A Tradition

Tradition

Play Freebird! Play Freebird! It’s as traditional as that is to hear at a rock concert.

Freebirds is ‘like’ a Chipotle. Now, the only concept being it’s a make your own burrito place, but the concept here is my first foray into it. I first “met” Freebirds when I was a Freshman in college. This is probably where I should have learned to pull away from the table….and not gain the Freshman 15…twice over.

That said, as a treat, this is well worth the wait, calories and trip up to College Station, TX. I’m a “regular Freebird” sized girl, although they have Monster and Super Monster sizes. A spinach tortilla with their rice and traditional monterrey Jack cheese is good for starts. Add steak and black beans, all of the “Freebies” (pico de gallo, tomato, lettuce, red AND white onion, jalapeno (fresh = SEARING hot!), some of their death sauce or bbq for the more milder tastes and  then add the extra expense of guacamole and you have burrito perfect. A good cold beer added will make this one happy girl! It’s huge. Think about a coke can around give or take and about 1.5 coke cans tall. It’s a meal!

This is traditional comfort food after a bad football game at it’s best. You must try it – these are fresh ingredients, done up properly in a way that doesn’t taste like the mish mash that Mission Burrito sometimes tends to turn out. The selections are much more plentiful than the mainstream Chipotle.

They’re locations have expanded tons, so look for one in your Texas major city! Try it – it’s a change from the regular mexican food, it’s a good funky time to be had with friends!

Freebirds - http://www.freebirds.com/home.htm  - 979-485-8829

Rating: Spoon & fork – this is still fast food, the selection is limited, but it’s better than Chipotle could ever imagine! Gig Em!

Unbelievable

 

On an adventure to San Francisco, I was treated to lunch at the Chez Panisse Cafe. It seems to be advertised as the lesser of the two experiences – versus the dinner restaurant downstairs – but I cannot imagine how that can be. This meal sits towards the top of my lists of things I’ve consumed.

I continue to be amazed at that ability to turn out fantastic dishes without the overpowering use of gravies, butters, cheeses and creams that dotted my experiences in San Francisco. Being from the South, you’re just used to having something “play the heavy” on a dish – no matter where you are, even in salads.

I started the day off with a garden salad where lettuce, if you can even comment on lettuce, actually tasted like lettuce! Gasp! I know. Who writes about leaves? I do. The entire salad actually tasted as if it’d been picked by someone and run up those beautiful mission-style stairs and placed on the plate as quickly as it could be.

I had this beautiful dish of fresh beans and onion with grilled squid.  I’m still trying to figure out what that was. My friends know me as the one who always tries to recreate the dish later. That broth was amazing, there’s just no doing it over. It’s not me giving up, it’s allowing perfection to be held by the chef. The squid was grilled and charred marks were perfection. Chewy in a good way, not like a garden hose on a plate. It had a pairing with an aioli that allowed the buttery-ness to project the salt of the sea in the seafood, but not provide an ocean of grease to swim in.

Now, as if I couldn’t dedicate more emotion to a plate, I ordered apple tart. Which should really just simply say “elation” on the dessert menu and leave no room for description. Apple tart simply dresses down this dish. There is some beauty in “tart” when it’s made of puff pastry so light and airy, filled with simple slices of apple and dressed with a simple syrup of apple and blackberry. The hint given here is that a few blackberries dot the dish. But the need for sugar is nil, the fruit holds court against the light crust and when it comes to finishing a meal, this couldn’t have done better.

Chez Panisse – www.chezpanisse.com - (510) 548-5525 - Reservations are a must. Do not try otherwise.

Rating: spoon, fork & knife + champagne flute – a memory to behold.

Road Trippin’

Go ahead and laugh when I say “Car Seat for a Dog”. But that said, I’ve used this car seat for three of my animals and it’s never ripped, shredded or even been a pain to use! They all LOVE it. They can see out the window, and I don’t have to subject myself to whining much like small children!

It’s safety harness keeps them strapped in safe, which means that if I were in an accident, Ralph Thomas isn’t flying anywhere. It’s easy to put in any style of car and adjusts to just about any placement that you require. (I’ve even been able to put it on the back of a seat when there wasn’t much room! (Although not suggested by the manufacturer)

Ralph can move around enough to be comfortable, sit up and stand to see out the window even more. But he’s definitely in enough that he’s not going to cause damage to himself, or the car. Plus at the end of a long day, he’s able to lay down and nap! Sometimes the dog park is just too much!

Amazon.com can get you the Outward Hound Car Seat for $29.65 and that includes their free super saver shipping! It comes in small (which I use) and medium. I highly recommend this product.

The Resolution Check In Spot

I’ve been making it a habit to check in on myself when trying to accomplish my year’s resolutions. Today I’ll share my progress as a way to admit to the world where I’m going wrong and right

