In my last post I promised to get back to blogging more. Unfortunately a week-long seminar out of town for work followed by recovering from 16 hour work days has delayed my post until now. If only there were more hours in the day?! In fact, it was J that said, "are you gonna update our blog?" Oddly enough, he's had co-authoring rights since day one and yet, he's never posted a single thing. So technically, "our" blog is really "my" blog, right?
To-may-to...to-mah-to...
Life in our house has been good. J finished his summer semester (accelerated courses) with a 4.0 and is on break for another week. The weather here has cooled and the puggies have been getting daily walks in the morning, except for today, since it was raining. The rain has kept the grass nice and green and the temperatures under 90 degrees. I am busy with work, this is the time of year that we have a lot of committee meetings with our volunteers on Saturdays. The good news is that when I work a Saturday I get to take a weekday off later in the week. So next week, I think I'll take Friday off since J will be in Las Vegas visiting his dad and step-mom in the earlier part of the week and Friday will be a nice day for us to reconnect and will give me a three day weekend! YAY!
Today is also officially the first day of my second trimester...13 weeks and 3 days pregnant. With that comes a sense of some relief as the tenuous first tri has officially passed. Our next appointment is August 13 and they'll do some routine screening tests and of course another ultrasound, so you can expect another portrait of our Little Being. Other than that, we're just plowing headlong into August. We did manage to find a new (to us) breakfast spot that we like. It's in Brookside (of course!) and is called Jimmy's Egg. The food is good and the prices are great! I really loved their sweet potato pancakes...delish!
Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Recovering from D.C.
Still lagging on posting to this blog! I am so sorry. I promise to step it up. Life has been busy and full. I got home from my business trip to D.C. on Wednesday. Six hours later than originally planned. It took six hours to take the normally 45 minute flight from DFW to TUL! UGH!
So we do and the passengers get very restless, some demanding to get off. The pilot, who was about 6'5" and 350 lbs. came back and convinced them otherwise (thank goodness...getting their baggage off the flight would have been a nightmare and more delays for the rest of us)! Finally, refueled, the pilot pulled some strings and we cut in line behind about 10 planes to depart. The passengers applauded when the plane took off the ground.
Forty-five minutes later we landed in Tulsa, just intime for a thick downpour. I was soaked getting into the car! But we needed it. We have had record temps for the past two weeks. All in the high '90's/low 100's. It's been nuts. Today we have a respite with 92 degree weather. It seems to have rained overnight and lowered the heat index a bit. WHEW! Our a/c is working overtime and the poor puggies can only go outside for five minutes at a time.
Speaking of which, Ms. Regina broke her toenail off on Friday so we had a nice unplanned trip to the vet because of it. This is the second time in 3 months she's done this and I have no idea how it's happening. I am guessing that when she's chasing birds and squirrels in the backyard she runs across some exposed tree roots that are grabbing her nails. I hope this doesn't happen again. She bleeds A LOT and it's not cheap to run off to the vet with that sort of minor emergency.
Anyway, D.C. was good, I did manage to get out of the hotel/convention for one great meal out at a Spanish Tapas place called Jaleo. It was delish. We also tried the new bagel place here in Tulsa, Old School Bagel Cafe, in Brookside. They have a good menu and lots of fresh items, although J thought they were all a bit overpriced. Of course, we're used to having more bagel options, in general, in CA and of course, NYC. So this place sort of has the market cornered and can charge $6.00 for a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Oh well, it was yummy! So was their fresh-squeeze OJ, but at $4.00 I won't be ordering that again. I will, however, be back for their Everything Bagel with cream cheese and lox. Now, if we could only get them to start making Asiago Cheese Bagels!
So we do and the passengers get very restless, some demanding to get off. The pilot, who was about 6'5" and 350 lbs. came back and convinced them otherwise (thank goodness...getting their baggage off the flight would have been a nightmare and more delays for the rest of us)! Finally, refueled, the pilot pulled some strings and we cut in line behind about 10 planes to depart. The passengers applauded when the plane took off the ground.
Forty-five minutes later we landed in Tulsa, just intime for a thick downpour. I was soaked getting into the car! But we needed it. We have had record temps for the past two weeks. All in the high '90's/low 100's. It's been nuts. Today we have a respite with 92 degree weather. It seems to have rained overnight and lowered the heat index a bit. WHEW! Our a/c is working overtime and the poor puggies can only go outside for five minutes at a time.
Speaking of which, Ms. Regina broke her toenail off on Friday so we had a nice unplanned trip to the vet because of it. This is the second time in 3 months she's done this and I have no idea how it's happening. I am guessing that when she's chasing birds and squirrels in the backyard she runs across some exposed tree roots that are grabbing her nails. I hope this doesn't happen again. She bleeds A LOT and it's not cheap to run off to the vet with that sort of minor emergency.
Anyway, D.C. was good, I did manage to get out of the hotel/convention for one great meal out at a Spanish Tapas place called Jaleo. It was delish. We also tried the new bagel place here in Tulsa, Old School Bagel Cafe, in Brookside. They have a good menu and lots of fresh items, although J thought they were all a bit overpriced. Of course, we're used to having more bagel options, in general, in CA and of course, NYC. So this place sort of has the market cornered and can charge $6.00 for a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Oh well, it was yummy! So was their fresh-squeeze OJ, but at $4.00 I won't be ordering that again. I will, however, be back for their Everything Bagel with cream cheese and lox. Now, if we could only get them to start making Asiago Cheese Bagels!
Happy Birthday J!
J's birthday celebration was low-key, but lovely. I awoke at the crack of dawn (my regular waking time, oddly enough) and got up with the doggies. I know I was only gone 6 days, but I sweat Luigi has grown! By 10 a.m. J was getting up and I was dozing off on the couch. I did manage to ask him what he'd like to do for the day.
We decided upon seeing "Angels and Demons" followed by dinner at Mahagony Steak House. It was warm and we actually had the a/c cranked up all day. We also remembered that it was Memorial Day weekend last year when we drove out here! May 28th will officially be our one year anniversary of being in Tulsa! My how the time does fly.
"Angels and Demons" was good although we both agreed that we liked the book better. We had listened to it on CD while driving to Vegas about 6 years ago. We got home just in time to change clothes for dinner.
Dinner was fantastic...we both had filet mignon and shared an order of asparagus, wine sauteed mushrooms and gratin potatoes (with a delicious smoked cheddar). Dessert was a decadent 4 layer carrot cake that we got to go along with their berry basket which is mixed berries marinated in orange liquor and served with a vanilla pudding/whipped cream topping in a caramelized tuille basket. YUMMY!
Today the celebration continues...we plan to check out the Farmer's Market and go for a walk along the river. I still feel a little jet lagged, but again, awoke at my normal 4:30 a.m. wake time this morning, so hopefully, I am catching up to myself. Here's hoping it doesn't get too hot before we make our way out this morning. One a side note, I did notice that gas prices have crept up to over two dollars a gallon. Ah! Greedy oil profits just in time for summer. Nice. Not.
We decided upon seeing "Angels and Demons" followed by dinner at Mahagony Steak House. It was warm and we actually had the a/c cranked up all day. We also remembered that it was Memorial Day weekend last year when we drove out here! May 28th will officially be our one year anniversary of being in Tulsa! My how the time does fly.
"Angels and Demons" was good although we both agreed that we liked the book better. We had listened to it on CD while driving to Vegas about 6 years ago. We got home just in time to change clothes for dinner.
Dinner was fantastic...we both had filet mignon and shared an order of asparagus, wine sauteed mushrooms and gratin potatoes (with a delicious smoked cheddar). Dessert was a decadent 4 layer carrot cake that we got to go along with their berry basket which is mixed berries marinated in orange liquor and served with a vanilla pudding/whipped cream topping in a caramelized tuille basket. YUMMY!
