NFL

NFL week 1 is finally here!   Our tv has been tuned to NFL red zone all day and Kevin is a very happy guy!   He had to call Comcast to get red zone working -- all their lines were busy, wonder how many other people had to do the same thing.   You can tell that its back in the grocery ads and what people are wearing at the store -- lots of jerseys...

Its a fun time of year.  

The football season really starts for us tomorrow since the Texans play their first game as the Monday Night Football game.  Its on the west coast and a late kick-off so I already know I'll be a sleepy girl on Tuesday.  Hopefully and happy sleepy girl :)

I've been enjoying the countdown the Texans post on their facebook so i grabbed the latest one, each time I saw it they had the player with the # to match how many days out --- starting way back with 99 (Watt).

Whoever you root for, enjoy football being back!

We also saw Book of Mormon this weekend -- I was more excited about that then I was for football.  Its a pretty rare musical I can convince K to go to with me, and this one was right up his alley.  Very irreverent and not for delicate ears, it was hilarious.  He was wondering if they'd say the f word.....yes, front and center and more time than I could count......If you'd told me when I first saw South Park that one day there would be a musical by these same guys I wouldn't have believed you.....

Staycation

I know I say this every month recently -- but really, how is it already September?!?!?!

I'm happy to say good bye to the summer months, though September still means summer weather in Houston...but cannot believe how fast this year is flying by.

The first week of classes went well for both of us and we were both glad to have a long weekend -- I think me more than K since with his class schedule he's at home on Mondays anyway.

We took advantage of the extra day by taking a day trip to Brenham on Saturday.   It took about an hour and a half to get there and we visited the Pleasant Hill winery.   The winery is almost only a wine making place, not a grape growing place - though I did see vines outside and they do buy Texas grapes,   We were able to join up with a tour already in progress -- they start at half past the hour - and saw everything we wanted to see -- including a cellar built into the hill.   Our main purpose was to taste the wine, and we enjoyed it.  They even had different tasting tracks for dry vs sweet, perfect for us since K likes the dry and I prefer the sweet.  After our tasting we each bought a glass and sat in the front room of the store area to enjoy it.   We  chatted with some other folks who were splitting a bottle and got some ideas for other day trips - there are several wineries within a short drive of Houston.

My favorite wines: Collina Bianca and Sweet Collina Rossa (both sweet), K's favorite: Sangiovese.

We'd hoped to also tour the Blue Bell Creamery.  We weren't able to since they're only open for tours during the week - another trip.  We could've gone and bought ice cream but decided against it -- we can buy it at the store and have it at home instead (we did just that on Sunday - Dutch Chocolate - while we watched Breaking Bad).

After the winery, we went to get something to eat.  We'd hoped to try an Italian place the owners recommended, Volare, but were very disappointed to see we'd missed their lunch hours (til 2) and were too early for dinner (reopens at 5).    We will have to go back to try it -- it looks like a house from the outside.   Instead we found a nearby 'saloon' (BT Longhorn Steakhouse) and sat at the 1880s bar and had  sandwich/burger.

After dinner we headed home.  Day trips are the best of both worlds -- a little get away and no worries about finding someone to watch our dog, reservations, packing.   We'll definitely be doing more this fall.

back to school and Hatch

Its back to school week in Houston.  Students and teachers of all ages head back to the classrooms today and all week.  Kevin is ready for his classes.  He has one more day til they start since he'll be teaching Tuesday/Thursday.

Good luck to all the students and teachers (and parents)!  I know I'll see lots of 'first day' pictures on my social media feeds.  Especially for those whose kids its the VERY first day, it'll be an emotional day.

I hope that fall weather isn't far behind.  We made homemade chili yesterday to go along with the football game and it really got me ready for fall.  Its my favorite season and one that is too short here -- ready for sweaters, drinks to warm me up.......if we could just get rid of summer.

We've been trying a new ingredient - Hatch chilies - and love them!   So far we've used them in burgers, yesterday's chili, and plan to use them in a soup later in the week.  I see now why people rave about them, and hope their season lasts long enough for us to make a few more dishes with them.   Maybe next year we'll roast and freeze them...

Football is back

For 2 more weeks it is still preseason, but its back and we are excited!

I was able to attend the first preseason game in Reliant Stadium last night with Kevin and had a great time!  (He and his family have had season tickets since before I MET him.  I don't have my own ticket but get to go to several games when someone else in the group doesn't want/can't use their ticket -- its the perfect arrangement!  I get to go often enough and have some time to myself on game days that he goes and I don't, I get some stuff done at home and cheer them on from home.)

During the off-season they installed even BIGGER tv screens in each endzone and I'd seen video online showing them in action, but the videos don't do them justice.  I knew they'd be enormous, but you really can't tell how big until you see them in person.   I found myself having to remember to look at the FIELD instead of the screen it was so tempting to just look at the screen.     As K was afraid of, much of the time 2/3 of the screen are covered in ads -- they took away the static ad space, but there are times when the whole screen is used and its impressive.   I love the new Texans 'transformer' sequence and our nephew will really love that one!   They did a lot of crowd shots and we love watching their faces change when they realize they are on the big screen.   On the way home, K and my father in law did say there were things they didn't like about it - some of the informational items were hard to find or sometimes moved (game clock for example).   I must admit I didn't notice, and just loved it.  

I didn't like the NFL's new bag policy.    You can't bring a purse in anymore, only a very small clutch (4.5" x 6.5" - mine are not that small!)  or stuff in a clear plastic bag - either one you can buy or a ziploc.    My mother-in-law had gotten a bag from the NFL and she let us all toss our few items in it - it'll become our 'community purse'.  My approach will be the less I bring the better, but even then there are items I need -keys, money, phone and I'd carry K's glasses case.   I realized after I got there I should have brought chapstick, and I'm used to having gum, Advil, the list goes on and on 'just in case'.  I'll get used to it, but its starting to feel like air travel -- you have to have a special bag packed for their specifications.   and I'll admit it, I felt a little bit naked without my purse.... I do feel badly for anyone who brings a baby/toddler to the game - all the diaper bag stuff in a ziploc is not going to be fun.     I'm not really sure what it saves, we had our bags searched before so its not really making us safer...   I will say that they publicized it well, and we were surprised to see a few people outside the stadium with huge purses.  I'm sure they were turned away at the gate....they'll learn it soon....Know before you go - the bag policy is NFL-wide.  Here is some info on it.

The game was great, and I loved getting to see former UH quarterback Case Keenum in action for the Texans.

Vacation food

I like splitting up the vacation recap into several posts; it lets me relive my trip a little longer.  This one is all about the food :)

We enjoyed the restaurants at the resort – they had quite a variety to choose from - and also were able to find some places to eat across the street – I love being able to walk to eat!

We stumbled on a seafood place, Snappers, and it was so so good.  I have to brag on their salad and dressing – Kevin cleaned his plate!   He’s not much for salads so this really is saying something.   After we ordered they brought out some long chips and spiced hummus, delicious.  I had to resist eating it all so I’d be hungry for the meal.   I had a lobster risotto with scallops and shrimp – I think it was my first time to have risotto and won’t be my last.   Kevin had a great piece of fish.

We also ate at a Cuban place, Bella Habana.  I have to say my thoughts about this place are mixed.  We ordered tapas (small plates) and the food we got was all good, but I was surprised at how many items they didn’t have  - both for food and drinks (they couldn’t make a mojito for me, which was really disappointing).  They even said they didn’t have chicken…. who doesn’t have chicken?  Then later the only dish that we’d wanted that called for chicken came out so I’m not sure if they did in fact have it…..so confused.    We did enjoy the place and the staff were very friendly.  They only took cash and so after we ate I went to the ATM to get some cash while K stayed at the restaurant and he talked Cuban history with the waiter and I think the cook came out at one point too, made his day.

The place we went to the MOST (besides the beach) was the beach bar right next to our hotel, called the Toasted Monkey.   They had live music almost all of the time and it was really comfortable.  We enjoyed just going over there and relaxing, and their chips and queso were good, and trust me I know good queso!  The people watching was so fun there too!

I had 2 favorite meals at the resort – fish tacos at the Flying Bridge our first full day there, and a Italian food at the Palmetto on our last night.  Totally different food and each time what we wanted – quick and easy the first day and a little fancier the last night.

We spent nearly our whole trip at the beach, but we did want a break from the sun one day and so went to check out a local winery.   Florida doesn't grow grapes so this place, Florida Orange Groves Winery, makes wines from all other sorts of other fruits – you name it, they probably make it.  We did a tasting and were able to taste 6 different kinds – we both tasted their Hurricane Class 5 wine and then were able to taste 5 of our choosing – we chose different ones and tasted each other’s so we actually tasted 11!    I liked the wines (my favorite was the mango) and really liked their ‘smoothies’ – a mix that you mix together with wine and ice to make a frozen drink – really good for the summer.  We bought some (blueberry, cherry, and mango) to bring home.   I especially like the wine pouches they sell – think capri sun for adults!  The wine is in a small pouch, perfect for the beach or anywhere you don’t want glass.   

On most of the drive to/from Florida we stopped at fast food places, not great I know but we wanted to get in and out quickly.  We made one exception and I'm so glad we did.   We debated trying to drive home in one day and when it became clear that was too much driving in one day for us we decided to stop for the night in Baton Rouge.   We wanted something good to eat and so I got to searching on my phone - criteria were local and near I-10 and we found the BEST place, even better than if we'd been searching for it...Parrain's (means godfather in French).   They have all sorts of Cajun food (which I love) and we were seated right at the end of the bar, right next to where they make something called chargrilled oysters.  We chatted with the guys working with the grill and they told us what everything was and let us try one.  I haven't been a fan of oysters, but they were delicious!   It was a great way to end the evening and the trip....we're going to have to think of trips that take us through Baton Rouge at mealtime so we can go back.

I'm a numbers person so here a few numbers from our trip...

miles traveled: 1,985

states we were in: 5

nights away from home: 7
total swimsuits we wore: 4 (2 each so one could dry while we wore the other one)

we won’t count the number of calories we ingested :)