Just Because

Southern Summer


Me and B.
Savannah, GA

Kayak Cafe tacos with the best scratch lime garlic dressing
Savannah, GA

Beetnix: Warrior One Pitaya Bowl sub coconut for cacao
Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter: Mimosa Bondi Sunrise & Drip Brew
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter: The Daily Catch
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter: Eggs Benedict on Gluten Free Toast
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter
Savannah, GA

The Collins Quarter
Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA


Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

The Paris Market
Savannah, GA

The Paris Market
Savannah, GA

The Paris Market
Savannah, GA

The Paris Market
Savannah, GA

The Paris Market
Savannah, GA


The Paris Market
Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

South Carolina Peaches
Hardeeville, SC

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

SoHo South Cafe
Savannah, GA

SoHo South Cafe
Savannah, GA

SoHo South Cafe
Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Jones Street
Savannah, GA

Really enjoyed meeting Rosa at RMC Boutique! Shop her fabulous boutique at www.rmcboutique.com


Tybee Island, GA

The Walking Dead Cafe
Senoia, GA

Senoia, GA

"Woodbury, GA": Senoia, GA

"Woodbury, GA": Senoia, GA

"Woodbury, GA": Senoia, GA

Bella needing a road trip nap

B crusin' in the G-Wagen

New Orleans

New Orleans

Irene's Cuisine
New Orleans

Be sure to enjoy the Lemon Basil Vodka Martini at Irene's

Cafe Du Monde
New Orleans

Hotel Monteleone
New Orleans

Hotel Monteleone
New Orleans

Hotel Monteleone
New Orleans

Ms. Monteleone!
New Orleans






Lake Travis, Texas

Quack's Bakery in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Blanco, Texas

Blanco, Texas

Imagine Lavendar Farm: Fairy Homes
Blanco, Texas

Imagine Lavendar Farm: Fairy Homes
Blanco, Texas

Blanco, Texas

WPP: Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas








Mayfield Park
Austin, Texas

Mayfield Park
Austin, Texas



The Monument Cafe: Scratch Peach Jam

Cenote: Kale Scramble

Cenote: Eggs Benedict



Toby!



Autopiloting in a Tesla

February 26, 2016

Wow, today started out very interesting.  This morning at 9:35am I headed out to run a work errand that would take me into Austin's quaint Hyde Park to Antonelli's Cheese Shop.  My regular commute to most of Austin includes Farm to Market 2222 (a.k.a. FM 2222 a.k.a. RM 2222), one of the dangerous highways in Texas.  Regularly individuals are choose to drive with lack of control, using no particular care to pass pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles or other vehicles that share the roadway.

Unexpectedly, I had to slam on my brakes at the top of the steep hill of FM2222 due to a severe collision involving a dump truck that was not visible from where I was located.  Next thing I know a motorcycle flies into the opposite lane and a man is lying on the ground about 3 cars behind me.  After seeing others go to help the man and making a quick assessment of me being blocked in from all sides of the road I choose to make a U-turn (a safe, legitimate one as no cars are coming in the opposite direction) and then witness emergency services arriving and performing CPR on the man's chest.  Ugh.

Man! Sometimes you just need to start the weekend early so at 3 p.m. I hopped back onto FM2222 to head to Tesla Motors to follow through with an invitation from last November.  Again I pass another collision that was bad and again the traffic was backed up for a long time.  Thankfully, I was able to navigate around 2222 using back roads that most Austinites don't know about and those who do covet.  It wasn't until I drove the Tesla in autopilot mode on the busy highway I really understood the need for those smart technology vehicles to ease the craziness and road rage on our streets.  It seriously hit home today.

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Being in a car with an autopilot mode is certainly a dream but one that you cannot truly imagine or understand until you are behind the wheel without touching it in the middle of rush hour traffic on Mo-Pac.  It was truly surreal.  I did not have to control the car. The Tesla sped up to 65 miles an hour and slowed down and continued smoothly in stop and go traffic with cars on all sides of me.  It even switched lanes on it's own with just that tap of the turn signal.  Amazing.  I mean ridiculously amazing.  Of course, we have all read the articles and consumer reports on auto pilot methods and self driving cars but to think that you know what the hell the industry is talking about until you have done it is a complete bologna.  Once you have auto-piloted a car or experienced a self driving car behind the wheel yourself, you have connected with the vehicle on an entirely different level.  So today I cruised the streets of Austin in Tesla's AutoPilot.  It was amazing! Insane! Loveable!

I am a very particular person when it comes to vehicle seat design and it's functionality.  I must sit straight up and cannot have some funky object touching the lumbar region.  My steering wheel must be perfect, not too skinny where I'm gripping so tight that my knuckles hurt and not to fat that I don't feel in control.  Somehow, this car was perfect to me the moment I sat in it.  And it's adjusts to everyone.  

