The Corpsman's Ball

Tonight, Mark and I will be attending our last formal military function, the 2010 Beaufort Naval Hospital Corpsman's Ball.  If you might be wondering who a corpsman is and what he or she does, I'll be happy to fill you in.  A Hospital Corpsman (called an HM for short) serves as an enlisted medical specialist for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.  These brave men and women provide healthcare services to sailors and marines at home, on ships,  and on the battlefield.  Mark has been so grateful to all of those he has worked with over the past four years, and we both consider it a privilege to be able to join them this evening in their celebration.

I cannot believe that this will be the last time I see Mark in his dress whites.  Our four years of military service have gone by in the blink of an eye.  I am thankful everyday that we have had the opportunity to consider ourselves a part of the United States Navy.  My appreciation for the sacrifices made by our service men and women is immeasurable.   Their courage and selflessness is the truest example of the American spirit.  To all of those who provide me with the security and freedom I have always known, Thank You!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

What do yall have planned for the weekend?

The Answers to Ask Away Thursday

From Nola to Beaufort and Back (in the Fall)

Where did you live in New Orleans?  How did you like it?  Where did you go to college?

    I grew up in Lakeview (click here for more).  I loved growing up in Lakeview!!  It was as close to perfect as you could possibly get.  We lived in "the big peach house on the corner" which was a converted shotgun double that had these loooooonnngg hallways.  We would get a running start and do grande jetes (ballet terms for jumping splits) all the way down the hall.  I loved that darn house.  It breaks my heart when I pass by the empty lot it once sat on.  

    I went to Loyola University New Orleans, and I wouldn't trade my collegiate experience for any other in the world.  I lived Uptown for my four years in school with the best roommates you could imagine.  Fours weddings and two and a half (my roomie Haley is due in May) babies later, I consider each of them still my very close friends.  I learned so much about life and love and friendships during those four years.  Most importantly from the Jesuits I learned to be a woman with and for others.  AMDG!

    When we head back home, our plan is to live downtown.  Fingers crossed we'll be living in this amazing condo in the Central Business District.  It is fabulous!  We'll be a block and a half off the parade route, a few blocks from the Quarter, and just a minute from the Superdome!!!!  I am already picturing the Saints pre-game brunches!!!

Why did you leave New Orleans and why and when will you be returning?

    I had never in my life imagined living outside of New Orleans, but my sweet hubby had a Naval scholarship to medical school.  So, while he would finish school and residency with no school loans, he would owe the Navy four years of his service.  We were notified in the spring of 2006 that we'd be heading to Beaufort, SC for four years starting that summer.  Mark moved here in July and I came just a few months later.  

     It took a few months for us to get adjusted to life in a whole new place, and when we did, we found that life in the great wide Elsewhere could be quite nice.  Mark's contract with the Navy ends September 30th, so we will be heading home in the fall.  When we first left New Orleans, I could not have ever imagined loving a place outside of it, but four years of life in the Lowcountry makes our impending move bittersweet.  On one hand, I am looking forward to starting our life together at home (I feel like it got cut a little short with Katrina barging in on our first year of marriage), but on the other hand, I just don't know how we will leave our wonderful family of friends here.

Foodie Facts

What is your favorite New Orleans restaurant?  Favorite dish at the restaurant? Why?

    This is such a tough call!!!  I have been thinking about this question all weekend!  And while Commander's Palace is my absolute favorite New Orleans restaurant, I can't quite put my hands on a signature dish (I don't count the garlic cheese toasts as a dish because if I did, they would be the best thing I have ever eaten) of theirs that I'd say makes it my favorite. I just love the feeling of celebration that is all around you when you dine there!!!  If I had to pick my favorite New Orleans dish, I think I might have to go with the crabmeat cheesecake from Palace Cafe.  It is the perfect bite of food.  It starts with a buttery, savory, pecan crust and is filled with the most amazing, sweet crabmeat filling.  All of this is sitting nicely on the most incredible meuniere sauce I have ever tasted.  I get it every time we eat there, and every time it is as good as I imagined from the time before!

What is your favorite meal to make - something that tastes the same every time and makes you happy?

    This is easy.  I love making both my roast beef po-boys and Gumbo Yaya.  There is nothing like the smell of a cooking roux - butter and flour.  Dear me, it's heaven!  And those roast beef po-boys are such a crowd pleaser.  I think the reason I love making these dishes is that I feel I am sharing a part of myself and my city when I make them.  I feel like my friends can sense the love and care you put into these dishes and it expresses the pride and love I have for the food culture of New Orleans.  When we celebrate, whether it's the Superbowl or a birthday or the start of the Carnival season, these are the dishes we share.  There is a great book about the food culture of New Orleans, Gumbo Tales...  Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table, and in it the author describes the relationship of food to the people of the city.  It's not about the food itself, New Orleanians love food because of the care it is prepared with and the people it is shared with.  I love sharing these meals with the people I care about.

