Author Archive
Now that the holidays are finally done and dusted, turn on your favorite Spotify playlist, and let’s get back on track. Happy New Year!
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
Mail carriers, UPS drivers, and others who deliver packages are glad that the holidays are over and we can all get back to our normal lives. I thought I’d drop in and do a quick blog post to say Happy New Year! Because the last year wasn’t all that great, and neither were a couple of others.
I’m almost finished with the second blog on the rest of our Houston trip. . .in 2022. Now it’s 2024, I just need to upload it and install the pictures, which are minimal in this blog.
In With The New. . . .
Don’t give me that “New Year, New You” stuff. It implies that there is something wrong with the current or old you. Unless there is something badly wrong, you don’t need to “fix” anything, just make some adjustments to get what you want. Admittedly, that comment sells a lot of products to the American public, doesn’t it?
Yes, it’s 2024, and there are all kinds of things to help you with your “New Year’s Resolutions!” That would not be me, of course. If you want to clean up your diet, which is always a good thing, I’m always going to try and find (and make) healthy food for us. Sometimes you’re out or on vacation and that goes by the wayside.
Most of us know that resolutions usually last from one to six weeks into the new year. Few people actually accomplish them as intended. But it’s not for lack of trying for a few days. Real life comes back with a vengeance and throws the proverbial bucket of cold water at you. Then, that new routine you’d planned just doesn’t fit. Or whatever goes wrong. Been there, done that, as we all have.
Reading And Exercise Are Fundamental
One of my actual real resolutions is to read more this year. I have a couple dozen books stacked on my coffee table that I want to get through. Included is Suzanne Somers’s last book, A New Way To Age. I bought it and several more recently after watching AWAI’s annual Copywriting Bootcamp. These were books either referenced or written by the speakers. I have others I’ve bought elsewhere, and they’re all mostly business books. I also want to go back and watch the replays of several of the sessions.
During a recent power outage, I managed to finish reading two books that I’d already started. They weren’t terribly long reads. The first was one for copywriters and their clients by Kim Krause Schwalm, and one was on ChatGPT, which I’m still learning. But I want to make sure these books don’t just collect dust, I need to know what’s inside all of them.
It’s also a good time to get back on my previous resolution, the Sunny Row & Ride #077, which happens to be under $100 at the moment.
It’s a great piece of equipment. . .when I use it. (Source: Sunny Health & Fitness website.)
I’m not saying you need a Row & Ride. (They actually have three versions of it now.) I wanted one for myself after seeing a commercial for something more expensive, and I’m glad I bought mine. Sunny Health & Fitness is a good company, too, and has its own YouTube Channel with free workouts that don’t all require equipment.
Getting Fit Isn’t Expensive
You do not need to join a gym or spend too much money. Remember:
- If you have a bike, you can ride it, even in the house with a bike trainer stand in front of your TV. Mine came from eBay several years ago.
- If you can move and have sidewalks or other available safe amenities in the area, you can walk.
- If you can’t walk, or have limited mobility, even light weights are good for strength training.
- An inexpensive bike pedal exerciser is also great for getting movement. Walmart has these too.
- YouTube has millions of exercise videos for every level of fitness, most for free, just find what works for you. From gentle yoga to the most difficult weight and kettlebell workouts, it’s available 24/7 at the touch of a button. Pick one and start. Don’t like it? Find another one and save it–the choices are endless.
- Your local public library likely has exercise videos you can borrow for free to see what you like, whether it’s yoga, Pilates, weightlifting, kettlebells, or anything else. This is especially true of the Freeman Library in Clear Lake, where they can get you seemingly endless things on VHS, DVD, and on-demand online. For many libraries, you can request them online and pick them up at the counter.
Amazon is the perfect place to research something you’re thinking about with info from both the manufacturer and people who bought it, even if you don’t buy it there. Furthermore, you may find something equal to the thing you’re considering but a less expensive model. That’s how I came across the Row & Ride. Heck, Five Below has plastic push-up stands for $5 right now, just like these from Amazon for $10.
Just make sure you don’t buy something with which to hurt yourself. Self-inflicted injuries are not a great way to start your new year.
Buy Sustainable, Buy Used
If you want a new exercise bike or other fitness equipment but don’t have a big budget, check out Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, (exercise care with these, and don’t pay in advance) eBay, or local thrift stores run by nonprofits.
People buy things with the best of intentions, and after dusting them multiple times, eventually want them out of the house. Some have been used once or twice, just like sewing machines. Now’s a great time to score something for less than you’d pay retail for new, and help someone clear out their space or who needs a little post-holiday cash. Use Amazon as a research site and go from there.
Sitting too much and being sedentary just isn’t good, because one day moving might not happen anymore. I was told that a long time ago by a lady right after her knee replacement.
Motion Before Motivation
Sometimes you’ll hear someone say, “I’m trying to get motivated.” Or someone is just sitting and waiting for the motivation to come to them like this woman waiting forever for divine intervention. Well, you could be waiting for years for that or to get motivated to do something. I have a suggestion: just get started and the motivation will come to you.
How I know this is a self-help book I need to re-read myself: Motion Before Motivation by Michael Dolpies. Someone mentioned it one day in a Facebook group for copywriters, and I bought the book on February 2, 2016. (Thank you, Amazon for that bit of data.) Get started doing it, whatever it is, and the motivation will come. That’s the theme, although there’s a little more to it than that. Just pulled it from my bookshelf and will be adding it to the coffee table stacks.
If I had one of those fancy, expensive Peloton bikes with a book rack on it, I might be reading it on that. Truth to tell, you can find an exercise bike for much less—even Aldi has a foldable one for under $75.
Our Holiday Week
We’re still here and getting on each other’s nerves, as I like to tell people. For Christmas, I made BF some comfy pajamas out of a modal knit I found at Girl Charlee Fabrics called Unimpressed Bear:
They came out great, and he loves them.
They’re warm and comfortable, although I need to take the pants up a little for him. When I saw the fabric in July, I knew it would become pajamas for him, because he hates cold weather. It didn’t last long–right after I bought some, it sold out completely.
Otherwise, our holiday period wasn’t always joyous. Many things went sideways, and I ended up throwing in the towel Christmas Day on cooking after two finger cuts, a burn, and a hard nibble from TigerCat, aka, furry little terrorist.
TigerCat And Broccoli Stir-Fry
There she is, a little puddle of fluffy orange fur.
Twice, this orange beast walked outside on her own for a grand adventure.
Isn’t she so cute? She’s small and fast, too. I was hoping the open window would get her back inside.
The first time she stayed out all day, roaming the property like the Norwegian Forest cat that she is, with Broccoli Stirfry keeping a close eye.
BF was going to try and catch her when he got home. He texted me when he was leaving work, and asked me to bring the dog inside. When I did that, she walked back into the house with the dog like she was returning home from work.
Yesterday, she slipped out unnoticed while I was dealing with the dog. When she discovered it was cold, about 32 degrees, she loudly howled at BF to be allowed back inside. We think she was outside two or three hours before he found her on the patio.
Back To Cooking
Anyway, BF finished the Christmas Day cooking, and we ate that afternoon. I didn’t bake any cookies this year, either. Plans for a keto copycat version of Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars also didn’t happen. I may do that next week because I have everything I need, including the Sugar-Free Dried Cranberries that I made in the Dash dehydrator.
You can do this yourself, the recipe explains how, either in the oven or the dehydrator.
And I didn’t get a real CBB because three different Starbucks stores I visited said they sold out of them very quickly long before Christmas.
Blog post on this one of these days too.
Dash’s entire website is 20% off sitewide through the 7th if you’re interested in one of these or any of their other little appliances (code “NEWYEAR.”)