Tesla Model S 70D is considered the Car of the Century by some and I can certainly understand some of the points.  At 32 years old, I've been strongly considering an SUV for my next vehicle for a multitude of reasons that do include travel, children, and pets.  The Model S sedan rectifies the need for an SUV by safely securing seven passengers when adding rear facing seats to the sedans package.  Insane!!!

To end the ride, my Tesla for the day backed into the parking spot on its own.  Lord Have Mercy.

So the day ended fabulously, but to my satisfaction the gallery set me up to take the car home next week to enjoy it on my own terms.  XOXO, get yourself a Tesla!

~Angela O'

Video Credit Tesla Motors via YouTube

Snails for You

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One of my favorite things to do is to send letters to all my friends and family that have local stickers plastered all over them.  Any time I visit one of my favorite places I grab some of their free stickers.  I usually tell the company what I'm up to and they have always been happy to hand them right over.  It's so much fun to share my favorite spots!!!  I have so many.

With Angela O'

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For Such a Picky Eater: Eating Brains

Photo courtesy of www.goodreads.com of Jeff Hart's bookcover
For such a picky eater I have consumed quite an interesting array of foods in my life.


Pumpkin Blossoms
Ostrich
Alligator
Squid
Lamb Fries (a.k.a. Rocky Mountain Oysters)
Pig Brains
Cow Brains
Bear (In the form of stew)
Buffalo/Bison
Conch
Dandelion Tea
Morel "Sponge" Mushrooms



Yes it is true. Brains, now considered a delicacy by some while most of the population considers them foul. As a child, I ate them fried for breakfast as a side to my scrambled or soft fried eggs.  At the time delish!  As I got older I couldn't handle the flavor any longer and have not touched them since.

The bear was cooked in a stew and was very similar to pot roast except that it had a much more coarse texture than beef.  Simply it would just require getting used to the texture to enjoy.  I can't remember for sure but I believe it was either Brown Bear or Black Bear.

The wonderful Summer of Dandelion tea!  Oh how fond I am of that memory.  Our family friend Rose Penary brought some over one day and then that summer my Gramma and I would dig dandelions so that Paw-Paw (and of course myself and her too!) could enjoy it.  It was so much fun.

Morels are one of my favorite foods of all time.  You know the mushrooms that sell anywhere between $45.00 to $100.00 per fresh pound each year or up to $200.00 per dehydrated pound.  Yup, those.  They were so abundant in Illinois during my childhood that they were considered a major food source for April.   They were also considered a delicacy however, because you physically hunted for them yourselves and they were usually only available for two to four weeks.  Apparently, if you had just the perfect season they might be available for up to eight weeks but I have never experienced that phenomenon. After April showers the sun would come out and heat up the ground and up would pop the yummy fungi.  Some of my best memories are of Paw-Paw and Gramma hunting and preparing the morels with me.

 With Angela O'


Epic

This is so true.  I found this somewhere online one day when using my smartphone.  I think the conversation began with my husband because I told him that I hate when people use the word epic, he did not agree.  He is one lucky person who rarely hears the overused word here in Austin. Me, on the other hand have heard the word non-stop since first setting foot in this city in 2010.  It is used by everyone, hipster or not and even businesses!!  If you are standing near me and wondering why I'm gagging....well it may be because I just heard this word used as a one-word description again!


Boomerang's

Lance McInnes, Angela O' & Jack Fennel
I do love Boomerang's.  It is especially good on a cold or rainy day.  The food is so comforting and delicious and there is just something about that little basement building that is slightly underground.  It kind of reminds me of Ghostwriter, the old PBS show from the nineties.  Boomerang's is very well known for their Steak & Potato pie a.k.a. Stout Pie that is made with Guinness beer.  It is great.  That darn crust is so flaky that you don't regret eating it one-handed, even when driving down the street.  Every time I stop in there I find a UPS truck stopped and loading up on pie fuel.  

Lucky Me!  One day while shopping at my favorite Whole Foods and I happened to run into Jack and Lance.  The 'Pie Guys'.  Jack & Lance, the Boomerang's Founders.  Thank you for making Austin a better and more rounded place.  Literally.

Chalkboard Sign right outside the store


The best mashed potatoes.  You should try a Pie Floater.