What is your favorite dessert?

    My sister is a pastry chef at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse in New Orleans.  Everything she makes is my next favorite dessert.  I love her coconut cake, and I love her strawberry shortcakes (out of this world!!!).  But I think my favorite is her signature dessert - red velvet cake truffles.  These are bites of heaven.  The center is a soft, gooey red velvet cake blend coated in cream cheese frosting and covered in hard chocolate.  Mmmmm!!!  

Favorites

What is your favorite color?

    PINK!!!  Without a doubt - in any and every shade!  When I was a little girl, I would say I wanted a pink house with purple insides and a purple car with pink insides.  Then I became a Delta Gamma where my favorite color combo became bronze, PINK, and blue.  

If you could trade lives with any celebrity who would it be?

    No questions asked Lea Michele from Glee.  Where did this girl come from?  She is on the brink of complete stardom, and unlike the reality tv stars that have taken over People magazine, she's actually talented.  I would give anything to be able to hit just one note that she can hit.  I would want to be in the Broadway version of Chicago as Roxy Hart.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

    It would be in an antebellum mansion on St. Charles Avenue on the parade side of the parade route.  I would throw the most spectacular parties every Mardi Gras and you'd all be invited.  And since I'm playing this game, I'm imagining I have all the money in the world, so I would also have a condo overlooking Central Park!!

If you could listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?

    Great question!!  I thought I could listen to the Ying Yang Twins Halftime for the rest of my life during the Saints season because it brought such awesome memories of the games, but then we got home for Mardi Gras and we actually did hear it every five seconds, and wow, it got old.  I think I could listen to Better than Ezra's This Time of Year forever!  I love this song!!!!  It brings back such great memories.  

What's your favorite thing to do when you come home?

    Other than see family and friends, I would have to say walk down Royal Street in the Quarter or Magazine Street Uptown.  I love browsing through all of the little shops and boutiques.  

A New Orleans Weekend

What time of year do you recommend visiting New Orleans and what would we do if we had a weekend together there?

    There is no better time to visit than Jazzfest.  You get to see the city in its best light at the fest - through culture, music, and food.  So we'd spend Friday at Jazzfest snacking on all of the best foods the city has to offer.  Friday night we'd get BBQ Shrimp at Mr. B's and go to Pat O's and finish the night with some late night dance partying at the greatest bar in the world - The Gold Mine.  Saturday we'd get po-boys at Parkway Bakery and head Uptown for some shopping along Magazine Street.  We'd get drinks at The Swizzle Stick Bar and have dinner at Cochon.  Then we'd head to the Marigny to listen to some live jazz at DBA.  Sunday morning we'd walk through the Quarter, maybe take a a carriage ride, and then go to Commander's for their jazz brunch.  We could walk off brunch by heading to St. Charles Ave to meet the streetcar line where we could take a ride up and down the Avenue.  Sunday we could have a low key dinner at Luke and head to bed a bit early.  Monday before you hopped on your plane, we'd stop at Cafe du Monde for coffee and donuts (cafe au lait and beignets).  Sounds fun right!

If you are planning a trip to NOLA any time soon, email me and I can help you put together a nice little itinerary!

I hope you enjoyed this crazy long post (I'm long winded if you haven't noticed).  I'll be posting the answers to the questions about how I met Mark on April 1st - the tenth anniversary of our first date!!!  Keep your questions coming in the mean time!!

Ask Away Thursday...

I so enjoyed all of your sweet comments yesterday, and I especially loved your helpful tips!!  I will keep updating you as our plans continue to develop.  We're debating a trip to Champagne, but are feeling a little crunched for time.  There's just so much to do!!  I also might be asking for some fashion advice as the trip gets closer.  I know it's incredibly vain, but I want to look cute and fashionable while we're there.  I am at a loss for comfy but stylish walking shoes.  Do they exist??  I have some Tory Burch Revas, but I think they are the least comfy shoes ever made.  So those are out.  Have you found some you like? 

What's with all the questions, you ask?  Well, I was just thinking it would be fun to have an Ask Away Thursday.  I have seen some other bloggers do this and I always find it interesting to see what questions readers come up with and what answers the blogger has.  So I thought I'd give it a try!  

Feel free to comment with whatever questions you have for me, and I'll post later this weekend with my responses. Should be fun!!!   So go for it, ask away!

