McGee has a new accessory...he finally has a seat belt for the car. He doesn't seem to hate it, which is a plus. Here is him riding to Wisconsin in the car.
What a cute little face!!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Safety First!
McGee has a new accessory...he finally has a seat belt for the car. He doesn't seem to hate it, which is a plus. Here is him riding to Wisconsin in the car.
What a cute little face!!
Pine Chalet
Matt and I finally got away from the city for a short vacation. Last weekend we stayed at a log cabin called the Pine Chalet in Wisconsin. We go there every February with our friends Chad and Susan. This year they brought their dogs, Jack & Jill, and we brought our dog, McGee.
We introduced Chad and Susan to our Valentine's Day tradition of basing our meals around a different country every year. This year...Thailand. We attempted to create Thai meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast and lunch were more fusion than true Thai meals. We shared parfaits for breakfast with fruits native to Thailand. For lunch we made fusion Thai Tacos. Dinner was the main event with Thai Green Curry Shrimp & Scallops over Noodles, Thai Stir Fried Vegetables, and Thai Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Cayenne-Spiced Mango.
It was nice enough this year to actually take a couple walks outside. We are planning on going back this August for another mini-vacation.
Friday, February 6, 2009
"Just Give us the F-ing Point"
Ahh leave it to foodie night for some laughs. Last night we went to The Chatterbox Pub's new location in Linden Hills. Nine of us crammed into a corner of the restaurant.
Overall the food was mediocre...but that was not the focus of the night. We played an INTENSE game of Scattergories. There were many heated arguments/debates...I'll let you be the judge on some of these topics.
1) Who is a hero...Eragon or Aragon?
2) Would you purchase Envelopes as a souvinier?
3) Is an Eel black or silver?
4) Is "the Eel" a dance?
5) Is Egg Beaters a dairy product?
6) Part 1 - Is Jarring a word?
6) Part 2 - If yes, don't you mean canning?
6) Part 3 - Finally, is Jarring/Canning a chore or a hobby?
7) Are Jumper Cables considered a weapon?
8) Could Etheopia be considered a tropical location?
9) Is Elephant Man in the Guinness Book of World Records
Oh and by the way...thanks for giving us the point on Exercycle for a vehicle, which is actually a stationary bike.
See you next month!
Overall the food was mediocre...but that was not the focus of the night. We played an INTENSE game of Scattergories. There were many heated arguments/debates...I'll let you be the judge on some of these topics.
1) Who is a hero...Eragon or Aragon?
2) Would you purchase Envelopes as a souvinier?
3) Is an Eel black or silver?
4) Is "the Eel" a dance?
5) Is Egg Beaters a dairy product?
6) Part 1 - Is Jarring a word?
6) Part 2 - If yes, don't you mean canning?
6) Part 3 - Finally, is Jarring/Canning a chore or a hobby?
7) Are Jumper Cables considered a weapon?
8) Could Etheopia be considered a tropical location?
9) Is Elephant Man in the Guinness Book of World Records
Oh and by the way...thanks for giving us the point on Exercycle for a vehicle, which is actually a stationary bike.
See you next month!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
La Belle VIe
Instead of exchanging gifts this year, Matt and I went out to dinner together. We went to La Belle Vie in Minneapolis, which is right across Lyndale Avenue from the Walker Art Center.
We ordered their five course meal from the tasting menu, which turned out to be more like a seven course meal. The waiter tried his best to get us to order the wine flights too (he asked us three times!).
We were really impressed with the food. The waiter first brought out a small pastry from the chef, which was stuffed with Gruyere cheese. Then they brought out an amuse-bouche of beets and pancetta. Then the first course came out...scallops, artichokes, and dill pesto. The second course was skate fish with mushrooms (I actually ate fish and liked it!). The third course was roasted chicken with a hand-made ravioli and baby carrots. The fourth course was grilled lamb with farro. The fifth course was curried carrot cake (yum!) with cardamom sherbet (double yum!).
Just when we thought it was over they brought out dessert after dessert! It was a plate of five dessert bites. They were all delicious!
