i don’t know how this month’s bake came to mind but ended up deciding on chocolate eclairs. i was drawn to them because (1) i’ve never made choux pastry (2) there were multiple components and i felt up for the challenge and (3) i felt like it would be a good test of my baking skills.
oh, and this bake was doubly fun because mom was in town! now, she worked in food service her entire career, so she could smoke just about anyone in the kitchen (myself especially) but she was patient as i got all the ingredients organized, equipment laid out, and oven preheated. using this recipe from food & wine magazine, we got right to work on the choux pastry. i’ve seen chefs make it countless times on baking competition shows and was excited and nervous to see if it would work out for us. and despite the handful of negative reviews on the website, we powered forward. after boiling our water/butter mixture, i diligently removed the pot from the heat and vigorously stirred in the flour. much to our amazement and relief, the dough started to come together from the sides and leave the trademark film on the bottom of the pot! it was a baking miracle, i tell you! we were on top of the world.
we threw it in the mixer to cool off, added the eggs one at a time, and piped those bad boys out on a baking sheet. they might not look like much now, but just you wait. 🙂
while the oven was hard at work, we fixed up the pastry cream (blessedly easy and dangerously delicious), washed our dishes, and let the anticipation rise. i think i am a capable enough baker to have completed this one on my own without issue, but it was a much more enjoyable experience with mom by my side. love ya, mom!
about 40 minutes later, we pulled open the oven door and grinned from ear to ear. the eclair shells were golden but not burned and had a nice hollow sound when you tapped the bottoms. we’re on a roll! nothing can stop us now.
once those little shells cooled on the baking racks, it all came together pretty quickly. we split them horizontally, dunked the tops in a melted chocolate-butter mixture (YUM), and spooned in generous heaps of the pastry cream.
even though dinner was right around the corner, we immediately indulged. these eclairs are extremely decadent without being overly sweet, and we each scarfed ours down in just a matter of bites. as we say in our household, this recipe is a “keeper” for sure, and i look forward to a special occasion (or, you know, just another random monday) when i can make them again.
a little over halfway through the year now, and the july bake definitely “takes the cake” in terms of fun. as you may have seen, phillip, mom, clark, and i visited london last month. as the plans started coming together (and knowing we were would be there on my birthday), i did a little looking and uncovered a little thing known as the big bakes. likely inspired by the great british bake off (but of course with no official affiliation), the big bakes makes baking classes accessible all over london and just happened to have some classes available while we were there. well, we knew what our plans would be that evening!
i won’t spoil for you what else we got to do that day, but after a lot of walking and a pint and a quick dinner, we took the tube to their east location off haggerston and stepped into our baking adventure. are you surprised to know i was squealing with excitement as we stepped through the refrigerator entrance? if you know me, you’re not surprised at all.
we had arrived a little early so “oohed” and “aahed” as we entered their charming pantry bar. it’s like they know exactly what their clientele will like! with eats and drinks galore, there’s something for everyone, us included. we plopped in the corner booth and enjoyed coffees and champagne and bubbled over with anticipation. i think we were all still stunned that we were actually there, and it warms my heart immensely knowing that we can have such a blast just about anywhere we go. 🙂
oh, and in between sparkling sips, i squeezed in a little selfie session, too!
suddenly remembering we were there to bake and not just drink (which you can actually do), we were summoned to the tent! now, it was a typical rainy london day, so we hurried across the platform and to our stations. if you’ve ever watched the show, the format here is like the technical challenge. you don’t know what you’re making ahead of time, you’re given a recipe, and you have a time limit. it was exciting and terrifying all at once! now, to ensure these classes feel welcoming (and to ensure you tell all your friends about it and come back for more), the recipe is extremely detailed, the ingredients are premeasured, and all your equipment is already laid out for you. talk about being spoiled! oh, and to make it even better, you can bring your beverages from the bar with you and even order more throughout. this is my kind of baking!
following a brief explanation from the instructor, we suited up (i had purchased the birthday package so that we could don our hats and aprons, of course), and got to work. the theme that month was safari cakes, so we were tasked with baking our sponges, cooling them, and decorating them. oh, and then they would be judged in front of the entire class! although that tracks with the show, i definitely was intimidated. worry not; there were lots of home bakers and amateurs there, so we were in great company.
