Things I need to do before I die:
1) Participate in a super sweet flash mob dance. Well, right?
2) Hot air balloon ride -- the kind where you pack a picnic, drink champagne and such
3) Go to the Olympics. Summer, winter, it really doesn't matter. It would just be fun.
4) Take a vacation that is longer than 2 weeks
5) Make a longer bucket list with cooler things to do before I die.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Technology Addicts Unite!
I've turned into a complete tech gadget collector. I blame my husband. He is forever sending me links to stories about the coolest, newest, most amazing inventions in the world of computers, music players, video contraptions and the like.
I used to be a practical user of technology. I had a home PC, a basic cell phone, a first generation iPod and a simple television/DVD player. It was easy and uncomplicated. I was happy. I didn't know any better. Wasn't paying attention. Life was good. Since meeting Mr. Oz, things have changed. Gone are the days of my distant relationship with all things tech. Now we have a wireless router with multiple computers and printers all networked together to form a spider web of connections & conversations. I have returned to my roots of Apple and am now a proud Macbook Pro owner. I have an iPhone and brighter, fancier iPod. There is also a xbox which Mr. Oz has converted into a media center where we watch our movies and television shows. Nintendo Wii, bluetooth, external hard drives, jump drives, instant messaging, texts, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter . . . you name it we have it, use it, love it. Well . . . mostly love it. We are better, faster, smarter. This is life on the Internet superhighway and I'm driving a powerful convertible. Top down. Hair blowin in the wind. Weeeeeee.
OK, so occasionally I become despondent with the ubiquitous presence of metal, microchips and interfaces. I long for real, face-to-face interaction versus the sound-byte tweets and chirps of data. Sigh. It is in times like this, when I'm at the end of my virtual cord, that I need to take stock of all the benefits of our modern conveniences. I'm good. We're good. We couldn't possibly need another gadget, another megabyte, nothing. Just when I think the limit has been attained; our gadget collection has reached its maximum capacity, well, then Mr. Oz sends me another link. Apple's launching the next generation iPod nano. So? Big deal, right? Well, the new version boasts video recording capability, built in FM radio and a pedometer. Wha, wha, what?!
Drool.
I want it.
I want it in orange.
Help.
I need help.
I used to be a practical user of technology. I had a home PC, a basic cell phone, a first generation iPod and a simple television/DVD player. It was easy and uncomplicated. I was happy. I didn't know any better. Wasn't paying attention. Life was good. Since meeting Mr. Oz, things have changed. Gone are the days of my distant relationship with all things tech. Now we have a wireless router with multiple computers and printers all networked together to form a spider web of connections & conversations. I have returned to my roots of Apple and am now a proud Macbook Pro owner. I have an iPhone and brighter, fancier iPod. There is also a xbox which Mr. Oz has converted into a media center where we watch our movies and television shows. Nintendo Wii, bluetooth, external hard drives, jump drives, instant messaging, texts, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter . . . you name it we have it, use it, love it. Well . . . mostly love it. We are better, faster, smarter. This is life on the Internet superhighway and I'm driving a powerful convertible. Top down. Hair blowin in the wind. Weeeeeee.
OK, so occasionally I become despondent with the ubiquitous presence of metal, microchips and interfaces. I long for real, face-to-face interaction versus the sound-byte tweets and chirps of data. Sigh. It is in times like this, when I'm at the end of my virtual cord, that I need to take stock of all the benefits of our modern conveniences. I'm good. We're good. We couldn't possibly need another gadget, another megabyte, nothing. Just when I think the limit has been attained; our gadget collection has reached its maximum capacity, well, then Mr. Oz sends me another link. Apple's launching the next generation iPod nano. So? Big deal, right? Well, the new version boasts video recording capability, built in FM radio and a pedometer. Wha, wha, what?!
Drool.
I want it.
I want it in orange.
Help.
