Happy Blogiversary!
May 26th, 2012 § 6 Comments
Today marks two years of blogging from the doodle house!
Documenting our lives and sharing the things that have entertained and inspired us has been tremendously rewarding. The blog has been a place where I can be creative and goofy and honest, and I’m so happy to have found such joy in this little hobby.
Some highlights of what we’ve done and seen in the last two years…
We added chickens to our family….
And we took some chickens away…
We got our feet wet with gardening…
It’s been a thoroughly eventful two years. There’s no telling what the next two will hold.
Wine Not?
May 14th, 2012 § 2 Comments
I enjoy wine. Scratch that. Wine is the drink I enjoy above all other drinks. Perhaps because it is diverse and can take on so many remarkable forms–thus is capable of suiting my every mood. Sweet. Dry. Fruity. Crisp. Acidic. Buttery. I could go on and on. I love how it tastes, how it feels, how it smells. Bottled or boxed, I’ll take. It also doesn’t hurt that it has a reputation for being somewhat healthy too, so I can feel OK about indulging in the occasional glass or two (or three).
The problem, if you want to call it that, is that until recently I wasn’t really discriminating between types. I was acting like a floozy, not being particularly picky about my suitors. I was just happy to have a date.
Heath, trickster that he is, took it upon himself to change that by organizing a surprise Blind Wine Taste Test. What fun! Home he came with six mystery bottles (4 reds and 2 whites) for me to sample, identify and evaluate. I knew I liked that guy.
The wine contestants
The purpose of the test was for me to see not only if I could identify which wines were which from taste alone, but also to see what type of wine I truly enjoy the most. I’ve been to vineyards and done the whole wine tasting thing before, but doing it blind made for an ironically eye-opening experience.
It was stimulating to see if I could detect the hints of berry, chocolate, nuts etc. the labels claim lie within. And I enjoyed getting to have an honest discussion about which glasses worked for me and which didn’t, without being influenced by my atmosphere, the wine’s cost, or my previous notions of what I did and didn’t like. For example, I always thought myself a red girl, but I was blown away both by how much I enjoyed a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio and how much I winced after a sip of Merlot.
I won’t be going into the wine tasting business professionally, as I don’t think I really have the chops or buds sensitive enough to handle the job; but the wine taste test was a super sweet and thoughtful surprise that helped me learn a little about myself and little more about my favorite hobby. Perhaps next week. A cheese taste test is in order.
Cheers!
Crossed off the restaurant bucket list: Foreign and Domestic
May 7th, 2012 § 1 Comment
Maybe by the time Friday afternoon rolls around (our unofficial date night), our brains are mush from wrestling with 6th graders and endlessly redesigning marketing materials, and that’s why we find ourselves unable to think outside the box when it comes to our beloved dating ritual. Despite there being a seemingly endless collection of restaurants, food trailers and nifty nighttime hangouts to choose from in Austin, we often opt to return to one of about a half-dozen places we’ve grown most accustomed to: The Alamo Drafthouse, Nomad, Chinese take-out, etc. Not allowing myself to return Trudy’s for the 204327952th time, we opted for a new dining experience: Foreign and Domestic.
From fndaustin.com
Heath and I are not food snobs. We appreciate the attention to detail and inventive flavor combinations created by the artists at Uchi, while also valuing the simplicity of a well-made street taco. Essentially, if the chefs love the foods they are making, chances are we are going to love it too. The cuisine at Foreign and Domestic, which is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Ned and Jodi Elliott, is certainly well-loved, as it features a small, seasonal menu that boasts a collection of items you’re unlikely to see elsewhere, like crispy beef tongue and grilled octopus among others. It pushes the envelope, without question, but does so in a way that is bold and imaginative with about being kitsch and is stimulating without being overpowering.
Seared Gulf Red Fish with Ramps strawberries and brown butter.
Besides mastering its menu, Foreign and Domestic has also perfected its atmosphere. The interior is modern and cozy, the knowledgeable wait staff makes impeccable recommendations, and even when placed on the wait list, a member of the bar staff is there to take your drink order before you’ve left the hostess stand. If you’re craving a dining experience that’s as upscale as it is accessible and as unexpected as it is delectable, consider giving Foreign and Domestic a shot.
Austin folk, if you have suggestions for other notable eateries I should try…we’re all ears.
Acting Irresponsibly
April 17th, 2012 § 6 Comments
Mom to me: So in between all of this traveling back and forth to Denton for wedding responsibilities and working on house projects, when are you finding time to have fun and do your own thing?
Good point, Mom. It is high time I started being way more selfish and irresponsible.(What? That’s not what you meant? Well, that’s how I’m taking it.) I mean, when your own mother points out the fact that you are kind of being a lame 20-something-year-old, you really owe it to yourself to pick up the partying pace. Don’t mind if I do take a weekend off from painting and pruning to indulge in some merriment.