Our New Year’s Eve involved some cocktails (he had no alcohol), some delicious cheeses, and crackers in front of the TV. But that’s OK, too, we had some nice quality time on New Year’s Eve, and we both enjoyed our cocktails. Need to find more drinks like that.
Out With The Old. . . .
Everything changes, yes? Sometimes it happens in the new year, sometimes it just happens.
I mentioned that we had guests for Thanksgiving, following a visit in July. Both times it was someone from Houston I know for a long time. Well, they won’t be returning, like, ever, nor appearing in this blog again.
On New Year’s Day, I received a text message from Miss Alice, visiting relatives in Florida, telling me that she did not want to continue our friendship. Like she was canceling a Netflix subscription. I said, “OK, Good luck” and proceeded to ensure that she would not see me on social media or my phone number again. Didn’t think fast enough to say “Bye, Felicia.” She’s not on the blog email list, and I removed her email from the back end of the site. However, there’s no stopping anyone from locating and reading the website and blog on the open web. Not that I care, really, and I doubt that will happen. Good luck, God bless ya.
BF has been very supportive since we saw this stunning text. Conversations with The E Man and nearby friends J&B reminded me that I do have friends like them, plus Rafael, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Kathy, and so many others. YouTube videos by funnyman Jeff Dunham also helped.
One thing I’m thinking about in the new year is to either start a new blog or a podcast and call it, “What The Hell Is Wrong With You People?” BF and I read and hear so many stories about people who may not qualify for the Darwin Awards but show that they could indeed be in the running. Finding one person to highlight for a weekly podcast would not be difficult, just read the news. I’ve already downloaded podcasting software and tested it, so don’t tempt me.
It’s Coming, Honest
The pictures are what will take the longest to finish up the blog on our trip. I hope you’ll see it as worth the wait.
Meantime, we go forward in the new year because there’s no going back, not yet. If there was, I’d be heading back to my 16th birthday with some serious warnings to my younger self.
Happy New Year!!
BF took me to one of his favorite places in Baton Rouge, Frank’s Restaurant. Or Smokehouse. Or Breakfast Place. We went without warning, and I was without coffee. But it was an enjoyable morning.
Hello again, Dear Readers:
Following the wonderful feedback I received from last week’s blog post on the wedding of Rafael and Carmen, I have started to work on the second part of that saga about the rest of our Houston trip. But this morning’s activity made me want to pop in and write a quick blog post before then.
Errands in Baton Rouge
We had some errands to run today, and BF asked me if I’d like to go with him. When the alarm went off at 5:15 am, I really didn’t want to get up. But then I realized it would be a morning riding around with BF. So, I got up and off we went. Unfortunately, I did not have any coffee before I left. Therefore, I was unprepared for BF’s intentions.
Picking Up A Car Part
We had an errand locally that required the early morning hours. Once completed, then it was off to Baton Rouge.
The place we had to go was a small shop called Cam Motion. They opened at 8:00 am, and we wanted to beat Baton Rouge traffic–which is nothing like Houston traffic, let me tell you. Well, we didn’t actually do that. What we ended up doing was getting off the freeway and taking the surface streets. Many of them are a complete mystery. But we walked in, picked up the part, and left. We were there less than 3 minutes.
Of course, BF thinks it’s funny when we drive on those other surface streets because I am completely lost. (It’s the same on the odd occasion when we head to the New Orleans area since I know where we’re going and he doesn’t.) Once we get off the freeway, my Baton Rouge area landmarks are Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Joann Fabrics, and the Perkins Rowe shopping center where Sur la Table used to live. I don’t spend a lot of time there, but he knows where most things are located.
I mentioned getting some coffee, and we passed two or three Starbucks on the way. But he smiled and said, “It’s all good.” Oh, geez.
We were supposed to be back home at about 9:00 am, but we ended up home at about 9:30 am. There’s a reason for that.
A Stop At Frank’s Restaurant
As I said, I left the house without coffee. He offered to stop at a Circle K, but I passed. He mumbled something about Waffle House in Baton Rouge, and I said, “Sure, that’s fine.” But he had something else up his sleeve.
We finished the first errand and got into Baton Rouge at about 7:15 am. Cam Motion did not open until eight. So what were we going to do? I thought he said something about Waffle House, but he had another idea.
On a few occasions, BF has mentioned going to a place called Frank’s.
Source: Franks Restaurant website
He pointed it out once or twice when we passed by, but it wasn’t open. But of course, BF has been there many times, and talked about its greatness. But never having been there myself, I had no idea. That changed this morning. He pulled into the parking lot, parked, and we went inside for some breakfast.
Sitting By The Deer
Remember, I’ve had no coffee, no tea, no nothing at this point. And I’ve been up since 5:30 am. But here I was, on a cold December morning, walking into a place that looks much like the inside of a Cracker Barrel. Actually, Cracker Barrel’s interior design is based on this kind of décor. However, what you see in Frank’s is the real thing, not something that’s “manufactured vintage.”
BF led me to a table and said, “Let’s sit here.” I agreed, took off my hat and sweater, looked up, and saw this on the wall:
Yes, we really sat under this. Thanks, Honey.
No kidding, we were sitting right here, under that beast. Once again, he thought it was funny. I’m not awake yet. Fortunately, the waitress understood this predicament, so she kindly and promptly bought me some hot, fresh, coffee. It was my first of three cups, including the one I left with.
I didn’t catch the waitress’s name, (even coffee doesn’t work that fast) but she was a very nice blond woman. She told us that a veeegan recently came in and was mortified to see this stuffed deer head. The vegan in question insisted on being seated in a closed area because she was so triggered by the animal. I said, “Because vegans are weird.”
I posted a picture of this. . .rather interesting décor on Instagram. Within minutes, Neighbor E in Houston saw it and said, “The look on that face.” I responded, “You should have seen mine.”
It’s probably not shedding anymore, either.
What’s On The Menu?
Because this was my first visit, I wasn’t sure what to order. Their entire menu is online, and it’s what you might expect from a place in Louisiana—seafood, breakfast, etc. An interesting selection of locally influenced dishes.
Of course, BF already knew what he wanted, eggs and bacon, with hash browns and biscuits. All was right in his world at this point. I needed a little more time for the coffee to initialize its processes so I could decide what I wanted to order.
As it turns out, everything on the menu comes with biscuits, even biscuits, ha, ha. They are “the best homemade biscuits in the world,” as they will tell you. Take a look:
Yes, they are huge. (Source: Frank’s Restaurant website)
If you’re thinking, “Those are some pretty big biscuits,” you’d be right. They’re the size of a grapefruit. Butter (and half and half) are on the table already in small round containers, so you can get right to work on your biscuits.
No, I do not eat biscuits. They were all for BF, who humorously suggested I try The Amite Alligator, a breakfast dish that includes alligator sausage. No thanks, along with the liver and onions on the menu. He’s enjoying my pre-coffee fatigue while flashing his best Cheshire cat grin. I glared at him because I was only on my first cuppa. Finally, after the first refill, the caffeine receptors were working again and I was smirking right back. Then we were onto our usual back-and-forth antics.
No, they didn’t ask us to leave. (This time.) We weren’t loud.
Oh, and if you decide to peruse the menu, you’re not seeing things when you come across “Breakfast Cocktails.” Diners can order a Bloody Mary and one of two versions of Mimosas. I wasn’t awake enough for that one. Proceed with caution.
What I Ordered
My dilemma: I liked the vegetarian omelet, but I also liked the bacon omelet. What to do? Well, The first thing you do is tell your wait staff. And she offered this solution: A vegetarian omelet with bacon added. No, It’s not a “vegetarian” omelet anymore, but it sure was good. Naturally, it was picturesque, and I forgot to snap a pic. But mushrooms, green onions, spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes certainly enjoyed the extra layer of flavor from the bacon. Now it’s a bacon-veg omelet, or whatever name you want.
