Monthly Archives: June 2010
Nothing to see here.
| June 29, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Please do not disturb, I'm gestating. |
I’ve got a little voice in my head that keeps telling me to blog something. The problem is, there isn’t that much going on.
I guess I could tell you that its summer in Texas, again, which means that its oppressively hot and muggy and at times the air is so thick with humidity its a little hard to breathe. But, I don’t mind it. It brings back memories of growing up here in Austin. My summers were spent catching crawdads in the creek behind our house, dance recitals and mom taking me to Sandy’s for a soft serve cone to celebrate my performances, staying inside to escape the heat and entertaining myself by watching Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing over and over and over again. Lately, we’ve been cooling off by eating popsicles and playing with the dogs in the spray of the water hose. Yeah, its hot… but that’s ok for now. Ask me in August when I am a little plumper and its 10 degrees hotter.
Or, I could tell you about the Minip, and how she continues to kick ass in the gestating field. She’s past halfway at 21 weeks, now. Little flutters have turned into giant kicks that I can see on the outside of my belly. Oh, and I guess I could mention how shocked I was to learn at our last OB appointment that I gained 10 pounds last month. Oops. Coincidentally, Blue Bell stock rose to historic highs in the past few weeks. I’ve been advised to lay off the cookies-n-cream.
George felt his first undeniable kick last night and to see his eyes light up and his face smile was special. I make a concerted effort, lately, to enjoy and remember every second of this. Remember what its like to be just Lisa and George: best friends playing house and watching movies and cooking dinner together and talking shop. I have to admit that I’m a little afraid to change us. My marriage is my favorite thing in my life and throwing another person in the mix is gonna rock the boat, big time. I know we’ll be fine, great, even, but I am still happy to appreciate just being us for a few more months.
My family is healthy and happy and so excited to meet our newest member. My friends are sweet and encouraging and doing well in their own respective lives. I’m in one of those lulls where there is no drama, no fireworks, no excitement, no emergencies… there’s nothing to see here but a happy, content mama-to-be, kickin’ it for the last few months before her baby is born. And, that’s just fine by me.
Fancy Pants – Gold Class Cinemas Review
| June 23, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Eats |
Mom and I ventured to Gold Class Cinema at the swanky Domain on Sunday to watch Sex and the City 2. I’d never heard of the place, but when i mentioned it to George he said, “Wow. I think the movie tickets are like $30.” Great. We decided not to go but then remembered that money tree blooming in the back yard, plucked some dinero, and off we went. George and I are avid Alamo Drafthouse fans so I was eager to see how Gold Class measured up.
We walked in and in front of us was a front desk with overly enthusiastic size 0 young ladies working the registers. They sold us our tickets ($22 if you become a member for free) and gave us a seating chart to pick our seats. Then we were shown to the lobby where we ordered food and drinks.
The food menu was sparse (took up only 1 page and there was a lot of blank space… not many options) and included a $17 burger. I passed on that and got the personal pepperoni pizza ($16, I think). Mom had a chicken sandwich ($14) and we ordered two desserts, begniets and warm cookies (both around $9). We were shown into the theater and to our seats, which were very nice, but stained. That’s gross, by the way. They did recline nicely. The whole theater had 24 seats and only 8 of them were filled, so its impossible to get a bad seat, which is nice. We’ve been to Alamo a lot and twice had to sit in the very front row resulting in horrible neck cramping.
Once the previews started our food was brought in. The table shared between two seats is not big enough for two plates, so I held mine on my lap. The pizza was ok. A couple of times it took more than 10 minutes for the server to come (although I’d pushed my button) to refill my water. That’s annoying considering the high price of the tickets. I’d rather have just gotten up to get my own water, but thats not an option.
The dessert came out too early and kinda sucked. Definitely not worth $9. Alamo offers warm chocolate chip cookies for cheaper, and they’re better. Our table wasn’t bussed until we payed our bill during the last 15 minutes of the movie, so we had four plates on the table, our laps, the arm rests, etc., for about an hour. Again, annoying. The service was well below what I expected for such a swanky looking place.
The neat thing that Gold Class has on Alamo is that they offer blankets and pillows, although I did wonder who was cuddling up in my blanket before me and what they were doing in it. I hope nothing involving fluids of any sort.
Out of a scale of 1-5 Lisas, 5 Lisas being the highest rating, I give Gold Class Cinemas disappointing 2 Lisas. I’d go back, but only if someone else was paying, and I’d eat beforehand.
Rating: [Rating:2/2]
Chug a lug.
| June 17, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Uncategorized |
There is a picture that was taken at our wedding that I pass everyday as I walk to the stairs in our house. It never fails to make me smile.
Yep, that’s a beer chugging contest. At my wedding. We keep it classy here, folks. I remember I was dancing with friends and I got a tap on the shoulder. I turned around and our groomsmen were standing there with eager smiles, George standing behind them looking a little sheepish. They had a proposition.
“We have something to ask you,” announced Groomsman #1.
