Julia London's Blog, page 65

The Restaurant is Burning

[image error]I had a weird experience the other day when we were in DC.  We'd headed down there to meet our new great-niece and she as awesome.  Little babies are so cute.  And they smell so good.  And I'd forgotten how little they actually are.  Since mine is eighteen, I can't exactly hold her on my lap anymore.

But anyway, the night before we left, we all decided to go out for dinner at a popular Mexican restaurant.  It was a lovely place and since we'd come early we got a nice table, and ordered drinks and appetizers.   Because not everyone was with us, we waited to order dinner, enjoying guacamole and margaritas in the meantime.   Then when the party was  complete, we ordered our dinner.

But before the food came, the fire alarm went off.  It was interesting to see that not a single patron moved.  They just kept eating and drinking.  And I watched as all of the wait staff gathered near the entrance to the kitchen.  Finally, the alarm was turned off, and everyone went back to talking.   But slowly the smell of smoke descended on the restaurant.  And it quickly became apparent that the air conditioner was no longer working either. [image error]

The crowd of wait staff got bigger, and it became clear to everyone that there had most definitely been a fire.  I could feel the smoke in the back of my throat.  And it occurred to me that it wouldn't be good for the baby.  We asked our waiter what the situation was and he assured us that though there would be a delay there would eventually be food and that everything was all right.

So we hung out a little longer.  But still the wait staff wasn't moving.  So, worried for the baby, mainly, we sent most of the party off to retrieve the cars (valet parking) and the rest of us waited for the check.  Still, nobody else was moving and the drinks were still flowing.  We got the check and the waiter told us that the kitchen was in fact closed.  And wouldn't reopen.

Feeling smug for thinking ahead, we left and were surprised to see that the lobby was full of people waiting for a table.  I still don't know if the restaurant just wasn't telling them about the fire and the kitchen closing or if they knew and just didn't care.

[image error]All in all it was a weird experience.  We wound up at another Mexican restaurant for the remainder of our meal.  The food was delicious, the a/c worked, and no one set fire to anything.  I still wonder if they ever told people there was going to be no food.  Or if it actually mattered. Weird evening.  But still a fun one.

What's the strangest thing that's happened to you at a restaurant?

 

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Daring

DARING….

As the former medical officer for A-Tac, an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college, Lara Prescott saved many lives. But the memory of the one person she couldn't save has brought her back into harm's way—and into the sights of a formidable adversary . . .

NOWHERE IS SAFE

Lara thought working a world away would heal her. Yet volunteering to treat the sick and injured in revolution-torn central Africa can't stop the shattering memories of losing the man she loved. A night with sexy security officer Rafe Winters seems the perfect temporary escape—until insurgents attack her clinic and Rafe becomes her only way to survive . . .

Rafe knows all too well that this beautiful young doctor is the insurgents' real target: her knowledge of America's espionage system makes her a valuable prize. Helping her flee jeopardizes his hidden agenda—but her unexpected trust in him sparks a desire to protect that he can't ignore. Now as their merciless pursuers close in, Rafe and Lara's only chance for escape will put everything they've sworn to protect—and their newfound love—on the line . . .

 

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Saturday is for Books!

What I am reading:

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

I love Maine. I vacation in Maine. I saw a book called Maine, with a beachy cover, and there you go. I wanted something to read between Game of Thrones books (must read second book before season two of the show, but the first one was so heavy, and took me forever, though I did love it). So Maine, it's a three generation drama (meaning my mom would love it) and very women's fiction. It's readable. There are times when I think it's pretty trite with unlikable characters (occasionally), and times when the author (and characters) wins me over and really impresses me (more often). So, mixed bag but mostly positive reaction to Maine. I do love reading about all the same places I visit when I visit Maine (Cape Neddick, Perkins Cove, Barnacle Billy's- which is not a lobster "shack" but whatever, the Shop and Save, which is now Hannaford's). So, yes, I recommend it, but you might raise a brow or two exactly where I did. Really? Reaaallly? Really.

What I have near me all the time at my desk when I write:

The cuuube. The Whine Sisters all have one, and when we light them together, magic happens. You never know when you'll need that extra magic. Like, at the end of August when my next book goes on sale.

That next book:

Please preorder your copy of Grave Expectations. I have my daughter's tuition bill sitting right next to the cuuube on my desk, and well, please don't make me beg. Remember the Dickens you read in school… it's not like that. It's a lot of fun (well, so is Dickens, if you ask me, but apparently not everyone thinks so) but you don't have to take my word for it:

Library Journal, Starred Review

Dickens, Charles & Sherri Browning Erwin. Grave Expectations. Gallery: S. & S. Aug. 2011. c.400p. ISBN 9781451617245. pap. $15. FANTASY Erwin's previous literary mashup, Jane Slayre, embodies the flawless union of supernatural fiction and the best of classic literature. She continues in this captivating and fascinating tradition, here taking on Dickens's Great Expectations… Verdict: The original Dickens is eerie and unsettling, and Erwin rises to the challenge, creating another masterpiece by making the strange even stranger. Highly recommended; astounding great fun!—Jennifer Anderson, Texas A&M Univ.–Corpus Christi Lib.