Today the celebration continues...we plan to check out the Farmer's Market and go for a walk along the river. I still feel a little jet lagged, but again, awoke at my normal 4:30 a.m. wake time this morning, so hopefully, I am catching up to myself. Here's hoping it doesn't get too hot before we make our way out this morning. One a side note, I did notice that gas prices have crept up to over two dollars a gallon. Ah! Greedy oil profits just in time for summer. Nice. Not.
SkyCity
Today we toured the convention area here at SkyCity as well as saw the accommodations in the other hotel. All was lovely and I do hope that we chose this venue for our 2010 event. It was pouring down rain this morning and we were lucky that we never had to venture outdoors in it.
By the afternoon, our tour was finished. We said goodbye to our hostess who needed to head home for work. My colleague and I decided to get some rest and meet back up for dinner that evening in the complex's rotating restaurant, Orbit.
You take a glass bottomed and sided elevator to the top of SkyCity Tower and it goes straight to the top to the restaurant. The restaurant slowly rotates as you dine so you get a 360 degree view of the entire region. It was nightfall and the city lights twinkled all below us. I ordered the steak with sweet potato and spinach and she had the pork which came on a bed of polenta. Everything was tasty and the ambiance was well worth it. For any visitor to Auckland, I'd say dining at Orbit is a must-do. Next time, I hope to have lunch there and see the city views by day.
By the afternoon, our tour was finished. We said goodbye to our hostess who needed to head home for work. My colleague and I decided to get some rest and meet back up for dinner that evening in the complex's rotating restaurant, Orbit.
You take a glass bottomed and sided elevator to the top of SkyCity Tower and it goes straight to the top to the restaurant. The restaurant slowly rotates as you dine so you get a 360 degree view of the entire region. It was nightfall and the city lights twinkled all below us. I ordered the steak with sweet potato and spinach and she had the pork which came on a bed of polenta. Everything was tasty and the ambiance was well worth it. For any visitor to Auckland, I'd say dining at Orbit is a must-do. Next time, I hope to have lunch there and see the city views by day.
Local Flavor
Wine tasting was good (I did sample a trio of reds that were delicious!) and had an awesome eggs benedict. I ended up purchasing two bottles of pinot noir and two of the sparkling rose. Here's hoping I can get them safely home! I also tried a tamarillo...it was pretty tasty. Sort of looks like a plum tomato but tastes more like a passion fruit or something. Very interesting.
Around 6 p.m. I was already feeling sleepy but wanted to force myself to try to stay up until at least 9 p.m. I didn't want to doze off and then be up at the crack of dawn! No such luck! I completely skipped dinner (raided the minibar for a little snack) and dozed off by 8:00 p.m.! Next thing I knew it was 5 a.m. and I was awake!
I met my colleague downstairs for breakfast. We tried the breakfast buffet, which was okay, but basically the typical fare you'd find at any hotel-casino buffet. The eggs kind of scared me! I did, however, enjoy some tasty yogurt with fruit and nuts.
We had our first meeting today at 9 a.m. at a nearby venue. Afterwards our lovely hostess took us on a driving tour. We stopped at New Market, the cities shopping destination (they have Westfield Malls here) and had lunch in the food court. I sampled a bento lunch with sushi and chicken terriyaki. My colleague played it safe with fare from McDonalds. After lunch, we drove around and up to a lookout of the entire metro called One Tree Hill. It was sort of like Auckland's version of Twin Peaks in San Francisco. It was clear and we could see for miles in every direction. Afterwards, we drove by some of the cities local beaches, which are slips of sand just that border the little neighborhoods. The entire area sort of reminds me of San Diego actually.
On a side note...being the bargain traveler that I am, I asked our hostess about the nearest Pacific Islands as potential getaway destinations. She said that tickets to Fiji from here are super cheap! Like $600/pp. for flights and week's stay. So I will definitely be looking into that for after the conference here in November 2010. It will be the start of summer by then and what a time for a tropical island getaway!
My newest obsession
Lemon Cream Cake from The Olive Garden. It is a delicate white cake and lemon cream filling with a vanilla crumb topping. I don't really even like the Olive Garden, but this cake is to die for! The lemony cream filling is heavenly and the crumbly topping is delish! It is not at all diet-friendly, but hey! I am eating clean for life and every once in a while you just have to have a splurge. The portions are huge, so I had half a piece and it was so satisfying.
We're not really chain restaurant folks and generally prefer to patronize local, unique business rather than national chains. But from time to time we find something from a chain outlet that we enjoy and find ourselves wanting to go back for more. Like the California Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Fries from T.G.I.Fridays. I just have to have one every couple of weeks!
Well yesterday, as part of a staff appreciation day that I am my fellow executive directors hosted for our staff, we ordered catering from our local Olive Garden. Not my style, but the majority of folks love it so that's what we went with for lunch. Along with the requisite salad, bread sticks, chicken alfredo and lasagna, we also ordered one of their chocolate raspberry cheesecakes and lemon cream cake. OMG! The lemon cream cake is like heaven on a fork! I have only ever eaten at Olive Garden with my twin brother's family and we never ordered dessert because we were always too stuffed by then to even want it.
I love all things lemon (lemon bars, lemon meringue pie, lemonade, etc.) and this, literally, takes the cake! The creamy filling is almost like cheese cake, but not as firm or tart. And the cake is light and fluffy and very lemony. The finish is the vanilla crumb coating...so good. So as much as I loathe Olive Garden, I think I will at least have to order a slice of this cake to go every once in a while. It's that good. There's even a knock-off recipe (Olive Garden keeps theirs a well guarded secret, but someone has been clever enough to re-create it.) if you'd like to make your own.
We're not really chain restaurant folks and generally prefer to patronize local, unique business rather than national chains. But from time to time we find something from a chain outlet that we enjoy and find ourselves wanting to go back for more. Like the California Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Fries from T.G.I.Fridays. I just have to have one every couple of weeks!
Well yesterday, as part of a staff appreciation day that I am my fellow executive directors hosted for our staff, we ordered catering from our local Olive Garden. Not my style, but the majority of folks love it so that's what we went with for lunch. Along with the requisite salad, bread sticks, chicken alfredo and lasagna, we also ordered one of their chocolate raspberry cheesecakes and lemon cream cake. OMG! The lemon cream cake is like heaven on a fork! I have only ever eaten at Olive Garden with my twin brother's family and we never ordered dessert because we were always too stuffed by then to even want it.
I love all things lemon (lemon bars, lemon meringue pie, lemonade, etc.) and this, literally, takes the cake! The creamy filling is almost like cheese cake, but not as firm or tart. And the cake is light and fluffy and very lemony. The finish is the vanilla crumb coating...so good. So as much as I loathe Olive Garden, I think I will at least have to order a slice of this cake to go every once in a while. It's that good. There's even a knock-off recipe (Olive Garden keeps theirs a well guarded secret, but someone has been clever enough to re-create it.) if you'd like to make your own.
SF Recap
Our visit to CA was a whirlwind. We landed at 11:30 am on Thursday and headed straight to the theater. Turns out the final dress rehearsal was that morning and not that evening! We managed to catch the end of Act II and the rest of the show. Afterwards we had a nice early dinner with friends at Il Fornaio, one of our old haunts. We were exhausted and fell into bed around 9 p.m.
The next morning we slept in a bit and then visited one of our favorite breakfast places in Campbell. It's called Stacks and is known for its pancakes. But we really love their eggs Benedict. I got the Florentine version and J got the crab ones.
We ended up driving out to Modesto to visit with our friend and godson...not originally in the plan, but it worked out. We had a nice visit complete with a homemade Mexican lunch followed by a visit to the local Coldstone Creamery. I tried a new mix...cookie dough! YUM! Not really on my meal plan, but hey! We were on vacation.