1. Go to Italy. I’ve sat down, perused my books. I’ve got tentative plans with my Italian chickyfriend for lunch and planning in midMarch. I’m going to be booking by March 31st. Deadline SET!
2. Maintain my weight healthily. Doing well and even lost 5 lbs. I’m so pleased with how things are going. With my birthday being this month I overindulged and still kept myself within reason. Hanging in there, the days that the scale tells me the “wrong” number are the worst still!
3. Continue to be grateful for what I have. I am trying to do this. Sometimes the economic law of “I want more!” gets involved.  I am doing MUCH better. I’ve made myself a list of the purchases I intend on making this year and the more I look at that list, the more I want to stick to it!
4. Value myself. This is the worst one. How do you show yourself you love you?
5. Get my wisdom teeth pulled. Okay, admittedly, no headway made here. but I’ve tentatively planned it for late in the year given my other goals. So I’m not behind, I’m not on it either!
6. Write a novel. Stalled here. I think I have a concept. I even have a place to publish and a cover design. Now I’m just tyring to find my angle. I’m starting to write an outline in the hopes this will help this work it out. In other book news, I am putting together my recipes in a book. That’s motivation enough to see the process and take hold of my inner author.
7. Wear more socks, tights and lingerie. I know. Crazy one here. But I adore buying all three of these but then never make the time to accessorize. So I’m doing this, not as much as I should, but the hot weather prevents some things!
8. Purge more. I’m definitely making sure that if I’m not using something that I’m finding it a new home if possible!
9. Go to town more - local foods, bike riding – okay, we’ve done 2 farmers markets this year. and no bike riding. Our schedule is so overwhelming that it’s questionable when we’ll make time for this. That said, it’s still on my list of things to make more time for!
10. DO what you said you would do when you wished you would do it – I don’t know how to accomplish this other than make a list and tackle. I’m definitely tackling more.
11. Use environmentally friendly bags, products, etc…total and utter fail. Smack me.
12. Finish crafts – i’m asking myself more and more, will I use it alot? can I actually accomplish this DIY project? how much will I value it? and this is shortening my list to doable tasks and fun things that make my life richer and happier!
13. Give more gifts - homemade, think of others – finishing crafts is helping this! I’ve put into place a few little acts of kindness through the year that will mean people are thought of and recognized for that! Lots more love out there!
    

A Valentine’s day Worthy Dinner

 

Biga on the Banks was enjoyed while in San Antonio recently. While it sits on the Riverwalk it’s far from the kitschy tourist type place that inhabits the area.

For starters we had the salmon nachos and the squid ink pasta & chicken fried oysters. Both exquisite. The entire table seemed to agree  that the oysters were perfect .Far from the “Southern soul food” that most things with “Chicken Fried” incite, this was a tender bite that didn’t have breading overshadowing the salty flavor. Still don’t understand the pasta sauce, but whatever that was, continue it! Buttery without being heavy, it made for a nice contrast.

The Cuzco salad earned top marks for me. A perfectly balanced salad of hominy, avocado, sweet potatoes, tomato, onion, jalapeno and butter lettuce. It was enough to not even require the dressing, which was a lovely pickle vinegar that the onions had soaked in. Gorgeous all the way around.

For entree, I enjoy the mahi mahi with braised cabbage (instead of baby carrots) and their roasted fingerling potatoes. Perfect all the way around. The crab and lobster with pico de gallo that accompanied my fish was spot on, nothing overwhelming, but adding a nice spice to all of the pieces on the plate. 

The service here cannot be beat, some of the best I’ve had in the city. Very attentive without protruding, I was amusing myself towards the end with a bit of napkin folding, my waiter, Orlando, chimed in with the perfect napkin fold for Thanksgiving – I’ll put that to use soon!

Biga on the Banks - http://www.biga.com/ - 210-225-0722

 

Rating: fork, spoon & knife: definitely a celebration, even when there’s nothing to celebrate.

XOXO

 

 

Okay, so they say real men wear pink. So why not pick up Petco’s Smoochie Pooch Pink Argyle Dog Sweater for my macho dog?  At $12.74, it’s cute for the ladies and makes him warmer – he always looks cold! I’ve been questioning whether some other folks at the dog park would think he’s a girl, but I think the manly argyle gives it that preppy look without being overly chick like!

That said, I think he needs to cool down on the ladies, he always seems too interested in EVERY dog that’s bordering our backyard. But being a man on the street, if he were to find a little lady, how cute is this ensemble from NingNingGong’s Etsy Shop – at 28 dollars it’s handmade and too cute for words! This dog looks exactly like my sisters and I may just have to spoil her with it! Too cute!

Gifts for Each Other

I think it’s a beautiful thing to surprise someone romantically. I’m the type of girl who loves someone who can just love me out in the open in front of the world. Which I think it generally the embodiment of a wedding with family and friends all around.

That said, I also adore a few choice personal things for the day. Something to make my groom feel super fabulous. Some for in front of his friends! Some not so much! Ever think that a pin up photo done in good taste may make him get giddy about the upcoming honeymoon?

Not that you want to overserve anyone before they make it to the reception, but a great bottle of his favorite poison along with your new monogram on some high ball glasses may make those crazy groomsmen a little more apt to “behave” during the ceremony! I mean, winning their vote never hurts! :)

What about surprising him with his favorite candy? or even a pin of his family crest to wear during the ceremony on his lapel? Perhaps you can tuck a matching one on your dress somewhere as a symbol of coming together as family?

It’s just as easy to get the bride all blushing if you can dot her day with a few well placed surprise well wishes.

Easy enough is to send flowers! A hand written note! Perhaps even set up a few extra goodies on your honeymoon and let her know what’s in store for you!

If you know her well enough, and she’s game, perhaps you can help choose the jewelry she will wear that day. Or buy her a small pin or accessory that will help compliment her wear. If she’s changing clothes to leave or for the reception, this may also be a great outfit to offer some “little blue box” love.

  Whatever it is – small , big, or in between, make each other feel remembered, tossing a little letter or box between the groomsmen and bridesmaids to heighten the butterfly feeling that “I’m going to see you soon…and guess what, I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.” Enjoy!