Here’s looking at you kid: A crock pot love affair

It is embarrassing to admit, but I think I have a culinary crush on my crock pot. It is crock pot Thursday. That means after working all day I get to come home to a delectable, home cooked meal that doesn’t require me to do…anything! You can slow cook an old running shoe with onions, garlic, roasted tomatoes, ginger, horseradish sauce, and wine and it will taste like a meal from any 5-star restaurant. Crock pots are amazing. I think Jesus wants everyone to have a crock pot.

My favorite crock pot recipes:
Beef or pork roast with horseradish wine sauce served over Israeli cous cous
Pork butt carnitas with orange juice and green chile served with roasted garlic, cilantro, queso fresco, and fresh corn tortillas
Stewed chicken with southwest spices and green chile served over rice or with tortillas

Busy moms and workaholics alike should invest in this is vital piece of technology. It prevents wasting money and sacrificing healthy habits by avoiding the inevitable fast food option (I’m still trying to severe my craving for PizzaHut). I think Apple should invest in smart crock pot technology! I throw in several ingredients and it tells me the remaining items to add for a gourmet meal. I’ll be sure to pitch that the next time I meet with Tim Cook. I’m sure he’ll just love it. ;-)

Wedding Bullshit-Part 1

Le Fat Cat is back!

So, it was never my intention to have a wedding. Not only have I been married before (thank goodness for divorce!), but I thought it ridiculous to have a wedding for a couple that has lived together for 8 years. We already have the house, towels, shower curtains, ice cream bowls, cheese graters, and the random wall art. We already argue over who is going to clean the litter box, unload the dishwasher, and pick up laundry off the floor. Aren’t weddings for people that don’t know enough about each other to be terrified? Perhaps it’s about looking for a day to buy really expensive shit (more on wedding expenses in future blogs).

 

 

My plan was to elope to Jamaica and get married on the beach. All I needed was sand, sun, rum punch, and a stoned minister that asked you to consent with a “ya, mon”. However, the journey into My Fair Weddings has begun. Familial obligation has vetoed all Caribbean based bad behavior and drunken nuptials. Where is Bob Marley when you need him?!

 

 

I am now well versed in contracts for photographers, flower designers, and receptions. I have a color coded folder with notes. I have pulled out the “I’m-a-project-manager-card-so-don’t-screw-me” card more than once. All the while working full time and finishing up an MBA. I find thatnothing brings out the best (and worst) in people than weddings and funerals. Each function is highly detailed, emotional, and in the end you always feel like you need to kiss someone’s ass.

 

 

However, with all that vented, I have to say that I’m actually kinda excited. And those of you that know me well know that it takes a lot to evoke a real reaction. I have a wine based ceremony and reception, I have a fantastic dress, wedding photos done in Paris, France, and I’m having donuts in place of a wedding cake. Really, what more could you want?

 

 

If I don’t make the Oxygen Channel’s wedding of year I’m going to be pissed!

Day 1 and 2--Milan, Italy

After a very long flight through JFK we finally arrived in Milan. Thankfully, the flights were uneventful, but we were all suffering through serious jet lag the first day. I hired a car service, Milano by Car, to meet us at the airport for transport to the hotel. We got a large 7 person van and had it filled to the top! The driver got us into Milano in a little over an hour which was good since it was rush hour when we arrived. Our hotel in Milan, Hotel Berna, was highly recommended on TripAdvisor so I decided to give it a shot. The staff are wonderful and very helpful and friendly. They arranged for our taxis and gave us dinner recommendations that were very good. The rooms are basic, but big by Italy's standards and very clean. Free Wi-fi too! The best part has been the elaborate breakfast buffet. OMG! It has everything you can possibly imagine plus made-to-order coffees. http://www.hotelberna.com/ The first day we just walked around and explored the city center around the Duomo. We went out in search of shopping which was not quite what we expected. I expected more boutique shopping with interesting fashions, but it almost all large stores like D&G, H&M, Louie Vutton, etc. I haven't even bought a pair of shoes yet! Guess I need to remedy that situation in Como. In the evening we walked near the hotel and asked several local shopkeepers and a lady walking her dog where we should go for good local food. We found a little pizzeria with a lovely antipasti buffet and cheap wine. It was very good! The second day we had to leave the hotel early as we had reservations to take the Autostradale city tour. We took a very short tour of the Duomo, Vittorio Emmanule shopping area, La Scala (where they were rehearsing a new ballet--gorgeous!), Sforza Castle, and of course The Last Supper. The Last Supper was truly amazing. It looks just as beautiful in person as in pictures. They only let 25 people in at a time and only for 15 minutes. No pictures :( That was the highlight of Milan in my opinion. Milan is a big city and very dirty. I just started to see the charm of the city last night while wandering around in the Brerea Arts District. It is a cool and distinct part of town with lots of art galleries, cafes, and boutiques. I hope to have more time to wander around there and go back to the specialty food market at the end of the trip. Today--Lake Como!!

