Thanksgiving 2012

Another year, another turkey

Wine, and pie, and now it's time for some shut eye.....

I promise I won't try to rhyme anymore, but the photos below sum up the day, but I do have one more thing to say (oops, was that another rhyme)....

Last year, I did 24 days of Thanks, but this year, I've done a little less blogging because life has been happening and happening rather quickly. I still have blog posts to write from our Portland trip and Charleston, Country Klub and so much more, but I guess that's the point of my blog post this evening, as Thanksgiving 2012 comes to an end. Live in the moment...

Blogging is great, and so is the age of social networks and a mobile society in order to stay connected with all the things we're interested in and ones we love and want to keep close..those far away or those in the next room, but remembering to actually enjoy the time spent with family and friends, and doing the things we love is sooooo uber important. More so than worrying about how/when to blog about it or send out the next tweet, facebook post and/or status update. I guess what I'm saying is that in this age of fast-paced life, be thankful for every moment spent doing what you enjoy and being with those you cherish....I know I do, or at least I'm trying.

And with that said...

Thanks to my wonderful family and friends who bless me everyday, encourage me, support me and love my quirks. Life wouldn't be as grand without y'all!! (And yes, I said y'all...I am a Texan after all.)

A few snapshots from today....

cranberries & sunflowers

smoked turkey from the green egg

the junebug...after turkey and playing with her pals - vincent, potato & pedro... I think she might have the right idea, so I'm signing off for this thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mo / Mel

 

Bailey & Sydney Go For A Walk

Bailey and Sydney are my parents new beloved little furry companions. You see about 10 months ago, we had to say goodbye to "Annie the Wonder Dog" ... aka Annie and the Rocket Dog. Annie, over came several illnesses throughout her life that would have broken the spirit of most dogs, but not "the wonder dog". She had an unrelenting drive...for food, walks and attention, even up to almost the very end. So, it was really hard to say goodbye, but solace comes with tears, time and knowing she had it pretty good...actually, probably couldn't have had it any better. Here's the cutie:

"Annie the Wonder Dog"

Sigh....well, they say the best thing to do to help the pain, is to go looking for other furry little friends, who need you just as much as the ones before them. So after roughly 4 months, I think my Mom caved in, and found Bailey, and then it wasn't long before Sydney came along, which in my opinion looks like a mini Annie.

Puppies are always a challenge. Bailey and Sydney are testing the definition of challenge!

But they are cute, and the Junebug seems to like them too. Sydney is providing payback for all the relentless puppy moments in Juno's not so distant youth.

And this week, marks Bailey and Sydney's first sleepover/vacation, while the parents took a much needed vacation...however, I'm not sure if the parent's vacation is much needed from work and the everyday stresses of life, or rather from these little puff balls. And with that said, Bailey and Sydney definitely don't allow for any dull moments.

And today was no different. Bailey and Sydney went for their first walk....was it success or failure?

Scroll to find out......

Juno is thinking yes, we are going for a walk

(she loves them; walks that is)

If I could guess, Bailey is thinking, I'm not so sure about this....

Sydney (the black streak in the bottom left corner)

is trying to go the other way.

Out the door we go, and curiosity ensues.....

(Just to clarify, now that they are visible,

Bailey is the brown one, and Sydney is solid black)

 Bailey seems to be happy!

And we are walking!!!!

And if you could see Sydney in action,

this is the equivalent of success.

Most of the time she is just a blur in photos

because she's bouncing and charging around

like a "mini rocket dog"...a little uncanny if you ask me 

So, the official results...success it was. Not with out a few tangles along the way, because of course Juno came with us, and that made it all the more fun. But, we did make it around the block. And when you are 10 pounds, that is a long way.

Mom & Dad...if you're reading this, you have a new evening activity waiting for you upon your return! 

-Mo

"Postcards from Portland" - Sights, Sails & Sauces

Postcards from Portland - Sights, Sails & Sauces

I know it's been a couple of weeks since the last post, but it takes me a while to go through all the photos and decide which ones best depict the day, and we've done a little more traveling in the meantime... Boston and Charleston. I think more postcards are in the future because there were just too many yummy spots not to share.

But for now...day 2 of our adventures in and around Portland, OR.

Portland Day 2 consisted of a lot of nature and sightseeing outside of the city, which led to a quaint little town that is known for several different types of sails.