The first non-home-improvement related activity of the weekend: backyard party and musical extravaganza.
Our friends Tristan (musician) and Monte (intellectual) hosted a backyard shindig to celebrate the former’s birthday. Among other things, their late-night get-together featured a keg-loving kitty and live performances by Your Friendly Ghost. We’ve experienced a healthy variety of interesting party panoramas (including a cheap beer taste test and drinking among living manikins at The Gap to name only two), and this one lacked the grandeur of some of our other weekend romps in terms of food or fanfare, but was nonetheless a thoroughly enjoyable evening (completely free of drying Spackle or matching paint colors). After all, it’s not every day you’re granted front-row seats to an exclusive musical performance from one of Austin’s most talented up-and-coming bands. Point, Robinsons.
For day 2 of our vacation from renovation we went to the Live Oak Brewing Company on the East side for the local microbrewery’s 15th anniversary celebration. I attended an eerily similar event last year which I blogged about here. The biggest difference between that event and this one is mostly (and by mostly, I mean totally) in the numbers (14 years vs.15 years). The party was pretty much identical to the previous celebration…from the music talent, to the weird school bus themed bounce house, to the tortilla wrapped bratwurst. But it was free beer (the best in Austin), free food and perfect weather…so not at all something at which to turn up your nose.
From there we wandered to campus to hear Minus the Bear play at 40 Acres Fest. The annual concert is free for all, and in the past has hosted much bigger players like Little Richard and The Roots. This year’s show was much more scaled down than others I had experienced, and probably drew about 1/4 of the crowd, though even then, I’d venture to guess there were 400 or so MTB fans in attendance… mostly (as to be expected) students. Heath and I felt like old codgers in our folding lawn chairs off to the side of most of the concert action, but still had to hand it to ourselves for making it out after several hours of day drinking.
Lucky for us, sound was still pitch perfect from our side seating…AND we got to see the most ridiculously huge Texas flag hanging from the main building and acting as a backdrop to the emo/rock music. So, no curtain hanging this weekend, but definite flag hanging for sure…in fact, I’m fairly certain I’ve met my Texas flag quota for the year.
On Sunday we finally broke. We had to stop at Home Depot to get a few knick knacks for some side projects we have planned for later in the week. After all, we’re only human and can’t be expected to stay away from our calling for long. So I guess the weekend wasn’t COMPLETELY without thought of home improvement projects.
To make amends for our infidelity, we opted to spend the later morning/early afternoon taking in Sunday brunch and cocktails at Nomad. The neighborhood bar has time and time again won awards from The Austin Chronicle for having the best bar staff and being one of the best neighborhood bars, and it’s my prediction it won’t be too long before it gets a nod for its brunch. The brunch, by Mark Rivas Catering, is $13 for all you can eat brunchy goodness that includes a waffle bar, omelet bar, fruit bar and 23480234234 other options that get me in a tizzy. Admittedly, I probably love it so much because it’s walking distance from the house and has an option for bottomless mimosas, but since moving to the new casa, it’s been tough to abstain from brunch binges at Nomad.
And just like that, our weekend was done. We tended to the chickens and watched the latest episode of Mad Men, but other than that the house was unchanged. On Monday morning, the old house looked just as she did on Friday afternoon.
I know when my mother said we should take time for ourselves, she didn’t so much mean “take time to party, and sleep in, and be lazy.” She meant take time to travel and explore and experience new things, which is still on the docket for a weekend in the very near future; but heavens, I did enjoy my weekend of reckless disregard for my status as “homeowner” and drinking adult beverages with child carelessness. Still, I might be a little excited about returning to my rightful role of diligent caretaker to the doodle manor in the coming days.
Hearty Party
February 6th, 2012 § 1 Comment
I had ulterior motives when I offered to host this year’s Super Bowl party–mostly I wanted to choose the menu. I’m not a picky eater but Heath and I have been on a health binge lately and I wanted to keep the menu tame-ish. Maybe some hummus instead of home fries and quinoa instead of queso. I carefully constructed a veggie heavy menu and set out for Central Market to acquire the ingredients. The menu would be a fresh (but still delish) alternative to traditional Super Bowl fix-ins.
The Menu
-Quinoa Tabbouleh
-Veggie Shish Kabobs
-Southwestern Bean Salad
-Guacamole
-Red Pepper Hummus
-Fresh veggies for dipping
-Jalapeño hot dogs (because, well this is still America and it’s still the Super Bowl)
I spent almost all day preparing. I was going to make fans out of my non veggie-loving friends even if just for one night.
“Oh no,” I told my guests. “You don’t need to bring anything. We’ll take care of it.”