After a full day with an 8 month old baby and his exhausted mother (how does she do it?) we headed back to San Jose for a late dinner with my younger brother. We met up at our favorite place...a little Moroccan restaurant run by two brothers. We had just discovered this restaurant right before we moved out here and have been dreaming of their beef tagine ever since we left! We stayed for hours, eating yummy food and catching up with my brother.
The next day we were up early and headed to get bagels and coffee. That made me realize that I don't know of any bagel shops in Tulsa. We have Panera, but that's not really a bagel shop. Isn't that weird? But for years a weekly visit to our local bagel shop was the norm for us. Now I am obsessed with trying to find one. Again, not that it's really on my meal plan. But I do love a good bagel with lox every once in a while.
We had a nice visit with a widowed friend of ours who is in her 80's and was married 63 years. She lost her husband two summers ago. She is a lovely lady full of life and stories. We met her through the opera, she and her husband had sponsored J's residency. We call and write from time to time, but this is the first visit we've had since relocating to Tulsa.
Afterwards we drove to San Francisco. What glorious weather! It was nearly 80 degrees and clear! After finding a parking place (the bane of city living!) we met up with our friend who lives on Upper Market. We were decided to have a celebratory birthday lunch at a great hamburger place called Barney's. They had amazing options...I got a fantastic BBQ turkey burger with a side of sweet potato fries and rootbeer. Delicious! Definitely a do not miss. Our friend had to get ready for his birthday party (we opted out) so we drove up to Twin Peaks to get a view of the city on such a clear day. It was packed so we didn't park and decided to head down to Ocean Beach. We drove past my old childhood haunts...the pizza place we went as kids, the corner store where we spent our loose change on penny candy and the house I grew up in from age 4 until 12.
The beach was packed! Like SoCal packed! Hundreds and hundreds of people taking advantage of the wonderful weather! We slipped off our shoes and walked along the water. Childhood memories flooded back to me and it kind of made me sad that our future children won't have memories of growing up at the beach. I know they'll have different memories, but for me, the sights and smells of the beach are so intertwined with my childhood. After about an hour or so we got back in the car and drove down to North Beach where my baby cousin (now 25!) and her beau live in a cute apartment on Green Street. Parking was insane and we ended up having to use a parking garage several blocks away for the night!
After hanging out for a bit, we were hungry and walked down to Colombus, the heart of Little Italy. We found a seat at Pinocchio's and ordered up some yummy pasta and red wine. Afterwards we walked up to an Italian bakery that is family run for some fresh cannoli and puff pastry. The next morning we drove down to the upper Sunset for brunch with a high school friend and her 2 year old daughter. She made a wonderful orange french toast and we spent a couple of hours just catching up. Then we drove back to San Jose to drop off the truck we had borrowed from our friends. My brother picked us up and we drove up to Newark for our niece's 7th birthday.
It was hot! Nealy 90 degrees! We hung out by the pool, watching the kids play while we caught up with my twin brother, his wife and her family. After cake and ice cream and opening gifts it was time to leave. We hitched a ride with my twin brother to his house in Tracy, where we stayed the last night in CA. We played Rockband for a bit (sort of a tradition for us in that house) and then fell into bed around midnight. The next morning we were up early for our final goodbyes before the kids headed off to school and then rode into Dublin to catch BART to SFO.
Ninety minutes on BART, 4.5 hours in the air to Dallas, dinner at TGIFridays and an hour flight home to Tulsa later we climbed into our own beds around 11 p.m. Whew! What a whirlwind! We need a vacation from our vacation! Luckily the nice weather seems to have followed us back to OK. It's warm and clear and sunny. It's good to be home.
The next morning we slept in a bit and then visited one of our favorite breakfast places in Campbell. It's called Stacks and is known for its pancakes. But we really love their eggs Benedict. I got the Florentine version and J got the crab ones.
We ended up driving out to Modesto to visit with our friend and godson...not originally in the plan, but it worked out. We had a nice visit complete with a homemade Mexican lunch followed by a visit to the local Coldstone Creamery. I tried a new mix...cookie dough! YUM! Not really on my meal plan, but hey! We were on vacation.
After a full day with an 8 month old baby and his exhausted mother (how does she do it?) we headed back to San Jose for a late dinner with my younger brother. We met up at our favorite place...a little Moroccan restaurant run by two brothers. We had just discovered this restaurant right before we moved out here and have been dreaming of their beef tagine ever since we left! We stayed for hours, eating yummy food and catching up with my brother.
The next day we were up early and headed to get bagels and coffee. That made me realize that I don't know of any bagel shops in Tulsa. We have Panera, but that's not really a bagel shop. Isn't that weird? But for years a weekly visit to our local bagel shop was the norm for us. Now I am obsessed with trying to find one. Again, not that it's really on my meal plan. But I do love a good bagel with lox every once in a while.
We had a nice visit with a widowed friend of ours who is in her 80's and was married 63 years. She lost her husband two summers ago. She is a lovely lady full of life and stories. We met her through the opera, she and her husband had sponsored J's residency. We call and write from time to time, but this is the first visit we've had since relocating to Tulsa.
Afterwards we drove to San Francisco. What glorious weather! It was nearly 80 degrees and clear! After finding a parking place (the bane of city living!) we met up with our friend who lives on Upper Market. We were decided to have a celebratory birthday lunch at a great hamburger place called Barney's. They had amazing options...I got a fantastic BBQ turkey burger with a side of sweet potato fries and rootbeer. Delicious! Definitely a do not miss. Our friend had to get ready for his birthday party (we opted out) so we drove up to Twin Peaks to get a view of the city on such a clear day. It was packed so we didn't park and decided to head down to Ocean Beach. We drove past my old childhood haunts...the pizza place we went as kids, the corner store where we spent our loose change on penny candy and the house I grew up in from age 4 until 12.
The beach was packed! Like SoCal packed! Hundreds and hundreds of people taking advantage of the wonderful weather! We slipped off our shoes and walked along the water. Childhood memories flooded back to me and it kind of made me sad that our future children won't have memories of growing up at the beach. I know they'll have different memories, but for me, the sights and smells of the beach are so intertwined with my childhood. After about an hour or so we got back in the car and drove down to North Beach where my baby cousin (now 25!) and her beau live in a cute apartment on Green Street. Parking was insane and we ended up having to use a parking garage several blocks away for the night!
After hanging out for a bit, we were hungry and walked down to Colombus, the heart of Little Italy. We found a seat at Pinocchio's and ordered up some yummy pasta and red wine. Afterwards we walked up to an Italian bakery that is family run for some fresh cannoli and puff pastry. The next morning we drove down to the upper Sunset for brunch with a high school friend and her 2 year old daughter. She made a wonderful orange french toast and we spent a couple of hours just catching up. Then we drove back to San Jose to drop off the truck we had borrowed from our friends. My brother picked us up and we drove up to Newark for our niece's 7th birthday.
It was hot! Nealy 90 degrees! We hung out by the pool, watching the kids play while we caught up with my twin brother, his wife and her family. After cake and ice cream and opening gifts it was time to leave. We hitched a ride with my twin brother to his house in Tracy, where we stayed the last night in CA. We played Rockband for a bit (sort of a tradition for us in that house) and then fell into bed around midnight. The next morning we were up early for our final goodbyes before the kids headed off to school and then rode into Dublin to catch BART to SFO.
Ninety minutes on BART, 4.5 hours in the air to Dallas, dinner at TGIFridays and an hour flight home to Tulsa later we climbed into our own beds around 11 p.m. Whew! What a whirlwind! We need a vacation from our vacation! Luckily the nice weather seems to have followed us back to OK. It's warm and clear and sunny. It's good to be home.
Open your Golden Gate...
We're off to the San Francisco Bay Area tomorrow for 5 days and 4 nights. We have a jam packed schedule! We arrive around 11:30 am and head straight to the theatre in SJ to catch Acts 3 & 4 of the final dress rehearsal of our friend's opera (she'd making her directorial debut).
