Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey friends! I guess it has been a while since I posted. The past few months have really flown by, and I keep getting surprised when someone tells me the date.  How is it possible that it is already *late* November?

Life has been pretty normal here in Texas. Tom is nearly finished with the fall semester. Work for me is the same as it ever was, except now I have a lot more stuff to do, and get paid a tiny bit more to do it. But that long stretch of normal is coming to an end soon, as we anticipate the Thanksgiving holiday!

Next Tuesday, Tom and I are getting on a plane to fly out to California to have Thanksgiving with his family. We will once again be in the mountains in Truckee for the weekend. We had to skip last year, so we are both really excited to be reunited with our beloved Thanksgiving traditions, which look a little something like this:

We will do puzzles and play board games.  I don't know about everyone else, but I will drink wine before the sun goes down without apology. There will be skiing, hot tubbing, snow ball throwing and lots of laying around and reading books. I will make many pies. We will all regularly exceed the recommended daily caloric intake. There will be running charades and we will play a fantastically nerve-wracking card game called, innocuously, Kitty. I will wear my Christmas monkey pajamas to bed on Thursday night, as I gleefully welcome in the Christmas season. Friend family feuds over college football will be sparked. We will bask in the simple joy of spending so much time with so many people we love so much.

I hope you all have equally wonderful holiday traditions to look forward to, wherever you may be.  And since all the travel preparations will probably prevent me from writing again before the big day, I just want to say, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Poor Homey

Homer is a pretty rough and tumble dog.  He will, without thought to how he is going to land, leap several feet in the air to catch a frisbee. He will also leap from our porch over our side fence to go after a squirrel, and climb several feet up one of the trees in our side yard in hot pursuit.  He is energetic, and loves to play, and has had his fair share of minor scrapes, slight sprains and bitten tongues. But this Saturday, a seemingly minor injury, has knocked the wind out of his sails.

Tom noticed him limping during a game of fetch on Saturday, and so cut the game short.  A short while later he seemed good as new. We didnt notice anything else was awry until Sunday morning when Tom and Homer were rough housing in the office and Homer reacted as if in pain after Tom brushed his right paw with his foot. Upon closer inspection, we saw that one of his little claws was cracked up above the point where the quick was, near where the nail leaves his paw.  There was no blood but we could tell he was in pain. A quick call to the vet confirmed that we would need to have him checked out the next day.

The vet checked it out and said that he needed to remove the damaged piece of claw in order for it to heal. That meant cutting it off through the nerve endings and blood vessels in the nail. Homer was as good of a sport as he could be, but even with anesthetic drops, it was obvious the removal still hurt him quite a bit. The vet put some ointment on the nail end, wrapped it up good, and sent us on our way with aftercare instructions to reapply ointment (antibiotic and anesthetic) and watch for infection.

Homer was pretty happy by the time we got home as is evidence by the photo below...

Home-Slice on the mend.

Unfortunately, the anesthetic wore off later in the evening, and he now has a pretty pronounced limp. It's clear that it is hurting him but unfortunately all we can do is keep applying the ointment and wait as the nail heals. I hate to see him limping around and slowed down so dramatically, and I hope he is doing okay at home today by himself. Keep my little guy in your thoughts as he heals!

What I Learned (v9)

Pardon me while I cram 3 weeks worth of lessons into one post...


Everything is better on a boat! The week following the september play performance one of Tom's collaborators rented a pontoon boat and took us all out for an afternoon on Lake Travis. The lake was around 40' below normal levels, and and it was quite a shocking sight to see so much of the bank and cliffs exposed. Rest assured there were still plenty of deep spots to swim in, and swim we did since it was in the 90's that day. While most of you (in places that are not Texas) were enjoying your first taste of autumn, we were hanging out in our swimming suits on a mother freaking boat. It was awesome. And yes, we did drink champagne.

The Millionaire and his Wife.

My heart belongs to Chicago. Tom and I were back in the Windy City two weekends ago for a friends wedding, and it was so great.  We crammed a ton of stuff into just over 50 hours, and I loved every minute of it.  I just felt such a sense of energy and excitement when we were driving into the city from O'Hare. And my love only grew as I saw got a chance to catch up with so many of my friends (including my bestie Camilla who lives in Spain, and who I haven't seen since my wedding.) Did I mention I got to meet Cam's boyfriend too? And speaking of...


Cultural differences are a bottomless well of entertainment. Duncan, Camilla's BF, is Scottish. Given the fact that we speak the same language, I didn't think the cultural differences thing would really be able to entertain us the whole weekend, but it did. Duncan got to eat his first southern style biscuit (not a cookie), and more than once I found myself laughing so hard I was crying. There is something so wonderful about seeing someone you love in a relationship with another amazing person. Cam and Duncan are awesome together, and it hurts my heart that they live so far away.

Weddings are even better when you are married. I may have already proclaimed this at some point, but it is so true, and I have always loved weddings! Now that I really understand what it means to pledge your life to the person you love, nothing can compare to seeing friends and family get to have that experience. This time, the person getting married was Libby Ford, my wonderful friend from college, and the esteemed officiant at our wedding last year. There was no way I was going to miss seeing Libby marry the love of her life on a little farm in Pekin, IL. It was so fantastic. Not only was there a definite snap of autum in the air, but there were hay bales, a miniature horse, a big bonfire, and dinner in a barn. Libby married Josef, who will always have a place in my heart as he willingly and enthusiastically helped us load our moving truck on our last night in Chicago, just days after his first date with Libby. I knew then he was a keeper!

I am experiencing football withdrawal! I have obviously been feeling the love for the past few weeks, and have managed to keep quite busy despite the fact that we  have had 3 weeks in a row now with out a UT Football home game. The quarterback situation has been settled, and the freshmen are looking awesome. I don't think anyone could have envisioned the team would start the year 4-0. It has been so much fun to watch it happen (we've caught the aways games on TV), but I can't wait for the next home game.  But before they come home, the Longhorns have what may be the biggest game of our season to play, Red River Rivalry happens tomorrow night at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas against OU. And with UT leaping ahead in the rankings over the past 5 weeks, and Oklahoma slipping ever so slightly, we might just be able to pull this one out.  Hook 'em horns!

What I Learned (v8)

My Husband is Amazing. Okay, so I have knows this for a while, but we recently spent a few weeks barely seeing each other, and now that we get to see each other again, it is just so nice!


I am not as young as I used to be. I need my sleep. I can't pull an all nighter, and it takes me days to recover if I get less than 5 hours of sleep in a night. Last Saturday/Sunday I probably did actually get 7 hours of sleep, but those were broken into three distinct chunks of sleep, and only about 3 hours happened while it was dark outside.


Every city needs Mrs. Johnson's. If you are in dire need of a sugar fix at a late hour, Austin is the place to be. Around midnight last Saturday, I hit the Mrs. Johnson's drive through for two dozen mixed, and the fellow working the window gave me not one, but two doughnuts fresh out of the glaze. The apple fritter was too hot to hold! Yum.