A Thought for Thursday - It's the Little Things

It's funny, I have a love hate relationship with tax season.  While the hours are long and the work is complex and stressful, I seem to thrive on the anticipation of the deadline.  I am never happier at work than during the peak of our busiest season.  At the same time, I am often weary and a little cranky.  It is during those times when just the littlest thing can brighten my day.  It doesn't take a lot. Last night I was working late, and an email came across my screen from Mark and it asked "Can you find the surprise?" and had this picture of the current contents of our refrigerator attached.

And just when I was feeling the grumpiest I had felt all day, I saw my surprise - a bottle of my favorite wine, Conundrum.  Isn't this the cutest and sweetest thing!  My heart melted and I was reminded how incredibly lucky I am to be married to someone who finds joy in the little things. 

Pay it Forward

So as I'm sitting here at my desk eating leftover chilly, I have been reading posts on Sainsreport.com. I post frequently on here about my undying love for the Saints, and for those who aren't football fans, I imagine those posts can be awfully boring. But as we from New Orleans know firsthand, football transcends the game. So although this post is Saints related, it is has nothing to do with the sports and everything to do with life.

I'll post the link to the actual article I am referencing, but I'll give you some background here so you know why I felt it was important to post about. You see in the Saints off season this summer we signed a defensive end turned defensive tackle, Anthony Hargrove. Anthony has seen the highs of being drafted out of college into the NFL, but most recently he has seen some major lows. After a successful rooking season, he began struggling with a drug addiction which eventually got him suspended for four games. The suspension teamed with his lack of focus got him released from his team. After signing on with the Bills, Anthony failed his second drug test and was suspended for a year. He had hit the bottom. Not one to give opportunities to "character issue" guys, our coach made an exception for Anthony because he saw in him a will to be a better man. Anthony has taken his second chance to heart and has succeeded on the field, but most importantly, he has succeeded off the field. I have been following him since I first read about his troubled life, and I have been thinking about him and hoping for his sake and for his family's sake, that this last opportunity would be the one that would turn his life around. I can't explain why I felt so connected to his story. Maybe it's because when I needed something hopeful in my life post-Katrina, the Saints and their will to win, their will to carry our beleaguered city on it's shoulders, provided that ray of light. I just had this feeling that if Anthony could be a part of this team and this town he could see how wonderful life could be without the things that hold you down.

And if you read the following story, I think you will feel like I do. Relieved to know that Anthony has found his way. Hopeful to see that because he has seen that out of darkness comes light, he can become a beacon of light to others. I think that being able to see that in yourself speaks volumes about character. More so than any suspension ever could.

This is Anthony's story of paying it forward:

http://www.wwltv.com/news/Lesson-learned-Hargro-79056342.html

Random Thoughts

1. Drew Brees was on Jay Leno last night and he was AWESOME!! At one point Jay asked him what was the most unusual thing he has ever been asked to sign. For just a minute as he started to say "There was this one time..." I thought he might say - I was asked to sign a Saltus menu in Beaufort, SC by two crazy Saints fans (that'd be Mark and me). Nope - it was someone's prosthetic leg that had been painted black with a gold Fleur de Lis. Gotta love Saints spirit!
2. Glee!! - The finale of Glee was the best episode by far. How will I be able to wait until the spring for it's return. Lea Michelle's rendition of Don't Rain on Parade gave me goosebumps! Where did they find this girl?!?!?! Every once in a while I go through the debate of "if I could come back with one amazing talent what would it be?" On Sundays, I want to be a rough hitting line backer just so I could run out of an NFL tunnel, but after watching Glee last night, all I wanted to do was stand on a Broadway stage and sing my little heart out!
3. Oh Tiger - I have been reading on Facebook how sick everyone is of hearing about Tiger Woods, so I'll keep it short. But seriously, what was he thinking?? He had it all... I don't care to know the details of who he did what with and where and when and for how long. All I want to know is WHY??? Why would he do this? And why does this seem to be a recurring theme among men in power? Answers we won't get, I'm sure, but ones I would love to know.
4. After the Saints blewout the Giants, I convinced Mark that we should buy refundable airfare to Miami for the weekend of the Superbowl. At that point, I hadn't really thought through the total cost of going to the game. Last week a friend of mine bought two tickets to the big game for $2,500 a piece. Ouch. Since then, I have been getting to work early and entering every Superbowl ticket contest available on the internet. After all, someone has to win, right? Why can't it be me?
5. One of my favorite things about the holiday season is office Christmas party episodes of my favorite tv shows! Tonight should be a real treat - Community, Parks and Rec, The Office, and 30 Rock. I can't wait - the previews had me laughing. Good sign!
6. The New Orleans mayor's race kicks off this week. There are eight candidates, and there are some pretty good choices too. God only knows who will win, but the one thing that's certain is that it won't be old C. Ray. There's hope in that!

