They Know Best

From Brianne's at My Life As..., I saw this post and had to steal borrow it. She's given credit and posted links to others that posted it prior to her.  I'm encouraging you to go see Brianne to get those links. I looked at them and found new bloggers to read. I love the way that the land of bloggerville works this way.

Speaking of loving things...

I asked those that know me best to name 3-5 things that I love, obsess over, and/or am addicted to.  Nine of my nearest and dearest (including my parents) replied, and here's what they had to say:

10/9 - something related to FOOD - (How did that happen?  Someone gave 2 answers that were food related.  Thanks, Mom.) - TexMex being the most prevalent answer, specifically Chile Con Queso was named, as well as carbs, bread, cheese fries, and cheese.  Part of me laughs at this, the other part of me cries.  Maybe this is why I'm overweight.  Huh?  You think?  The other reason - notice what doesn't make the list - exercise.

9/9 - something related  to MUSIC - Music, in general, as well as concerts, live music, hair metal, and Bon Jovi were all specifically listed.  All true.

5/9 - READING - Well, yes, I do love a good book.  I found that there are some that I don't do book chat with too often, and they were the ones who didn't say this answer.

I got a whole bunch of other answers too:

3/9 - CATS (specifically, Astro) - Okay, yes, I've sorta kinda turned into a Crazy Cat Lady...but I love my doggie babies too!

2/9 - TRAVEL - There was a guy I knew in college whose family had *a little* money.  He described his mother as a "professional traveler and shopper".  Yes, please.  How do I get that job?

2/9 - SHOES - Could explain why I wrote this post two years ago --> Shoe Collector (go ahead, read it, you know you weren't following me then)

2/9 - AGGIE FOOTBALL - You can take the girl outta Texas, but you can't take the football outta the Texas girl.  Isn't that how the saying goes?

2/9 - DANCE - I don't take classes anymore.  My years on a dance team are long behind me.  I rarely hit the clubs anymore.  But.......give me some good music and some space and chances are I'm gonna shake my groove thang. 

Others that got mentioned once: Compassion (I love this), Costumes (yep, love them too), Make-up (shocked that more people didn't say this), Clothes (again, surprised only one gave this response), Caffeine, Sleep (who doesn't love sleep?)

Can you relate?  Are you obsessed with any of these things too?

Sunday Funday

I'm not one to regularly blog about a meal I've had.  I'm not much of a food critic, and I don't take amazingly appetizing looking pictures.  But, I had such a fun Sunday that I'm going to share.

A friend of ours birthday was in January, and my guy's was earlier this month.  We used this as an excuse to get together for a Sunday meal.  My friends recently visited the Barossa Valley, a wine region in Australia.  At one of the vineyards, she was told about this restaurant in Newtown called bloodwood.  Newtown is an eccentric area of Sydney and has some amazing places to eat, drink, people watch, and shop. 

 I got myself all dolled up to go out for the day.  I wore a new dress, and I feel Stevie Nicks-ish because it has big flowy sleeves that I can dance and twirl in.

We got to Newtown early and strolled for a little while, mostly window shopping.  Nature called, so I ducked into the restaurant before our reservation.  The decor is described "to reflect the inner west suburb, melding raw and industrial finishes with an emphasis on recycled and reclaimed materials."  I loved it.  So quirky and cool.

 

The toilets are downstairs - 3 individual ones with old doors, concrete walls, stainless sinks, and look at that faucet!

 Recycled bottles were used to separate a walkway and eating area.

A light fixture made of clothespins hangs over a table with brightly colored metal chairs.

The four of us were seated by the tattooed, mustachioed hipster who told us that the menu was designed to share all the plates and recommended six different plates between the four of us.  Perfect recommendation.  We picked out meat selections - miso fried chicken, argyle beef striploin, braised lamb nuggets with a pistachio crumb - and our vegetarian selections - polenta chips, fried yorkshire pudding stuffed with goat's cheese (which was amazing!), and my favorite, socca.  What is 'socca', you ask?  I didn't know either.  It was so, so, soooooo good.

polenta chips, miso chicken, lamb nuggets

socca - chickpea pancake, summer seeds, quinoa, pumpkin, persian fetta

 

 

I can't talk about this restaurant without mentioning the drinks menu.  It a well-rounded menu of cocktails, wine, cider, and beer.  It's summertime in Sydney, it was a warm summer day, so I wanted to sample some of their self-described "fancy beers".  