They do offer salsa and/or sour cream on the side for a small charge. I meant to ask for it and forgot. Well, one bite, and I declined the salsa. It was good on its own. Much as I like salsa on my eggs, this is one instance where it would have been too much.
When our very nice waitress brought our check, she also brought me a take-out cup of coffee and take-out boxes so that BF could have his biscuits and potatoes later. Keep reading.
Hash Browns
What also came was what they called “Hash Browns”. These were actually diced potatoes fried up, not the shredded ones that most people think of when they order hash browns. That’s not a bad thing, really.
Taken home to have later.
I was busy concentrating on my omelet while BF was enjoying his own breakfast, plus a biscuit and a few of the potatoes. We ended up bringing most of them home, along with softball-sized biscuits. BF can enjoy them for a few more days, and the potatoes will heat up nicely in the countertop oven.
Two Locations
This third-generation family-owned Louisiana restaurant has been around since 1964, and is located at 8353 Airline Hwy in Baton Rouge. They’re open from 5:00 am to 2:30 daily, including Sundays, for breakfast and lunch.
There is also a location in Prairieville, at 17425 Airline Hwy. That location is open Sunday and Monday from 5am to 3pm, and Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. This location serves breakfast as well as both lunch and dinner. Frank’s also handles catering.
Both locations offer curbside pickup. Fans can follow and catch specials from both locations on social media, where each has an account on both Facebook and Instagram. There is also a single company page on LinkedIn.
Next time BF is out and about and tells me he’s having lunch at Frank’s, I’ll know he’s not telling me a story and hanging out at Hooters.
Happy Dining!
It’s the beautiful wedding of Rafael and Carmen Cruz Rodriguez in a rustic, peaceful setting in Magnolia, Texas, just north of Katy. Finally, the blog you’ve been waiting for. Me too. TL:DR: Everything was just lovely, and of course, the food was delicious. Take a ride with us to The Springs of Magnolia.
Hi Again, Dear Readers:
So, I’ve been procrastinating for over a year with these blog posts and it’s time to just get it done. I know, there have been been a couple of other occasions where I put it off before. But seeing as the married couple just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, well, here it is.
Going to the Chapel of Love
Rafael And Carmen Had a beautiful wedding on Saturday, November 5th, 2022 at a place called the Springs in Magnolia. A year before, Raf texted me the date and they later sent out a “save the date” card to their guests.
This was a big fridge magnet, and I framed it later.
The pictures are perfect. But one thing it does not show is that Carmen is at least a foot and a half shorter than Rafael! That’s OK. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t see it in the engagement pictures. But it’s obvious in the wedding pictures, as you’ll see.
Later on, the wedding invitation arrived.
Yup, framed that one too after the wedding.
Rafael and Carmen did the design work themselves. Nice work, well done. The design was in full view throughout the reception.
Travel Arrangements to Houston
And then BF and I made our plans to attend. We found a suitable pet sitter on Rover.com. She was a nice young lady who took care of our two dogs and two cats for the duration of our trip. Once we arranged that, I made our hotel reservations.
Rafael suggested staying in Katy because it was the easiest and best way to get to the wedding. I used Booking.com, and it was easy. For the wedding, I booked us into the Katy Hampton Inn, right off I-10. For after the wedding, I booked the Extended Stay Suites on Nasa Road 1 for the second half of the trip. It made no sense to stay 50 miles away in Katy when we were going to spend time in Clear Lake visiting people there. BF didn’t understand this until we started driving around Houston.
When I asked BF about his preference for hotel chains, he just said that since he’d stayed in foxholes with a bunch of guys, it didn’t matter to him. So, I booked our hotels based on location. I just wish that I had done a tad more research into hotels before we went. Next time we will stick with Hampton Inn. But eventually, everything was fine.
A few things went wrong for us. But we made it to the wedding on time and saw Raf and Carmen get married. We enjoyed everything, talked with some great people, and made it home safely. And of course, the food was delicious and beautiful, too.
Friday, November 4th, 2022
Finally, The day came when we drove from the Casa de Rurale to Katy, TX. We began our packing a day or two before leaving. Every day, our pet sitter kindly sent us pictures of the Casa de Rurale Zoo residents.
The day before we left, BF went to someone’s house to install a motor by himself. It had to be done, he said. But it was a bit more difficult than he expected. He hurt his hip somehow and was in pain for a couple of days, walking around carefully. He talked about dancing at the wedding, but thank heavens, he didn’t. I would later find out that he was blathering to make me worry a little. He was successful.
We left home mid-morning and made it to Katy in the early afternoon. The hotel was a little hard to find because I’m not as familiar with Katy as I am with Clear Lake. But after a lovely Mexican lunch, we found it and checked into our hotel room.
Early Voting in Texas
What I didn’t know from looking at Booking.com was that The Katy Hampton Inn was also used as an early voting station. That’s right, it was around the time of the 2022 election, and the hotel lobby was used for early voting. In Clear Lake, that early voting area is the Freeman Library on Diana Lane where I’ve early voted many times. But there was no way to know that the hotel was an early voting station when I booked.
We discovered this when we saw long lines of people trailing out of the lobby door. I went inside to check us in and get our hotel room, while BF began removing our luggage from the truck. Ever the smart alek, BF handed me some of my luggage, and carried the rest, loudly announcing to everyone in the parking lot:
“Hello, My name is James and I’m Amy’s pack mule.”
Yes, he actually said that, out loud, where everyone could hear him. There must have been 200 people standing out there, waiting to vote. He got a few laughs and a few funny looks, but not everyone in line was a Texan, either.
Tex-Mex
One of the things we did was to get a big lunch and takeout boxes so we could eat later. After driving 300-plus miles, we didn’t want to go out again, and the second half was enough for a good dinner. Besides, it was real Mexican food in big Texas style, and worth savoring. (More on that one in the next blog.)
BF’s brother also checked in with the animals in the evening, letting them out again on his way home.
After texting Raphael and letting him know we’d arrived, and BF talking to his brother, we could finally relax in our hotel room. It was lovely and very comfortable, and we looked forward to breakfast downstairs the next morning.
Saturday, November 5th, 2022
Breakfast was great. We had plenty of options and I had some delicious coffee. Because we did need a few small things, we headed to the Katy Target store a few miles up the road on I-10 first thing in the morning. BF wanted a new tie, that sort of thing. Once we got everything, we returned to the hotel to get dressed for the wedding.
Just to let him know what we were doing, I texted Raphael a few times that morning. Additionally, we had the venue and address loaded into the phone so we could find our way without any trouble. We didn’t realize what a long drive it was, and of course, BF was unfamiliar with the terrain.
Rafael told us to leave early since the wedding was scheduled for 3:00. He suggested we leave about 1:30 or so from the hotel. I’m glad we took that advice because we missed the onramp to the Grand Parkway twice. We were not prepared for driving laps on the Katy Freeway. Finally, we got onto the Grand Parkway and headed North.
The Drive
At some point, you get off the Grand Parkway and get onto a road that takes you to The Springs in Magnolia. That road gets smaller and smaller and more rural. It was almost like driving around our little rural area. Then we saw the sign.
We made it!
And then the sign that told us we were at the correct hall:
And in the right place, too.
As I mentioned in my last blog, The Springs of Magnolia is a beautiful rural spot ideal with two reception halls for such an event. Take a look:
Isn’t it gorgeous?
And this:
And the weather was perfect.
This was the chapel-like altar setup behind the hall:
Isn’t that gorgeous?