Lizard Face-Day 7

Today I was almost back to normal. I had very little redness and I'm now starting to see the effects of the peel. I don't have sunspots on my cheeks or my forehead anymore. I still have a few on my nose, but they have lightened considerably. My skin is very even toned and my pores are smaller. I think I would probably do this peel again in 8-12 months to try to get rid of the rest of my sun damage. For someone who is outside all the time riding a bike or running, I have a feeling I will need to get these peels on a regular basis for maintenance. At $300 a pop, I'm not sure I care to do it more than once or twice a year. Overall, I'm very happy with the results!

Lizard Face-Day 6

Day 6 was a work day and I was finally able to put on make up for the first time in almost a week. I had to put on a layer of thick moisturizer, a layer of SPF 70, and then a layer of foundation to help even out the red spots. I wasn't really peeling much, but after three layers of products on my face you wouldn't have been able to tell anyway. If you want a great sunscreen use Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 60-70. I also use Lancome Photogenic foundation. It looks very natural. The evening of Day 6 was pretty much the same routine--wash with a mild cleanser and then apply a heavy moisturizer. Most of the peeling had stopped by bedtime.

Lizard Face-Day 4 and 5

Day 4 and 5 were pretty much the same. Lots of peeling! I felt like I had duct tape on my face and I wanted to rip it off at any given time. The peeling process is very uncomfortable and it itches like crazy! Unfortunately, I did scratch at my neck in the middle of the night and woke up to unsightly red marks on my neck. However, the derm told me to keep a heavy cream on it for a few days and it would go away.

Lizard Face-Day 3

Today is the most uncomfortable day so far. I am now visibly peeling on my chin and nose area and my face itches like crazy. The peeling will get worse over the weekend. I'm not allowed to touch my face except to wash it twice a day and apply the face cream and sunscreen I was given. If I peel away the skin myself, I could possibly scar the fresh skin underneath. No touching! While peeling I can't wear makeup so I will just have to deal with the red lizard face while watching re-runs of Deadliest Catch and ordering in Chinese food. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all...

Lizard Face-Day 2

Here are a few photos of Day 2. I woke up less red than the night before, but I still looked like I had a bad sunburn. I tried to cover it with makeup, but there is still a visible ring around my face. I had to answer questions at work all day, haha. I didn't really notice much the morning of Day 2 other than redness, but by the afternoon I had started to peel a little around the mouth and nose. My skin also started to throb so I spent the evening with an ice pack on my face. I had to apply a second dose of Retin A before bedtime which would really jump start the peeling process. That was unpleasant.

Lizard Face-Day 1

Well, I promised photos of the entire chemical peel process and I'm true to my word. I'll let you guys see my lizard face and renewal process so that you can decide if you would like to try it. If the results are as good as I hope they will be I could be doing this process several times a year. Here is a website about the VI Peel. It has a lot of good information! http://www.vipeel.com/Vi_Peel_FAQs.asp Day 1: My aesthetician, Rachel at Dr. Rene Snyder's office, was wonderful. She explained the whole process while she was cleansing my face, went over all the instructions, and then let me ask all my questions. I was nervous as I was about to cause a second degree burn to my face. I wanted to make sure I knew everything that could happen. The acid was applied to my face and I admit the first few minutes were quite uncomfortable. It did burn, but then it became a dull ache. It felt like Icy Hot on my face. I had to wear the peel home and could not wash it off for 4 hours. My face was so red!

