Viva Texas!

Evening kittens,

I'm finally back from Texas. Yippee! Texas was...hot. Very, very, hot. 98 degrees by 8am hot. I won't bore you with work details so I'll talk about the best part of our visit: TEXAS BARBEQUE!!!

I have missed BBQ. San Diego just doesn't cut it when it comes to smokey brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. Mmm.

Anywho, we asked around and were given directions to a gas station(!) in the middle of nowhere. Picnic tables outside, near the pumps, no plates, and NO AIR CONDITIONING. OMG. We were all in wool suits and were about to pass out.

On recommendations of the counter lady, I ordered smoked turkey and "the chopped," a mixture of brisket, turkey, and pork. Could have died right then and been totally happy. The smoked turkey was the best gobble-gobble I've ever had.

I loved our ghetto, gas station bbq but I definitely felt pretty ill later that evening. I don't eat a lot of meat these days so I wasn't prepared for the 8000 lbs of bbq I ate for lunch.

(It was totally worth it, btw.)

I didn't work out much in Texas, owning to how hot it was outside and our hotel "gym" consisted of broken treadmills. I made do by doing hundreds of squats, lunges, pushups, and situps. It's amazing how those four little moves will get your heart rate up AND make you die the next day when you try to sit down.

DH was also out of town this week - he went to Cincinatti for the first time. Amazing but true story - he flew to Cinci through Chicago. The second leg was on a tiny plane so they asked people to leave their carry-ons at the end of the jet bridge where they would be offloaded when they got to Ohio. DH was flying on United and asked if he needed the green tag they use for these situations. The baggage guy said that there were only ten people on the flight so they wouldn't bother. DH gets to Ohio and guess what? Yup, his bag wasn't there.

My poor DH spent his entire trip without his suitcase. It was only delivered today around 5pm! Seems they found it on a USAir flight in St. Louis. What the heck? For shame United.

Yesterday was a really lazy day. DH and I went to Richard Walker's for breakfast. We both had the Sante Fe omlet (jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro) with salsa - SO good.

Then we ran some errands in Horton Plaza before stopping by our rooftop to watch the Red Bull Air Race.

After the race we headed down to the climbing gym with our friend J. She is so flexible, it's insane! When we got home I went down for a quick run. I only did 3 miles because my adidas top chaffed the heck out of my inner arm. I was running around with my arms out like a chicken. Verrry attractive.

DH, J, and I then met up with C at Coronado Brewing Company for drinks and dinner. I love CBC because the waiters don't bat an eyelid when I give my very complicated orders (think When Harry Met Sally), and I've never had to send anything back. DH likes the brews. ;)

We headed back to East Village around 10:30. I was exhausted and totally bailed on the drinking next door at The Corner. I couldn't believe it when DH said that they came home at 4:30am! I was dead to the world and slept on through until morning.

Today DH and I have been lazy around the house. I prepped food for the week including baking my own bread for the first time! First thoughts on my baguettes:

• Slightly too brown. I think I need to drop the temp just a little bit more. (I have a convection oven and the recipe was for a regular one.)
• Super tasty - the crust is PERFECT.
  
• However, the inside is too dense. It's hard to describe but the air pockets(?) inside are too small. Maybe I over kneaded?
• I forgot to put the slashes on top. I think that would have let out some steam which probably would help the density situation.
  
• I finally figured out what the bread reminds me of: Pepperidge Farm's italian bread. Yup. Exact same texture inside.

I think the best use of lightly too dense will be dinner tonight - fondue! ;)

I'd better tie my apron on and get to wifey-ing. Later, kittens.