Thought for Thursday - To Gamble and Lose

I really do enjoy heading over to Harrah's every once in a while. I love the Tabasco dollar slots and I really love a good game of black jack. I tell you what though, I hate to lose. At our house, we call losing paying our Harrah's tax. Losing - it's a risk I'm willing to take because I have weighed the options of being out 20 bucks versus winning $250. Having some familiarity with the decisions it takes to be willing to risk something, I have started to ponder over one now infamous gamble that the Army Corps of Engineers chose to take.

For the past four years, the people of New Orleans (and our adopted son Brad Pitt) have been shouting from our rooftops, no pun intended, that the aftermath of Katrina was in no way related to a natural disaster. It was in ALL respects a man-made tragedy, and one that could have been prevented. We weathered the storm; we did not weather the collapse of the government built and maintained levee systems intended to protect our dear city. For years it has seemed that our voices have been quieted to the point where most have fallen silent.

UNTIL YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!

"In a groundbreaking decision, a federal judge ruled late Wednesday that the Army Corps of Engineers' mismanagement of maintenance at the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet was directly responsible for flood damage in St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. The failure of the Corps to recognize the destruction that the MRGO had caused and the potential hazard that it created is clearly negligent on the part of the Corps," said U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. in his ruling. "Furthermore, the Corps not only knew, but admitted by 1988, that the MRGO threatened human life ... and yet it did not act in time to prevent the catastrophic disaster that ensued with the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina."

In my opinion the Corps made the decision that it would rather risk the cost of losing one of America's great cities than paying the cost to protect it. Well the stakes just got raised, my friends. According to the Times Picayune "Duval's 156-page decision could result in the federal government paying $700,000 in damages to three people and a business in those areas, but also sets the stage for judgments worth billions of dollars against the government for damages suffered by as many as 100,000 other residents, businesses and local governments in those areas who filed claims with the corps after Katrina." With all the chips on the table, it looks like the Corps will have to fold it up. This was one gamble they should have considered a little more closely.

And so it appears that the Army Corps will have to pay it's Harrah's tax. They seemed to forget the most basic of gambling principles, "The house always wins."

A Thought for Thursday - Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar

This weekend a few of my friends were telling stories about instances where their lunch or one of their co-workers lunches were swiped from the office refrigerator. This has to be one of my biggest workplace pet peeves!! Unless you brought what you are about to eat, slowly put the turkey sandwich down and walk away from the fridge!

When I was working at a big firm, we had a lady selling those tubs of cookie dough for her kid. Because you can never really say no to those kinds of things, everybody bought one. About six weeks later when she made the big delivery, our office fridge was stuffed to the brim with cookie dough of all kinds. That night one person forgot their tub of dough and some sneaky auditors who had been working late ate almost the whole carton of cookie dough. Well, the next day when the person discovered this, all hell broke loose in our office. HR was summoned, there were meetings and apologies. It was CRAZY!

I bought this jar of Klaussen pickles two weeks ago and put it in our fridge. I have eaten one of them so far. The other day I was looking for a quick and low-cal snack so I went to grab a pickle. What did I find - there's only one left!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have not said anything as my office is so small and I'd rather not make it that big of a deal. But I'm wondering, have you ever had your lunch snagged? Did you say anything? Thoughts??

Stay Tuned!

I'm hoping to get our pictures from these last two weekends uploaded and posted. I'm so bad about doing this, and since we have a night at home without meetings or other plans, I have no excuse - so hold me to it!!!

I got an idea!

My Halloween costume is.............

Devil With a Blue Dress On! I am going to wear this cute little blue dress and devil accessories. Cute and a little funny too. I can't pull off the sexy "fill in the blank" costumes. I prefer something a little witty!!

YAY! Halloween anxiety DONE!

Ten (More) Things on Thursday...

So I just love these kinds of lists. Lisa has put up another installment on her blog, so I am going to do the same!!

1. What are you going to be for Halloween? Good question! We are going home this weekend and actually flying out on Halloween. I have to find something that I can pack. Any good ideas? I may just go to Walmart and get a couple of yards or pretty fabric, make a toga, and take my costume back to the good old days of frat parties.