It is terrifying and cathartic to create something beautiful just so it can be destroyed. Last Saturday/Sunday (are you sensing a theme?) I spent several hours with the crew of september play creating a massive paper mural out of 100,000+ 1"x1" squares of paper. It was a labor of love as part of a piece created to explore the questions, feelings and memories surrounding the attacks of September 11, 2001. The mural was completed after many many hours, by many many people, and the end results were stunning. It greeted the audience members coming to see september play on Sunday evening and was promptly destroyed by two leaf-blower wielding men at the beginning of the play.



A time lapse video was shot during the creation of the mural, which I will post here if I can get my hands on it, but in the meantime, enjoy a few of the photos I snapped of the finished piece...

Pints of Pickled Peppers

I wish you could actually pick pickled peppers, but you can't, so Tuesday I spent my evening making my own. I relieved our two pepper plants of their enormous bounty and set about preserving their spicy goodness for colder months.

The Harvest

The pepper are a mix of baby jalapenos and Big Jims.  For whatever reason, our peppers haven't grown to their normal size. Our jalapenos are only hitting about 1-2", while the Big Jims are hitting only 3-4". Big Jims, an Anaheim-style chile often used in Chile Rellenos, often grow to be 7-9". But despite their somewhat diminutive size, both peppers have nice flavor. The jalapenos have a traditionally spicy kick, and the Jims are more on the mild side, with just a hint of heat. I used a simple brine of cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pickling spice.

The Results

Close-up

I think the finished product is really beautiful, and they were incredibly easy to make (the hardest part was waiting for my 4-gallon canner to boil.) And I am already dreaming of ways to use them. I will, of course, use them to top quesadillas or burritos (and in my scrambled eggs), but I am also devising a plan to use them in a queso recipe. I think the acidity that the pickling process adds to the chiles will pair nicely with the rich cheesiness of queso dip.

Oh, and homer was running around the yard when I was shooting the peppers last night, and he was really curious about what I was doing (and also why wasn't I throwing his frisbee).  I just couldn't resist this shot...

Make 'em eat sh*t!

Have you heard? Tom and I decided to splurge and buy season tickets to UT football. We figured Tom is only a student for one more year (hopefully!) and the student tickets are by far the least expensive option to see football here at UT. In the words of Tim Riggins, we just could not pass up this opportunity to "make some memories."

So! When college football kicked off this past weekend in Austin, Tom and I were right there with the other graduate student season ticket holders cheering on the Longhorns. Proof:

We're sweaty.

And the team totally kicked ass. They had their fair share of young team/new season mistakes, but they looked solid, scoring 4 touchdowns (including a pretty fantastic reverse flea flicker). The defense looked pretty good too, keeping Rice to just 3 field goals. I don't know. Rice isn't the toughest team we will face by a long shot. But the team looks really good, especially considering how we looked at the end of last season.

I also want to take a moment to mention the insane amount of tradition that Longhorn football is steeped in.  There is the fight song, the shocking amount of burnt orange, the odd little crowd chants (including this post's colorful title) and of course, the hook 'em hand sign \m/. There is Smokey, the banging of Big Bertha and the changing of the color of the Tower, and of course our revered mascot Bevo. Oh, and did I mention our cheerleaders sometimes wear chaps? And the band members often wear fringed pearl snaps and cowboy hats?  It is all just really excellent. And it makes for such a great time.

I will leave you with the lyrics to The Eyes of Texas, UT's fight song and all around creepiest song you will probably ever hear. It's less "we've got your back" and more like a hostile version of Sting's I'll Be Watching You.

The Eyes of Texas are upon you, 
All the live long day. 
The Eyes of Texas are upon you, 
You can not get away. 
Do not think you can escape them 
At night or early in the morn- 
The Eyes of Texas are upon you 
'Till Gabriel blows his horn.

Making Lemonade When All I Really Want is a Spiced Pumpkin Latte

Maybe it is the fact that school has started, or the fact that so many people are commenting on the changing seasons. Maybe it is because we booked our plane tickets for Thanksgiving this week. For whatever reason, I am getting fall fever in a major way. Which is a shame because Austin really doesn't get fall. At least not in any traditional sense that this Midwestern girl will be satisfied with.

Fall is my favorite season. I love to bake and drink hot drinks. I love wearing blue jeans and sweaters. Boots and scarves are my favorite accessories.  It turns out, I live in a climate that prevents me from enjoying many of my favorite things until the holiday season is practically gone. It's sad.

I was looking through my Facebook pictures the other day and saw this:

Isn't he the cutest thing?!

That is a photo of my husband OUTSIDE in a t-shirt and sunglasses. I took this photo with my cell phone and uploaded it immediately to Facebook last year on December 11, 2010.

Given that and the fact that we haven't had a day that didn't hit triple digits in nearly three months, and I am starting to feel a little anxious. I want to crunch leaves as I walk down the sidewalk. I want to need to grab a sweater before heading out the door in the evenings to play with my dog. I want to bake a damn batch of cookies, or a pie, without forcing my AC into overdrive.

But, things are good here in Austin. Work is settling down, and I am settling in. I am volunteering with an awesome theatre group. I am nearing my one year anniversary being married to that guy above. Our dog is the sweetest creature on earth. I have a new niece who is the most beautiful thing. One of my bestest friends from college recently moved to Round Rock. I can eat at Torchy's anytime I want. I am on new medication that has changed my life. Yeah, so I am making lemonade out of this decidedly lemony climate.

And it does help to have a cute pair of shoes to take the place of my beloved boots. I will be making due just fine with my brand new, perfectly autumnal (and perfect for this climate) Gilded Herringbone Classic TOMS.

Isn't it the cutest thing?

Conspiring

I know it's been forever, and I have lots of stuff I want to say about my recent trip to DC, followed by my trip to meet Clara and hang with my twin nephews, but the truth is that I am having a hard time catching up. But I did want to take a moment to tell you all about Conspire Theatre, the awesome theatre company I have been volunteering for. Conspire works with incarcerated and marginalized women in Travis County to offer healing and empowerment through theatre and writing.

It is no secret to anyone that I have not been feeling exactly fulfilled at my day job, in fact, I have just come through a rather rough patch there. I had been thinking for a while that it might be good to just go out and find a place to work with on a volunteer basis, to help fill in what I feel is lacking at my current job. In a stroke of amazing timing, a friend from Theatre & Dance here at UT emailed me to see if I would be willing to sit down and talk with Conspire's founder about fundraising.  It seemed like a great fit, so I jumped at the opportunity.

It's probably not even been two months since that first meeting, but in that time the group has started strategic planning, and I am helping them along. It's a great group of people, and the work they are doing is really important. Theses ladies are changing people's lives. It is a wonderful thing.

And... we are in the middle of a fundraising campaign! The next big project for the company is to bring a class to the Maximum Security inmates at the Travis County Jail. We are also looking to incorporate as a 501 (C) 3 sometime soon. Oh, and there will soon be monthly workshops outside the jail for our program alums who have been released, as well as others in the community curious about our process. It all costs money, so...

