.
after a not-so-great and severely over priced dinner at Harrah's buffet, wick and i connected with brad-- how bizarre that he ended up in new orleans same time we did! and let's see, we visited bourbon street, knocked back a couple of drinks at DESIRE, an oyster bar, and just wandered around looking all touristy i'm sure. i do believe it was worth the blisters to wind up at Cafe du Monde, for no trip to New Orleans is complete without that. Frozen cafe au lait and a stack of beignets. lip smacking good it was! then we found a way to sleep six in a presidential studio (did you know that studios- or at least this one- don't have real beds?) nope, this spacious studio sported an honest to goodness murphy bed and a very comfy blue velvet couch that opened to a full sized bed. the furniture was oppulent; the chandeliers were stunning, and the tray ceiling was painted a steely gray-blue that offset the mocha walls. the ornate dining table was beautifully carved and the chairs were comfy. but you might recall i said there were six of us, and hells, none of us could be accused of being small. ever resourceful, pam brought an air mattress and we had to get creative with the space...we couldn't open the couch and use the mattress so poor dawn slept on the floor when she finally dragged her drunk tail back from meeting friends she met on a cruise back in november. you know what? i think that' s the only time i've ever seen a real live murphy bed, not that the bed was live, but you know what i mean. check that off my list.
after a restless night (our air mattress wasn't aired quite enough and we kept rolling together in the middle and then we were sweaty on the bottom and freezing on the top because air mattresses just surround you with heat and the room was freezing- not conducive to restful snoozing, i can assure you). but we hopped up saturday morning and packed all our crap and stored it downstairs til our bigger space was ready- we moved to a two bedroom. had 2 king beds and another pullout couch, and even more convenient- 2 full baths. :) we found breakfast in a little dive off canal. i don't think guy fieri will be visiting that lil place, but they had coffee and bacon, so we lived through it.
we hit up the french market and the creole tomato festival. it was hotter than hell but oh so good for the soul. we built a tomato: drizzled with a light vinegar, sprinkled with basil and cheese and capers, a little freshly ground pepper. oo and we tried blueberry limeade. was kind of watered down because ice and 100 degree sweltering weather just don't mix well, but it had great potential. think i wanna re-create that. we tried homemade cinnamon rolls, an apple turnover, and sweet potato cookies from Loretta's in the french market. she's a MUST DO. mmmm. i also purchased a jar of creole tomato jelly. i plan to slather it over a block of cream cheese and dig in with some crackers. mmm mmm delish.
we picked our way across the steaming pavement, weaving in and out of clumps of sweaty peeps shoving food and beer down the hatch and found ourselves at Central Grocery for lunch- muffalettas of course and we bought a big ass jar of olive salad to bring home. we stuffed our goods in my over-sized purse-- the very cute green one with embroidered daisies that BFT purchased for me at a cracker barrel-- and headed back to the room. we peeled off sweaty clothes, wolfed down the food, and showered. NAP TIME. whoop! whoop! slept about 3 hours and woke feeling refreshed.
for wick's special birthday dinner, we went to Dicki Brennan's Bourbon House http://www.bourbonhouse.com/ it was a perfect choice. to start, wick and i split a strawberry spinach salad with macadamia nuts, a delicious and light dressing, shavings of peccorino, and a mascarpone cigar. mmmm. i opted for the grilled redfish and he had the seared tuna. the food was fabulous. pam got the blackened catfish and it's, hands down, the best blackened fish i've ever had the pleasure of taking down. dad got the drum- i didn't get a bite of that. nic had the pork porterhouse and beer battered grit cakes. now, i wasn't bowled over by the grit cakes but everything else had a great flavor. dawn got a shrimp skewer and crab-stuffed peppers which were fabulous. for dessert, wick ordered the bourbon milk punch which i thought was divine and i had this layered chocolate sponge cake with chocolate cream and ganache. oh my. dad got bread pudding which was very tasty and dawn and nic split the pecan pie with pralines and ice cream. i have to say that the meal was very pleasing, from start to finish. the service was exemplary. the atmosphere was classy yet casual. it was just a perfect moment etched in time. and it was very affordable.