Those were famous last words. Somehow during the course of the evening, things took a turn and I learned a valuable lesson: don’t tell your food-loving friends to bring “nothing” to a party.
The good…
The Bad…
The Ugly…
By the end of the night I had nibbled on a carrot or two, sure, but also downed a bacon milkshake, fist fulls of pizza dip, mac n cheese, creamy jalapeno dip, peking duck and more. I was grateful for the whirlwind tour of terribly unhealthy edibles, but I did have a killer food hangover the next day.
Maybe I’ll lose the weight by next year’s party.
La Condesa
January 25th, 2012 § 2 Comments
I COULD go to trendy new restaurants soon after they open and THEN blog about them, but I much prefer waiting a few years until everyone already knows how awesome Eating Establishment X is, and then write about it like I’m the first to know. I’m talking, in this case, about La Condesa.
I ventured to the downtown TexMex restaurant for lunch recently and was pleased to see the hype wasn’t for nothing. I have no trouble believing this place will be a regular contender when the mister and I find ourselves in the “where should we go for date night” predicament.
Right off the bat I liked La Condesa for the location (across from Austin’s super cool City Hall, The W Hotel, Moody Theater and Lamberts). At night the trees light up and the people watching is superb. So kudos, LC, for picking out some pretty prime real estate in which to serve tacos.
Besides being situated in the heart of mucho A-town action, the architecture and interior design is jaw dropping, astounding even. You could sit inside and stare at the textured walls, vibrant murals, swanky lighting, everything…before you realize it has been 10 minutes and you haven’t even opened your menu. I’m not overselling either. In fact, the restaurant won a people’s choice restaurant design award from AIA Los Angeles. Pretty nifty.
If you weren’t already intrigued, allow me to go on. I’ve always heard you can tell how good a TexMex restaurant is going to be by the chips and salsa. Perhaps forecasting this very school of thought, the brains behind the La Condesa menu offer not one, but four salsas on which to over indulge before your meal begins. There’s a classic salsa roja, as well as a fresh and creamy avocado tomatillo, chipotle salsa and a super spicy but delectable option. Four salsa choices AND a generous helping of warm chips. Don’t mind if I do.
The main meal itself (fish tacos, my go-to taco when breakfast tacos aren’t an option) was splendid as well. The serving wasn’t too massive, but was still plenty filling and the tacos themselves really hit the spot. The best part about the entree, however, was the extra tortillas that come with the meal. Some places (no names) up-charge for extra tortillas (not cool), but La Condesa included two additional corn tortillas right on the plate, just like that. It was an unexpected treat and came in handy for scooping up extra salsa, black beans and rice. It’s such a small thing to do, but that alone would have tempted me to return for another visit.
By lunch hour’s end, I had been converted. The tasty array of salsas, visually entrancing atmosphere, and surprise bonus tortilla had me singing the praises of La Condesa to anyone that would hear it. Unfortunately I can’t speak on behalf of their margaritas. I guess I should return for happy hour in order to tell that tale.
You are what you eat
January 10th, 2012 § 6 Comments
To start the new year off with a bang (and to undo some of the damage we inflicted upon ourselves over the holidays) Heath and I vowed to go on a two week binge of micronutrients. No savory poultry, no delectable cheese, no fluffy breads or creamy desserts or salty snacks. Just a lot of this…
this…
this…
and this.
Think blueberries for breakfast, salads for lunch and veggie stews for dinner. Snacks of Hershey’s kisses have been traded for fistfuls of Craisins, and desserts of red wine are being subbed out for freshly squeezed OJ. The dining table is topped with celery and salsa instead of chips and dip, and a shiny, substantial juicer is taking up valuable real estate on the kitchen counter. Overhaul indeed.
The fruit/veggie cleanse/fast was inspired by some friends who endured a juice fast (and swear by its powers) and further spurred on by agenda-pushing documentaries like Food Inc., Supersize Me and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. We realized over the last few months we ate far too many processed Cheez-Its and far too few fresh spinach salads. We wanted to do something that would make us more conscious of what we put into our bodies and perhaps influence our future eating habits. Boy has it.
It’s day 10 of vegging out and here’s what we’ve discovered:
-It’s nearly impossible to dine out. I’ve heard vegans make this complaint before, but didn’t understand just how saturated modern menus are with the things we have declared temporarily forbidden. You can be hard pressed to find a salad without cheese and croutons or a soup made without chicken broth. The diet has certainly pushed kitchen creativity to the limit.
-Fresh foods–turns out they really do keep you fuller longer. On lazy days, or days where I thought I earned a treat, I’d be known to grab a breakfast taco or two to start the morning. About 4,000 calories and 2 hours later I’d be hungry again…and usually for something equally greasy and icky. But on the fruit/veggie diet I can stay full for hours on a freshly blended smoothie or guac salad. It really gets you thinking about how your body digests food.
