Video killed the radio star

The week before Christmas Ray and I had dinner with my family at Artz Rib House. We waited awhile to get seated (who knew Artz is the place to be on a Sunday night?), but the food and music were worth the wait. A half order of ribs is enough for two, although I can certainly eat a full order solo.

Halfway through dinner, Dad starts asking about how the move is going, if we have enough stuff for the house, etc. I tell him we have all of the furniture/appliances in, except for the tv because we still have one of those old school box tv's, you know, the kind that were looted in Police Academy 4. My dad leans across the table and shouts over the bluegrass, "Do you want my old tv?"

"Sure," I said, really thinking, "SCORE!" - My dad is having a 60 year old crisis, where instead of buying a sports car, he upgrades every piece of electronic equipment quarterly, so the 46" Sony LCD HDtv was replaced with an even bigger plasma tv. Ray and I look at each other, trying to hide our excitement till the end of dinner. We get into my car, high-five and start doing the "we got a free tv dance", Ray looks at the back of my car and says, "I hope we have the room."

We drive all the way S. BFE to my parents' house. My dad tells Ray to come upstairs to help move the tv - the "outdated" LCD tv was demoted to my brother's old room. We follow him upstairs. WHAT?! Why is he looking at the 32" analog box tv sitting pathetically in the hallway? I give Ray a look that says, he's pulling our leg - he likes to play corny jokes like that, just play along. So I humor Dad and say, "awesome, yeah, we'll take that tv to the new house...hey, show Ray your new computer."

30 minutes after painfully watching my Dad trying to navigate between programs and listening to him serenade us with Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" while dancing in his seat, giving him multiple opportunities to reveal his "joke", I finally say, "So, we probably should get going, you're giving us that tv right?" pointing to the flat screen.

"Oh," says Dad. "You can have that one when I get a new tv to replace the one downstairs. But you can take the one in the hallway. We need to get rid of it."

2009 New Years Resolution

1. Don't Count My Chickens Before They Hatch

2. Buy a tv...any suggestions?

And they call it puppy love

We are almost done moving! Yay! Today we were able to move everything we're keeping downstairs so that the carpet can be cleaned next week. Exciting, but sad...I'm going to miss the proximity to the Barton Creek Greenbelt and being able to take Oso there. Luckily, Stacy Park is right across the street from our house and a short jog has become our morning ritual.

Monday is actually my favorite day of the week. 1) I'm off 2) Everyone else is at work. So it's just me and Oso all day long!

We're in love. He's the most perfect dog in the entire world and I would be totally content to just have him forever. But, we are adding one more to our litter...our new puppy was born January 6th. We're getting an Akita (American Akita, to be exact) and we have first pick. Ray wants a boy, but is slowly becoming open to a female. The puppies are from a breeder in Conroe, TX called Chateau Akitas. Click on Epiphany 2009 Puppies to see the most recent pictures. We're hoping to visit them mid February. Although we aren't sure which one we're getting, we have a name picked out: Kuma, which means "bear" in Japanese. We like bears. Sic 'em bears!

So I hope Oso adjusts well to the new puppy. Otherwise we'll just have to kick Ray and Kuma out :)

Here are some pictures taken from the ranch after New Year's:

Oso and the girls at the Pecos River, part of Bell Ranch.

My favorite picture of O.

Cuddling in the Custom Deluxe.

Oompa!

As much as I HATE to admit it, I am getting older. The most obvious sign does not come by way of wrinkles or gray hairs (phew!) but by baby announcements. In the first round of my early twenties, I looked forward to receiving save-the-dates and wedding invites because naturally, celebration of the blessed union = free bar! This second round of early twenties has included the same save-the-date excitement, but with an ever growing number of It's a ____!

So for all of the parents-to-be out there, I thought I'd pass along my favorite website of 2008: Oompa Toys. I love this site because they carry excellent toys that are educational and safe, as well as eco-friendly and organic baby gear. Parents can also create a wish-list that acts as a baby registry or birthday list. The site is pretty easy to navigate - you can search by toys made in the US or made in Europe. As many parents are aware, most toys are made in China and may have harmful amounts of lead and other toxins. Most of the popular brands on Oompa are based in Europe. Although some of these companies do have assembly in China, they are strictly monitored and have passed US and EU standards (each toy you click on has a tab for Safety where you can view which standards they have passed). The creator of Oompa toys also has a blog where she talks about relevant and useful topics, such as why healthtoys.org may cause unnecessary alarm about toys that are actually safe.

The main reason why I love this site comes down to their tagline:
NO BATTERIES. NO BLINKING LIGHTS. NO CARTOON-THEMED TOYS. PERIOD.

The early years of childhood are an essential time for learning and social-emotional growth. I believe that one of the most important ways we can support children is by providing them with an environment that is safe, loving, and open for imagination. Maybe I'm biased as an OT, but wouldn't we all benefit from a little less advertisement-driven character toy that uses potentially hazardous batteries to produce repetitive sounds and take the pretend out of play?

I may be old, but at least I still know how to play.

Interest in fashion IS crucial

I checked the mail today and got my latest Nordstrom catalogue. Next week starts their half-yearly sale, my favorite shopping event of the year, second only to the Nordstrom Anniversary sale of course. There's just nothing that compares to that happy shiny feeling you get when you walk through their doors. And come on, what other store serenades you with grandiose piano playing while trying on Cole Haan Nike Air Sole strappy heels?