we left the restaurant feeling pleasantly sated instead of sickly stuffed and meandered on over to chartres house cafe http://chartreshousecafe.com/ for bloody marys. i usually prefer my bloody marys in the morning, but damn, this was fine. it was marvelously spicy and full of veggies! green beans, an olive and an onion and mmmmm it was really yummy. the service was nothing to brag about, but i'm of the thought that shit happens. it could have been an off day for our dood. i'll have to go a few more times before i slam them too hard for that. ya just never know. let's see, i think that's the night we did the jazz bar (not at all impressed...the prices were astronomical and the server was curt and unaccomodating. $6.75 for a bottled water...hrmph) we stayed for a few songs and took our leave. just weren't feeling it. we did a little more of this and that, including another foray into jackson square for a round of beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde, before we trekked back to the room for another shower and family time before bed. bone tired, we finally dropped into sleep and since there were no windows, we slept in a bit the next day.
sunday morning, we woke up ravenous and no one seemed to be moving fast enough for our liking, so we dressed and headed out on our own. trekked forever and a day to petunias on st. louis only to find that it was closed/moved whatever. so we followed directions and headed a couple blocks over to conti street and found the olde new orleans cookery aka oceana grille, aka petunias-- very confusing but oh so worth it. see my review on tripadvisor. i'm teacherwoman613. we enjoyed really large omelets infused with local flavor and ingredients and i had a bloody mary to go. are you noticing a theme? hehe- it was really yummy. i think i'm really liking the green beans in the drinks. i usually just put celery in mine but i'm very ready to branch out. we took a luxurious (if steamy) walk past the famous brennan's- we'll go there next trip; it's a must do.
we also came across New Orleans School of Cooking http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/ that's also a must do for our next trip. For under 30 bucks a person, you can watch a cooking demo (the weekly menus are set) and then eat the fabulous meal. MMMMM....how can you go wrong? what fun! we're definitely IN. check out that site and click on the classes/events tab. FUN STUFF.
we wandered back to the rooms to get everyone jumpstarted and met up with kathryn- a delightful chick that wick has known a long time. she, being a local, took us around. we headed back to the french market to take in the cooking demos and sample the fare that at least a dozen fine restaurants offered in their booths. i tried a creole tomato stuffed with shrimp remoulade. OH MY GOSH, it was yummy. wick took down an alligator sausage on a stick and we tried fresh lemonade and limeade and jambalaya and ooo this tomato, avocado, red onion salad, and a really yummy tomato, basil, and cheese stuffed crepe. we hung out during the hottest part of the day until kathryn took her leave to go see a play; i think it was called shotgun. it sounded intriguing. we spent some time at crescent city brewery where wick experienced the sampler and i experienced my very first mojito. good stuff. the very accomodating and chatty oyster shucker made me an ice burrito to wrap around my neck and restore me to humanity. my gosh it was hot out there!
once we cooled off, we hiked back to the rooms and met up with dad again (he was studying). took a street car back down to the market to dine at coop's...not too shabby. http://www.coopsplace.net/ i wasn't crazy about the red beans and rice- it was missing something i thought. but dawn really dug it. wick got the rabbit and sausage jambalaya and it was really tasty. the shrimp creole was ok- not too shabby, and the burgers were great. i enjoyed mine. i was in the mood for a burger. we got there just in time to snag the last table and the guy who served us seemed to be everywhere at once- they appeared to be understaffed but ya never know what the circumstances might have been. was a good meal.