- I really miss cheese. I miss bread and eggs and fish too, but cheese…that’s the kicker. I know cheese rounds out the the top of the list of foods that are pretty horribly unhealthy, but I can’t help but fantasize about chomping down on a slice of cheesy goodness. I have even dreamed of swimming through pools of queso. It’s been the hardest habit to kick, hands down.
With 4 days of apple juice drinking, pistachio snacking and salad munching left, I feel pretty good about the whole experience (and by “pretty good” I mean, confident I can survive the remaining days without cheese). I know we are no heroes; we didn’t endure a month of vegan-ing, or a 60-day juice fast or 2 week Master Cleanse, but we did find a way to incorporate more of the good stuff into our routine and think differently about how the food we eat affects our mood, mind and waist line. I think it’s the beginning of a major diet overhaul and hopefully a longer life.
Happily Handmade
December 31st, 2011 § 2 Comments
Handmade Christmas gifts are the best. I like to give ‘em, I like to receive ‘em. Something about putting the finishing touches on a mediocre craft and boxing it up to distribute to family who are obligated to love it just feels über Christmasy. This year I was lucky to receive my fair share of handmade trinkets and goodies.
A favorite might have been these ornaments my mom made to resemble Stella and Wyatt. Our tree was lacking in doodle-themed ornaments–something that clearly had to be remedied. See the resemblance?
My sister and brother-in-law, of StormulaOne Photography fame, put together these coasters featuring his photography. I’m a big fan of his work, so getting to glance down at mini prints of his photography on my coffee table is really exciting. I might have to commission more.
Heath’s mother made this reversible hobo bag that I can’t wait to use as a travel pouch.
And of course, let’s not discount all the jellies, jams and baked goods from my mother and from Ranjana that will carry us into the new year.
So, too soon to start working on next years gifts? The wheels are already turning.
Food Heads
November 10th, 2011 § 1 Comment
If I started a restaurant, it would probably be exactly like Austin’s Food Heads; partly because sandwiches and salads are all I would be qualified to make and partly because I’m obsessed with the cozy and eclectic atmosphere they have created both inside the cafe and out. Though, my version probably wouldn’t be as precious or palatable.
It’s not hard to make me love a sandwich. I love bread and most things that accompany bread, but Food Head’s finds a way to make the art of sandwich eating a little more extraordinary—namely by getting wonderfully creative with the fixin’s they pack in between bread slice one and bread slice two. I wouldn’t have thought to combine a portobello mushroom, bleu cheese and blackberry balsamic vinaigrette, for instance, but thank goodness a genius at Food Heads did. And thank goodness, too, for someone behind the counter dreaming up a sandwich made of pork tenderloin, jalapeno relish, swiss cheese and tabasco slaw. That, my friends, is a sandwich.
And why not enjoy your Gypsy Grove Sandwich or Fish Torta in a quirky urban garden–a space where old windows are refurbished and used as porch decor and every piece of accouterment from the tables to the saltshakers are mismatched? The walls are brightly painted, the cacti are bigger than your car and if you choose to dine alone there is always a shelf full of books to keep you company. Food Heads, you might just be my new favorite lunchtime treat.
Not your grandmother’s farmers market
August 28th, 2011 § 2 Comments
How, HOW can I possibly make my life appear as exciting and exotic as possible? I mean, I’m competing with the entire internet. Have you seen the internet lately? There is some crazy stuff happening there. So how can I make a trip to the farmers market sound invigorating and modern and sexy? Maybe by mentioning some of the more interesting details of the HOPE Farmers Market.
Invigorating: The free cocktails and beer. Free drinks are becoming increasingly mandatory at Austin events and the HOPE market is embracing that idea tenfold. To ease the heat-related sorrows of midday market goers, HOPE offers obscenely delicious cocktails and local brews for the price of free–a good move considering the river of free flowing vodka lemonade kept us in the 100-plus degree heat about an hour longer than I would have normally planned. Live music…that didn’t hurt either.
Modern: The location. The setting of the HOPE market has an intriguing history. During the South by Southwest music festival, the small collection of art studios on East 5th Street is transformed from a mini artist colony into a hipster’s dream also known as Fader Fort . But when the glitz and glam of SXSW is over, the East side art space transforms yet again. Only this time the change is less hipster, more hippie. Less one-week parade and more a 4-hour celebration of all things local, namely the HOPE market.
Sexy: The Art. One perk of hosting a farmers market within an artist’s paradise is the easy access to pieces by local artists. Fresh food and free art…sexy indeed.
So, yeah, Internet. I’m cool too. I can hang. My life, and specifically this blog, is invigorating, modern and sexy. Deal with it.
