Sunny Skies and Hot Air Balloon Rides

Last week, the Anderson family went to Mom and Dad's new house in Pagosa Springs, CO. It was an incredible vacation and I will posting restaurant/dining adventures on Parsley and Paper. Stay Tuned...

But for now, check out the photos.



Or here for more.

Quote of the Day - 07.23.09

Dad and his darling daughters, Ashley and Cat

Below is an excerpt, compliments of my brother, from his conversation with my father earlier this week. It is hardly virtuous (and neither is the rest of my blog which has had me re-thinking the title recently), but extremely funny!

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Dad: Some people just don't feel like they are dressed unless they have their cell phone on them.

Me (Austin): uh, yep.

Dad: I just don't understand that. Although I guess felt the same way when they wouldn't let us bring our pocket knives to school... after integration.

the best part of my weekend - mr. and mrs. landscaper

There were actually many great moments of the weekend: Matt and I discovering a new Mexican food restaurant in our neighborhood, Casa Navarro, where I spilled a margarita all over my dress (and it was only my first drink!), watching the wonderful new Harry Potter movie (and seeing the preview for Where the Wild Things Are- incredible), going on a semi-cool morning run Saturday, visiting North Haven Gardens, my new favorite nursery in town, lunch with the Wilson brigade on Sunday after church (another great Mexican food restaurant, Mariano's) and discussing plans for our chicken coop.

But the best part of my weekend was spent installing "Mister Landscaper" Drip Irrigation system in our backyard. My mother introduced me to Mr. Landscaper a few weeks ago when she helped me set up our front flower beds on the system. It is SO easy and extremely rewarding, water conservation/effortless maintenance/beautiful results. I tackled the backyard yesterday and I cannot wait to see the roses perk and pink. We set our potted plants to the same drip hose (with the help of "adjustable dripper stakes"). As we are going out of town this week, I was quite nervous about leaving the plants unattended but now they are in the good hands of Mr. Landscaper.

Mister Landscaper, if you are out there, please let me be your "Missus". I am open for any and all advertisements: print, web, radio and TV.

Cleaning out the Camera

I was going through my camera today and came across these great photos, some that date back over a year ago. These in particular brought a smile to my face.

Baby Addie, over a year ago, trying out Pottery Barn's Everywhere chair.
I'm starting to understand what people mean when they say
"I remember when you were just a baby..."

Addie with Uncle Matt's sweet Ray-Bans.

My wonderful Matt at Rough Creek Lodge, an incredible retreat not too far from DFW. Matt treated me to a great weekend here last fall.
Wonderful food, scenery, lodging, activities.



Heather and me at the amazing Coldplay concert this past fall.
Chris and the gang played a few songs on an impromptu stage only feet away from us!



Only the best picture, ever.
Clay, Buis, Matt and Ryan (in the onesie, up front)
at our first annual - that's a contradiction, no?- Kitschy Christmas Party.

toast: best part of my morning

Great Harvest = Great Morning

Last Thursday, Heather and I met for our lunch at Great Harvest Bread Company in Snider Plaza for sandwiches. Forget Central Market and Sam's Club for samples, Great Harvest offers enough samples for a week's worth of carbohydrates, albeit mostly complex. I had the Spicy Turkey Panini: turkey, spicy mustard, pepperjack, lto on wheat. When I return, because I will be returning for my daily bread (Dakota whole grain), I will not order that sandwich again. The spicy mustard overpowered the entire sandwich and the employees struggle to do anything in a timely matter, thus the act of making a panini turns a 2 minute task into 5-7 minute chore.

Anywho, the counter displays at least 10 styles of bread to be sampled, varying from strawberry shortcake bread (glazed and super sweet) to the hearty whole grain varieties like my dear Dakota and the popular High Five (five grams of fiber per slice, that's what I'm talking about!). Beside the breads is a display box of sweet treats and breakfast goods, a "fruit pull apart" muffin looked heavenly and not nearly as healthy as it sounds. The sweet (still moving at a glacial pace) ladies behind the counter are grandmotherly and by grandmotherly, I mean they try to stuff your mouth with wonderful, free food and will act like their feelings are hurt when you deny them the pleasure.

The point of all this rambling- brevity is not my strong point- is to tell you that you must go to Great Harvest Bread Company and buy a loaf of their "Dakota" bread. You will not be disappointed. It is 100% whole grain with poppy and sunflower seeds, sweetened with just a touch of honey. It is perfect plain or toasted as I had it this morning, with a smidge of fresh blackberry jam from the Anderson Family Farms.

I will close with a detailed diagram of a wheat kernel.
Everyone should familiarize themselves with wheat kernels and their wholesome goodness!