We'll spend the night at her pied-a-terre and visit with her and her baby (our godson) on Friday. Saturday we drive up to SF to visit friends and my baby cousin who just moved up there from SoCal last November.
Sunday we head back to SJ to return our friend's car and will hitch a ride with my younger brother up to our SIL's parents house where our niece will be celebrating her 7th birthday. We head east with them for the night and then hit BART bright and early to SFO on Monday morning and arrive back in Tulsa that night.
Whew! I am tired just writing about it! We're cramming in visit with everyone we haven't seen since moving out here. And hitting up every restaurant that we miss...like this yummy Moroccan place in downtown SJ. And the Hawaiian dive in Japantown. Ooh and the Italian place in North Beach where we used to go on dates. Yep, we're going to eat our way through the SF Bay Area!
Speaking of eating, I finally dropped another two pounds after being stuck at my 20 pound weight loss since the middle of March! Granted, I haven't been consistently exercising and I haven't been as strict with my eating plan. That said, I am thrilled to not have gained and I still lost inches even though the scale didn't budge. Well, it did yesterday. So, once we're back in OK it's back to basics for me and my plan. I'd really like to drop at least 20 lbs more by summer. Hopefully I don't find the two I just lost while kicking it up in NorCali.
Long Weekend in Dallas
Whew! We just got home from 3 nights and 4 days in Dallas. Seems we doged the snow storm here in Tulsa. It was weird to come home to melting snow everywhere!
I had to attend a conference in Richardson, so J came along for the fun. Today, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Dallas Museum of Art for the King Tut exhibit. It was amazing! I had to keep reminding myself that these were acutal relics and not replicas. The detail that still remains on 5,000 year old pieces is mind boggling. We made it through the exhibit in about 90 minutes and decided to check out the other galleries, where we came across this amazing painting:
It's hard to see it this small, but it is called Abundance of Nature and was painted in 1897 by Belgin artist .Léon Frédéric. This painting pictures an earth mother bursting with life and fertility, surrounded by children, flowers, and fruits. It's oil on canvas and very detailed close-up. I have already Googled to see if I could find a giclee or print and no dice. It's a gorgeous piece! If you're ever in Dallas I recommend stopping by the Museum of Art to see it.
After the visiting the museum, we ended up in the West End district for lunch. We happened by this awesome candy shop called Kokopelli Chocolate. We got the best fleur de sel caramel tuffles, a huge, gourmet peanut butter cup and almond toffee. YUMMY! Not exactly on my diet, but oh so good. Back on the wagon tomorrow...
I had to attend a conference in Richardson, so J came along for the fun. Today, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Dallas Museum of Art for the King Tut exhibit. It was amazing! I had to keep reminding myself that these were acutal relics and not replicas. The detail that still remains on 5,000 year old pieces is mind boggling. We made it through the exhibit in about 90 minutes and decided to check out the other galleries, where we came across this amazing painting:
It's hard to see it this small, but it is called Abundance of Nature and was painted in 1897 by Belgin artist .Léon Frédéric. This painting pictures an earth mother bursting with life and fertility, surrounded by children, flowers, and fruits. It's oil on canvas and very detailed close-up. I have already Googled to see if I could find a giclee or print and no dice. It's a gorgeous piece! If you're ever in Dallas I recommend stopping by the Museum of Art to see it.
After the visiting the museum, we ended up in the West End district for lunch. We happened by this awesome candy shop called Kokopelli Chocolate. We got the best fleur de sel caramel tuffles, a huge, gourmet peanut butter cup and almond toffee. YUMMY! Not exactly on my diet, but oh so good. Back on the wagon tomorrow...
Off to Dallas!
J and I are loading up the truck and driving down to Texas for the weekend. Even though it's a work-related trip we're making into a little getaway too. J loves Egyptology and the King Tut exhibit is in Dallas. So, we're heading down for the two day convention I'm attending for work and then we're going to the museum on Sunday before heading home to Tulsa. I am excited, I've never been to Dallas except for the airport. There are several restaurants we want to check our while we're there, including brunch at La Duni Latin Cafe where I'll meet up with a long time knottie/nestie whom I have corresponded with online for over two years. She and her hubby were married in Hawaii but live in Dallas. I am super excited...I always love meeting up with my online friends in real life. You can meet her too! At least online, check out her tasty blog: Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats.
OKC: A Working Staycation
It's been over a week since I've posted anything to the blog. Last Tuesday I headed down to OKC with colleagues for a 5 day conference. It's only a 1.5 hour drive from Tulsa. Our organization was exhibiting a booth and I was there to network with the conference attendees on behalf of our company. I was happy to go....one...to get out of the office and two...because I knew I'd get to see friends and colleagues from CA and three...I knew that J would join me later in the week for some R&R.
It was a good time, even though my feet were aching at the end of each 12 hour day in the convention center. We had some lovely meals in Bricktown including Nonna's and Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse. Both had good food, a nice atmosphere and fine service. We arrived at Nonna's with no reservations and still managed to get our own private dining room for 6. It felt quite special and allowed us to sit and visit for 4 hours while dining. The weather was divine! 20-25 degrees above normal for this time of year! It allowed us to walk everywhere and enjoy the pending arrival of Spring.
On Saturday, we checked out of the Sheraton and into the luxe Skirvin Hotel. Raising the bar of luxury even higher, we jumped into the fluffy, white terry robes and ordered room service for dinner. We dined in bed and enjoyed the privacy of our corner room. We slept in and managed to miss the earthquake that hit town at 8:06 a.m. Earthquakes?!? I had no idea they hit Oklahoma. I thought we only had to worry about thunder, lightening, floods and tornadoes. We enjoyed their breakfast buffet with two friends, dropped them off at the airport and headed back to Tulsa. To finish off the weekend we dined at Mahogany Prime Steakhouse where we had the trio dinner for two: filet mignon, lobster tail, king crab legs with burgundy mushrooms and fresh asparagus. The mixed berries with almond-walnut tuille and vanilla creme was awesome! We also found a new wine with which we have fallen in love: Rutherford Hill Merlot. Yummy! Tomorrow? Back on the wagon of grapefruit and egg whites! What a wonderful week of good food and good friends and most of all some well-deserved downtime with my honey.
It was a good time, even though my feet were aching at the end of each 12 hour day in the convention center. We had some lovely meals in Bricktown including Nonna's and Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse. Both had good food, a nice atmosphere and fine service. We arrived at Nonna's with no reservations and still managed to get our own private dining room for 6. It felt quite special and allowed us to sit and visit for 4 hours while dining. The weather was divine! 20-25 degrees above normal for this time of year! It allowed us to walk everywhere and enjoy the pending arrival of Spring.
On Saturday, we checked out of the Sheraton and into the luxe Skirvin Hotel. Raising the bar of luxury even higher, we jumped into the fluffy, white terry robes and ordered room service for dinner. We dined in bed and enjoyed the privacy of our corner room. We slept in and managed to miss the earthquake that hit town at 8:06 a.m. Earthquakes?!? I had no idea they hit Oklahoma. I thought we only had to worry about thunder, lightening, floods and tornadoes. We enjoyed their breakfast buffet with two friends, dropped them off at the airport and headed back to Tulsa. To finish off the weekend we dined at Mahogany Prime Steakhouse where we had the trio dinner for two: filet mignon, lobster tail, king crab legs with burgundy mushrooms and fresh asparagus. The mixed berries with almond-walnut tuille and vanilla creme was awesome! We also found a new wine with which we have fallen in love: Rutherford Hill Merlot. Yummy! Tomorrow? Back on the wagon of grapefruit and egg whites! What a wonderful week of good food and good friends and most of all some well-deserved downtime with my honey.
