Slurping wetly and noisily at the nourishment that is New Orleans
Last week, John’s 27th birthday dawned on Thursday, April 14th. I had hesitantly asked him where he would like to dine for our cheat, my treat of course, preparing myself for the words “Taco Bell” to erupt from his lips, but he surprised me. A large, questioning smile spread across his […]
This past week I have felt terrible. Due to the gorgeous springtime weather, my allergies kicked into high gear and had me wheezing like…well…a person with asthma triggered by severe allergies. The only way to avoid an expensive trip to the emergency room that my finances couldn’t possibly withstand, I […]
With the official arrival of spring yesterday and the proliferation of St. Joseph’s Day altars around town on Friday, I can’t help but be reminded of home when the coming of spring meant the beginning of Persian New Year. “Nowruz” marks the beginning of spring and the first day of […]
I realize I haven’t posted in quite a few days. I suppose I could blame it on all sorts of things; work, errands, an irritating, yet lingering bout of depression and self-hate, angst, a sooner-than-expected beginning of allergy season, money troubles, car problems, the rain… Can I just blame it on […]
In my strange little brain, I tend to equate Valentine’s Day (and romance in general) with dessert. I mean, as I was growing up, every year for Valentine’s Day my father would always buy all the girls in the family a large, heart-shaped box of assorted chocolates from See’s Candy […]
When my good friend Miriam began noticing my food blogs, she sent me an email titled “You probably won’t like this but . . . “ I guess Miriam believed I wouldn’t appreciate the existence of a Cajun/Creole tapas restaurant living smack in the middle of Portland, Oregon. Yep, Tapalaya […]
Politeness and hospitality are common characteristics I’ve encountered since my life in the South began, but it seems I find very few Samaritans who go out of their way to help the average Joe (or Josephine) on the street. The story I heard yesterday from one of my close friends […]
A couple of days ago, I had the honor of being invited to my first ever wedding since moving here more than seven years ago. The young couple had been planning and saving for this occasion and after two years, the fateful evening had finally arrived. Now, what struck me […]
My neighborhood has been inundated by construction in the past several years. First it was storm repair, next Oak Street was lovingly remodeled, then Carrollton and St. Charles Avenues were repaved and sidewalk corners were too…remarked in all their glowing-orange glory. The most recent renovation involving gas lines required men […]
My adorably precious shih-tzu Pippin loves his evening walks. Integral to his nightly ritual, we simply must stop and say hello to everyone on Oak Street, and since he’s spoiled rotten, I incorporate the busy street into my routes. That being said, it is an inevitability that we pass this […]