Philly Trip, Yum!

Any of you have stress at work? Yeah, join the crowd. We've all got it, right? I have lots of tools in my belt to handle this stress. Whether I use them or not is not part of this particular post (maybe some other time?). With that said, one of the ways I deal with stress from work is to ensure my days off are are QUALITY days off. The past couple of months this particular tool has slipped out of my hand. So, Ray and I have decided to make more of an effort to get out and enjoy our surroundings...even in 11 degree temperatures! So here's a recap of our overnight trip to Philly.

Friday morning we packed a bag and made the hour trip to Philadelphia. We started by visiting the President's House site, which is part of Independence Mall. There's a section that has been excavated and glassed off for visitors to see.

There's an exhibit there concerning slavery and freedom that was touching in a way that was more powerful with it being an open-air footprint of the house than it would have been in a walled off museum. I know I'm missing the words to describe it appropriately, so I'm going to stop while I'm ahead.

We then visited the Liberty Bell Center. Here they have the history of the bell itself and how it played into the histories of abolition, suffrage and other battles for freedom. It was inspiring to see the bell in person. To see the crack and the attempts to fix it. To see the inscription, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land until all the inhabitants thereof." It's a verse from Leviticus. No wonder those fighting for their rights adopted the bell as their own. They were demanding their own jubilee.

Liberty Bell

We moved on to Independence Hall before hopping across town to take the obligatory pictures of the steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Independence Hall

Philadelphia Art Museum

Ray thought we shouldn't be boring in our picture taking, so we had a bit of comic relief for the folks around us.

We headed to Tony Luke's for lunch where we had roast pork sandwiches. I love these sandwiches! Afterwards, we passed Geno's and Pat's, which are apparently famous for their Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. With all of the other places we have on our list to try out, I'm not sure we'll actually stop for a sandwich here. Ray says the most memorable part of getting to these places, which are basically across the street from each other, is the education in 19th century urban development. The streets we drove through and the housing and shops we drove past, it was as if we had been transported to another time.

We then made our way to check into the hotel to take a rest before the big event of the night. We stayed at The Inn at Penn and it was great. Ray thought the room was warm because it wouldn't cool down to freezing, but I was comfy, so...

Before the concert we had dinner at The Fat Ham. The menu is made up of small plates. The owner describes it as "...a pork-centric restaurant drawing inspiration from Southern country cooking..." Okay, so small plates of Southern food. I'm on board with that. Here's where I talk about everything we ate (in case you want to skip ahead!). 

We had the charcuterie board with bacon, ham, chicken liver terrine, pickled veggies and mustard. Here's a picture of a guy putting the board together that I nicked from their site. To be honest, I didn't want to like the terrine. I'm not a chicken liver person and I'm not fond of meat that's comparable to baby food, but I want more...now.

We also had hummus made from boiled peanuts. Now, I like hummus and I like peanuts, but I do not like boiled peanuts. The man I'm married to loves them. I didn't like it and surprising enough, neither did Ray. It was too loose for his tastes. Next up was the roasted root vegetables, which were great, and shrimp and grits. There's a restaurant in Indy that makes my favorite shrimp and grits, ever. I now have a very close second. I could eat these all day long. I plan on going back to this restaurant with the sole purpose of ordering the shrimp and grits again. They were wonderful. The last of the plates were mac and cheese and fried chicken. The mac and cheese had a BBQ potato chip crust on it that was unexpectedly good. It gave it that crunch you usually get from the breadcrumb topping and a hint of sweet BBQ. It was good. 

Now we're going to have to talk about the chicken. It was fried chicken, but different. It's actually called hot chicken, which is a staple in Tennessee. I'm not a fan. Maybe if it were something I grew up with I would have enjoyed it as much as the million other people who have tried it, but it's just not my kind of eats and that's okay, because the pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream was great!