But to get this long day started we began with breakfast at our hotel (The Nines) at Urban Farmer Restaurant, which was probably t-h-e best hotel breakfast I can recall devouring, which included avocado eggs benedict (could that be any more sinful or rich), bacon-cheddar biscuits and chicken-cherry sausage.

After breakfast, we headed out for our first sight of the day, Mt. Hood.

The trek out to Mount Hood is about an hour east of Portland. Once you're there, you have so many options to see the mountain...aka dormant Volcano. You can visit timberline lodge, drive around and stop on the side of the road to take pics, or checkout one of the many nature trails in the park. Just be sure to pick up your recreation park pass (which costs $5 for the day), so you're not worried about getting a ticket. 

up close at the timberline 

from the other side headed towards Hood River

 

a little hiking...so many trails forgot the name

 And then there was this mountain...St. Helens, Adams?

After sightseeing, we headed north towards Hood River to checkout some breweries (Full Sail and Double Mountain). Hood River, Oregon is a great little place to visit. Nestled just off the Columbia River Gorge, it's very windy, so in addition to being the home of some great brews, it's also a great place to catch some wind surfing.

After you've tried your hand at some kite sailing/wind surfing (I won't lie, we didn't event attempt), you can check out the local brews. 

Right as we started planning our trip to Portland I discovered a new Pale Ale by Full Sail. When I went to look it up one day, I was so delighted to find out that another one of my fav brews - Sessions - was also made by the same brew masters and it was located outside of Portland. This ultimately fueled me to do more research on getting us out to PDX and Hood River. So of course this was our first brew stop in Hood River. During the tour at Full Sail, we discovered that the brewery was founded and started by a woman in the 1980's, and today, is owned by the employees, who work 4 days a week (10 hours each). I knew I liked this beer...work hard, play hard...just check out their Mantra.

Our awesome tour guide!

Beer, beer and more beer

So of course not only did we do the tour, but we did some tasting as well. On tap: The Full Sail Ltd. 3 and the IPA. Quite tasty I must say, and so much better on site. We also purchased some souvenirs, which included a water bowl for the Junebug.

After our treks around Mt. Hood and Full Sail, we needed some food. So we headed over to Double Mountain Brewery, which was a great tip from that Portland Resident. On the menu was pizza (the kind that gets charred in a 700 degree oven) and a dry hopped pale ale called the Vaporizor. In three words...it was awesome.

I have to admit, I didn't really want to leave Hood River. There was something about it there that just kind of drew me in. Maybe the wind and beer got to me.

As we headed back to Portland, we stopped in at Multnomah Falls for some great photo ops and a nice little hike. I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but if you get the chance, you really must go to appreciate the sight from the bottom and the top.

View from the top of the falls...it's quite a trek

Sun setting, meant we had to quickly get back to the bottom of the falls, which was much easier than going up. 

Back in Portland, and to end our day, we decided to check out another one of the city's late night happy hours at Saucebox. This place had a great vibe and some tasty bites from Sweet Potato Spring Rolls and Pad Thai to yummy concoctions...such as the Thai Basil Gimlet.

And that folks was Day 2 of Portland....

complete with sights, sails and sauces.

Stay tuned for more!

-Mo Vid

"Postcards from Portland" - Biscuits, Beer & Books

Postcards from Portland - Biscuits, Beer & Books

Thanks for tuning in to my "Postcards from Portland" series documenting the delights this pacific northwest city has to offer. 

Portland Day 1 consisted of, as the title lends itself to, a day full of culinary and literary delights...plus new friends made along the away.

We (the hubby and I) arrived in Portland late on a friday night. We checked into The Nines, and decided to head upstairs for a drink and bite to eat at Departure, which is ironic, since we had just arrived. Departure is a posh little spot perched on the top of The Nines Hotel, boasting modern Asian cuisine, and a late-night happy hour menu - specials on drinks and small plates, which can be found in a variety of locations throughout the entire city (the late night happy hour that is). 

With full bellies, and a night of good sleep, we were set to embark on day 1 of our Portland adventure.

We started the day off in search of coffee, Portland style. Feeling a little jet-lagged and trying to get our bearings, we ended up at a Starbucks to our own regret, but we needed the jolt to get things going. Portland coffee would have to come later. 

Coffee in-hand, we headed off in search of the famed Portland Farmers Market. And boy, did it deliver. This farmers market alone, had me won-over and ready to pack my things and move across country.

