Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Does the Pope wear a funny hat?

Self potrait at the Vatican

Today we went to the Vatican, wandered around the city and of course, finished with a gelato.

Here's the proof: Pictures-Day Three

We've gotten several phone calls, texts, emails (and not just from my mom) to check on us due to a tragic train accident in western Italy; we're still in Roma. We will depart tomorrow to spend the next few days in Firenze.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Success!!

self portrait at Colosseum

We finally got some pictures uploaded to flickr, so



The uploads at this place are painfully slow, so we'll try to get some video up when we get to Florence.

Ciao!

We LOVE Italy!

...the wifi connection is a lame-o though, so we're trying to find a better connection to upload pictures and maybe video from yesterday. Stay tuned...

Monday, June 22, 2009

Hey Daddy-o.

I'm a little slow to post this Father's Day (about 7 hours late, oopsy)...but my excuse is that we've spent all weekend trying to pack for ITALY! We leave SATURDAY! I'm starting to get really EXCITED! DOUBLE EXCLAMATION POINT!! It's been two years since I've had a vacation (and I've never been on a honeymoon) so I am so ready, it's not even funny.

Anyway, thanks to my daddy for being the bestest ever. 
You're my favorite :)


Thursday, June 18, 2009

SFA at the Edmond Library

Sugar Free Allstars are 4/5ths of the way through their OKC Metro Library tour. This morning they played two shows at the Edmond Library and we had a lot of friends come out to support them and shake their groove thangs.

The slideshow will open in a new window to let you see some pictures from the show (make sure your sound is on). 

Saturday, June 13, 2009

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Wiser headed off to Duncan this morning for a kids show so I thought it would be nice to have some quiet, reflective, prayerful, peaceful weeding time to myself. How pleasant.

WRONG!!

This horrible CREATURE was lurking under my hydrangea bushes. I was weeding for approximately 45 seconds before I found him, and I'm glad I didn't grab him instead of the scrubs around him.

I can't believe I was able to get a steady picture, for all the pulse-racing, heart-pumping, hand-shaking action. Most of the pictures are blurry, like this one...
I. HATE. SNAKES.
Like, have nightmares about them and panic attacks around them.
I hate even putting this on my pretty blog; I'll probably take it down in a day or two because I don't even want to look at it. 
This one is poisonous, right? Deadly. Killer. Dead in like 30 seconds, right? I don't care, I'm never going out there again. You'll have to come pick your own hydrangeas, I'm not going to.
(Don't worry, I put on my knee-high galoshes and took the pic from at least 10 feet away. I'm not even embarrassed that's the truth.)

I'm going to look for some snake repellent...

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

"...the vandals took the handles."

Not really, but I couldn't resist a little Bob Dylan on this rainy afternoon. It makes me happy.
Our nocturnal vandals DID destroy one of our bird food keepers; they chewed right through the top of it, the little boogers.


But the happy result has been that the birds are feasting on the spoils right outside our door. It is totally driving the cat bonkers, too.



Awwwwwwww.......

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Look what I found in my backyard

Hello, old friends...



I feed them so they will be pink instead of blue (it has to do with the acidity and alkalinity of the soil) but I have one stubborn blossom every year that insists on trying for blue and he ends up kind of purple, one of my least favorite colors. He might be my favorite anyway.


I haven't been able to get a picture of our wren family yet (we counted five at once)...they were singing in the tree right over my head, but I couldn't get a good view. 

Friday, June 5, 2009

Table One: Avenir de la Ville

Last night we had dinner at Table One in OKC with some of our friends with whom we've re-connected and made some new ones. Now, I don't want to overstate it, but it very well might have been the best. meal. ever.
In a modest building with a single table, talented chefs prepare, describe and educate their diners in an intimate setting. It was an amazing experience and something that everyone should treat themselves to at least once (I'm already ready for the next experience, hint hint, Mr. Wiser). You can see video of the concept in an interview with the chefs here.

So here's the rundown of our meal...
(sorry the pictures are dark, I didn't use my flash because I didn't want to spoil the ambiance.)

The Amuse-Bouche: 
Caviar paired with egg flan and chive 
1st course: Salad
Asparagus with beets, grapefruit, and almond portobello 
with (I think) a grapefruit reduction 
2nd Course: Soup
Carrot soup with a chorizo fritter, 
sunburst tomato and manchego
Thoughtful Chef Ryan made sure that 
I had my own, pescetarian-friendly version 
with shrimp in place of chorizo
The Intermezzo!
Cucumber Juice with white chocolate and vanilla vodka
3rd Course: 
Hawaiian Marlin with Spaghetti Squash 
and a Peach Chili Buerre Blanc
4th Course:
Buffalo Tenderloin with Foie Gras Potato Puree, 
Brussels Sprouts and blackberry sauce
Again, I had salmon in place of the buffalo (I think I might have been missing out on this course after hearing the other diner's reactions) but the salmon was still delicious. 
Ok, I did try the potato puree and it was heavenly.

5th Course: Dessert
Modern Rendition of Candy Bars
Watchamacalit, Cherry Mash and Reeses
(dessert detail)
And look at the plates! Love it!!

Finally, a surprise addition was the Chef's version of Milk and Cookies:
Lemon Madelines and Butterscotch Milk. 
And after we finished we finished our cookies, we added the flavored milk to our coffee.

Here's the man himself, Chef Ryan
Ryan is also one of the partners in the new 
Iguana Mexican Grill downtown
so you should be sure to try it out also.

I don't think I can over-sell this experience. It was A. MA. ZING. (I do need a new adjective...) 

So who's ready to try it with us?!?