Sunday Funnies

Went and saw Spamalot again lastnight. I can't say for sure what my very favorite scene or act was but all of the scenes in Act II were hilarious.

Dinner was at the new Brazilian Churascaria downtown on First Street - Maceio. The restaurant is inside the old Melting Pot and all the tables have the leftover fireproof glass inserts dead center. We joked about it with our server, Sarah, and wondered if there was any way to turn on the "tv" and watch the Sharks game. Actually, she said, it's a touch screen for placing orders, "Can't you see the menu? it's right there, no really, you don't see that?" It was funny, we were feeling silly, you had to be there.

Thoughts about dinner? Awesome. We've been to Fogo de Chao many times in D.C. and loved it, however, I think the meats presented lastnight were superior. First, the seasonings were reasonable. Seems like at other Brazilian venues there is an abundance of salt on each offering.

The salad bar rocked. My opinion of course, but I liked the selection of steamed vegetables alongside with the standard salad bar choices. Each of us made our own first course plate; lettuce salads, pasta salads, devil eggs, mozzarella slices and tomatoes, pesto potatoes, couscous, carrot slaw, etc.

Just before we started the meat service, I filled a veggie plate for the table to share - a selection of bok choy, asparagus, broccoli, zucchinis wraps (thin slices rolled around feta cheese), and more mozzarella and tomatoes.

We dined on chicken, pork short ribs, shrimp (the butteriest I've tasted), tri tip, top sirloin, filet mignon, turkey, and the most amazing roasted pineapple. Rotisseried til golden, bathed in butter, sugar, cinnamon and clove (?I'm guessing at all that based on flavor) and carved tableside just like the meats. To die for. All four of us had seconds and thirds of that.

Now for the Sunday Funnies - kind of.





San Jose has some pretty awesome public spaces, but because we travel around so much we rarely spend any time enjoying our own home. We attended the Tapestry and Talent festival downtown over Labor Day and for the first time went up close to the fountains that so many people enjoy.

And because we always mention this lovely statue to all our visiting guests, "the turd". It was a piece of art that was commissioned for the city, but the artist eventually became fed up with the requests to change his original design. After many such requests he quit, but was informed that he had to produce something per the contract and payment agreement...and so we have a large "Turd" in the park. Even comedian Ron White mentioned it when he was here for a show, "Do ya'll know there is a statue of a turd in your park?". Awesome.

Random picture of cookies. We dined at a friends house over Labor Day and I took a large plate of cookies for dessert. I've said it before, I'll say it again, I like to ice the cookies with a simple powdered sugar frosting, but I don't add vanilla extract or water, I usually use either a Sauternes or Muscat. This batch was with a leftover Gewurztraminer...not the best if you're wondering. Paul opened a dessert wine that night and it seemed to go well with the cookies. For those that don't know, I don't do sweet wines...and don't tell me I haven't tried the right one yet, I'm the same girl that doesn't pound chocolate on a monthly cycle, I simply don't prefer it.

Vineyard dogs. Last year Fergie expired on the day we harvested Crimson Clover. That was a year ago. Then in January, we were back at the vineyard to prune and Millie brought along Truffles*. Long story longer, the owner at C.C. fell in love with Truffles and wanted to adopt her sister. The economy being what it is, the price of adoption was too high, so she went online "just to look" for other similar pups. And she ended up with Sunshine (left). She's got the flat face, similar underbite and perky ears as "the little mutt*". Rascal is laying down next to her for the photo op wondering what all the hubbub is about.

* For the record, Truffles official name is Jazzi, and I often refer to her (lovingly of course) as The Little Mutt, pronounced like I'm from Brooklyn as DaLeetleMuhhtt.