Luck Be A Lady

I can add, and I can count to 21. But when it comes to playing blackjack, I turn into a complete nervous wreck. Why? Because I know enough about the game to know that the other players' fates rest somewhat on my ability to say "hit" or "stay" at the appropriate times. And if God forbid I mixed up those two terms in the heat of the moment and caused a total stranger to lose his or her shirt, well let's just say I refuse to take that chance. So after enjoying an absolutely first-rate dining experience at Valley View Casino's Black & Blue Steakhouse last Saturday night (I'm still salivating over the sea-salt topped butter that came with the bread), I sidled up to a blackjack table with the H, content to play Lady Luck for the evening. I sucked at that too, unfortunately, but at least I probably bought the shirt we lost. And we had a little fun losing it.

Painting Rocks

Snook thought it was great fun to paint something besides a piece of paper this past week. She gathered these smooth rocks at the beach, and they made for excellent canvasses.
We call this one "Sunrise."And this one "Sunset." I was all excited to use them as paperweights at work, but she promptly gifted them to Grammie and Grampie. Hopefully I can get in on the next installment.

Dueling Salads

In the left corner, there was a Green Goddess Chicken Salad. In the right, a traditional Caesar. It was a fair fight. Equal amounts of both were eaten by all. The housemade croutons added an extra punch. But after the final round, and a few more big bites of each (let's be honest), it was a draw.Want to talk about dueling flavors? That is a chocolate-covered bacon strip perched atop a rootbeer float. And it all worked.

Have Dress. Will Scatter Rose Petals.

If you have a daughter then chances are good she has one of these hanging in her closet. The fancy dress that was too big for her when you (or in Snook's case, her grandma) found it but too good to pass up so you purchased it anyway hoping that she would serendipitously grow into it at the exact same time that the perfect occasion arose. This is my daughter's such dress. I threw it on her today for kicks and shoot, darn, shucks, it fits. But guess what. No occasion. Anyone in need of a flower girl perchance?

Choo Choo to the Zoo

After our train ride last Friday night, we hit the zoo. (We must have just missed you, Marcy!) Have you checked out the new Elephant Odyssey yet? If not, a wondrous world awaits. Get there right around 5:30 or 6:00 in the evening should you prefer to see the lions roaring instead of snoring. If you can tear yourselves away from them . . . . . . the elephants are really cool too.As are all of the interactive features for kids, something the zoo really didn't have much of before.Nighttime zoo also means marionette shows and hula hoop contests are in full effect through September 7th.We're going to try to sneak in at least one more nighttime trip this summer, especially since the days are sweltering all of a sudden. Will we see you there?

Not Just A Sandwich

I was floored by the heights the H elevated the humble sandwich to the other night. He served warm chicken sandwiches with spinach mushrooms and cheese. There was creamy Fontina. There were sauteed mushrooms. There was moaning and groaning.
Accompanying the sandwiches was a refreshing endive and apple salad with a mustardy vinaigrette. We were home so I could lick the bowl. And housemade potato chips. Kid-friendly and off-the-charts delicious. Not a bad combo.

See Mom Run

The sale gods smiled on me today. My favorite neighborhood children's boutique e-mailed that they had one pair of these adorable, buttery soft See Kai Run shoes left in Bubs' size FOR HALF OFF. I made tracks!They're a little roomy, but that's a good thing since the closed-toe sandal knows no season. I'm hoping they will take him effortlessly from late summer, through autumn, into winter and beyond.

Niece of Ours

Inspiration came easily today. Remember our beautiful 5-month-old baby niece? Well eight months have passed and here's our beautiful 13-month-old baby niece!Such a happy girl! Walking, running, climbing. Whenever she and Bubs see each other, they hug like long-lost pals. We love her so much.

Mutton Honey

I didn't eat much lamb growing up because, simply put, my mom is not a fan. But as an adult I've really taken to this beef alternative, and I particularly loved the way the H prepared it last Monday night. These are wine-marinated lamb chops with fennel salad.
And they were divine. Our poor dog was beside himself the whole time. Speaking of Monday-night dinner . . . In my past life there wasn't too much to celebrate about Mondays. But these days the H and I are finding Mondays to be almost a welcome relief after the here-there-everywhere chaos of the weekend. Yes, coming together for a quiet, grown-up dinner on Monday nights is a ritual that we've really come to look forward to. And one that I will look forward to taking up again some time next February. After a certain sports season is over. Just thought of that. Yeah. Bummer.

One-Track Mind

Look for our family most Friday nights and you'll probably find us at the Balboa Park Railroad. Because our boy is currently obsessed with all things train. The first words out of his mouth in the morning? Choo choo! He even does that pumping motion with his right arm. If his birthday were tomorrow, no doubt you'd be coming to a train party. And I swear he can sniff out one of those Thomas train tables like a pig can sniff out truffles. You get the idea. Here's the H with S 'n' B on our favorite iron horse just this past Friday evening.Bubs sounds so cute when he tries to say, "All aboard!" And he looks so cute walking around the house with a train car and one of those interlocking wooden track pieces, hoping so badly that someone will take him up on his offer to play trains. This is one of those phases that I hope will last and last.

