Well- there goes two months of my life. Closer to two and a half, really. Busy time at work, and lazy time at home, and before you know it, my last entry was in April. Since a great deal of my time until quite recently has been spent on grading, that will be the theme of this post.
A is for Addiction! Specifically, my new crippling addiction to Netflix. More specifically, all of the X-Files I have been watching, so I guess A is also for Alien Conspiracy.
B is for Books featuring Bees! I have recently read Little Bee by Chris Cleave and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I liked Little Bee better, but it's not really about the bug, it's about a girl named Little Bee. The book blurb says "once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds." Fair enough. I will reveal that it is a very interesting read, and a quick one, so it's worth your time. I wasn't as crazy about The Secret Life of Bees. I thought it was a little heavy-handed with the theme. I'd heard a lot of good things about it, and it's not a bad book, I just thought it was overrated.
C is for Cake! I baked Matt a peanut butter cake for his birthday, and overall was pleased. My layers will still a little uneven/ugly, but the look of a cake is really improved when it's covered with chocolate buttercream. And if that looks a little lumpy, some ground-up peanut butter cups certainly help.
D is for Dreadnought Dorothys! We went to our first Roller Derby match and had an incredible time. Bouts are easy to understand and fun to follow, and the puns are to die for. If anyone is interested in joining a my hypothetical teams, I am taking suggestions. I could play for School House Rock and be Paine Austen, but I'm leaning towards Team Poetry Slam. I will be Walt Hitman, and my signature move will be the Walden Pound.
No E!
F is for Fun in the Sun! F could easily be for failure at updating my blog and the crushing disappointment this brings to my fans, friends, and family, but it is summer and maybe I'll find a way to formulate some fun facts about my free time for people to find.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Joy of Cooking
I am not a very good cook. These people are cooks. But I am trying. I'm a decent baker, and I can cook enough to keep both Matt and me alive, which is a plus. My dear former roommate Katie knows this is an improvement. My problem with cooking is that I dream big. I have a go big or go home complex, which involves me putting myself through probably needless pain and suffering while trying to prepare something that is complicated and way over my head. Prime example: Two years ago, I was determined to make my father-in-law a lemon cake for Father's Day. I was a newlywed and had a new cookbook, a new hand mixer, and a new cake plate begging to be used. Now, despite the fact that any cake I'd ever made before had been from a box (not counting the pound cake I made in high school four times before I figured out I needed baking soda instead of powder), I went with a Triple-Layer Lemon Cake. I also only had two cake pans, so I had to put two in, and then wait for the third. The recipe called for lemon curd between the layers, which I couldn't find, so I went with more frosting. Also, I'm not a patient baker, so I did not wait the recommended time before slapping the layers together with a thick gooey layer of homemade lemon cream cheese frosting. As I was finishing the lemon peel curl garnish, I started to notice something was wrong. The middle layer of the cake was slipping out. In the end, the top and middle layers broke in half and skidded down a mound of icing to rest against the sides of the cake dome. It was appallingly ugly, but the family ate it anyway. It was good, and important lessons learned: patience, preparation, and simplification.
So taking none of these lessons to heart, I decided that I wanted to learn more about cooking beef. It's not something I cook a lot, but I would like to know how. Naturally, I decided to go with Rachael Ray's Sirloin Tips and Arugula Rice Pilaf. I should have simplified, but I saw that bubbly brunette make it on tv and just knew I could do it too. My first mistake was spilling orzo all over the floor, which kept the dog entertained while I burned the orzo that made it into the pan. I really should have minced garlic, chopped parsley, and zested and juiced the lemon before I put the steak in the pan. It cooks in 5 minutes, which is not enough time for mincing. I should probably just buy minced garlic anyway. I should have looked up what it means to 'deglaze' before I dumped lemon juice and vermouth in the pan. Overall though, it really didn't turn out that bad. I would definitely make the steak again - the lemon and garlic combo was yummy. As for the arugula rice pilaf, I think it could have done without the arugula. Next time I make it, I'll probably just go with a salad or another green veggie instead of mixing it all together, but I'm also the girl that didn't like her food to touch on her plate until well into high school.