with only two hours on the clock, we dove on in and got to work. we mixed, we scraped, we filled, we baked. i’ve made countless cakes (excuse me, sponges) before, so that came naturally.
the part that stressed me out (and i sensed this in clark, too) were the choices we had to make. everyone got to pick their own flavors and decorations and finishing touches, and when you’re in a flurry of flour, sugar, and butter, it’s hard to focus! talk about being spontaneous. thankfully our partners were the calming force we needed, and soon enough our creations came together and were placed on the front table.
one by one, the instructor used an overwhelming large knife to cut an overwhelmingly large slice out of each of our cakes. each pair shared what kind of animal they chose, the flavors of their sponges and frostings, and (why not) the animal’s name. the instructor then provided a cursory judgment on our sponge textures, and a supporting applause was given to all. with so many creative and unique designs, it truly was such a cheery atmosphere!
now, are you dying to know what we made? mom and clark went for an almond sponge with orange zest and almond slices baked in and an orange frosting to create a tiger affectionately named aubie. phillip and i added some pink to our sponge to support the strawberry flavor we chose for everything on our zebra named woody. they make a dashing pair, don’t you think?
now, this whole “a year of bakes” blog series is focused on things i’ve not ever baked. the element new to me during this experience was the fondant we used on our zebra. i definitely don’t keep fondant stocked in our pantry so knew i wanted to include it. the eyes and nose and ears came about easy enough, although the proportions may have been a little off. where i struggled mightily, though, was with the stripes. i think my mistake was rolling the brown fondant too thinly, which caused it to tear tremendously as i tried to cut out each piece and lift if off the counter. i’ve a feeling it takes a lot of practice to really get the hang of working with fondant and don’t know if i’ll be trying my hand at it again any time soon. regardless, though, we got to use new ingredients and new tools and definitely make something i’ve never made before!
oh, and of course we had to see how they tasted! we lugged our cakes all the way back to stratford in their charming cake boxes and had a piece in the hotel lobby. writing about this bake makes me smile from ear to ear, and i will gladly cherish this memory for many years to come.
Hello there! It’s me, Phillip Davis again, husband to the amazingly uncommon, Kelsey V., who is the owner of this lovely blog website. It sure has been a little while since my last guest blog, and so, it is time to do another one! 😀
Kelsey and I have, of course, been doing some more traveling since we both have been having the urge to take some trips here and there since after the pandemic, and this lovely trip was one we were planning on doing a few years ago before the pandemic. So, what we decided to do, with the help from Kelsey and her side of the family, was to surprise Kelsey’s mom, Tori, and take her on a trip to London to celebrate her retirement! And, it was also really cool that Kelsey’s Birthday would fall during our time across the pond, so we had much to celebrate over there, for sure. So, without further, ado, let’s do this!
Due to the time difference between Atlanta, GA and London, which was a 5-hour difference, we decided to hop on a red eye flight through Delta Air Lines. We were supposed to take off around 5:30p.m. Eastern Daylight Time to arrive in London around 6:30a.m. British Summer Time (BST) the very next day on Saturday, July 6th, however we were delayed about 2 hours or so in Atlanta due to weather in the area and a minor fuel delay. Once the Atlanta weather subsided and our Boeing 767-400ER aircraft was fully fueled for the 8-hour night plane ride to London, we were on our way! What seemed like 8+ hours felt only like 2 or 3 hours because we were just so excited to get there! Oh, and the food on the plane was pretty good, as well! We could choose between a pasta dish or chicken, and since this was an international long-haul flight, drinks were included, as well! Thanks, Delta!
Our Delta B767-400ER that would take us “across the pond!” Relay For Life logo on the plane!
My usual drink choice from Sweetwater Brewing Company! 🙂
My pasta dish with tiramisu and quinoa on the flight back home. I didn’t get a picture on the way there since I ate my dinner rather quickly, ha!
We landed at London Heathrow International Airport around 8:30a.m. London time with some shuteye on the airplane. A few airline movies and music later, we felt a little bit jet lagged, but not too bad. Kelsey, Tori, and I got our luggage and went through immigration and customs, and shortly thereafter, met and hugged Kelsey’s brother, Clark, at the terminal’s arrivals and departures area! Since Clark lives in Chicago, he took a direct flight to Heathrow and arrived a few hours before us. So, what was 3 travelers became 4 when we met up with Clark!