I need help.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Blatent Re-Post of Some Funny Stuff
My sister's blog is HILARIOUS! Many of her posts leave me rolling on the floor in gut-bending laughter. I find myself going back to re-read them when I need a moment of humor. Anyway, this last one was so funny, I wanted to re-post here and share with those of you who don't have access to it. Here ya go. Enjoy!
Oh and sister, I hope this doesn't violate any infringement, copy write type laws or anything. Please don't sue me. Thanks.
***************************************************************************************
This is my letter to the Sam's Club sample lady who confronted me this weekend OR, as I would like to call it, What I Should Have Said, part one.
Dear Sam's Club Sample Lady,
I was shopping in your store this past weekend. Perhaps you remember me, I was the girl pushing the cart, knoshing on the previous sample lady's goods (chicken salad on a whole wheat cracker) when I rolled up to your table and was reading the sign on the front of your cart when you looked up at me and said, "Why don't you chew and swallow what you have in your mouth now before you start taking something from my table." You said it with a sneer of disgust, as I recall. Remember me? I would hope so. I would hope that this little phrase isn't something that you say to all of the Sam's Club shoppers. Perhaps the fact that I looked horrified is enough to jog your memory.
Well, I've got a few things to say to you. First, I'm certain it did not occur to you that I had gotten up early that morning, drove nearly 4 hours and golfed nine holes before I got to Sam's Club to run a few quick errands so I could get home as soon as possible in order to do more chores that I had neglected over the weekend - thus, I didn't have time to stop and eat for most of the day? I don't suppose it mattered to you that I was famished.
I don't suppose it occurred to you that I was merely reading the advertisement in order to discover what strange breaded meat you were, in fact, slicing while I chewed the previous sample and that I had no intention of partaking of said breaded cod strips covered with some weird ketchup based sauce.
Frankly, neither of the above really matter. What matters is that you were hired to do a job....a very simple job, hand out food to would-be purchasers. Yeah, that is right, Blue Hair, I'm talking about you. I'm pointing out that in order to do your job, you don't need a high school degree or college degree. You don't even have to know how to read or write. All you have to know is cut, place on napkin, serve and smile. That is it. I believe it is a fair statement that you aren't even capable of that. You JUST couldn't help yourself, could you? You had to comment. You had to blather on as though anyone with a brain in their head gives a rat's ass what you think. You had to turn some screw - maybe the one that was formerly lodged in your cold, dead heart? Well, I got news for you, Raisin, nobody wants to buy fishsticks from stuck up grannies who don't have enough sense to keep their shitty comments to themselves. If I wasn't such a nice person, I would have gotten medieval on your old, wrinkled ass.
And further, the girth of your behind leads me to believe that you, also, should walk away from the table every once in awhile when your mouth is still full. After all, one who lives in a glass house, should not throw stones.
Oh and sister, I hope this doesn't violate any infringement, copy write type laws or anything. Please don't sue me. Thanks.
***************************************************************************************
This is my letter to the Sam's Club sample lady who confronted me this weekend OR, as I would like to call it, What I Should Have Said, part one.
Dear Sam's Club Sample Lady,
I was shopping in your store this past weekend. Perhaps you remember me, I was the girl pushing the cart, knoshing on the previous sample lady's goods (chicken salad on a whole wheat cracker) when I rolled up to your table and was reading the sign on the front of your cart when you looked up at me and said, "Why don't you chew and swallow what you have in your mouth now before you start taking something from my table." You said it with a sneer of disgust, as I recall. Remember me? I would hope so. I would hope that this little phrase isn't something that you say to all of the Sam's Club shoppers. Perhaps the fact that I looked horrified is enough to jog your memory.
Well, I've got a few things to say to you. First, I'm certain it did not occur to you that I had gotten up early that morning, drove nearly 4 hours and golfed nine holes before I got to Sam's Club to run a few quick errands so I could get home as soon as possible in order to do more chores that I had neglected over the weekend - thus, I didn't have time to stop and eat for most of the day? I don't suppose it mattered to you that I was famished.