2. Have you ever been on television? No, but I should have been! Four years ago, on the Halloween after Katrina, I met our local sports anchor (Lee Zurich) and told him I was going to the Saints game as a refrigerator. You see, at that time, everyone in NOLA has to throw out their yucky moldy fridges so on every street there were tons of fridges with duct tape all over them. People started spraying painting phrases on them and one of those phrases was "Don't Open Tom Benson Inside." He is the Saints owner who everyone hated that year b/c he wanted to move the team. So with hopes of being on tv, I constructed a Frigidaire refrigerator out of poster board, duct tape, and spray paint and wore it to the game. I never made it onto tv, but I took some pictures with random Saints fans who appreciated the humor.

3. Do you have a toilet paper preference? I like the super soft really cushy stuff.

4. When you’re pregnant, will you find out the sex of the baby? I really want to b/c I am a planner and don't like surprises. However, Mark really does not want to find out. He doesn't ask for much, so I might give in on this one. Plus my friend Anna said the cutest thing on this subject. She said so often women are the ones who are at the center of big events - the engagement, the wedding day, the whole pregnancy. She wanted her husband to have his moment when he got to open the waiting room door and announce to the world "It's a girl!" I thought that was a really sweet sentiment.

5. What are three items that every kitchen must have? A bottle of wine, a cast iron skillet, and a sharp eight inch chef's knife.

6. Do you enjoy Christmas shopping? LOVE it! I love the hustle and bustle and the Christmas songs played over and over. I love planning the perfect gift for someone and watching it get wrapped all nice and pretty. I love shopping, but I really love Christmas shopping!

7. What is your go-to recipe? Cheeseburger Pie or Roast Beef Po-Boys - they feed a crowd, are simple to prepare, and are delish!

8. Do you sleep on your back, belly, or side? Belly!

9. How do you feel about Tom Cruise? I was in love with Tom Cruise in the Top Gun days. Now - I just think he's a self centered weirdo.

10. What books are in your “books to read” stack? I am trying to finish My Life in France right now. Also, our book club book is Same Kind of Different As Me, so that too.

Thoughts for Thursday - Before I'm 30

I have always loved celebrating my birthday (imagine that - me loving a chance to be the center of attention!), but with my 29th coming up, I am starting to wonder how much longer I will still find enjoyment out of prancing around all day in a birthday crown celebrating my age. I have decided to make my last bday that starts with a 2 last all year. So I started thinking, is there something I really want to accomplish before 30?? There's the traditional "get a promotion", and the ever popular "start a family", but knowing that we'll have a pretty big transition on our hands in the midst of my 29th year, I'd like to keep it to something a lighter! So I started thinking about things I don't attempt because I'm too scared to try them, and my thoughts consistently went back to food. Seeing as I am a person who can map out my life by when I tried my first short rib/fois grois/oyster, etc., I decided I would like to take this year to learn to make the dishes that I have either been too lazy to try or too intimidated to try. Here goes:

1. Chicken Stock - Anytime I read a Martha Stewart recipe that calls for homemade chicken stock, I feel like Martha is taunting me with her superior commitment to producing better food than me. I don't know why I have avoided making my own broth, it seems easy enough to do, but I am constantly wondering - who has time for this, Martha? So i will set aside one Sunday to make a nice chicken broth that I can freeze and use when needed!
2. Gumbo Ya-Ya, Mr. B's Style - I have always felt that Mr. B's makes the best Gumbo Ya-Ya I have ever tasted . The roux they use is so dark that the gumbo takes on the color of mahogany. I have attempted many times to perfect this dish, even using their recipe, but I always get pooped out from stirring my roux for an hour. It has never turned much darker than caramel and it lacks the deep nutty flavor that theirs has. This year, I will patiently stir my roux until it is Mr. B's perfect. (And I'll use my homemade chicken stock too!).
3. Gnocchi - I absolutely adore gnocchi. There is this amazing restaurant in Houma, LA called Christiano's that makes their own gnocchi everyday. They change the preparation nightly, so you always get something new and innovative. I have watched this treat being prepared on several cooking shows, and I will admit, it makes me very nervous. It seems like if you add just a little too much of any one thing - done. But I will try!
4. A Crawfish Boil - Although crawfish boils might be my favorite pastime, I have never actually manned the boil. I think it's something every New Orleanian should know how to do.
5. A Great Burger - Even though Mark has shown me a trillion times, I still don't think I could use our grill if he wasn't home. If there is one thing I cannot stand it is gender stereotyping, so I refuse to fall into the category of a girl who can't grill. So I would like to figure out how to come up with the perfect home-cooked burger. I mean one that makes you say "Port of Call has nothing on me!"
6. Bearnaise Sauce - I could dip almost anything in Bearnaise. My favorite dish paired with Bearnaise is the fried eggplant dusted in powdered sugar from Galatoire's. Mmmmm... I find French sauces delicious but so scary to prepare. There are a ton of steps and raw eggs and what if mine separates?? But just imagine that burger topped with Bearnaise!
7. Pasta - There is a guy who comes to the Habersham farmers market on Fridays who makes his own breads, flavored butters, cheese spreads, and pastas. They are all absolutely delish, but at $11 for two servings of pasta, your wallet starts to cry out for help. Last week he had a roasted tomato linguine with black pepper and sage. Mmmm... I would like to be able to take my favorite combination of flavors and bring them to life in my pasta creations just like he does.
8. A Three Tiered Cake - I have attempted many times to assemble the perfect birthday cake, but I have always walked away with a big crumbly mess. I never wait long enough for the cake to cool so the cake breaks apart and I spend a half hour trying to glue it together using icing. Not pretty. I want to be able to slice into my cake and see three perfectly even layers of cake separated my a lovely buttercream filling!
9. Pie Dough - This is another dish that makes me feel less than stellar in the kitchen. I have considered trying to make my own dough many times, but I always opt for the easy substitute - Pillsbury deep dish pie. I convince myself that it's just as good, but really is there anything better than homemade pie dough?
10. Boeuf Bourguignon - The dish that Julia Child made accessible and Julie Powell made us all want to try. I have Julia Child's cookbook on the bookshelf in our kitchen, and I can tell you that as of today, it might as well be in a library because it has never been used. I have read almost half of it, and I find it more of an encyclopedia than a cookbook with it's laborious preparations. However, if there is one thing that I will make from that book, it will be this dish!

