And a Congratulations

Today is my parents' 32nd wedding anniversary. It's not easy, I wouldn't think, to be married to the same person for such a length of time, but they've managed to make it work so's I don't think that marriage is an awful idea, which is saying something. Really. Congrats to you both for your continued partnership and thank you for all your pairing has given me (life, for example).

Puppies, Bowling and Dinner

L. and C. got a puppy! Meet Cowboy. This was the first time I met him and it was only for a short time, but I can tell you he's a cutie, and his back end wiggles and wags to its own drum.

When L. and C. came to the Barbeque of the Broken Glass there was talk of going bowling and even fake days and times discussed, but neither party got around to really acting on the idea until earlier this month. When L. and I went to dinner the idea of bowling came back up and, basically, it was decided that we were going bowling...even though L. isn't that big a fan of bowling. When we arrived at the alley I think she said that the last time she had bowled was in 1998.
We played three games and drank beer and ate tater tots. I bowled really poorly. I think I was overconfident as a result to my work bowling experience. I get better with practice. I think.

This is us bowling. Or that was what I believe we were pretending to do. Maybe? I don't think either of us look like that when we're actually bowling.
Also recreating moves from bowling, without the ball. And random guy with his own ball and shoes giving L. bunny ears.

After bowling (L. got better, C. was good, I disappointed myself and didn't break 100...or even hit it at all. Sad face.) we had dinner at North Third. I should have had a burger as C. and L. recommended, but after Village Whiskey I just knew it would disappoint. So I went down an even harder road and ordered the soft shell crab sandwich. I shouldn't have. Most all crab-related things, I just have to accept that I do them better. I am boasting. I am really only saying that I like the way I fry softshell crabs better. The crab itself was so breaded that you had a good half a thumb nail or more worth of batter before you hit crab, and then the thick bread. In some ways it was more like a bread sandwich. I just ate the crab and left the bread. I liked the pickle though. That was a damn good pickle.

Fake Reuben c/o Mugshots

Since moving to Philadelphia I have found myself in a rather vicious cycle. The main qualities of this cycle are the fact that during the summer I lose some fattyness and feel good about myself...and then fall comes, my work gets busy and they start paying for meals. Ugh. How DARE they! Yes, I'm blaming my employers for the inevitable weight gain and self-hate that accompanies free sandwiches, pizza, curry and pasta. Sad. While I'm trying to be better this season and make smarter choices and eat smaller portions, a girl still has to eat. On some day last week we ordered from Mugshots. I thought I'd try something completely new and tried their vegan reuben. It certainly made me feel healthier than a lot of other choices, but I didn't actually like it all that much. Tempeh, or seitan, whichever, just isn't that great, and a Reuben without cheese? What's the point. So, to conclude, the sandwich made me feel less bad than if I had gotten something with cheese and bacon, and that's really the best thing I can say about it.

Broccoli Paneer c/o Tiffin

Another meal last week was the Broccoli Paneer special from Tiffin. I thought I'd mix things up a bit and forgo the spinach, if you know what I mean (and if you do, please let me know because I hardly ever know what I'm talking about). It was a little on the bland side, though the broccoli did turn the cheese chunks an unusually pastel shade of green.

Pizza and Pizza

Last week I made my way over to C.'s for a round of laundry, pizza, wine and puppy. Except puppy is really dog. We don't mix things up on these nights, sticking to our winning formula of pepperoni and mushrooms. We do mix our wines up a little, actually, but they're always of the big bottled variety. This time around C. bought a 'Moscato,' which, unfortunately, neither of us much cared for...though we did make it slightly better by adding lime flavored seltzer water to it...the problem being that it was too sweet, so the tart and bubbly seltzer helped cut down that cloying sweetness. Lesson learned. Still, a nice evening.

Roasted Pork Hoagie c/o Primo Hoagies

Another work day lunch, another Primo Hoagie. This time I decided to try something new. This new thing came in the form of their roast pork option, to which I added tomatoes and long hot peppers. It was pretty good. At first I thought the pork looked like turkey, but then the dragon flew in and told me what was what and who was who.

Sunday Salmon

I've started to make myself salmon dinners on Sunday. I go to my local Whole Foods and buy a six ounce portion of wild caught salmon, go home and steam/poach it on a bed of lemon balm and lemons. It's pretty good. Last week I ate this with a side of buttered corn.

