Weekend Wrap Up

The weekend was cool. In between lots of rain that came through, I got out a bit on Friday and spent the rest of the time lounging at home, getting some things done around the house and napping.

Friday I met Mr.Mixologist for lunch at Nundini Chef's Table an Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. The food was good. He picked the spot and we will definitely be back so I can try their gelato. Since I had to go back to work, I didn't have any wine, but they seem to have a nice selection. The dining area is surrounded by wine bottles and you can see into the kitchen. They also have a seperate store/deli counter area. From the outside it looks like a warehouse but the inside is very cozy. I had the Talapia Parmesan which was deelish I had never had it prepared that way and it was moist and very fresh. My honey had a Panini with pasta salad that he really enjoyed.  If you are ever in Houston in the area called The Heights, its a nice spot for lunch or dinner.

Talapia Parmesan with Asparagus

Fresh Garden Salad

Italian Panini with Pasta Salad

Friday night we ended up going to one of our favorite neighborhood places, Cellar 17 Wine Bar. When we don't feel like leaving the Suburbs to head to Midtown or Downtown, this is our go to spot. I have been coming here for several years even before we met. The lady who owns this place is married to the owner of Mr. Mixologist's favorite cigar lounge which is next door, Serious Cigars. The customer service is great, they have lots of by the glass choices & can always help you find something you like. They have nice cheese plates and pizza but they actually let you bring in your own takeout if you wish & will provide you with plates & utensils.  One plus is they allow cigar smokers. They evidently have a great ventilation system because it is never smoky in the Wine Bar. We literally spend several hours here (it takes the Mr. about 3 hours to smoke 2 nice sticks).

Awesome Cheese plate for snacking with my vino !

I am trying to increase my knowledge and expand my palate for different cheeses and this place does not disappoint. They have lots of options and you can mix and match and customize your plate the way you like. I try to stick with what I know I like and try something new also. I know that people with vastly more wine knowledge than I, eat certain cheeses with certain wines, but I typically just find cheeses that I like and eat it with whatever I'm drinking. This week I had Brie, Gruyere, Beemster and  tried Carmody for the first time. I really enjoyed the new selection it was creamy and buttery but somewhat firm. 

Saturday morning I slept in after having quite a bit of vino ( I'm such a Wineaux !) LOL.  I made it to the hair salon, ran a couple of errands and then did some things around the house before taking a nice long nap.

Sunday, I went to Bedside Baptist and watched service online. LOL We had a visiting Pastor Dr. Joel Gregory and I like him pretty well. He is very sharp and knows his scripture. Pastor West seems pretty confident in him as well.  It was just the rain and laziness that kept me at home. Later on I did  some laundry and a bit of cleaning. Overall it was a nice lazy weekend.

How was your weekend ?  What did you do ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ? 

Beautifully Complex 

Just Me..........Randomly

I cannot believe it is almost mid-March. I am really worn out from the weekend ! I have been trying to gear up for Spring Break. My nieces and nephew will be here next week & I have to get ready & get this house ready. In between trying to make sure everything at work is in order, for me to vacation in peace and the cleaning & shopping, etc. around here, I am already worn out & those kids aren't even here yet ! LOL I can forget about getting any rest next week.

I have been using my treadmill a lot more lately, and have been feeling much better and more energized because of it. My lower back is feeling better, as well as my knee that was bothering me so I don't have any more excuses. All of the weight loss going on in Blogland is a good thing, it has been very motivating. With Springtime approaching, I don't want to regret not doing anything about these love handles from lazying around all winter with my beau. LOL.

My Aunt is having some serious health challenges and it makes me hurt. It is hard to see how it affects her, my cousins and especially my Mom and my other Aunt. It is also a reminder of how much we can't control in our lives but at the same time it makes me reflect on how much power we DO have in certain areas and that I should always continue to try to work to improve the areas that I can change.

I have a close friend, whose ex-husband probably has an undiagnosed mental problem. That along with him being a substance abuser (cocaine & alcohol) makes dealing with the situation (they have 2 young children) very challenging. He sends her some very scary & cryptic text messages. It really makes me uneasy. I pray for their protection constantly.

I always take the little ones to this place to paint ceramics they can take home to commemorate their trip. I try to mix it up and keep their trip's fresh & exciting with new activites. This year I wanted to take them to a pottery place, so they could make their own, but you have to be at least 8 yrs old, so that means some of the little ones won't be able to participate so I am looking for something else crafty/creative for them all to do. If you know of anything in Houston, please send any ideas my way. I may just go to Hobby Lobby and Michael's to see if I can be inspired.

Me and Mr. Mixologist went to see The Adjustment Bureau this past weekend. I really enjoyed it. It was more love story, morality play, than espionage and thriller. I must say, Matt Damon is still such a hottie. I thought there was a lot of chemistry between him and the female lead. It really did make me think about fate and free will. For example, you get held up at a drive through, frustrated by a delay only to drive up on a serious accident minutes later in which you very well could have been involved in, if you had not been delayed. As I have gotten older, I have learned to just take unexpected delays as a blessing that I can't see.

I did not have one. drop. of. alcohol this past weekend. I know that sounds bad, as in, am I an alcoholic or something ? LOL But honestly, I can't think of the last weekend when I did not have some wine at a minimum. I have a serious desire to drink in social situations and at home, especially on weekends. I decided to try to cut back because of the calories. They really add up. This coming weekend, we will be road tripping to pick up the little ones and the following weekend  after a very sober Spring Break, I will be doing the same thing, taking them back, so I think I will probably shoot for 30 days with no alcohol to see if that helps me drop some pounds.


Today, what is randomly you ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex