Food Review: Shakespeare's

When it's been a while since I've had Shakespeare's I start to think "Is it REALLY that good?". Then I eat it again. And, yes, it REALLY IS THAT GOOD.

Shakespeares is a local pizza restaurant that pretty much just makes pizza. They have a couple of salads, that are nice to try with your pizza from time to time -- but I think it is safe to say that no one goes to Shakespeare's for the salad. Plus, they have a great little website and man they make a great little pizza.

All of their ingredients are made fresh on site, they slice their own pepperoni, all fresh veggies and great provolone cheese. Yum, yum.

I recommend the wheat crust and all of their ingredients are yummy and plentiful. We usually go with a 1/2 pepperoni and 1/2 mushroom.

OH, and if this deal couldn't get BETTER -- they have a coupon on their website that gives you a FREE frozen 12-inch pizza with the purchase of a 16-inch pizza. So, for 15-ish dollars you get a great pizza there and one to take home for the freezer! What more could you want?!?

Needless to say, there is a reason this place is a Columbia institution.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

So . . . what do you think? I have to admit -- the writing is pure Sorkin. Clever, smart and funny. That being said, the geek in me just thinks that showbiz isn't nearly as sexy as politics. I want characters arguing over Constitutional amendments, the role of the Speaker of the House and what is wrong with welfare policy. Though I guess it is obvious that if you went to school for a Ph.D. (still not completed) in political science you WOULD think all of these things are down right hot.

That being said, I think I am going to hang in there with this one. Brad Whitford's character is brilliant. Matthew Perry's is okay. And the jury is still out on Amanda Peet's.

Climbing Out From Under . . .

the head cold from hell. Okay, maybe it is allergies. But, it certainly isn't clear which it is. What is clear is that my head is like cotton and I have a runny nose. But, I am seem to be coming out from under the fog of whatever it is. Slowly.

Now the blog posts should be coming a bit more frequently.

A Fall Garden?

I gotta say that when you live in the Northern tier of states in this fine country, the idea of gardening in the Fall is a little strange. While Fall is my favorite time of year throughout the Midwest, in my previous locales the very close and unpredictable proximity of frost was always a challenge. You'd spend September coaxing ripening out of tomatoes and mourning the loss of another growing season.

Enter Missouri.

Here people seem to think gardens can and do happen in the Fall too. So, I have toiled in the backyard -- turning lawn into a garden plot (such a hard work with just a shovel!). Last week, I sprinkled a few handfuls of my favorite crops. I paid more attention to watering then my poor houseplants ever receive. AND, VOILA! I have wonderful little non-weed looking things popping up everywhere!

So, the fall garden will hopefully yield beans, spinach, lettuce, carrots, turnips, green onions and a few other things that don't spring to mind.

Sometime this week I'll be sure to post a picture of the beautiful little sprouts that are growing. The beans, in particular, seem to be adding inches a day! So exciting.

5th Anniversary -- Sept. 11th

Today on CNN's website, they are broadcasting, in real-time, their 9/11 broadcast. And, I am listening to it here at work. Not sure if it is good to do, but it feels like a tribute in some ways to those who were lost to simply listen. I feel like I need to do it.

One of the things that made a huge impact on me after Sept. 11th was the Portraits of Grief by the NYTimes. These were brief anecdotes about nearly every victim of that tragic day. And, throughout the rest of 2001 and in to 2002 I'd read them every night. I have a very clear memory of a night late into the fall that year. I couldn't fall asleep and couldn't figure out why. Then I remembered that I hadn't read the Portraits of Grief for that day yet. They are still on the NY Times website and today I started re-reading them.

In reading these snippets again, two things come to mind. One is a reminder of how tragic the loss of life was on that horrible day. The second is that I am lucky to have the life I do. So very lucky.

I am certainly a worrier (I claim it is a genetic disposition), so I struggle to look on the bright side of life sometimes. But, re-reading these tributes reminds you that you must take time to be thankful for all you have in life.