What are you reading?

 

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Texas Forever!

[image error]I just finished watching the finale of Friday Night Lights.  And first off—fabulous serious. And great ending.   Wish it wasn't going away.

In general terms I loved the show because I grew up with Texas football.  The good and the bad and the really ugly.  But mostly the good.   And a way of life you can't even conceptualize unless you're from a state that lives and breathes football.  I know it like the back of my hand  and so because of that the show always struck a chord with me.

I loved it also because it was filmed in Austin, which meant that I always got a glimpse of home.  Whether it was the Broken Spoke masquerading as another bar.  Or a favorite fajita place or hamburger place—there was always something familiar.

I also loved it because I have followed Kyle Chandler's career since I first saw him playing baseball player in a post-World War two show, that I don't even remember the name. We loved him in Early Edition and have pretty much watched everything with him ever since.[image error]

And I loved it for good stories.  Jason Street.  Tim Riggens.  Matt Saracen.  They were guys we rooted for and cried for.  Hopes and dreams built and in some cases smashed.   But always with dignity and a little hope.   These are people I recognize.  And I loved being a part of their lives on Friday night—mainly because they reminded me a little of my own.

But most of all I loved the show because it was about Texas.  And that's my home.  Forever and always.  And I'll miss having a little bit of home on my television set here in the big city.  Because at the end of the day, my dream involves that house on the hill and the rolling green grass with bluebonnets and a barbed wire fence.

[image error]Texas Forever.   Thank you Friday Night Lights.  It was an awesome ride!

What about you?  Did you watch it?  Do you know Texas football?   Do you have memories of your home state that make you glad it's where you're from?

 

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One Small Landing for Man, One Giant Sadness for Mankind

This morning, the shuttle Atlantis landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, pulling onto the runway with a succinct, "Mission complete, Houston."

Mission complete, Houston

This is the last of the thirty-year shuttle program, and a hard one for me to let go.  Yes,  we'll soon have commercial space flights, and yes, we'll be hitching rides with the Ruskies aboard Russian Soyuz rockets, but this just feels wrong.

NASA is now being tasked to oversee development of new commercial spacecraft, "Your trip is sponsored by Space Coke, official soft drink of the galaxy!"  The government hopes that this space-break-up will let the program let go of the moon and focus on the other planets, namely Mars.

Maybe so, but I remember going to a party in Austin a long time ago and there was a woman there who was going to go into space.    I think it was Catherine Coleman, but I can't be sure.  I had a friend who was an engineer for NASA during the mid 90s and worked on the shuttle.  And I had the great pleasure of working with an IBMer who assisted in the rescue of Apollo 13.  I know of at least one Whiner who has a space-connection, but I will let her share that bit if she chooses.

I remember sitting on the floor of my best friend's house, and watching Walter Cronkite talk through the moon landing.  I wasn't much of space or technology buff then, but I will always remember being in awe of the idea of stepping on the moon.

I remember the Challenger disaster.  I was in college, and when I heard the news, I actually thought it was a joke because space travel had become so "safe." Ha.  How quickly we become drift into complacency.

So what are your thoughts on the last Shuttle landing?  Where should we go next?

Click here to view the embedded video.

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My Favorite Vacation Spots

By the time you get around to reading this, I will be on my way to Taos.  You guys know I get up there once or twice a year.  I especially love going this time of year because our place is at 8500 feet…which means, cold nights, cool days.  I cannot WAIT to get out of this heat.  And I really like going to the mountains because there is always so much to do.  Hiking, trail running, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, 4-wheelers, fishing, shopping, eating.

But today, I got one of those social media alerts about a deal on a beach house in Cabo San Lucas.  That's kind of hot, too.  But there is the ocean right in front of you to cool off.  And there is beer and mojitos and cold drinks in pineapple shells.  There is zip-lining and snorkling and jet skis.  I think I could be very comfortable on the beach.

A few weeks ago, we were in New York.  I would like to go to New York on vacation, and not for work.  Because even though it is hot, it's not as hot as it is here.  And there is shopping and walking and shows to see and great food for gnoshing and cosmopolitan living.

I wish I could do all three in the next couple of weeks.  Can you imagine the nightmare of packing for the mountains, the beach, and the city?  Anh….I think I will stick with the mountains.  I will think of you guys next week when I am sitting on the deck in the middle of the afternoon and not burning.  I will think of you when I drink my wine and eat my steak and laugh with my family.  I will think of you when I realize I have no phone service, no internet, and only a kindle to pass the time with.  Yeah.  Can't wait.

Which would you prefer?  A vacation in the mountains? The Beach? The city?  What are you summer plans?  What's the best vacation you've ever taken?

