diners diners and diners

I'm considering starting a weekly diner review from the Boston area.  Each Saturday morning (or sometimes Sunday if life gets in the way) H and I go out for brunch at a diner around town.  We started off going to the usual ones in the neighborhood each week, but the past few weeks we've been exploring a new one every time.  For a couple weeks now we've been talking about starting a review of all the Boston diners.

Here are some scales that I'm considering for the rating system:

number and length of times my coffee cup goes empty on a scale from "hold on your throwing off the milk and sugar balance" (1) to "do you think it's self-serve?" (10)

quality of pet names the waitress calls us from "mama" (1) to "hey you" (10)

spicyness of their breakfast potatoes from "mmm, it's like Texas" (1) to "pass the rooster sauce" (10)

spring forward

I spent much of winter denying it - single digit temperatures compared to 40 or 50 degrees; snow compared to sunshine; rain and slush and shoveling and cold and wet compared to... .  A month or so ago, a coworker was attempting to explain to me the beauty that is spring in Massachusetts.  She talked about the first really warm and sunny day; how people are out in shorts and t-shirts even though it's really only March and really only, maybe, 60 degrees.  She told me about how happy and kind and considerate people are.  My response was something like, "Yah, that sounds wonderful... except every day in Texas is like that and people are always happy and kind."

But now, I actually feel it.  There is something very impressive... something surprising... something magical and powerful and overwhelming about the coming of spring up here.  The truth is that none of it happens overnight.  The snow melts gradually.  The temperature climbs slowly higher and higher.  But seemingly, one morning, I woke up and the sun had returned.  The grass was visible.  I saw small shoots of green coming up in gardens around town.  Indeed, I saw small shoots of green coming up in the garden outside my front door.  And I wear no jacket on the walk to work, and I take Roswell out in only a sweatshirt, and I officially moved my winter 'gear' into the bottom (usually untouched) drawer of my closet.  It is spring.  And I am so happy that it has come.

Midwifery

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

I love this movie, and my wife for making sure that I saw it.  Midwifes are present for over 70% of births in European countries and less than 8% of births in the United States.  Also, the United States has the second highest infant mortality rate of all developed countries.  Hmm...

missing

sometimes i wonder if i made a mistake leaving Austin

TraniWreck

Best quotes of the night:
"This whole night reminds me of 'Better Than Chocolate'"

"I just didn't wanna go up on stage. I'm wearing too many clothes for that."

"Oh my, what did I miss??!"

Chronicles of Beaufort Life

What fall really looks like:

No more fake seasons for me!  I'm in the northeast now.

Cake In A Jar!!!

CAKE IN A JAR INGREDIENTS - all vegan!


Chocolate/Vanilla swirl cake with cranberries and chocolate chips



Snickerdoodle cake with a cinnamon/buttery topping

Delicious!

not writing a blog post

I have stopped writing since I moved/became employed again.  It's a daunting task to  start writing totally out of the blue again.  Just think of all the time, and things, that I've missed talking about.  So I am not writing a blog post.  In any case, here is (some of) what I have been doing the past 3 months:

Wayside Youth and Family
The Whitehaus
The Woodrow Wilsons
Ohiopyle
Confluence, PA
Lilith Fair
1982 Yamaha Seca
Biking
Northampton, MA
Arboretum
Boston Derby Dames
CRI


There.  Updated.  Now I can continue writing as usual.

<3

heat in the kitchen, pot on the stove

          it.  is.  hot.

'lay back cause this is summertime'

The past week has really felt like summertime.  Not quite the Austin summer that I had grown accustomed to... but definitely summer.  This past week I got my first sunburn of the season; cruised around on my motorcycle; and spent the afternoon at an amusement park riding roller coasters and watching Elvis impersonators. 


While I could definitely complain about the heat and humidity (nothing compared to the rain forest, I mean, Houston), especially because of the lack of air conditioning in my residence, but to be honest it has been wonderful.  It feels so good to get a dose of heat and sunlight.  This past week I spent Thursday and Friday at the beach with my grandparents and even brought Roswell (whom Papou renamed 'Roswella' by the second day to better fit her 'shemale' self.)  The weather was beautiful - we went walking a bit, had delicious food, and even got Papou up on his feet playing with the pup.  Plus I got my first sunburn of the season!


Then on Saturday, I joined some housemates for Dale's birthday celebration.  She LOVES rollercoasters and grew up in the area, so we went back to an old, small amusement park that she would frequent as a kid.  It was a really fun, relaxed afternoon - five housemate went, and we went on log rides and coasters and swings, had pizza and funnel cake, and watched Elvis, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.  A wonderful day overall.  And so summertime.


Then, to top it off, I saw my cousins for the first time since being in Boston.  They live just about a half hour away, outside of Boston, but I hadn't had the time to go out there.  So I joined them and my grandparents for a delicious dinner.  Also, Roswell met her cousin, Riley, who is a 6 month old Boykin puppy.  They ran and wrestled and Roswell provoked him like crazy just as she always does.

There's talk of bike rides and swimming in the lake and iced coffee.  There's fresh strawberries and blooming sunflowers and raspberry muffins baking...  this season has officially begun.

