Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

A night out with Ralph and Blair is always an adventure. They seem to have a knack for unearthing the most unusual, whacky places for food and drink. Last Saturday night was no exception. They got a babysitter for the kiddos and we hit the booming metropolis of Des Moines for an adult’s night out. First stop was El Bait Shop, a Mexican joint known for their vast array of beers on tap and in bottles. Ralph, Blair and I were boring and had Goose Island Summertime Ale, but Steve got a Smoky Ale, which lived up to its name with a delightful, smoky flavor. We sat in a booth right next to a video fishing game and Steve and Blair left us momentarily to play classic games on tabletop arcades. Congratulations Blair for scoring your all-time high score in Galaga!

Next door to El Bait Shop is The Highlife, which sells only Miller beers. The great thing about The Highlife is it’s distinctive décor. The place is an homage to the 1970s. Original, retro lighted beer signs line the walls, shag carpeting covers the floor and the menu is full of comfort food. Here you can get meatloaf, mashed potatoes, pot roast and all the fixin’s to go with your Miller Beer. Oh yeah, it’s always Miller time.

After dinner at Star Bar, where Steve ordered the Boss Hogg sandwich consisting of three different pork products, we decided to have one last drink. Not wanting to waste our time at a normal bar, we stopped at a biker bar on Ingersoll called GT’s. Not many bikes were parked out front so we figured they might not be too crowded for a Saturday night. We sat in one of the front booths right by a huge picture window with a great view of the street. The bar was really smoky and loud, but the music was great. They have a digital jukebox with an incredible song selection and Blair chose the first round. I love that he remembered I liked “Spanish Bombs” by The Clash and played it just for me. Ordering a beer here is an adventure in itself. They don’t have a list so you just choose your beers directly from the cooler. Which is unlit. So they give you a flashlight and you choose your drink. How cool and weird is that?

After one last drink, we decided it was time to go home. However, I’m sure it won’t be long before we return. I know we’ll definitely be getting beers at El Bait Shop in the near future.

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Here I am. A white girl with no rhythm, yet I’m attempting to change all that. I’ve entered the world of belly dancing. I figure I have the belly for it so why not use it? Last night was my second lesson and I’m beginning to get the hang of it. Please note: I’m not now, nor will I ever be, available for parties. I’m doing this for my own enjoyment and exercise not for public display. Fortunately, I’m taking this with my friend Mary so we’re having a great time doing it. Suzanne has been dancing for several months and has really enjoyed it so I was inspired after my St. Louis weekend. The music is really fun, the costumes are beautiful and the dancing makes me feel graceful. The thing I like most about my particular class and the instructor is that everyone is very encouraging and the class is relaxed. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

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Just a quick note to say I love the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD! Sorry Steve for keeping it in the car, but I’m not about to give it up! It’s excellent. I haven’t made it through the second disc, but so far I haven’t found a song I disliked. Definitely a “must have” for any RHCP fan.

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Once again I must get on my shoe soapbox. This time it’s about those rubber flip-flops that everyone seems to think go with everything. If you’re at the lake, at summer camp, in the garden or just around the house then I don’t care how often you wear them or what shape they’re in. However, I’m getting tired of seeing them in restaurants, churches and even the White House. Since when did we become so lazy as a society that we allow ourselves to wear cheap, dirty rubber flip-flops to meet the President?

Not only are they unattractive, but I’m amazed at how many chewed-up, dirty pair I see. Last time I was in Old Navy they were selling for $2.50 per pair so I don’t know why anyone would still wear them after the dog chewed on them. Invest in a new pair! It’s cheaper than a tall latte at Starbucks!

So the next time you’re invited to a weddding or attending church, please do everyone a favor and leave your flip-flops at home. They might be trendy and comfortable, but for just a few hours you can show the world how nice you look.

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Saturday was graduation for Suzanne at University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) It was weird because it had been so long since I’d attended a graduation ceremony that I almost forgot what it was like. Fortunately, we had cool weather so it wasn’t stuffy in the auditorium. Unfortunately, we chose to sit in the bleachers and 2 hours on a hard surface is rough on the butt and back! We all survived and Suzanne has her Master’s Degree in - dammit I can’t remember but it’s impressive! Following the ceremony we had a celebratory lunch at Cafe Ivanhoe, another terrific meal at a new place. I ordered the smoked ham and brie sandwich with apricot preserves and it was terrific. Thanks again Suzanne for a lovely meal. Following lunch we ditched the guys and did some shopping. The malls were crazy with people, but we had a really nice time. We capped off the evening with wine and appetizers at the house. We just couldn’t take another heavy meal. What a great day.

