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a year of bakes-september

kdavis Leave a comment

last week i was looking at what else september had in store for us, and it was then i realized i was running quite short on time for this month’s bake! we’ve got some commitments soon that will severely limit my availability to be in the kitchen, so i was quite grateful when fate dealt me a sweet hand.

long story short, i ended up getting to host our book club meeting for september. and even though i usually just bring a couple bottles of wine, i figured it would be the perfect occasion to whip up something special for my ladies. so, i knew the when, but now remained the what. as i pondered my options, it made perfect sense to let the book lead me to an idea, and this month we read the good left undone, a multigenerational novel that carried us from the shores of viareggio in italy to marseille and even the rolling hills of scotland.

quickly i let google guide me through numerous searches of traditional italian and scottish desserts (i decided a french dessert was out since i did eclairs last month 🙂 ). page after page presented endless options, many a little ambitious for the short amount of time i knew i would have on hand. a girl can only do so much on a wednesday night after a full day of work!

after much consideration, i landed on panna cotta. i know nothing about this dessert, not even how it should taste, so figured i had nothing to lose. the element that excited me most was the gelatin. i’ve never worked with it before and was intrigued to see the results. knowing it would be a larger crew, i doubled the recipe and got everything going. the cream was simmering, the gelatin was doing whatever gelatin does, and i prepared these sweet little ramekins of batter. can we call it batter?

as tempted as i was to check on their progress, i let these little buddies sit overnight and whipped up some raspberry coulis in the meantime. many of the recipes i read mentioned it was a common accompaniment for panna cotta, and since i rarely do anything halfway, i heated the water and sugar, blended them with raspberries, strained out all those pesky seeds until my arms gave out, and topped it with a generous spalsh of chambourd. the good news? it was ALL worth it. 🙂 each panna cotta was topped with a lovely spoonful of coulis and paired with a glass of dessert wine. jennifer at local vine always helps me find the right blend for the meeting’s theme, and tonight was no exception. the panna cotta was silky and firm but easy to enjoy with a spoon, and the tart, sweet coulis complemented the slightly vanilla flavor of the panna cotta. if anyone has an italian-inspired evening coming up, i implore you to make this dessert. easy but impressive, it will be sure to delight any guest!

seattle – day 2

kdavis 1 Comment

our final day in seattle was a full one and started with a cozy breakfast at the condo. that is one of the advantages of a rental vs. a hotel: you usually have lots of space and kitchen access to cook for yourself if you care to. on our way back from the falls the day prior, we had stopped at the grocery store and scored a package of snoqualmie falls pancake mix! over sausage and pancakes and mugs of coffee, we gabbed and laughed and solved all the world’s problems. :)

we then washed up and made the short drive over to pike place market. the rain couldn’t keep us nor the locals and other tourists away. the streets were busy, and i can only imagine how swarmed it gets on the weekends and when the sun is out.

our first stop was a quick visit to the original starbucks. the line to order was stretched out the door, so we settled for a picture. i mean, a caramel macchiato here is a caramel macchiato there, right?

as we weaved in and out through the stalls and storefronts, we ended up joining in the fun at pike place fish market. this shop is known for its fish tossing attraction. yes, fish tossing! we did get to see some salmon thrown, and i decided it was time to face a decades-old fear of mine: eating a raw oyster. ages ago my mom and i were with some extended family for a west coast girls’ luncheon. the cousins insisted i have an oyster, and since my parents raised me to be a polite southern lady, i obliged. all i will say is that it’s a miracle i kept that slimy sucker down. now, older and maybe wiser, i figured if i was going to give them another chance, there was no better time or place. i paid my ten bucks, ripped the lid off the shot glass, and consumed that oyster with reckless abandon as the crowd cheered me on. the oyster was actually pretty small, and all the cocktail sauce certainly made the experience more tolerable. the best part, though, is that it was an historic moment that got captured in three parts. :)

i felt unstoppable and convinced mom and aunt cindy we should test our bravery with another seattle staple: the gum wall! folks, this thing is exactly what it sounds like and is as gross as you would think: two alley walls covered in gum. the smell is less than pleasant, but it was still fun to see it for ourselves (despite the faces i’m making here).

all this excitement had us hungry for a little snacky-snack, so we popped into piroshky piroshky bakery for some rolls. under flaky pastry were incredible aromas and big flavor, and mine reminded me of the meals you can get in the ikea cafeteria! the meatballs were well seasoned, but i definitely could have gone for more gravy. maybe a cup on the side for dipping? yes, i think that would have satisfied nicely.