one of dawn's friends had dinner at coops with us and afterwards, our party kind of split up. mom and dad headed back to the rooms and we went in search of local bars with dawn's friend, lisa, who was just as against paying 8 bucks for a beer as we were. we wound up at a lil place off st peters called johnnywhites (not to be confused with the johnnywhites on bourbon, which is all touristy). they had 3 dollar drafts, so we pulled right up to the bar. it felt good to me. you know i'm all about vibes. was a tee-niney place, like a large hallway. the back of the bar was real wood and sported beautiful ornate carving. it was all masculine and inviting. kinda reminded me of that lil place on beale next to tater red's...charley's? something like that. anyways, we settled in with some wonderful music from the juke. had a great time. somehow or other, not usually being one to back down from a challenge, i wound up doing the splits on the bar...i dunno, the whisky was flowing, the bartender was laid back, and the atmosphere was dark (in a good way) and the vibes were fabulous...at some point, probably somewhere between my 6th and 7th whisky and coke, our group decided to say goodbye to lisa and johnnywhites and cut through bourbon street on our way back to the rooms.
amazingly, i woke up monday morning clearheaded and happy. we gathered our junk and loaded up. it tickles me how we tend to explode everywhere- why do we travel with so much stuff? is it really necessary? i want to be simpler, to pare down more, and i really did. wick and i packed lighter than anyone else- and there were two of us! but still, we had too much crap. i think my issue is all my little jars and bottles of bath and hair crap. shampoo, conditioner, body wash, in shower body lotion, facial scrub, regular lotion, anti-frizz (that's what happens when you go gray- your silky tresses turn to 10 pound test fishing line.) it's all relative i suppose, but we did have lots of crap to load. we stopped in slidell for breakfast at crackerbarrel and then i alternated between stretching the brain with sudoku puzzles and open-mouthed napping. all in all, i had a glorious time. the food was good and so enhanced the feel of vacation. the scenery is always good. and i was so happy to find that new orleans is fighting and clawing its way back to some semblance of normalcy. forging ahead and cutting loose toxic baggage.
if you've not been since katrina, by all means, it's time for you to go!
our trip began quite normally- as we shoved our bags into the cracks and crevices that remained in the back of the van, we made several trips back in to retrieve various and sundry items we overlooked- mom wanted an internal converter, wick wanted pillows, i couldn't find my hair clippie. you know the deal. so we finally set off, quite excited and bubbling about our jaunt. dawn was driving- wick and i were settled in the third row of seats and were fighting for position with pillows and all our crap that, at one point, seemed essential to this trip. dawn took a right of lindberg onto 12 and wick suggested we go a different way, so you know what she did? in the face of oncoming traffic that could not have been more than 5 car lengths away, that woman did a u-ey in the middle of the damn highway. i do believe i was stunned; it took me an hour and a half to turn to wick, my eyes still glazed, knuckles white from gripping the oh-shit bar, and say, ummm babe, did we just do a u-ey in the middle of highway 12? and that, my friends, was only the beginning. i believe that we had a grand total of 4 near death experiences on the drive down, causing wick to wonder, as it was the eve of his 30th birthday, whether indeed he'd even live to see 30. but as luck would have it, we made it safely to our resort and thus began our adventure.
after a not-so-great and severely over priced dinner at Harrah's buffet, wick and i connected with brad-- how bizarre that he ended up in new orleans same time we did! and let's see, we visited bourbon street, knocked back a couple of drinks at DESIRE, an oyster bar, and just wandered around looking all touristy i'm sure. i do believe it was worth the blisters to wind up at Cafe du Monde, for no trip to New Orleans is complete without that. Frozen cafe au lait and a stack of beignets. lip smacking good it was! then we found a way to sleep six in a presidential studio (did you know that studios- or at least this one- don't have real beds?) nope, this spacious studio sported an honest to goodness murphy bed and a very comfy blue velvet couch that opened to a full sized bed. the furniture was oppulent; the chandeliers were stunning, and the tray ceiling was painted a steely gray-blue that offset the mocha walls. the ornate dining table was beautifully carved and the chairs were comfy. but you might recall i said there were six of us, and hells, none of us could be accused of being small. ever resourceful, pam brought an air mattress and we had to get creative with the space...we couldn't open the couch and use the mattress so poor dawn slept on the floor when she finally dragged her drunk tail back from meeting friends she met on a cruise back in november. you know what? i think that' s the only time i've ever seen a real live murphy bed, not that the bed was live, but you know what i mean. check that off my list.