Another shot of the wedding area:
A closer look at where the wedding took place.
After parking, they directed all the guests around the back of the Stonebridge venue. We sat down, and took a selfie:
We made it!
Then I texted our selfie to Rafael to let him know we were there. I also managed a great picture of BF:
He’s so cute!
Because you don’t see him in a suit every day. I have this one framed on my desk, and why not? BF exudes “FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder” vibes here, too.
My Designer Dress
Because I sew—and I can’t help myself—I had to have a new dress. BF has a few suits, and he just picked one from the closet. But no, I needed a new dress and something stylish. After changing my mind about 187 times (vintage or modern?), I decided on Vogue 1776, a Badgley Mischka cocktail dress from a holiday season or two ago:
Isn’t it fabulous?
I showed it to Rafael, and his first question was, “You’re going to wear white to a wedding?” I forgot to tell him I was making it Navy blue before I showed him the pattern.
And you know I had to have that FRINGE! A quick trip to Etsy and I got some that arrived a week later. I stitched it to the drape and removed it when we got home to wash the dress. The intent was to have snaps to hold the fringe onto the drape, then remove the fringe for washing and storage. But I didn’t get that done on time. (I did the snaps a few weeks ago, as I’ll explain in an upcoming blog post.) It’s fully lined, too.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a good picture of me wearing the dress. . .so, it’s Navy blue, and yes, it does have the long fringe hanging off the drape. And I can’t say it looks just like that on me. Plus, I won’t bore you about how it swings when you walk or how it gets in the way when you’re seated.
The Wedding
Although everybody arrived and was seated on time, the wedding started just after 3:00 pm, maybe 15 minutes or so. But once it did, everything went smoothly. A few of Rafael’s groomsmen were members of the Texas State Guard. They were dressed in uniform for the wedding.
Three are military; Rafael is the big dude on the left.
Then came the bridesmaids, one at a time.
Get a look at that dress!
Isn’t that an interesting color?
There were four ladies:
Same color, slightly different style
I say “interesting” because bridesmaids’ dresses are usually pastel colors, like pink or blue, or darker colors like red, blue, purple, etc. Not here. These ladies were all were drop-dead gorgeous:
Yes, I know, I got the cameraman’s equipment in the shot.
They used this gorgeous and dramatic fall color for the bridesmaids’ dresses and throughout the entire wedding. The flowers all matched, from the bouquet to the cake and table flowers.
Here Comes the Bride!
And then it was Carmen’s turn to walk in her very intricate gown.
Just a few days before the wedding, Carmen’s abuela (grandmother) in Puerto Rico passed away suddenly, and her father had to go back to Puerto Rico to tend to her final arrangements. So, it was up to Carmen’s son to walk her up the aisle. He handled the job perfectly.
Here she is!
We were in aisle seats, so I got some great pictures, even if the official photographer’s equipment was in some of the shots.
I told you he was taller. And Carmen is wearing heels!
Married
The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch—well, none that we noticed. Once the minister pronounced them married, they walked back down the aisle together. Now husband and wife:
The sun came in at the right time, yes?
Raphael was impressed at some of the pictures I showed him, so he asked me for copies. Since they’re uploaded into Shutterfly, I just shared a link to the online album with him. He could easily see and download the entire collection. I think he even used one or two of my shots in his social media.
Then, they posed for a bunch of pictures, naturally! When the pictures were all finished, they went in first. I took this one, which I thought was pretty good:
They look fantastic!
And they both released this one from their official wedding photographer on their social media accounts.
Married! We were literally sitting right there when this was taken.
Then it was time to socialize and have a reception for these two.
Pre-Reception Appetizers
We were led onto the back veranda until they opened the hall an hour later. The workers wouldn’t let us into the hall just yet, so there were appetizers outside in the beautiful cool sunset:
Oh, my word. Ceviche!!!
I didn’t mind. . .except that the sole split from my right shoe as we were walking up the stairs, and my um. . .Spanx was showing a little from the bottom of my dress. Well, it wasn’t our wedding, right? Someone was kind enough to discreetly tell me, but the staff wouldn’t let me inside to fix the Spanx.
BF very kindly went out to the truck to get my other shoes. I wore a pair of Navy Crocs flats with a fancy Badgley Mischka cocktail dress, including the long fringe on the drape. The other option was black duct tape around my shoe. Oh, that’s classic, right? (Classic dork!) I later wished I’d gone with the duct tape, but I’ll explain why later. (I have since found some shoe glue on Amazon, which I’ll add to my next order.)
We met many great people, all friends and family of the now-Mr. & Mrs. Rodriguez, while enjoying some delicious nibbles:
I could have stayed here for the whole reception, but thankfully, we didn’t.
Ceviche And Empanadas
The servers were passing these cups of ceviche, the South American fish dish that is “cooked” with lime juice.
Ceviche! It was SO GOOD!
This picture of the ceviche came out pretty good, yes? It was delicious, and it included a dollop of guacamole. I also plated it to show the details:
Naturally, BF wouldn’t touch the ceviche–too exotic, even if he does like shrimp. He doesn’t know what it is or what to do with it, and lime is involved so that’s a no. That’s just more for me! But he enjoyed the charcuterie nibbles. Servers also passed around these delicious Puerto Rican empanadas, but I only had a beef one.
These were also delicious.
BF had one or two, and he enjoyed them. I kept saying “gracias” each time I was near a server because everything was so tasty.
Yes, I’m afraid “gluten-free” went out the window this time. But like everything we had, it was delicious. I can’t tell you what “Puerto Rican style” meant, but I may ask Rafael one day. When we worked together, I used to tell Raf that if ever I had a Hispanic boyfriend, his mother would be on the hook for Spanish cooking lessons.
Inside The Hall
The staff were putting the finishing touches on everything, I suppose, and getting ready for the delicious dinner meal. We sat with some nice people and had some great conversations. After about an hour of hanging out on the back veranda in the beautiful weather, they directed us to the front door. We were greeted by an enlargement of one of the engagement pictures:
Seating arrangements were posted, and we found our way to our table.
Notice how the design matches the wedding invitation, too.
We signed the little hearts:
And I think there was a book, too.
The tables and arrangements were perfectly arranged, and included the rust color from the dresses and flowers we saw earlier:
Let’s put it this way: nothing was left to chance, and every detail was taken care of to the letter, in the same fashion as Southern Oaks Plantation does.
Cocktails, The Dinner Menu, Including Dessert
I knew about the dessert menu in advance, because Raf showed it to me. But the dinner menu was a bit of a surprise:
Interesting, no?
New York Strip Steaks? Yes, thank you! And the addition of chimichurri sauce was nice, too.
Everything was so good.
I also tried the Pollo Tropical, aka “Tropical Chicken.” BF also had the steak because Pollo Tropical was too exotic for him. Besides, there were cute little desserts to sample after dinner.
Longtime readers may remember the day I made my chimichurri sauce after being gifted an oregano plant. Chimichurri normally includes vinegar, so I suggested to BF that he pass on it, which he did. But guess what? It was very delicious and garlicky but with no detectable vinegar taste. They must have omitted the vinegar. I offered to let BF try some, but he declined. He did enjoy the steak and everything else on the menu.
Yes, there was a wedding cake, keep reading. But we also checked out the mini desserts.
Because, why not?
I don’t have a picture of it, unfortunately, (or I can’t find it) but there were also his-and-her specialty cocktails at the bar. The “her” cocktail was a Mango Margarita, and I had to have one. BF was driving, and he doesn’t drink, ever, so me drinking one wasn’t a big deal. (There was also champagne somewhere in there, and I only had one.) Although it was quite a strong cocktail, I didn’t feel it, probably because of the nibbles and dinner. Even if I had become a bit tiddly, we had our phones and Google Maps to get us back to the hotel, and he would be driving anyway.