now, what i have left untold until this moment is that aside from aunt nancy’s birthday bash and a general few days of pto, one of the next biggest reasons i was stoked for this trip was because of all the dates in all the cities in all the world, my favorite musician jamie cullum was performing in seattle that evening! the live music gods perfectly aligned all these things so that i could see him perform again. i’ve seen jamie’s concerts in atlanta, birmingham, chicago, and atlanta again. phillip and i had plans to see him in london once, but that trip was derailed due to the pandemic. so, i mean it when i say i’ve been waiting for years for this opportunity. now, we still had a couple hours until the doors opened and did not want to go all the way back to the condo and come all the way back out into town again. so, we spent some time nearby at pennyroyal. this spot is moody and dark but still inviting whether you’re there for a meal or just a cocktail. the drinks and food kept us warm, and it was the perfect way to bid the city farewell.

the time had come, so we hustled across virginia street and dodged the rain to arrive, at last, at the moore theatre for the concert. does this picture say it all? i was beside myself!

this intimate, old venue was full of character and drew a packed house to see jamie jump around on stage, dance with the crowd, hop on the piano, and sing all my favorites. mom and aunt cindy did not know his music and were so sweet to go along with me. as always, his performance was non-stop and energetic and reminded me why i love music (especially live music) so much. there was a lot of anticipation for this trip and this concert for so many months, and it delivered in every way i could have hoped.

seattle – evening 1

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our visit to anacortes had come to an end, but we weren’t done with washington just yet! mom, aunt cindy, and i decided to tag on a few extra days and explore seattle. i’ve been to seattle once when my small group was passing through for a trip to alaska. so, it was like a whole new world!

we got a bit of a late start so only had time to really check into our airbnb and grab some dinner that monday evening. our airbnb was a clean, spacious, well-stocked condo in the queen anne area. the owner refers to it as the “kraken cabin,” and all the host instructions were easy to follow. i imagine this view west (and the sweet little porch) is even more pleasant when the sun is out. 🙂

we unpacked a bit and started to do a little online looking to figure out what we wanted to eat. sometimes you know just what you are craving. that night was not one of those nights, lol. so much sounded so good! however, the travel gods looked down on us because we found in the condo a binder full of recommendations from the host. what luck! page after page listed different types of food and different parts of town with all sorts of suggestions. you could find just about anything in there! with the rain picking up and our bellies rumbling, we decided the nearby queen anne beerhall was worth a visit. oh, and worth a visit it was!

as mentioned in another recent post, i have never had the pleasure of going to europe, but wow, this experience felt very authentic! long tables and benches as far as the eye can see, raucous kraken fans ready to root on their hockey team, and pint after pint of beer. what a find!

we squeezed into a table between two pairs of coworkers who were humorous and kind to us out-of-towners and all our questions. if any of you knows us three, you know we are not afraid to strike up a conversation. two of those folks we met were mustafa and christopher. mustafa is an attorney and christopher is a soon-to-be-attorney at a local law firm. throughout the conversation, we found out mustafa grew up in huntsville (what are the odds?) and that christopher has a little eastern europe heritage (again, who would have thought!). it was such a serendipitous meeting, and i could not have planned it better if i tried. we got their stories, they got our stories, and they were so sweet to recommend a whole bunch of local spots for us to try during our stay. i love that they obliged our “old school” request to write the restaurants down instead of just punching them into our phone. plus, this napkin will make for a great page in my scrapbook!

over our chatter and cheers and laughter, we shared the giant pretzel, grilled corn, beet salad, and cheese curds. everything was fresh and rich and flavorful, and i bet if i lived within walking distance i’d be a regular. even though it is good to go through life with a plan, sometimes the most unplanned things end up being the best. mustafa and christopher, thank you for tolerating our little trio. if you’re ever in atlanta, i’d be happy to return the favor!

an anacortes occasion

kdavis Leave a comment

earlier this year, i was pleasantly surprised and quite flattered to receive an invitation to my great aunt nancy’s 90th birthday celebration up in anacortes, washington. with plenty of pto and some miles burning a hole in my virtual wallet, my mom and i took a week off from work to venture up to and around the pacific northwest.

our flight saturday morning to seattle was, blessedly, uneventful. however, our luck was short-lived once we got to the rental car center. long story short, i couldn’t pick up the car my husband reserved for us because my name wasn’t on the profile. then, i had the pleasure of waiting for an hour to get a car from a different provider. after declining all the add-on insurance and taking the elevator down a couple floors, we threw our bags into the trunk of our zippy kia soul and hopped on i-5 to make our way north. you know, i feel like we got the true washington state experience right off the beat. downtown traffic, cloudy skies, and rain.