after a restless night (our air mattress wasn't aired quite enough and we kept rolling together in the middle and then we were sweaty on the bottom and freezing on the top because air mattresses just surround you with heat and the room was freezing- not conducive to restful snoozing, i can assure you). but we hopped up saturday morning and packed all our crap and stored it downstairs til our bigger space was ready- we moved to a two bedroom. had 2 king beds and another pullout couch, and even more convenient- 2 full baths. :) we found breakfast in a little dive off canal. i don't think guy fieri will be visiting that lil place, but they had coffee and bacon, so we lived through it.
we hit up the french market and the creole tomato festival. it was hotter than hell but oh so good for the soul. we built a tomato: drizzled with a light vinegar, sprinkled with basil and cheese and capers, a little freshly ground pepper. oo and we tried blueberry limeade. was kind of watered down because ice and 100 degree sweltering weather just don't mix well, but it had great potential. think i wanna re-create that. we tried homemade cinnamon rolls, an apple turnover, and sweet potato cookies from Loretta's in the french market. she's a MUST DO. mmmm. i also purchased a jar of creole tomato jelly. i plan to slather it over a block of cream cheese and dig in with some crackers. mmm mmm delish.
we picked our way across the steaming pavement, weaving in and out of clumps of sweaty peeps shoving food and beer down the hatch and found ourselves at Central Grocery for lunch- muffalettas of course and we bought a big ass jar of olive salad to bring home. we stuffed our goods in my over-sized purse-- the very cute green one with embroidered daisies that BFT purchased for me at a cracker barrel-- and headed back to the room. we peeled off sweaty clothes, wolfed down the food, and showered. NAP TIME. whoop! whoop! slept about 3 hours and woke feeling refreshed.
for wick's special birthday dinner, we went to Dicki Brennan's Bourbon House http://www.bourbonhouse.com/ it was a perfect choice. to start, wick and i split a strawberry spinach salad with macadamia nuts, a delicious and light dressing, shavings of peccorino, and a mascarpone cigar. mmmm. i opted for the grilled redfish and he had the seared tuna. the food was fabulous. pam got the blackened catfish and it's, hands down, the best blackened fish i've ever had the pleasure of taking down. dad got the drum- i didn't get a bite of that. nic had the pork porterhouse and beer battered grit cakes. now, i wasn't bowled over by the grit cakes but everything else had a great flavor. dawn got a shrimp skewer and crab-stuffed peppers which were fabulous. for dessert, wick ordered the bourbon milk punch which i thought was divine and i had this layered chocolate sponge cake with chocolate cream and ganache. oh my. dad got bread pudding which was very tasty and dawn and nic split the pecan pie with pralines and ice cream. i have to say that the meal was very pleasing, from start to finish. the service was exemplary. the atmosphere was classy yet casual. it was just a perfect moment etched in time. and it was very affordable.
we left the restaurant feeling pleasantly sated instead of sickly stuffed and meandered on over to chartres house cafe http://chartreshousecafe.com/ for bloody marys. i usually prefer my bloody marys in the morning, but damn, this was fine. it was marvelously spicy and full of veggies! green beans, an olive and an onion and mmmmm it was really yummy. the service was nothing to brag about, but i'm of the thought that shit happens. it could have been an off day for our dood. i'll have to go a few more times before i slam them too hard for that. ya just never know. let's see, i think that's the night we did the jazz bar (not at all impressed...the prices were astronomical and the server was curt and unaccomodating. $6.75 for a bottled water...hrmph) we stayed for a few songs and took our leave. just weren't feeling it. we did a little more of this and that, including another foray into jackson square for a round of beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde, before we trekked back to the room for another shower and family time before bed. bone tired, we finally dropped into sleep and since there were no windows, we slept in a bit the next day.