I don't suppose it occurred to you that I was merely reading the advertisement in order to discover what strange breaded meat you were, in fact, slicing while I chewed the previous sample and that I had no intention of partaking of said breaded cod strips covered with some weird ketchup based sauce.
Frankly, neither of the above really matter. What matters is that you were hired to do a job....a very simple job, hand out food to would-be purchasers. Yeah, that is right, Blue Hair, I'm talking about you. I'm pointing out that in order to do your job, you don't need a high school degree or college degree. You don't even have to know how to read or write. All you have to know is cut, place on napkin, serve and smile. That is it. I believe it is a fair statement that you aren't even capable of that. You JUST couldn't help yourself, could you? You had to comment. You had to blather on as though anyone with a brain in their head gives a rat's ass what you think. You had to turn some screw - maybe the one that was formerly lodged in your cold, dead heart? Well, I got news for you, Raisin, nobody wants to buy fishsticks from stuck up grannies who don't have enough sense to keep their shitty comments to themselves. If I wasn't such a nice person, I would have gotten medieval on your old, wrinkled ass.
And further, the girth of your behind leads me to believe that you, also, should walk away from the table every once in awhile when your mouth is still full. After all, one who lives in a glass house, should not throw stones.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tour of Treasures
As your trusted Interwebs soldier of fortune, I am always on the lookout for new haunts and happening places that appeal to higher (and sometimes lower) tastes & sensibilities. When I can find said places in my own backyard, well, all the better. A few places recently hit my radar in the Southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities: JJ's Coffee & Wine Bar in Eden Prairie and Pairings Food & Wine Market in Minnetonka. Are you seeing a theme? Food, wine, coffee? Uhm, yeah. If you are in the neighborhood, I urge you to check out these little gems.
JJ's Coffee & Wine Bar lies just off Hwy 5 West as you are cruising from EP into Chanhassen. Take the Mitchell Rd. exit. Tucked back in a fairly nondescript suburban line-up of banks, nail shops and fitness joints, you would at first liken it to a Panera Bread wanna-be. It has a bit of that feel, but with a very respectable wine list, sample of simple yet tasty noshes and specialty coffees and teas. Oh yeah, and they also have pastries and breakfast items.
I can tell you that the food isn't the most incredible you've ever had, but what it lacks in stellar cuisine it makes up for in quaint & comfortable ambiance. The neutral palette of stone, dark wood and fabric makes for a pretty cozy resting spot for either a lazy weekend afternoon or an after work retreat. There are several overstuffed chairs and booths to snuggle up in, order yourself a creamy latte or glass of Pinot Noir and just relax. They also boast free WiFi (bring your laptop and catch up Facebook and blog reading!) and a drive-thru for coffee and such. By chance, I ended up stopping in the night of their "soft" opening so they were still working out some of the kinks. I spoke to the owner -- the actual JJ herself. She was super helpful and solicited input on the menu, drinks and overall concept. She immediately struck me as someone who deserves success. To that end, I hope all 4 of my blog readers, go and check it out sometime soon. :)
Mr. Oz and I were out running some weekend errands the other day when we decided to stop into Pairings: Food & Wine Market. Right off of Hwy 62 and Shady Oak Road, Pairings appears grocery store like. I didn't know what to expect. Was it an upscale deli? Wine shop? Restaurant? Speciality gourmet store? The answer is YES, all of the above. The place is divided into two sections. On the left you have a D'amico-like restaurant where you belly up to the counter, request your choice of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, pasta or wood-fired pizzas. You get a number, sit down, and they bring your food to you when it is ready. This counter is flanked on one side by a fine array of fromage in the cheese case. The other side holds a variety of gourmet nibbles and treats. On the right, you can veer off into the wine shop. Once inside, you'll find much more than wine . . . Pairings boasts one of the most extensive beer selections I've seen in these parts. Do they have rare Trappist Ale made by Belgian Monks? Yep. How about batch crafted hoppy ales from teeny-tiny breweries that no one has even heard of yet? Ahh, yep. We could have spent an hour exploring this place. The fun thing is if you order some food and plan to dine in at the restaurant, you can buy your wine or beer and take it over to the food side. No corkage fee. Just pour and drink.
Of course, I bought some tasty bits at the shop: Ames Farm single source honey, a Voiges chocolate bar, a nice slab of Bucheron goat cheese. Mr. Oz and I had lunch. While he dined on Sicilian sausage pizza, I tried the Asian curry pasta with chicken. Seriously good food. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend Ames Farm honey. Holy man. It is a sugary, sticky delight and pairs up well with tangy goat cheese spread on a cracker. Thanks for showing me the light Anne!
This concludes the Twin Cities Tour of Treasures for now. Bon Appetito!
JJ's Coffee & Wine Bar lies just off Hwy 5 West as you are cruising from EP into Chanhassen. Take the Mitchell Rd. exit. Tucked back in a fairly nondescript suburban line-up of banks, nail shops and fitness joints, you would at first liken it to a Panera Bread wanna-be. It has a bit of that feel, but with a very respectable wine list, sample of simple yet tasty noshes and specialty coffees and teas. Oh yeah, and they also have pastries and breakfast items.
I can tell you that the food isn't the most incredible you've ever had, but what it lacks in stellar cuisine it makes up for in quaint & comfortable ambiance. The neutral palette of stone, dark wood and fabric makes for a pretty cozy resting spot for either a lazy weekend afternoon or an after work retreat. There are several overstuffed chairs and booths to snuggle up in, order yourself a creamy latte or glass of Pinot Noir and just relax. They also boast free WiFi (bring your laptop and catch up Facebook and blog reading!) and a drive-thru for coffee and such. By chance, I ended up stopping in the night of their "soft" opening so they were still working out some of the kinks. I spoke to the owner -- the actual JJ herself. She was super helpful and solicited input on the menu, drinks and overall concept. She immediately struck me as someone who deserves success. To that end, I hope all 4 of my blog readers, go and check it out sometime soon. :)
Mr. Oz and I were out running some weekend errands the other day when we decided to stop into Pairings: Food & Wine Market. Right off of Hwy 62 and Shady Oak Road, Pairings appears grocery store like. I didn't know what to expect. Was it an upscale deli? Wine shop? Restaurant? Speciality gourmet store? The answer is YES, all of the above. The place is divided into two sections. On the left you have a D'amico-like restaurant where you belly up to the counter, request your choice of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, pasta or wood-fired pizzas. You get a number, sit down, and they bring your food to you when it is ready. This counter is flanked on one side by a fine array of fromage in the cheese case. The other side holds a variety of gourmet nibbles and treats. On the right, you can veer off into the wine shop. Once inside, you'll find much more than wine . . . Pairings boasts one of the most extensive beer selections I've seen in these parts. Do they have rare Trappist Ale made by Belgian Monks? Yep. How about batch crafted hoppy ales from teeny-tiny breweries that no one has even heard of yet? Ahh, yep. We could have spent an hour exploring this place. The fun thing is if you order some food and plan to dine in at the restaurant, you can buy your wine or beer and take it over to the food side. No corkage fee. Just pour and drink.
Of course, I bought some tasty bits at the shop: Ames Farm single source honey, a Voiges chocolate bar, a nice slab of Bucheron goat cheese. Mr. Oz and I had lunch. While he dined on Sicilian sausage pizza, I tried the Asian curry pasta with chicken. Seriously good food. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend Ames Farm honey. Holy man. It is a sugary, sticky delight and pairs up well with tangy goat cheese spread on a cracker. Thanks for showing me the light Anne!
This concludes the Twin Cities Tour of Treasures for now. Bon Appetito!
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