Need I say more!?
Clark set up a shuttle service for us to get to the Moxy Hotel in Stratford, which is about a 15-20 minute London Tube train ride into London city. The Stratford we stayed at is East from London, and Stratford-upon-avon is West of the city. I thought they were one in the same, but they are not! Anyways, our shuttle driver was very kind and showed us some of the important landmarks throughout London and explained some other tips and tricks about navigating the huge city!
Jet lagged Phil!
Stratford, London!
The Moxy Hotel in Stratford!
Mamma Tori so excited to get on the London Tube for dinner!
The Elizabeth Line train we took for dinner on Day One!
The amazingly uncommon, Kelsey V, and me on the tube!
Tori and Clark excited for dinner on the tube!
Once we got to the hotel and checked in, we all decided to take a nap before our dinner reservation over at Dishoom in Shoreditch. Dishoom is a very popular Indian cuisine restaurant in London, and we ended up going to a location close by to the hotel and took the Tube to get there (see train pictures above)! It was INCREDIBLE! I had a chicken curry dish, Kelsey and Tori split a shrimp Indian dish with rice and curry beans, and Clark had a more traditional chicken dish. After dinner, we went over about a block away to a little alleyway that had multiple dessert shops on it. Kelsey and I headed on over to a little place called The After School Cookie Club Cookie Bakerywhere we ended up getting an ice cream cookie dessert while Tori and Clark got some ice cream at the dessert shop next door. Click on the pictures below for captions!
After our dessert, we took the Tube back to the hotel and sat down in the hotel lounge to have some drinks and the “cheers” to my lovely Kelsey’s Birthday and Mamma Tori’s Retirement. While drinking and hanging out, we 4 played one of Kelsey’s and my favorite card games called, “What’s The Point,” which was a game we found when we went to Albuquerque, New Mexico last year at that bar, Outpost 1706 – Downshift. The three of them won at least a round of card play each, but not me, haha! After a few rounds, we all decided to put on our night caps (or should I say knight caps) and head to bed. After all, we were still pretty jet lagged.
Ahhh, refreshing!
Classic Margarita!
I still have yet to beat them in a game! 😀
I will be back on Kelsey’s blog site here for London, Day Two soon!
so far i’ve found inspiration in cookbooks and online blogs, but i thought this month i’d reference something a little closer to home: a family recipe! i most certainly don’t have any recipes i’ve made up myself so decided to try and tackle stanka’s strudel.
in going through some old files, my dad stumbled upon a handful of family recipes and, knowing how much i enjoy baking and cooking, sent several my way. a few looked pretty intimidating, but the strudel recipe intrigued me just enough. flaky dough with fruity, tart filling. what could go wrong? thankfully, not a ton. 🙂
i’ve never made a strudel and wouldn’t say i’ve had my fair share so couldn’t quite wrap my head around the construction of this european treat. i know trial and error are part of trying new things, but with the power of the internet at my fingertips, i decided to do a little reconnaissance. my first and only necessary stop? youtube! i stumbled upon this charming fellow and his easy-to-follow apple strudel recipe. like lots of folks, sometimes i learn best with a visual aid, so after a few watches, i felt ready to go.
pastry dough rolled thin? check.
apples thinly sliced atop the crushed graham cracker? check.
dates, raisins, and walnuts layered next? check, check, check.
next up was the rolling. this step had me a little nervous just because the dough was pretty thin and the toppings were many. but i followed john’s advice and used the towel to help get everything nicely wrapped and snug and oh momma. look at the size of this thing! i texted this picture to my aunt cindy and she replied (word for word), “damn girl, that looks fabulous!” thanks, aunt cindy. 🙂
while i cleaned up my very messy countertops, i let the oven do all the hard work. an hour and 15 minutes later, i had crispy strudel with piping hot, ooey, gooey fillings. i really didn’t have anything to compare it to but thought, after a few bites, that it wasn’t half bad. it definitely gave pastry vibes, and i certainly hadn’t skimped on the filling. however, i found i don’t like dates as much as i thought i do and wished i had less of those and more raisins and walnuts. i also don’t think a little additional sugar or cinnamon/nutmeg would have hurt. regardless, it was very satisfying seeing this treat through from start to finish, and i still scooped up every bite from my plate. also, i like to think this kind of bake can bring back sweet memories of simpler times with the ones we love. bon appetit!