I took this semi-success as a boost to my self-esteem and 'invented' my own recipe. My cookbook has a recipe for Turkey and Pasta with Peanut Sauce, but instead I made Chicken and Rice with Peanut Sauce. It turned out well! Hopefully with practice, I will get better, and in the meantime, I'll space out my cooking with rotisserie chicken and pizza.
So taking none of these lessons to heart, I decided that I wanted to learn more about cooking beef. It's not something I cook a lot, but I would like to know how. Naturally, I decided to go with Rachael Ray's Sirloin Tips and Arugula Rice Pilaf. I should have simplified, but I saw that bubbly brunette make it on tv and just knew I could do it too. My first mistake was spilling orzo all over the floor, which kept the dog entertained while I burned the orzo that made it into the pan. I really should have minced garlic, chopped parsley, and zested and juiced the lemon before I put the steak in the pan. It cooks in 5 minutes, which is not enough time for mincing. I should probably just buy minced garlic anyway. I should have looked up what it means to 'deglaze' before I dumped lemon juice and vermouth in the pan. Overall though, it really didn't turn out that bad. I would definitely make the steak again - the lemon and garlic combo was yummy. As for the arugula rice pilaf, I think it could have done without the arugula. Next time I make it, I'll probably just go with a salad or another green veggie instead of mixing it all together, but I'm also the girl that didn't like her food to touch on her plate until well into high school.
I took this semi-success as a boost to my self-esteem and 'invented' my own recipe. My cookbook has a recipe for Turkey and Pasta with Peanut Sauce, but instead I made Chicken and Rice with Peanut Sauce. It turned out well! Hopefully with practice, I will get better, and in the meantime, I'll space out my cooking with rotisserie chicken and pizza.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March Reading
If there is one discouraging thing about being an English teacher, it's the limited amount of time I have to read. What a painful irony. Even more painful, when I do have time to read, I find myself stumped - unsure of what to read, or I can't remember what I've been wanting to read, or I just fall asleep. Fortunately, I have developed a couple of strategies that have helped me get more reading and remembering done:
'Blow Dry and a Book': I coined this term, but if someone has something more alliterative/awesome, I am up for suggestions. I have fairly long hair that my stylist Jeremy says 'retains moisture'. That means it takes freaking forever to blow dry. And because I am lazy, I don't like to stand in front of a mirror and stare at myself while I complete the process. About a year ago, I came up with a genius solution. I sit down with my back propped against the wall or the backboard of my bed, and then balance my book on my knees while I blow dry. This works best with hardcovers, so I can hold the dryer with one hand, tousle with the other, and hold the book open with my elbow. It sounds silly, but I like it. It takes time that would otherwise be spent staring into space or lapsing into vanity/depression and occupies my brain with something constructive.
Goodreads.com: I like this website. I don't like ranking books with stars, because I waffle back and forth so much, and I hate the idea that someone might pick a book that I loved and hate it, or love a book I hated. However, they do have a handy mark as to read function, which I am enjoying. Be my friend!
Unlike my students, I am using my spring break to catch up on some books, which I will now review for your reading pleasure.
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall: First, what a delightful oxymoron of a title...how can a man with 4 wives and 28 kids ever find time to be lonely? But it's a truth that you're never so lonely as when you're in a crowd. At its heart, this book wasn't really a commentary on polygamy, though. It's more about the characters and their (non)connections to each other. I also liked that you get the perspective of the clueless husband, the youngest wife, and one of the sons, and they are all crying out for attention that they don't get. There are really funny parts of the book, but more sadness. All of their problems are really self-created...but at the same time, you feel sorry for them. Someone let me know if you read this book, because I would like a second opinion on it.