The Cake!
Of course, because there was a wedding, there was also a beautiful wedding cake.
Lots of lovely details. The flowers and pearl detail are just exquisite:
That’s a lot of work, for sure.
Oops! That’s one detail nobody asked for:
It was a big cake and needed careful handling, so a fingerprint shouldn’t be a surprise, really. Everyone handling or serving food wore gloves. We each had a slice of this delicious vanilla cake with a rich vanilla frosting. Two thumbs up here.
Other Reception Activities
We found our table and were seated with another couple who have known Rafael for many years. During the reception, we met many different people from all over Texas (I think we were the only ones from this side of the Sabine), and for me, it felt like “home.” I’m used to being around lots of different kinds of people, especially after working in the Houston Medical Center, Rice University, Compaq, and Boeing for eight years. (I was the only Boeing alumni who attended, although others were invited.) BF spoke with lots of new people that night and throughout the trip.
Remember when I said everything was perfectly matched? I wasn’t kidding. Even the napkins on the tables were that beautiful rust color.
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The table settings were just gorgeous, especially with the rust color infusion:
Our table was sort of in the middle of the hall. We were right by the stairwell when the happy couple came down the stairs to join the reception from upstairs.
They were not only happy but enjoying the music that accompanied their descent.
The back of Carmen’s dress was also quite intricate:
I suppose they were taking more pictures up there, but I didn’t ask. And these two were just so happy.
Wedding Pictures of Rafael and Carmen
Of course, the photographers kept Rafael and Carmen busy posing for pictures the whole time. When it’s your wedding, that’s what you do.
They were the only dancers:
I’ll wager a guess that their picture of them with the fog machine looks better than mine:
Family pictures were also nice:
I don’t have any pictures of Carmen tossing her bouquet. If I remember correctly, I stood with the rest of the women for the catch. Normally, I stay far away from that activity. Well, I didn’t, but I wasn’t looking to catch it anyway. Maybe they decided who would catch it, and that’s OK, too.
I managed to get a quick selfie with Rafael:
My Boeing Brother.
Didn’t get to talk to him for very long. Then again, nobody else did, either. And guess who forgot to say Hi to Rafael’s parents? I know, DUH. But it was a busy night for them, too.
Reception Amenities
Everyone received one of these cute little favors, best described as a coaster, or maybe a Christmas tree ornament if you leave it in the little bag:
Either way, it’s a pretty reminder, and BF and I both brought one home. They’re nice keepsakes for some great memories. We’ll enjoy them for many years to come, along with the next souvenir.
The Sketch Artists
We noticed people were gathered around two sides of the hall, one in the front, and one in the back. After dinner, we investigated. It seems that the happy couple brought in a pair of sketch artists to make drawings for attendees.
These ladies were SO BUSY!
Wasn’t that nice?
I think they did Rafael and Carmen’s first, then sketched others as they approached the tables. We really didn’t know about this ahead of time. Both ladies worked hard to get everyone’s beautiful sketches done. We waited until they got less busy so they could catch up a little, and this is what she gave us:
Ours was also nice, and I did see Doctor Who and his Companion vibes here. Maybe that’s just me.
Of course, the sketch captured my dorky flats with a designer cocktail dress. Now you see why I wish I’d gone with the black duct tape instead. It’s not a big deal, but again, it was their wedding. Later, I framed this little sketch, and it’s hanging where we see it every day.
Photo Booth With Video
I don’t know how to describe the second amenity on the other side of the hall. It’s a photo-booth thing where you can take still pictures and make a 30-second music video in front of a 360-degree circulating camera. We went with the pictures, but not the videos, and this is what came out:
I know, I look awful here. The dress was too big because I didn’t get to fit it correctly before we left. Bright lights, no filters, and other reasons, but lots of photogenic props for posing. BF had to lean on me a little because he was still hurting from Thursday’s motor installation. This was my one chance to wear a tiara, so I did. BF just had fun with the “wedding crashers” sign, the prop gun, and looking “gangsta.”
If you’re reading this and laughing about it now, you should be. I may try to use some photo editing apps to make a nicely framed headshot of us from one of the pictures.
We could have walked to the next “attraction” with the tiara and pea shooter in the middle of the stage and made a 30-second dance video with flashing lights and the camera racing around 360 degrees. Honestly, we had to ask about what the heck it was so we could decline! It’s hard to describe, and I don’t even know where to find something online to show it to you. Everyone was having fun making their videos, and BF was still in pain, so we just watched.
Eventually, I want to add all our pictures into a few of those little books from Shutterfly.
The Texas Military Delegation
I’ve told BF before that Texas has its own military, to which he would respond, “Oh, you mean the National Guard.” You see, he was in the Louisiana National Guard for a long time with a couple of active duty stints overseas. As a veteran, BF knows all about that sort of thing.
Except in Texas.
Louisiana has a National Guard delegation, but not a formal “state militia” as Texas does. That’s because Texas was an independent country before it became a state. BF didn’t understand, and I don’t know enough about it to give him a proper explanation.
Rafael joined the Texas Army several years ago and continues to do technology-related work for them. During the reception, we approached a couple of these Texas Military members, introduced ourselves, and asked them to explain it to BF. They were happy to talk about it, and BF learned some interesting things he didn’t know. Military guys are in their zone when they start talking about their service tenures! I was glad to see him chatting with these fellow veterans, and he learned a lot he didn’t know before.
Enlightenment
On the return drive to the Katy Hampton Inn, BF called his brother. The first words out of his mouth: “Did you know that Texas has its own Army?” I just smiled while he explained everything to his brother.
The next morning, we also had breakfast with one of the groomsmen, also a Texas Military man. We didn’t know he was staying in the same hotel. He was going home to Austin while we were headed to the Extended Stay in Clear Lake for a couple of days. When BF told me who it was, I took a picture and sent it to Raf, who got a kick out of that one. We had a nice conversation over breakfast and coffee with him, including a little more about Texas’ military forces before parting company.
The Remains of the Night
After we got our portrait drawn by one of the two sketch artists and had a small bit of the wedding cake, we left the reception.
The remains of the day, or night
We were there until about 9:00 pm, I think.
Before we left, we saw Rafael again, congratulated and hugged him and Carmen, and walked out to the truck to head back to the hotel in Katy.
It was a lovely wedding that evening with delicious Puerto Rican-style food and a great time with a diverse group of friendly people. The weather, the venue, and everything else was just perfect. The Mango Margarita added a little tasty je ne sais quoi, but not too much.
Congratulations to Rafael and Carmen, and Happy Anniversary. We hope we’ll get to see them again one day soon.
What’s Next In HeatCageKitchen
I’ll try to get these done sooner rather than later, but now that the wedding blog is done, it should be easier.
The rest of the trip to Houston
The next blog will include the rest of our Houston trip, including a visit to the Houston IKEA store. We also visited some people: Aunt Ruth, Aunt Kathy, and Neighbor E. I’ll also tell you what went kind of sideways. That will be a blog of its own.
Thanksgiving
Miss Alice and her daughter N came for Thanksgiving last week. That was a busy couple of days! We were so glad to see them, but a couple of obstacles that meant I wasn’t entirely ready when they got here. But Buddy was so happy to see his friend B-Dog, who is ten years older. I got a few pictures, but not many, because I was so involved in getting a turkey in the oven and dinner on the table. Whew!
Another wedding
Guess what? We went to another wedding, a year after Rafael’s. This one was closer to home, in the Knights of Columbus Hall in nearby Ponchatoula, LA, and one of BF’s business cohorts. It was also nice, in a smaller venue, and every bit as enjoyable. Admittedly, I wore the dress from Rafael’s wedding with a few tweaks, including the removable fringe. That wedding will be a separate blog, too.
