UP + UP

I'll be honest, I've been struggling to maintain a good disposition lately because work has been pretty awful. Like, no-appetite-to-eat-supper awful.

Thank goodness for the little things, right?

1.  Sunday before last, I made my first matcha latte at home.  It's a weirdly intense prepared beverage and I'm not just talking flavor.  It actually warmed my core and deeply calmed + quieted my brain.  I didn't have to have my usual two cups coffee that morning, which is unheard of.  I like it!

I think that now I've tried this amazing elixir, I can allow myself to buy a decent matcha powder and a chasen.  It's difficult to get the clumps out with just a regular whisk, I've discovered.

It's an attractive beverage:

 

2.  Half of my first batch of tofu misozuke turned out to be a proper success!  This is actually pretty big news!  I will be starting new batches this weekend using the effective recipe.  Once I get the hang of it, I will need to find a business-minded person to help me. Like someone who is in touch with Bill Clinton.  I want Bill Clinton to eat my tofu misozuke.  I am not even joking.

I made this!


3.  Last weekend, ATM + I played This Old House and disassembled the cabinets above the stove. I was afraid of what we'd discover once the cabinets were removed, but thankfully, there are no major repairs required, just some regular cleaning and sealing.  Our house will be 80 years old next year!




Found an old ventilation hole:


The ceiling tiles remind me of Sun Studio:


As you would expect, the removal of these cabinets really opened up that little kitchen and made me excited about things to come:


4.  We are in possession of our own pasta machine now.  I plan on giving up trying to eat healthy and just let myself completely go on pasta. WHY NOT


5.  Our felines continue to rule + charm us.  This gal watches hockey and True Detective with me in bed!







6.  I watched all of S1 True Detective in two days.  A week later, it's haunting me in the best way possible. McConaughey is completely hypnotic.  I would like Bridget Fonda to be a True Detective, for the record.

7.  For the first time ever, KMHD + I had our brunch bought for us by 'that gentleman over there'.  A stranger, on his way out of Taqueria Karina gave us a tip o' that hat and left.  Deffo made our day.  I should do that for someone some time.

A WARNING AND AN ULTIMATUM

STAND ON THE HORIZON

THE MISSING

P E O P L E IN THE CITY

SUGAR WATER

AILIEN'S KITCHEN

We are so close to officially starting our kitchen renovation.  About time, right?  Still have a couple more things to do before we go to the bank to solicit money.  It's exciting, but I feel it's not a real thing until we're actually underway.

So, when you do a renovation, there are a billion things you must decide.  A billion, no less.  Making decisions on the spot is awful + I'm pretty bad at it.

There's a bakery in Oslo called Blings that is the inspiration for our remodel.  In case you just aren't feelin' it, what I see is a great blend of organic elements, pattern, and a touch of masculinity.  The color is there, but not overwhelmingly so.  They lean quite a bit on natural lighting, which is available in our kitchen.  Lighting is soft.  I feel I could do a lot of stuff in this kitchen.  It also looks like it smells good.

Here's another view:

Two of my co-workers recently went through a reno.  It drove them to the brink.  I expect no less.  Pray for AiLien.

HOW DO!

It's another crunchy snow day here in North Little Rock!  I love snow days.  It's FREE time.  Such a hot commodity!  But, seriously, I get to work on projects, do some self-care, drink coffee, stare out the window and watch birds eat the seed I just put out for them, take naps, make food, ... whatever I like!  The very best part of all of this is that we still have electricity.  Having internet is bonus.

Mardi Gras is tomorrow! You go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans just once and you're wanting to do it for life, is what I'm discovering.  Especially since it's been an unforgiving winter's winter.  I want to walk the streets and eat king cake and po boys, damnit!  I've got some homemade king cake ready to bake & take to the office for my co-workers tomorrow, if these icy streets let up.

I actually don't like king cake unless it's from Randazzo's, so I modified my cinnamon roll recipe by adding colored sugars on it. It is taking all of my power to not go ahead and bake up what I made for work.  [UPDATE:  we totally ate them.]










On Saturday, ATM, Britt & I went to the SOMA Mardi Gras parade.  The parade was shorter this year, but there were so many more folks in attendance.  I was especially thrilled that the Central High School Jazz band performed and warmed up the crowd.

Too, I'm genuinely pleased that I've passed my M'Gras love on to Brittany.  She rocked her mask + beads and expressed a desire to start our own krewe and walk the parade next year.  Like it made me really proud. I'm game if we aren't actually in New Orleans!

 Photo by ATM

I LOVE MY BAD ATTITUDE

Last weekend, ATM + I went to Memphis to meet up with my paternal in-laws since we were unable to see them over the Christmas holiday.

To pertinently go off-topic, I get really annoyed with my 'expect the worst, hope for the best' attitude sometimes.  It's a form of protection, see.  It is necessary sometimes, but, generally, it's a piss poor attitude to have.  It doesn't compliment my desire to just go with the flow.

All that to say that I had an honest good time.

On Friday, ATM + I went to another River Kings match.  We had some seats close to the ice, the view completely obscured by fat heads and the away team's bench.  This is the south, I don't expect hockey to take off and for seats to get filled, but it's happening. All of the seats around us were occupied, so it was a bit cramped.  We were amidst a family of twelve and they kept getting out of their seats and squeezing past us, so before the third period, we found some empties a little higher up and with a much better view.  I joked that ATM should take notes in a little notepad and pretend to be a hockey scout.  Might as well, since we already stick out in Southaven, MS anyway.  No victory this time, but I still had fun!


The next day, we met Jerry + Shawn (in-laws) for lunch at Rendezvous.  So, to me, the food there is just o.k.  I think it's criminal how much they charge for BBQ and I suppose you're paying for the atmosphere and "world famous" part.  ATM + I have kinda sorta grown out of "Memphis food", like BBQ, fried chicken, and other wonderful gut bombs.  By that I mean that it's not our first, second, or third choice when we're in town.  We've been exploring other cuisines, trying on things we do not have here in (N)LR.  But, what can you do when it's the restaurant of choice of others and they're picking up the bill?  Smile and eat yr damn sandwich, is what!

After lunch, we walked it off at the Memphis Botanical Garden.  The promise of spring is everywhere, but everything is completely dead head.  Even the koi were still in hibernation.  I love walking the Japanese part of the gardens because it's so inspirational.   It is a life goal of mine to bonsai a full sized tree.  I partially blame my boss for this interest as he has me trim the trees in our office every day that I'm there.  I can't water them, though.  That is reserved for the experienced.  But, I can cut to my heart's content.  It promotes growth, he says.  Anyway,  if and when we get past this kitchen renovation, I can start believing that we'll one day get our backyard in order.


Before we headed back home, ATM and I cruised down Summer Ave. to try ramen at Edo for supper.  A couple of things: We've never driven down Summer Avenue.  I thought I knew Memphis pretty well, but I keep learning how I don't know much of anything!  We were so pleased to discover that it's a beautiful drive, faster than Poplar Ave., and there are so many things to explore over there!  Didn't know it was possible to adore Memphis more, but here we are.  Let's talk about Edo.  It's my new favorite restaurant over yonder.  It's a little run-down (in the best way possible) Japanese restaurant that reminds me of our beloved Mt. Fuji here in town.  The food is fucking fan.tas.tic.  I started with the agedashi-tofu (hold the bonito flakes) and ramen for my main meal.  Tempura banana a la mode for dessert.  Hot damn!  I am sitting here smiling thinking back on it. I honestly cannot wait to get back there!  Look at this broth!


I thought my design pals would get a kick out of this plank wood font typeface.  Somewhere on Union Ave: