Bourdain vs. Ramsay

This is a lesson to oneself.
Do not let your expectations ruin your adventures.
In every sense, I spoiled my dining experience at
Les Halles because I had been enticipating it with such great lust.

I did have enough balls to try the foi gras and it was horrendous.
Not because it was prepared incorrectly, it was just not my cup of tea.
Okay, let's be truthful here, it was GROSS! Hated the texture and the taste.
I am glad I tried it but will never repeat this taste test again.
NEVER! What I should have ordered was the Foi Gras Pate, not the actual liver.
I still love Anthony Bourdain, just not my food selection.


But Gordon Ramsay has captured my heart (or more so my tummy).The Maze was a modern delicate whirlwind of happiness for my taste buds. The coffee, yum, with the raw sugar balls. For brunch, they brought out a tray of different pastries. Heaven! I watch so many of the food network that it was so good to actually taste a "pan seared" fish. Don't even get me started with the dessert.

I left, so thankful that my sister knew me well enough to insist I dine at The Maze. I wasn't going to go. Silly me.

OUCH

I am pointing to an old bite from Allie.
The other is a new bite from this girl.
Last night, she sat purring to me brushing her back.
She jumped off, I reached over to brush her, but only to get attack
by a love bite. It's gonna scar, bummer.

I didn't get mad at her, it was my fault, she did
walk away, yet I insisted on brushing.

Or...

What if she's still mad at me leaving her alone for so long?
Hmmmmm

Yo-MoMa...Oh No!

I, like thousands of other people, am not big on Yoko Ono, but this piece of art at the Moma, changed my opinion.

This is the Wish Tree, inspired by Yoko Ono.

I loved it. I wanted to take part on this exhibit. I didn't want to over analyze and just wrote the first thing that popped into my mind. Hindsight, I could have written something different but I am happy with it, in the end. Must mean something since my feelings flowed right on paper.

You can go inside the MoMa, and there is a clear box where the wishes are taken off the tree & placed inside for people to view. One in particular caught my attention and made me a little sad. I said a little prayer for this person, just in case this person felt lonely or excluded. That's one area in my life where I am pretty darn lucky.With a family like mine, lonliness is not an option.


And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow
Let it Be
Lennon/McCartney

Top Ten List "Favorite Things in New York"

10. There's more then ten things..Shit!
9. Eating at Central Park The Boat House
8. Eating at Gordon Ramsay's The Maze
7. Waiter from the Plaza "Elvis" hee hee
6. Strawberry Fields
5. Wishing tree
4. "Weird" & Praying Mantis
3. Sis found the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Subway
2. Sis "tipsy" for twenty minutes
1. Overheard a child asked his parents "Are We Staying in Trash"

What is it? Is it legal?

Ahhhhhh, it's the best buy in the world! Purchased this in Hell's Kitchen Flea Market early in the morning. It was a hot morning. I was sweating and now had to carry this thing, without a bag, back to the hotel. As I was walking, I thought, how crazy am I, to buy a friggin light fixture on vacation!

Secondly, how the heck am I gonna take this home? It's too fragile to check it.
So I decided to carry it as a carry on luggage.
Of course, I got stopped. It was inspected by three gloved Homeland Security Officials. Yes, I said three.
One wouldn't let me touch it while he was "investigating." They asked me what it was, why I purchased it and if it had illegal substance. Of course it didn't have illegal shit, but if it did, was I suppose to admit that to them? Please, get real. Stupid question. One official took a flashlight to it, looking at its screws. Finally, it got "swabbed" with a white cloth with a chemical, to make sure there were no traces of any illegal substance.

It passed.

Now, if only it will look good in my dining room.

Fingers crossed.

Pink Ladies

Keeping my promise, I got the supplies ready for Amber and her friend to add a splash of color to her room on Sunday.

Amber originally chose to paint the room ORANGE (Hook'em)
but changed her mind (probably my tone when I said, "Orange?")
to pink.

As I was at Home Depot with a friend: This "loco" Home Depot Lady asked if she could help me. I told her what I wanted, Enamel Behr Paint with the color selection of Pink Lemonade. She said, "Wait here and I will get it."
I waited only five minutes.
A nice guy came by and asked if we had been helped.
I said yes and told him that a lady had helped us.
He just smiled and said, okay, let me help you. Weird, but, okay.
Repeated my conversation and he got the paint and mixed it.
As he stepped away to help someone else, the same lady came back, looked at me right in the eyes and asked me, "Can I help you?" Annoyed at me because I said, "no thank you." I swear to GOD she did!

I always have crazy things happen to me, and when I tell someone the story, it seems as if I exaggerated. Today, I had a witness to my stories... there's not an ounce of embellishment;-)
We both laughed so hard as she walked away, not helping anyone else.
Poor guy worked the whole station by himself.

Back to the painting process...Aaron and his friend helped for 5 minutes and quikly realize it was hard work. They vanished to run around the house. However, Anh Vinh decided to add some entertainment. As the girls and I were painting and deciding how to keep Amanda's part of the room intact, Anh Vinh thought it was funny to wear a monster mask and scare the shit out of me! Yikes.

We didn't complete the room yet. Since I had a crazy busy week at work, I couldn't finish but plan on doing it soon. I think she will like the finish product. Hmmmm, she needs a ceiling fan in that room.