Dinner and a movie
Thursday night we went out for sushi at Fuji Sushi on Brookside, a first for us. They have an all-you-can-eat special between 5 and 7 p.m., so we took advantage of it. We sat at the bar where they were frantically rolling sushi of all types, trying to keep up with the demands of their early-bird special.
We went for the "Emperor" plan...5 pieces of sashimi, 2 types of nigiri and 2 rolls. EACH! And you could order more after that, but we were so stuffed with just the first round. All of it was super yummy. We especially liked the Michelle roll and and I.J. Roll. Everything was fresh, tasty and beautifully presented. The portions were generous, especially compared to other sushi places in town, like In the Raw. We'll definitely go again.
Afterwards we went and say Slumdog Millionaire. What a film! We totally get why it is so acclaimed this award season. Seeing the footage of Mumbai really impressed upon me just how good we have it. I remember after working Bangkok having the same feeling. Of course there are places right here at home that need improvement, but it's nothing like what the poorest of the poor in developing countries face. The movie was touching, poignant and also incredibly uplifting and devastating at the same time. Amazing.
Today it was FREEZING! In the 20's with wind...such a stark contrast to the record high of 81 on Wednesday. So we bundled up and went to a matinée of Frost-Nixon. Another excellent film filled with riveting performances. Afterwards we headed to T.G.I.Friday's for my new crave: California Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. Afterwards we had frozen yogurt at Braum's. YUMMY, yummy!
Speaking of yummy, on our grocery shopping trip today we picked up some grāpples. They are a mix between an apple and a grape. It smells heavenly and tastes divine! A grape flavored Washington apple. They are not genetically altered, but they are infused with natural grape flavor by taking a bath in purple grape juice and water. I could totally see kids snapping these up as their favorite treat. They are kind of pricey, so we won't be purchasing them regularly, but I was curious and pleasantly surprise that they tasted as good as they smelled.
We went for the "Emperor" plan...5 pieces of sashimi, 2 types of nigiri and 2 rolls. EACH! And you could order more after that, but we were so stuffed with just the first round. All of it was super yummy. We especially liked the Michelle roll and and I.J. Roll. Everything was fresh, tasty and beautifully presented. The portions were generous, especially compared to other sushi places in town, like In the Raw. We'll definitely go again.
Afterwards we went and say Slumdog Millionaire. What a film! We totally get why it is so acclaimed this award season. Seeing the footage of Mumbai really impressed upon me just how good we have it. I remember after working Bangkok having the same feeling. Of course there are places right here at home that need improvement, but it's nothing like what the poorest of the poor in developing countries face. The movie was touching, poignant and also incredibly uplifting and devastating at the same time. Amazing.
Today it was FREEZING! In the 20's with wind...such a stark contrast to the record high of 81 on Wednesday. So we bundled up and went to a matinée of Frost-Nixon. Another excellent film filled with riveting performances. Afterwards we headed to T.G.I.Friday's for my new crave: California Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. Afterwards we had frozen yogurt at Braum's. YUMMY, yummy!
Speaking of yummy, on our grocery shopping trip today we picked up some grāpples. They are a mix between an apple and a grape. It smells heavenly and tastes divine! A grape flavored Washington apple. They are not genetically altered, but they are infused with natural grape flavor by taking a bath in purple grape juice and water. I could totally see kids snapping these up as their favorite treat. They are kind of pricey, so we won't be purchasing them regularly, but I was curious and pleasantly surprise that they tasted as good as they smelled.
Healthy Eating
This came to me via email today and I thought it was very cool!
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All o f the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3 ) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9 ) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them )
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
Happy New Year!
The first few days of 2009 have been great! J made it home in time on NYE to pop the cork and celebrate! He had to work a double on Friday and today and the morning yesterday. I have been home taking down the holiday decorations and cleaning up. Mom will be here next week and we want the house to be ready for her arrival.
Last night we were feeling too lazy to cook and decided to get out and find some Mediterranean food. I guess I had been craving it since watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" on TV on Friday night. We looked in Tulsa People magazine and found Shish-Kabobs on 31st and Garnett.
The restaurant is super cute and family run. We were waited on by the owner's 16 year old daughter who was really sweet and personable. We ordered the mixed appetizer plate that came with tabouli, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves. Pita came with it. Then for our main course we each ordered the combo plates which came with our choice of two meats, rice with saffron and a side. I had the Persian salad and J had the baba ganoush. I ordered the chicken kabob and gyros and J got the chela (ground beef) kabob and beef kabob. My favorite was the chela and the gyros. For dessert we shared vanilla-saffron-rose water-pistachio ice cream, rosewater cake (family recipe) and a baklava (we LOVE dessert). We loved the rose cake and highly recommend it! The ice cream was exotically spicy and different, akin to green tea ice cream in that it's flavorful, but not extremely sweet. We loved Shish-Kabobs and will definitely be back! The prices are so reasonable and the service felt like we were eating with family friends.
And a post would not be complete without a weather report (always fascinating!)...it was GORGEOUS yesterday! 75 degrees! I had the windows open, fans on and heater off! The house was all aired out and fresh smelling. Today? 36 was the high. And tomorrow is supposed to be in the 30's again and a slight chance for frozen rain/snow flurries. WTH? So bizarre.
Last night we were feeling too lazy to cook and decided to get out and find some Mediterranean food. I guess I had been craving it since watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" on TV on Friday night. We looked in Tulsa People magazine and found Shish-Kabobs on 31st and Garnett.
The restaurant is super cute and family run. We were waited on by the owner's 16 year old daughter who was really sweet and personable. We ordered the mixed appetizer plate that came with tabouli, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves. Pita came with it. Then for our main course we each ordered the combo plates which came with our choice of two meats, rice with saffron and a side. I had the Persian salad and J had the baba ganoush. I ordered the chicken kabob and gyros and J got the chela (ground beef) kabob and beef kabob. My favorite was the chela and the gyros. For dessert we shared vanilla-saffron-rose water-pistachio ice cream, rosewater cake (family recipe) and a baklava (we LOVE dessert). We loved the rose cake and highly recommend it! The ice cream was exotically spicy and different, akin to green tea ice cream in that it's flavorful, but not extremely sweet. We loved Shish-Kabobs and will definitely be back! The prices are so reasonable and the service felt like we were eating with family friends.
And a post would not be complete without a weather report (always fascinating!)...it was GORGEOUS yesterday! 75 degrees! I had the windows open, fans on and heater off! The house was all aired out and fresh smelling. Today? 36 was the high. And tomorrow is supposed to be in the 30's again and a slight chance for frozen rain/snow flurries. WTH? So bizarre.
A night at the ballet
We went to see the Tulsa Ballet's Nutcracker tonight. It is a production by Marcello Angelini, the artistic director, and takes departure from the regular "candy coated" productions I have seen on TV over the years. If focuses more on the romance between Marie and the Nutcracker in her dreams. By the way, this is the first time I have seen it "live". This production is set in 1920's Paris and is very Erte/Art Deco in it's set design and costuming, possibly lending a nod to the roaring 20's here in Tulsa, a mecca of Art Deco architecture. What was really cool was a mini, electric convertible Rolls Royce that bridges Act I and II. We loved that! This updated version also seems to offer more "meat" for the dancers, which I am sure they enjoy. The Nutcracker is to professional dancers what The Messiah is to professional singers: guaranteed work each November and December, but somewhat dreary, unless there is a reason to be excited about a new way to approach or present it. I think this is where the Tulsa Ballet's production really excels.
Musically speaking, I am not a fan of "enhanced sound", i.e. miking the orchestra pit. It created some balance problems. In addition, there were some tempi issues between the sections, especially in Act II. And there was a moment in Act I when a piano on stage was playing the main melody...which was just weird and not as Tchaikovsky intended.