thankfully we weren’t really in a hurry, so it was nice to cruise along and take in the sights of the evergreen state. we all know atlanta is called the city in the trees, but everything here is just so lush. some leaves had started changing, but i think in a couple weeks’ time, the trees will really be showing off.

about two and half hours later, we turned into wisteria gardens. this place was just so picturesque! from the chic farmhouse to the nearby pumpkin patch, i couldn’t imagine a better backdrop for the evening, which was a whirlwind of hugs, meeting new people, re-meeting family i hadn’t seen in decades, eating, drinking, and dancing. the elvis cover band was a huge hit, and i am so grateful we were included in the celebration. aunt nancy, i hope i look as good as you when i’m 90! if you have any secrets to share with my generation, i’m all ears. 🙂

once the party wrapped up, we headed back to the cabin nearby. it had a peaceful view of skagit bay, and we spent the night enjoying some red washington wine while puzzling and solving the world’s problems. it’s so interesting to hear how our conversations have transformed over the years and through different stages of life. so grateful for these women!

sunday was our final day in anacortes, and we piled up and headed to mark’s and shamay’s for some brunch. there were cars and people and food everywhere, and i grabbed a seat out on the porch. what a pleasant view! i feel lucky to have family like this, where you are welcome to join the fun as you are and, generally speaking, the more, the merrier.

after brunch, mom, aunt cindy, sara, julian, and i went to fernhill cemetery to visit and pay our respects to some of the extended family. these grounds are so quiet, and even if i do not make it back up here in my lifetime, i am glad we took some time to remember where this side of my family comes from and who part of me is.

as i am certain i’ve written before, our family is always ready to eat. so, we met our cousin lorri in nearby la conner for a little small town afternoon. the drive there was so relaxing, and i cannot believe all the dahlias we saw along the way. i mean, these things were mondo-sized and everywhere and in every shade you can imagine. i didn’t get to snap a picture, but my mom was sure to because my sister-in-law kari loves these blooms. kari, you would have been in heaven up here!

we ended up having lunch at la conner seafood and prime rib house, which was the same place that catered the party the night prior. we started with the spinach artichoke dip, which was scarfed down quickly. i then treated myself to a cup of clam chowder and crab cakes. the chowder was fine, but the crab cakes were worth every penny and every bite (despite this poor photo quality, i promise).

while we’d been having lunch, phillip had separately mentioned to me that it recently was national ice cream day, so it was easy to convince julian we should go for a scoop! just down a block at lulu’s espresso & ice cream, he had a cone of cherry ice cream, and i went for a cup of triple chocolate. i think he liked his, yes? 🙂

that night was extra dreary out, so we stayed in and munched on leftovers. julian and i got to play in the loft upstairs, and i was quick to fall asleep after such a fun day. i’ve a feeling it’s easy to do that up here. thank you for the memories, anacortes!

nrw – kurt’s euro bistro

kdavis 1 Comment

phillip and i have had a busy summer season, so you can imagine we were quite grateful for a recent weekend with nearly no plans. it was two saturdays ago, and i’d just returned from a scrapbook supply mission at our local hobby lobby. when i asked phillip what he wanted for dinner, he suggested we go out. i considered this idea for a moment and then, like a ton of bricks, the perfect place came to mind. we piled into the hyundai, made a left out of the neighborhood, took a right on the main drive, and within minutes pulled up to kurt’s euro bistro.

i’ve passed this unassuming spot countless times by now but never given it a try. we have become creatures of habit and tend to eat at the same (and very good) restaurants, so it just felt like the right thing to do to try something new. plus, my neighbor ellen had mentioned it was a good spot, so off we were!

we arrived a little after seven and lucked out that there was a high top available in the bar area. the hostess politely advised we make a reservation next time, as they get busy quickly on the weekends. so, we settled into our chairs, and our waitress brought us some waters while we took in the ambience. dark woods, low ceilings, pint glasses as far as the eye can see; and even though i have never been to europe, i definitely got those vibes.

we weren’t in a hurry so started with some beers and their pretzel and, of course, some beer cheese. my weihenstephan weiss was perfectly wheaty and chilled and paired nicely with the doughy yet light pretzel. the beer cheese was rich, and i think i liked the mustard dip most. if dinner was going to be anything like this appetizer, it was also going to be good (spoiler, it was).