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OFF THE GRID, BITTERSWEET

I must apologize for my absence at the Whinery lately, but I've barely been online because I'm visiting my parents and accessing the internet is a challenge here in the land of dial-up (yes, you read that correctly–dial-up!).  I'm helping the folks pack up their house, the house I grew up in, in preparation of them putting it up for sale.  I've been painting, cleaning, painting, packing, sorting, painting, donating, more cleaning, and oh, yeah–painting.  My parents have lived in the house for 52 years.  That's a lot of stuff to sort through, and a lot of memories to relive.  My sister was here for a week and along with my parents we laughed and cried and reminisced.  I hope whoever buys the house will have as wonderful a life in it as me and my family did.  It's hard to say goodbye, yet my folks have a lovely new home in Florida in a retirement community filled with activities and fun things to do, so there's a lot to look forward to.  And that's helping to put the sweet in the bittersweet.

So what have you been up to?  How's your summer going?  Are you caught in a heat wave?  Please let me know what's going on with you!  Wish you were here–with a paint brush in hand, LOL! xox

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Breakfast!

[image error]This weekend, we had family visiting from New Jersey. I had the whole bunch here for Sunday breakfast and realized that my new kitchen does not feel so large when eighteen people are gathered in it. But also, that my favorite breakfast foods are fatty. Usually, I'll have something simple for breakfast: half a whole wheat bagel and coffee. Or whole grain cereal with lowfat milk. Or V8 juice and egg whites. All of these things are healthy, but none of them would do when it came to entertaining a crowd (unless the whole crowd wanted to be healthy, but family gatherings mean special treats for us- all diets are off).

I thought I would be smart and plan dishes that could be prepped in advance and just warmed when guests arrived. Quiches, breakfast casseroles, premade breads with jams or pastries, fruit salad. But when it came down to it, I decided (what came over me?) that I wanted to serve good old-fashioned breakfast food: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash brown potato casserole (the premade, just heat it later item), croissants (courtesy of my mother-in-law), and coffee cake and banana bread (sister-in-law, aunt). Yep, it was a high-test fat fest (not my actual breakfast in picture below). [image error]

But the good news? Everything required my constant attention at the stove and good timing, and I ended up so busy that I almost never actually got to eat. I finally managed to sit down and have some eggs, the lonely piece of bacon left on the platter, and a bite of the potato casserole (which was the hit of the day).

I got the potato recipe from Paula Deen (warning: Paula considers butter a food group).[image error]

It's super easy, because you can cheat and use leftover potatoes or refrigerated/frozen from the store.

2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
salt, pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 small red pepper, sliced thin
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (I used half a stick, came out just fine).
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
4 medium potatoes, cooked (or 1 package hash brown potatoes from grocery store frozen (then thawed) or refrigerated foods)
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp (or precooked from store)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread mashed potatoes evenly on bottom of casserole dish. Layer sour cream evenly over top. Sprinkle seasoning to taste. (I skipped the garlic powder, didn't have it). Saute onion and pepper in butter; evenly layer over top of sour cream. Slice potatoes and layer over onions and bell peppers (or sprinkle the thawed hash brown potatoes over it). Finally top with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and crumble bacon over top. * I doubled the recipe, used my 9 x 13 casserole dish, assembled it the night before, stuck it in the fridge tightly covered, and finally cooked it- but added an extra ten minutes to baking time.

And now I'm dreaming of big breakfasts. Some of my favorite foods are breakfast foods. Waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages, doughnuts. Yum, breakfast! My grandfather likes to have breakfast for dinner sometimes. Breakfast is always his favorite meal of the day.

Are you a breakfast fan? What are your favorite breakfast foods? What do you normally eat for breakfast? Do you ever have breakfast for dinner?

 

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Grave Expectations

Heaven knows, we need never be ashamed of our wolfish cravings. . . .

Bristly, sensitive, and meat-hungry Pip is a robust young whelp, an orphan born under a full moon. Between hunting escaped convicts alongside zombified soldiers, trying not to become one of the hunted himself, and hiding his hairy hands from the supernaturally beautiful and haughty Estella, whose devilish moods keep him chomping at the bit, Pip is sure he will die penniless or a convict like the rest of his commonly uncommon kind.

But then a mysterious benefactor sends him to London for the finest werewolf education money can buy. In the company of other furry young gentlemen, Pip tempers his violent transformations and devours the secrets of his dark world. When he discovers that his beloved Estella is a slayer of supernatural creatures, trained by the corpse-like vampire Miss Havisham, Pip's desire for her grows stronger than his midnight hunger for rare fresh beef. But can he risk his hide for a truth that will make Estella his forever—or will she drive one last silver stake through his heart?

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Jane Slayre

"Reader, I buried him."

A TIMELESS TALE OF LOVE, DEVOTION… AND THE UNDEAD.

Jane Slayre, our plucky demon-slaying heroine, a courageous orphan who spurns the detestable vampyre kin who raised her, sets out on the advice of her ghostly uncle to hone her skills as the fearless slayer she's meant to be. When she takes a job as a governess at a country estate, she falls head-over-heels for her new master, Mr. Rochester, only to discover he's hiding a violent werewolf in the attic– in the form of his first wife.

Can a menagerie of bloodthirsty, flesh-eating, creatures-of-the-night keep a swashbuckling nineteenth-century lady from the gentleman she intends to marry? Vampyres, zombies, and werewolves transform Charlotte Bronte's unforgettable masterpiece into an eerie paranormal adventure that will delight and terrify.

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