Month: August 2015

Colorado River, Good Food and Laundromats

On By DGThomaIn Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, News and Reviews, Writing3 Comments

I find myself becoming more conservative as I age.  That’s a fact.  I’m not frugal in all things, but if I can save a few dollars without much effort I usually take advantage.

So when we went to our local dry cleaners to drop off a couple of comforters, I balked at the 100 dollar price quote.  One comforter was labeled as dry clean only but the other was marked machine washable.  Knowing there was no way the bulky comforter would fit in my home washing machine, I left the dry clean comforter with the experts and set off to find a commercial laundromat to wash the other one.

The closest laundromat with machines large enough to handle a comforter was in Bastrop, TX about 20 miles from my home.  Bastrop is a small town in Central Texas with a downtown that has maintained many of its historic buildings.  The Colorado River flowing through town, just off Main Street makes it a lovely place to visit, even if you are looking for a laundromat.

20150822_151920   Dining Room

We decided to eat lunch before we tackled our laundry project and found ourselves at Neighbors, a local restaurant overlooking the banks of the Colorado River.  It had been awhile since we visited this restaurant and I’d forgotten the pleasant atmosphere.  The Colorado River peeked through the trees as we enjoyed the cool air inside.  20150822_140232

We started off with Garlic Knots which are exactly like they sound, yummy yeast rolls twisted into knots with just the right amount of butter and garlic.  I would have taken a picture, but they disappeared too fast!

Neighbors is famous for its pizza, but we chose to forgo the usual and try something different.  We opted for The City Slicker Salad, a meatball sandwich and a meat calzone.  The salad came topped with apples, walnuts and goat cheese and was served with a lemon poppy seed dressing.  Delicious!  Ron tackled the calzone, stuffed with pepperoni, sausage and cheese.Rich had the meatball sandwich which speaks for itself.  It’s meatballs after all!  It was a wonderfully relaxing and delicious meal.

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After such a wonderful meal I wasn’t nearly so excited about the laundromat!  Putting it off a while longer, we ducked into Best Buy for a quick errand and then found ourselves at Baskin Robbins.  I mean there is always room for ice cream, right!  Honestly, I don’t often eat dessert, but Baskin Robbins can almost always tempt me.

Finally out of excuses, we pulled up in front of the laundromat.  It’s been years since I lived without a washer and dryer.  The few times I find myself at the laundromat I am always grateful that I don’t have to be there very often.  Digging for quarters, we shoved the comforter into the oversized machine and settled in for a half hour watching laundromat activity.  This laundromat has a television, arcade games and booths.  It’s quite interesting watching people come and go and feed the machines.  Finally the washer cycle completed and we moved the comforter to the dryer.  Thirty minutes later, the dryer was done, the comforter was folded and we were headed back home.

3.00 for the washer, 1.50 for the dryer  saved me 45.00 dollars.  Happy and contented, I dozed comfortably all the way home.

Taste of Ethiopia – take #2

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, News and Reviews, Writing1 Comment

When we have family gatherings, it almost always centers around food.  Whether it’s cooking, potluck or trying a new restaurant, we love food.

Months ago, when my daughter, Kat was visiting we tried a new restaurant in Pflugerville, TX, the Taste of Ethiopia.  It was wonderful!  The food was delicious and the atmosphere inviting, providing a full dining experience.  It’s not a large venue, managing to feel intimate but not crowded.

When Kat returned to Austin for a visit this weekend, she mentioned how delicious the meal had been and we decided it was time for a return visit.  This time my son, Rich accompanied us.

As before, once we reached our seats, our server informed us with a huge smile that we were to eat with our hands.  If you aren’t up to the full experience, utensils are available.  The meals are served on a special bread called injera which is used to scoop up the food.  20150814_133030

Meals are served family style in a woven basket called a mesob.  A large metal tray covered with the injera is placed into the basket and topped with the food.

We over ordered but wanted to try everything.  We started with Sambusa, Minchet Abish and Tomato salad for appetizers.  The Sambusa is a light pastry dough filled with your choice of beef, lentils or spinach.  On our first visit we had the spinach filling but today we chose the lentil.  Both were delicious.  Rich said the minchet abish reminded him of sloppy joe texturally but a much nicer flavor.

We ordered the Ultimate Combo of vegetarian dishes.  We had gomen (seasoned collard greens), fesolia (mixed vegetable stew with ginger and turmeric), yemisisr wot (lentils with traditional spices), tikil gomen (spiced cabbage, carrots, onions and tomatoes, ater kik (split peas in herbs and turmeric) and eggplant wot (eggplant with traditional spices).  If you’re thinking that’s a lot of food and Yum,  you are correct on both counts.  Even with three of us eating we left with several cartons of food.

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The mesob(basket) arrived at our table first, followed soon after with a basket of injera.  My mouth was watering from the smell of the buffet simmering in the back of the room.  When our food arrived, our server sat a large pan of injera inside the mesob.   He then spooned each of the entrees around the circle putting half on each side.

I think my favorites were eggplant, sambusa, and yemisisr, but truthfully, we loved everything we ate.