... if you like me make a gift! Or if you like the idea of what Conspire is doing, make a gift! Or if you just realize that giving $10 to this company will do more good than buying two lattes this week, please click the little widget above and MAKE A GIFT! We are just $180 away from meeting our goal, and if we raise more, it will just give us greater opportunities to grow the company, reach more women, and just plain do more good. There's only 9 days left in the campaign. Do it. Click the widget. Make a gift!

Introducing Clara Jayne

It was almost exactly 8 months ago to the day that Tom and I were awoken by a phone call, or three actually. It was Thanksgiving morning, and fairly early. Being that we ourselves are childless, and knowing we had a long day of cooking (and eating) ahead we had actually planned to sleep in on that national holiday. Silly us.

The first call was before 8am. It was from my parent's phone, and I figured they just were excited to say Happy Thanksgiving. So I ignored the call. No message was left.

Call two comes in about a half hour later, this one from my dad's cell phone. Of course, enough time had elapsed that I had successfully fallen back asleep. In my early morning sleepiness, I miss the call, and say to Tom, "It must not be THAT important if they aren't leaving a message."But at this point, it is hopeless. The dog is up, Tom is up, and it's looking inevitably like we will just have to give in and start the day. I had three pies to make anyhow.

We had begun planning out what to tackle first in terms of cooking the feast when the third call came in, not 10 minutes after the second. This one from my brother's cell phone. And this time I answer. We wish each other a happy Thanksgiving and I (probably somewhat grumpily) explain to my little brother that not all of us have 5 month old twins, so SOME of us like to sleep in on the holidays and what the heck is the deal? What is so important that you had to call three times before 9am. Andy demurs and proceeds to chit chat with me for a few minutes. The he tells me he did actually have one important question he wanted to ask me, how do I feel about being an aunt again?

Of course, I would love to be an aunt again, and that is exactly what happened last night. As I said, almost exactly 8 months since I was awoken early on Thanksgiving morning, we were fortunate to welcome sweet Clara Jayne to the world. Clara weighs 7lb 7oz, and my mother swears that her hair shows signs of curl.

Angel Baby Muffin

And while Miss Clara lives a full 10 hours away from me, I just happen to have a trip planned to meet her in exactly two weeks. Needless to say, I cannot wait! Not to mention the fact that I will also get to visit with her two adorable twin brothers.

What I Learned (v7)

Hi friends! Life has been a bit hectic in the past few, and so I am playing catch up on the whole blog thing. Below you will find a slightly condensed version of What I Learned that covers some of the highlights of the past 2 weeks...

Out of town visitors are excellent! Tom's mom, Nancy, visited us a few weeks back, and we played tourists the whole time. We went to the LBJ Presidential Library, saw a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse and ate BBQ.  Nancy also had the chance to meet Homer for the first time (of course, she loved him!) It was so nice to have family around for a bit. And if I haven't mentioned it already, I truly have the best mother-in-law on earth. She is awesome.

Homer is a water dog... sort of. For the past 3 weekends, I have made a point to take Homer swimming.  This not only ensures we can stay outside playing for longer than 15 minutes (incase you haven't heard, it's hot out there!) but I also feel like it is good to build his confidence around water.  He does alright. He is scared to go into water that is deeper than he can stand in, but the longer we are playing, the more confident he gets. It helps that he loves nothing more than playing fetch, and a tennis ball thrown just out of reach is the perfect incentive to swim out into the deeper water.

Jennifer Holliday is a goddess. I have been stuck at home alone for many nights this summer while Tom has been traveling across the country for different writing opportunities. Thankfully, Netflix has the entire series of Ally McBeal on instant streaming. I know it is kind of embarrassing, but it's the perfect show to watch while he is gone. He has no interest in watching it with me, and it is so light and fluffy, that it can erase virtually all vestiges of a bad day at work. Plus, Jennifer Holliday has a guest starring/singing role in about a half dozen episodes in the early seasons.  I had watched Ally when it was on network TV, but at that time, had no idea who Jennifer Holliday was. This time around, I know and respect the power of "And I am Telling You I am Not Going." It makes watching the JH featured episodes that much more enjoyable.  PS- if you haven't heard Ms. Holliday sing the aforementioned song, do yourself a favor and listen here.

It's good to have friends. I mentioned in the last WIL that one of my good friends from DePaul now lives in the area. I knew it would be great to have her around, but I think I underestimated just how much I miss my friends.  I have met and had fun with plenty of wonderful people here in Austin, and I count many of them as friends, but it takes time to get to a place of real comfort with any new friendship. For the past 2 years, Tom has been the only person here who could fill that role. I am so grateful to have Erica here now. Our friendship is easy. We have met (and love) each other's families. We know each others (sometimes embarrassing) past dating exploits. We have a past! It's just so nice to have her here.

DC, Here I Come!

In less than two weeks I board a plane to Washington, DC, and I CANNOT WAIT!! You see, my brilliant playwright husband has had a play accepted to the Kennedy Center/National New Play Network's annual MFA Playwrights Workshop, and I have decided to take advantage of the free hotel room to spend a few days exploring our capital.  Oh, and I want to see Tom's workshop too!

I will be in the District for 4 days, and will have a lot of time to myself as Tom does his artist thing at the Kennedy. I have already received lots of advice on what to do while in DC from locals, but am still looking for more great ideas.  Anyone have a favorite landmark, restaurant or museum that I just can't miss? Please leave your suggestions below. (Comments about how amazing Tom is are also welcome)

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Farewell

Two years ago when I moved to Texas, Friday Night Lights was just a blip on my pop-culture radar. I had never seen an episode, and while I actually really enjoy watching sports, I couldn't imagine getting hooked on a TV series whose main objective was to examine high school football in a small Texas town. But once we got to Austin, it seemed like everyone was watching and LOVING this show. So we went ahead and gave it a try. And you know what? It turns out the show isn't really about football at all. Oh, and it is also excellent.

We watched the previous four seasons quickly enough to catch up and watch season 5 as it has aired this summer. Tomorrow night NBC will show the series finale, and I have to admit, I am feeling a little sad. The show, as I mentioned above, really is about so much more than just football (although no one can doubt the show makes a strong case that football is the glue that holds together most small Texas towns).  What I really love about this show is that it is an honest and compelling portrayal of the working class in America. I also really love the Taylors. The marriage between Coach and Tami, which is really the central aspect of the show, is honest, loving and sweet.

And I will admit that there really is something special about watching it while living in Austin. There is a Mack Brown reference in the pilot episode that I can guarantee you would have been lost on me had I not already experienced my first UT football season. It's also fun to roll my eyes at how silly the show's earnest love of Texas is, because that is just such a real depiction of how people feel here. It is actually kind of hard to not buy into the whole romantic "Texas Forever" thing, especially if you have Tami Taylor as a role model.

So if you haven't seen it, watch it! And then when you come to visit me in Austin, we can take a FNL tour around the city, playing mini-golf at Peter Pan, drinking milk shakes in the parking lot of Frans, and learning to two step at the Broken Spoke.

It's Very Domestic Around Here...

