New Orleans

This past weekend my family had a girl-trip to New Orleans. We had so much fun and ate so much good food.

Waiting for shops on Magazine Street to open, we went to Audubon Park (on St. Charles across from Tulane and Loyola). As we were walking around the park, we noticed this fountain and a dog that refused to get out. We walked over, sat down, and watched. While we were there a few other dogs got into the fountain! I guess they know something we don't, because it was so funny to see all these dogs that seemed to know to get in the fountain!

On Magazine, we walked into one of the coolest shops I've seen (or eaten in) in a long time. It's called Sucre and it's to die for. I got Coconut Basil gelato, while my mom and sister got Malted Milk Chocolate and my aunt and cousin got a really dark chocolate. It was so fun and tasty!

Spider Lilies!

I had just post on my blog, made my bed, turned on Good Morning America, and decided to take out the trash. Walking through the backyard back to the house, I noticed something that literally just popped up- SPIDER LILIES!

My Mamaw, mom, and I have been talking about them since right now is the little window of time that they bloom. There had been these green stalks in the backyard near Erin's room, but I had just assumed it was from this plant that is next to them. But, today I realized I had some Spider Lilies of my own.

Since I had loaded my photos, I'll show you my fabulous dinner from last night!

The original recipe my mom gave me was called "Peanut Chicken Bowl," but I've decided to call it the "Faux Thai Pad Thai" dish. I've got it pending on PW's Tasty Kitchen, so I'll give you guys a link to the recipe when it posts. It's pretty simple with Ramen noodles, snow peas, red bell pepper, chicken, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Even my roommate, Deidre, that doesn't like chicken OR peanut butter (another component in the peanut sauce) liked it!

Downtown Dog

The other day when we were leaving Southbound, I saw the cutest dog staring at us out of the window outside our car.

I had to get a close-up for you guys because I wanted to take him home with me!

How sweet is that??

Yesterday morning, I picked up Kaycie and we made the drive to Petsmart to help with the Adoption Team. BUT, they never showed! Hungry and tired, I suggested we go to one of the places we love, C'est la Vie. Pull into the parking lot and there's a note on the door saying they are going to be gone for two weeks!

So, I suggested Southbound Bagel, a place downtown that I have heard of, but never been too. Ok, I've been to it during Artwalks, but they were only displaying art, so I've never actually had the food.

We walk in to the corner shop and take a menu. Holy-toledo, this place has so much to choose from! I wish I could remember all of the items, but there was bacon cream cheese, all kinds of bagels, omelets, and a funky design I really loved. The place had a greasy diner feel with a counter, swivel stools, and mis-matched chairs and tables that made it really fun. Plus, the place is almost all windows, overlooking all the criss-crossing tracks right next to the train depot.

I ordered the Maestro, an omelet with bacon, swiss, and tomatoes (came with a choice of bagel and I chose onion), while Kaycie ordered the Shrimp Alfredo omelet.

FABULOUS! It was so good and different from anything I've ever had before. I'm definitely going back.

After finishing, we decided to check out Calico Mall, a flea market in an old home right down the street from Southbound.

While we were in one booth tucked away from all the others on the second floor, we found one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen here. Make that, the most disturbing.

It's a wrinkled woman's head!!! It's apparently mechanical. I guess if you but batteries in it, it would work. I don't know anyone that would actually want that thing to work and talk. Creepy!

After that, Kaycie and I decided to go to Petal, because we had always heard people talk about or say they lived there, but we had never been there. Ha! It's quite small and I got so terribly lost TWICE trying to get back home. I finally pulled out my iPhone and I was over ten miles from home. But we got back and all was good!

My friend Maggie (my roommate last year that graduated) came into town yesterday and stayed with me last night. While we were driving around town, Maggie kept asking me about all of the new buildings/restaurants that have popped up since she left in May. One of the places was this little shop close to campus called "Cirque de Sweet Day." I'd heard it had cupcakes and Maggie was determined to have her a cupcake from there.

After getting there in the most torrential downpour ever, we walked into Cirque de Sweet Day. After seeing my friend Kaycie there with Annie and her sister, we went up to get our cupcakes.

"Sorry, we are really low on cupcakes. We didn't make as many as we normally do because we thought the weather would deter people today. I do have some strawberry coming out from the back," the girl said.

We look in the case: two little cupcakes are sitting on clear plates. Low? There's hardly anything! Maggie gives me a look.

She brings out a couple of strawberry cupcakes, which Maggie orders, while I order one of the Reece's Buttercup cupcakes on the shelf.

I've gotta say, Maggie's fresh out of the oven cupcake was one of the best I have ever eaten, mine, however, not so much. However, the place is so amazingly pink and fun, I just might go back and try it again.

The Devil's Beatin' His Wife

We've have some really crazy weather the past couple of days (rain for a few minutes, then suddenly bright sun, rain with bright sun, rain again...), but it also brings about one of my favorite parts of our house: the stream that runs in front of our house.

It's normally pretty low (it's been dry for much of the time we've been here), so the rain has created quite a stream!

So, after class today, I came home and cleaned off the deck and enjoyed it (while it wasn't raining, of course).

More later!

