Christmas

A quick pre-Christmas trip to Dallas to explore a neighborhood I read about in Texas Monthly, Oak Cliff.  Good shopping and good eats were promised.

Belmont Hotel, a refurbished motor court hotel with a happening bar and cool decor:

Handwritten note in room complete with Voltaire quote

Whiskey and tea to start the evening

Hotel bar with view of downtown in distance

Neighboring restaurant with tasty BBQ

[NB to anyone visiting Dallas: we really liked this hotel, its vibe and affordability.   Stay here!  But only if you have a car, which goes for most of Dallas Texas].

Bishop Arts District, full of little shops and restaurants and holiday cheer:

Emporium Pies, a cute pie shop inside a cute house.

The pies went unsampled because we were too full after dinner at Oddfellows:

Yum.  And yay.

Walked from Bishop Arts to nearby Kessler Theatre to see

Brave Combo, Grammy-winning rock polka group, for their holiday show

The next morning we had a glazed twist at Southern Maid

And met up with Matthew, a friend of mine from Abilene, in Deep Ellum, where we saw this scary skull

And explored this ginormous thrift/antique store

Afternoon/evening nap followed by delicious BBQ, maple-infused bourbon (for the mister) and Dublin Bottling Works root beer (for the missus) at Smoke.  Christmas Eve and time to head home... after fabulous brunch at Oddfellows.



Hot chocolate

Driving back we listened to Father John Misty, Dawes, and the Lumineers.  Home, we brought a plant over to our neighbors Bill and Lu who kindly watch our house when we take off for trips, and ended up chatting for several hours over a cheese ball.  A warm and unexpected way to spend the evening, after which I prepared chocolate pots de creme

Everything is cuter in a Mason jar, especially the little bitty ones.

To take to Doris and Rick's for Christmas dinner the next day. 

Christmas Day:

Carolyn picked a bunch of Meyer lemons and grapefruit from her backyard to share with us

which I set about zesting and juicing and freezing in ice cube trays tonight, for fresh lemon juice whenever! (ps to Carolyn: your tip about wearing kitchen gloves was a lifesaver).

Doug and Carolyn's beautiful backyard with fruit trees

 Mrs Maxwell wishing a Merry Christmas:

Getting middle name suggestions for Baby H:

Carolyn roasts vegetables:

Stormy lies in wait for prime rib cast-offs:

Luke makes himself at home for post dinner nap:

Unfortunately I seem to have no photos of the hosts, who have made us feel so welcome in San Antonio.  Hugs to you, Rick & Doris, and thank you for another wonderful meal with even better company!
 

30 Days with a Grateful Heart

My favorite view:

trash and recycling cans, rather bleak chain-link fence, 15 passenger van.

 

Arriving home, knowing he's home.

30 Days with a Grateful Heart: Day I Forget

Behind on the posts, not on the gratitude.

Today goes out to America's Test Kitchen/ Cook's Illustrated/ Cook's Country publications and DVDs for teaching me how to cook.  Everyone has their own learning style and presenting cooking in a rigorous, explanation-heavy, chemistry-is-the-science-of-pouring manner works for me.  I will never be an improvisational cook and that is fine with me.  I am very good at following directions.

The day after tomorrow I am hosting a small dinner party with the help of The Best Make-Ahead Recipe, the Family Baking Book, and the America's Test Kitchen Menu books, all recipes I have never tried before (advance apologies to Chip and Joy, guests/test subjects).


Christopher Kimball, you may be a driven and somewhat peculiar megalomaniac, but from one empiricist to another, I owe you big time.

via

 

30 Days with a Grateful Heart: Day 16

Thankful for my Jackups Backups... when I have a transfusion medicine, biostatistical, or Blues Brothers question, I go to this man:

(He also is the reason I met my husband -- because he found out about Stache Bash 2009 -- which is why I'm entertaining Ron as our little girl's middle name.  And he makes amazing Oreo truffles, plays the saxophone and the bass, and got me through a difficult time in my life by being a great and true friend.  We should make her first name Ron.)

Indeed, boom goes the dynamite.

You're bloody fantastic, Dr. Jackups! 

Please don't start billing me.

Ron @ Stache Bash 2009, a night that changed my life forevah

 

30 Days with a Grateful Heart: Day 15

I listen to NPR in the car and in the kitchen, and, before round ligament pain curtailed it and other sustained movement, on the treadmill.  Luke and I begin many conversations "did you hear on NPR today...", which makes me feel like a grown-up, an uncool grown-up, but at least an informed one.


David Sedaris talks NPR...

 

30 Days with a Grateful Heart: Day 14

Parents who drove 850 miles in one day for a short Texas visit.

30 Days with a Grateful Heart: Day 13

Reading in bed.

His: Both Flesh And Not, David Foster Wallace

Hers: The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach