Amelie

[photo courtesy http://apilittledarling.blogspot.com/2009/09/abc-sundays-is-for-amelie.html]

July 7, 2010

The consequences stemming from her actions in this scene actually make me quite sad...

Trivia Night at da Saucy!

We joined Monica, Whitney, Brian, and the rest of the gang for fire sales and cheese fries.

I know working in restaurants is hard, stressful work and that everyone has bad days, but that still doesn't give a beer goddess the right to ignore her customers, be rude, and/or act as if doing her job is imposing on her time to visit with her friends who also happen to be her customers. You treat your customers equally, so if we are being treated like crap, you better be treating that other table badly, too! I know we had a big group, but we were not demanding or giving her a hard time...and she just threw away a ton of tips.

Sorry to rant but I don't like when anyone fails to do his or her job.

Despite our server's antics AND losing at trivia, we still had a wonderful reunion. We topped off our night on Jeff's rooftop overlooking downtown and the Rivermarket.

WOW-what a view!!

Salad Craving?

[photo courtesy http://www.thenest.com/Recipes/46152/detailview.aspx?STOPREDIRECTING=TRUE&id=46152&type=7&recipe_type=Salad&cm_ven=Responsys&cm_cat=Nest&cm_pla=Newsletter&cm_ite=July+05%2C+2010&MsdVisit=1&PgReferrer=results.aspx]

July 5, 2010

Tonight for dinner we had pizza and salad--which I topped with vidalia onion vinaigrette that is sooo good. (Recently I did learn, however, that this vinaigrette does not taste good on corn. Yuck!)

After dinner, I was checking my iPhone when I saw I had gotten my weekly email from The Nest.com, the website for newlyweds. A segment promised to provide recipes for 50+ new salads.

I have been in a salad mood. Tonight I had three small salads, and I've been eating lots of fruit and fruit salads, so this article was of interest. I opened it, and saw a picture of this: Watermelon and Red Onion salad.

Initially I thought, "Huh?" then "Errr..." culminating in "Ewww." However, now that I have read the recipe itself (watermelon, onion, cilantro, vinegar, and homemade orange dressing), I am intrigued.

I like to try new things, and I no longer shun the mixing of opposite flavors, foods, what have you.

This summer or next, we may be trying this strange little salad.

Fourth of July Weekend

July 2-4, 2010

I didn't mean to get a picture of my mother-in-law yawning... ;/

Friday my Mama joined all the Pharr's for Hot Springs' annual Spa Blast at Oaklawn. We enjoyed carnival food--except for cotton candy :( --and watching the fireworks, but the music was TOO loud. I would definitely say the Spa Blast's fireworks display beat Pops on the River and any other I've seen.It was a cool night and a great way to kick off the Fourth of July weekend! And I'm so glad my Mama decided to come down after all.

Jazz hands? YES!!!

Saturday Zach and I FINALLY went to see The Comedy of Errors, part of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre. Because we are poor recent graduates, unemployed and living far away, it's the only one we got to see. :( But I am so glad that this is the one we saw! :)

It was sooo good! We cannot stop raving about it! It was such an entertaining production from the slapstick comedy to the Americana musical stylings to the way they played off the twin factor (BRILLIANT!). And I was in love with the set (as evidenced by my photo taken during intermission) and the costumes. I would have never imagined a Shakespeare play like this, but the era lended itself well to this story. I guess I need to read more Billy Shakes (duh!).

Gosh. I wish I could have seen this one more than once. :) Bravo, AST!!

After dinner at Brauhaus Saturday night, I came home to this sweet gift from the one and only Linda Adams! She is Bobby's cousin, and I got to meet her a few weeks ago at Lindsey and Sam's wedding. I gushed to her how she taught me how to cook on Arkansas Today with B.J. Sams and Beth Ward. Mrs. Adams used to do segments with Beth Ward, who is one of her best friends; she is a home economist pretty famous in these parts. :)

She was such a joy and so sweet to send me a copy of her cookbook and the picture we took together. I can't wait to start cooking again!!