The Holiday Season is here whether we want it or not, so buckle up and stay warm. Winter is starting to show itself, and we hope we’re ready if we have another big winter freeze before spring.
Until next time, Happy Dining!
Tea is a favorite drink worldwide with multiple types, formulations, and flavors. And in our little region of Louisiana, there’s a tea farm, too. Tour a local tea farm with me on a beautiful October Saturday morning.
Hi, again, Dear Readers:
No, three tea blogs this year weren’t enough. I had to blog again about tea. But this isn’t the stuff in the grocery store–it’s locally grown here, no kidding, and incredible. And no, I’m not growing it myself–yet.
The weather has been particularly bipolar this year. It was cool when I went to the farm on the Saturday morning before my birthday. I was wearing summer clothes on my birthday and bundled up a few days later on Halloween. It’s like that sometimes this time of year. Last week news came that El Niňo will be giving us some snow in the South this winter, but how much snow is anyone’s guess. BF has not forgotten being cold nearly three years ago, and the news didn’t make him feel better.
Let’s take a ride to a tea farm.
Finding New Local Things
As a copywriter, I do a lot of research. It’s nothing for me to open a search engine and look for something anytime I’m online. At any given point, I may be researching from case law to telecom to AI and everything in between. I usually go between two or three browsers if I’m having a hard time finding additional information or the exact same thing on all the websites.
So, a couple of weeks ago, I was bored and looking for something. I think it was for local attractions and “things to do.” All of a sudden, I found in the search results a place called Fleur De Lis Tea Company located in the nebulous area between Amite and Loranger, Louisiana.
Source: Fleur De Lis Tea Company website
There’s a tea farm? Around here? And they grow tea? SAY WHAT?? I had to check this out for myself.
First Stop: Website
Naturally, the first thing I did was check out their website and their social media. They have both a Facebook and Instagram account for the place along with a YouTube channel. You can see a short minute-and-a-half tour of the place. (Or you can look at the pictures I took while I was there.)
David Barron is the farm’s owner, who began growing tea from gifted plants in the area in 2017. He has a woodworking shop on the premises, and the products of that shop are in the following pictures.
The gazebo, outside on the grounds, usually used for weddings.
Guess what happened in 2017 in this area? That’s right, it snowed–six inches, to be exact. While Houston, Galveston, New Orleans, and other close-to-the-coast cities were reveling in a half-inch dusting of snow, we had half a foot, and so did the farm. But the tea plants survived.
Fleur De Lis’ website has plenty of great pictures of the place that really do it justice. Their blog also has plenty of information about them, including Scottish tea expert Beverly Wainwright, who came over to work with the team on their teas and bring them to market.
And then I saw it–book a tea tour! This weekend! (It was October 21, and the next one will be November 25, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.) You can buy a ticket to a public tour or book your own. The ticket wasn’t expensive, and I was going it alone anyway since BF had to work (and wasn’t interested, of course.) So, I took myself out on a little birthday excursion.
The Tea Tour
On a beautiful and slightly cool October morning, I drove out to the tea Farm for the tour.
There it is!
I’ve been in this area before, but I did not remember seeing the sign. It’s a long rural drive once you get past the farms and residences. Turn right at the motor shop on the left. The farm and the tea house are nestled in the woods, literally. The very nice Hans Marchese, the manager, greeted us when we drove up.
That’s him, both effervescent and knowledgeable.
He’s the tea harvesting and processing guy who works hard every day picking and processing the leaves. Hans is also a vocal proponent of the place that will tell you anything you want to know. I was surprised to see so many people there. About 30 or 40 attendees arrived for the tour, including several who drove up from the New Orleans area. (The drive from there is about 90 minutes one way.) I had no idea that so many people knew about the place. But there we were, walking around and looking at tea plants about two feet high.
The Plants
The tea is grown from nursery-grade Camellia Sinensis plants. They are a variety from Georgia in the old USSR. Russia had a wish to have its own variety of teas. This type grows at low elevations, so it grows nicely in Louisiana, just like the rice that grows here.
Aren’t they pretty? And the little flowers were growing, too.
Hans carefully cultivates and cares for the tea plants and prunes them regularly. He explained that the soil’s acidity must be 4.5 to 5.4 for an ideal growing medium. Deep pine needles in the area offer acidity and mulch to the ground. They’re planted under the tall pine trees so they don’t grow too fast. If that happens, the aromatics in the tea plants will dissipate.
These tea plants need just the right amount of water and copious amounts of nitrogen. Too much water and the plants drown. Fortunately, they have have a great irrigation system for years like this one where we had so little rain.
Just right for a tea farm.
Everything made it through the summer!
Someone in the group asked about organic growing. Hans explained that they use inorganic fertilizer out of necessity. Growing organic results in a 40% reduction in production, so it’s not feasible. Organic is fine for home gardeners like myself. But organic isn’t really suitable for larger-scale farms. The good news is that they have no need for pesticides or herbicides.
There are also beehives and bees on the farm.
I think we saw one or two bees, but I wasn’t looking much.
The flowers offer supplemental food for the little pollinators, especially during the winter months. They also dehydrate the flowers and blend them into the teas.
Not all the fields are mature yet, so Fleur De Lis’ output has varied. In 2022, they’ve harvested 50 pounds, and so far in 2023, they’ve harvested 150 pounds. So a harvest in 2024 could be equal, more, or less than previous years. The amount depends on several factors, primarily the weather.
Fleur De Lis Tea Farm also harvests their own seeds for themselves and other suppliers. The Camellia flowers grow only from seed, not from cuttings. The seeds offer biodiversity in case of a future hazard that can wipe out all the plants. That’s why Tabasco has its signature peppers growing in different parts of the world, not just on Avery Island.
Processing Tea
Hans explained the four-step process for the tea leaves. Everything is time-dependent, he explains, and one must pay complete attention to the process. He even showed us the equipment:
I think this was for sorting after the harvest.
I think these were for drying after sorting.
This presses the leaves and gets all the liquid out
Three weeks on, I don’t remember what this was for, but I’m guessing it’s drying or another process:
I should have written it all down!
Everything has to be absolutely dry before packaging, or the tea will turn moldy. That’s why they seal the tea packages packages tightly. Once opened, use it soon or reseal it tightly.
Hans will tell you that although they can’t compete with Lipton on quantity, they are better on quality. As an artisan tea, nearly everything is done by hand. So, it takes much longer than the automated processes Lipton and others use.
The Tea House Venue
I know I’m very late on the blog post from our Houston trip last year. (Happy Anniversary to them, yes, it’s been a year.) The trip will be split into two blogs, not just one. There was the wedding of Rafael and Carmen as well as the rest of the trip. I mention that because Fleur de Lis Tea Farm looks very much like the venue where they got married, The Springs of Magnolia. That’s not a bad thing of course. Not everybody wants a large venue. Let’s face it, everything is bigger in Texas, right?
View from the driver’s seat
As gorgeous as it is, Fleur de Lis Tea Farm is similar in style but smaller, and you won’t mind, either.
Nice.
Plenty of trees are everywhere, outside of the city, and it is just a beautiful place to be in nature. One difference is the presence of fleur de lis shapes decorating throughout the place, but you knew that, right?
Lovely, isn’t it?
The land is not as developed as The Springs, like the little bridges over the creeks on the grounds. The whole farm and tea house is as nice as The Springs–and they grow tea there, too.
Yup. Nice. And set just for us.
Fleur de Lis’ tea house has only been open since July, and only open for events.