Many of you will recall my jubilant posts from around this time last year when Tom and I found the Mint House. We were giddy with anticipation of a yard for homer, a guest room and lack of loud neighbors sharing walls or ceilings with us. We have also found that our little urban spread has provided us plenty of space to indulge the dormant "Little House on the Prairie" aspects of our personalities. For instance, we have been...

Gardening. I know this isn't news to most of you, but the garden plays a central role in our lives now. We must water it daily due to the lack of rain fall and scorching triple digit heat that has beset the region. There is also the weeding, the trellising and staking. But all that work is so worth it. We picked 3 eggplants last week, several handfuls of green beans and our first watermelon! Nothing is better than celebrating Independence Day with a watermelon from your own garden.

Composting. Tom and I fill our one-gallon counter top compost bin, and that gets dumped into our large composter outside on a weekly basis. Not only do we prevent a good deal of our food scraps from going into the landfill, but the amazing soil we produce goes straight back into the garden to feed our plants.

Canning and Preserving. The lack of rain, and amount of time and energy we spend on the garden has inspired us to try and make sure none of goods coming out of the garden go to waste.  While Tom is charged with making pesto and preserving our herbs, I have been canning nearly every weekend. The summer preserving started with a batch of spiced beets (which are so amazing on a salad with goat cheese that we are planning a special winter crop of beets so I can put up more jars.) I have also been trying my hand at pickling, with some escabeche-style spicy carrots and a batch of garlic dill cucumber pickles. Last weekend, with several pounds of ripe figs on the trees in our front yard, I took some time to cook up some fig, port and rosemary jam. The rosemary was also from the garden, of course. It tasted amazing, and is going to make a yummy addition to a future cheese tray. I think I will be doing some balsamic pickled figs in the weeks to come, and am contemplating pickled watermelon rind.

Cheese Making. Okay, we haven't actually done this yet, but last week I purchased the book Home Cheese Making, along with a starter cheese making kit. I am going to start with a basic mozzarella soon, but am hoping to experiment with other cheeses as I gain my confidence. You all wouldn't believe how easy cheese making actually is... at least that is what I am telling myself.

What I Learned (v6)

1. I dont hate Austin anymore! Last weekend Tom and I had some friends over that we hadn't seen in a while. They are from Chicago, and have just finished up their first year in Austin. Although not miserable, they are pretty clearly unhappy here. I couldn't disagree with anything they said (in fact, I agreed with A LOT of what they said), but I also couldn't help but see just how far I have come since this time last year when I was so miserable. It helped realize that I have grown to kind of like this city. I hope they find our commiseration comforting, and I hope they will find their second year here to be a vast improvement over their first, as I did.

2. I get no respect. Some serious shit went down at work this week, including the laying off of a colleague and friend. It brought my situation here into sharp focus for me. While I know my job is safe at least for the next academic year, I also realized that it is time to give up the fight. I have struggled daily with the fact that this job doesn't fulfill me. It doesn't utilize my experience, it doesn't really grown me professionally, and it has become increasingly clear that the institution itself neither understands nor respects what it is fundraisers do. This is the first time I can remember that school or work hasn't been an important and fulfilling aspect of my life. While I do find some elements of growth and fulfillment this in the larger development community at UT, I am accepting the fact that this job will never be what it could be, but also that this is fine for now. All the shit hitting the fan has helped me do what I have been trying to do for months now, which is to just let go, and stop trying so hard. I do have reservations when I imagine how much good I might do if I kept trying, but without support from above, the struggle really is futile. I see that now, and it is liberating.

3. The appeal of Mr. Darcy is very real. Tom is out of town this week, living the life of an artist at The Orchard Project in the Catskills. While he is away, I have taken the opportunity to finally watch the much lauded BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries. I read the book last fall, and it immediately grabbed a top spot as one of my absolute favorite reads of all time. So far, the miniseries is really living up to expectations. Colin Firth really is the perfect Darcy. Indeed, I think his portrayal may be even better than the written character. My only gripe is with the casting choice of Susannah Harker as the oldest sister in the Bennet family, Jane. She is supposed to be the most beautiful of the five sisters, and this is repeatedly stated outright. While the actress may be a perfectly lovely looking lady, she does not suit the period costumes or hair styles at all. She looks quite mannish actually. And anytime her mother or neighbors comment on her uncommon beauty, I find myself taken out of the story entirely, and even giggling sometimes.  Have any of you seen it? Did you have the same reaction?

4. Dog buddies are awesome. One of my very dear friends from DePaul has moved to the Austin area with her husband, who has recently been stationed at nearby Ft. Hood. Along with her very agreeable husband, she has also brought her adorable puggle, Wrigley. Homer and Wrigley seem to like each other quite a bit, which is a good thing since Wrigley is staying with us for the next few days while his parents attend a wedding in Wisconsin. Is it wrong that I am secretly hoping this visit will help me lay the opening arguments to Tom for a doggie sibling for Homer?

Never has a three-day weekend been so acutely needed than this one. Work has been pretty hellish this week and I really need to put it behind me for a few days. Oh and Tom comes home tonight. Awesome!

Alinea Part Three: Sweets and What I Learned (v5)

Did you catch Part One: Lighter Beginnings, and Part Two: Meat and Truffles?

At this point in the meal, we are satisfied, and pretty full (though not in pain). But don't worry, four dessert courses ought to fix that...

COURSE 15: Snow

We are told by our waitstaff that the metal top portion of this cone is dipped in liquid nitrogen, then an atomizer is used to spritz yuzu juice onto it, creating flavored snow. The we diners just need to use our spoon to scoop it off, almost like an upscale snow cone. It is very cold, tart and sweet, and is very pure yuzu flavor. It is the perfect savory to sweet transition, as it works brilliantly to cleanse the palate.

COURSE 16: Sweet Potato

This course definitely goes on my top favorites list, and was my favorite dessert dish when considered solely based on taste (you will understand what this means after you read about #18.) It is basically these dollops of what I would call sweet potato pudding, with some sort of graham cracker-like brown sugar crumble, and that little white cloud is cayenne flavored cotton candy. There are also these self-contained little bubbles of bourbon. Oh, and the whole thing is set upon a cedar plank that was very recently on fire. Oh my word. It was beyond description. The sweet potato flavor mixed with the slightly spicy-sweet cotton candy... and the smell of the cedar... and then the little bourbon bubble explodes in your mouth. The fact that I will never eat this again brings on a heavy sense of enui. 

COURSE 17: Lemongrass

This little clear tube is filled with liquid (comprised mainly of lemongrass, cucumber and finger lime) which is held in on one side by a plug of dragon fruit, and on the other by a lime gel. We are asked to inhale from one end of the tube to draw the contents into our mouths. I do this, and nearly have the contents explode from my mouth, not unlike a bourbon bubble or black truffle ravioli.  I am not prepared for the amount of pressure it takes to free the lime gel, and I think the contents of the tube are just a little more voluminous than my mouth can comfortably handle. I am pretty sure I look like an inflated blowfish for 15 seconds, as I chew furiously and try to keep my lips clamped as tightly shut as possible. It is another clean, bright flavor combo, perfect to sandwich between two rich desserts. Very delicious. Very nearly embarrassing.