Amsterdam-Day 4

Day 4 we were up very early and getting our bags together. We ordered a shuttle to take us to the airport, but of course, they didn't show up. Hans saw us waiting and called the company for us. They ended up ordering a taxi and we got there with plenty of time to spare. We really appreciated Hans and Loes efforts. I suggest everyone stay at Hotel Fita for the hospitality and good food :) It was a short and sweet whirlwind of a trip. Next time, we need a few more days to finish touring the city and then head to Belgium!

Amsterdam and Haarlem-Day 3

Day 3 started like Day 2, with an amusing breakfast and a fun chat with Hans. I think he was pleased to hear we were heading out of town to explore a smaller city. We wanted to get a better feel for the Dutch way of life. Haarlem was a nice place to go to see that. But first, we needed to hit the Rijks museum (also just down the street) for a few hours. We saw about 15 rooms full of classical Dutch paintings including several nice Rembrandts. The museum is much smaller than I expected though. The Louvre and the Vatican are so large you can't possibly see everything in one day, but in Amsterdam, you can pretty much see the whole city in one or two days. After touring the Rijks museum, we hopped on the tram to take us to the Central train station. The transportation in Amsterdam is so effective. Everything works the way it is supposed too. Trams get you within walking distance of sites, bikes get you everywhere, and cars are just a nuisance. I could definitely get used to getting around that way. The train to Haarlem took about 20 minutes and we walked into Haarlem square in about 15 minutes. I loved Haarlem. It was quiet, super clean, the people were very friendly and you didn't feel like you had to be there to see anything. You were there to "be" and enjoy the canals. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great, about 35 degrees with clouds and lots of wind. We tried to pop into the main church to warm up, but that backfired when we realized the church was colder inside than outside! Thank goodness for tea and coffee shops! We stopped into a tea shop for lunch and later tried the Dutch waffle at a waffle stand. It looked like biscuit dough it was so thick, but the Dutch know how to work it with butter and sugar. It was too good to try to describe it. Heaven. I could definitely live in Haarlem. It is a good mix of city and country life, and of course, everyone rides a bike. After taking the train back into Amsterdam and packing our bags, we ventured into a part of town we had not explored near the Concert Hall. Hans gave us a list of quality restaurants to try if we wanted real food. He laughed at us after we told him we ended up eating bar food for a few nights. His suggestions were spot on though. The restaurants were small, romantic, and the food we had at the French restaurant (whose name I cannot remember or even spell) was fantastic. Our restaurant served two things: Steak or fish. You got a salad and the entree of your choice. If you ordered a bottle of wine, you only had to pay for the amount that you drank if you didn't want the whole bottle. That was nice, although Rico and I did not need that. We had a bottle and then some! We also ordered the Dutch version of apple pie. It was very different. It was like an apple cake with an apple glaze on top and it is served with creme fraiche (sour cream) instead of whipped cream. I liked it, but I think Rico still prefers grandma's southern apple pie, haha. We were too stuffed to go anywhere else and our taxi was due to arrive at 0700.

Amsterdam-Day 2

Day 2 started with the most wonderful breakfast at the hotel. A full English breakfast with eggs, bacon, and the Dutch version of a pancake (for us it is a crepe) was served by Hans, the other half of the husband and wife duo. What a character! He's quite an entertainer and likes to get to know all the guests. I was going to pass on the eggs and bacon, but was told I HAD to try it and I'm glad I did. They cook everything in butter and cheese. I've never had eggs that good! The pancakes (or crepes) are also cooked in butter, cinnamon, and sugar. I could have had died and gone to heaven! We hit the Van Gogh (pronounced with a flemy "Hooooough", no "go") Museum right after breakfast. The hotel carries tickets to the Van Gogh and Rijk museum so that you don't have to stand in line. We walked right in and took several hours to tour the museum. The picture of Van Gogh's bedroom was being restored and a few self portraits were on loan. They did not have Starry Night either. However, we did get to see the sunflower painting and a lot of Van Gogh's early work that shaped his later style. You can definitely see the decline in his mental health through his paintings. The brush strokes are very anxious and angry at times and the random colors he put together really showed you he was struggling mentally. Unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures. After the museum we proceeded to walk around the rest of the day. We tried to find side streets and interesting picture opportunities. After trying a noodle house called Wagamama for lunch, we went into several shopping areas and looked around. We ended up having to help an elderly English couple get to the police station. The man fell off a curb and cut his head. We tried to clean him up as best we could and got him into the station so that they could take a better look at it. We didn't stay, but hope everything turned out ok. The evening was low key. We ended up having drinks and snacks at one of the MANY Irish bars in the city. I am now hooked on Magner's Irish Cider. So light and refreshing you forget you've had three in a row!