Food Review: Pho Grand, St. Louis

Aaahhhhh, Pho Grand. Despite thinking mid-day that perhaps we should check out someplace new for dinner, we ended up at Pho Grand. And halfway through the meal we knew why. Damn, I love that place. It meets my two major qualifications for a good find in a restaurant -- 1) Reasonably priced. 2) Great food.

The Hubs and I started off with Cafe Sua Da -- a French Roast coffee with sweetened condensed milk and ice. It is both strong and creamy at the same time -- in a really yummy intense coffee sort-of-way.

For appetizers we had Gui Cuon -- Spring Rolls. Oh so good and fresh -- perfect for summer and the dipping sauce is to die for. They seem pretty easy -- now I just need to figure out how to make them.

The Hubs got Bun Bo Xao, Beef tenderloin stifried with onions and bean sprouts over vermicelli noodles, his all-time favorite. I got Bun Thit Nuong Chia Guo -- Vermicelli noodles with eggroll, lemongrass and charbroiled pork. Wow. This stuff is so great I can't even describe it. It is the perfect blend of meat, noodles and an egg roll for fun. For those of you who have never had Vietnamese food -- go for something like this. Noodles in a lovely broth with veggies, meat (if you choose) and a little yummy eggroll and you can't go wrong.

One note -- don't keep your leftovers on top of the desk in your hotel room over night and expect them to actually consumable. :)

A Love/Hate Relationship

There are very few things I have a genuine love/hate relationship. Working out?!?! Certainly. Not a doubt. Reality Television? Most of the time.

But, the thing I might have the most genuine love/hate relationship with is The American Mall. Part of me really likes shopping, because I love the joy of a good deal. But most of me hates what the American Mall stands for -- conspicuous consumption, things we don't really need in life, the perpetuation of skinny models, etc., etc.

But, I gotta admit, I often find a good deal at Target. And, when I find something I like, I am ALL ABOUT owning it in every color. So, I am thinking I need to stock up on this shirt, which I already bought in blue and khaki. But, then I saw this one and thought I might need it instead. :)

Japanese Festival in St. Louis

Tomorrow Hubs and I are heading to Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. I am not sure if I am more excited about the gardens, the festival or the potential for lots o' sushi.

Also, I think it is safe to say we'll sneak in a meal at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant -- Pho Grand. It's so tasty and so reasonably priced.

To round out our trip, I've already got a list and two coolers ready for the Trader Joe's stop. :) If only Columbia could be lucky enough to have one. For now, St. Louis will have to do.

Food Review: Cherry Street Artisan and Bambino's

After both getting paid from our new jobs (and realizing that apparently Missouri income taxes are oh so much lower than Wisconsin's), the Hubs and I decided to go out for dinner.

But, first we stopped off at our very favorite coffee shop in Columbia -- The Cherry Street Artisan. Cherry Street makes one of the best cups of coffee in town, and don't get me started on the double-chocolate cookies (or as I like to call them the chocolate-chocolate-yum-yum-cookies).

So, after some hemming and hawing, the Hubs and I decided to check out Bambino's. To make it clear, it was only new to me, as Bambino's is both in the Hubs' old stomping grounds and he used to earn a part-time paycheck in his grad school days delivering pasta and subs. I'd been begging for a trip, so tonight was it.

First of all, we started the evening splitting a margarita. It was oh-so-tasty and only $3! Really? God Bless Missouri.

We started off with some garlic cheese bread. I seriously think it was the best cheese bread I have ever had. It just melted in my mouth. Don't skip it if you make a trip.

The Hubs was digging his Pasta Al Bambino. I got whole wheat penne (my favorite) with Alfredo Carbonara. Mine could have used a bit more gusto (a touch more of cheese maybe?). And, let me tell you cheese bread and alfredo in one meal is about enough to drive you into lactose intolerance in one night. I think next time I'll go with something less rich for one course or the other.

Peregrine

Main Entry: per·e·grine
Pronunciation: 'per-&-gr&n, -"grEn
Function: adjectiveEtymology: Middle French peregrin, from Medieval Latin peregrinus, from Latin, foreign --
Definition: having a tendency to wander