Ten Things...

Lisa from Knitting Yarns posted this today, and I thought it would be fun. Comment with your anwsers or post them on your blog!!!

Ten on Thursday
Here are 10 random questions:
1. If you won the lottery, what would be your one random, off-the-wall purchase? So if I won the local lottery and it was like a million dollars, I would buy my mom an Hermes Birkin bag. It's something she's talked about wanting but that no normal person can actually get. They're fab!! But if we ever won the BIG lottery where you don't actually know if you could spend all the money I would buy a Gulfstream jet - no doubt in my mind!

2. What is popular now that you just don’t get? American Idol. I know, I know. I just don't like reality competition shows where America gets to vote. I think it weeds out the people who are incredibly talented but not picture perfect.

3. What would your last meal, you know, if you were ever about to be executed and you got to choose that sort of thing? Ok, this is one of my favorite driving trip games!! It's so hard to decide though. Appetizer - turtle soup from Upperline; Dinner - Filet Mignon covered in Bernaise from Emeril's Delmonico; Starches - Pommes Frites from Rue de Jean and my dad's Fettucini Alfredo; Veggie - Green Bean Casserole with French's Crunchy Onions; Dessert - my sister's Banana Bread Pudding with Banans Foster Sauce and the Butterscotch Pudding from 112 Eatery.

4. When is it okay to start listening to Christmas music? The week of Thanksgiving, but my dad will gladly sing "Oh the weather outside is frightful" any time of year!!

5. How do you feel about facial hair on men? It depends.

6. McDonald’s or Burger King? I know it's PC to say you hate fast food, but I could play the "what would your last meal be" game with fast food too. I don't eat it unless we're in an airport, but I do love it. I would say McDonald's for sure!! Those fries!!!!! PS - Popeyes is considered a bona fide restaurant in New Olreans, so it doesn't count as fast food in my book!!

7. What kind of soap do you use? I like the liquid Dove soap because it smells so good. I also really admire the Dove campaign on improving the concept of beauty an body image among young girls - so buy Dove!!

8. What movie can you watch over and over and never get tired of? The Holiday, Serendipity, Sex and the City, Dead Poets Society, Miracle, Cool Runnings

9. Favorite beverage? Mojitos and Coke Zero!!

10. What do you want for Christmas? We are planning a 5 year anniversary trip to Paris in June and there is this amazing culinary experience I am dying for. Your day begins at 9:00 am where you meet the tour leader (Paule) at her home and she takes you on a tour of the open air markets of Paris. You select the freshest products to use in making a 3 course lunch. Returning to her kitchen, you attend a cooking class and learn the basics of preparing a French meal using your ingredients. After lunch you go for a three hour food tour of the area. AMAZING! We have been emailing and she seems wonderful. I am hoping Santa knows about Paule and her amazing Parisian foodie day.

Pam and Jim Sittin in a Tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Ok, who else LOVED The Office last night??? It was the best episode to date. I really think I was as happy for them as I am for real people when they get married! Secretly, I want them to be real so we can be friends. The practical jokes and pranks you'd play would never get old!

