Colorful Entrance (113/365)

TIME: 6:32 pm

PLACE: Casa Maria
SUBJECT: Entrance 

*~*~*

I needed puffy chicken tacos and a drink tonight.

Casa Maria never disappoints.

Phin Filter (090/365)

TIME: 6:48 pm

PLACE: Pho Grand
SUBJECT: Beverage

*~*~*

We celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary a day early...and took our daughter along as well.

We went to "Pho Grand", a Vietnamese restaurant located on South Grand in St. Louis.

It. Was. Amazing.

I don't know how never went here before, but we will be going back, that's for sure.  

After we ate, StellaDella ordered a "Cafe Su Da" - French roast chicory coffee with ice and sweetened condensed milk - it was brought out in a traditional Vietnamese Phin Filter.  She wasn't too hip about the chicory flavor, but HH and I enjoyed it.

 

Charlie's Drive-In (195/366)

TIME: 7:29 pm

PLACE: Wood River, IL
SUBJECT: Drive-in sign

*~*~*

HH and I drove the Miata to Wood River for some burgers this evening.

A nice night for having the top down and eating at the drive-in. 

Next Stop, San Antonio (159/365)

TIME: 10:55 AM
PLACE: Airport
SUBJECT: Departing flight

I left this morning for San Antonio, Texas to visit my boy.

His birthday is Monday, so I flew down to spend the weekend with him. Stella and my sister went as well.

 

I even rented a “fancy” car.  A Mercedes C300 – although I later found out that it is considered an “entry level Mercedes”  The bloom came off the rose with that information.  Sniff, only an entry level car. Pfft, that ain’t nothing special then.

We picked James up after his evening formation. 

I received the Best. Hug. Ever!

He wanted to go eat Vietnamese at this restaurant.  It was very good.  The owner had a sign requesting no photos be taken inside, so I complied. But i took one of the outside.

After, we went to Wal-Mart to purchase provisions for him and then headed back to the base so he could be there for bed check.  I made him stand in front of his dorm windows.

So happy to see him in person again!

Dinner Late Nite (138/365)

TIME: 11:55 PM
PLACE: Denny’s
SUBJECT: Window

Stella had her 8th grade dance tonight.

After it was over, she and a group went to Denny’s to eat.

Sushi Entrance (132/365)

TIME: 9:00 PM
PLACE: Sushi Tatsu
SUBJECT: Hanging on front door

Stella and I did some shopping at the mall to pick out a dress for her to wear to the 8th grade dance next Friday.

Then we had dinner. 

She tried some Uni (sea urchin) this time – she has determined that she is not a fan of that particular item.

Italian Foods, Steaks & Cocktails (125/365)

TIME: 8:01 PM
PLACE: Collinsville, IL
SUBJECT: Sign

We didn’t eat here, but I love the sign.

My Day (119/365)

TIME: 9:49 AM
PLACE: Panera
SUBJECT: Tracker

TIME: 4:30 PM
PLACE: Home
SUBJECT: Flowers

Claudia took me out to breakfast and Stella bought me flowers for my birthday.

Love my girls.

Stools (088/365)

TIME: 6:58 PM
PLACE: Steak n Shake
SUBJECT: Counter stools

Time for a shake.

Sunflower (082/365)

TIME: 6:54 PM
PLACE: Bella Milano
SUBJECT: Sunflower

DramaQueen, StellaDella, HH and I went out to eat.

It is supposed to rain for the next couple of days; luckily we were seated by a window and were able to see a bit of sun before that happens.

Head and Lights (075/365)

TIME: 6:59 PM
PLACE: Dennys
SUBJECT: The top of HH’s head and lights

Big, big date night this Friday evening.

Dinner at Denny’s.

Can it get any better than that?

Fairview Lounge (019/365)

TIME: 6:24 PM
PLACE: Fairview Heights
SUBJECT: Fairview Lounge Panka Peru (and gas station)

StellaDella and I went for adventure tonight for dinner; somewhere we had never been, to eat food we have never tried – Peruvian food.

We had “Palta Rellena” as an appetizer, a Peruvian avocado which was stuffed with peas, carrots, chicken and mayo.

SD then had “Chaufa de Pollo” for her main course; stir fried rice with green onion, eggs and chicken.

I had “Lomo Saltado” which is “A traditional recipe of strips of tenderloin flamed with wine, sautéed with red onion, tomato, and a soy sauce reduction. Served with French fries and a side of white rice infused in garlic.”

It was really good – I’ve been here before for the bar, and purchased gasoline as well, but never for the food.  I plan to return!