Sunny

The first sunflower of the season in front of my home. And I can see the others bursting to get out!!!

more mixed up

I'm in Pittsburgh this week. Yet another week of upheaval. Going on 6 weeks of this now. This week is a little different - my Gramma passed away last Friday. It was the best for her; at least that's how I feel. Haley and I had the pleasure of stopping through on our drive up during the move. We spent the afternoon and an overnight at their house. She was doing well the day we came. She had been released from the hospital after being stabilized from heart trouble. When we visited she was set up in her living room with oxygen, a hospital bed, etc. She was obviously uncomfortable and unhappy with the situation, but we got to visit and chat. It was the first time Haley had met any of my Dad's family. I'm eternally grateful that we stopped and stayed there for a short time.

Because I'm still unemployed (and beginning to get worried) I was able to come out on Monday and I'm staying until tomorrow afternoon. There were viewings and catching up with family and the funeral service of course. And today we spent some time sight seeing and went out to et (eat) at the casino dahntahn (down town.)

Perhaps this is the beginning of my gambling problem. Actually I played the penny slots, put in two dollars total and lost it all before I figured out what all the buttons meant. Great experience. Vegas here I come!

It will be good to get back home. But I'm sick of feeling so aimless without a way to support myself. I think ASAP I'll be heading to City Feed, a neighborhood grocery/cafe, to turn in an application with some 'references' from housemates who used to work there. If I'm going to get $11 an hour, I may as well be surrounded by good food.

At least I got to spend some time with family - that I really enjoyed.

On the road again

On the road to Northampton for a weekend visit...

Puppy: why the eff are you waking me up mama

Me: because you're so darn cute i need to photograph you! and watch your language.

great quote

if you practice chicken, you’re going to get nowhere with the turkey.

relaxing

relaxing
Originally uploaded by lmobstar

- A shot from my self guided bike tour of Boston. After spending the first few days driving from place to place (by necessity) and sitting in traffic over and over and over at every random time throughout the day, I decided enough driving. The scooter was only a tiny bit better, as you couldn't completely avoid traffic - so I took to my bike. A housemate gave me a little explanation of the good paths and neighborhoods around. My route was basically up Columbus into downtown, across the river and down the Charles for a little and then back across, through the commons and back home. But of course I got lost a thousand times and it started drizzling halfway through as well.

It was a great time overall. Also, funny experience, I was completely called out in the middle of Boston Commons. A couple girls strolling by casually handed me a flier and called out 'Have you heard about the dyke march?' I just said thanks. Guess that's that.

i been gone

I haven't posted since May 8th. That's basically when we started moving. Shenanigans of the last month include cleaning out our apartment; countless trips to goodwill, half price, and the used video game store; giving away furniture; craigslisting valuables; cleaning out my room at my parents (countless trips to goodwill, half price, and the used video game store); moving the cats to the Woodlands; packing for storage at my parents; loading their trailer and car; packing for MA; loading our scooter; loading the futon; unloading the futon; crying about not having room to load the futon (or TV, or bookshelves, or planters, or massage table); loading our trailer; loading our puppy; cleaning our apartment; catching our puppy when she ran out of the apartment and went ape-shit in the parking lot for 25 minutes; driving to Arkansass, Ohio, Pittsburgh (visiting family - breathing), Northampton, Boston. Then meeting everyone; half celebrating H's birthday; unpacking my scooter; unpacking the trailer and car; unpacking the boxes; buying shelves (because we couldn't fit our old ones); cleaning the room; driving H to Northampton; unpacking her boxes; going to a job interview; receiving a job that pays too little (what else is new); being a single mama for my puppy; getting lost countless times all over Boston; having my scooter stolen; crying about my scooter being stolen; wondering what the hell I was thinking about wanting to move to Boston; sucking it all up and keeping on keepin' on.

Then I went to the beach, spent some time with family, and feel much better. Although I still don't have my scooter.

In the past couple weeks I have lost a lot of pieces of me - my kitty cats, my home in Austin, all my amazing friends and family in Texas, my lady, and now my scooter. No doubt I am feeling a little scattered.

Sitting in Whole Foods right now in Framingham (where my 4pm interview is) so that I have NO trouble with traffic or getting lost. But if you have to be stuck somewhere, Whole Foods is the place to be. Deli food, organic peanut butter cups and Kombucha = feeling better.

Posts soon to come of my self guided bike tour around Boston.

delicious in a jar

what you see below is the most delicious idea since sliced cake. these recently appeared in Austin Java's around Austin, and they are wonderful!

there are not even words to explain the magnificence. the flavor pictured is fuggedabodit (fudge, espresso, italian cream, mmmm.) some of their flavors that make me giggle are austin creme pie and armadillo jar (red velvet and chocolate mouse, get it?) the beauty is that they are freezable, as they seal just like when you're 'canning' fruit, jam, etc. then once the seal is popped they keep in the fridge for a little bit.

apparently, though, deliciousness in a jar is NOT a new idea (these guys just got to me i suppose.) so i was inspired to research how to create my own delicious in a jar. there are great recipes for cake in a jar around the world wide web, and even how to seal them so they can be given as gifts, mailed across the world, etc. here's a sweet resource i found for tons of different gifts in a jar. (not all immediately edible, however. the cake in a jar is unique and not replicable.)

i had to share these stupendous discoveries. my conclusion from this whole experience is that ball jars rock my socks.

jumpy

Listening to 'This American Life' podcast, late night and home alone, about urban legends. Specifically a story of a sewer rat climbing through pipes into someones toilet. Then I walk into my dark room to see this...

my goal