adventuring we go

[threeplusfire]

We went adventuring today, first to return a few duplicate wedding gifts at Dillards. We used all our gift cards and exchange credit for the biggest, fanciest coffee maker in the store. A big black machine that makes espresso and regular drip coffee at either end. We love it so. Our venture into Foleys to find slacks for Alan was fruitless, as he is a strange size almost impossible to find. At least we finally picked up a working can opener.

We abandoned the mall to eat lunch at Quality Seafood. It's a fish market that has a little cafe inside, and is oh so wonderful. We had fried scallops and oysters, with hushpuppies, fries and cole slaw. Delight! In the market, they had a slab of ahi tuna as long as my arm and several inches tall. It was captivating.

The next adventure was Half Price's annual 20% off sale. I spent far more than I technically should have, but trust me we need these books.



Wellington's Military Machine - Philip J. Haythornthwaite
The World of Jack Aubrey - David Miller
Russia's Youth & Its Culture - Hilary Pilkington
The Snow Queen, and The Summer Queen - Joan D. Vinge
A Backward Glance: An Autobiography - Edith Wharton
The Russian Debutante's Handbook - Gary Shteyngart
While England Sleeps - David Leavitt
Rasputin, The Last Word - Edvard Radzinsky


Afterwards we headed to Metro, where lo and behold Doug was having the place cleaned! I've never seen such a thing. Steve told me they were replacing some parts of the upstairs flooring, which is a good thing. I've never been comfortable sitting on the space where the front stairs used to be. So we had to sit downstairs, but it was alright. the front wall was opened to the breeze.

Chrysaphi came to visit us at Metro, and we had a grand time. She is most lovely and has a hell of a background, what with MIT and Oxford and time served in the dotcom trenches. (She is also possibly the only person I know who did something useful with her dotcom wages!) We had fun rambling conversations and I do hope to see more of her the next time she is back in the States. She reminds me of Gene, actually, and I think they would get along well.

Our last adventure was to our friendly neighborhood liquor store, where we talked with the kind older gentleman about wines and such. They congratulated us on our nuptials and offered us wine. I tasted a liqueur that was flavored with a South African fruit and it was quite unique. Kind of like a cross between a peach and a berry. It would be a good dessert. We picked up some port, and a bottle of Chopin that came with a special shaker. Now we can make martinis, joy. While we were browsing, a skeevy rat bastard pulled a snatch and grab, making off with some rum. It really irritated me that someone would rob them, even though I know it's not uncommon in the liquor store business. Still, I am very fond of these guys.

The Chopin vodka is possibly the best vodka I've ever had. It's a Polish potato vodka, and so delightfully smooth. None of that harsh twang or metallic scent grain vodka tends to have. It's pleasant to drink straight, and I'm in love. Alan made me a Moscow Mule with some of our key limes, and it even has garnish. I love my husband.

Comments

[serpina.livejournal.com]

Dude. I'd been eyeing that Pilkington book every time I went in there.

So where is this Quality Seafood? It sounds fantastic!

It's so nice to read about your happiness. I delight in it.

thank you

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Here's the address and a link to a map. It's on Airport down a little ways from Highland Mall.

They have more copies of the Pilkington. I think it must have been on Garza's reading list for his youth culture class.

Re: thank you

[serpina.livejournal.com]

I suspected as much, myself -- when he made a presentation in our intro course, he had us do a reading from her. I really liked it a lot; what we read about was about embodied social interactions of these Russian sub-groups who listened to music together and such (can't remember the name in Russian). So I suspect I'll probably pick up one of the remaining copies at some point. I was endlessly fascinated with the strange, scruffy girls on horseback during my brief visit in Saint Petersburg this summer.

Thanks for the restaurant recommendation. You led me to La Madeleine before and I've gone back a number of times since then. Chicken-portobello mushroom crepe: YUM.

Re: thank you

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Stilagi, I think is the word. But I could be wrong. Garza did one of my language labs, and used to play us hilarious and terrible Russian pop music, as well as good stuff.

Mmm chicken portabello crepe! I'm hungry now.