sunday morning, we woke up ravenous and no one seemed to be moving fast enough for our liking, so we dressed and headed out on our own. trekked forever and a day to petunias on st. louis only to find that it was closed/moved whatever. so we followed directions and headed a couple blocks over to conti street and found the olde new orleans cookery aka oceana grille, aka petunias-- very confusing but oh so worth it. see my review on tripadvisor. i'm teacherwoman613. we enjoyed really large omelets infused with local flavor and ingredients and i had a bloody mary to go. are you noticing a theme? hehe- it was really yummy. i think i'm really liking the green beans in the drinks. i usually just put celery in mine but i'm very ready to branch out. we took a luxurious (if steamy) walk past the famous brennan's- we'll go there next trip; it's a must do.
we also came across New Orleans School of Cooking http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/ that's also a must do for our next trip. For under 30 bucks a person, you can watch a cooking demo (the weekly menus are set) and then eat the fabulous meal. MMMMM....how can you go wrong? what fun! we're definitely IN. check out that site and click on the classes/events tab. FUN STUFF.
we wandered back to the rooms to get everyone jumpstarted and met up with kathryn- a delightful chick that wick has known a long time. she, being a local, took us around. we headed back to the french market to take in the cooking demos and sample the fare that at least a dozen fine restaurants offered in their booths. i tried a creole tomato stuffed with shrimp remoulade. OH MY GOSH, it was yummy. wick took down an alligator sausage on a stick and we tried fresh lemonade and limeade and jambalaya and ooo this tomato, avocado, red onion salad, and a really yummy tomato, basil, and cheese stuffed crepe. we hung out during the hottest part of the day until kathryn took her leave to go see a play; i think it was called shotgun. it sounded intriguing. we spent some time at crescent city brewery where wick experienced the sampler and i experienced my very first mojito. good stuff. the very accomodating and chatty oyster shucker made me an ice burrito to wrap around my neck and restore me to humanity. my gosh it was hot out there!
once we cooled off, we hiked back to the rooms and met up with dad again (he was studying). took a street car back down to the market to dine at coop's...not too shabby. http://www.coopsplace.net/ i wasn't crazy about the red beans and rice- it was missing something i thought. but dawn really dug it. wick got the rabbit and sausage jambalaya and it was really tasty. the shrimp creole was ok- not too shabby, and the burgers were great. i enjoyed mine. i was in the mood for a burger. we got there just in time to snag the last table and the guy who served us seemed to be everywhere at once- they appeared to be understaffed but ya never know what the circumstances might have been. was a good meal.
one of dawn's friends had dinner at coops with us and afterwards, our party kind of split up. mom and dad headed back to the rooms and we went in search of local bars with dawn's friend, lisa, who was just as against paying 8 bucks for a beer as we were. we wound up at a lil place off st peters called johnnywhites (not to be confused with the johnnywhites on bourbon, which is all touristy). they had 3 dollar drafts, so we pulled right up to the bar. it felt good to me. you know i'm all about vibes. was a tee-niney place, like a large hallway. the back of the bar was real wood and sported beautiful ornate carving. it was all masculine and inviting. kinda reminded me of that lil place on beale next to tater red's...charley's? something like that. anyways, we settled in with some wonderful music from the juke. had a great time. somehow or other, not usually being one to back down from a challenge, i wound up doing the splits on the bar...i dunno, the whisky was flowing, the bartender was laid back, and the atmosphere was dark (in a good way) and the vibes were fabulous...at some point, probably somewhere between my 6th and 7th whisky and coke, our group decided to say goodbye to lisa and johnnywhites and cut through bourbon street on our way back to the rooms.
amazingly, i woke up monday morning clearheaded and happy. we gathered our junk and loaded up. it tickles me how we tend to explode everywhere- why do we travel with so much stuff? is it really necessary? i want to be simpler, to pare down more, and i really did. wick and i packed lighter than anyone else- and there were two of us! but still, we had too much crap. i think my issue is all my little jars and bottles of bath and hair crap. shampoo, conditioner, body wash, in shower body lotion, facial scrub, regular lotion, anti-frizz (that's what happens when you go gray- your silky tresses turn to 10 pound test fishing line.) it's all relative i suppose, but we did have lots of crap to load. we stopped in slidell for breakfast at crackerbarrel and then i alternated between stretching the brain with sudoku puzzles and open-mouthed napping. all in all, i had a glorious time. the food was good and so enhanced the feel of vacation. the scenery is always good. and i was so happy to find that new orleans is fighting and clawing its way back to some semblance of normalcy. forging ahead and cutting loose toxic baggage.