As for the dancing...it was very pretty. Almost too pretty. Perhaps that is a bit cynical coming from an opera singer. But we need some "ugly" to balance all of the pretty, you know? The leads were great and I also loved the Arabian dancers. The kids as mice and toy soldiers were cute too and offered a little comic relief. Some of the principal dancers failed to connect to the music, as if they were merely dancing their steps to counts of eight rather than to the crescendo/decrescendo of the orchestra. The primadonna, however, was the exception and offered a very musical interpretation, especially in her featured solos.
So...are we ballet converts? Not so much. I think every once in a while will be good for us. It was nice to get out and see people of all ages and backgrounds out at the theater. There were lots of parents with small children as well as young couples.
Oh yeah and we had dinner at the The Daily Grill at the Crowne Plaza. It serves all American fare...we both had the Caesar salads. J had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes with grilled asparagus and I had the french dip with french fries. Mais oui! We split a decadent and over the top brownie drenched in vanilla ice cream, caramel and fudge, topped with pecans. Yum!
The Crowne Plaza itself looks like it's benefitted from it's recent multimillio dollar makeover and is quite swanky looking. I kept thinking how cool it would to shoot portraits in the lobby and lounge area:
Musically speaking, I am not a fan of "enhanced sound", i.e. miking the orchestra pit. It created some balance problems. In addition, there were some tempi issues between the sections, especially in Act II. And there was a moment in Act I when a piano on stage was playing the main melody...which was just weird and not as Tchaikovsky intended.
As for the dancing...it was very pretty. Almost too pretty. Perhaps that is a bit cynical coming from an opera singer. But we need some "ugly" to balance all of the pretty, you know? The leads were great and I also loved the Arabian dancers. The kids as mice and toy soldiers were cute too and offered a little comic relief. Some of the principal dancers failed to connect to the music, as if they were merely dancing their steps to counts of eight rather than to the crescendo/decrescendo of the orchestra. The primadonna, however, was the exception and offered a very musical interpretation, especially in her featured solos.
So...are we ballet converts? Not so much. I think every once in a while will be good for us. It was nice to get out and see people of all ages and backgrounds out at the theater. There were lots of parents with small children as well as young couples.
Oh yeah and we had dinner at the The Daily Grill at the Crowne Plaza. It serves all American fare...we both had the Caesar salads. J had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes with grilled asparagus and I had the french dip with french fries. Mais oui! We split a decadent and over the top brownie drenched in vanilla ice cream, caramel and fudge, topped with pecans. Yum!
The Crowne Plaza itself looks like it's benefitted from it's recent multimillio dollar makeover and is quite swanky looking. I kept thinking how cool it would to shoot portraits in the lobby and lounge area:
The colors are much more vibrant in person...sky blue, black, khaki, red and orange. Love the 1940's swanky vibe they've got going! If J and I ever get portraits shot here in town, we'll have to add this to the list, in addition to the obligatory outdoor shots at Woodward Park! Seems there is no less than 3 professional photographers shooting portraits there whenever we have been there.
Another chilly day...
Brrrr! It's been c-c-cold! There were pretty ice crystals on my car this morning when I left for work at 6:45 a.m. But this weather has been weird, because with the wind chill it's in the single digits in the mornings and then by 4 p.m., in the high 50's! So layers is the style of the day for sure. I wore tights and boots with gauchos and a turtleneck sweater with a knit poncho on top. I was perfectly warm until about 2 p.m., when it got downright toasty! By the time I left work at 4 p.m. I was carrying my wool coat and poncho, pushed up my sleeves and switched the car's heater to fan. We had a pretty sunset, again, and a beautiful, clear night with a full moon and sparkling stars.
J and I were in the mood for BBQ so we took one of our buy-on-get-one-free coupons and tried out Albert G's BBQ. Yummy, yummy...three pork ribs (dry rubbed and smoked) and chopped brisket hit the spot. The sides of BBQ beans, coleslaw (not mayonnaise-y at all) and potato salad were the perfect accompaniment. The place is cute too...an old, converted auto repair garage or service station.
J and I were in the mood for BBQ so we took one of our buy-on-get-one-free coupons and tried out Albert G's BBQ. Yummy, yummy...three pork ribs (dry rubbed and smoked) and chopped brisket hit the spot. The sides of BBQ beans, coleslaw (not mayonnaise-y at all) and potato salad were the perfect accompaniment. The place is cute too...an old, converted auto repair garage or service station.
Afterwards we picked up some groceries for the week and filled up the gas tank...for $16.75! For an entire tank of gas! We are thrilled...gas is now $1.39/gal. and there's speculation that it could drop below $1. I cannot believe that less than 6 months ago it was $50 to fill up and now it's under $20. Can someone please explain this to me?
Leisurely Day (100th post!)
J and I both had today off from work so we decided to have a nice, relaxing day. It started with sleeping in and enjoying our morning coffee together. Then we headed to Clary Sage, the local asthetic and spa college, for side-by-side massages. The masseuses are advanced students nearing completion of their training. J got a great guy, I, on the otherhand, was sort-of disappointed with mine. She was okay, but her touch was so light that I felt like I was getting tickled for an hour. The firmest pressure she used is what I would used to put sunscreen on someone's back. Anyway, I am very moisturized now, but my muscles are still tight and knotted. Next time, I will request a guy with lots of manpower! I am a fan of massages that are so good they hurt. Guess I am my mother's daughter!
Speaking of which, we anticipate her relocation to Tulsa in the near future. She will stay with us for a while as she settles here and we're looking forward to the company. It might feel crowded, at times, since we only have one bathroom, but considering I grew up with 5 people in a home with one bath until I was 13, it's not that big of a deal.
Anyway, back to today....after the massage we tried out D'Novo Lean Gourmet restaurant. It opened a couple of months ago, but today was the first chance we had to check it out. It's a bright, chic and modern eatery with a glass tiled fountain, white leather booths and modern crystal chandeliers. The food is ordered euro-cafe style...at a counter and they you get a number and they deliver the food to your table (where your number is posted on a little metal stand/holder). J ordered the seasame seared yellowfin tuna salad and I got the roastbeef and gorgonzola wrap with a side asian salad. All was extremely tasty and we could hardly believe that every meal in the restaurant is 500 calories or less. We will DEFINITELY be back!
After lunch we walked around the KingsPointe shopping center, exploring the wine shop and then making our way down to the florist, KaBloom, where we got a lovely, fresh fall centerpiece to bring to Aunt Rita's tomorrow. It has yellow roses, red hypericum berries, rust colored daisies, yellow mums and orange daylilies. She is hosting Thanksgiving dinner for us and Joseph's parents. She told us not to bring anything, but we never show up anywhere empty handed, so we decided that flowers would be our contribution.
From there we decided to run some errands and on our way, found ourselves stopping at Kupcakz, Tulsa's only cupcake bakery. We've been wanting to sample their made from scratch offerings. J had the My Peanut Buttercup which is a dark chocolate cake with creamy peanut butter frosting chocolate splitters and toasted peanuts (they roast the peanuts themselves to make homemade peanut butter) and I had the Lemon Drop which is zesty lemon cake with lemon curd and lemon cream cheese frosting. Of course we got two Sooner than Later (red velvet cake smothered with mascarpone cream cheese frosting) to go. All was tasty and you can just tell that all of the ingredients are fresh and made from scratch...a lost artform these days. We will definitely be back to sample the Cheeky Monkey (fresh banana cake with caramel cream cheese frosting candied pecans and caramel drizzle) and Boston Dreamer (yellow cake filled with French pastry cream and capped with bittersweet chocolate ganache).
We came home and it was so nice out that we decided to take the furbabies for a stroll. All THREE of them! Yep, the crazy cat likes to follow us on our neighborhood walks. So we leashed up the dogs and she followed along behind us. The dogs had a blast, as they always do on their walks.