After dinner we made our way to the Wells Fargo Center to see Martina McBride and George Strait. This was part of my Christmas present from Ray. I've been looking forward to this and they didn't disappoint. The lights of the show messed with me and my new meds, but of course we made the best of it. I even got a dance with my no dancing husband. It's one for the books! 

Saturday we slept in. It was nice, since we never do that. We're usually up with the sun and/or cats on our days off. We got ready and packed (not everything!) and made our way to our brunch reservation at Amada, which is a Spanish restaurant. One of the things we really enjoy is choosing to take part in a restaurants tasting or chefs menu. You never know what you're going to get, but you do know it's going to cover a variety of items, some of which you might not have ever thought to order on your own. So, for brunch, that's what we did and it consisted of 3 courses with each course being comprised 3 tapas each. 

Are you ready for more food talk?!?

Our first course had manchego with sliced granny smith apples, truffled lavender honey with crusty bread. I enjoy these types of plates and was blown away by the honey. So much so that we bought some, brought it home and mailed a jar to Georgia. I just know they're going to love it! Yup, we're those people. Another plate was ensalada verde, which had lettuce (of couse!) with fava beans, asparagus, avocado, and green beans. I like salads, but this one was terrific. Whatever is in your head about this combination, throw it out, you're not even close to the reality. The taste, the textures, the visuals...I want to make and eat this salad every day! The third tapas for this course was a variety of marinated olives. There were so many types in bowl it was fun for us to eat and compare together.

The second course included a Spanish tortilla, which I loved. Ray typically isn't a fan of tortillas, but I think this one won him over. If you've never had one, think frittata with sliced potatoes and onions in fluffy egg goodness. So good. There were ham croquettes with romesco that were fantastic. I could eat a plate full of them. Then there was the galletas y salsa. This wasn't your everyday biscuits and gravy. It was a serrano biscuit with a house-made chorizo patty topped with gravy. Yes, I'll have more. 

Are you full yet? One more course to go.

The third course had a warm fava and lima bean salad with onions and peppers. It reminded me of the flavors I've had in black eyed pea salads...a little sweet...a little heat...a little vinegar...it was good. Trying to recreate it is on my to do list. There was a bowl of albondigas...I love saying that word. They're little lamb meatballs served in a manchego cheese sauce and peas. Then there was the hanger steak. I'm such a sucker for hanger steak. The seasonings were great. The sauce served with it was great. I want more. I actually bartered Ray for the last piece. I gave up my last meatball for the last piece of steak. We were both happy with the outcome!

Then there was dessert. It was a pumpkin brulee served with dried cherries and figs. It was perfect and paired well with the strong coffee. Usually pumpkin anything hits you in the head and says "HEY THERE'S PUMPKIN IN HERE!" This didn't do that. It was super subtle, silky smooth and not too sweet.

Ray had a couple of brunch-type cocktails. One had coffee, cinnamon and honey whiskey. He said it was dangerous because you couldn't tell there was alcohol in it. The second one, which had orange juice, cava, gin and vodka, had more of a bite to it. The alcohol definitely wasn't hiding in it!

After we ate, we made our way over to the site of one of the homes Edgar Allan Poe and his wife (and cousin) Virginia lived in while in Philadelphia. While there's nothing there from his occupation of the house, it was still neat.

They've done a good job at restoring the rooms they occupied to their original state. The history of the man and his dying wife are there as is a timeline of his life. He had an up and down life with an amazing imagination that inspired so many after him. I think back fondly to the month we spent on Poe while I was in college. It was a difficult month with so many papers I agonized over, but one that translated to my every day life. I learned more about reading between the lines and figuring out what people were trying to say verses what they actually said. The psychology of it all grabbed my attention. I've read most of his stories, poetry and reviews multiple times. I think it might be time for another visit.