if you've not been since katrina, by all means, it's time for you to go!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
a cocoon of familiar darkness
surrounds me and is lulling me into the most fabulous state of contented relaxation. i'm sitting alone in the dark- firstborn has his own place and is out and about; secondborn is spending QT with his father; and the Wick is playing church softball. oh and the dog is lying across my feet, snoring.
i'm having one of those odd moments where i can sort of see into and yet outside of myself. am content to sit here on this couch and let my world spin around me, without me, for just a wee. it's ok. it really is. sometimes when i manage to find this state, i can see so many things more clearly- perhaps as they really are, not as i perceive them to be, but then my perception is my reality and there you have it. di logic for the bargain price of well, free.
i've been thinkin about education...the dang legislators are locked up and can't agree on a freaking budget and we umm sorta need that to start our new fiscal year. but...selfish ones, they could care less who might be inconvenienced by their wishywashiness. i've also been thinkin about how much has changed in the fourteen years i've taught...hard to believe i'm about to begin my fifteenth year. the kids have changed. the parents have changed. administration has changed- oh my how that has changed! trends have come and gone and one thing remains strong. our kids need to be prepared to contribute to this world when they're of age. i'm greatly disturbed that kids are coming to me unprepared, unable to read, unable to write effectively, unable to crunch numbers. i'm not casting aspersions on any educators before me either...i do not believe any one group is to blame. if anything, it's our antiquated system. education should be cutting edge, top notch, full frontal assault against stupidity and ignorance. instead, it's a breeding ground (literally) of complacency and leftovers, budget cuts and personal agendas. it's pathetic and grievous at times, but it's what we have. sometimes i feel we fight a losing battle, struggling against society's ravishments and parents' insecurities, administrators' clawing need to micromanage in response to pressure from the state department. i will leave my thoughts on decisions made by that particular group for another blog- it will need its own for sure. i think that those people are over paid and wield too much power (and don't know their butts from holes in the ground) but hey, like i said...that's another blog. teaching summer school has actually not tired me but rejuvenated me...i'm free to teach unencumbered by everything that clouds teaching and learning. i can focus- for 3 full hours- on my 22 kids for 2 weeks. i can push all my energy to working on specific skills that i have found to be deficient. Behavior is not an issue- and oh my, that too is for another blog. i have some harsh things to say on that point, but for now, behavior is a nonissue. perhaps because someone paid good money for them to be there. sigh...why could they not just do what needed to be done the first time around? i'll tell you why- because some of them are nonreaders. i'm not exaggerating. do you know the definition of a nonreader? these kids can struggle through decoding words to a point...but the struggle hinders the comprehension process and it's just a vicious cycle. but ya know what? kids come to kindergarten unprepared...they don't know colors, they can't write their names, they can't read a lick much less recognize sight words...of course they are going to start off behind. why don't we have something in place to intervene immediately instead of waiting for this issue to snowball out of control? the system is indeed antiquated. and we're doing our kids, our community, and ourselves a huge disservice. educational reform is in a rut and needs to break free of the stifling box and climb out on a limb without a safety net. how else can we save ourselves?
and that's just part of rolling through me...on a much happier note:
the great town of starkville elected a new mayor this day. parker wiseman. i'm grateful for that. i have had the opportunity to speak with him on numerous topics on several occasions and i have come to think highly of him. i think that he has a lot going for him, and quirky though he is, i really like the way he thinks. besides, he has good energy and so does his adorable wife. and if you've met me, you know i'm all about the energy peeps secrete. and hells, we all make mistakes as we make our way through life. each task is a learning experience and perfection is just an illusion. yet it never ceases to amaze me that peeps don't get that, that they don't want to cut folks slack. ahem, allow me to be the first to say that i do realize that i am guilty of this myself...but it's a pattern i strive each and every day to break. so...i say it's time, regardless of who we voted for, it's time to push aside the squabbles and the silly stuff and pull together to walk forward. it's truly a great day.