The Poetry Brothel

I wouldn't mind moonlighting as a poetry, um, wench at The Poetry Brothel. San Diego chapter anyone?

All By Myself

"WOMAN ALONE" A.H. Clemens

People do their best to clue you in on a lot of things when you are about to become a mom. The sleep deprivation. That you are on-duty 24/7, and you must be "on" that entire time. The overwhelming responsibility. The bad jeans. But one thing that fails to come across is that as a mom, you are hardly ever, almost never, by yourself. Alone. Solitary. That's been one of the biggest shockers and toughest things for me for sure. Well, this morning the front door closed, the car pulled out of the driveway, and I am now home alone. And not just for an hour or two. Probably for more like seven or eight hours. So here's my list of things to do today (after I stop shrieking gleefully):

Clean the bathroom.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Organize the kids' closet.
Dust the blinds.
Change all the sheets.
Do a couple of loads of laundry.
Clip the dog's toenails.
Take a shower.
Finish Snook's scrapbook (for the first year of her life).
Sort the remaining mounds of baby photos.
Write a thank-you note.
Get a pedi-polish.
Try out that new Middle-Eastern-organic-sandwich shop.
Take a West-African dance class.
Walk in the late-summer rainstorm.

And I could not be happier. (Thank you, hon. Tomorrow's your day.)

Project Couch Potato

With the premier of Project Runway last Thursday night, the stories I watch went from zero to three in a couple of weeks, including Entourage and Mad Men. And that's before this fall's Thursday-night-sitcom line-up has even gotten underway. Hello couch. Remember me?

They're So Vain

I swear I had nothing to do with this. We had two birthday parties to go to last Sunday morning. So the plan was for me to take Snook to one and for the H to take Bubs to other one, which happened to be venued at the San Diego Yacht Club. After I finished getting Snook ready, I walked into the living room to find, to my utter shock and amazement, that my two guys had totally dressed the part.You know this wasn't my idea because if it had been it never would have happened in a million years. I toyed with several possible titles for this post. Like Father Like Son. What A Difference A Day Makes. The Kennedy Boys. But when you dress like this, I think we can all agree that you are definitely looking to get noticed.

Sweet Somethings No. 6

Usually when we ask Snook what she wants to be when she grows up she tells us a librarian. Which I don't get because none of the librarians she's ever come across have been particularly inspiring. Kind of grumpy and put-upon if you ask me. Hopefully we'll find a nice one soon. But the other day our conversation took the following unexpected turn:

S: When I grow up I'm going to be a big lady.
Me: Yes, but what do you want be when you grow up, as in what kind of work would you like to do?
S: I'm not going to go to work.
Me (eyebrows raised): Oh really.
S: No, I'm going to stay home and take care of Dashy (aka Bubs) while you go to work.

Tell me that wasn't darling (and a little guilt-inducing).

Hot Tamales

I know these don't look like much, but when the H walks in the door with a bag of them I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. They're tamales from the tamale lady who visits his office building. Nuke 'em for 3 minutes, add some avocado, some of her salsa, a fried egg (unless you happen to be at work in which case they're still delicious sin huevo), and you've got yourself some comida muy sabrosa my friend.

Curvy Candy

Doesn't San Francisco always seem to get it right? Check out this sweet idea for a charitable event. They're transforming Lombard Street into a life-size version of the Candy Land board game for kids to enjoy.I wish I could hop up to my favorite (American) city to take it all in and eat some birthday cake. But since that won't happen, maybe Hasbro could market a Lombard Street version of the game. I'm sure it would be a hit.

It's Getting Hot in Here

Been waiting a long time for this.Doesn't that taxi photo just say it all? Hope I can make it one more night!

That's Amore!

Ooooh, all of you were right (as usual)! Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough cooks up the yummiest homemade pizza around.Yes, those are anchovies. Can't get enough of the hairy little guys.

Mean and Meaner

Right about when I decided that fall would be my season of frugality (okay, I didn't really have a choice), the nice people at Nordstrom inundated my mailbox with catalogs. Did I say nice?Lily printed dressJust A Cheap Shirt lightweight plaid flannel shirt, Mek Denim cowboy pocket bootcut jeans
Jessica Simpson "Josephine" studded platform sandalBurberry satchelAlexander Wang off-the-shoulder shirt, fitted leggings, Jimmy Choo "Karina" stud mesh pump Tory Burch Crepe de Chine three-quarter sleeve cropped jacket, Georgette top, denim pants, "Jaden" stacked heel boot Stella McCartney shift dress with three quarter sleeves and coated boucle biker jacket
Oscar De La Renta embroidered lace cocktail dressJimmy Choo mid-calf boot with fold-down cuffMarc Jacobs quilted shoulder bag with resin studsGucci tunic dress, stretch leggings and platform bootie
I meant mean. Really, really mean.