 The menu recommended this for anyone who is a fan of sour jelly beans or sour jelly chews.  If Kool-Aid was a beer, it would be this.  From Buxton Brewery in the UK, this was so interesting and a really great way for me to start my beer tour.  It tasted so sweet, but had a nice beer aftertaste.

 A bit of a gimmick, but too good to pass up.  The Slaytanic Swill is a red ale that was a combined beer effort from Victorian and New South Wales brew masters.  It was pretty heavy, but I liked it. 

 "Notes: Best drunk while bashing your head." - My kind of beer

Brewed with wildflower honey and corn, the sweet smell of this IPA was a-may-zing!  Unfortunately, the taste wasn't as good as the smell.  It wasn't awful, but it wasn't amazing.  

We stayed long enough that all the tables around us emptied.  Probably a good thing.  No one wanted to hear our debate about the Bali 9.

Unfortunately, one of my girlfriends had to go to work.  As we were deciding if we wanted to continue our Sunday Funday, we hung around their apartment, chatted, and drank some wine.  Well, 50% of us drank some wine. The decision was made to continue the day into evening by going to visit a pub that not-so-long ago had a menu change.  So, we headed to The Oxford Tavern.  Did I mention there were several hours between our huge meals??  I'm a girl who likes to eat, but I'm not that bad!

poor Neil only had soft drinks all day, but he had fabulous company!

As we perused the menu, I got a wee bit excited.  Quesadillas?  Pulled pork?  Tacos?  Chili fries?!?!?  Yep.  We'll be coming here more often.

Deliciousness!!!!!!

This may be the other half of the folks who decided to partake in a few libations.  Such as...........

...absinthe and red bull with beers to chase.  Who's idea was that?!  Mine.  Bad idea.  And, I'm pretty sure that is when Neil sober one called it a night.

So...........I highly recommend bloodwood in Newtown.  The service was great.  The food was fantastic.  The drink menu was fun.  The decor is awesome.  Go there. 

List #14 - Foods I don't eat

I'm a picky eater.  Always have been.  In fact, I was much, much pickier when I was younger.  As a kid, I wouldn't eat hamburgers (I can't remember why).  As I'm older, I will try anything, even more than once, to see if my taste buds have changed.  Seriously, I'll give it a try, but I can't promise I'm going to like it.  Here's a list of things I still don't eat (I know other cultures eat intestines and toads and insects and much, much more.  I'm just touching on the foods that are culturally common to me):

• Eggs - Nope, not a fan.  I don't want them in things either.  Not in salads or fried rice.  The smell, the texture, the taste - don't like 'em.

  

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• Mushrooms 

  

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• Meat on the bone - I don't want chicken wings; give me chicken strips.  I don't want a T-bone; give me a fillet.  I don't want ribs; give me brisket.
• Fat on meat 
• Seafood - I live in a place surrounded by an ocean.  The fresh seafood that comes here is a seafood lover's dream.  Not mine.  This is something I continue to sample every now and then to see if I've changed my mind, but it still hasn't happened.  Because of this, you could add sushi to this list as well.
  

  

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• Coconut - Let me be more specific.  I don't mind coconut flavored things like piña coladas, but I don't like the grated, shredded, desiccated shavings of a coconut.
• Lamb -  Lamb roast is a staple home-cooked and pub-cooked meal for almost all Aussies.  I don't do lamb.
• Eggplant 
• Coffee - I've never had a full cup of coffee in my life.  I've had a sip.  I've had coffee ice cream.  I'm not a fan of anything remotely coffee or mocha flavored.

  

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• Australian (or Canadian or English or Irish) bacon - I want a big pile of crispy, almost burnt American bacon, but this ham-like cut of meat called bacon, you can keep it.  Oh...look at this graphic I found.  My blog is not only a useless bunch of ramblings.  It is informative too!
  

  

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Thoughts # 4 - Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of those days that make me miss my family and American traditions. Family, food, football, and giving thanks - what's not to love?  Most reflect on what they've been blessed with and express gratitude to their loved ones.  Everyone seems to treat each other a little nicer (except those in heated football rivalries).  

That's one drastic difference - past Thanksgivings for me always included the A&M/Texas, so that's a big change.  I have no doubt, instead of rushing off to College Station or Austin, I'd be planted in front of a tv watching the other football rivalries. 

For my family and loved ones, as you're stuffing yourself with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, chocolate pie, and more...know that I'm thinking of you today (a little more than every other day). I'm thankful for you, and I'm there in spirit!