so many of their dishes sounded delicious, but phillip and i both kept things simple and ordered a skillet with a bratwurst and sauerkraut. for barely ten bucks, there was a ton of food! the kraut was tender, the brat was juicy and flavorful, and that spicy ketchup just made everything sing. a bite alone or altogether, i was satisfied regardless.

wait, i almost forgot about the spatzle! i wasn’t hungry enough for an entire schnitzel entree, but that spatzle seemed irresistible. luckily, you can order a side of it, and i’m so glad we did. that pasta was buttery and perfectly finished with a little sautéed crunch. i am certain i looked very ladylike as i stuffed my face with forkfuls of it. 🙂

all in all, kurt’s is a lovely spot. they have indoor and outdoor seating, an intimate and well-stocked bar, welcoming staff, and a menu that’s not too big but not too small. i look forward to our next meal here (which will hopefully be soon).

new mexico – day 3

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and just like that, it was our last day in new mexico. we’d been hearing from everyone on our trip that we needed to drive up to santa fe because it’s not too far and definitely worth a visit, so since we had a car and no other plans, that is just what we decided to do! but first, we did make a couple stops to some breaking bad filming locations. the dog house drive in was from the night prior, and walter white’s house was that morning. you can pay for official rv tours, and i imagine mega fans everywhere (like my mom) would be all about that!

we lucked out with a gorgeous day for a drive up interstate 25, and i loved taking in all the landscapes on our way. the skies here are so wide, and i wish i had a better camera and better picture-taking skills to do it all justice. so, if you are not impressed, you’ll just have to go and see it for yourself!

now, i didn’t have much in mind for what we would do when we got to santa fe, but one thing was on my must list: meow wolf. i’d heard about this art exhibition a few years ago, and they only have locations out west. and, who would have guessed it, they have one in santa fe! i figured this was a now-or-never type of thing, so we pulled up, bought our tickets, and excitedly got in line. but, just as they were about to call our group to begin, we heard sirens and saw all the doors suddenly open. i thought maybe it was just part of it all until we were ushered away from the building and informed there was a gas leak. noooooo! only steps away and then it was out of reach. we stood around for a bit and listened to see if there was a chance we’d still get to go, but with the fire department needing to come and check things out, we unfortunately could not wait and had to cancel. surprisingly, there were many out-of-staters also checking out meow wolf. i cannot lie, i was disheartened it didn’t work out. but maybe another opportunity will present itself to check out this immersive experience.

a little down and a lot hungry, we drove into santa fe to get some lunch. we parked in the la fonda garage and chatted it up with the front desk folks to find out where to go and what to do and see and, of course, eat. they overwhelmingly suggested we dine at the plaza cafe, and that is where we went. this bustling spot is right on the plaza, and i can imagine the outdoor seating is extremely popular in the warmer months. the dining room was already pretty full when we arrived, but we were quickly seated at a table right up front.

it was that weird time between proper breakfast and proper lunch, making it hard to decide what to eat. it didn’t help that all the plates on all the tables around us looked incredible. i wish i could have somehow sampled everything! after much deliberation, phillip decided on the norteno tacos and i on the santa fe frito pie. folks, if you know phillip and i at all, we both can do a lot of talking at the table, but the only sounds were our forks scraping the plates and our stomachs growling in satisfaction. we even had a little room left to try their homemade biscochitos, a traditional new mexican cookie. honestly, i cannot recommend the plaza cafe enough!

norteno tacos.
santa fe frito pie.

with full bellies and renewed energy, we spent the rest of our afternoon in santa fe strolling the streets and taking in the local sights and history. some of the highlights included the cathedral basilica of st. francis of assisi, the loretto chapel (including the miraculous staircase), the oldest house in the usa, and the state capitol building (the only round one in the whole country!). this list is just a tiny glimpse into what santa fe and the surrounding areas have to offer. i hope we get a chance to come back again for a longer visit!