“K, shoot,” I said, a little tipsy by then.
“Can George participate in a beer chugging contest with us?”
“Um, yeah. Hellz, yeah. But, only if I can do it too.”
“Sweet.”
We all gathered at the bar and the picture was taken a split second before we chugged. I look at that picture and I instantly remember how happy I felt surrounded by our best friends and family. I love that all three of George’s best high school buddies were his groomsmen. I love that George’s step-dad, Pat, chugged right along with us. I love that our best law school friends, who suffered though hell with us and lived to tell about it, who watched us grow from best friends to casual daters to “Wow… you’re The One”, meshed so well with our old friends.
I laugh when I see it, too, knowing that the next picture in the series is this one:
See how we all have just started and the one guy is FINISHED? I mean, look at the hand with the beer on the far right. That guy never even got the glass to his mouth. Daniel, on the far left, has just barely tipped his. Then, there’s Ryan, triumphantly thrusting his glass into the air. The winner. The most hilarious thing about it is that Ryan doesn’t drink. Ever. Well, every once in a while, but very, very rarely. He was in a circle of lifetime drinkers and smoked all of us.
No point, really, to this post, except that lately I start my days looking at the first picture and smile and can’t seem to wipe my grin off for the rest of the day. The Minip is practicing to be a Rockette, I’m convinced, with all the kicking she’s doing. And, don’t get me started on the rhinestones and fringe she’s been sporting. It happens at the oddest times, which is part of what makes it so great, and I find myself walking around with my hand on my belly so I can feel it on the inside and outside at the same time. The mundane parts of my day, checking my work e-mail or eating lunch at my desk, are pretty damn exciting, lately. And, because I want to keep my friends and not bore my family to death, I don’t mention it very often, so its like a little secret we share.
This baby girl. Already, she makes me smile. Already, she’s the light of my life.
To the left, to the left.
| June 14, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Uncategorized |
Lately, the Minip has been sitting a little to the side in my belly, making it look like my bump is pointing at something. The problem was that, generally, it was to the right. I noticed this the other day and immediately flew into a tailspin, concluding that this could only be a sign of her political leanings. It took me a couple of days, but I think I was beginning to accept that, 20 years from now, she’ll be the president of the Harvard Young Republicans– Student Chapter. This layed so heavy on my heart that I hadn’t slept well in many nights.
Imagine my delight this morning when I awoke to a left-pointing belly! I can only assume that she’s leaning left this morning in support of the Bill White campaign, as he was in town this weekend. This girl! She is already so full of surprises!
Butter Cake
| June 10, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Eats |
By the time our dessert came during our Birthaversary dinner at Mastro’s on Sunday, we were stuffed. We hadn’t ordered it ourselves, but I made a note that we were celebrating when I made the reservation at Open Table and, hot damn, they brought us two HUGE desserts, one for each occasion. I was so thrilled with this because I don’t like sharing my birthday or my birthday presents with George. So, when we get something that is a joint birthday/anniversary gift, I immediately claim 3/4 of it because its my fair share and separate property and if you don’t draw clear boundaries with that man he’ll take it all and you’ll be left with only a few crumbs and strawberry stems.
Anywho, they brought two huge desserts, one on a plate that said, “Happy Birthday Lisa,” in chocolate, with what looked like a very dense, very rich, chocolate cake. The other was on a plate that said, “Happy Anniversary,” and held the holy grail of desserts, what I could come to know as Butter Cake.
I am at a loss as to how to illustrate my excitement about the two desserts. There may have been some squealing involved. But, more remarkable, was how I was completely drawn to the Butter Cake and almost ignored the chocolate cake in toto. I had one bite of it, declared it “good”, tossed it back at the waiter and moved on. Moved on to the Butter Cake, which now comprises 1/3 of the junk in my (newly expanded) trunk, a majority of my arm flab, and what I can now call a respectable double chin.
Behold:
I attacked this Cake like my life depended on it. I had tunnel vision. It was just me and The Cake. This picture doesn’t show the vat of fresh whipped cream that they serve on the side that I almost forgot about until George reminded me it was just sitting there waiting for me to put my face in it. So, I did. A huge spoonful of The Cake, ice cream, eat. Then, an even bigger spoonful of whipped cream, so delectable it deserved to stand alone. Eat. Eat, eat, eat. I ate until my taste buds could take no more and my stomach screamed mercy and I reached a state of delirium which I can describe only as a feeling of complete zen and inner peace. Nirvana, my friends. I’ve been there. And its glorious.
The tragedy of the night was that I was unable to finish it. I allowed George a few bites and we still left almost half of it, sitting smug on the table, taunting me. Defeated and engorged, I was rolled to the car with my head hanging low.
A quick Google search found the following recipe for Butter Cake. This chick has been to Mastro’s, so I assume she knows what it should taste like, but I haven’t tried it, yet, so if you make it let me know how it goes. And bring me one.