March by Geraldine Brooks: I first read Little Women when I was a pre-teen, and I've read it a handful of times since then. As an adult, I recognize the moral lessons Louisa May 'hides' in her writing, but I still love the story. And for people who love Little Women, I always recommend Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom. Rose is the only girl cousin, and when her parents die, she comes to live on the Aunt Hill, with all of the aunts and cousins. Morally clean hi-jinks ensue. Then in the sequel, Rose grows up. Prepare yourself, because she does end up marrying her cousin, but don't let that gross you out. It's still a totally sweet love story. Either way, now I've read March, which tells about the father of the March family of Little Women. For the first half of that book, the father is serving as a chaplain in the Union Army, and this tells his story. There are a few little sneaks into the original novel, but this one stands alone. You also get a little bit from Marmee's perspective too. It was an interesting concept, but I can't decide if I can accept the flawed, faulty and more human characters in March over the idealized parents in Little Women. March also won a Pulitizer Prize, and I don't think it was that good. If you liked Little Women though, it's worth a read. Also, does anyone know of any good Louisa May Alcott biographies? I have heard that there are a few good ones out there, and she lived a pretty interesting life.
'Blow Dry and a Book': I coined this term, but if someone has something more alliterative/awesome, I am up for suggestions. I have fairly long hair that my stylist Jeremy says 'retains moisture'. That means it takes freaking forever to blow dry. And because I am lazy, I don't like to stand in front of a mirror and stare at myself while I complete the process. About a year ago, I came up with a genius solution. I sit down with my back propped against the wall or the backboard of my bed, and then balance my book on my knees while I blow dry. This works best with hardcovers, so I can hold the dryer with one hand, tousle with the other, and hold the book open with my elbow. It sounds silly, but I like it. It takes time that would otherwise be spent staring into space or lapsing into vanity/depression and occupies my brain with something constructive.
Goodreads.com: I like this website. I don't like ranking books with stars, because I waffle back and forth so much, and I hate the idea that someone might pick a book that I loved and hate it, or love a book I hated. However, they do have a handy mark as to read function, which I am enjoying. Be my friend!
Unlike my students, I am using my spring break to catch up on some books, which I will now review for your reading pleasure.
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall: First, what a delightful oxymoron of a title...how can a man with 4 wives and 28 kids ever find time to be lonely? But it's a truth that you're never so lonely as when you're in a crowd. At its heart, this book wasn't really a commentary on polygamy, though. It's more about the characters and their (non)connections to each other. I also liked that you get the perspective of the clueless husband, the youngest wife, and one of the sons, and they are all crying out for attention that they don't get. There are really funny parts of the book, but more sadness. All of their problems are really self-created...but at the same time, you feel sorry for them. Someone let me know if you read this book, because I would like a second opinion on it.
March by Geraldine Brooks: I first read Little Women when I was a pre-teen, and I've read it a handful of times since then. As an adult, I recognize the moral lessons Louisa May 'hides' in her writing, but I still love the story. And for people who love Little Women, I always recommend Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom. Rose is the only girl cousin, and when her parents die, she comes to live on the Aunt Hill, with all of the aunts and cousins. Morally clean hi-jinks ensue. Then in the sequel, Rose grows up. Prepare yourself, because she does end up marrying her cousin, but don't let that gross you out. It's still a totally sweet love story. Either way, now I've read March, which tells about the father of the March family of Little Women. For the first half of that book, the father is serving as a chaplain in the Union Army, and this tells his story. There are a few little sneaks into the original novel, but this one stands alone. You also get a little bit from Marmee's perspective too. It was an interesting concept, but I can't decide if I can accept the flawed, faulty and more human characters in March over the idealized parents in Little Women. March also won a Pulitizer Prize, and I don't think it was that good. If you liked Little Women though, it's worth a read. Also, does anyone know of any good Louisa May Alcott biographies? I have heard that there are a few good ones out there, and she lived a pretty interesting life.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
And the Winner is...