COURSE 18: Chocolate

It all started with a waiter asking Tom to move to the banquette next to me (a better vantage point for us to watch the show, he said). Then he laid out a silicone mat that covered the entire table. Several little dishes filled with unknown delights were set at the edge and then we waited. I have been reading in recent months about how the final course of the Alinea tour menu is plated by a chef from the kitchen, directly on your table. This knowledge in no way prepares me for the moment Grant Achatz is standing in front of us, asking us about our night, and describing, in detail, the food he is laying out on our table. It is haute cuisine meets modern art meets performance art and I am a huge fan. 

The first thing chef Achatz does is lay out two clear, open ended tubes that are about 2" in diameter. He proceeds to pour a creamy looking liquid in, and diverts our attention by laying out the other components. He applies the saucy border to our table top masterpiece, consisting of a blueberry puree, a lightly whipped cream sweetened with Wisconsin honey, and a milk chocolate sauce. Tom and I are delighted that the chocolate is the exact consistency to where it forms into squares when applied. The chef then pours out some piles of chocolate and peanut dust. Then come the little squares of peanut nougat. Then whole blueberries which he tells us have been pickled in red wine. Next, a smoking plate is brought in, which Grant tells us is chocolate mouse frozen in liquid nitrogen. It is the size of a large brick, and he places it in the and proceeds to break it apart with something.. a small hammer maybe? He tops this large pile with a sprinkling of green a purple basil leaves. And just when we had forgotten all about them, he removes the clear tubes, whose liquid interior has magically set up into creme brulee. A torch appears, and after a quick sprinkle of sugar, he caramelizes the top of the custard.  

I want to rave about the meal, but the chef comes across as impossibly shy, and I think to myself that I don't want to make him uncomfortable. He gives a little bow before departing and we thank him enthusiastically for blowing our minds.

The course is simply delicious. The sauces are sweet and rick, the mouse is so light despite being frozen. Basil plus chocolate is delightful, more so when you add blueberries.  The peanut nougat is chewy and also somehow soft.  We quickly turn the beautiful plating in to a muddled mess, and I will admit to having run my finger through the leftovers that my spoon just couldn't pick up (after all, I am eating off the table!)

We are stuffed to the gills and in something of a food trance. We easily, happily, let go of nearly a month's rent when the bill comes, leaving our service team of at least a half dozen the largest tip I have ever conceived. We slowly wander back downstairs where the maitre'd remembers we took a cab and has already sent a porter out to hail one for us. In the mean time, we are invited to stand at the glass wall of the kitchen to watch the goings on. It is quiet, methodical and beautiful. Much like our meal.

It was an enlightening and entertaining evening, and to round things out, a special Alina edition of What I Learned:
1. I probably wouldn't go back.  The food, service and wine are all impeccable, but it is a significant investment of funds, and besides, I have my eye set on other culinary destinations (The French Laundry, Next, Per Se, Le Bernadin, The Fat Duck...
2. Texture is king. Texture is immensely important to me when it comes to judging the success of a dish. It can make or break a dish. And Temperature can, and probably will, delight me.
3. I want foie. I love truffles, but if I am going to pay so very much for a high end meal, I wish the chef would include a little fatted liver. I honestly missed it.
4. There is always room for dessert. And on a related note, I think people who say they leave this restaurant still hungry are full of shit. 

Alinea Part Two: Meat and Truffles

Did you catch Part One: Lighter Beginnings?

We are getting into heartier territory with the next seven courses. I estimate Tom and I have already been eating for about 2 hours at this point...

COURSE 8: Wild Mushrooms

The service team sets down our plates and I immediately get all squirmy and start saying "Morels, Tom! Look, morels. There are morels!" Before I even taste it, I have an inkling that this dish will join Scallop and English Pea Pt. 1 on my top dishes list: it smells divine. And the taste of the food does not disappoint. The morel flavor is outstanding, and they are joined on the dish by more pretty little woodland mushrooms. The paired flavors include ramps and red wine. This makes perfect sense for the earthy and savory mushrooms on the plate.  Both lend their own savory quality, while also adding a bit of sweetness and acidity to brighten the dish. Also an inspiring choice, are notes of sumac and pine. The whole thing takes me right back to mushroom hunting in the woods of Missouri when I was a kid (where I grew up not realizing that the grocery bags full of morels that we would routinely find each spring would have fetched several hundreds of dollars in the morel bereft parts of the country.)

COURSE 9: Hot Potato Cold Potato

Fuck yeah! I have been dreaming of this dish for years. It's an Achatz signature, and has been one of the few permanent members of his menu for a long while. It also happens to be featured in the Alinea cookbook, which I received for Christmas a few years back. Anyone want to come over some time and try our hand at this dish? Oh, you want to know how it tasted? Okay, the little wax bowl is filled with a cool potato soup. Skewered onto that metal pin are an impressive slice of black truffle, an orb of hot potato, a little chive, a small cube of butter and a bit of parmesean cheese. You pull the pin, which releases the garnishes into the little bowl, and shoot it back. It's so good. No surprise that potato, butter, truffle and cheese would be a divine pairing, but what is really lovely about this dish is the temperature difference between the soup and the orb. I know that is the point, and they nail it. The orb is piping hot on your tongue, and mingles with the cool soup and it is just wonderful. Super YUM.

COURSE 10: Short Rib

Those red, flag like things (which arrived to our table around the time the English Pea was dropped off, and can be also seen in the Hamachi photo) became the wrapper for this next dish. This serving piece was the most intricate of all we saw during our meal, and I think four separate waiters were required (two for each of us). The frosted glass covers the wood base. When a waiter removes the glass, they reveal these two metal supports which we, the diners, had to put together. When connected, the two supports form a little platform system that a waiter then places the tomato pasta flag on top of. Another waiter comes to serve a portion of slow-cooked short rib onto the pasta. Main waiter then tells us to build our own...what, burrito? Cannelloni? with the available garnishes above. Then wrap it up, and eat it with our hands. I am game. So we have tobacco gelee (on the spoon), tomato vinaigrette, nicoise olives, fermented garlic, dried cherries, a fresh black berry, smoked salt and one or two other things I cannot remember. Suffice it to say I used everything except a bit of the tomato vinaigrette and some of the smoked salt. This was lovely. It has been a very long time since I have eaten any red meat, but I opted to do so for this experience, because I see Grant Achatz as an artist, and I wanted to have the full experience he was offering to his guests. Anyhow, it was amazing. The pasta was delicate, the short rib was rich and so tender, the tomato vinaigrette was fresh and bright and very tomatoey, the tobacco gelee a revelation of smooth and woody notes, and the fermented garlic bitter and savory. Olives to add a punch of saltiness, and the fruit add their own sweet counter point to all the goodness. We eat, with gusto, from our own hands, and are then served warm hand towels like we are on a flight to Europe. Very classy.