it was time to head back to our hotel, pack up our things, and get ready for our flight the next morning. but, new mexico was not done with us yet! phillip took us on a detour so that we could ride the sandia peak tram. now, before our trip, i’d been casually researching what to do in albuquerque, and something that came up again and again was the sandia peak tramway. phillip was a little skeptical, and honestly i did not think we were going to go. however, his adventurous spirit kicked in, and before i knew it we were riding in a very large tram with a lot of other people on a very steep cable up to the top of the sandia mountains (did you know sandia is spanish for watermelon? now you do.). i wouldn’t say i’ve ridden a lot of trams in my lifetime, but for some reason i was expecting a much more gradual incline. this was quite the opposite. the ride is smooth, yes, but you are going up very high alongside very steep cliffsides on just two cables. phillip can confirm i had a white knuckle grip on the handrail the entire ride, and i am certain there was a very audible exhale of relief when we reached the top, where it was barely ten degrees! it was so cold and so windy that we barely could stand to take our hands out of our gloves to snap a couple pictures. maybe it is better that way, to just remember it ourselves. 🙂 we had timed our visit perfectly because we got to watch the sun set pretty much all the way up and all the way down. it was a thrilling and unique experience, and i am so glad we had the chance to enjoy it.

reinvigorated with a fresh spurt of energy, we enjoyed our final meal at the 66 diner. i mean, where else would we go? we sat at the bar, split a chocolate banana milkshake, patty melt, and cheese fries, and reminisced about our trip. i am so grateful we went outside the box to stretch ourselves and explore something different and learn something new. new mexico has so much to show, and i encourage you to consider it when you’re planning your next getaway. you just might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

oh my bagels

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there’s nothing better than a good icebreaker, and one of my favorites (albeit a little weird/maybe morbid) is to ask folks what their last meal would be if they could choose. you’ll learn a little bit about someone and, more than likely, foster further conversation around food, which is typically a pretty safe topic.

my answer has always been and, unless my tastes change dramatically between now and whenever, will always be a bagel with cream cheese. that’s it, kelsey? that’s all you would want? yes, no questions asked, no second thoughts, no regrets. equal parts cream cheese and bagel, sliced and toasted, that’s all i need.

as a self-proclaimed bagel and cream cheese superfan, i always welcome the opportunity to indulge this craving, and i think phillip and i have uncovered two spots in town that really have just set the bar high. part of me is glad they’re both a 20-minute drive away; otherwise, i’d need to be working out way more to burn off all these dense calories.

first up is the bagel hole in cumming. they’re a no-fuss, we-have-bagels-and-cream-cheese kind of place. i will say they do have fun flavors and also serve lunch, but their bagel and spread selection is fair, and the folks are friendly. they also have homemade bagel chips that i highly recommend! this place gets points for having an egg bagel (which has become my all-time favorite) and teaching me what a bialy is (our recommendation is to get it toasted with butter, simple and delicious). oh, and their coffee is fantastic.

next up is bb’s bagels, a spot known and loved by many. i think i heard about them on the local news (like i do so many places we try), and i can confidently say phillip is glad i recommended we check it out. this place has the diner vibes at 100 with a huge menu that will be sure to satisfy everyone in your party. the staff were very friendly when we went, and the portions made the drive well worth it. the bagels were wonderful and the strawberry spread scrumptious, and the sausage links were mouthwatering (and are flown in from new york, from what i hear). whenever the line is out the door (like it was when we went to bb’s), that’s usually a good sign. i’d say you can’t go wrong here!

do you have a favorite bagel place in town? what would your last meal be if you could choose? i need a new spot to try!

an mcu journey: latin flavors & a new hero

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as we gathered for marvel night last week, i realized we had started this journey one year ago. i do not know which stuns me more: that another year has passed or that we are now just two movies away from the end of the infinity saga! both are pretty unbelievable, and it’s incredible what you can accomplish in 12 months’ time. i mean, i promise i did more in 2021 than just watch a bunch of superhero movies, but even that is time well spent!

we all were glowing with that new year energy and excitedly gathered around the table for cuban. i was pretty unsure what i was in the mood for, but trusty yelp suggested sandwiches and then directed us to tortugas cuban grill. jenn and i both went for the media noche, and i scarfed that thing down with minimal hesitation and even less manners. i mean, i’m not sure i was taking a breath between bites, only pausing to declare how delicious my dinner was. it had the right amount of zippy mustard with crunchy, briny pickles, all atop perfectly soft, fresh sweet cuban bread. i usually have leftovers during marvel night but left nothing in my box this time. even phillip was jealous of my meal, and that hardly ever happens! that’s not to say his pan con bistec sandwich wasn’t good, too, but this media noche really was a step above.

i also ordered a side of tostones for the group and will say it was a huge serving for only $4.25. the tostones were big (there were about 12 of them), and that green dressing/sauce that came on the side was heavenly. i only wish there had been more of that to go around!