Matt and I compared this restaurant to our experience at W.A. Frost in St Paul. Here's what we think:
Service - W.A. Frost
Food Taste - Tie
Food Presentation - La Belle Vie
Ambiance - W.A. Frost
Best Dish - Cauliflower & Goat Cheese Soup @ W.A. Frost
Best Dessert - Curried Carrot Cake w/ Cardamom Sherbet @ La Belle Vie
We ordered their five course meal from the tasting menu, which turned out to be more like a seven course meal. The waiter tried his best to get us to order the wine flights too (he asked us three times!).
We were really impressed with the food. The waiter first brought out a small pastry from the chef, which was stuffed with Gruyere cheese. Then they brought out an amuse-bouche of beets and pancetta. Then the first course came out...scallops, artichokes, and dill pesto. The second course was skate fish with mushrooms (I actually ate fish and liked it!). The third course was roasted chicken with a hand-made ravioli and baby carrots. The fourth course was grilled lamb with farro. The fifth course was curried carrot cake (yum!) with cardamom sherbet (double yum!).
Just when we thought it was over they brought out dessert after dessert! It was a plate of five dessert bites. They were all delicious!
Matt and I compared this restaurant to our experience at W.A. Frost in St Paul. Here's what we think:
Service - W.A. Frost
Food Taste - Tie
Food Presentation - La Belle Vie
Ambiance - W.A. Frost
Best Dish - Cauliflower & Goat Cheese Soup @ W.A. Frost
Best Dessert - Curried Carrot Cake w/ Cardamom Sherbet @ La Belle Vie
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve
We went to my Grandma Salaba's today for Christmas Eve. It was a much smaller crowd this year due to a lot of people having to work. Usually we have about 50, but this year it was 30. For some reason it seemed like there were just as many kids running around as usual. There are now 16 great-grand children! The newest edition was my cousin Jodi's baby Lauren. She is such a cutie!
My Aunt Lavonne came up with a fun idea this year. She had everyone write down one of their favorite memories with Grandma. Then Grandma read them all out loud to everyone. It was especially fun to hear her four kids memories from when they were little with their mom.
Here are some of my fun memories with Grandma:
1) Bringing in all of the kittens from the farm into Grandma's house and dressing them up in doll clothes.
2) Grandma making Cream of Wheat for us in the morning. She put the cereal on a plate and poured heavy cream and sugar on the top. Mmmm!
3) Having sleepovers at Grandma's and hearing stories from when she was little.
4) Watching Grandma open Christmas presents ever so carefully so that she can save the paper.
5) Learning from Grandma how to make Kolaches from scratch.
6) Getting cards in the mail from Grandma...she always inserts lots of newspaper and magazine clippings with funnies.
7) Listening to Grandma read us stories when we were little.
8) Painting Grandma's living room Pepto Bismol pink. Her favorite color.
9) Grandma poking the Peeps at Easter time.
10) Listening to Grandma tell stories about her mom, dad, and her mischievous cousins when she was little.
11) Taking pictures with Grandma before my wedding.
12) Watching Funniest Home Videos with Grandma.
13) Dancing with Grandma at my cousin Diane's wedding.
14) Playing Catch Phrase with Grandma at Matt's Graduation party...where we kept the dynamite (i.e. the sewing machine).
15) Driving with Grandma when we were little...she would honk the horn at boys our age and wave.
16) Participating in the annual Christmas Plays or as we called them Christmas Plagues. I had to play everyone from Mary to Frosty the Snowman.
17) Czech Day at Grandma's house when we learned the Beer song (Pivo, Pivo).
18) New Years Day at Grandma's house when we play board games.
19) When we are leaving Grandma's house we always have to take something home...usually kolaches, gummy bears, ham, or pie.
20) Playing the question game with Grandma...finding out most embarrassing moments, favorite childhood toy, whether you would rather have x-ray vision or be invisible, and more.
Merry Christmas Eve!
My Aunt Lavonne came up with a fun idea this year. She had everyone write down one of their favorite memories with Grandma. Then Grandma read them all out loud to everyone. It was especially fun to hear her four kids memories from when they were little with their mom.
Here are some of my fun memories with Grandma:
1) Bringing in all of the kittens from the farm into Grandma's house and dressing them up in doll clothes.
2) Grandma making Cream of Wheat for us in the morning. She put the cereal on a plate and poured heavy cream and sugar on the top. Mmmm!
3) Having sleepovers at Grandma's and hearing stories from when she was little.