(I'm so glad she wrote in my book and added the date, too. Every time I get a book from someone, I inscribe it with the gifter's name and the date. ;)

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone had a wonderful day. We had fun celebrating in the pool and with summery food (beer, raspberry mojitos, strawberry daiquiris, grilled chicken, corn-on-the-cob, and my blackberry cobbler)!

the red, white, and blue fireworks fountain at Spa Blast

It's never a good idea to take pictures of people in swimsuits hence why I have no pictures from Sunday!

Vera Bradley Ad

July 1, 2010

I saw this ad in Better Homes and Gardens a week ago when we were visiting Grandpa and Grandma Jean while I was flipping through her copy. (Mine hadn't arrived yet.)

When we got home and I got mine, I had forgotten about this ad. But once I opened the cover and started flipping through, it made me happy once more.

Things like this take me back to my journalism days.
I'm not a HUGE fan of Vera Bradley, but I do like many of her prints. I love my wallet. :)
I find this ad to be simply amazing.

AND it reminds me of 13 Going On 30.

PART 1: The Magical Mystery Interview Tour, OR 7 States in 7 Days

June 24-26, 2010

Thursday we headed to Cabot, Arkansas (our FIRST state), to spend the night with Grandpa and Grandma Jean. We enjoyed playing with Doc:Friday we made it to Fayetteville for the weekend!

We explored the Square, Dickson, and campus a bit before heading to Uncle Chuck and Aunt Jeannie's in Springdale. Zach took me to where his former apartments stood. It was a little sad. :(

Here is a picture of the old courthouse on the Square. Very lovely. :)

This is where we spent our weekend:

Saturday afternoon Uncle Chuck and Alexis took us cruising on the boat on Beaver Lake.

We watched Alexis water ski AND got caught in downpour. (We sought refuge at the marina. *haha*) I love riding in a boat-it's always been my favorite part of fishing-but I still haven't quite developed my sea..er, lake...legs...

Lily was so happy to see us home safe!

Then we went to AQ Chicken House with Uncle Chuck. It was yummy! I love pepper, and this chicken had plenty of it. It had that home-fried taste. I also loved the sweet potato casserole, rolls, and mashed potatoes.

We rubbed his wattles for good luck!

I had quite the surprise en route to AQ. We were driving along, following Chuck, when I just glanced over to the right at a red light. Guess who I saw? The oldest Duggar, Josh, his wife Anna, and their daughter Mackynzie! We were stopped next to their car lot, AmeriCar. I first saw Josh, but my mind did not process who he was until I saw Anna and her long hair. ;)

Zach and I ended the night exploring Dickson Street and campus.

Zach found his name on the Senior Walk!! (He makes such silly faces...)

We went to Hog Haus, a micro-brewery, where he had a blueberry wheat beer and I had a Ruby Red, which is an Irish-style ale. :)

PART 2: The Magical Mystery Interview Tour, OR 7 States in 7 Days

June 27-30, 2010Zach and I went downtown to the Dickson Street Bookstore on Sunday. It is amazing, and you should check it out if you are ever in the Fayetteville area. I'm talking floor-to-ceiling bookshelves winding throughout the building. Even though I struggled to find the Dickens section which lacked the edition of Our Mutual Friend I wanted, I still got some goodies and saw even more!

After a chocolate and caramel concrete from Shake's, we headed next door for a Thanksgiving dinner with Nancy, Becky, and Lou who we had dinner with Friday night (angel hair pasta with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts). We had never had blueberry ice cream, but that is how I will take my blueberries from now on!

This is Nancy's new ragdoll kitten Cat Cat. She is such a sweet cat, all soft and gentle. I loved her fur and her blue eyes especially. We loved watching her and playing with her. I think Hobie needs a little brother or sister like this one...

Monday, Zach interviewed at Jefferson College, a community college in Hillsboro, MO (our SECOND state), which is outside of STL. :) Doesn't he look dapper?

entering Illinois (our THIRD state)

As soon as it was over, we hopped in Don and drove to Terre Haute, IN (our FOURTH state), for the night because it is halfway between STL and Dayton, OH (our FIFTH state), where his next interview is.

Time changes are not fun. No me gusta. I repeat: Time changes are not fun. No me gusta.