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/942989-Butter-Cake-a-la-Mastro-s-
California knows how to party
| June 9, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Uncategorized |
If you could loop the following song in your head while you read this post, I’d be much obliged. And, if you are reading this while drinking a 40, go ahead and pour a little out for our homie, Tupac. Thanks in advance.
Californiaaaaa knows how to party. Californiaaaaa knows how to party. In the citttttyyy, city of Compton. We keep it rockkkin… we keep it rockkkin.
The Hoyts just did Cali. And, lo, how we rocked it. It was a too short 4 day trip, but very relaxing, and gave me and G some good time to sit and stare at each other and contemplate the difference between what we have now and what we’ll have in 5 short months. Now: peace, quiet, and enough time for me to school him at Wheel of Fortune every weeknight and, if we are feeling crazy, on Saturdays, too. In less than 5 months: well, none of what we have now. But, a nice new person to love and someone new for George to talk to about Corvettes. Maybe her eyes won’t glaze over immediately like mine do! Sure, its a slim chance, but thats what dreams are all about.
It was a relaxing trip, but felt very different than others we’ve taken. And, I just realized while talking to a friend why. This was a sober vacation for me. I think the last time I had one of those I was 16. Since then, vacation has meant drinking more than I usually would and blaming it on the fact that I was on vacation. And, its fun, damnit. But, this was a little different. Instead of drinking, I ate. And, oh, how I did eat. I ate my way from Dana Point all the way up to Huntington Beach and back. It was delish. I had shrimp and lobster tails and steak and breakfast buffets and dessert. Dessert in the form of BUTTER CAKE which, if you have not had one, you must, and, soon. They serve it at Mastro’s in Newport Beach and, yes, its as bad for you as it sounds, and, yes, its equally as delectable. I might have had a naughty dream about butter cake last night. I miss it so.
Other than eating, we laid around the pool and did a little sightseeing. We visited the Mission San Juan Capistrano, http://www.missionsjc.com/. It was old, amazing and full of flowers and history. It was one of the most gorgeous gardens I’ve ever had the pleasure to see, and George learned some new camera tricks:
Then, he stood by the pretty flowers so I could take a pic. He didn’t gripe at all about it.
The water lillies were opening up and the koi were coming to life:
George took a pic of me and the pretty flowers. I might have griped a little.
Then, we went on a dolphin/whale watching tour. A 2 hour tour turned into a 4 1/2 hour tour when we spotted a blue whale and our captain chased it so we could get a better look. It was AMAZING. We boated along about 800 dolphins and the whale was the last thing we saw. I had a very “Grand Canyon”-esq moment, floating alongside this giant animal who was so docile and quiet. Made me feel a little small and insignificant. Especially when I realized I’d run out of batteries about 10 minutes before spotting the whale. Figures.
I did get a couple shots of dolphins:
The next day we shopped (George’s suggestion, because he kicks ass) and ate and ate and ate (insert butter cake here) and got ready to return home.
Our 3rd anniversary and my 31st birthday were the day after we got back.* So, on Tuesday, to celebrate both occasions, I played hookey from work to sleep and recoop from all of the relaxing we did in Cali. It was heaven.
So, thanks, California. You were awesome, yet again. I hope to see you next year with a baby on my hip!
*When people find out that I got married on my birthday, they usually say something like, “Oh, how neat.” I quickly correct them by telling them it was the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life. George get’s off the hook with one present (in this case, “a trip to California”… like that’s a big deal. Whatevs.)
The Inaugural Hoyt Cup 2010
| June 1, 2010 | Posted by Lisa under Uncategorized |
This year we invited George’s side of the family, all 13 of them, to visit Austin for Memorial Day weekend. Some of our family members had never been to our house and it worked out that they could all come to visit. So, last week in preparation, we cooked and cleaned and did yard work and, most importantly, prepared ourselves for the athletic events that culminated in the first annual Hoyt Cup.
The prize:
Behold the Hoyt Cup. Made of several trophies won with blood, sweat, and twirling abilities of my childhood. Its patriotic, its female bowler compliant, its… cuppy. And, most importantly, highly coveted.
The events consisted of our versions of Minute to Win It games.
We moved an egg from one beer bottle to the other with string:
We pulled the tissue out of the box using one hand:
We sorted M&Ms:
Blew cards off of a beer bottle:
Stacked apples:
We unrolled toilet paper, although it was done at such high velocity only blurry pics were taken.
We stacked golf balls:
And, for the tie-breaker between the Hoyt/Howard and the Gonzalez/Foss teams… we sorted M&Ms again.
And… we lost. 
Though we refused to assign blame to any one team member, we agreed it was George’s slow sorting skills that left us Hoyt Cup-less.
The winners:
Just wait til next year. I’ve got George doing M&M sorting drills for 2 hours a night. We’ll be ready.
I had such a great time with our family. I also learned that waddling around 6th street while 4 months pregnant until 2am will leave me with a hangover like no other. Its particularly disturbing that I consumed no alcohol but feel like I went on a Mexican bender. Something tells me I’m not 21 anymore.