Lance McInnes, Angela O' & Jack Fennel at my favorite downtown Whole Foods





Sandwich History



Last month, I made Sandwich History.  For the first time in 30 years I was able to eat a tomato on a sandwich and enjoy it.  Actually, it was Double Sandwich History as for the first time in 30 years was I able to eat a tomato on a BLT and enjoy it.  I have always hated raw tomatoes as they taste so bitter and chemical to me.  I exclaimed to my husband that I never understood why no-one uses cooked tomato on a regular or basic sandwich.  I love cooked tomatoes, they are so yummy.  It is beyond me as to why I never liked raw tomatoes.  One evening we decided to head to one of our favorite tea shops for dinner.  I decided to try the B.A.T. (bacon, arugula, and tomato),their version of a B.L.T. but told them to hold the tomato.  Sweet John, reminded me to ask the server to have the chef pan-fry the tomato.  Oh it was amazing!  My dreams came true that night!


hugs and quiches,
xoxo
Angela O'

Don't Mix the Kisses with the $3 Chocolate Bar

This is for my fellow kitchen ladies and gentlemen.  The ones who stand by my side in their love for the kitchen and entertaining.  The ones who put all their heart and soul into something that they have created. The ones who have decided to make that extra special treat with a $3 chocolate bar.  Those who have molded and spun that $3 chocolate bar into a spectacular confection of mousse, gourmet cupcakes, or what have you.

And when you know it is complete. In your heart you know there is no extra action needed, no added fluff, no ridiculous decoration, and certainly no outsider walking up and adding cheap-ass Hershey Kisses to the top because THEY had a vision.

~hugs & quiches,
angela o'

Violet, Angela, Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Me and Denise Nickerson, a.k.a Violet Beauregarde


 This was a never-forget moment meeting Denise Nickerson "Violet".  Normally when at a convention agents attempt to sell you every moment that you want to have with the celebrity.  Well, it was the same in this case too but "Violet" didn't see it that way.  I simply asked if it was okay to take a picture of her and she went above and beyond.  In front of everyone we sang the golden ticket song together and then she presented me with my very own golden ticket.  How sweet it is...

Dear Diary

This was an email forward that I sent out to some of my closest friends back in August 2011.  Since the summer has already hit the 100's here for 2013, I thought I would share....  

 P.S. I will admit that it has been a very cool summer & spring this year.  The past few years it was 90 by March 1st!

 ~Angela O'


The is so true.  In fact below read Aug 4th and compare the true temp yesterday August 4th.  I did my SoCo market yesterday and my Iphone started to freak out and say temperature alert and refused to let me use it.  I looked at the current temp at 6:30 p.m. and it was 117 degrees.  Yes that is right 117 degrees…..
angela

Dear Diary,

 Just moved to TEXAS!   Now this is a state that knows how to live!!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings.   It is beautiful.   I've
finally found my home.   I love it here.

June 14th:

 Really heating up.   Got to 100 today.   Not a problem.   Live in an
air-conditioned home,  drive an air-conditioned car.   What a pleasure to
see the sun everyday like this.   I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th:

 Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today.   Lots of cactus
and  rocks.  What a breeze to maintain.   No more mowing the lawn for me.
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th:

 The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week.   How do people get used
to this kind of heat?   At least, it's kind of windy though.   But getting
used to the heat is taking longer than I expected.

July 15th:

 Fell asleep by the community pool.   Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my
body.   Missed 3 days of work.   What a dumb thing to do.   I learned my
lesson though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th:

 I missed Lomita (my cat) sneaking into the car when I left this
morning.   By the time I got to the hot car at noon,  Lomita had died and swollen
up to the size of a shopping bag,  then popped like a water balloon.   The
car now smells like Kibbles and Shits.   I learned my lesson though.   No more
pets in this heat.   Good ol' Mr. Sun strikes again.

July 25th:

 The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!!   And it's
hot as hell.   The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the AC repairman
charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th:

 Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now, $225,000 house and
I  can't even go inside.   Lomita is the lucky one.   Why did I ever come
here?
Aug. 4th:

 Its 115 degrees.   Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today.   It cost
$500 and gets the temperature down to 85.   I hate this stupid state.

Aug. 8th:

 If another wise ass cracks, 'Hot enough for you today?'   I'm going to
strangle him.   Damn heat.   By the time I get to work, the radiator is
boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet,  and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug. 9th:

 Tried to run some errands after work.  Wore shorts, and when I sat on
the seats in the car,  I thought my ass was on fire.   My skin melted to the
seat.   I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and ass . . .
Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.

Aug 10th:

 The weather report might as well be a damn recording.   Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny.   Hot and sunny.   It's been too hot to do shit for 2 damn months
and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.  Doesn't it
ever rain in this damn state?   Water rationing will be next, so my $1700
worth of cactus will just dry up and blow over.   Even the cactus can't live in
this damn heat.

Aug. 14th:

 Welcome to HELL! Temperature got to 115 today.   Cactus are dead. Forgot
to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The
Installer came to fix it and guess what he asked me??? "Hot enough for
you today?" My sister had to spend $1,500 to bail me out of jail. Freaking
TEXAS. What kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here??
Will write later to let you know how the trial goes.