Now we're home and gonna make dinner...brown rice penne pasta with turkey kielbasa, apples and spinach with a creamy gorgonzola sauce. Very autumnal and SO good! Here's recipe (made up by me of my favorite things):
INGREDIENTS:
--1 package of polska kielbasa or smoked sausage (I prefer turkey),sliced into "coins"
--Bag of washed baby spinach leaves
--1 large apple, skin on, quartered and sliced medium-thin
--1 tub of crumbled gorgonzola cheese (5 oz.)
--1/8 c. butter
--1/4 c. milk
--pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
--Prepare pasta as directed. I usually make half the package which yields two heaping portions plus leftovers for lunch the next day.
--While pasta boils, in a skillet brown the kielbasa or sausage slices, remove
--In same skillet (wipe out any grease from the sausage) wilt the spinach leaves and soften the apples over medium heat. Don't overcook, the spinach should still be bright green and the apples should retain their shape.
--Drain pasta and set aside. In the same pot that the pasta was cooked, melt 1/8 c. butter or margarine, add in the the gorgonzola crumbles and the 1/4 c. milk over low heat. Melt all ingredients together. As they start to combine, fold in the drained pasta into the butter-cheese-milk mixture until coated and warmed through. Add in the drained, browned sausage, wilted spinach and softened apples and combine until coated.
--Serve up with a little fresh pepper on top.
Speaking of which, we anticipate her relocation to Tulsa in the near future. She will stay with us for a while as she settles here and we're looking forward to the company. It might feel crowded, at times, since we only have one bathroom, but considering I grew up with 5 people in a home with one bath until I was 13, it's not that big of a deal.
Anyway, back to today....after the massage we tried out D'Novo Lean Gourmet restaurant. It opened a couple of months ago, but today was the first chance we had to check it out. It's a bright, chic and modern eatery with a glass tiled fountain, white leather booths and modern crystal chandeliers. The food is ordered euro-cafe style...at a counter and they you get a number and they deliver the food to your table (where your number is posted on a little metal stand/holder). J ordered the seasame seared yellowfin tuna salad and I got the roastbeef and gorgonzola wrap with a side asian salad. All was extremely tasty and we could hardly believe that every meal in the restaurant is 500 calories or less. We will DEFINITELY be back!
After lunch we walked around the KingsPointe shopping center, exploring the wine shop and then making our way down to the florist, KaBloom, where we got a lovely, fresh fall centerpiece to bring to Aunt Rita's tomorrow. It has yellow roses, red hypericum berries, rust colored daisies, yellow mums and orange daylilies. She is hosting Thanksgiving dinner for us and Joseph's parents. She told us not to bring anything, but we never show up anywhere empty handed, so we decided that flowers would be our contribution.
From there we decided to run some errands and on our way, found ourselves stopping at Kupcakz, Tulsa's only cupcake bakery. We've been wanting to sample their made from scratch offerings. J had the My Peanut Buttercup which is a dark chocolate cake with creamy peanut butter frosting chocolate splitters and toasted peanuts (they roast the peanuts themselves to make homemade peanut butter) and I had the Lemon Drop which is zesty lemon cake with lemon curd and lemon cream cheese frosting. Of course we got two Sooner than Later (red velvet cake smothered with mascarpone cream cheese frosting) to go. All was tasty and you can just tell that all of the ingredients are fresh and made from scratch...a lost artform these days. We will definitely be back to sample the Cheeky Monkey (fresh banana cake with caramel cream cheese frosting candied pecans and caramel drizzle) and Boston Dreamer (yellow cake filled with French pastry cream and capped with bittersweet chocolate ganache).
We came home and it was so nice out that we decided to take the furbabies for a stroll. All THREE of them! Yep, the crazy cat likes to follow us on our neighborhood walks. So we leashed up the dogs and she followed along behind us. The dogs had a blast, as they always do on their walks.
Now we're home and gonna make dinner...brown rice penne pasta with turkey kielbasa, apples and spinach with a creamy gorgonzola sauce. Very autumnal and SO good! Here's recipe (made up by me of my favorite things):
INGREDIENTS:
--1 package of polska kielbasa or smoked sausage (I prefer turkey),sliced into "coins"
--Bag of washed baby spinach leaves
--1 large apple, skin on, quartered and sliced medium-thin
--1 tub of crumbled gorgonzola cheese (5 oz.)
--1/8 c. butter
--1/4 c. milk
--pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
--Prepare pasta as directed. I usually make half the package which yields two heaping portions plus leftovers for lunch the next day.
--While pasta boils, in a skillet brown the kielbasa or sausage slices, remove
--In same skillet (wipe out any grease from the sausage) wilt the spinach leaves and soften the apples over medium heat. Don't overcook, the spinach should still be bright green and the apples should retain their shape.
--Drain pasta and set aside. In the same pot that the pasta was cooked, melt 1/8 c. butter or margarine, add in the the gorgonzola crumbles and the 1/4 c. milk over low heat. Melt all ingredients together. As they start to combine, fold in the drained pasta into the butter-cheese-milk mixture until coated and warmed through. Add in the drained, browned sausage, wilted spinach and softened apples and combine until coated.
--Serve up with a little fresh pepper on top.
Hippo birdie day!
Today was the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday. And it turned out better than expected. I arrived to work to find a tray of fresh baked chocolate-caramel brownies and a card and gift bag holding beautiful boxed cards with lined envelopes. My comrades at work are super cool and so nice to have remembered by bday.
I made time to book an appointment for a massage at the local massage school, Clary Sage, but decided to make it for Wednesday so that J could come with me and enjoy a couple's massage with me. I checked my email and Facebook and had over 6o happy birthday messages from friends near and far...what a wonderful surprise!
I worked through lunch so that I could dash home and see J between shifts. When I got home he was eating his dinner (a baked potato with grilled chicken, onions and cheese) and getting ready for his second job. We had about an hour together and I was happy that we at least got to spend some time together today.
He left for work and I decided to run some errands...hit up Petsmart for some kitty food and dog treats and the grocery store for dryer sheets and sundries. No sooner had I parked the car at the pet store did my phone ring. I thought it might be my brother or mother calling to wish me a happy bday. I saw the name flash on the caller ID and it was J. I slightly panicked. It hadn't even been 10 minutes since he left the house for work! Was there a problem? (it's amazing what can flash through my mind in a split second). I fumbled to press the talk button and stammered, "are you okay?". He said, "I got cut." What? Was he bleeding? What happened? How? Oh-no! "I got cut tonight, they're not busy so they're sending me home. YAY!" OMG...he was calling to say he had the night off from work.
So I completed my errands at the pet store and dashed home to find J already in his comfy house clothes (I call them him dressy sweatpants)! I told him that I cancelled my plans for the evening (tongue firmly planted in my cheek) and asked him if he wanted to get sushi since that's what's I had wanted to do. So he changed into jeans and sweater ("goin' out clothes") and we headed to In The Raw in Brookside. We have eaten at their other location, but this was a first for us. We liked this place much better. It's smaller, cozier, and closer to home. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered our favorites. It was all fresh and tasty. Best of all, I was with my best friend and sweetheart on my birthday instead of home alone with the furbabies.
After Sushi we decided to finish my errands and stopped at the nearby grocery store. Then J suggested dessert, so we went to the Local Table and had their three mini dessert sampler for which we chose the chocolate ice cream sandwich, chocolate lava cake and creme brule, of course! All we tasty and the perfect end to a lovely birthday.
I made time to book an appointment for a massage at the local massage school, Clary Sage, but decided to make it for Wednesday so that J could come with me and enjoy a couple's massage with me. I checked my email and Facebook and had over 6o happy birthday messages from friends near and far...what a wonderful surprise!
I worked through lunch so that I could dash home and see J between shifts. When I got home he was eating his dinner (a baked potato with grilled chicken, onions and cheese) and getting ready for his second job. We had about an hour together and I was happy that we at least got to spend some time together today.