our first full day in seattle was packed with adventure and started with a proper french breakfast at le pichet. this spot had been highly recommended by several coworkers and was a delightful way to begin our morning. the space is narrow and cozy with tables close together. they have quite a spirits selection and proper espresso equipment, so i had the cutest cappuccino, and aunt cindy had a pretty and delicious latte.
our waitress mentioned the chef had a few buns left, so we ordered the last of them for the table. don’t these look food magazine worthy! they were slightly sweet and melt-in-your-mouth tender. so far so good!
we knew we’d need more than a little bread to hold us over for our upcoming excursion, so mom ordered the yogurt (a small serving but tasty, she said), aunt cindy enjoyed the oeufs plats jambon et fromage (i was grateful she offered me a bite!), and i ate the salad de tomates avec fruits a noyau, chevre et vinaigrette au jambon. all that produce was so fresh, and as fancy chefs say, a bite of it all at once just made everything “sing.”
with fuel in the car and our bellies, we drove east to tour snoqualmie falls. aunt cindy had heard of it and always wanted to visit, so visit we did! the fall colors were just starting to show off, and we lucked out with a warm (albeit windy) afternoon.
aside from the mighty power of these falls, my favorite element were these words all about the grounds. they were so playful and inspiring and very unique.
the clouds and rain eventually arrived, so we moseyed over to downtown snoqualmie and took refuge in snoqualmie falls brewery. i would have liked to belly up to the charming covered bar, but the weather just was not in the mood to cooperate. oh well, you can still drink beer and eat snacks inside! between sips of this and bites of that, we talked all about the latest in each others’ lives. it’s so interesting and fun getting to still be a daughter and niece to these ladies but having adult conversations. times change, life forms and reforms. i feel lucky to have this pair in my circle.
evening approached, and it was slow going back to seattle. by the time we shrugged off our coats and untied our boots, we were tuckered out and in no mood at all to head back into the city. cue doordash! since it had grown cold, we concluded big bowls of steamy ramen would hit the spot, and they sure did! we tried ramen-ya teinei, and our order was accurate and on time. while mom spooned up dinner, i worked my tech magic to get dancing with the stars streaming on the tv. the host didn’t have regular cable, so after logging into aunt cindy’s directv account and then airplaying her ipad to the tv, we were in business! hot ramen and reality tv. what more could we have wanted?
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!
I am Emily! Phillip is my super awesome brother, and Kelsey is my lovely sister-in-law! I am so excited to be a guest on Kelsey’s blog today! I currently live in Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee with my husband Jon and our sweet little 14-month-old daughter, Evelyn! At the end of March, we met up in Nashville for a few days over my spring break. I have never been there before, and it was at the top of my bucket list! Our trip was way too short, and I really hope we can go back there someday soon.
Jon, Evie and I drove down a day before everyone else arrived. We started off by going to dinner at a BBQ restaurant called Peg Leg Porker. It was fantastic! It was the type of place with lots of lights, free smells, and a really big bar at the front. Lots of my friends recommended this place, so I knew we had to try it out. I got the pulled pork plate with mac and cheese and smoked green beans…yes, SMOKED green beans! The pork was delicious…nice and tender! The hot sauce that came with it was fire! (In a good way)…I actually used up the last of their hot sauce supply for the night, so I felt really lucky! The mac and cheese was okay, but honestly nothing to write home about. But those green beans! I could have eaten a whole bowl of those myself…the smokey flavor was out of this world! They were also cooked in bacon and the flavor was nothing like I have ever had before with green beans. If we get back there someday, I will most definitely be going back to Peg Leg Porker!