To be continued.

Inception

I was blown away. One of the few movies that I saw on opening night. It was a movie theatre full of guys. Yes ;-)

There are so many layers to Inception, and the complexity of the story is re-freshing.It kinda feels like a heist movie. I heard it was describe as a James Bond movie gone Matrix. I would add a little Ocean's Eleven in the mix a little. I hope people watch this movie before they hear all the hype. Sometimes it makes the movies hard to appreciate but I still think it can stand up to the hype.

So stimulating and visually eye candy in every sense. Left scratching my head and planning on seeing it again.

Thanks Christopher Nolan, finally a movie worth talking about.

A+

Writing

I write like J.D. Salinger and Stephen King...
Boo!

http://iwl.me/

Thank You

Sweet Madison and Adam sent me delicious cookies, in Memory of Penny.
I needed this today since it was the same day I picked up Penny's ashes.
Love you back!

Ball Ball Ball

Got to hang out in Austin this past weekend. I got to hear Luke talk. His favorite word is BALL. I think he said it over a hundred times! This is him playing with me, saying ball, ball, ball! We were playing together then Lisa walks by...It was over, he didn't have time for me anymore. It was mommie, the whole way.

He's really sweet, even though he was under the weather, you couldn't tell. Luke lifted my spirits ;-) this weekend. Love that kid!

Anne & Penny

Borrowed this picture from Mel. It is lovely, isn't it?

Had to share, because it helps me get through the day.

From People who knew and loved Penny:

Hey family,

You guys have all been so sweet to Penny for the past 8 years. It has actually been 8 years to the day (July 1, 2002) since Anne got Penny, but she passed away very peacefully at Chi Thu's house tonight. She was diagnosed with a heart condition more than a year ago, so she was very strong to have lasted this long. She always got the best care from every one who took care of her and she loved the family. Everyone was always so nice to her and seemed to go a little out of their way to show her some attention - especially Chi Thu, who gave her unbelievable care and attention, and who made her happy until the very last day. She was truly a sweet, nutty, and incredibly perfect dog.

This may sound silly but if she could talk I know she would say thank you to everyone for sneaking her treats and being so kind to her.

David


Dear Thu, Lisa, Mel and David,

How precious you all are!!! My Granddog, Penny, had the best life. Please send me the picture of the big family at Canyon Lake with Penny. It was a tie between Penny and Thu on who had the biggest smile. I want to look again at that picture that Mel showed me.

So, today is Penny's birthday. I shed some tears with Greg when David called last night. Then I called Rachel and she too shed some. This morning I told Grace and she shed some. She said she had been hoping to see Penny. We have good memories of her. She would sit on one of my couch cushions to wait for Anne or David. I still have her sleeping cushion for the last 4 and a half years.

I had lunch with Rachel and I said how wonderful it was that Anne had been so close to your family. What a wonderful loving family you are! She had once thought we had too many children, but she let that idea go after meeting David, the 8th of 9. I immediately loved Mai before I met her. Mel, you are so special being the 9th child. I praise the Lord for you. For all of you Nguyens.

Thu, Penny was especially blessed to have you there in her last moments. Perhaps she is with Anne now. As God wills. And that she got to go camping the week before. How special is that!! Anyone who knows your family feels the love. I treasure our connection; though it is not often it is solid and golden.

We hope to share our joys and sorrows, for you are our loved ones.
Love,
Mary Anne Guthrie

Dear Penny

I miss you dearly.

Penny, so many people miss you and have reached out.
It's nice to know that you can count on people to
still take a moment and remember what you gave to them.
Madison told her mom, "I will miss Penny's eyes."
I do too Madison.

Penny, it's so different without you.
When you finish giving Anne your kisses and
stop eating Tyson's food, perhaps you will think of me too.

Love,
Aunt Thu

PS
One of my closest friend said to me, "Those sweet animals that creep into the margins of our lives -- and then take over -- and then go away. But we're always better, richer for what they give us during their time..."

He's right, my life is so much better, knowing you sweetheart.

You will always be my "Penny Luv."

Miss Penny

Penny was loved. This is an understatement.

Tuesday night: I was smart enough to take a picture of Penny after I gave her a bath that night. She was very thirsty and excited that she was drinking water. She didn't eat this night.

Wednesday: She's in heaven. That night, the three of us, slept together one last time. Allie tried to comfort me as I sobbed myself to sleep.

Thursday: Allie was affected by Penny's passing. She lost a friend. If I could tell you how these two girls interact...Would put a smile on your faces. Allie is sitting at the doorway, normally Penny's position, watching me take Penny away in the morning. I promise you, she was looking for Penny. If you look closely, you can see how Allie wanted to go with me. This girl is an inside cat. She does not ever like leaving out of the front door, but she wanted her friend, who I placed in my front passenger side of my car.

At the Doctor's office, you can see all the caring people who met Penny. This is an extremely busy office. You can visually see and hear how upset they were when they saw it was Penny. Sigh. I left, hurting.

Going home this night, it was brutal. I would look down next to my bed and she wasn't there, waiting for a treat.

It's just me and Allie now. Sigh...My sister told me it was okay to cry, let it out.
We will be okay.