What is a blogger to do when she has stuff to share, but she can’t stay home long enough to transfer photos from camera to Flickr?!
Well, I’m sure others would perhaps consider just sitting quietly until they could properly address those things, but y’all know I like to babble, so you’re going to hear about a couple of books and a couple of restaurants. Gretchen also blogged about her new kibble on their blog.
First up, I cruised right through Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie. Gmarie gave me this book a LONG time ago, in a swap box. It took a long while for me to get around to reading it because the adorable canine (a basset-beagle mix according to the book, but all photos are all basset!) character is named Fred, and he really is a lot like our Fred was. I am happy to report that I read the whole thing without a single misting up moment.
It’s a mass-produced romance novel. Need I say more? That’s not usually my favorite genre, but I couldn’t put this down. From the moment Fred sucked the heroine into taking him home instead of the lively running partner she thought she was going to get at the pound, I was hooked.
I then launched right into The Jane Austen Book Club. I’m still turning pages, but it’s not doing much for me. I don’t like ANY of the characters, not even enough to care whether even one works through her crazy problems. Even though Jocelyn is a dog breeder, there aren’t enough dog moments to draw me in.
This is where I also confess that I don’t love Jane Austen. I’ve read Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility, and even re-read Emma and P&P a couple of years ago, because I was sure I just wasn’t giving them a fair chance. Hrmph.
I know at least one of you is an Austen fan. What is it about her literature that you like? Plots? Themes? Characters? I really feel I’m missing something…
Now, about food. Saturday night, we went to Baja Bean Company, a local joint we haven’t been to since we were dating. Well, this was even a new to us location. I had a wonderful black bean chimichanga, but I have one complaint. Really, we have to order chips and salsa!? I honestly don’t know of any other Mexican place where chips and salsa aren’t complimentary. Am I just spoiled?
Sunday, we tried out the new Bavarian Chef location in Fredericksburg. I’m pretty sure it is in the old towne train station, and I loved the decor – old German train station posters! It was also not as dark inside as the Madison location, but that’s where my praise ends.
The food wasn’t bad by any stretch of the word, but it wasn’t the OUTSTANDING, melt in your mouth treat that we’ve come to expect. The peppercorn cream sauce was thin, and the Knight and my uncle both had filets they found less than tender. Never mind that one of my rare filets ended up on the Knight’s plate, which meant a couple of bites in, we were swapping filets and apologizing to my aunt and uncle for our lack of couth. I hope that with time, they’ll settle into the routine of the original location and produce an excellent plate every single time, but in the meantime, Madison is a bit closer to us, and Fredericksburg has lots of other fabulous dining opportunities to try.
But wait! There’s more! I really am a culturally deprived gal. Last night, a girlfriend and I met at the local Melting Pot. I knew I’d love it (a whole meal based on fondue?! what’s not to love?!), but a guy friend had told the Knight to be sure to avoid it because he’d starve to death at that “chick food place.” Hem.
We just had a Wisconsin Trio (cheese) Fondue, followed by a Flaming Turtle (think fondue-ified pecan turtle, flambed) and great conversation. We’d both had birthdays since the last time we sat down together. The service was incredible, although I do have to say that I’ll never ask the Knight to dine with me there. I think he’d like the appetizers and even dessert, but my meat and potatoes man wouldn’t enjoy dipping bite after bite, and I shudder to think how many entree portions we’d have to order for him to leave satisfied. (Scratch that. Price and portion are so far out of his comfort zone that by the time his tummy was full, his wallet would scream.)
That’s okay though. It’s fun to have places to go with friends that aren’t our normal haunts!
What makes a favored food experience for you?
Happy Friday! It’s been a busy week, and I still have a few things on my to-do list before I can kick back and relax, but I’ll tend to one item after lunch, and the other three when I get home… right after I hang out with the fur-girls, work out, eat…
I love our butterfly bush. My dear aunt gifted it to us after Pop’s death two years ago, and it delights me to no end to see a host of butterflies on it. It’s planted between where I park and the boys’ garden, so I have a great view.
Happy 
Chan Knits 