But this time, I am having a hard time justifying a splurge on clothes (even beautiful, beautiful clothes). I have recently made a change in my lifestyle, much influenced by having read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and having watched numerous socially conscious independent documentaries courtesy of Netflix (I don't have cable, not even NBC thanks to Time Warner). In an effort to be more "green" and support my local economy, I'm trying to buy goods that are produced as close to Austin as possible - buying things that are produced close by inherently supports local businesses and reduces the amount of petroleum required to transport those things.

Naturally I have started with food goods, since 1) I love to eat and 2) I love to eat. The downtown farmers market is my first pick because they have a variety of meats (cornish hens, feral hogs, lamb) and wonderful organic produce from Central Texas farms. (My fanaticism for Central Market has faded...their produce section, though quality, consists of fruits and vegetables from California, New Jersey, and as far away as Holland...think of all the gas required to ship and store those peppers...the only thing from Texas I found was alfalfa sprouts and sunflower sprouts...I guess Texans like sprouts?)

You can even buy dairy products at the farmers market. Ray bought a delicious jar of feta cheese that was made by Brazos Valley farms in Waco. There's also fresh pasta. This past week I made a yummy dish using wild mushroom papardelle from Pasto & Co. (made in Austin on Kerbey Lane). I just tossed the pasta with a lemon cream white wine sauce I made and added shredded cheese and diced tomatoes. There's even bread, fresh fish, and flowers (if I ever get a green thumb I will buy one of those flowers).

So here's my dilemma: considering most clothes are not made in the USA at all, how can I allow myself to buy clothes from a corporate retailer that isn't even based in Texas?

This problem is stressing me out. I think I need some retail therapy.

Falling

My favorite time to be in Austin and the Texas Hill Country is between March and April when the bluebonnets and other wildflowers cover the sweeping fields and even manage to make I-35 look like a beautiful sea of blue. However, when the first cold front hits after months of heat, I fall in love with fall.

It's a short-lived affair. One to two days in, allergies betray my trust and a lover's quarrel between congestion and runny-nose-like-a-drippy-faucet ensues. This year I was extremely desperate and bought a Neti Pot after hearing my co-workers rave about the miraculous effects it brings.

This is a Neti-Pot:



And I love it.

According to the Himalayan Institute website, the Neti Pot "naturally cleanses, refreshes, and protects the nasal passages, one of our body's first lines of defense against illness. Recommended today by doctors and pharmacists worldwide, the Neti Pot has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to alleviate sinus and allergy problems."

Just like love, the first time is the worst. Imagine shoving the spout up your nose and pouring a warm saline solution up one nostril, breathing through your mouth, overcoming the sensation of drowning in a pool, and feeling a mixture of mucus, water, and salt come out the other side. But once you get past that moment of panic, you're in the clear.

I neti-pot in the morning and I'm considering adding a second night-time neti to my regimen. I recommend doing it behind closed doors. In my experience, inviting a loved one to witness the neti-potting elicits weird looks and awkward excuses. (Like trimming your nose hair in the car with an electric trimmer is a socially appropriate act.)

In short, I am once again in love with fall - tailgates, pumpkins and squash at the farmers market, breezy walks on the greenbelt and Townlake - thanks to a little ceramic pot I call My Neti.

Vacation pictures

Click on the albums below to view our pictures from Peru!

Cusco PERU

Machu Picchu

Motorcycle Diaries to Pisac

Los Organos - Soleil Bungalows

Comida tipica

Peruvian cuisine is anything but typical. Our first night in Miraflores (Lima), we ventured to a restaurant with a fabulous view of the Pacific ocean. Lima is situated right on the coast, high atop these beautiful cliffs which are lined with various parks that hug the edge. Our first taste of Peru was their national drink, the Pisco sour. Pisco is a type of brandy made from the muscat grape. A pisco sour is made with pisco, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, a little big of egg white, and a splash of bitters. Ray is a fan, I like the Cusquena beer better.



The table next to us ordered this awesome scallops and clams dish, served in clamshells and covered with parmesan cheese. So rich! We also ordered the ceviche which Peru is known for - sea bass or "corvina", this was also incredible, especially the price :)



The food in Cusco was equally wonderful. Here we explored the gringo restaurants, local restaurants (known as "picanterias"), and pizzerias...they sure do love their Italian here. Upon arrival to our hotel, El Balcon, we were met with steaming mugs of mate de coca (tea made with coca leaves) to help with the altitude:



Unlike Mexico or other central American countries, tortillas are not part of the Peruvian diet. Potatoes, rice, and corn are staples. Their corn (choclo) are very sweet, and the kernels are HUGE (2-3x the size of our corn). Recoto relleno (stuffed peppers) is a delicious, typical dish. Here they are served with papa dorado (potatoes cooked through but crispy on the outside):



Aji de gallina (chicken & onions over rice), trucha (trout), and bisteca (grilled meat) are also typical dishes. Oddly enough, these dishes are very similar to filipino food, so I actually ate more rice in Peru than I would normally do (after 21 years you get a little burned out).







And last but not least, the Peruvian delicacy, Cuy al horno...aka your childhood pet guinea pig. Here it is Pre-Ray:



And post....YUCK!



If you want to know what it tastes like you'll have to ask Ray. And he will try to convince you that it's good. Boys are gross.