Oscar post! I wouldn't be a true blogger without one. I do enjoy watching the show, but this year's left quite a lot to be desired - like humor and entertainment value. I came out of the viewing experience liking James Franco a lot less than I did going in, which is too bad - I admire his English degree. Either way, I was invested in the awards because I had a few horses in the race. For the first time in recent memory, I have seen more than 1 of the Best Picture nominees, which fully qualifies me to pass judgment on who deserves the big prize. It also allows me to get angry when the one movie I've seen in any given category doesn't win. Looking at you, Alice in Wonderland - how dare you take the golden man away from Inception and Harry Potter?
Here's my breakdown:
Toy Story 3: Who didn't see this movie? And who didn't shed a tear contemplating the childhoods we've lost and the lessons we've learned? And who didn't recognize the Randy Newman score from the first two notes? Of course 3 won the Best Animated Picture, because it was. Fun fact: Matt and I desperately wanted to go see this kid-centered movie without any children around us - same thing for Harry Potter. So we always pick the latest show possible, and try to go on school nights. We were eagerly looking forward to our 10:30 showing, I think on a Tuesday. And for a few glorious minutes, we were the only people in the theater. Until a family of toddlers came and sat RIGHT BEHIND US. The boy kicked my seat for the whole second half, but it's tough to turn around and glare at a child with Woody and Buzz looking down on me from the big screen.
Inception: I loved, loved, loved this. I thought it was a brilliant story, and I love anything that I'm still thinking about days/weeks/months later. We got it on Blu-Ray, and watching it the second time was even better, because I wasn't so focused on following the story I could enjoy the visual spectacle even more. And can you beat that Hans Zimmer? (ROBBED! Stupid Social Network. I heard the 15 second clip of that score during the ceremony and Inception's was way better!)
True Grit: Not my usual kind of movie, but I did enjoy it. Loved the little girl and Matt Damon's silly mustache. I wonder if my opinion would differ if I'd seen the original, but I haven't, and maybe that's why I didn't have an especially strong reaction to this movie. It was good, I'm glad I saw it, but I'm not rushing out to buy the DVD.
The King's Speech: Now this is my kind of movie. There are few things I love more in this life than a British history period piece, and only about two things I love more than a British history period piece staring Colin Firth. And boy did he put on a show. I had an actual, emotional, physical reaction watching him choke out his words. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that has such a poignant message of resilience and hope. And if that wasn't enough, you can play a great round of Harry Potter actors bingo. Dumbledore! Bellatrix! Wormtail! I sure love the British.
I was very glad The King's Speech won, and I will definitely be watching it again. Other movies that were nominated that I might want to see include The Black Swan, but I'm scared it might freak me out, and The Fighter, because the acting is supposed to be so good. Not so interested in 127 Hours anymore...I've seen about enough out of James Franco.
Here's my breakdown:
Toy Story 3: Who didn't see this movie? And who didn't shed a tear contemplating the childhoods we've lost and the lessons we've learned? And who didn't recognize the Randy Newman score from the first two notes? Of course 3 won the Best Animated Picture, because it was. Fun fact: Matt and I desperately wanted to go see this kid-centered movie without any children around us - same thing for Harry Potter. So we always pick the latest show possible, and try to go on school nights. We were eagerly looking forward to our 10:30 showing, I think on a Tuesday. And for a few glorious minutes, we were the only people in the theater. Until a family of toddlers came and sat RIGHT BEHIND US. The boy kicked my seat for the whole second half, but it's tough to turn around and glare at a child with Woody and Buzz looking down on me from the big screen.
Inception: I loved, loved, loved this. I thought it was a brilliant story, and I love anything that I'm still thinking about days/weeks/months later. We got it on Blu-Ray, and watching it the second time was even better, because I wasn't so focused on following the story I could enjoy the visual spectacle even more. And can you beat that Hans Zimmer? (ROBBED! Stupid Social Network. I heard the 15 second clip of that score during the ceremony and Inception's was way better!)
True Grit: Not my usual kind of movie, but I did enjoy it. Loved the little girl and Matt Damon's silly mustache. I wonder if my opinion would differ if I'd seen the original, but I haven't, and maybe that's why I didn't have an especially strong reaction to this movie. It was good, I'm glad I saw it, but I'm not rushing out to buy the DVD.