He left for work and I decided to run some errands...hit up Petsmart for some kitty food and dog treats and the grocery store for dryer sheets and sundries. No sooner had I parked the car at the pet store did my phone ring. I thought it might be my brother or mother calling to wish me a happy bday. I saw the name flash on the caller ID and it was J. I slightly panicked. It hadn't even been 10 minutes since he left the house for work! Was there a problem? (it's amazing what can flash through my mind in a split second). I fumbled to press the talk button and stammered, "are you okay?". He said, "I got cut." What? Was he bleeding? What happened? How? Oh-no! "I got cut tonight, they're not busy so they're sending me home. YAY!" OMG...he was calling to say he had the night off from work.
So I completed my errands at the pet store and dashed home to find J already in his comfy house clothes (I call them him dressy sweatpants)! I told him that I cancelled my plans for the evening (tongue firmly planted in my cheek) and asked him if he wanted to get sushi since that's what's I had wanted to do. So he changed into jeans and sweater ("goin' out clothes") and we headed to In The Raw in Brookside. We have eaten at their other location, but this was a first for us. We liked this place much better. It's smaller, cozier, and closer to home. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered our favorites. It was all fresh and tasty. Best of all, I was with my best friend and sweetheart on my birthday instead of home alone with the furbabies.
After Sushi we decided to finish my errands and stopped at the nearby grocery store. Then J suggested dessert, so we went to the Local Table and had their three mini dessert sampler for which we chose the chocolate ice cream sandwich, chocolate lava cake and creme brule, of course! All we tasty and the perfect end to a lovely birthday.
Saturday Date
J and I both had today off! So we spent the morning at a leisurely pace, cleaned up some of the fallen leaves in our driveway/front yard and then headed out to Brookside to walk around and have a nosh.
We ended up at Keo Asian Restaurant which was awesome! We had ahi poke (yum, yum and thrilled we found a place in town that makes it!), fresh spring rolls, chicken skewers, steamed mussels, seasoned edamame, and tom ka (coconut curry soup with chicken)...it's total asian fusion and so yummy!
We also happened by a modern furnishings store and saw the coolest thing ever. And Eco friendly, ventless fireplace. So cool! It burned ethanol (denatured alcohol)...check it out! EcoSmartFire.com
You can get their uber modern designs or just buy the insert for a traditional fireplace. How cool is that? And they put out some heat! Pyromaniac J loved it.
We also perused a chi-chi grocery store with lots of yummy stuff including our favorite stinky cheeses as well as a specialty coffee/tea store that had our favorite jasmine pearl tea for $170/lb. OUCH! On the way home we stopped at I got a peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks. Feels like the holidays! It's downright cold in the evenings here...right now, it's 45 degrees outside. I know it will get colder the closer we get to Winter Soltice...brr!
We ended up at Keo Asian Restaurant which was awesome! We had ahi poke (yum, yum and thrilled we found a place in town that makes it!), fresh spring rolls, chicken skewers, steamed mussels, seasoned edamame, and tom ka (coconut curry soup with chicken)...it's total asian fusion and so yummy!
We also happened by a modern furnishings store and saw the coolest thing ever. And Eco friendly, ventless fireplace. So cool! It burned ethanol (denatured alcohol)...check it out! EcoSmartFire.com
You can get their uber modern designs or just buy the insert for a traditional fireplace. How cool is that? And they put out some heat! Pyromaniac J loved it.
We also perused a chi-chi grocery store with lots of yummy stuff including our favorite stinky cheeses as well as a specialty coffee/tea store that had our favorite jasmine pearl tea for $170/lb. OUCH! On the way home we stopped at I got a peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks. Feels like the holidays! It's downright cold in the evenings here...right now, it's 45 degrees outside. I know it will get colder the closer we get to Winter Soltice...brr!
I'm back from Hawaii...
12 hours later, I am finally home. Flying to Hawaii from Oklahoma is no joke. I now know how spoiled we were, being able to get to Hawaii in 6 hours from CA.
Anyway, it was a long, long 10 days in Hawaii. Thankfully I had a wonderful room at the Hilton Hawaiian Beach Resort and Spa in Waikiki. It was my refuge from the 16 hour work days. My feet will never be the same, I am sure of it. I had 1.5 days off, which I used exploring the island and hanging on the beach. I was also able to meet some of my internet friends from TheKnot.com's Hawaii Brides Board. These are the ladies I connected with when I was planning our wedding in Hawaii and we've just kept in touch via email, Facebook and The Knot over the past two years. I finally met them in person over some yummy local grinds (food) at the Side Street Inn:
From Left to Right: Evonne (MrsBabySalute), Lisa (LisaKeiko), Nicole (MrsNicole&Brian808), Me (Married2MrWright) and Sarah (MrsZiz)
Pinneapple growing at the Dole Plantation
Anyway, it was a long, long 10 days in Hawaii. Thankfully I had a wonderful room at the Hilton Hawaiian Beach Resort and Spa in Waikiki. It was my refuge from the 16 hour work days. My feet will never be the same, I am sure of it. I had 1.5 days off, which I used exploring the island and hanging on the beach. I was also able to meet some of my internet friends from TheKnot.com's Hawaii Brides Board. These are the ladies I connected with when I was planning our wedding in Hawaii and we've just kept in touch via email, Facebook and The Knot over the past two years. I finally met them in person over some yummy local grinds (food) at the Side Street Inn:
From Left to Right: Evonne (MrsBabySalute), Lisa (LisaKeiko), Nicole (MrsNicole&Brian808), Me (Married2MrWright) and Sarah (MrsZiz)That was the most fun I had all week. The food was delicious and the company was even better!
Let's see, I won't get into the nitty-gritty...the first part of the week was spent in Board Meetings and then an all day festival for girls aged 25 and under. The rest of the week, I was the backstage manager for the quartet and chorus contests. That was all well and good, except that I soon discovered that I am very allergic to the fire retardant chemical that was on the stage curtains and I broke out in a nasty rash all over my body. Good times. And then, in my exhaustion, I left my carry-on behind in the rental car along with my house/car keys, camera and eye glasses. Thankfully, my colleague found it and it will make it's way back to Tulsa later this week. I did have to take a cab home from the airport because J was at work when I arrived. Later, he took me back to the airport to get my car out of long term parking. WHEW!
To recap:
Average number of hours worked each day: 12
Average number of daily shoe changes to help my aching feet: 3
Number of hives on the parts of my body that came in contact with the stage curtains: hundreds
Number of tubes of Benadryl cream: 3
Number of bags left behind: 1
Missing a once-in-a-lifetime history-making election: PRICELESS.
I voted absentee, but I was basically in a convention vacuum and missed all of election day! I got text message updates from J and during my dinner break was able to see snippets of the McCain's concession speech. But that was about it. I tried to catch up on the action later that night, as much as possibe on CNN, but with an 8 hour difference between Hawaii and the East Coast, I feel like I missed the whole thing. That's pretty sad.
I wrote to our OK Senator and former Congressman, Tom Coburn, and requested tickets to the Obama-Biden Inauguration in Washington D.C. Hey! It never hurts to ask, right? Apparently, the only legitimate way to get tickets is from your state respresntative. I mentioned our being an interracial couple and that J is bi-racial. I also mentioned that I had sung with his opera singer daughter, Sarah Coburn, at the Metropolitan Opera competition back in 2001. Who knows, we might get the tix! He's a Republican anyway, so I am sure he'd be happy to give them away, right!?
More pics of my week in Waikiki to come, once I get my camera back. I never thought I'd be anxious to leave Hawaii, but I must say, it's good to be home.
UPDATE: Here are some pics from my 10 days in Honolulu:
On the balcony of my suite in the Rainbow Tower overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head in the distance
Sunrise
View of the main swimming pool and Ali'i Tower and their rooftop pool
Pinneapple growing at the Dole Plantation