This Burger Changed My Life

Last Sunday I went to Bubbles and got my hair cut. The same woman cut it as the time before, which made it very consistent and good. Though I think maybe I'll let it be a little longer in back while still short in front and the sides. Does that necessarily describe a mullet? I am not hip, I do not want a mullet. Whatever. After the cut I was in Center City and I felt like I should be doing something interesting, but hadn't come up with any plan. So it was to my relief to get a text from L. asking me if I had any interest in meeting her at Village Whiskey for lunch. We agreed on a time and I wandered around the Rittenhouse Square artists fair looking for interesting prints of chickens. I almost bought a tiny little illustration of a penguin jumping off of a cliff, but held myself back. Once we met up, I ordered the De Rigeur: rye, aperol, grapefruit, lemon, honey and mint. It was magical. I want to drink it all the time. Of course drinking a $12 cocktail all the time would get expensive but...oh I savored it.

I had originally thought that I'd just have a cocktail and try their pickles, but when the table next to us were served delicious looking burgers I adjusted my plan. I ordered the burger medium rare with mushrooms.

While I think they may have mixed up our cooking preferences (L. ordered her burger medium but it was much pinker than mine), that didn't really change the crazy, just out of control crazy, goodness of this burger. Like, for real. This burger. It changed me. I am a changed person because of how ridiculously delicious it was. The meat. The meat was some sort of magic meat. Some sort of combo of fantastic and amazing. The mushrooms were a nice extra taste and texture and even the dressing was special. Seriously. L. and I kept on sighing, groaning and looking at each other with eyes full of happiness and pain. Pain from how glorious the burger was, and how quickly it was being consumed into our bellies. I want to go have one right now.
Afterwards we went across the street and ordered gelati/o. I went with the lime and pineapple sorbets, so technically not gelato at all. The pairing of the tart and refreshing lime with the succulent sweetness of pineapple was a pretty good choice on my part.

Also, I Got a Hair Cut

Also, on Sunday, I got a hair cut. I am pleased with it.
In this picture, which I just took, I am trying to show you how cool my hair cut is without letting you see the ginormous pimple I'm rocking on the right side of my chin. Why tell you this? I do not know. Probably because I think I was successful.

Phillies vs Nationals in Excellent Seats c/o Cousin C.

Last Friday my cousin C., whom I haven't seen since her wedding a good number of years ago, contacted me via a social networking site to ask me if I was interested in accompanying her and her husband to a Phillies game the next day. I had no plans, and haven't been to a game this season, so I said yes. Turns out I was in for a treat, as the tickets weren't for your run of the mill upper level seats...no...these seats were seven rows back from homeplate and a spit's throw away from the Phillies' dugout. I brought my zoom lens camera and took a lot of 'eh' photographs. Let's look at them, shall we?

This is Werth and Ibanez low fiving after Werth hit a home run...I think.
This is Werth spitting. You see? Man is he a grump.
Click on this picture and tell me whether maybe he is actually looking at me. I can't decide. There are three pictures in this series, and two of them he is clearly not looking at me, but this one...hmmm. Grump.
Ryan Howard throwing his bat gently after hitting a home run...I think.
Utley coming home with Howard behind him because, in fact, I was right and he had hit a home run.
I liked that Howard would actually smile when he did good, unlike other grumps.


What I did like that Werth did was this sexy, provocative hip thrust thing.
We were in the 'Diamond Club' section of the stadium, which meant that our tickets were pre-programmed to give us food and beer. Kind of. I tried the fancy short rib panini with fontina cheese. I think I would have been more satisfied with a dog. You live and learn.

The Phanatic also liked to thrust its hips.
It's all good, I'm just running and throwing a bat, no need to act like it's a big deal. I am a grizzly grump.

At some point there was some sort of confusion about something, so all the players stood around while it was sorted out. Here is Howard on first base, talking with the enemy.

I look fatter faced than I'd prefer, but here it is, the proof that I was, in fact, at the game.
Grateful thanks goes to my cousin C. for thinking of me, and her husband for being the sort of person who is given such swank tickets for free!

True Statement

This may be the truest statement I've made all week (from an IM with L):

"I would love to marry an otter. Then we could go around floating and holding hands while prying open oysters together."

Last Friday M. suggested Primo's for lunch. Actually, I think she suggested it on Thursday. I ordered the American with long hot peppers, tomatoes and pickles. It was a lot of sandwich.

In this photograph the sandwich is going to eat the dragon...but the dragon doesn't know it yet.

Breakfast Sandwich for Lunch

Last week I made myself a sausage, egg and cheese muffin for lunch. I bought the sausage at Whole Foods. It's precooked and frozen, and I expected great things. I expected the organic equivalent of the sausage one gets with a McMuffin, but, frankly, it wasn't as good. Rubbery as opposed to oil-filled and moist. Maybe I cooked it wrong. Hmpf.
The dragon was far more interested in the egg, which was cooked nicely. I am a good egg cooker. I have actually been making a lot of tasty food for myself this summer, but somehow I never quite pull the camera out to prove it. What is my problem?