The King's Speech: Now this is my kind of movie. There are few things I love more in this life than a British history period piece, and only about two things I love more than a British history period piece staring Colin Firth. And boy did he put on a show. I had an actual, emotional, physical reaction watching him choke out his words. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that has such a poignant message of resilience and hope. And if that wasn't enough, you can play a great round of Harry Potter actors bingo. Dumbledore! Bellatrix! Wormtail! I sure love the British.
I was very glad The King's Speech won, and I will definitely be watching it again. Other movies that were nominated that I might want to see include The Black Swan, but I'm scared it might freak me out, and The Fighter, because the acting is supposed to be so good. Not so interested in 127 Hours anymore...I've seen about enough out of James Franco.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Room
I just finished Room by Emma Donoghue, and boy did that freak me out. Remember a couple years ago when that guy in Austria had locked that woman up and kept her in a room for years and they'd had kids and it was a huge mess? When I heard that story, I was horrified of course, but also curious about the mechanics of keeping a woman and children hidden for years. Room answers some of those questions. And also, the narrator is a 5 year old boy, which is both interesting and frustrating.
Basically, this little boy, Jack, and his mother, Ma, have been kept in an 11x11 reinforced garden shed. The mom was kidnapped when she was 19, and has been there for 7 years. And all day, every day, she and her little boy are stuck. Anyone who has spent 10 minutes with a toddler knows how limited their attention spans are and how difficult it is to entertain them, but this mom has been doing it all by herself for years. And except for the bad scary kidnapper, his mom is the only person Jack's ever seen. I thought the author was so creative to show the different things they did every day - they have 5 books, and the mom has invented all sorts of games and activities to keep the kid occupied. They have P.E. time, and the mom has taught him all the songs and stories she knew from her life before she was kidnapped. They have a T.V., but they only watch for a little bit a day. Can you even imagine? No privacy, no alone time ever, but also your only human contact is with your 5 year old and your kidnapper.
No spoilers here, because it happens pretty early on, but they do escape, and if possible, things got even more interesting. From a psychology perspective, I loved how they addressed issues I never would have thought of - Jack has crazy spatial problems, because he's never been outside of the room. Because he's not used to being in bigger spaces, he's always falling and walking into things. He's never seen stairs before, and he can't walk down them. He gets horribly sunburned. He has no idea how to relate to people, and his speech patterns are completely off, because he's not used to referring to anyone besides his mom and the bad guy.
This book really stuck with me. I read it in about a day and a half, just to get through the intense parts of the story, and then I went back and read parts of it again for more detail/thinking time. I love a book that has interesting characters, so it was a get-under-my-skin kind of read because after I was done reading, I had a burning desire to know more. What happens to Jack? Does he forget his early years? Does he grow up succesfully? Even more, I wanted to know about the mom. I would read the whole book again from her perspective. I had a book when I was in middle school that was called Sisters/Hermanas and one side of the book was from the perspective of a rich white girl, and then you flipped it upside down and read it from behind, and it was the story of a poor prostitute. Both sides led up to their eventual meet-up. Long story short, I wish Room was like that, with one side being the mom's story. What happens to her too?
No real complaints - when a book makes me physically uncomfortable, the writer is doing her job. If you're in the mood for some claustrophobia, pick this one up. Read it by a window.
Basically, this little boy, Jack, and his mother, Ma, have been kept in an 11x11 reinforced garden shed. The mom was kidnapped when she was 19, and has been there for 7 years. And all day, every day, she and her little boy are stuck. Anyone who has spent 10 minutes with a toddler knows how limited their attention spans are and how difficult it is to entertain them, but this mom has been doing it all by herself for years. And except for the bad scary kidnapper, his mom is the only person Jack's ever seen. I thought the author was so creative to show the different things they did every day - they have 5 books, and the mom has invented all sorts of games and activities to keep the kid occupied. They have P.E. time, and the mom has taught him all the songs and stories she knew from her life before she was kidnapped. They have a T.V., but they only watch for a little bit a day. Can you even imagine? No privacy, no alone time ever, but also your only human contact is with your 5 year old and your kidnapper.