Kat and I ended our meal with a cup of traditional Ethiopian coffee.  The coffee was prepared in the back and then delivered to our table in a special clay pot called a jebena.  I’m not sure how they make it, but it was the perfect treat to end our meal.

It was a lovely experience which I hope to repeat soon!

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Squared, Instant or Steel Cut…..

On By DGThomaIn Food, Writing3 Comments

Oatmeal is big news!  If you google “oatmeal” you will get a multitude of hits.  I’m not a fan of jumping on the band wagon for every new food craze; although you can’t really classify oatmeal as new.  I like to eat healthy fresh food whenever possible and treat myself occasionally with a sweet treat.

When I started seeing overnight oats popping up on all the recipe and Pinterest boards, I was intrigued but slow to investigate.  When I begrudgingly decided to see what all the hooplah was about I found so many recipes that I was a bit overwhelmed.20150812_200058

I thought a crock-pot version that would cook overnight might be tempting. I imagined waking up to the aroma of warm cinnamon and apple snaking through the air to entice me from my warm bed. Searching, I discovered numerous refrigerator oatmeal recipes made with yogurt as well as crock-pot recipes.

I like oatmeal and I like yogurt, but I never put them together.  Texture is a big thing for me.  I don’t enjoy soggy food so I was hesitant to try it.  Saturday morning I was sitting on my deck searching for overnight oatmeal recipes.  I found a dozen or so recipes that I sent to the printer.  I didn’t bother to save any links so unfortunately when I discovered the printer was low on ink  and only a few recipes actually printed, I was disappointed.

Of course the recipes that printed were all cold overnight recipes made with Greek yogurt.  When I realized they were the only ones printed, I decided to give it a try.  After a quick trip to the grocery store, I was ready to master some overnight oats.

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I seldom follow recipes to the letter but I’ll do my best to tell you how I mixed my first batch.

  • 1/4 cup raw oats
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp of chia seeds
  • 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup frozen cherries and berries
  • 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup of walnuts 20150812_200119

I dumped it all together in no particular order and stirred it just enough to ensure everything was moistened before sticking it in the fridge.

The next morning, I hesitantly scooped up a small amount of the yogurt/oats mixture and carried it to my office for breakfast.  As I sat at my desk and lifted the lid, I was pleasantly surprised at the pleasant berry aroma that escaped.  Still nervous about the texture, I found the raw oats not soggy and the addition of the pumpkin seeds and walnuts added just the right crunch. I scraped the bowl clean wishing I had more!

I am a definite convert!  I still haven’t gone back to find the crock-pot recipes, but have continued enjoying cold overnight oats.  I’ve seen it called Kerf, Muesli or just plain overnight oats.  Whatever you call it, I call it delicious.  20150812_202124

 

Where Oh Where has the Cool Weather Gone?

On By DGThomaIn Exercise, Writing1 Comment

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The past couple of weeks the temperatures in Austin Texas hovered just under 100 degrees finally tipping the scales to peak at 100 degrees for more than 8 days straight.  The thought of slogging through the humid soupy air isn’t very motivating.

As the heat climbs, exercising outdoors becomes dangerous.  In Austin, the trails and roads are filled with all of us crazy runners, walkers and cyclist at all hours of the day.

Savvy athletes know you should always carry water if you will be out for any length of time in the Texas heat.  Even so I have occasionally found myself in the heat sans water bottle.  It usually happens when I intend to go a short distance and turn around but get caught up in the run and forget.  I’m certainly no expert on how to prevent or treat heat illnesses but running in Austin for 12 years, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks on keeping your cool.20150609_192313

If you run in the downtown area, the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail has water fountains placed strategically along the course.  Much of the trail is shaded with large trees hanging over the path. I enjoy the shade on the trail, but it does get too crowded at times.  Dodging strollers, cyclist and pets often drives me to the pavement for my runs.

If like me you prefer to run the roads instead of the trail, downtown Austin offers wide sidewalks on many streets.  Drivers are accustomed to runners in the crosswalk, on the shoulder or occasionally in the bike lane.  Less traveled side streets commonly offer tree lined sidewalks which provide some shade.

If you find yourself in need of water, there is a public water fountain near Colorado on Cesar Chavez.  About a mile down Congress from Cesar Chavez you can access a replica water fountain located on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol Building.  The fountain was restored in the early 1950’s and has a foot pedal to pump fresh water to quench your thirst.  Warning!  Be prepared to get wet as you push your face under the falling stream for a sip.

Fountain

There are a few businesses who provide access to water for runners as well.  I personally know of a dry cleaner who leaves a hose out for runners so they can get a drink from his outdoor faucet.  I have also befriended a gas station attendant who has invited us to share the fountain in his garage any time we are out for a run.

On the UT campus there are public areas that offer cold water fountains for a brief respite for overheated runners.  In addition, Pease Park and Butler Park both have water fountains to refill water bottles.  I’m sure there are many other water sources but these are some of my “go to sources”  if I find my water bottle nearing empty on a hot day.

All things considered, if you have to train in the heat, Austin Texas is a great place to do it.