It’s not open every day like PJ’s. The tea house’s capacity is about 50 people, and the place is available for private gatherings like parties, small weddings, corporate events, and of course, tea tours. The farm recently hosted a 1920s-style evening called SpeakTEAsy. I wanted to go, but couldn’t get BF interested.
The Woodwork Part
Remember when I said the owner David Barron has a woodworking shop on the grounds? They do all of the woodwork in the onsite workshop. Much of it is from locally harvested cypress. Take a look at the wood features–and incredible detail–he and his partner, Jessie Marsh, built in the tea house. This little awning–indoors–is reminiscent of the Morning Call in the French Quarter:
Cute, yes?
There is a small mezannine upstairs. I thought I got a picture of it, but I didn’t. Here is a wider view of that area:
Very nice. We weren’t invited to go behind the screen and I didn’t ask. I guess it’s a stockroom.
The highly detailed French Quarter mural:
The feel of the French Quarter
Now, not to harp on this, but this is the door and entrance to the restroom, made from cypress:
And it’s even more elegant inside!
With swirled glass that looks like wood:
It’s totally opaque
See what I mean about the incredible details? Oh, wait, you haven’t seen the best part–the bar:
Now that’s a bar!
That’s the very nice Alex, who served us our tea and also answered a few questions.
What’s that blue thing, you ask? Well, it’s a “river bar,” representative of the multitude of rivers that run throughout the Pelican State:
Isn’t that interesting?
The little shells are actual shells that came off the locally and ethically sourced cypress wood from underwater prior to harvesting. They removed the shells, cleaned them, and then added them to the wood before filling and finishing with plenty of epoxy. And in this table off to the side, another one just like it:
One of the most interesting features of the Tea House
You won’t find that at Wayfair.
Let’s have a drink!
After the oohs and ahhs inside the tea house, we sat at the tables as Hans had more to tell. (Hans’ girlfriend handles their marketing and social media.) The very nice Alex served everyone their signature Friendship Tea tea in beautiful china cups while Hans continued his talk. The tea house was so nicely done for the tour that I felt under-dressed. But it was a walking tour, not a party, and everyone dressed comfortably and casually.
I sat with Debbie, who also attended by herself:
No, I haven’t used the Beautify app on this one.
And I met some nice people.
Hans says, “it’s OK to slurp your tea!” My grandmother would disagree, but she’s not here. I don’t slurp, especially when the tea is rather hot.
The first bit of advice: when making good loose-leaf tea, you shouldn’t use boiling water, only water off the boil. If you boil it, leave it to sit for 30 seconds, or your tea will become bitter. The same happens if you steep it too long. Three to five minutes is tops, and you can steep this tea up to three times. The caffeine is strongest in the first pot and mostly gone by the third.
If you don’t drink it all at once, refrigerate what’s left, or it will mold.
How Was It?
In a word, delicious. It’s not like drinking grocery store tea, that’s for sure. I think I had all three cups from the first steeping.
Very fancy!
Oh, BOY was I feeling good! Hans called it “tea drunk.” Then I had a headache–way too much caffeine, then a drop-off, and on a Saturday morning, too. We all had a great time, and I’m glad I went.
Hans also says that good tea like this is good on its own, without milk, sugar, or lemon (if you’re British.) I had the first few sips fresh from the pot (in my cup). Later, I acquiesced to the habit and added stevia and milk.
It’s OK, I drink it this way all the time.
Two Types
Fleur de Lis’ has only two types of tea, their Friendship Blend and their Big Easy Black Tea, available on their website. I brought home a 5G bag of each.
The ingredients:
The shop also has some lovely teapots and other accessories, including the cups and saucers they use.
I haven’t opened either packet of tea since I got home. BF isn’t touching it (if it’s not Coca-Cola, he doesn’t want any.) I’m saving it for a special occasion, I suppose, even though I can get more tea easily. It is pretty strong but very delicious–and nothing like the tea you get at the grocery store. (Sorry, HEB!)
Where should I go next?
I had a great time at Fleur De Lis. If I can drag BF out there, maybe we’ll go for one of their tea house events. The biggest objection is that he doesn’t drink tea. No kidding. He goes into a coffee shop and buys a carton of milk (or Coke) and a pastry. Sometimes, he will go with me to PJ’s, but only if I don’t stay. BF believes “there’s nothing there for me.” It was a stretch when I was out one day while he was at work, and he asked me to bring him a sandwich. So I bought him a nice one from PJ’s since I was in Hammond already.
I’ll look again and see what other places I can find to visit in the area. Fleur De Lis also carries locally grown honey and elderberry products from Cockeyed Farms in Folsom, so that might be my next excursion.
I would like to go to the Tabasco factory again one day and take lots of pictures for the blog. That means BF probably won’t be going with me. . .oh, well. We went to the wedding last year. And I need to do those blogs and publish them.
Until next time,
Enjoy!
Zucchini is one of those plants that overloads gardens. I was gifted some recently, and didn’t make zucchini bread. Plus a tribute to the late Suzanne Somers, RIP.
Hello again, Dear Readers:
It’s been a month, and I apologize. I’ve got several things to tell you, but I’ll have to limit that in this blog.
Finally, fall has arrived, and the temperatures have gone below 100 degrees every day. So far, our highs have been in the mid-80s, but we’ve had some chillier weather than that. It doesn’t last too long, but it’s enough to make us turn the heater at night sometimes.
Following last month’s trip to Trader Joe’s, one of my copywriting clients’ project managers BN told me that she was able to get some of Trader Joe’s coveted pumpkin spice body butter. She lives in coastal Florida, and apparently near a Trader Joe’s that’s not near LSU or other place with college students. I am so jealous! Well, OK, just a little jealous. I am enjoying the body scrub, though.
Much has happened since my last post.
Come and Knock On Our Door. . . .
By now, you’ve heard the sad news that Suzanne Somers has passed away from an aggressive form of breast cancer. She was an actress, author, gourmet cook, health advocate, entrepreneur, and businesswoman. I was a huge fan, and I still am, but did not know the lady personally. Long-time readers know that I have and love all her cookbooks, along with several of her other books. I know there are a few of her books that I don’t have, but I should probably get and read. We don’t have Half Price Books here, so I can’t get them cheap anymore.
She passed one day before her 77th birthday, holding her husband’s hand. Her family was at the house to celebrate her birthday with her. They had a beautiful heart-shaped purple cake made for her with lots of white piping.
Her husband and business partner of more than 50 years, Alan Hamel, and her son, Bruce, along with family members, lit candles and blew them out in a short video posted to Instagram on her birthday (Monday October 16th. ) Just prior to the birthday cake video, Alan and Bruce did a 14-minute interview with Entertainment Tonight about her passing, her legacy, her love of cake, and how they will move forward and keep her legacy going. If you have a few minutes, give it a watch.
The Legacy
Many people only know Suzanne Somers as an actress, primarily as Chrissy Snow from Three’s Company. The show is still in reruns, and there is currently a channel on streaming service Pluto TV that runs the show 24/7. I’ve watched a few of them this week. If you’re interested, you don’t have to register, you can start watching either live TV or on-demand on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, smart TV, or Roku. (You may be able to watch it on an Amazon Fire Stick, but I don’t know.)
Note: Pluto has plenty of classic TV shows to watch, including a channel of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. Hint: He’s still funny, especially if you remember the events he’s talking about in his monologue. I haven’t seen one yet where Suzanne Somers is on, but there are three on YouTube, plus a number of more recent clips.