No spoilers here, because it happens pretty early on, but they do escape, and if possible, things got even more interesting. From a psychology perspective, I loved how they addressed issues I never would have thought of - Jack has crazy spatial problems, because he's never been outside of the room. Because he's not used to being in bigger spaces, he's always falling and walking into things. He's never seen stairs before, and he can't walk down them. He gets horribly sunburned. He has no idea how to relate to people, and his speech patterns are completely off, because he's not used to referring to anyone besides his mom and the bad guy.
This book really stuck with me. I read it in about a day and a half, just to get through the intense parts of the story, and then I went back and read parts of it again for more detail/thinking time. I love a book that has interesting characters, so it was a get-under-my-skin kind of read because after I was done reading, I had a burning desire to know more. What happens to Jack? Does he forget his early years? Does he grow up succesfully? Even more, I wanted to know about the mom. I would read the whole book again from her perspective. I had a book when I was in middle school that was called Sisters/Hermanas and one side of the book was from the perspective of a rich white girl, and then you flipped it upside down and read it from behind, and it was the story of a poor prostitute. Both sides led up to their eventual meet-up. Long story short, I wish Room was like that, with one side being the mom's story. What happens to her too?
No real complaints - when a book makes me physically uncomfortable, the writer is doing her job. If you're in the mood for some claustrophobia, pick this one up. Read it by a window.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Poor Form
I am probably the worst blogger ever. Last entry was in August, seriously?? I get really excited to write, and I plan all sorts of things to blog about, but then I go to work, or I read, or I fall asleep on my couch watching The Daily Show...I never make it to the interview! But now that my pesky Master's degree is out of the way, and I'm starting to spend a couple of hours less on my job a day, I think the blogging needs to come back. Writing is good for your brain, and it's no secret I need a hobby. As any athletic experience, needlework, scrap booking, darling crafts, and any other domestic arts are eliminated due to my personal shortcomings, the hobby shall be blogging.
This year, Matt and I are trying to do new things, and I'm keeping track of all of them in a leather bound book. (seriously) We each have a page for books we have read, movies we've seen in the theaters, fun places we've gone, and new restaurants we've tried. What perfect fodder for my blogging pleasure! Today's topic shall be: food you pay for by the pound.
I'm really into this concept. Looking back, I think my love affair began with the weigh-and-eat Hy-Vee salad bar. Easy, yummy, and healthful (?). But now it's all about the frozen yogurt. There are several new places around town that have fro-yo, as we cool kids call it, for sale by the ounce. It's a fantastic concept, especially for picky eaters with a sweet tooth. You just can fill as much of whatever flavor you want. I like to keep it traditional - swirled chocolate and vanilla, or chocolate and peanut butter, or chocolate and raspberry. I do like a little dollop of an experimental flavor too though, like red velvet cake. Then you get to go to the topping bar and pile on whatever chopped candy, cereal, fruit, or sauces you like. Then they weigh it and give you a price. Genius!
When I was in college, a group of friends decided we would go to what we believed was an informal Mexican restaurant called Gaucho's. We realized we were mistaken when we saw the waiters in ties and the white tablecloths. What we had mistaken for a place to go to in shorts and order chicken nachos and possibly a pitcher of margaritas was actually a Brazilian churrasco steak house, where enormous slabs of meat were brought to us speared on swords. It was an expensive mistake, too...chunks of meat on swords do not come cheap. But what do you do if you are in the mood for delicious churrasco but don't have the money or time for the weaponry? Fazenda Brazilian Grill, my friends. Located by the Borders where the Planet Sub was before it burned down, we ended up there last week because we saw it from the highway and were hungry. We imagined a sit-down place, so picture our delight as we realized it was a buffet set-up that charged by the pound. It still had all the cold salad bar, and some hot appetizers, but then you got to go stand in front of a roaring grill and direct the friendly carvers to pile whatever meat you desired on your plate. Especially yummy were the chicken drummettes and some kind of provolone sirloin. And when you were done loading your plate, they weighed it and rang you up. We had two full plates and two drinks for about $20. Definitely recommended, and would definitely go back.