dave was craving something a little more substantial and tried the pescado a la tortuga. to be honest, i’m still not sure how he felt about it, lol. the fish portion was generous, and there were lots of shrimp hiding in the secret sauce, but it seems it was a little underwhelming. perhaps it needed more flavor? perhaps it would be better in the restaurant? we may never know. all i will say is that if you said, “hey, kelsey, let’s meet at tortugas,” i’d be in the car before even replying to your message.

after washing up and refilling our drinks, we settled into our regular spots, this time to watch captain marvel. before i get into the details, i’ll say i thought this movie was fine and hope that marvel is going to play a key role in endgame, otherwise, what was the point? even before we clicked play, it confused me that they would introduce a new character so late in the game. but hey, what do i know?

well, for starters i know what i liked about this film, which includes…

  • all the 90s references
  • learning more about nick fury
  • getting to see agent coulson again (if you don’t love agent coulson, i’m uncertain if we can be friends)
  • goose the cat
  • the soundtrack (i’m always happy when no doubt comes on)

and there are the things i didn’t so much care for, like…

  • the fact that it took me a while to unravel exactly what was going on and who was really who (that may be more on me, but perhaps it is due to confusing storytelling)
  • all of the unclear flashbacks with lawson
  • that they found lawson’s space lab so quickly
  • how fury loses his eye (really, they couldn’t think of anything else?)

all feelings aside, though, we are somehow just about done! will i be emotional when we watch endgame next week? will our next meal dethrone tortugas? will i wonder what to do with myself now that we are done? how will 2022 possibly live up to all i saw in 2021? we are only one 3-hour movie away from finding out, and i am excited to see how things end.

EATS

  1. tortugas
  2. trader joe’s
  3. sweet octopus
  4. alessio’s
  5. gordo’s pizza
  6. alebrije mexican restaurant
  7. jim’n’nick’s
  8. burger 21
  9. masterpiece
  10. jerusalem bakery
  11. armando’s caribe
  12. honeypig
  13. sonny’s bbq
  14. cue barbecue
  15. lon u
  16. rose and olive
  17. wayback burger
  18. 2 nyers pizza
  19. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. avengers: infinity war
  3. ant-man
  4. spider-man: homecoming
  5. guardians of the galaxy
  6. captain america: the first avenger
  7. black panther
  8. thor: ragnarok
  9. thor: the dark world
  10. captain marvel
  11. captain america: civil war
  12. guardians of the galaxy vol. 2
  13. thor
  14. avengers: age of ultron
  15. captain america: the winter soldier
  16. doctor strange
  17. iron man 3
  18. the avengers
  19. iron man 2

an mcu journey: a lot of takeout & a lot of emotions

kdavis Leave a comment

after a casual social hangout down the street at social fox brewing, we picked up dinner from james beard award-winning masterpiece. this spot was recommended by our friend liz, and this time around i followed her advice and ordered the double cooked pork. a bite of pork with a bite of white rice was perfectly balanced and flavorful. i also had several dumplings and pot stickers, which alone were just okay but with that red sauce were quite scrumptious. philip, who only fully finishes a meal when he really loves it, cleared his whole container of chicken fried rice in record time, and jenn said her stir fried diced chicken with broccoli wasn’t bad at all.

although there will always be plenty of new restaurants for us to try, we are rounding third and heading home with our mcu journey, and this week we fired up avengers: infinity war on disney+. now, many folks have told me how much they love this movie, and i vowed to stay awake the whole time to see if i could appreciate it like my friends. well, with so much happening in this film, i decided i needed to watch it a second time before i could give it a proper review, and instead of providing a semi-high-level review, i decided to blog about it while watching it again. there’s just so much that happened in those 2.5 hours! with a lot going on, i decided to categorize my thoughts into four general groupings. i hope you enjoy this approach!

badass things that helped me appreciate the mcu

  • thor getting his new hammer
  • tony being perceptive enough to understand that if the time stone is the avengers’ greatest weapon then it can be thanos’ greatest weapon, too
  • the 678 area code in steve rogers’ number
  • dr. strange showing off his powers
  • spider-man’s new suit from tony
  • the scene when iron man and spider-man free dr. strange
  • iron man understanding that they need to take the fight to thanos (even though thanos ends up on earth anyway)
  • strange understanding he needed to keep tony alive for the end game
  • thor getting a new eye 🙂
  • spider-man officially becoming an avenger

confusing/annoying things that made me go “whatever”