I don't want to spoil anything for in case you haven't seen it yet, but it was just so sweet!

Happy Friday!

4 - 0 my goodness

Can you believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Saints are four and "o" for the first time since 1991. I truly couldn't be more excited!!!!!!!!!

WHO DAT, BABY. WHO DATTTTTTTT!!!

So that you know that I'm really not crazy and am just your average Saints fan, here is a bit of an article talking about the hundreds of Saints fans who met the team at the airport last Sunday after their plane landed from Buffalo well after midnight...

The passion was evident Sunday around midnight, when hundreds of Who Dats greeted the team upon its return to New Orleans. Clad head to toe in black and gold, they lined the entrance road to General Aviation in Kenner, chanted and brandished signs of support.
"It was insane, " said reserve quarterback Chase Daniel, a rookie. "You could hardly get your truck down the road."
"It reminded me of the Vol walk, " cornerback Jabari Greer said of the cherished game-day tradition at his alma mater, Tennessee. "It was amazing."
"That just showed us how excited our fans are, and how excited they are early, " Saints safety Pierson Prioleau said. "It's special."

Special Indeed!!!

Is it the Swine Flu?

No it's just Saints fever!!!!!!!!!

I have been anxious about the Saints versus Jets game Sunday since the last second clicked off the clock last week in Buffalo. I know you never want to make much of any one game in the NFL, but this game has the feeling of a STATEMENT game. The Saints will be playing at home in what will hopefully be a playoff atmosphere against a Jets team that most predicted would have a mediocre season with rookie Mark Sanchez at QB. What has helped Sanchez and the Jets get off to a 3-0 start is the fantastic play of their defense and special teams. There defense has put Sanchez in manageable situations and haven't asked him to do too much to win a game. Their defense has not allowed an opponent to score on their first possession once this year allowing them to set the pace. It just so happens though that Drew Brees will be playing them this Sunday, and he has led the Saints to score on each of their three opening drives this year. If we can do that Sunday, it'll be a good start to what will hopefully be a great game.

I am kind of suspicious of games like these. We have so much invested in a big home win that would take us to 4-0 before the bye week. The Saints have found ways to disappoint us each of the last two years, so forgive my hesitance to crown them yet. I find I become so emotionally involved with the team (i.e. I cried after our 0-4 start in 2007, and I mean really cried) that I'm trying to ease my way into this season. But it's hard not to notice what's going around in New Orleans. The shakes, cold sweats, exhaustion - it's not the swine flu - it's SAINTS FEVER! I think I might be coming down with it too!!!

Positevly GLEEful!

I hope you have all been watching Glee! If not, that's what HULU is for, right!! It is by far the best show on television (this coming from someone who can watch an episode of Project Runway three times and not be bored). I watch it, and it makes me so happy. Maybe it brings back my dream of being a Broadway star. It must, because after last night's episode, I made Mark listen to my version of "How Lovely" from Bye Bye Birdie. I would give anything to be half as talented as the kids on this show. I will admit that with not nearly half their talent, I stood on stage many times and belted out a song, in likely the wrong key, and had the best time doing it. If only there was a place in this world for a twenty-something (I am going to use that phrase in every post for the next year while it still applies to me) wanna-be glee clubber. I guess for now, belting out "Don't Stop Believing" into my straightener will have to do.

happy new year!

I know what you're thinking, it's not January. But in my little world, September is the start of a new year for two important things to me - the Saints and the Junior Service League of Beaufort.

We were home this weekend to attend the Saints home opener. It is the best day of the year - when you're still undefeated and the hopes of a Superbowl seem oh so real. You arrive to your section and hug the guy who's sat in front of you for six years. You don't know his last name, or even what he does when is isn't spending time sitting in his seats, but you share a love for your team that runs deep. He was there to celebrate the reopening of the dome. He shed a tear with you when Deuce moved the pile to get the first down against Philly that sent us to the NFC championship. And that's the thing about the start of a new season, strangers come together and under the roof of the dome they are united in their love for their team and their city. And our boys didn't disappoint. Drew was spectacular, as was Mike Bell. The defense was much improved. Overall, a good performance, but they have a few things to clean up. Can't wait till Sunday!

We flew back to beaufort today, and I had my first junior league meeting of the new league year. It was so exciting to see all of our amazing members. We have such a great year planned and will be doing so much good here for our community. My friend Lauren and I are the co-chairs of the ways and means committee. We have a big job ahead of us, but we got such an amazing response tonight from our members. Our committee is shaping up so nicely. I have no doubt that we will be successful in continuing to make the league an organization that improves the lives of people here. Our committee will have the chance to shape the future of our league, a job which we don't take lightly. We can't wait to get started and feel so energized knowing we'll have a great group of women to help us achieve our goal of making the league the best it has ever been!