To show that I don't spend all my time eating, next time I'll definitely write about some of the fine fiction or award nominated movies I have been watching.
This year, Matt and I are trying to do new things, and I'm keeping track of all of them in a leather bound book. (seriously) We each have a page for books we have read, movies we've seen in the theaters, fun places we've gone, and new restaurants we've tried. What perfect fodder for my blogging pleasure! Today's topic shall be: food you pay for by the pound.
I'm really into this concept. Looking back, I think my love affair began with the weigh-and-eat Hy-Vee salad bar. Easy, yummy, and healthful (?). But now it's all about the frozen yogurt. There are several new places around town that have fro-yo, as we cool kids call it, for sale by the ounce. It's a fantastic concept, especially for picky eaters with a sweet tooth. You just can fill as much of whatever flavor you want. I like to keep it traditional - swirled chocolate and vanilla, or chocolate and peanut butter, or chocolate and raspberry. I do like a little dollop of an experimental flavor too though, like red velvet cake. Then you get to go to the topping bar and pile on whatever chopped candy, cereal, fruit, or sauces you like. Then they weigh it and give you a price. Genius!
When I was in college, a group of friends decided we would go to what we believed was an informal Mexican restaurant called Gaucho's. We realized we were mistaken when we saw the waiters in ties and the white tablecloths. What we had mistaken for a place to go to in shorts and order chicken nachos and possibly a pitcher of margaritas was actually a Brazilian churrasco steak house, where enormous slabs of meat were brought to us speared on swords. It was an expensive mistake, too...chunks of meat on swords do not come cheap. But what do you do if you are in the mood for delicious churrasco but don't have the money or time for the weaponry? Fazenda Brazilian Grill, my friends. Located by the Borders where the Planet Sub was before it burned down, we ended up there last week because we saw it from the highway and were hungry. We imagined a sit-down place, so picture our delight as we realized it was a buffet set-up that charged by the pound. It still had all the cold salad bar, and some hot appetizers, but then you got to go stand in front of a roaring grill and direct the friendly carvers to pile whatever meat you desired on your plate. Especially yummy were the chicken drummettes and some kind of provolone sirloin. And when you were done loading your plate, they weighed it and rang you up. We had two full plates and two drinks for about $20. Definitely recommended, and would definitely go back.
To show that I don't spend all my time eating, next time I'll definitely write about some of the fine fiction or award nominated movies I have been watching.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Mamma Mia!
So, Mamma Mia is coming to town, and I want to go see it. My husband declines. I guess I can't blame him, considering he did go with me to see the movie last summer, and he has seen it live twice. Seeing it live three times might make him a little gay, and as much as I enjoy the music of ABBA, I'd rather not force Matt to have serious conversations with his masculinity. All that aside, Mamma Mia led me to have some serious internal conversations myself. The basic plot involves a young bride-to-be on a quest to determine which of her mother's three former lovers is her father. Maybe it was because I saw the movie in the midst of my own fatherless wedding planning, but the idea intrigued me. Apart from my childhood dreams that I was adopted as an infant from my native Italy, and that perhaps my real family would return to claim me and change my name to Raquel, I have mostly lived with the idea that absent though he is, I know who my father is. But it's a lot more fun to imagine that I have a real dad out there somewhere, though he is three months too late to walk me down the aisle. Here is my list of excellent father figure candidates.