We set our alarms for 7 in order to leave at 8:30. I decided to leave my phone on Central Standard Time, so we would know what time it really was. This meant my phone was technically set for 6 since we are an hour behind.

Too bad I didn't know the iPhone would change time zones in the night! Sneaky "smart" phone...you MUST be smarter than the technology you use. *lol* My alarm thus went off at 6 in Eastern Time. I was really confused when I looked at the clock in the room, and it now matched the time on my phone. I was still half-asleep, so when I asked Zach what was going on, he mumbled something at me I didn't understand. I was so worried about waking up late that I never really fell back asleep...

Then the real fun began. I was driving along toward Dayton when we got outside of Indianapolis and were surrounded by lots and lots of 18-wheelers. The law requires that they only go 65 m.p.h., so I had to keep turning the cruise control on and off as I would inevitably land behind a slow mover. The highway was lined with signs reading, "Speeding $1000 fine" or some such business. So I made damn sure I wasn't speeding.

I was waiting for several cars and 18-wheelers to move on in the left lane, preparing to change lanes and pass yet another 18-wheeler, when a policeman behind us turned his lights on. Now I have been pulled over just a handful of times, so I was stunned. I immediately asked Zach if the cop is pulling ME over. I assured him I had NOT been speeding.

And I hadn't. No, I was going eight (8!) miles under the speed limit, and to quote the police officer, "is not against the law," but he thought I was following the 18-wheeler too close. He wanted to make sure I was okay having observed I was from out-of-state, so he says he'll just take a look at my license, give me a warning, and send me on my way.

"Your license is expired."
WHAT?!
Yep. My license expired on my birthday, and I had no idea. This shocks me so much, I start to tear up because I think that I--the girl who never leaves home without her license and always knows keeps up with it--am in BIG trouble now.

The police officer was really nice and only gave me a warning, but Zach had to drive. I get so nervous when I get pulled over that my back starts having spasms and I cry. At that point, it was probably best that Zach drove.

Anyway, as I don't remember the procedure from when I got my license renewed the first time, I asked Zach if he got a reminder, which he assumed he did. (The police officer also said that most states do send out reminders.)

So I called my mom and asked her about it, assuming she had forgotten to give me my reminder since it is mailed to her address. She says she has NEVER gotten a reminder for hers, much less for mine this past year. But she said she would call the Revenue Office to check. They tell her that indeed they do send out reminders, but it may have gotten lost in the mail. So much for that reminder...

I guess it's a good thing I found out this way?

Since Zach usually drives anyway, we're probably going to wait to renew it after we hear how his interviews went. Speaking of interviews, he made it to Wright State--and in plenty of time!

I loved the interiors of their buildings, but I was disappointed by their lack of flowers, benches, and old buildings with characters. (Of course the campus has only been around since 1967.) The lack of flowers and benches was especially surprising considering how nice the weather was and how busy campus was despite it being summer.

However, they do have a tunnel system that connects all of the buildings together, which is pretty cool, if you ask me. The tunnels themselves weren't that cool, but I'm really not sure what I was expecting. (The Underground, maybe? *lol*) This means that, theoretically, you could go through your entire academic career without stepping outside. I think UCA should have implemented something like this a LONG time ago since we had to canoe to class. ;)We drove around Fairborn and Dayton a bit. Even though it was a charming city--about the size of Little Rock with lovelier architecture and attractions--I started tearing up when I realized I might have to miss my best niece's third birthday if Zach gets this job. :(

We didn't do much else but head to the hotel after we had spaghetti bolognese at Meadowlark Restaurant in Miamisburg. I was surprised I had never tried it before, but this was definitely the place to try it. We couldn't believe this cute little place was in a strip mall. I love pasta, so I will definitely be making this in the future. :)

Zach really wanted to try White Castle and eat at Steak 'n Shake once while we were on the road to home.This is him at White Castle in Louisville, Kentucky (our SIXTH state).

You'd never guess he liked it by looking at this picture. At least we (especially I) got a history lesson out of lunch...

Thank heavens we had this Steak 'n Shake turtle milkshake at dinner in Memphis, TN (our SEVENTH state!).

And this is Boogie's street!