COURSE 11: Black Truffle Explosion

This, with the potato, is the other signature dish that chef Achatz seems to keep on the menu pretty much permanently. It's another classic from the cook book, but this is a dish I have known about for far longer, as the chef was already making waves with it way back when he was cooking at Trio as early as 2001. But I digress. It is a ravioli, in which the chef has somehow managed to contain a hot liquified truffle essence. On top, you will notice a small garnish of romaine lettuce and parmesan cheese. Oh, and more truffle, in case the inside isn't indulgently truffley for you.  I take my bite and instantly want a plate of 6 of these. The ravioli explodes in your mouth when you bite down, and you can no longer see or hear, all you perceive is truffles. It permeates your senses with its deliciousness.

COURSE 12: Agneau (Fr. for lamb)

Those of you who are foodies may know that Grant Achatz has recently opened a new restaurant called Next, which for the next four months will focus solely on the cuisine of famed French culinary pioneer Escoffier. This dish is the one on our tour menu at Alinea that nods to this style of cooking that chef Achatz has recently been exploring. Our venture into Paris 1906 was quite memorable. The plate features roasted lamb atop a little brioche crouton. This is topped with "sauce choron" which is apparently bearnaise. The plate also had those little pomme de terre noisette which are apparently just potato which have been scooped out into little balls. The dish was quite good, and although I am not by any means a meat expert, for my taste the lamb was cooked really well. The texture was nice, not too chewy, but it was quite rare. There was also jus on the plate, and some extra blobs of the choron, in case you like it saucy, which I do. The dish was highlighted with antique service ware. It was a beautiful presentation, and delicious.

COURSE 13: Venison

This is the point at which I am starting to hit food fatigue. We are closing in on three hours of dining at this point, and while not full, I am feeling pretty sated. This may explain why this dish was just okay for me. I love the idea of pairing meat with something sweet, and in this dish, you have a piece of venison with cherry and cocoa nib.  The little piece of meat is nestled below a bed of eucalyptus leaves.  Chef Achatz loves to play with scent, obviously, and the eucalyptus does match the other flavors nicely. Flavor-wise, I am digging it, but I end up feeling like the venison is sort of mealy in texture.

COURSE 14: Octopus

When the waiter says octopus, I get nervous, as I have never traditionally liked octopus. Turns out this is mostly because other restaurants can't surpass the texture hurdle. The last time I ate it, I chewed for several minutes before giving up and just swallowing the bit. This is not our experience. The octopus itself has a... bouncy... texture, but it is easily chewed and tastes nice with the eggplant and redwine flavors the chef has paired with it.  Dish Fun Fact #1: the bowl it is served in is rounded at the bottom so you can't set it on the table. And if you wanted to try, you cant, because the fork throws off the balance. Dish Fun Fact #2: Our friend Pat ate at Alinea exactly a week before us, and instead of serving this dish at the end of the heartier, more savory dishes, he got his between the razor clam and short rib dishes.

And with that, my friends, we end the salty, earthy, savory and hearty portion of our meal. Follow me to Part Three: Sweets

Alinea Part One: Lighter Beginnings

As promised, I am writing today to try and convey to you, my dear dozens, what exactly went down on June 8 at Alinea.  In line with my expectations, it was without a doubt the most entertaining, surprising and expensive meals of my life.

I should note before we really begin that neither Tom nor I took any notes or photos while dining. It was a conscious decision we both made, opting instead to just enjoy the damn meal and concentrate on every bite. Hence, none of these photos below are mine. I took them all from the public sharing section of Picasa. Thanks to Pat King for finding many of them first!

To set the scene a bit: Tom and I had reserved a room downtown at the Knickerbocker for our last evening in Chicago. We checked in early, hung around lazily that afternoon getting hungry and excited, and then got ourselves all dressed up. We hailed a cab who took us the short way to this mysterious black brick building, unmarked but for the valet parking sign that sometimes adorns the sidewalk. We are greeted like celebrities, and seated immediately, despite arriving 15 minutes early.

COURSE 1: Steelhead Roe

The base is this tart and creamy grapefruit and rutabaga soup, with the roe scattered through it. Those little white things that look like scallops were actually these pillows of dijon mustard flavored custard. The textures were amazing, and the flavors were unlike anything I have ever had. Bright citrus, earthy mustard and the little pops of salty fish eggs. Our spoons scraped the bottom, and I had to restrain myself from sticking my finger in the bowl to get the last bits (not knowing that soon, all such reservations would be gone). It was a bold opener. Game on!

COURSE 2: Yuba

Tom and I are calling this the most amazing bar snack ever.  The dish is about 8-10 inches long, and stands straight up with a little help from the savory sauce below it, in a pretty ceramic dish. What you are actually looking at is a crispy yuba stick (yuba is the skin that forms when you make tofu) wrapped in shrimp that are coated in black and white sesame seeds. You just grab the stick and eat, re-dipping into the dish of sauce frequently. Miso and togarashi were also main components of this dish. It was a little salty, and very forwardly umami/savory. And again, the textures were so amazing. The shrimp, of course, were perfectly cooked. Give me a dozen more, and a cold pint and I'm good!

COURSE 3: Oyster Leaf

This was one of those moments where we were amused, and perhaps a little perplexed. The serving team sets courses 3-5 in front of us at the same time, and again, no silverware. They were a beautiful and striking trio of dishes. We take the Oyster Leaf first, which appears to be a single piece of baby spinach toped with traditional mignonette (you know: shallots, salt, citrus, etc), served in an oyster shell. Not impressive Achatz. Something must be up, and our server soon fills us in: There is a plant called oysterleaf, and of course, this uncommon beauty grows only on the wild cliffs of Scotland, where they bask in the salty sea air. Also, when you eat it, you will notice a pronounced fresh oyster flavor. I have been to New Orleans four times in my life, and on each occasion have eaten no fewer than a dozen fresh, raw oysters (not to mention the countless other dozens that were barbecued, baked, etc). So, not expecting much, I shoot it back. Shut my mouth. It does, indeed, taste like fresh oysters. But I am missing the creaminess and strongly oceany taste of the real thing. I also cannot get over the texture (a common problem when eating oysters I am told, though I have never experienced it until this point.) Despite the prevalence of foams, liquid nitrogen and other tricks throughout the meal this seems like the most gimmicky, and least satisfying dish of the night. 

COURSE 4: Scallop

Before I start, I want to say this is one of my favorite dishes of the night. It is one of the more simple preparations (after all, that is just a perfectly cooked sea scallop, served in a sea scallop shell) but the flavors were so ingenious that I fell in love. And, if my dear bestie Camilla had been dining with us, I have no doubt this preparation may have awoken a few distant food memories for her. Okay, so the food is simply a slightly cooked sweet sea scallop with a hitachino weizen foam (this is a wheat beer) and Old Bay infused oil. But oh my god is it good. 

COURSE 5: Razor Clam

I can't find a picture of it opened, but inside here you will find (grilled?) razor clams, with carrot, soy and daikon. It's a great combination. The sauce that coats the whole mixture reminds me, in the best way, of Eel Sauce. The clams are just the right amount of chewy, and it's fun to watch your partner use their finger to slide the contents down their waiting gullet. Yes, we are at the restaurant recently named the best on the continent. Yes, we are eating with our fingers... a lot.