Let's begin with the Men of Mamma Mia themselves, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard. Unfortunately, I have to eliminate Pierce because of his other life as 007, and that's not an appropriate lifestyle for me to be raised in, not to mention that business from The Thomas Crown Affair. Stellan is eliminated because all I know about him is that he's Swedish and I don't know how to pronounce his last name. This leaves Colin Firth, my lucky day! Colin would be a great dad! I would love to move into Father's English Manor, where we would spend our days walking in our English garden, reading out loud to each other from the collected works of Jane Austen, and lounging in front of the fire, with our Springer Spaniels at our feet. Some Sunday afternoons, my Godmother, Meryl Streep, would come over for afternoon tea, and if we felt like a good laugh, we'd pop in Mamma Mia and sing along. And we'd laugh, and laugh, and laugh...all the way to the bank.
Another excellent father figure candidate is mentor and fashion diva Tim Gunn. He is totally a badass father figure to the fledgling designers on Project Runway, I'm sure he'd love to adopt me. He's a classy man with impeccable taste, and we could split our time between New York and LA. Daddy Gunn is always patient, and always ready with a kind word or bit of inspiration. He'd allow me to make my own mistakes, but I'm no dummy, I'd always take his advice. Especially when it comes to my wardrobe! I'd hate to wear something that was 'out' to Heidi and Seal's Christmas party. I was thinking about Clinton Kelley as a potential dad, but then I decided that Daddy Gunn could adopt Clinton too! He'd be the best big brother (another childhood dream denied) ever, in addition to BFF and shopping buddy. I think we'd all live very fashionably together.
And how about Barrack Obama? Clearly, he's a good father, not to mention well-dressed, well spoken, intelligent, etc. etc. Plus, I would get to travel the world in a fabulous JCrew wardrobe. I would receive an impeccable private school education, which would really help me write my memoirs. I hope that my new sisters like me!
So there's my list of dads I wish I had. Runners up include: Elliot Stabler (too tough...also fictional), Albus Dumbledore (I'd have to compete for his love), and Jon Stewart (because I couldn't decide between him and Stephen Colbert). Dad Fails: Alec Baldwin, Jon Gosselin, and George Lucas.
Let's begin with the Men of Mamma Mia themselves, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard. Unfortunately, I have to eliminate Pierce because of his other life as 007, and that's not an appropriate lifestyle for me to be raised in, not to mention that business from The Thomas Crown Affair. Stellan is eliminated because all I know about him is that he's Swedish and I don't know how to pronounce his last name. This leaves Colin Firth, my lucky day! Colin would be a great dad! I would love to move into Father's English Manor, where we would spend our days walking in our English garden, reading out loud to each other from the collected works of Jane Austen, and lounging in front of the fire, with our Springer Spaniels at our feet. Some Sunday afternoons, my Godmother, Meryl Streep, would come over for afternoon tea, and if we felt like a good laugh, we'd pop in Mamma Mia and sing along. And we'd laugh, and laugh, and laugh...all the way to the bank.
Another excellent father figure candidate is mentor and fashion diva Tim Gunn. He is totally a badass father figure to the fledgling designers on Project Runway, I'm sure he'd love to adopt me. He's a classy man with impeccable taste, and we could split our time between New York and LA. Daddy Gunn is always patient, and always ready with a kind word or bit of inspiration. He'd allow me to make my own mistakes, but I'm no dummy, I'd always take his advice. Especially when it comes to my wardrobe! I'd hate to wear something that was 'out' to Heidi and Seal's Christmas party. I was thinking about Clinton Kelley as a potential dad, but then I decided that Daddy Gunn could adopt Clinton too! He'd be the best big brother (another childhood dream denied) ever, in addition to BFF and shopping buddy. I think we'd all live very fashionably together.
And how about Barrack Obama? Clearly, he's a good father, not to mention well-dressed, well spoken, intelligent, etc. etc. Plus, I would get to travel the world in a fabulous JCrew wardrobe. I would receive an impeccable private school education, which would really help me write my memoirs. I hope that my new sisters like me!
So there's my list of dads I wish I had. Runners up include: Elliot Stabler (too tough...also fictional), Albus Dumbledore (I'd have to compete for his love), and Jon Stewart (because I couldn't decide between him and Stephen Colbert). Dad Fails: Alec Baldwin, Jon Gosselin, and George Lucas.
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