After irth

McDonalds from a Cuisinart? When you start slumming, you REALLY start slumming...! No middle ground, huh?

You are right next door to Acenar, which is usually quite friendly. The food isn't bad, plus a nice view of the River. You are also in walking distance of Domingo and the Otro bar. Check out Domingo online and consider a reservation. When/if you're wandering the Riverwalk, pop in at Boudro's. Their food is great, but...at bare minimum...order a round of Prickly Pear Margs and get the table-side prepared Guacamole. Watch the world walk by. Just sayin. If you want SA old-school, however, you're gonna need to get in the car and go to: Blanco Cafe on 1720 Blanco. Taco House on San Pedro. Teka Molino on San Pedro. You should dig all of those.

Buncha lightweights in here. Checking in at 52 here, and we don't do NOLA or Vegas unless we're staying AT LEAST 4 nights. You guys need to bust out the Geritol.

My wife relates stories of her upbringing. How a family of 5 moved into the clergy apt of their local church for a while. Neighbors bringing grocery bags of food, etc. Her not being able to afford the heat bill when she was in medical school, etc. A few years ago, she wandered into the kitchen, then came back and asked, "Where's the tea bag I left on the counter?" "It cooled off, so I pitched it." "Well...I was gonna reuse it." "Jesus Christ, baby...you are a fucking successful doctor. I think that we will be financially solvent if you grab another tea bag." Gotta give her credit...she doesn't really spend...some things just stay with you, I guess.

We've hit Nonna Osteria the past few times in town. Fun little place, great menu. Fancy but not pretentious.

Still waiting...

I bet she spent a good part of Sunday on the shitter after the day she had...

After dicking around with substandard stainless pans for a few go-rounds, I ended up trying the Sur La Table branded 5-ply, and they have been awesome. For those that may be in need...

Shit. Guess I'm heading to Tulsa this weekend.

Based on your finished product, I’d say you did well. Looks great!

I was looking at the author info. Seems like An Accidental Death is the place to start.

That is a serious feat!

I would return the wife at that point. My turkey…my rules! csb time: Our first holiday together, my wife had the nerve to balk at the 28# I brought home to our apartment. “Why so big? Such a waste.” I successfully brined it in a meat bucket packed with ice in the bathtub, and then roasted it beautifully for the holiday. She never complained about the Turkey Tetrazzini later that weekend, or the Gumbo a few weeks later, or the quarts of stock I put up. She, too, wanted me to return it. She, too, was wrong.

That sounds terrible. You gonna abstain? Or triple-fisting to make up for their end?

I’m not your bro, pal! Dammit…Gil beat me to it by 9 hours. Shit.

Saw this today. Kinda accurate.

You are THE MAN! Thank you for reviving it. It was wonderful last year when I made it, and I plan on making it twice this holiday season. Cheers to you, my Surly brother!

I know you made improvements over the Z Tejas version, and that I made your version last year. Like a dumbass, I didn't write it down, and it's vanished along with Shaggy. Care to grace us once again with your culinary vision?

Any specific places they regularly hang?

You are welcome to tinker with mine, if you wish. East Texas solidarity, brother! Creole Recipe.doc

Ha! It's a nice suggestion, and I will accept it in the spirit in which it was given. I'm pretty old-school, though, and have never even seen that fence, much less climbed on it. Got enough tech clogging up my life right now, and I generally don't give a shit what time it is. Just an analog man living in a digital world.

Gotta cycle through this thread and refresh my notes... Flying out Thanksgiving Day DFW-LHR. Got a 13th floor flat at Merchant Court in Wapping, overlooking the Thames (right next to Prospect Of Whitby). Plan to settle in and embrace the Christmas cheer of the neighborhood for 3 full weeks. We've previously done the traditional touristy stuff, so we're keeping this trip fairly loose. Our concrete list of plans, however, involve: Tower of London (never been) Front row for Branagh's King Lear Front row for Frank And Percy (starring Ian McKellen & Roger Allam) Griffin Brewery for the 2nd time Christmas Actually variety show by Richard Curtis Humbug immersive Christmas Dive Bar experience Other random plans include: Greenwich Christmas markets, Bermondsey Beer Mile, maybe return trips to Westminster Abbey and Parliament, The Churchill Arms pub, Cart & Horses, maybe a Fawlty Towers Dinner, The Jugged Hare, Ping Pong Dim Sum, hanging out with Paul & Bernice at Turner's Old Star, Monday night trivia at The Grapes, and...who knows? In the past, I've taken a thousand or two in currency, but I think I'm gonna pair that down to about $500, which I will acquire from my local Regions Bank. I figure everything else will be swipable. We are gonna do Oyster Cards simply because I don't wanna have to have my phone in my hand every time we go through a station or jump on a bus. Only gonna pack a week's worth of clothes and will do laundry in the flat a few times, but I have layers, jackets, my trusty London Fog trench coat, appropriate footwear, and a jaunty new hat for dealing with the weather (most of it thanks to L.L. Bean Labor Day sales...ha!). My nerdy wife is a major Anglophile and Brit History buff, so she is excited and ready to return. Fourth time for her, second time for me. We've considered moving to the UK, but eventually realized it's better to be 1%ers here and travel when we want. That's the goal, anyway... Bottom line...I'm starting to get pumped for this trip now that it's on the horizon. Also because I just forked over the last half of the flat rental, so it just got real...ha! Gonna have to clear our travel Amex now, dammit. If anyone has any Christmassy info to recommend...I am all ears.

He assists her with her forehead? I have many questions.

Lotsa warm and fuzzy moments in this one...

Congratulations on tying that knot, my friend! And yeah...compatibility means everything regardless of age. Plus, a willingness to act as a team. I follow my wife around as well and actively support her career. After a lifetime in South & Central Texas, we did 3 years in Fort Myers, FL before coming back to Texas. Been in Lufkin since 2018. I can be happy anywhere, but the people here constantly deflate my expectations, and making decent friends has been hard. Most of the people we associate with are not from here, which speaks volumes. She is kicking ass and is gradually traveling more and more. Gotta be closer to an airport eventually, so we're looking at completely flipping the switch and going full-blown urban in downtown Dallas soon-ish. Talk about major changes, but she's worth it. We do everything as a team with complete transparency. Our biggest challenge is trying to figure out how our retirement will work (mostly because of the age difference). If that's our biggest problem, I guess we're blessed. Just wish we had a few decent friends and/or support system around here.