Black Heart Postage Stamps

Look at this coolness. I just went to the post office to mail a package using the automated postal center. I decided to buy some first class stamps in addition. I assumed that like many times in the past it would print out a jagged-edged, thin paper-like version of the standard first class stamps. Surprise! The screen popped up with like 8 or so graphics for me to choose from. How fun!


Elsie, The Cow


 Meet Elsie, The official Borden Cow.  John and I met her 3 years ago this month when we first moved to Texas.  It was in Fort Worth, the land of the cattle.  Her horns really are that shiny, they are gorgeous in person!  They must have someone polish them daily.




I have heard but not confirmed it's truth that Elsie's husband, Elmer The Bull is actually the Elmer's Glue mascot. 


 







Crazy Woman Went on a Rampage Today

Crazy woman at my grocery store went on a rampage today.  The customer was so impatient that she couldn't wait for me to be properly checked out in the line and certainly did not want to wait for my groceries to be bagged.  It also must have irritated her that the cashier and I were smiling and having a pleasant conversation.  Next thing I know, a shopping cart was being rammed into my butt.  Not once, not twice, not three times but however many times it took for me to be pushed out of the cashier line and literally down past the baggers.  Swallow this....She did it on purpose.  That's right ladies and gentlemen, she rammed her cart into my butt multiple times on purpose!!!  Today I was having a great day, the weather was beautiful, time was going by at a perfect rate, and I was in good company so lucky for her I just smiled and continued on my conversation.  I didn't even respond to her ignorance.  But get this...She pushed me so far out she got her pay back when I had to go back up to the cashier so she could start my second transaction on the conveyor belt.  LOL!  Hah, impatient grocery customer.  Chill your heels.  Naturally, I had to pay....well the lady stuck up her nose and turned her head because she wanted to refuse my access to the credit card swipe key pad.  I looked at her, pointed to credit card machine and said, "excuse me please, I need to get in there to finish my transaction".  She grunted and moved her cart at an angle 2 feet to let me in.  

 I left to load my vehicle and came back into to double check something for one minute and walked passed my cashier.  Her and I looked at each other and couldn't stop laughing!!  Believe it or not, yes Four Points we have a impatient woman who rampages at our local HEB ramming carts into your behind.  Gosh if only that 50-year-old woman's mother was around, I wonder if she would have tolerated that from her kid!

You Don't Know Me

Don't you find it odd (and rude) when someone who you barely know or is maybe just your acquaintance through work or a organization thinks that they know every part of you well enough to make decisions your behalf.  It's funny how some people actually think they know everything but don't take the time to learn about the people that surround them.  Here are some of the silly  situations I have encountered.

1. When I was in college I served on the Student Senate.  We traveled to St. Louis for a retreat and chose to dine at The Old Spaghetti Factory.  One of my fellow executive board members brought up how delicious Olive Garden salad was as we were choosing our salads to order that evening.  Everyone was commenting and when it became my turn I said "I don't like Olive Garden salad".  The person who started the conversation responded, a bit too much aggressiveness "It's not the salad you don't like, it's just the dressing you don't like".  Hmmm, I'm sorry but actually I despise Olive Garden salad for multiple reasons and the dressing is only one of them.  LOL!!  Try that I don't like the type of lettuce used or the salad toppings such as the olives or the pepperoncini.  FYI, my favorite salad of chose is leafy romaine Caesar salad.

2.  I am a fast-paced person.  I was never content growing up in the rural Midwest I always wanted to travel and be on my feet.  As soon as I graduated college I moved to Florida, literally within two days of graduation.  Now I'm in Texas.  I've always dreamed of living in California, any part.  One day while at the office a co-worker in midst of a light conversation about my next move says to me "Have you ever been to California? ..., Oh you won't like it".  How odd, shouldn't you let each person experience their travels for themselves.  Lord knows I am not like that person so why would I experience things in same way as them?

3.  Same story as number two, only it happened a few weeks ago with someone I have only spoken with two or three times over a course of two years.  The topic of chose was me visiting London, England.  Hmmm....REALLY?

4.  Years ago while lunching with some of my coworkers (the best of my coworkers friends) we got into a deep conversation about our parenting experiences.  When I say "our parenting experiences", I mean how our parents raised us as kids not how we should raise kids.  I personally have several not-so-savory memories from my childhood which I was sharing with a coworker friend who had compared similar situations of their own (I also have many great memories for you critics out there).  The HR person decided to walk into the conversation and literally challenge what our "bad" parenting experiences were, pointing out very racy child topics saying that she really felt they weren't a problem.  Now everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however it was very flabbergasting to me as to how this person chose to comment after walking into the middle of the conversation without real understanding of what we were discussing and how it affected us personally but decidedly felt like they knew best for everyone.

The one question I leave you with is: What exactly does it mean when someone says to me, about me ..."That's not my thing?"  Really, then please tell me in your words what you think exactly is MY thing?