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Friday we went to St. Louis for Suzanne’s graduations (congrats again Suzy!). Since we’re in the big city and cuisine is more exotic than at home, we enjoy trying new things. This trip, Michael and Suzanne took us to a Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant called Aya Sofia. We didn’t have reservations for Friday dinner, but it wasn’t a problem. The extremely nice hostess asked if we’d mind having a cocktail in the bar (no problem!) and said our wait would be about 15-20 minutes. Suzanne requested a booth so we opted to wait longer for that particular seating. We hadn’t even finished our drinks when the hostess came and got us for our table. I’m glad we waited for a booth because it made the experience even better.

The place was warm and cozy with Turkish decor, gold accents and gauzy curtains around the booths. It was noisy, but not overly chaotic. We decided to start with the appetizer sample platters - one was seafood and the other was assorted. I can’t tell you the names of what we had, but everything was delicious. The seafood platter had shrimp skewers, swordfish cubes and fried calamari. Normally, calamari is a bit chewy, but this was tender and tasty. It wasn’t greasy at all. The other platter had hummus (very good), stuffed grapeleaves (my favorite), fried feta and something else I can’t remember. Everything was delicious.

We were so stuffed from the appetizers that Steve and I didn’t order a meal. I had another round of the stuffed grapeleaves and Steve ordered the soup and another appetizer that had cheese and pinenuts in a baked shell. Everything contained lots of flavor and garlic. We all awoke Saturday morning with a garlic hangover in our mouths! We’re putting Aya Sofia on our list of “must eats” when we’re in the city.

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Sun! We have sun! There’s not a cloud in the sky! I want to use lots of exclamation points to convey my excitement I’m not facing another dreary day of rain! This may only last a day, but I want to park myself in the front lawn (which has reached White Trash levels due to lack of mowing) and soak up every ray I can! Alas, I’m in the studio this afternoon with Lara while she finishes her time with me. However, she’s drilling all the holes in oval earrings and I’ll have 20 pair when she’s done! Just another thing to celebrate! Hoorah! Hooray!

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It’s still raining here (no surprise) and I’m home for lunch. Instead of watching TV, I thought I’d enjoy my latest purchase. I’m the proud owner of a Califone 1430 portable turntable. These are the record players used in schools in the 60s and 70s. You know, the ones with the front speaker and hinged lid with a handle for carrying from room to room. Today’s selection is the original Beatles ‘65 album that once belonged to my dad. The bass is a little heavy, even with tweaking, but the sound is great. Even though the album looks worn, I’ve heard no skips and very few pops and hisses. Ah, the good old days. Gotta run and turn over the record!

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This weekend we’ll be traveling to St. Louis to attend Suzanne’s graduation. Congrats Suzy on your Masters Degree! Naturally, my first thoughts center around my wardrobe. What to wear, what to wear. I originally thought about a skirt/top combo, but the weather is supposed to be cooler than expected. Outfit #2 is pants and a jacket. I do have my killer white Target suit I could wear, but is that too much? Once the outfit is chosen, I have to choose shoes. They should be stylish, but comfortable and something I can walk in for a distance. Then comes the jewerly. Almost everyone expects me in my own wares and I’ve made several cool pieces lately so I want to show them off. However, since they’re enamel, the colors must coordinate with my clothing. Yes, on days like this, these are the thoughts going through my head. I promise I’m not always this shallow. However, fashion is important.

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I realize I can’t do anything about the weather, but something’s gotta give here! I feel like I was relocated to Seattle while I was sleeping. Last night, around 1:45, we had a tremendous storm which interrupted a perfectly solid sleep. Again, I awake to find water seeping in one of the windows in the basement, my welcome mat soaked, and just enough rain to keep me from wogging (that’s walking and jogging) this morning. So we went to the basement for a weight workout - boring! As I’m driving to work, rain pouring down, I see a hint of blue sky to the west. Perhaps the afternoon will be better. However, since I’ll be working in the basement, I won’t notice.

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