Floam.

Image by HAMED MASOUMI via Flickr

Woe is me. I feel terribly spoiled/petty for complaining about this... but why can't baristas make a correct latte anymore? Does anybody hear me on this one?


By definition, a caffe latte is one third espresso, two thirds steamed milk, a 1/2-1/4" layer of foam on top. The foam is the cherry to the sundae, the torn basil on a margherita. My point being: it is an essential part of the whole. For the past month, I have been secretly compiling case evidence against my neighborhood Starbucks, four locations in all. (I don't actually have evidence, its all personal testimony so you will just have to take my word on it.) Where has all the foam gone? ::Sigh:: They just don't make 'em like they used to.


In order to avoid the mistakenly milky latte, I have to add yet another modification to my "drink". Today, my drink became: double-tall-nonfat-extra foam-one splenda latte. Ooooh no. No sir. No siree. Tomorrow, my drink will become: tall Americano, no room for cream. I'm so hardcore.

the best part of my day

Two weeks ago I attended a Creative Writing Workshop at SMU, a part of their Continuing Education classes. Shocker, I know. Instilled in me from an early age, I LOVE to learn. My father never has stopped (and hopefully never will) sending NYTimes articles, newspaper clippings and notes, which he labels "CE" short for continuing education. Anywho, after browing the SMU classes for the summer, I found the perfect class: Blogs, Blurbs and Column Writing, expressing yourself as a foodie!

It was a wonderfully inspiring class taught by Kay Winzenried, an editor for Texas Zagat and a writer for Fodors. The students each had a chance to post to the Dallas Morning News EATS Blog and my post was published today! Check it out and let me know your thoughts: Femme Frugal.

Les Demoiselles in Dallas

Image via Wikipedia

Every year, my mom, sister and I try to find a weekend to spend time together doing a few of our favorite things: shopping and dining. The past few years we have spent this weekend in Austin- the coolest city in Texas, sorry Matt, it is true- where my sister lives. This year Debbie did Dallas! That is to say, they ladies came to visit me in the big D.

Well, tonight, I will attempt to recap all the great details of our dining and shopping exploits. It involves free booze, lots of chocolate and baby bumpers, sexy, huh? Stay tuned!


I know my Dallas-born and bred friends have heard me say this before but there is just something about our skyline. By golly, it sure is pretty, isn't it?

the best party of yesterday!

Image via Wikipedia

It is HOT and about this time of year, I curse the very blood I was born from. I'm sorry, Mom, but it's true. I'm pretty sure it is the "Moore" gene- it might even be a genetic mutation, it sure seems mutant- that causes me to sweat like a menopausal woman in a Bikram Yoga class. Gross.

Anyway, the best part of my day yesterday was my COOL lunch break with the always cool, Erin Pickering. We went to Asian Mint at Forest and 75 (look for my impression of Asian Mint for this Friday's Being Catty). After our lunch, I kept thinking how nice and refreshing lunch breaks are, especially when they are used to their full potential! By that, I don't mean they must take up the entire "lunch hour" but they need to be fulfilling and energizing. So, yesterday, the best part of my day was the "breath of fresh Erin". (Pun intended)

the very best part of my day

My "Hottie Hybrid" Pepper, a variation of a habenero

I'm going to start daily post on this blog, called "the very best part of my day". It is pretty self-explanatory and if I need to further explain it to you, please stop reading my blog... now.

If you are still with me, you probably can infer that the best part of my day today involves our garden. This is Year 1 for our garden and I get pretty excited (maybe a little boastful) when I get to pluck the sweet fruits of our labor. This weekend I made Pinoeer Woman's creamy herbed potatoes for our Father's Day dinner with the Wilson's with my very own herbs! Basil, Rosemary, Parsley and Chives. I love the act of taking my kitchen shears, walking outside, and clipping a few stems from my herb garden. Catherine's cooking = local and sustainable. Take that, Alice Waters.

Get to the point, Catherine. The best part of my day: I spent a good few hours toiling in the yard after work. Do everything with a little bit of sweat and a lot of love (or is it the other way around?).

Ps. Those herbed potatoes were a hit! I cannot take credit though, it is all Pioneer Woman. She's wonderful, just wonderful.

Introduction

My childhood was filled with long days spent outside wandering the 'hundred acre' wood of our East Texas home and perfect evenings spent gathered around our family dinner table and then on my father's lap, listening to great stories: both of his own fabrication and of great literature, like The Book of Virtues, Winnie-ther-Pooh and The Berenstain Bears. (Sarcasm intended.)

Now, I will to record my adulthood, in an effort to better capture these long days and perfect evenings spent with my new family. This begins my personal "Book of Virtues".