Me in the basement

Stairs in the basement

After completing the tour we got on the road for home. We had to stop near the halfway point to allow my nausea (new meds side effect) to subside. This is when we realized that we forgot Ray's shaving kit at the hotel. Gracious. So instead of taking zantac to calm my stomach down (I packed them in his kit), I had to buy chewable Pepto from the gas station. Eww, gross! If companies are going to make chewables, they could at least make them taste better.

It was a good trip for us both. Now to plan the next one...

For So Much More...

Cami and I are sitting here pairing my new Jaybird Bluebuds X bluetooth headphones with my phone, the TV and laptop while listening to Pandora. She can't hear the music playing, but she has good taste so I know she's absolutely enjoying it. I had my phone in my hand about to close out Pandora when I started paying attention to the words of the song playing:

Give me one million problems

And I promise I'll worry about them all.

Give me twenty-four hours and I promise I'll fill them up

With all the things that are so small.

But something tells me

You made me for so much more.

(Matthew West - The Light of Eternity)

I've recently realized that I've allowed all the problems and things that are so small take up residency in my head and get me off track...way off track. I've been working to make the U-turn and once again have found that it's hard to let go of it all. So when I heard the above lyrics, it stopped me and I listened to the rest of the song. Good lyrics, not a great song, but that's okay.

All too often it's frustrating to note how difficult it can be to get what you know in your head to be embraced by your heart. It's not as easy as, let's say, pairing a set of bluetooth headphones. Too bad, right?

The Not Quite Atlanta Trip

We have been looking forward to our trip to Atlanta for a while now. We have family there and they are the perfect people for us to unwind, relax and recharge with every time. It was going to be a quick trip, Wednesday through Friday, and then back to the grind. We had plans of TV shows, music, food adult beverages and an adults night out so they too could have a few hours of not being parents and recharge themselves. And then the ice and snow came to Atlanta for the second week this year and shut the place down...again.

Our flight was canceled the day before we were to leave. The trip would not happen. I was more than disappointed. I needed this trip. I needed to get away to unwind and find some of the energy I've lost here lately. I needed to laugh and cut-up like the four of us do so well. I was looking forward to being served imaginary tea! I was agitated and stressed before the trip was canceled and worse off after Southwest sent me the sweetly worded notification of our canceled flight.

Thankfully I married the best guy around and he knew I needed, at the minimum, a night out without worries and full of laughs. So, he made plans and took me out in hopes of us making it back home before the snow storm rolled in. We were forecasted to get 4-6", but that could mean anywhere from a dusting to a blizzard.

We started our evening with dinner at Moro in Wilmington. The restaurant is off the beaten path in a weird residential-business neighborhood. When you look at the place you know instantly it was someones home once upon a time, but once you walk in, you know you're in a fine dining establishment.

We started with drinks. I ordered a Moro Fizz which has blood orange soda, pomegranate juice and white rum served over ice. The glass it was served in was a fun style of a collins glass and if I could have gotten two of them to the table at once, I might have nicked them. The drink itself was great. Not too much alcohol, not too sweet and the carbonation was just right. It's like a gin fizz minus the gin, lemon juice, egg whites...hmm...okay, it's nothing like a gin fizz, but it was a great way to start.

Ray ordered the Basil Lemonade. It had lemonade, citron vodka and basil leaves served over ice in a highball glass. This drink would be good if a pitcher were made and served on a warm summer day. When I say good, you should read "dangerous".

We had the six course tasting menu and Ray had the wine pairing to go with it. Ray says he chose the six course menu over the four or five course menu because he figured there was going to be a tartar or foie gras brought out and he knows I don't enjoy either of those items. I personally think he wanted more food.

The first plate brought out was a salmon tartar. My heart sank. I really don't enjoy raw fish at all. I've tried a number of fish in many ways and have liked the flavor, but there's a texture thing I can't get past. So, as I've done many times before, I put some of it on my little crostini, prayed, and ate it. Then I finished my plate. It was delicious!