The next day, Phil, Kels, Mom, Natalie (my sister) and her boyfriend Dave arrived! We went to lunch at a live music bar on Broadway called Tin Roof. Again, this was a highly recommended restaurant from friends of mine who have been to Nashville a few times before. What lured me in was their talk of the “world famous queso dip.” Of course, that was the first thing I ordered! If you don’t know me, I am the queso queen! It is my weakness, and if it’s on the menu, 9 times (okay probably 10) out of 10 I will order it. The queso dip at Tin Roof was great! It was nice and hot, and what I loved about it was that it had fresh jalapenos on top. The tortilla chips were also served warm, and they were nice and crispy. For my lunch entrée, I ordered the Mexican street corn quesadilla. WOW was that flavor good! It had a few different cheeses inside, black beans, roasted corn, and a super yummy spicy drizzle on top with fresh cilantro. The quesadilla had a great amount of spice, but it wasn’t too overpowering. I would have loved some more of that drizzle on the side for extra dipping, though! Overall, lunch was very good, and I would definitely visit there again!
After lunch, we went next door to The Boot Barn! I always wanted an authentic pair of cowgirl boots, and my birthday was the following week. On the drive down to Nashville from Wisconsin, I put a bug in Jon’s ear that I wanted to get some boots for my birthday present. When we went into the store after lunch and yes, a few drinks (wink-wink), I knew it was time to try on some boots! The first pair I saw, I fell in love with. I looked at some more, but I kept going back to the first pair. After walking around in them and begging my husband for them, I walked out of the store with my brand new, BEAUTIFUL blingy boots! Let’s just say I spent the entire rest of our trip with sore feet because I broke them in with all the walking we did. But it was worth it!
The rest of the afternoon, we spent at the 2nd floor bar of Honky Tonk Central getting our drink on. It was truly a BLAST! One of our high school friends who lives in the area met up with us there and it was so great to catch up! Kelsey ordered us all a bottle of vodka infused whipped cream and it was AMAZING! It was mocha flavored and so delicious! It was fun passing that thing around between all of us. I felt like a little kid sneaking in shots of whipped cream from the fridge!
Next, on to dinner! We all went to a cute Italian restaurant called Moto Cucina + Enoteca. This is also a place that was recommended by a local friend who resides in Nashville. The vibe in the restaurant was dark, but upscale and classy. There was a huge wine cellar that was all window, so we could see bottles of wine shelved from floor to ceiling! We started out with a truffle arancini appetizer. Arancini are risotto balls that are deep fried. They were delicious! Crispy outer coating, and a cheesy gooey inside. For my entrée, I ordered the Cacio E Pepe, which was fresh house made spaghetti with parmesan and pepper. It was outstanding! In fact, the entire dinner was so delicious that we didn’t get to snap any pictures!
This whole day was my absolute favorite day of our Nashville adventure. We had so much fun catching up, exploring the city, eating great food and enjoying each other’s company. I can’t wait to get back there someday! Thanks for reading!
this post and this greeting are a little tardy, but happy new year nonetheless! and happy reading as i catch you up on all the things we did in greenville, sc for thanksgiving last year. as i often say, better late than never. 🙂
the company
phillip’s uncle steve and aunt pam hosted us, his sister natalie and her boyfriend dave, and cousin tony for thanksgiving. it was a day full of resting, football watching, spirit drinking, and delicious eating. i don’t mind getting fancy every now and then, but it’s so nice to be with folks who are happy just being together. can’t wait to see them all again soon!
the activities
of course we did do a lot of eating (more on that soon), but all things require balance, so we did stay active while on vacation. we squeezed in a couple classes at the local orangetheory fitness and enjoyed walking all the bridges and seeing the sights in downtown. i can only imagine how scenic it is in the spring and fall seasons!
the eats and the drinks
now, it wouldn’t be a phillip and kelsey trip if we didn’t eat our way through town, and greenville was no exception. some places the locals recommended, others we stumbled upon on ourselves, all were good enough to go back. check out these spots if you’re ever in town!
this bagel had honey and pecans and peanut butter and a banana. REAL GOOD. (coffee underground)
phillip ordered this fancy mocha with lovely latte art on top. (coffee underground)
can you guess where we were? (eggs up grill)
phillip loves coffee! and so do i. 🙂
we split some eggs benny. (eggs up grill)
we also split a side of salty, crispy corned beef hash. yum! (eggs up grill)
we lucked out with gorgeous weather this day. nice enough to enjoy a pint outside! (fireforge)
cheers! (fireforge)
pretzels, mustard, and pimento beer cheese. heavenly. (fireforge)
a nice little wine flight at foxcroft.
more carbs! truffle and parmesan french fries at foxcroft.
more smiles!
caprese salad at trattoria giorgio. the pastas were pretty good, too.
last stop, sully’s steamers!
