Pancakalicious

To learn how I made the pancakes you see before you, go here.

Location

This, for better or worse, is where I grew up. In fact I lived just a hop around the corner from the Country Store. I'm slightly fascinated by it.

And Finally

And finally, an ipod shuffle for old time's sake!

Fly-Veruca Salt
Wrong 'Em Boyo-The Clash
Randy Described Eternity-Built To Spill
Heat Miser-Massive Attack
The Lonely-Robert Sean Leonard and Steve Zahn
25 Minutes To Go- Johnny Cash
Telamon Bridge-Spoon
A Passing Feeling-Elliot Smith
Long Forgotten Fairytale-The Magnetic Fields
My Tiger My Heart- The Boy Least Likely To
You Little Shits-Stereolab

Sad

This is sad.

Digging Around

I was digging around my abandoned files and found the following. I have no idea when it was written or, for that matter, who wrote it. I think it's probably written by me. And I'm wondering if I wrote it while watching television. It reminds me of being a teenager and television, I have no idea what it means. If I don't know what it means can it possibly have meaning? Assuming, of course, that I wrote it.

Phone rings, she tries to answer, but the someone who was there was not patient enough for her to get to them.

Conspiracies abound and alternate between being ineffective or treacherous. Drivers drive unsuspecting people like pawns.

Mountains and fields. Where in God’s name am I? Especially in all of this. There is a town in one direction or another but I do not know which trace of dust to follow. It is not as if I can fix anything which has been broken. It’s not as if I can make a difference in this world of cabs and passengers. I am no sense, no sense to know what to do and they come at me, they come at me looking like saviors or villains in matching suits and exhaust breath. Habits, strain, breakdown but it’s not so bad.

Definite conclusion.

Illness.

Sicker to fee.

Opinions are sensible. Reason is a bit unhinged.

She’s pretty without knowledge, and dangerous with humor.

He had a goatee one day and none the next.

Okay

Yesterday a no longer wayward SAICer and I went to Hamburger Mary's for lunch. I had the Queen Mary Burger without the onions. I was a bit disappointed by the burger. I realize now that our waitress didn't give us an option in the way our burgers were cooked and I feel strongly that that's never a good thing with a burger. The seasoned fries were decent. The place was busy. Our check came in a high heeled shoe, neither of us liked that very much. If I were to go back it wouldn't be for the burgers. Not that it was a bad burger, it just wasn't as good as a burger should be at a place with Hamburger in its name.

The Latter Part

After dinner and some quality time with the dogs and Cheaper By The Dozen II, Exploded Viewer, Mousehead and She-Who-Has-No-Blog (nor does she read them) and I went to Gingerman Pub for a friend's birthday. It was snowing. It was Wrigleyville. I was pleasantly surprised by the bar, ensconced so close to bars like John Barleycorn and Sluggers (yuck, yuck, yuck) I expected some meathead stupid dumb. But its jukebox was decent and it wasn't too crowded...I got to sit down as much as I wanted (which was most of the time). It snowed a little bit too.

A Night

Last night started with a lovely dinner made by Mousehead and Exploded Viewer. Mousehead made a stirfry and Exploded Viewer made Poulet aux Grenouilles (or something like that...basically Chicken cooked in the style of frogs). Though not a natural pairing both dishes went well together. I think this was, in part, because neither was over flavored. There was spice and flavor but not in a competing overwhelming sense. The two were watching the dogs, so Bear and Mackey looked on as we ate. Mackey, of course, looked a little worried.
We also enjoyed watching the robot cleaning machine.

Dinner was also at home (I hope nobody's defecting due to my lack of eating out). Pasta with steamed asparagus and cherry tomatoes. This morning I was going to make white chocolate pancakes like the boyfriend had in Apalachicola. But, well, it's afternoon now ... so no pancakes. Who knows what I'll do with the rest of my day. One thing or another, I'm sure. I've started a new knitting project, another afghan, but this time made of many, many individual squares. I could knit. Yeah. I read a book the other day. Now I'm reading a new book. It's cold outside or that's what my hands tell me. I've been thinking about secrets and the concept of home. Eh. We'll see.

Breakfast Chez Nous

Breakfast at home, yesterday, was two scrambled eggs, half an avocado and a few cherry tomatoes. The eggs were done simply, a little milk and a few good whisks of the fork, medium to low heat very little moving of the eggs. The vegetables (or fruit, in the case of the tomatoes) were pretty straight forward.

First Day of Class

So, I google imaged 'First Day of Classes' and this was one of the images that came up. I won't lie to you, my nails look nothing like the nails above and I don't own a single highlighter let alone two. It's winter and my hands are dry. It's been a good lazy time between getting back to Chicago and today. I did make a few forays into the world of looking for a job, not very epic forays but the fingers moved and stuff like that. Right. So. I'm going to finish my tea, moisturize my hands and pack myself up.