Restaurant (175/365)

TIME:  6:11
PLACE: Mariachi's
SUBJECT: Mirrored wall

I had dinner with some of my cousins.
This back wall at the restaurant has some of the same colors as yesterday’s sunset.

Shogun Skills (042/365)

“Cookery is a wholly unselfish art: All good cooks, like all great artists, must have an audience worth cooking for.”
– Andre Simon

TIME:  6:18 PM
PLACE: Shogun Japanese Steakhouse
SUBJECT:  Teppanyaki Chef

DramaQueen worked last night, so we waited until tonight to go out as a family for Stella’s birthday dinner.
As per tradition, the birthday girl chose the restaurant.
She wanted to go to a place where they cooked at the table.
So we did.
She loved it.

4204 (027/365)

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn‘t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."
-Jack Handy

TIME:  6:51 PM
PLACE:  Main Street Brewing Co.
SUBJECT:  Micro Brewery

About every two months, the girl cousins/aunts on my mom’s side get together to visit and cackle.
Tonight, we met at this local restaurant and micro brewery.

At The Sushi Bar (245/366)

“Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.”

Henry Youngman (English born American Comedian and Violinist, 1906-1998)

TIME:  6:35 PM
PLACE:  Wasabi Sushi Bar
SUBJECT:  Rice paper divider

The girls are spending the night at their cousins.  So I had a dinner date this evening with just my two boys…HH and MB.

Red Wall (027/366)

“Something there is that doesn't love a wall”

Robert Frost (1874-1963), U.S. poet. Mending Wall (l. 1). . . The Poetry of Robert Frost. Edward Connery Lathem, ed. (1979) Henry Holt.

TIME:  7:49 PM
PLACE:  Wasabi Sushi Bar
SUBJECT:  Restaurant wall
(another cell-phone picture)

StellaDella had a bad afternoon.  It mainly had to do with being unwanted and told to go away by the older sister and brother.  There was a whole lot of crying and hurt feelings going on when I walked into the house after work.  Poor baby.  I feel your pain SD.  I really do.  See, I had two older brothers who did the same to me when their friends were around.  So to cheer her up, HH and I took her (all by herself-no older siblings!) out to eat and then to the bookstore.  It seemed to have done the trick.

Vending Wall Of Delights (026/366)

Maggie Sibley: Well, I know that if you think life is a vending machine, where you put in virtue and you get out happiness, then you'll probably gonna be disappointed.

"Time Flies." Six Feet Under. 27 June 2005. Television.

TIME:  12:53 PM
PLACE:  Chinese buffet entrance
SUBJECT:  Vending machines
(taken with my cell phone)

I met the HH for lunch today at a nearby Chinese buffet. (We get the “date” time together when we can!)  During lunch I asked him if he like my photo yesterday and it was then that I realized my photos over the last 3rd days have been of something either on or against a wall.   Well, I guess since I have I theme happening, I need to name it - Week of Walls – all rights reserved (ha!) and need to keep it going.  Here are vending machines against the wall in the entrance area to the restaurant.  I was very tempted to part with 50 cents for one of those string dolls in the upper left machine.  But I didn’t.

Condiments (021/366)

“Americans can eat garbage, provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup, mustard, chili sauce, Tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, or any other condiment which destroys the original flavor of the dish”

Henry Miller quotes (American Author and Writer, 1891-1980)

TIME:  5:58 PM
PLACE:  Kretzer's Grill & Bar, Hoyleton, IL
SUBJECT:  Condiments on table

The HH and I had dinner with a friend of his and his wife to celebrate HH’s and his friend’s upcoming January birthdays.  HH took this photo while we were seated at our table and waiting for our friends to arrive.  He and his friend ordered the all you can eat crab legs for their entrees.  I think the restaurant lost money on that order.

Saputos (012/366)

Capt. McCluskey: How's the Italian food in this restaurant?
Sollozzo: Good. Try the veal, it's the best in the city.
Capt. McCluskey: I'll have it.

The Godfather (Sterling Hayden, Al Lettieri performers, Francis Ford-Coppola-director, 1972)

TIME:  2:12 PM
PLACE:  Springfield, IL
SUBJECT:  Neon Sign

I had a meeting at noon in Springfield today.  And just to make the day even more special…we had our first accumulating snowfall of the season this morning.  It was very windy and the snow was blowing across the highways, obscuring our vision for much of the trip, making the drive a fun and exciting challenge (hmm, not sure if the sarcastic tone is coming through – note to self, locate a sarcasm font for future posts).  The silver lining?  I was able to eat some very delicious Italian food at lunch. Complimenti alla cuoco.