Amsterdam-Day 1

My flight into Amsterdam by way of Houston was fairly uneventful. It was a quiet flight with horrible food which is usually on par with an international trip. I arrived at Schipol airport a little late, but was able to find Rico in the Schipol Plaza. That airport is literally a city within a city. You could spend days there shopping and eating in the Plazas. We bought train tickets at the train ticket counter and took the escalator down to the train terminal. The train from the airport takes you directly to the Amsterdam Central Train Station where you can buy tram tickets. It is fast, clean, and super efficient. I understand now why it is pointless to have a car in Amsterdam. The tram system takes you everywhere you want to go! We knew we needed Tram #2 or #5 to take us to the Van Gogh Museum area and we were there within 10 minutes. Hotel Fita is on a side street called Jan Luykanstraat in a residential neighborhood with several pre-schools. We were not thrilled with the screaming later in the afternoon! Loes, one of the owners, got us checked in without a problem and gave us such specific directions we didn't get lost once while in town.

I was so jet lagged that on the first day we walked around the different districts without an agenda or a plan. We saw the entertainment area, flower market, tons of shopping, and the red light district. And yes, there are naked ladies shaking it in the windows and smokers tokin' it in the red light district. Totally different world.

We ended up eating at a bar the first night which wasn't very good at all. We didn't find a decent dinner until our last night there.

Italy-Day 10

Sat we were back to the airport via Rome Cabs (great service!!) for our return flight home. We received excellent service at the airport. I approached the service desk to get a wheelchair and Carlyn and I were checked in, run through security, and on our way to the international terminal before Rico and Mary Lou were even in the security line. We did some shopping in the duty free area and got some gifts while we waited for them to arrive at the gate. I was very sad to leave, but the fat cats were waiting on us to get home. I can’t wait to return!

Italy-Day 9

Friday was fairly uneventful. We had to catch the train back to Rome at noon. That train ride was a nightmare! We arrived at the train station early so that we could try to get all of our now FIVE suitcases and a wheelchair on the train. Well, things didn’t go according to plan. Our train car was packed with teenagers from a school trip that had taken most of the luggage space. Our suitcases were about 50 lbs each so it took two of us to put one suitcase above our heads. Our stuff was just scattered all over the train. We still ended up with a suitcase in one of our seats, the wheelchair in the ailse, and a few bruises. We made it to Rome without hurting anyone though, haha. We were so tired by the time we got back to the hotel in Rome, that we ended up just walking around the last night. We walked back up to the shopping area and went into a few more shops. We had dinner at a great restaurant somewhere near the Spanish steps I believe.

Italy-Day 8

Thursday we had the morning in Pisa. It was fun and cheesy at the same time. Everyone has to try to knock over the Leaning tower in the photos or buy a leaning shot glass, but it was educational and it was a gorgeous day. Unfortunately, Rico and I did not get to go into the Duomo. We would have been in line for an hour trying to get a ticket. It was pretty from the outside tho!

After we returned from Pisa, we did MORE shopping and then Rico and I got ready for a date. We took off for dinner at a random spot in town. We just walked around until we found a quiet street with a nice looking restaurant. We ended up at La Posta. It was wonderful! The best truffled dish I had in Italy was at this restaurant. It ended up being an expensive meal, but it was worth it! Check back for a full blog on food in Italy :)

Italy--Day 7

Wednesday ended up being my favorite day. I found a Cinque Terre day trip out of Florence on the Weekend in Florence website. I am so glad I booked that trip! We finally got outside of the cities and saw a more down-to-earth lifestyle (even though they still catered to tourists). We left the Florence train station at 7am in a very nice charted bus. It was comfortable and we had a guide that spoke English, Italian, and Spanish. She was great. We arrived at the port of La Spezia where we took a boat to Cinque Terre. The pictures do all of the speaking. The towns are so charming and quaint. I would love to hike through this area for a few weeks! It was long day, but by far my favorite area that we saw on this trip!

We got back to Florence at 8pm and promptly went to Il Porcospino down the street. Good food and there is a guy there that LOVES UT. He has pins, buttons, pictures, etc. It was really funny. If you want a good restaurant—go there!