The next plate was seared mahi mahi with capers and caramelized onions served over a roasted potato. When the plate was put in front of me my first thought was that this wasn't going to work. I've never had potatoes with fish unless it was fried fish with a side of french fries. Of course, when I ate it, it was great.

The next course was my favorite of the night. It was a brown butter, artichoke risotto. I want a bowl of it now and later and tomorrow and the next day. It's not on their normal menu, so I don't know if I'll be able to order it on a return trip. This has to be in the top five things I've ever eaten. It was that good.

The fourth plate was crispy lamb served on top of a nutmeg ricotta ravioli with grilled asparagus and a parsnip puree. This wasn't my favorite of the night, but was still good. Ray really enjoyed it. The asparagus with the parsnip puree was so good he ate it all. For those who don't know, Ray dislikes asparagus with a passion. Looks like we both had a change of heart.

The next plate was a braised short rib. The meat was so tender that a knife was unnecessary. It was so good. My only complaint was that I was so full at this point that I could barely eat any of it. I am still very disappointed in myself. The positive is that this is on their normal menu, unlike everything else we ate, so if (read "when") we go back, I can order it as my entree. This was a close second behind the risotto. It was so good.

The last plate was dessert. It was a deconstructed smore. Now, I recently told someone that smores are over rated and that the only good smore was one that you could drink. I need to add an addendum to that statement. A deconstructed smore made with chocolate pot de creme, some crushed graham crackers and a couple of large charred marshmallows is also acceptable. Oh man was that good!

It was really great food and I hope we return soon and consume a few plates less. Ray enjoyed his wine pairings. With each new pairing I tried a sip and enjoyed them too. They did a good job with the small pours so as to not have folks drunk by the end of the meal. We've done pairings with our meals twice before last night and both times the pours were too much. I appreciate folks not trying to get me drunk. Personally, I think it defeats the purpose of the pairings. Plus, the amount of time and coffee you have to consume afterwards before you can drive home can get ridiculous!

Once the meal was over and Ray rolled me out of the restaurant, we made our way to the The Grand Opera House which was beautiful inside. It's a very cozy space which lends itself to not having a bad seat in the house.

We were there to experience Alton Brown Live: The Edible Inevitable Tour.

It was a great show. He played a few songs that were pretty funny and made chocolate ice cream with a couple of extinguishers, cream he got from Bessie, his trusted cow from Good Eats and a volunteer from the audience. He made pizza in his Mega Bake oven using stage lights and a ship wheel and another volunteer from the audience.

This volunteer comes with a story. She is the sister of the first volunteeer, an industrual engineer, blonde and drunk. The exchange between the two of them throughout the demonstration was hilarious. The burping/farting yeast sock puppets also made a few appearances throughout the show.

He talked through his current "10 Things I'm Sure About Food" of which I can only remember some of them now...

• Chickens don't have fingers - He told a great story about a sleep over his daughter had where she wanted him to make them chicken fingers. He made them chicken feet.

• The thing in the kitchen you should learn to use is salt
• Trout should never be in ice cream - He told the story about having to eat it on Iron Chef America. I remember watching that episode
• Your wife is the best cook
• The best ingredient to learn to cook with is eggs - They're cheap, come in cartons of 12, are pre-measured and even if you over cook them they are still (usually) edible
• The most important tool in the kitchen is the table - Pay attention to the people you're eating with more than the food. 
• Raisins are always optional
• Never eat cocktail shrimp at the airport - He told a story about how he ate a shrimp cocktail at a LA airport, got sick on the 5 hour flight and ended up in the hospital for a few days. Ray was able to commiserate as he had a similar experience with BBQ.

It was a fun show that had us laughing. It ran long, which was fine with us, until we got outside and the snow had already started falling. The drive was a bit of an adventure since the roads hadn't been treated, but thankfully Ray was able to maneuver safely and got us home in one piece. Here's the picture of us once we got home. That's the look of relief on my face!

It was a great night out. The food was good, the show was funny and my date was the best. Thanks again, hunny.