Of course, there were more acting roles later, plus stints in Las Vegas, a Broadway show called The Blonde in the Thunderbird, and most recently, a stint on Dancing With The Stars in 2015. Never mind that she was a headliner in Las Vegas, danced and sang on TV and in USO shows, not to mention the legions of her longtime fans like me who repeat-dial voted for her on the show. She was voted off rather quickly, which I thought was, well, not nice. But her performances are all on YouTube, and her partner on the show, Tony Dovolani, also spoke with ET after she passed.
The Business of Suzanne Somers
Beyond her acting, She was also an author of 27 books, many of them best sellers. The last one I have was her book called Two’s Company, on her 50-plus year long relationship with her husband, Canadian talk show host Alan Hamel. She discusses a wide range of topics related to their relationship, including the business side of being “Suzanne Somers.” It’s truly a family business with nearly everyone involved in some fashion.
Over the years Suzanne sold a wide range of products on her website besides the obvious. For several years she had some lovely violet serving dishes named after her granddaughter Violet. She had small kitchen appliances, including a bread maker, a hand mixer (I still have mine and it works great), an ice cream maker, a small countertop convection rotisserie oven, a stovetop pressure cooker (this was before the Instant Pot) a deep fryer, an ice shaver, and several other things I can’t remember now. They are well-made, of course, but they still remind me of Suzy Homemaker appliances.
The books, the famous (or infamous) Thighmaster (yes, I have one), the 3Way Poncho (I have a few, and they are still available from some vendors as well as resellers eBay and Mercari) and a wide range of food, supplements and other products on her own website, SuzanneSomers.com. Her products aren’t cheap, but they aren’t rubbish, either. I was a big fan of SomerSweet, but as I wrote about several years ago, that’s gone now, and Swerve can be used in its place.
I’ll be making my birthday cake from Suzanne’s Desserts book this week. Instead of SomerSweet, of course, I’ll be using Swerve. And we’ll have a slice to celebrate the lady who did it all with grace, right up to the end.
The Zucchini
So, last week, BF came home with a bag full of great big zucchini and two crookneck squash, and said, “T says hi.” That’s one of his car guy friends, and apparently knew I would appreciate them. Because BF doesn’t eat anything called squash, including zucchini, spaghetti, or acorn, my favorites, and will let me know about it immediately.
I can only wish I had such an abundance of zucchini that I had to give it away. But I’m happy to accept the wonderful gift of excess from those fortunate enough to have such a nice garden surplus. One of these days, I keep telling BF, we’re going to have a fantastic garden from which we enjoy a great harvest.
Here’s how it ties into the late Suzanne Somers.
Zucchini Ribbons
My first thought was to make some zucchini noodles from Suzanne Somers’ Fast & Easy book (the purple one.) I haven’t made that in a very long time, and it’s simple. Cut the ends off the zucchini, then use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin ribbons. When you get too far in to keep using the peeler, just thinly slice the remainder with a sharp knife on a cutting board until you’re done. Cook in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt and pepper until they’re just done. Delicious.
You can cook as many zucchinis this way as you like at once. Eat them as is, or add them to any kind of pasta sauce you like. Fast & Easy was published before the veggie noodle makers became popular, and in a later book she uses zucchini “noodles” made from her own Su-Chef appliance. It wasn’t available for long, apparently, and it isn’t even available on eBay or Mercari, but I did find a picture.
I Thought About Her
As I took the book off the shelf, I wondered how Suzanne was doing. I remembered that she’d been ill again, but I was sure she would be getting better. Is she writing a new book? There probably won’t be any more cookbooks, I thought, but an important topic, for sure. But I knew it would be an interesting subject, well-researched and well-written, like Tox-Sick. Admittedly, I didn’t get her last book but will source it for my shelves soon.
The next day, BF sent me a message on Facebook Messenger that she’d passed away, one day before her 77th birthday. The breast cancer she’d been fighting for more than 20 years finally overtook her.
The next night, I made a Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake from Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, page 246.
For breakfast one day last week, I made some of Alan’s Fried Eggs In Onion Nests on page 115 for us to enjoy with breakfast. Hint: open the windows and turn on your exhaust fan before you get started cooking the onions.
I also want to purchase Served By Caroline Somers, Suzanne’s daughter-in-law, chief chef, and right-hand-gal in the business for thirty-plus years. Her stepdaughter, Leslie Hamel, is a fashion designer who designed the 3Way Poncho, as well as hundreds of Suzanne’s red-carpet items and many pieces of her clothing lines. I own a few 3Way Ponchos and made some from a Simplicity pattern published shortly after the released. There’s some fabric in my stash that will be perfect to make a couple more.
The Rest: Zucchini Sotolio
I only cooked that one zucchini on Saturday night, because I had a plan for the rest of them. I’ve done this before, but just never quite got around to posting the recipe. This recipe is *not* from Suzanne Somers, but from TV chef Giada de Laurentiis. It’s on page 226 of Giada’s Italy: My Recipes For La Dolce Vita, called Zucchini Sotolio. It’s not difficult, and it’s a great way to make those garden extras last a bit longer.
First, you cut the zucchini into 1/3” rounds. Drop them in the colander, sprinkle salt over them, and let them sit for ten minutes.
There were a couple of yellow zucchini in the bag.
But because I was sitting with BF, it ended up more like 30 minutes. But the salt seasons them nicely.
While that’s going on, boil up 1½ cups of water and 1½ cups of apple cider vinegar in a big pot.
Now, open up a window, (or turn on the exhaust fan) because it’s going to smell in your kitchen and your house if you don’t. Trust me on this, I speak from experience here. Especially with someone around like BF who can’t stand the smell of vinegar at all.
Add in your sliced zucchini and turn the heat down to a simmer:
Yes, there were some yellow ones, and they tasted the same.
Cook the slices for about five minutes, until they’re cooked but not mushy and overdone.
If you have as much as I was given, you’ll need to cook them in batches.
Then take them out:
And put them into a bowl.
You may find they’re still kind of watery, so you might want to drain that off too. Add in the mint leaves, basil leaves, chopped garlic:
And a tablespoon more of apple cider vinegar:
Toss the zucchini to mix in the rest of the ingredients. Leave them to cool for a little while.
And here comes the fun part: cover them with olive oil:
The recipe calls for extra-virgin olive oil, but I didn’t have enough. So, I just used regular olive oil.
When you have enough oil, pack them in jars or just store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed container:
This is a container I like to use for the freezer, with a rubber gasket in the lid and snapping closure tabs.
This delicious recipe will stay in your fridge for about three weeks. Serve them at room temperature. Giada says that having a jar or two of this around means you’ll always have a “quick side.” It’s also good as a starter or part of an antipasto spread. Got eggplant? It works here too, just grill the eggplant first. (No, I still hate eggplant.)
Here’s the recipe if this looks like something you’d like to try soon.
Zucchini Sottolio
From Giada's Italy, page 226. This recipe has bold, tangy flavors that make the zucchini really shine.
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds zucchini sliced into ⅓ inch rounds (about 3 small zucchini)
- 1¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1½ cups apple cider vinegar plus one tablespoon for the end
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (Amy's note: optional)
- 2 to 3 cups extra-virgin olive oil (Amy's note: I used regular this time)
Instructions
- Place the sliced zucchini in a colander that is set over a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and toss well to combine. Allow the zucchini to sit for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups of water with 1½ cups of apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the salted zucchini to the pot and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked through but still has a little texture. Drain the zucchini and place it in a large bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mint, basil, garlic and red pepper flakes to the zucchini, and toss well. Add enough olive oil to cover the zucchini and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pack the zucchini in jars or a storage container with a tight-fitting lid, making sure the zucchini is fully covered with the oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve at room temperature.
Fancy another cuppa?
I’ve got another tea blog coming, but I’m not saying anything just yet. But it will be interesting—and very strong.
Enjoy!