I LOVE BAGELS.
more bagels! (sully’s steamers)
all in all, our visit to greenville was 100% enjoyable and made better by the fact that it is only a quick 2-hour drive from our house! i expect we will find ourselves back again in 2023.
here in georgia our nephew bode lives nearby, and each november when his birthday rolls around, his parents invite us to his celebration. it’s only been four years now, but phillip and i have set a reputation for dressing up for the event to really enhance the theme of the party. the first year we were tigers and lions and cheetahs for “wild and one,” the second year we were minnie and a hot dog for “twodooles,” and the third year we were a paleontologist and dinosaur for “three-rex.” you get it.
well, when bode turned four earlier this month, it was time to channel my inner crafting skills and get to work. the theme was “the need four speed,” and my mother gets all the credit for this idea: box car lightning mcqueen and sally! it was genius and, i’d say, beginner on the difficulty scale. 🙂 getting the boxes folded just right was step one, and then they needed some beautiful coats of paint. well, i opened the garage door, laid down some spare cardboard and newspapers, and got to work. i was highly satisfied with the results, but when i pulled up my “protective” base layer, i couldn’t help but laugh. that spray paint sprayed a little further than i intended, and we now have lovely abstract blue and red artwork on our garage floor. it’s not like we have a professional finished garage floor, so it is no big deal, but it just made me smile because i feel like everyone at some point works on some sort of craft in their garage (if lucky enough to have one) and inevitably gets a little of the art where it shouldn’t be. but honestly, isn’t it a memory you are making? i am certain that each time i walk in the garage and see a little sliver of paint here and there, i will think back to, yes, the craft, but also the reason for it: family. you’ll have to check in next november to see what we come up with next!
like many folks these days, our plans have been canceled or rearranged, and while some days we might feel down about it all, others you just have to make your own happiness happen. phillip and i did just that this past weekend with a quick getaway to louisville, ky. it was a good halfway point to meet up with my dad (who drove up from alabama) and my younger brother clark (who flew down from chicago).
phillip, clark, and i got in around lunch, so after we dropped our suitcases at the hotel, we took a walk to the highlands to try out el taco luchador. this spot was recommended by my friend sara, who lived here for several years, and is bright and fun, serving up delicious food and beverages.
round one was a couple of coronas, of course, while clark tried the frozen watermelon margarita. clark said his drink was tasty and only made better with an order of chips and queso. apparently, the only way they serve queso in chicago is fundido-style which, although good in its own way, cannot quite compare to the runny, mouthwatering white queso you find at mexican restaurants in the south. i think clark was in heaven with each bite!
cheers!
queso for everyone!
as for the tacos themselves, we all three tried the baja fish taco and declared it the uncontested favorite. between the perfectly battered filet and crispy cabbage, it was a taco that would satisfy any taco-lover in town.
baja fish tacos & the al pastor taco.
also tried (and devoured) were the al pastor, carnitas, and chicharron tacos. they, too, were a tasty trio, and for me, the chicharron was so perfect and tender that i had to order a second!
the carnitas & chicharron tacos.
later that day, milo rolled into louisville and, inevitably, it was time to eat again. if you’ve ever been on a trip with my family, you know the plans largely revolve around food. surely we aren’t the only ones?
we wanted something good but not too fancy and soon settled on trying feast bbq. how did we decide on trying feast? i’d be lying if i told you it wasn’t because of the bourbon slushies they prominently feature on their site… 🙂 also, it was a short drive from the hotel.
doesn’t clark look thrilled, lawlz?
phillip was thirsty, lol!
dad had the brisket sandwich, which he rated as an 8 out of 10. i feel like that’s saying a lot seeing as how he has lived in the south over 30 years now and has tried his fair share of brisket.
clark went for the pulled pork sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. he commented that it all was perfectly satisfying.
phillip and i were in a sharing mood since we were still full from lunch, so we munched on the simple salad (gotta get some greens, somehow, some way) and crispy mac & cheese balls (which, in our opinion, didn’t need the overpowering horseradish sauce at all).
simple salad.
crispy mac & cheese balls.
overall, we ended our first day in louisville two for two. not a bad start!
kelsey v 