COURSE 6: English Pea

This is considered a single course by the kitchen, but is made of three distinct dishes/experiences. They set a spherical, multi-level white ceramic dish in front of us which contains a different dish in each level.  Let's call it an exploration of temperature. 

I don't particularly love peas, but the first dish will prove to be my favorite of the trip, and will put me in a good mindset to experience the rest. It is a warm pea puree, with pea tendrils and pea vinaigrette. I am wondering to myself how in the heck they got fresh pea shoots so late in the season, when I remember that while pea season may be long gone in Austin, it is still spring in the Midwest. The puree is so nicely salty, it balances the pronounced sweetness of the peas. The tendrils are delicate and crunchy, and it is just a satisfying and savory few bites. The flavors are really pleasing. Bring on more peas! 

Or maybe not. This is my least favorite dish of the entire evening. This course is served room temperature, and it contains a crazy and beautiful mess of stuff inside, including freeze dried peas, chamomile gelee, something I would call a pea cracker (I am guessing dehydrated pea puree) there are also some dried pea leaves maybe? And something that probably began as greek yogurt. Guys, it tasted so gross to me. The freeze dried peas are so sweet as to taste like candy, which just doesn't work for my palate in conjunction with the other flavors here. Everything else was fine as far as flavors go, but I couldn't get passed those sugary peas. We all have different palates, so I wont argue that this is probably a delicious taste for some, but for me... yuck. 

Pea redemption is a dish best served very cold. Here we have pea soup which is frozen to the walls of the vessel, so it becomes sorbet-like in texture. It is topped with frozen crumbles of greek yogurt and a little apple something to round out the flavors. This dish is quite yummy. It's a nice exploration of the sweeter side of peas, without going so far into candy land as with the middle dish. And the fact that it is served ice cold is so genius. The temperature really compliments the clean and crisp flavors of this dish. Also cool how it all becomes liquid shortly after hitting your mouth.

We end up 2 out of 3 for the pea exploration, so good on you, Grant. 

COURSE 7: Hamachi

The service team sets these funny little service vessels in front of us which hold some manner of fried puff that has been skewered with a warm vanilla bean. We are told it is hamachi with banana and ginger. The fish itself is very mild and buttery, and the tropical flavors paired with it are perfection. The bite itself has been lightly fried, so obviously that is yummy. The smell of the warm vanilla bean while you take your bite makes the whole thing seem very indulgent. This course was most definitely a hit. Who wouldn't love food that is served on your very own vanilla bean pod? Maybe we will put this (along with the yuba dish) on our bar menu. 

With the introduction of these rich flavors, I can tell we are moving into heartier territory. Jump to Alinea Part Two to learn about the portion of the meal I like to call Meat and Truffles. 

What I Learned (v4)

This week is a special two-week wrap up of what I have learned...


Chicago is as awesome as I remember! The food, the public transportation, the cultural opportunities, and most importantly my friends and family are all what keep my love affair with Chicago holding strong.

But the parking and traffic still suck. It's not all wonderful. There are so many cars in the city, parking is tough in most places, and almost no one has a driveway. How on earth did I get groceries and Ikea furniture back to my apartment for 10 years?! It made me appreciate how easy it is to drive in Austin.

Grant Achatz is a culinary genius, but I am not sure I would go back (gasp!) The Alinea experience was so unique, and Tom and I are still talking about how entertaining, and how fun the meal was. It is true there were many new textures and treatments of food that blew my mind. Ultimately, however, none of the food was so exceedingly tasty that I would blow such a huge wad of cash to do it all again. I'd rather fly to New York for a long weekend, or update my wardrobe for the season ahead. But I will pay any asking price to get a place of those black truffle explosion raviolis.

Celebrating with family is priceless.  This is something I kind of already know, but celebrating two wedding and a birthday party are excellent reminders of how much I love my families, and how luck Tom and I are.

Work sucks. It's true! At least when you compare it to vacation. But coming back, I also remembered that it's really nice to be employed, so you can afford to pay your bills and buy groceries (and go on more trips.)

I never want to have an enterography CT scan ever again.  It turns out that little pill isn't quite working how it is supposed to. So, the doctor ordered a scan and my stomach hasn't been the same since the scan prep. I heard back today that the CT showed no abnormalities. This sort of brings me back to square one. I am hoping the doc has a few other ideas...

There's no place like Home(r). I missed that guy so much. And my bed. I missed my bed.

Home Safely

Hello Friends! This is just a quick post to ensure you all we are back safely in the sweaty embrace of Austin. It's basically hotter than I ever thought it could be in June anywhere, and we are breaking new records every day. There is no point in even watching the weather- every seven day outlook that I have caught this week forecast triple digits as far they can see, with no rain predicted. It's great for the tomatoes and melons, but murder on our electric and water bills.

The brutal weather is just one more reason to look back fondly on our great trip to Chicago and St Louis last week! I intend to write a blow-by-blow review of our Alinea experience this weekend, but in the mean time, let me just say that the trip was an embarrassment of great food, amazing friends, and fun with family. We got to see both sets of parents, nearly all our siblings (we missed Sean and Lily SO MUCH!) and we got (almost enough) quality time with the nephews.

I will particularity cherish bath time with the twins (seriously, nothing is more fun, or more adorable, than bathing one-year old twins who LOVE the water). I am also looking back fondly on doing the Cha Cha Slide with my dad at wedding #2 (Tom refused, so like any good dad, Bob stepped in). There is also the funny story of how Tom took a last minute pinch hit and stepped in last minute to officiate wedding #1. To complete the baseball metaphor, he hit it out of the park, and was received with much love and appreciation by all at the reception that followed.

It was a whirlwind, and we did and saw so much that I am definitely still recovering. Needless to say, we are very much looking forward to the next visit to our Midwestern homes.

Convince Me, or Make a Recommendation

I caused such a stir with my negative-leaning comments about "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" that I wanted to put it out there that I have just finished the book. And I leave the story nearly, but not quite, as underwhelmed as when I last posted about it. I appreciate that people like this book, and that some of you wanted to defend it, and inspire me to read on, but I am sorry, in my opinion, it is not a good book. Not at all. I gave it two starts on Good Reads, where it keeps company with most of the Twilight series and the recent Jonathan Franzen book.

The book just completely failed to capture my imagination, and the characters barely elicited connection. The mystery was just okay. Once the story finally shook off the many false starts and clunky side stories, it was somewhat engaging. But ultimately, when I began to realize what had happened, I also realized I just didn't care. And then I had to sit through more clunky bits in the denouement (which was WAY longer than it should have been.)  I can't be the one to decide if my distaste should be blamed on poor writing, or poor translating (though I think it is probably a bit of both.)

So, Millenium trilogy likers/lovers... do you have anything to say to convince me to read books two and three? If not, anyone have any other suggestions of books you have recently enjoyed? I am heading to Chicago on Friday, and with two plane flights, and a five hour train ride in my future, I definitely need to restock the Kindle before we depart.

