Napa Valley

Husbie had this whole week off, and we hightailed it to Napa Valley. Amazingly, Lancer has never been there, though I've been there too many times to count with the girlies. He was impressed, to say the least. Napa is fun because it has all the charm of a small city, but it's replete with gourmet food, amazing vinegars and olive oils, and great shopping.

We started off in St. Helena--we stopped in @ the *original* Taylor's Automatic Refresher. It's this funny little roadside diner that you would probably just zip by if you didn't know they have some of the best food around:

We both got BLT's--mine was a nice, normal lil' sandwich--Husbie's special sandwich, however, boasted thick slices of juicy tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, and crisp bibb lettuce:

We also split an order of their sweet potato fries--normally, I wouldn't eat the sweet spud, but these are to-die-for:

We shopped around the downtown area, snatching up some sweet and delicious balsamic vinegar from Olivier. We're going to drizzle it over grilled peaches before summer gets away from us. I love this sign from the Main Street:

After shopping, we headed up to Greystone, the restaurant of the Culinary Institute of America. The campus is breathtaking:

This was easily one of the top 5 meals I have ever eaten--it was up there with the food we had in France. We both ordered the corn soup, which was a light and brothy dish, not the normally heavy, cream-laden fare they serve up as corn soup:

Lance got the fish, and I got the steak. Mine had a vegetable salsa and creamed corn topping that blew me away. For dessert, I got the homemade blackberry ice-cream, and Lancer got the peach crostini. He isn't into sweets, but he cleaned the entire plate:

We stayed overnight in the Hotel St. Helena, a cute little place from the 1800's. Our room was tenny-tiny, but nice and cozy:

I had to grab a call, and I am apparently quite animated. Thanks Paparazzi Lance for stalking me whilst I was talking--who knew I gave such great face?

The next morning, we shopped in St. Helena for a few more hours, and then hit Dean and Deluca:We picked up some new salt and pepper grinders, and the cool and quintessential test-tube spice rack. I made a deal with the Devil (Lance) for these. I told ol' Satan that if he bought them, I would make one new dish a week using a new spice. Harder said than done--there are some spices I have never even heard of. Mace chicken, anyone?
Next, we headed down to Yountville to gorge at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery:

Lance grabbed a few goodies, and I grabbed a Nutter-Butter cookie so I could scrape out the tasty inards....I'm not letting a little wheat cookie crust keep me from the goodies inside, especially when the inside consists of peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Mmm....

I feel inspired to make excellent food after our trip. I love, love, love great food. Lance is coming around, too. Before France, he said he couldn't really tell if food was bad or good--he just ate so he wouldn't die. Now that he can find and identify great food, he is a much more enjoyable foodie companion! More napa trips down the line!!

Mazatlan!

We scored an amazing (and free--thanks la familia Ford!!) beachfront condo in Mazatlan, and took advantage of Husbie's generous vacation time to go hang out for 10 days. It was fun, relaxing, and hot and muggy. Apparently, we caught the beginning of the rainy season, and spent many a night and day hot and sweaty, which you can see in our red little faces. Thanks to Lancer for his amazing shots!

Our gorgeous complex, Casa Bonita, complete with lush coconut grove and warm pool:

Here are some trip highlights:

Saw some bea-u-tiful sunsets from the Balcony:

Saw a turtle lay some eggs on the beach:

We played around on ATV's for 2 hours. We had a great time until things unraveled like a Steven King novel. On a deserted stretch of beach, three menacing dogs came out and stood guard as we rolled down the beach. As we approached on the bike, they went nuts and started coming after us. Lance kicked up a notch, and tore down the beach, but the freaky demon dogs kept up with us and only stopped giving chase about 1 mile down the beach. Lucky us, we got to flip around and get chased by the Hounds of Hell once more on the way back...luckily, they never got the chance to eat us.

We did horseback riding along the beach, thanks to Ginger's amazing bi-lingual horses:

We ate a lot of tasty vittles (and some not-so-tasty vittles...but, ya know

, it's Mexico, so...it's all good.) Our favorite place was Taco Loco in downtown Mazatlan:

Lancer spent some time boogie-boarding:

I spent some nights out on the beach under the palapa, just listening to the waves and feeling the cool breeze:

Lancer hanging in the open-air cabs:

Sucking down some tasty frozen drinks:

Our friend, the Casa Bonita Crabbie: Check out his surprised expression:

Eating @ the Palapa:

Chillin' on the balcony:

Me in my rib-bib @ La Casa Country. They had the most amazing salsa that they made right at our table. I am going to try and replicate the recipe:

Move Over Jake Ryan

Ugh. I hesitate to even post this, but I fear Husbie will use it against me down the line if I don't just fess up. I LOVED TWILIGHT. Edward, Bella, hot vampire makeouts. I am totally hooked. I stayed up until 4 am sucking down the pages of this crack-book. I laid awake at night trying to figure out how to get my hands on the next 3 books, even though I was in Mexico, and had no internet or phone access. (More on Mexico when Husbie decides to upload his pics...nudge-nudge...) One the way home, we had a layover in Phoenix, and I RAN into the airport Borders, wild look in my eye. I swear the guy started leading me back to the Twilight section before I even stated what I wanted...he could smell my desperation.

My favorite part (out of many) if when Bella curls up on his lap, and tells him that she loves him, and he replies, simply: "You are my life now." Swoooon....