Movies Forever

Since I left Chicago back in December, I've watched a lot of movies. I think watching moving pictures may, in the end, be my worst addiction. Or not. Anyways, I thought I would show you some photographs that represent a good number of the movies I watched. Starting with....

The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer, starring Cary Grant and Shirley Temple! It was funny! And Cary Grant is sooooooo dreamy (if dead).
Art School Confidential. I was excited to watch this seeing as I'm going to an art school and my college, in some ways, might as well have been one (except we could write essays). But it turned out to be not as funny and kind of tiresome.
I've recently started to watch the Gilmore Girls' back seasons as comfort movies...like Scrubs...but I ran out of Scrubs so I needed a new fix. It's enjoyable.
The Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart. I was surprised by the ending. I will never find Bogart dreamy.
The Last Kiss. I liked it well enough. It certainly does show how things can go wrong.
How to Steal a Million starring Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn. I don't think I've ever seen O'Toole look this young...I get tired of Hepburn being robed in Givenchy in every scene. Funny, but not that funny.
Cowboy Del Amor. A documentary about a Texan dude who brings American men to Mexico and finds them Mexican wives. You should totally watch this. This guy, some of the things he says are just funny and his perspective on life, at least to me, is different. But he's not a bad guy exactly. It's weird. But in the good weird way.
I Was a Male War Bride, starring my buddy (if dead) Cary Grant. Postwar Europe is the setting for this screwball comedy about the power of the sexes...or something. Relatively funny though my guy wasn't looking as good when dressed up as a gal.
Tsotsi. You see that little caption in the photograph that says 'Hope Set Him Free'? I'm not sure that's an accurate thing to put on this movie's poster. But the movie is good, even if hope didn't set most anybody free.
If you're a girl who can, at times, find sex funny then you should watch the Oh in Ohio. I doubt many dudes will be as amused as my roommate and I were in a few scenes. Parker Posey and Paul Rudd are great. Pretend Mischa Barton is somebody else.
Stick It is great. Jeff Bridges and a bunch of unknown actresses do well in this heartwarming but satirical gymnastics movie. The main lady is hot.
There's something about football movies. Dudes being dudes but caring and deep. The special features were kind of interesting.
Bleh.

Vegetables and Pasta

An early dinner of Tagliatelle pasta, brussels sprouts and cherry tomatoes...with a little olive oil, parmesan cheese and ground pepper. It was right tasty and right filling and right satisfying. A good choice.

Dim Sum c/o Furama Part 34?

The morning after our shin dig I got a small group together for some dim summing. An old face and three new faces. M.Lady came and since she's a vegetarian we tried a few more of the veggie options. I found that I do not like fun noodles when they're not stuffed with shrimp. I had to learn some day...and Sunday was that day.

Shin Diggery

On Saturday tonguethruster and I hosted a bit of a shin dig. I made cookies.
Two varieties: the chocolate chip and the oatmeal white chocolate craisin varieties. They were gone by the end of the night.
As was the fruit tonguthruster expertly cut up and presented.
Same with the stuffed grapeleaves (all five of them).
Yup, the veggies went too.
As did the chocolate squirrell filled chocolate acorn.

Thanks to all who came and ate all that we offered.

Brussels Sprouts Are Not For Babies...They're For Winners

A lunch from last week. Lightly steamed brussels sprouts with a modicum of feta cheese.

Chicken Hash

To learn how I made my chicken hash go here.

Funny

This makes me laugh.

My Friend Kate

If you go here and then go to the middle of the page and click the listen button for the 20:00 thingy, well, you can hear about my friend Kate's crazy botanicalls thingy. I know her, it's cool.

Chicken Hash

Last night I made chicken hash for tonguethruster, exploded viewer and mousehead. I got the idea from the only episode of Barefoot Contessa I have ever seen. It's basically her recipe, but I was working from memory. Then we played Catan and Pictionary. It was good.

A Salad Well Done

Another tasty salad. Very similar to the one of a few days back. Added were capers and a slightly different dressing. It satisfied me and made me feel good about myself.

Kansas City Dip

On Saturday Tonguethruster (aka new roomie), exploded viewer, mousehead and three others went to a party in Roger's Park. There were card tricks and psychic moments...and Kansas City Dip. From what I could tell it was a large amount of Velveeta mixed with salsa. Not extremely attractive to look at but, as long as still warm, strangely good.