Italy Cont'd-Day 6

Tuesday was a very busy day for us. We had tickets to the Uffizi and the Accademia museums. Thankfully, due to Carlyn in the wheelchair, we did not have to wait in line. I picked up our tickets at both places and away we went! The Uffizi had amazing Renaissance paintings while the Accademia had the David. Unfortunately, they would not let us take pictures of the David. Too bad. It would have made a nice Christmas card, haha!

After our fun filled museum morning, we had enough of paintings. We needed some shopping time. We hit the local markets and stocked up on stuff! The shopping in Florence is very nice, both on the main drag (Gucci, Prada, YSL, etc) and in the markets. You can get Italian silk ties for 6e or cashmere scarves for 20e. Stockings are really big in Italy right now. Everyone wears leggings and boots or short skirts, patterned stockings, and boots. Needless to say, I had to have both!

Italy Cont'd--Day 5

Monday we left Rome to travel to Florence by train. We checked out after breakfast and ordered taxi’s to the train station. You know, we were warned of wayward cabbies, but we never had a problem! The Rome Termini is a crazy experience. Keep your hands on your bags! There are so many people jumping on and off trains that something could disappear before you knew it! We found our track and our train without a problem. Our train was relatively empty so we had plenty of room for our luggage and the wheelchair. That was nice. It was a smooth and lovely 2 hour train ride. The train system in Europe is so efficient! Unfortunately, it was pouring when we arrived in Florence. We had planned to walk to the hotel (which was literally two blocks away), but with four suitcases and a wheelchair, there was NO way that was going to happen. A two block cab ride was 6e ($12)! However, we stayed dry and we found our B&B. We were very happy with our rooms at Alloro. Christian was very nice and the rooms were great. Lots of space, nice bathroom, lovely frescos on the ceiling, and quiet location. We had tons of restuarants right next door!

We rested about 20 min and headed out in the rain to the Duomo. Yet again, another example of amazing art in Italy. It was very beautiful and impressive! And it provided a refuge in the rain. By the time we saw the church, the rain had subsided and we were hungry. We picked a nearby café and had a wonderful meal.

The food is very different in Florence. For example, a pizza in Rome is super thin, always crispy, and has a sweeter sauce with a little cheese. The pizza in Florence has a thicker crust (and the bread had more of a yeasty taste instead of flour taste), a bland sauce, and more cheese. Even the wine was different. Most of the time in Rome, you are served a bottle of dry white wine. In Florence, we were almost always served a pitcher of sweet sparkling wine. One thing that Florence had that Rome did not---truffles! I had truffled pasta and meat for four days straight!

Italy Cont'd--Day 4

Sunday, we had a slow morning and ordered a taxi back to St. Peter’s square. Orginially, we had planned to attend the Pope’s blessing at noon, but was afraid that we would not find a place to sit/stand. We decided to go to the square around 10am to catch Mass and then stay for the blessing. Mass was little tedious for me, but it was neat to watch it on these massive jumbo-tron TV’s in the square. After Mass, the Pope walked to a pulpit outside the church and blessed the crowd in at least 8-10 different languages. That was amazing.

After the blessing, we walked back across the river and had lunch at a café on the corner. It was alright. We were really only there to use the restroom! You learn to stop and have food/drinks several times a day so that you can use a clean facility. The toilet bowls in Italy are….interesting. They do not have lids. It’s basically just the bowl (in Rome at least). Note for future travelers: take seat covers, tissue, and wet wipes. You will be REALLY glad you have it when you discover a facility without tissue OR soap.

Anyway, from there we headed over to see the Pantheon. I have been wanting to see this my whole life and I was not disappointed. It was beautiful and very well preserved! It was originally built as a temple to all the gods of acient Rome, but was rebuilt in the 2nd century A.D. It is the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. The oculus is massive. On our way back to the hotel, we walked along part of the Roman forum that faces the street. Carlyn was not able to do the Roman Forum walk with Rico and I, but at least she was able to see some of the ruins along the way. Rico and I ended up going into the Roman Forum while Mary Lou and Carlyn went out for shopping.

The Roman Forum was very interesting. It is difficult to imagine how massive the buildings were until you are actually standing in front of one. The Bascillica of Constantine just towers over everything else.