Here's a few snapshots....

 

After seeing all this...our mouths were watering, but with multiple vendors, how to choose what to eat for breakfast. Well thankfully, I had the opportunity to sit next to a Portland resident on the flight out, who graciously provided a lot of great tips and must-see spots to check-out, and Pine State Biscuits was one of these. (Which happened to have a cart at the market!)

I must say, I've never been crazy over biscuits and gravy (yes, I admit this, even being a full-blooded southerner). However, the Pine Street Biscuits made me a convert. I'm still craving these biscuits and more so, the gravy, weeks after we've arrived home.

On the menu:

I opted for The Reggie - biscuit complete with fried chicken, bacon, cheese and gravy. The hubby opted for The Moneyball - a biscuit (I think there was one on the plate) topped with gravy and an over-easy egg.

Fat & Greasiness...y-u-m-m-y is all I have to say. 

The Moneyball

The Reggie

And before we left the market...a little music to go on the side...

With some food in our bellies and a few extra calories sticking to the ribs, we could set off to explore the beer capital of the world. And when I say that, this is why...Portland has 40+ craft breweries within its city limits. In my books, that makes it the beer capital of the world.

So, we hopped on to the MAX Light Rail, and headed over to Widmer Brothers Brewery. 

Remember the Portland resident I mentioned earlier. Well, this person also happened to be an employee of Widmer, which I'm very grateful to for not only providing us some great tips, but also, for getting us in on a brewery tour Saturday...apparently, these tours fill up fast. 

Widmer was a great way to start out some beer tasting, as well as, beef up our beer making knowledge. 

These 4 massive tanks produce some absolutely delicious beer...

Hops in a bucket

At the end of the tour was a tasting consisting of the Hefeweizen, Citra Blonde Summer Brew, Drifter Pale Ale (my favorite), and the Rotator IPA: Shaddock IPA.

Happy Tasters

After the tour and tasting, we decided to head on over to the Widmer Gasthaus Pub for a couple of more samplings and some grub.

The tasting menu (of our choice) included the Marionberry Hibiscus Gose, Oatmeal Porter, Nelson IPA, Rotator IPA: X-114, and unfortunately, I can't remember the last two. I suppose the the beer already drank might have had an impact, but I do remember that one tasted like pineapple.

Let's just say out of the tastings...the Marionberry Hibiscus Gose was the clear winner. So good, and super refreshing for a beer!

After Widmer, we were off to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland for the largest Craft Brew Festival in the country. Why, I ever thought this would be a great idea to do on a Saturday has failed to escape me. It sounded good...over a 100 beers at your fingertips, $6 dollars for a mug and $1 per token for samples.

What we realized is that after an hour in line for one beer, we decided that sampling was out of the question, and we would have to fork over 4 tokens for a full glass of Terminal Gravity's IPA.

However in the process, we made some new friends - Kim & Matt - a really nice couple from Wisconsin. 

After all the beer, crowds and heat (75 degrees...what I'm talking about), we decided to check out Henry's for dinner with our new friends. Henry's is located in the Pearl District, in a historic brick building...and of course, they serve beer and good food. This is Portland after all.


After dinner, we set off to explore Powell's City of Books...a book store that literally takes up an entire city block and houses more than 1 million new, used and out of print books. Let's just say the first trip there was a little overwhelming. I didn't even know where to start, so I took photos instead.

After soaking up some literary culture, we, and new friends headed over and up to the Portland City Grill at 111 SW 5th Ave. on the 30th floor, for a nightcap and an amazing view of downtown Portland and the Cascade mountains. 

And that ladies and gentleman was Day 1 of Portland...
complete with Biscuits, Beer & Books.

Stay tuned for "Postcards from Portland" - day 2. 

-Mo Vid

Portland

Portland....is definitely a city with more to offer than 5 days could lend itself to.

About a year ago, the hubby and I decided we needed to check out this happening metro area that prides itself on being one of, if not "the" greenest city, as well as, a land of bridges, roses, outdoor activities galore, music and of course who could forget craft beer and farm-to-table cuisine along with the famed food-truck craze.

That's a lot to pack in 5 days. And, I'll just say this...we need to plan another trip...Or, consider relocation options.