PS- I wondered a lot about the title... why pick Salander out as the titular focus? Then I was doing some reading online and learned that the original Swedish title translates to "Men who Hate Women." Apparently it was softened for the English translation. Fascinating, eh?

What I Learned v3

1. To pickle beets.  Things have gotten pretty domestic in my life since moving to Austin, and as a byproduct of that, I have become quite proficient at preserving foods. Pickles, fruit butters or marmalades, I just love "putting stuff up." So naturally, when Tom and I pulled up our small crop of beets last week, I decided to make spiced pickled beets. We ended up with four jars filled with the bright red roots, preserved in a mix of vinegar, sugar, allspice, clove and cinnamon. I cant wait to crack a jar open, but for best flavor, I think we will wait until we get back from our vacation.

2. The Blanton is awesome! Despite my reservations of it being crazy on campus for graduation weekend, Tom convinced me to go with him to the Blanton Museum of Art last Saturday.  It was a great way to spend a hot afternoon, and as a bonus, Staff and Students get into the museum for free every day (I could write a whole blog post about why I LOVE my UT ID card.)  The museum is much bigger than I realized, so we didn't get a chance to see everything before our legs got tired, and our brains were overloaded with all the cool stuff to look at. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to our next visit, so we can see what we missed.

3. I heart SYTYCD even more than I remembered.  My favorite reality show is back, ladies and gents! I think it surprises people that "So You Think You Can Dance" is such a favorite of mine. Do I like it more than Top Chef? Yes. More than Project Runway? Yes, again. SYTYCD is the only place I can think of where you can regularly see transcendent art created and performed on the TV. And I like the absence of silly challenges that other reality shows employ, which seem more and more like they are created solely to mess up the contestants. Don't get me wrong, I do love those other shows too, but Top Chef is not about making the contestants better chefs. SYTYCD gives dancers and choreographers space to discover, to grow and to create beautiful things. Yes, sometimes a contestant has to go outside of their comfort zone (sometimes way outside...Russian Folk Dancing, anyone?) to perform in a style they are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. But more often than not, in those situations we often get a moment that is more than the sum of it's parts. Do any of you watch SYTYCD? What are your favorite reality shows?

4. Homemade arugula pesto is AMAZING! Tom and I have a beautiful and very prolific arugula plant in the old garden.  For the past few months, we have been picking leaves here and there to add to salads, pizzas and sandwiches, but this week Tom got the inspired idea to sub out the basil for arugula in his pesto recipe. The result was really stunning.  The mix of olive oil and pine nuts really mellowed out the sharp bite of the arugula. We made panini the other night with turkey, smoked muenster, garden tomatoes and the arugula pesto. Oh my word. So yummy!! Are the pesto possibilities endless? I mean, what isnt improved by the addition of olive oil and pine nuts?

What I Learned v2

1. Sometimes side-effects are the lesser of two evils. I have been struggling with digestive problems for about 15 years now (yes, fully half of my life) and last week I went to see a specialist who thinks he has figured out a way to help me cope. Two pills a day, and in theory, my body should start functioning more like a "normal body." I started the medication a week ago, and while it may still be a bit too early to tell, all indications are that this medicine is going to change my life. Unfortunately, I am feeling the full force of the medicine's side effects which include dry eyes, dry mouth, and a decreased ability to sweat. This has me drinking tons of water, and rubbing at my eyes praying for the end of the work day to come so I can take out my contacts.


2. Graduation week is one of the most exciting times to work at a University. Today we graduated our 2011 class of BSN, MSN and PhD Nursing students. Graduation is one of the few tangible reminders of why I am working so hard for so little pay, slagging through the bureaucracy of a major University System and the silly red-tape that goes along with being an employee of one of the most backwards states in the Union.


3. I have taken too many good books for granted recently.  Many of my recent reads have been really excellent (A Visit from the Goon Squad and Loving Frank, to name two). Well imagine my shock when I broke that streak with the forgettable The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. This book has reminded me that not all popular, highly recommended books are actually interesting and well written. To be fair, I am only 3 chapters in, but those first few chapters have been klunky and have almost completely failed to capture my interest. I am going to keep on for at least a few more chapters, but I may not make it through this one.


4. Hot Doug's will reopen just in time for my arrival to Chicago! I ain't too proud to admit that I am a fan of Hot Doug's on the FB. Recently they posted about closing for vacation near the Memorial Day holiday, which nearly sent me into a full-throttle panic. Thankfully, Doug has the good sense to re-open the restaurant the day that Tom and I arrive to Chicago for our Midwest tour.  All Hail Hot Doug's!


5. The Dirty Sanchez is the best taco in existence. End of discussion. In my now infamous queso blog, I expounded on the virtues of Torchy's Tacos' amazing queso dip. I know the name is vile, but I am here to tell you that their Dirty Sanchez taco is the absolute best taco on earth. I have been in Austin for nearly two years (and eaten at Torchy's a few dozen times) but had never tried the Sanchez until last Friday night. Scrambled Egg, a fried pobano chile, guacamole, escabeche carrots, and cheese. Heaven.

What I Learned v.1

Hey friends! It should be no surprise to you by now that I am having trouble keeping up with the blog thing. I will blame it partly on an unusually busy few months at work, and partly on feeling like the new car smell has worn off of my Austin adventure. Few things lately seem worthy of the full blog treatment, so I am going to try something new here that I think will help me meet the demands of my adoring readership of dozens.  I am happy to present the new weekly feature What I Learned.

I have seen this kind of thing work wonders on other blogs. From the always funny Awkward/Awesome frequently seen at my friend Stephanie's Big Mario Life to the always admirable Happy Thoughts at cousin Molly's blog A Foreign Land, these structured, reoccurring blog themes seem to be working well for the other bloggers in my life.

The list-like structure should be easy to maintain, and I hope it will also prove to be pressure free. And don't despair, I will still feature the occasional longer blog about awesome stuff in Austin, and photo montages of the amazing and beautiful things happening in my garden (do you have any idea how miraculous and beautiful baby watermelons are?) So... are you ready to find out what I learned this week?

What I Learned...
1. I am not lactose intolerant, or allergic to gluten, shellfish or tree nuts. I am, however, blessed with a spasmodic set of intestines. Thankfully, there is a pill for that.

2. Bevo rides in style. Last Thursday I spied the Silver Spurs's big burnt orange truck rolling down MLK Blvd here in Austin. The big fancy trailer that carries the UT Longhorns's iconic mascot was attached. I got really excited when I realized that Bevo was actually in the trailer. I love Bevo. Honestly, I might join the fan club.

3. I will be really sad to see the 2011 MFA Playwrights graduate. So many of our friends will be leaving Austin within the next few weeks, and that sucks.

4. No matter how many times I meet him, it seems that Beeven Bietz is always going to make me feel a little star struck. And that is so embarrassing.

5. I am geeking out over our upcoming reservation to Alinea. Tom and I will be in Chicago for a little vacay in about a month, and we are splurging big-time on a dinner at Alinea. This week I read the new memoir written by Alinea's Chef, Grant Achatz. It took my excitement level off the charts. You can expect a long blog about the experience sometime later in June!