  • trying to understanding why they never just chopped off thanos’ arm rather than trying to pull the gauntlet off
  • captain america’s unnecessary facial hair
  • no other bad guys on that ship that took dr. strange, but hey, i’ll take it
  • quill not controlling himself after he hears about gamora’s death and wanda leaving vision’s side during the fight in wakanda – you had one job! although, i am also human and cannot say i would have done any different
  • thanos’ minions finding the time stone and mind stone on earth awfully fast
  • thor being able to breathe regardless of the atmosphere (but i guess he is a god, so sure)

funny things that made me lol

  • quill imitating thor
  • mantis asking if the avengers are mighty heroes like kevin bacon
  • the ben & jerry’s flavors named after bruce and tony
  • spider-man’s friend causing a distraction on the bus
  • thor referring to rocket as rabbit
  • everyone admiring thor’s muscles
  • drax creeping on quill and gamora
  • no one following quill’s directions during their attacks
  • rhodey telling bruce to bow when they arrive at wakanda
  • all of spider-man’s pop culture references
  • just about anything drax says
  • angsty, teenage groot
  • rocket wanting to buy bucky’s arm

oh damn things that made me go, well, “oh, damn”

  • thanos overall being a freaking lunatic
  • thanos killing loki
  • vision getting stabbed
  • finding out more about gamora’s past and what thanos did to her planet
  • poor nebula’s punishment
  • redskull making a reappearance on vormir
  • everything about the soul stone, including gamora dying (i actually went “oh, shit” on this one)
  • those nasty-ass creatures that attack wakanda
  • when thanos shows up on earth
  • thanos reversing time to take the mind stone – yikes!
  • realizing that thanos snapped his fingers to destroy half of all life; they were freaking ruthless with that

at the end of the day, though, here’s what i might like most about this film: that for me iron man and thor have solidified themselves as my favorite avengers and that the avengers finally met their match. i mean, my heart was beating plenty throughout, and i truly look forward to seeing how things go down from here. i feel like the stakes are higher than ever now!

EATS

  1. trader joe’s
  2. sweet octopus
  3. alessio’s
  4. gordo’s pizza
  5. alebrije mexican restaurant
  6. jim’n’nick’s
  7. burger 21
  8. masterpiece
  9. jerusalem bakery
  10. armando’s caribe
  11. honeypig
  12. sonny’s bbq
  13. cue barbecue
  14. lon u
  15. rose and olive
  16. wayback burger
  17. 2 nyers pizza
  18. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. avengers: infinity war
  3. ant-man
  4. spider-man: homecoming
  5. guardians of the galaxy
  6. captain america: the first avenger
  7. black panther
  8. thor: ragnarok
  9. thor: the dark world
  10. captain america: civil war
  11. guardians of the galaxy vol. 2
  12. thor
  13. avengers: age of ultron
  14. captain america: the winter soldier
  15. doctor strange
  16. iron man 3
  17. the avengers
  18. iron man 2

an mcu journey: a progressive dinner & daddy issues

kdavis Leave a comment

for once i am writing about this next leg in our journey the day right after the event! perhaps with everything fresh in my mind my review will be fair and accurate.

so, as everyone knows, with each new movie we have been ordering dinner from a restaurant new to all if not most of us. now, i love having someone else cook for me as much as the next full-time working 30-something, but this time we mixed it up and, if i say so myself, had the best time. we have, now that i think about it, an absurd number and variety of grocery stores around us. kroger, publix, whole foods, walmart, lidl, aldi, fresh market. you name it, we probably have it. however, one that i do not frequent but that has been in town for ages is the local trader joe’s. i wouldn’t say i don’t go because i don’t like it; rather, when my grocery run truly is a run for the essentials and not a stroll through the store kind of event, there are many stores closer than tj’s that will get the job done. and i know how popular tj’s is across the country and that it has a huge loyal customer base. so, what did we do for dinner last night? we ravaged the local tj’s for a bunch of their customer favorites and had a progressive dinner together!

my shopping experience wasn’t as relaxing as i wanted it to be (i mean, 5 o’clock on a saturday probably was not the best time to go), but after i conquered my anxiety, the result was well worth the effort. listed in no particular order, here are all the goodies we dined on last night and our general review of each. i think it’s safe to say that we will try making tj’s a more regular stop on our grocery route!

