By Julie on 9/29/2009 5:02 PM

I just walked outside to turn the pool cleaner on and I was hit by a stray breeze carrying the smell of autumn. And for some reason, it made me think about my dad. I miss him so much it hurts. And I still think about him every day even though he has been gone almost three years now.

And I want to go home to Mississippi. I had planned to go back this weekend for a visit but too many other things got in the way of it so I can't make it there. I wish it wasn't a 12 hour drive from here. I could go more often if it wasn't for the long drive. One of these days I will just move back there and live.

Three years ago Toot and I drove to Mississippi for my family reunion. It always happens the first Saturday in October and is held at the old schoolhouse at Midway, Mississippi. The old schoolhouse is located next to the cemetery where many of my family on my dad's side are buried. We always walk around the cemetery after we eat the reunion dinner.

Thre ... Read More »

By Julie on 9/26/2009 3:01 PM

Spending part of the weekend in Port Aransas, Texas. Here is the ferry we came across the channel on:

The weather here is beautiful today. We were not ever able to go to Woodstock in New York but today we got to attend: Sandstock! That is Port Aransas' version of Woodstock but on a much, much smaller scale.

Click here to visit the Sandstock website

By Julie on 9/24/2009 6:12 PM

I have a new blog post over at my "developing" blog La Wooden Spoon: Grilled Asian-style Scallop & Asparagus Salad from my new copy of The Bon Appetit Cookbook.

www.LaWoodenSpoon.com

 

By Julie on 9/21/2009 8:47 AM

Last night on the Emmy Awards (which I did not take the time to watch), Jon Cryer won an Emmy for his work on the tv show Two and a Half Men. True, he gives us a wonderful performance as Alan Harper . But his truly best work, in my humble opinion, was as Duckie in the '80's movie Pretty in Pink. And as you can see above, he bears a stiking resemblance to Ferris Beuller, also of '80's movie fame. Funny thing, they were both born in New York City a few years apart to actor parents. Could there be something to the idea that they are secretly related to each other? If I were them, I'd check into it.

But moving on to Jon Cryer in particular. I still firmly believe that Molly Ringwald should have taken up with Duckie in Read More »

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Julie

By Julie on 9/20/2009 8:08 PM

My weekend:

I have friends visiting me this week. These are friends that I went to high school with all those years ago. They both live on opposite sides of the country. Every time they visit we have fun and a bit of mayhem around our house. This visit my friend Tiff introduced us to her latest favorite drink:

Mix Captain Morgan Key Lime Rum with Ocean Spray White Cran Strawberry juice. There is no hard and fast recipe, just mix it to taste. Some people want more rum and some people want less. Serve over ice.

On Saturday I went with a friend into Houston to High Fashion Home center for some shopping. ... Read More »

By Julie on 9/15/2009 2:54 PM

The blogosphere has been heating up with the news of Patrick Swayze's passing yesterday. Everyone is recalling his work and his films. So I thought I'd write about my favorite of his movies: To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar from 1995.

Yes, that was my favorite Patrick Swayze movie. Not Ghost. And not Dirty Dancing. I like the movie where he dresses as a drag queen and goes on a road trip. Swayze was fabulous in this movie as Vida Bohemme. Add Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo as drag que ... Read More »

By Julie on 9/8/2009 8:59 AM

I finished reading Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy. I somehow failed to realize that she had a new book out this year and so I am just reading it. As usual, it was superb. Maeve Binchy writes stories that are a joy to read and make you want to run off to Ireland to live the rest of your life.

Her characters are real. So real that you just know she is writing nonfiction! But she isn't. Her books pull characters from her previous books and blend their lives all together. There are a ... Read More »

By Julie on 9/6/2009 4:03 PM

La Wooden Spoon Blog

In my family we all love to cook and we love to eat. I have found that many of my posts on this blog talk about food or restaurants or well, just about anything related to eating. My mother was mentioning to me recently that she wanted to get into blogging.

So we have started a food blog as of today. The blog isn't completely set up and our graphics have not been designed yet but we're getting there. Our first post about Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake is now up and ready for reading.

My daughter, who is almost 9 years old, is also going to be a contributor to the blog. She loves to help cook and she eats a much greater variety of foods than most adults I know. I am thankful every day that my child is definitely not a picky eater.

Our new blog is called La Wooden Spoon. My mother's family on her father's side is from France and we decided to use the French "La" i ... Read More »

By Julie on 9/5/2009 12:41 PM

I ran across this news story today. A mother who was angry about the location her child was to be picked up each day, attacked the school bus driver. Apparently she thought it was too far for her child to walk to and from the bus pickup area.

Before she attacked the school bus driver, she removed her HAIR!?!?, shoes, and jewelry and threw those items on the ground. Then she boarded the bus and prcoceeded to attack the bus driver.

My take on this: What on earth does she look like? I mean c'mon. We want to see pictures of before and after the hair removal. And why didn't the bus driver just drive away while the woman was removing her hair, shoes, and jewelry?

Despite the violence of the situation, let's just sit back for a moment and contemplate the ridiculousness of this.

Read More »

By Julie on 9/2/2009 12:38 PM

This past weekend one of my favorite cookbook authors passed away. Her name was Sheila Lukins and she died of brain cancer at the age of 66.

Her first cookbook, The Silver Palate Cookbook, coauthored with her business partner Julee Rosso, has held pride of place in my cookbook collection for many years. When my house burn ... Read More »