ah...the wick is home, victorious from the fields. i think i'll pour a finger or two of gentleman jack and prop up with a sudoku puzzle
i love my life, even the trials and tribulations are precious to me
i'm having one of those odd moments where i can sort of see into and yet outside of myself. am content to sit here on this couch and let my world spin around me, without me, for just a wee. it's ok. it really is. sometimes when i manage to find this state, i can see so many things more clearly- perhaps as they really are, not as i perceive them to be, but then my perception is my reality and there you have it. di logic for the bargain price of well, free.
i've been thinkin about education...the dang legislators are locked up and can't agree on a freaking budget and we umm sorta need that to start our new fiscal year. but...selfish ones, they could care less who might be inconvenienced by their wishywashiness. i've also been thinkin about how much has changed in the fourteen years i've taught...hard to believe i'm about to begin my fifteenth year. the kids have changed. the parents have changed. administration has changed- oh my how that has changed! trends have come and gone and one thing remains strong. our kids need to be prepared to contribute to this world when they're of age. i'm greatly disturbed that kids are coming to me unprepared, unable to read, unable to write effectively, unable to crunch numbers. i'm not casting aspersions on any educators before me either...i do not believe any one group is to blame. if anything, it's our antiquated system. education should be cutting edge, top notch, full frontal assault against stupidity and ignorance. instead, it's a breeding ground (literally) of complacency and leftovers, budget cuts and personal agendas. it's pathetic and grievous at times, but it's what we have. sometimes i feel we fight a losing battle, struggling against society's ravishments and parents' insecurities, administrators' clawing need to micromanage in response to pressure from the state department. i will leave my thoughts on decisions made by that particular group for another blog- it will need its own for sure. i think that those people are over paid and wield too much power (and don't know their butts from holes in the ground) but hey, like i said...that's another blog. teaching summer school has actually not tired me but rejuvenated me...i'm free to teach unencumbered by everything that clouds teaching and learning. i can focus- for 3 full hours- on my 22 kids for 2 weeks. i can push all my energy to working on specific skills that i have found to be deficient. Behavior is not an issue- and oh my, that too is for another blog. i have some harsh things to say on that point, but for now, behavior is a nonissue. perhaps because someone paid good money for them to be there. sigh...why could they not just do what needed to be done the first time around? i'll tell you why- because some of them are nonreaders. i'm not exaggerating. do you know the definition of a nonreader? these kids can struggle through decoding words to a point...but the struggle hinders the comprehension process and it's just a vicious cycle. but ya know what? kids come to kindergarten unprepared...they don't know colors, they can't write their names, they can't read a lick much less recognize sight words...of course they are going to start off behind. why don't we have something in place to intervene immediately instead of waiting for this issue to snowball out of control? the system is indeed antiquated. and we're doing our kids, our community, and ourselves a huge disservice. educational reform is in a rut and needs to break free of the stifling box and climb out on a limb without a safety net. how else can we save ourselves?
and that's just part of rolling through me...on a much happier note:
the great town of starkville elected a new mayor this day. parker wiseman. i'm grateful for that. i have had the opportunity to speak with him on numerous topics on several occasions and i have come to think highly of him. i think that he has a lot going for him, and quirky though he is, i really like the way he thinks. besides, he has good energy and so does his adorable wife. and if you've met me, you know i'm all about the energy peeps secrete. and hells, we all make mistakes as we make our way through life. each task is a learning experience and perfection is just an illusion. yet it never ceases to amaze me that peeps don't get that, that they don't want to cut folks slack. ahem, allow me to be the first to say that i do realize that i am guilty of this myself...but it's a pattern i strive each and every day to break. so...i say it's time, regardless of who we voted for, it's time to push aside the squabbles and the silly stuff and pull together to walk forward. it's truly a great day.
ah...the wick is home, victorious from the fields. i think i'll pour a finger or two of gentleman jack and prop up with a sudoku puzzle
i love my life, even the trials and tribulations are precious to me
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