There are 2 Twilight camps. Those that think a pale, undead vampire with cold skin and spindly fingers is gross, and those that think a pale, undead vampire with cold skin and spindly fingers is the hottest thing out there, and would gladly be ravaged and/or eaten by Edward in the back of his zippy silver Volvo. I am *so* in the latter camp. Who knew a perpetual teenaged vampire outcast could make my heart swoon?? Move over, Jake Ryan...you have been usurped as my favorite fictional hot-boy. Edward Cullen...I am all yours!

Mini-Me

While going through my mom's storage unit, I found some old school papers. Among these treasures was a funny and weird poem I wrote when I was in 2nd grade:

"Mary Lou"

There once was a girl named Mary Lou

Who was not a bit as sweet as you

Once she ran through the house

As if she had just seen a mouse

Right then she broke her mother's vase

And had to take off her ladies lace

Her mother did not know what to do

So she turned Mary Lou into glue.

Clearly, I read a ton of spooky stories and fairy tales as a kid. What a weird little ditty. I wonder if I was scared my mom would turn me into glue.

Seriously, So Spot On!

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/

I came across this mock-blog, and it's so well-written, I didn't realize it was fake until I was a few posts in. It lampoons Mormon Bloggers...more specifically, Mormon Married Bloggers, which are a particular subset of Mormon blogging peeps. It's rife with "way" funny observations and "so" spot on spoofs.

It follows the life of "Tiffany/Amber/Megan/Nic...TAMN for short. She is married to "Jordan/Jason/Wes/Taylor (JJWT)...they are recently married and are LOVING LIFE! Life is SO FUN, and they have SO MUCH FUN hanging out with their WAY FUN married friends. It's great because it's meant to be funny while observing the "glossiness" often found in Mormon blogs. My friends and I have discussed this phenomenon before--not that we want to be sharing our "way-not-fun" moments and assorted hardships with the world, but Mormon blogs tend to be over-the-top chipper about how great, fun, and perfect life is. It's also done in good fun, and reminds readers not to take things too seriously.

Sadly, a few jabs land squarely in my corner. I use "so" a lot, along with "va-cay"...and talk about my "hot husband" and his "faux-hawk." Ouch. Twilight and Archaletta fans (cough..cough..Hayley and Alie..cough...cough..) beware--you will also be mocked!

Seriously...enjoy!!

I Knew it!

Remember how I questioned whether or not I was old because I liked the new Coldplay CD? I figured they either sucked less or I was just old. Turns out they actually do suck less--because of Brian Eno. Eno, it seems, produced a bunch of U2's albums, and is a musical master. Die-hard Colplay fans are rumbling about their new sound, because it sounds totally different. Ha! Coldplay didn't *trick* me into liking their junky tunes....they totally changed their tune so it was less junky. I feel vindicated, and will feel fine downloading their new album onto my flashy new Ipod.

To Colorado and Back

My mom recently moved back to The Heartland, and my sister will soon be following. We quickly realized that if I wanted my family loot, I would have to fly to Colorado and drive back with it. With one day's notice, I arrived in Colorado to help my sister go through our mom's storage unit and divvy up the family goods. I scored big-time...I found some of my Great-Grandmother's French end irons for our fireplace, and enough crystal and china to throw a fancy dinner party one of these days. Yes, you're invited--I will serve something fancy, like mutton.

We also found this ugly Indian-themed frame-blech:

I also dug out my Cabbage Patch Kids (Becky Sue, David Zachary, and Wilton Egbert, respectively) and stacks of elementary and junior high pictures, notes and yearbooks. Man, I had some bad hair, and a penchant for liking a different boy each week. It's a wonder I ever settled down and got married.

My sister and I stopped in to eat @ Sonic, a place my dad loathes almost as much as he loathes Texans and big trucks. Imagine my delight when 2 large trucks flanked me as I dined on a delicious Sonic lunch. I captured the magic just for him:




Lancer flew out and drove home with me. We drove almost 24 hours in 2 days...we're exhausted. We did see some cool clouds and sunsets on the way home:

The long, flat drive:

Gorgeous sunset:

This is what I get for using the "Ladies" room in Elko, Nevada. Classy.

A familiar and costly sight:

All in all, it was productive, though it did nothing to help with my "de-chubbing" goals. I ate, like, 50 pounds of beef in a week. Oh well. Back on the lard train.

Camping

We did a little camping a few weeks ago with our friends @ Camp Lehi in the Santa Cruz mountains. It's sort of fake-camping, since there are tent sites and full bathrooms. But, it's still camping to me. Lucky for us (NOT) we even got to sleep under the stars...because I forgot the tent. It went a little something like this:

Lancer: Good job on packing the car up so fast!

Me: Thanks, I'm awesome.

Lancer: Where's the tent?

Me: Right there. (Points at blue bag)

Lancer: That's not the tent.

Me: Yes, it is.

Lancer: No, it's not.

Me: Then what is it?

Lancer: (Spilling out contents of a camp chair) Not a tent!!

Me: Crap-ola.

Lancer: Guess we're sleeping under the stars tonight. At least we have an air mattress.

Me: Yes, that's certainly the silver lining.

In my defense, we apparently inherited an odd camping chair over the last few years. I grabbed our 2 normal chairs, and a bag containing what I thought was our tent. Twas not. At least we had 3 chairs.

Sleeping under the stars wasn't so bad--it was a mild night, and the bugs were few and far between. It was a little noisy, and a little bright...otherwise, not so bad.

Rudely, upon my return, our friend said he had a "hard time picturing me roughing it" and that camping with me would be like an episode of "The Simple Life." I may be blond, and danced (soberly!!) on a few tables in my day...but I am no Paris Hilton. And I am not high-maintenance. I have no idea where you people get your strange ideas from.