Monkeying Around

Yesterday, I was over at my Mamaw's house for a family get-together. After dinner, we were all in the living room where some were watching the State game and others were playing with cousins Jacob and Parker. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw these monkeys on the mantle. For a second, I thought they were voodoo dolls. I was kind of creeped out by them at first, but now that I've loaded the pictures on my camera, they are kind of cute!

Mommy Puh-leese???

Mommy can I have Jolene? Pleaseeeee?


-- Post From My iPhone

I've got so many stories and I've gotten so behind on my blog, I feel like I should backtrack and tell you all of them!

(EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are squeamish, pregnant, my become pregnant, or unable to handle bathroom humor, this first story isn't for you.)

About a week ago, we had one of our first house mis-haps, but it ended it being one of the funniest things (afterwards, of course) that's happened in our house, thus far.

We have been having a little ant problem and one night after my roommate, Deidre, took a shower, she told us to come into the bathroom and see that there were a few ants on the ceiling. Pointing them out, Deidre decided to stand on the toilet lid to get closer. For whatever reason, the toilet seat collapsed under her (at this point Deidre is still only in a towel), shattering the lid, seat, attachments, and not to mention the fact that her leg up to her mid-calf is in the toilet! Erin, Deidre, and I were all stunned, shriek

ing that the toilet seat had broken, Deidre's in the toilet, and there ants on the ceiling (we can laugh about this now, remember?).

We get Deidre out of the toilet (which I had cleaned that day, thank goodness), cleaned up the broken pieces, and tried to figure out how in the world to figure out what kind of seat we needed.

After changing clothes, measuring the seat and figuring out we needed an "elongated seat" (which brought much laughter in itself), we headed off to WalMart at 9:30 at night (we only have one bathroom so we needed it fast).

On our way there, we started talking about what kind

of seat we wanted to get. Though joking, I suggested a padded seat. Deidre, being completely serious, said, "Oh my gosh, please, let's get one. They are so comfortable I can do my homework on one!" Erin and I fall out with laughter thinking about it, vowing never to let Deidre go near a padded seat.

After buying our enlongated sink, we all came back and assembled our new seat. Crisis averted.

WOW. Okay. In other news...

I got a fabulous Macbook Pro last weekend!

My sister has been asking for a Mac for a while now and with Mac's newest operating system, Snow Leopard coming out, an offer for a free iPod touch, and my educational discount running out when I graduate, my dad came up with this plan. According to my mom, this is how it was supposed to happen:

I was going to come home that weekend so I could go to the Apple store, get Snow Leopard, and update my Macbook. My dad was going to go with me to the store and as we were walking by the Macbook Pros, say, "Hey Sophie, wouldn't you like to have one of these MacBookPros?" Thus, surprising me with a very early graduation gift and also shifting my two year-old MacBook to my sister.

However, in my dad's excitement, he spilled the beans early. I can't say that I blame him. What if I didn't want a new MacBook Pro (Ha, yeah right?)? Then what would happen? So, when my mom had gone to Bunko at a friend's house, he asked me if I would like a new computer, etc. It was still very exciting and fun.

I gotta say, though, this computer is smokin'. Not only does it have the same features as my old MacBook, but it's got an SD card slot for my camera card with makes getting images on this blog SO much easier! I'm really enjoying it. Thanks Mom and Dad!

P.S. Don't forget to check out my Twitter updates on the right-hand side of the page! I update daily (sometimes hourly!), which tends to be more frequent than my longer blog posts which can tide you over until my next posts.

Quiche the Cook

Pheewww! Over the past couple of days, I've actually made a couple of really tasty things. While for the most part my roommates and I end up eating separate meals or semi-seperate meals, I try to make us all dinner at least once a week (since my seasonal work at the bookstore is over, I've got more time to plan, etc. so this will probably happen more often.)

This past weekend I made a quiche that was pretty awesome. My mom had made a loaded one (with spinach, mushrooms, bacon, tomato), but since I have picky-eater roommates (how did this happen???), my quiche had ham, cheese, and green onions.

It's so simple and really turned out easy. Pie shell, 7 medium eggs (could have used less if they we larger), splash of milk, 1.5 green onions, 4 sliced of ham lunch meat (As my mom said, blot excess moisture out of any meat in quiche because it makes it soggy), about half a bag of cheese. It was perfect because there was just enough left over for a slice the next morning!

This weekend, I really was craving some eggplant stacks. This summer when eggplants were in high season, we found this recipe in Southern Sideboards. With few ingredients and such a great flavor, it's pretty amazing. A medium eggplant (washed, peeled, and cut into half inch slices), tomato (washed and sliced), onion (sliced), parmesan cheese, and Italian breadcrumbs.

Though you may not be able to find it, to me, I find that this is absolutely perfect with Great Harvest's Spinach and Feta bread. Ho-ley moly. I pretty much do it bruschetta-style, taking a stack on top of a slice of bread and smash it down a bit on the slice. (Sidenote: We also bought GH's special Labor Day bread "Red, White, and Blueberry." The bread consists of cranberries, white chocolate and blueberries. It's to die for.)

Right in the pan...

Right on a piece of GH bread.

Spike definitely seems to live it too!