Dim Sum c/o Furama Part 32

On Sunday exploded viewer, mousehead and I went to Furama and had a lovely dim sum experience. I missed it. I didn't know how much I missed it until the first shrimp dumpling was stuffed, so lovingly, into my mouth. I even tried a new thing, it's on the far right of the photograph, basically just bean curd marinaded in something and then cooked. A very strange and yet compelling texture made it a new favorite.

Soufflé! Olé

To read about how I made this soufflé (basically I followed a Martha Stewart recipe) go here.

Chicago Salad

I got back into Chicago around six on Wednesday. My bedroom is still a mess and, since the boyfriend took all three of the things we had hanging on its walls, is a bit lacking in character. I've gained a dresser due to the boyfriend's departure and yet I'm not yet utilizing it in a way that allows me to get rid of the plastic dresser in the closet. Classes don't start until the twenty fifth and so I have time to get organized. Problem is that I am, fundamentally, a lazy bastard and can't seem to get my act together. Perhaps today's the day!
This is the lunch I had yesterday while watching another lovely, funny and so soothing dvd of Scrubs. The salad consisted of: boston lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, black olives, cucumbers and avocadoes. The dressing was olive oil, balsamic vinegar, kalamata olive juice and garlic salt.

This post brings me back up to date. Always a rather good and yet scary thing...means I have to keep on eating. I recently read Julie and Julia, a wonderful book about one woman's year long attempt to make all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering The Art Of French Cooking (or something like that) and the blog she wrote along with it. The book is engaging and funny and makes one want to tackle such a huge project....until one realizes that this woman has already done it. But it's more than just food, it's about life in New York City as a secretary, it's about marriage and friendship, it's about the pull of blogging. It's worth reading and you should go buy a copy. Thanks, mom, for mine.

And Now What You've All (or Just One of You) Have Been Waiting For

My last night before driving back up to Chicago (yes, Lola has been reborn!) was with the high school pal. It was rosemary lemon chicken with potatoes and green beans. It was good. I also tried some kind of creamy, Bailey's-like, African liqueur. And then, because the high school pal is a girl, I had a smirnoff ice. Just kidding, he's a boy.
This is a recreation of a photograph I wasn't quick enough to take and it's for Toby.

It was very nice to see the high school pal. I'm always happy and wary to see people from a bit of a time without seeing them. I'm afraid I won't have anything to say or that what they say will make me want to leave. But this seeing went quite well. In fact, I will quote the pal on this:

I think it's amazing how people stay the same as they grow. It's like a tree that keeps its basic form but get's thicker and puts on real bark. I'm not trying to say you are fat or thick skinned.

I totally agree with this, though he has gotten fat and thick skinned. That's also not true. But it's interesting, seeing people you have a history with but aren't exactly active parts of your current life. There's a certain level of inherent trust that allows you to talk about more than what it was like to be fifteen and in high school...though it's always fun to do a little of that as well. It's not playing catch up as much as it is simply enjoying the other's company. And I like that.

Sweet Basil Restaurant For Lunch

My mother and I went to Chattanooga to get a few things done and then, before heading back up the mountain, went to Sweet Basil. We did this last year at a similar time and had almost the exact same meal. This time we had the tom yum soup for two...good, though I wish they had stuck to the straw mushrooms and not overcompensated with the additional mushrooms.
Last year it was green curry, this time red. The menu said 'spicy red curry' and it was not spicy, which is fine, but if you actually want the bite of spice in your thai food you must definitely ask at Sweet Basil.
Mom ordered the ground pork salad, which was very good but also not very spicy.

The Gators Are Dumb

My second night back in Tennessee was spent at Oasis Bar & Grill, watching the OSU/Florida championship game. We were rooting for OSU...and the game started out pretty well on that front.
But then the Florida teams jerseys changed from green to blue....and suddenly they won the game...actually, the television we were watching had the team's jerseys as green the entire time...it was very disconcerting if you looked at another screen and found that they (and all their fans) were actually wearing blue...very disconcerting. It made so much sense for the GATORS to be green. We were one of two small groups watching the game...the other was two blonde thirty something dudes who clearly were on Florida's side.
We had proper football watching fare...wings and onion rings...which were okay. The wings could have been spicier and I actually don't care very much about onion rings. Our server was attentive and personable, though he sometimes came over to see how we were doing when we clearly were watching the game and didn't want to chat.
I was going to have a burger but when I asked for it medium rare our server told me that they only did the burgers well done. So I had what my parents had, an eight ounce ribeye steak with two sides. My sides were a salad and a potato.
The steak wasn't all that good. Nor was the salad. The potato was good. The beer was excellent.
So the game didn't turn out well for the Buckeyes...though in the first, literally, fifteen seconds of the game they made quite a beautiful and efficient touchdown. But things only went down from there. Oh well. Mom sobbed into our pitcher and dad pretended he never thought OSU would win...I giggled.