So please stay tuned as I kickoff my "postcards from portland" blog series over the next few weeks, but first here's a snapshot of what's to come:

The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

• 7 Craft Breweries visited, a Craft Brew festival, and I lost count of the # of local brews tried
• A Farmers Market that would make any foodie think they'd died and gone to heaven 
• A snow capped mountain 11,000 feet up and a seaside stroll that was straight out of "Goonies"
• Satisfied (and slightly larger) bellies full with fresh oysters, ranier cherries, figs, biscuits and out-of-this-world gravy, thai style chicken wings and donuts with maple frosting and bacon.
• Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.

Stay tuned...

Smyrna Food Truck Tuesday, July 24th

The popular trend has finally hit Smyrna...the food truck craze that is! And oh, how excited was I.

It started 3 weeks ago, but tonight was our first venture out to the Smyrna Food Truck Tuesday in Taylor Brawner Park. Have I ever mentioned, how much I love my little town! If not, let me divert for one second to tell you how awesome this little place I call home is.....

Smyrna has not only put together a food truck event, but they encourage people to walk and bike there. This is one of the reasons we fell in love with Smyrna - it's a city that works on projects that reflect community such as widening sidewalks and creating pedestrian bridges that make it easier to be mobile in something other than a car to get to great events like Food Truck Tuesday or the various festivals in the Market Village.

Ok....diversion over. Back to important stuff like Food Trucks and the food coming out of these kitchens on wheels.

On tap tonight...we opted for Ibiza bites and King of Pops.

Ibiza bites was something of a southern latin fusion that included (from left to right in the pic below):

• Waffle fries with a lemon sauce and maple syrup...yes, I said maple syrup, and believe me the combo may not sound complimentary, but it worked!
• Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese with grilled corn....need I say more. 
• Coconut Fried Chicken with Slaw and Coconut Mango Rice...a little piece of paradise. (Just needed a pina colada or mai tai to top it off!)

And of course the June bug was there to do a little begging....and drooling.

King of Pops...these craft popsicles are pure frozen fruit fabulousness...flavors of choice this evening included Raspberry Lime and Apricot & something...we forgot.

 

Overall, a very enjoyable first Food Truck Tuesday for these Smyrnites and the June bug. We braved the 90+ degrees, but we got to spend some quality time with our neighbors and their new baby; plus we walked there, so the indulgent food was guilt-free...at least that's what I'm telling myself.
 

This weekend we head out to the Food Truck and Craft Beer Mecca...Portland, OR.

Stay tuned for Our Portlandia moments.

-Mo

Thunder & Mint-Raspberry Gin and Tonics

A little clip from our Saturday evening as we listen to some thunder on our deck...

A couple of Minty-Raspberry Gin and Tonics with a twist of lime and M.Ward playing on Pandora while listening to the thunder makes for a relaxing Saturday evening.

Even Juno is braving the Thunder...........

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Need a dose of summer sunshine...for your belly rather than your skin? Try my latest cupcake experiment...Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes.

The Lemon Blueberry cupcake is based on the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe (from the cupcakeproject.com) with the addition of lemon zest from 1 1/2 lemons, and 1 1/2 cup of blueberries. And to top it off, I decided to try what I think would be the ultimate vanilla frosting/icing...a modified version of my Strawberry-like ice cream icing (sans strawberries).

To make, follow the vanilla cupcake recipe link above, and fold the lemon zest and blueberries into the batter at the end before you scoop everything into your cupcake/muffin pans. In my oven, it took about 18 minutes to cook the cupcakes, and my batter produced 18 cupcakes (ironically).

Let cool.

My version of the Ultimate Vanilla Icing:

• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 Vanilla Bean
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar

Directions

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Remove/de-seed the black gooeyness from the vanilla bean and add to granulated sugar in a small bowl. With the back of a spoon, break up any clumps of vanilla bean and incorporate it into the sugar. (You basically now have vanilla sugar). Transfer to a mixing bowl.

For info on how to de-seed, the vanilla bean, checkout this helpful video: http://youtu.be/nD3zH-43duA. 

In the mixing bowl, add the butter to your vanilla-sugar combo. With an electric mixer cream the butter and vanilla-sugar combo together until light and fluffy. You don’t want any sugar graininess left.

Then, add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. Beat it until it all the ingredients are combined and it resembles whipped cream. If you love lemon, you could always add some more lemon zest, but it's just fine with out it.

Frost your cupcakes before you eat all the icing!