  • pork & ginger soup dumplings – these were a winner among the crowd. easy to prepare and perfectly steamed, i am convinced it would be quite easy to eat a whole box myself. do be warned, though, that you really do need to like ginger to like these dumplings.
  • cauliflower jalapeno dip – this dip was talked up on a website i visited but really failed to deliver on the cauliflower or jalapeno flavor. it was nice and creamy, i’ll give it that, and gave us a good excuse to try the pita bite crackers. however, this dip will not be on my re-buy list.
  • salsa – thinking the dip was going to be too spicy, we grabbed a jar of salsa as a nice mild option. however, this salsa had more kick to it than the dip! but, we all agreed it was more flavor than heat and paired perfectly with the blue corn tortilla chips.
  • chicken burrito – everyone had a half a burrito as a little appetizer, and everyone had the same opinion: please, no more. in a pinch? sure. if you had to eat it to survive, okay? however, there was not much depth to the flavor, and unless i followed the heating instructions incorrectly, the burrito really was not heated through consistently. maybe if i had flipped them in the microwave halfway through they would have been better? maybe, but i don’t know that i will go buy more just try my theory.
  • cauliflower gnocchi – more cauliflower? why not! decadent gnocchi are a treat for me, and a cauliflower version sounded like a pretty safe version. as much as i wanted this one to be a winner, i’d say it probably took home the bronze. the texture was the slightest bit gummy, but i cannot fault them for taste. these little pillows were packed with cauliflower flavor, and i am betting that if i had first boiled them and then finished them off in the pan for a little browning that they would have been even better.
  • mac and cheese bites – these little buddies got high marks all around. i’m not sure there’s much to not like here. crispy outside? yes, please. creamy mac’n’cheese center? of course! these were right on in every way and would be good to keep in the freezer for when family or friends come over.
  • mandarin orange chicken – everything i read/heard told me this chicken has been a top-seller for years, and for once, the reviews did not steer us wrong. i baked the chicken in the oven, heated the sauce in the microwave, and prepared some rice on the stovetop. one bite altogether, and it is like you are in takeout heaven, but it’s better than takeout because it does not cost as much and is ready in minutes (no waiting on delivery or going out in your jammies for pickup!). due to the sheer amount of food we had throughout the evening, there were leftovers, but i don’t expect them to last long.
  • snacks – throughout the night we also munched on other snacks like the plantain chips (so crispy and flavorful and salty), the white cheddar corn puffs (i may have eaten half the bag during the movie), and bite size everything crackers (these were INCREDIBLE).
  • desserts – and you can’t forget about the sweets! the dark chocolate peanut butter cups and crispy crunchy chocolate chip cookies were nearly gone by night’s end. gotta balance the salty with the sweet!

now that we were filled to the brim with flavors of all kinds, it was time for guardians of the galaxy vol. 2. i will certainly get more detailed with my review, but at the end of the film, realizing that this one’s purpose was primarily necessary for character building, i said, “alright, if they insist.”

ego and his planet and his whole “expansion” thing were quite over the top (again, i know that’s how these stories go, but still). additionally, the movie was about 30 minutes too long in my opinion, but this is coming from the girl who likes movies 2 hours or shorter. as i sit here and reflect, i think those were my biggest gripes. then, if i really put some thought into what i did like, i’d say there were a good handful of things, but just not enough to outweigh my general apathy towards this film.

drax was my favorite character, and i hope we see more of him later. knowing a character’s backstory seems to be my thing, as i really liked learning more about gamora’s and nebula’s past. i wasn’t so sure about baby groot, but the scene when he is supposed to get the fin for yondu was too funny, and i especially thought the extra clip at the end with teenager groot was particularly precious. oh, and how could i forget about poor taserface? he never stood a chance.

i feel like we are in the final lap of this adventure and will be very interested to see if anything can dethrone iron man or trader joe’s (yes, we have a new number 1!) in these last few films. anything is possible!

EATS

  1. trader joe’s
  2. sweet octopus
  3. alessio’s
  4. gordo’s pizza
  5. alebrije mexican restaurant
  6. jim’n’nick’s
  7. burger 21
  8. jerusalem bakery
  9. armando’s caribe
  10. honeypig
  11. sonny’s bbq
  12. cue barbecue
  13. lon u
  14. rose and olive
  15. wayback burger
  16. 2 nyers pizza
  17. tokyo shokudo

MOVIES

  1. iron man
  2. ant-man
  3. spider-man: homecoming
  4. guardians of the galaxy
  5. captain america: the first avenger
  6. black panther
  7. thor: ragnarok
  8. thor: the dark world
  9. captain america: civil war
  10. guardians of the galaxy vol. 2
  11. thor
  12. avengers: age of ultron
  13. captain america: the winter soldier
  14. doctor strange
  15. iron man 3
  16. the avengers
  17. iron man 2