The Geek Likes Cooking

All is well here in Tennessee. Classes are starting to be interesting now that my brain has made the switch from its vacation setting and work a the bookstore is just a fabulous as ever. I just wanted to note that my inner geek has finally decided to make herself known to the Tennessee folks who might not have met her yet. At my geek's urging, I finally bought the Alton Brown, "Death to Uni-Taskers," T-shirt. If you are in the dark as to what I am referring to, I believe you just passed the non-uber geek test with flying colors. (Well, you may not make it if you know the Vulcan version of aloha or can name all of the core members of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Scooby Gang...) Here's what the shirt looks like. It combines my love of graphic novels and funky T-Shirts with my fascination with a cool-yet-geeky cooking show. Ah, joy!
I think I will try to make my own version of sushi-maki rolls when the shirt gets here, just to break it in. Here's to celebrating that which makes us happy...and perhaps a bit geeky too. Hurrah!

Start the Year with a Vacation

Ah, I have finally gotten my EB/Mom fix that I had been craving for almost half a year. The three amigas reunited in New York City for New Year's. We ate, laughed, and walked until our legs felt like they were going to fall off. EB's fiancee John was really nice considering we made him homeless for a full week while the Butler gals took over the apartment.
The trip was really fun. I had my usual can't-get-used-to-this freak out, where my brain overloads with the reality that is New York. Then once the reboot took hold, I was fine and was full-on-in-the-city-mode. Mom wandered the Metropolitan museum for hours with EB and I tagging along. I loved the Tiffany lamp section and EB loved the costume section. Mom loved it all. :)
We ate lunch in the restaurant where John works, Le Bernardin. I dressed in my best New Yorker black and hoped that I wouldn't bring shame to my family by eating the garnish off of my plate. I was worried for nothing. Le Bernardin was amazing. Each course was new and exciting to me and not only were we treated like princess V.I.Ps, we were allowed back into the kitchen to thank John in person. I was never made to feel inferior and the food was excellent.
As for the rest of my trip, we shopped at all of the New Year's sales, ate raw oysters and clams on the sidewalk in the Bronx, found that I had terrific taste in handbags when my first choice came to damn near $200 dollars (I'll visit it again, but I cannot afford to be its new mommy), sat on my sister's rooftop and watched 2007 be celebrated with gorgeous fireworks, talked my Mom and sister into watching, "Slither," for the first time, and going to the theater to watch the awesome, "Pan's Labyrinth."
We did so much, there's no way I can fit it all into this blog. I got my family fix, where I'm hugged and told, through voice and action, that I am loved and that I belong. My next fix will be in June when the entire clan gathers to witness Elisabeth and John's nuptials. Summer cannot get here fast enough, but until then, I will be working my way towards my degree and hopefully a job that will allow me to visit my family more often. Happy New Year, folks!