4) Watching Grandma open Christmas presents ever so carefully so that she can save the paper.
5) Learning from Grandma how to make Kolaches from scratch.
6) Getting cards in the mail from Grandma...she always inserts lots of newspaper and magazine clippings with funnies.
7) Listening to Grandma read us stories when we were little.
8) Painting Grandma's living room Pepto Bismol pink. Her favorite color.
9) Grandma poking the Peeps at Easter time.
10) Listening to Grandma tell stories about her mom, dad, and her mischievous cousins when she was little.
11) Taking pictures with Grandma before my wedding.
12) Watching Funniest Home Videos with Grandma.
13) Dancing with Grandma at my cousin Diane's wedding.
14) Playing Catch Phrase with Grandma at Matt's Graduation party...where we kept the dynamite (i.e. the sewing machine).
15) Driving with Grandma when we were little...she would honk the horn at boys our age and wave.
16) Participating in the annual Christmas Plays or as we called them Christmas Plagues. I had to play everyone from Mary to Frosty the Snowman.
17) Czech Day at Grandma's house when we learned the Beer song (Pivo, Pivo).
18) New Years Day at Grandma's house when we play board games.
19) When we are leaving Grandma's house we always have to take something home...usually kolaches, gummy bears, ham, or pie.
20) Playing the question game with Grandma...finding out most embarrassing moments, favorite childhood toy, whether you would rather have x-ray vision or be invisible, and more.
Merry Christmas Eve!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Holiday Parties
Last weekend was packed with fun holiday parties. On Friday night I hosted a cookie exchange with the co-workers in my division. There were about 14 of us and 8 varieties of delicious Christmas cookies. I made my favorite marshmellow and corn flake Christmas wreath cookies.
On Saturday night Matt and I went to our friend's Dan & Karen's house for their annual wine and cheese party. Somehow they always get 50-60 people in their cute little house in St Paul. Karen made about 10 different kinds of Christmas cookies, which were all amazing. She picked award winning cookies from this year's different cookie contests (Star Tribune, Food Network, etc).
Later that night we went to our friends Andy & Jessica's Christmas party. Jessica had several different fun Christmas games for us to play. Since I'm such a Christmas nut...I took first place in the Christmas movie trivia game. There was actually a movie on there that I hadn't seen before..."Diner". Anyone heard of it?
Merry Christmas!
On Saturday night Matt and I went to our friend's Dan & Karen's house for their annual wine and cheese party. Somehow they always get 50-60 people in their cute little house in St Paul. Karen made about 10 different kinds of Christmas cookies, which were all amazing. She picked award winning cookies from this year's different cookie contests (Star Tribune, Food Network, etc).
Later that night we went to our friends Andy & Jessica's Christmas party. Jessica had several different fun Christmas games for us to play. Since I'm such a Christmas nut...I took first place in the Christmas movie trivia game. There was actually a movie on there that I hadn't seen before..."Diner". Anyone heard of it?
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
11,000 Meals
Last night I went with my co-worker Elizabeth and her family to volunteer at Feed my Starving Children. They have a location in Eden Prairie. When we got there they had us put on some spiffy hair nets. Then we watched a video about how many children die each day from starvation.
Then the staff showed us how to put together the bags of meals that were to later be shipped out to impoverished countries. I was surprised by what goes into each bag! Apparently they worked with Cargill to get four nutritious ingredient blends made. One is a chicken flavored stock that contains nutrients needed to survive, then there is a soy based ingredient for protein, we also added what looked like freeze dried vegetables, and finally rice.
I got to be in charge of using the bag sealer, which was pretty slick. Our group made over 11,000 meals...enough to feed 33 kids for a year. It was amazing what we were able to accomplish in such a short time.
Then the staff showed us how to put together the bags of meals that were to later be shipped out to impoverished countries. I was surprised by what goes into each bag! Apparently they worked with Cargill to get four nutritious ingredient blends made. One is a chicken flavored stock that contains nutrients needed to survive, then there is a soy based ingredient for protein, we also added what looked like freeze dried vegetables, and finally rice.
I got to be in charge of using the bag sealer, which was pretty slick. Our group made over 11,000 meals...enough to feed 33 kids for a year. It was amazing what we were able to accomplish in such a short time.
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