Here's to a new year!

A Thought for Thursday - Do-Over

Maybe it's because the school year is upon us, but it seems everyone is brushing up on their professional qualifications these days. I spent today sitting through 8 hours of continuing professional education on assessing audit risk and professional issues updates. Bleck. Meanwhile my sister, the pastry chef, has also been attending some continuing education. The difference between us, I learned that detection risk is very important, and Stephanie learned how to fill dark chocolate with a gooey coffee filling. What sounds better to you??

I sat through the class today thinking about a blogger I am following (Knitting Yarns) who asked the following question recently, "if you could start college all over again, would you change majors?" Interesting question, especially when you are trying your best to tune out your instructor with any thought not related to auditing. The pragmatic part of me says, "Even if you want to own a pastry shop with your sister down the line, an accounting degree will be really worthwhile in helping to run a business. Stick to accounting." The dreamer in me says, "Heck yeah I'd change majors."

I would love to do graphic design or marketing or tourism management. While we're at it, my dream job would be to host Sportscenter, so maybe I should have been a broadcast journalism major. The possibilities are endless! Or are they? I really want to be like Julia Child and start over at 40 - do what I love to do, you know. But have we outgrown a chance to do something other than what we are doing now? Can you actually go back (or maybe forward) and change things? And if you could, would you?

A Thought for Thursday

Today is August 27th. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, it's just any old day in the peak of the hottest time of year. For me, it is the day we said goodbye to the New Orleans we always knew. It was on August 27, 2005, that after a long morning of volunteering in City Park with my accounting firm, Mark and I decided we should get a head start on evacuating just in case more people decided to leave on Sunday. At the time we decided to leave, we weren't really even worried about this storm they called Katrina. In fact, I sort of chuckled to myself when my friend and co-worker (who being from California was petrified of hurricanes) wasted no time and told us as we were packing up our volunteer supplies, that he was heading to Houston, he'd see us at work on Monday. Since you know how this story ends, it's not hard to realize that Monday never came. That was the last time I saw Kris - he didn't return to New Orleans.

A little shaken by his decision to leave, I think everyone else there that morning started thinking "Gosh, maybe we should go too??" So we went to the grocery (Robert's in Lakeview) and picked up water, flashlights, and snack foods, and we readied ourselves to head to New Iberia, LA where we figured we'd party for a couple of days with our gracious hosts, the Pellerins. We stopped by the house my parents had just purchased and tried to talk them into evacuating with us, but they were comfortable in just going to stay at a hotel downtown if things got too bad.

We straightened up the house a little. We put my wedding dress "high" on top of a dresser about six feet tall, and we pulled my VW Passat (my first car and graduation gift from my parents) a little further up in the driveway just in case there was street flooding. After all, my Uncle Sam's house had been through Betsy and it didn't flood, so we didn't have anything to worry about. Why take two cars - it only clutters the roads - that's what I told Mark that day. Just as we were about to leave, I joked with Mark "what if this was the big one?" I ran back in the house and grabbed our wedding albums and all of my handbags. Ha - if it does come and we don't have jobs, I could sell them off one by one I teased Mark.

We chatted and laughed as we drove through the streets of Lakeview and off on our little weekend getaway. I didn't look around. I didn't stop to cherish the memories I had made on the streets and in the homes of that quaint piece of heaven we call Lakeview. I didn't even notice driving by the home I had grown up in that my parents had just sold. I just sat in the car as my world went by and I didn't even see it.

And in the gut wrenching days that followed August 29th as we realized that our sweet Lakeview had been filled like a bowl with ten feet of water, I wished I had taken the time to really look around. I wished I had not taken for granted that the places I loved would be there when tomorrow came. And although four years later, Lakeview is on the mend, it is a different place. The streets that you knew like the back of your hand are lined with different homes. The pecan tree in the backyard of the house I grew up in that still had Mardi Gras beads in it from a game we played at my 8th birthday party called "throwing Mardi Gras beads into the pecan tree" is gone, as is the home itself. If I could only see it one more time. Just to really take it in. I would do anything for that.

So I guess my thought for this Thursday August 27th is not to walk aimlessly through your day. Enjoy every minute of it. Truly appreciate everything you see today that is something so normal you'd only know you missed it if it was gone tomorrow. Really see your world and all of the people and places in it.

Long Live Lakeview!