Pre-Halloween Action

Luckily the kids and I planned ahead this year so my getting sick didn't prevent us from having some super tricks and treats for school today. After spending most of the day in bed, eating some hot & sour soup, and getting a sinus cocktail at the doctor's office, I had enough energy to oversee the following activities.

Jiro was a pro at making ghost faces on our tootsie pop ghosts.


This has to be the easiest project ever--tissue, tootsie pops, dental floss, and a sharpie.




Inspired by the article I did for the Commercial Appeal, Disgustingly delicious, we made a mummy shaped cheeseball. The kids were really adept at tearing the string cheese for his bandages. I used one of my favorite recipes for the cheeseball, so I know it'll taste good. (We used dried cranberries for the eyes instead of the more adult recommended pimentos.)


My little vampire helped make the Jell-O for our zombie brain gelatin mold.


We got everything done last night, so this morning was dedicated to getting the perfect rock star hair...


and the perfect vampire slick back.


The kids are off enjoying their party at school, and I'm back in bed resting up for tomorrow's Race for the Cure. Come cheer on Team Cha Cha! We're running in honor of Andria's mom, Cha Cha, who is a breast cancer survivor. (Read about her here.) If you are so inclined, it isn't too late to donate. Our team has raised over $1000, but I personally have raised $0. Anything is appreciated!

Updatey-like

While I was busy talking about healthy choices last week (both here and in my column), I was also busy procrastinating on a writing assignment I accepted--on donuts.

Yes, donuts.

My procrastination translated into the unhealthiest "choice" ever. Team Oster visited seven donut shops in three days, and four of them were in one day. I do not recommend doing this ever!

Look, even Jiro is sick of donuts.


But I will say that after visiting all of these shops, tasting, and listening to Warren give me the 411 on donut making, I can say that I am now officially a donut expert. And I can also say that I may never eat another donut again!

On Sunday, after our third donut shop, we made a quick stop at the skatepark behind Houston High School. (Warren keeps his long board in the car to ride around campus.) We only had a few minutes before it started raining on us, but I did capture Jiro making sparks, which we all thought was awesome.


Yes, we are easily entertained.

And since this post seems to be devoted to Jiro, I'll add that after a morning of eating donuts we had to separate the children. I took Jiro with me to set up for the school auction and dinner at the Balinese Ballroom Sunday night and Warren took Satchel to the University library to make copies. Having just Jiro was great. He was the best helper ever. I think Warren and I may need to separate him and Satchel more often!

Anyways, since Jiro helped set up, he got to see all of the things in the silent auction. He gave me very specific directions to win the Webkins dragon at all costs, so of course, I did.

This sparked a renewed interest in all of his other stuffed animals. Last night they had a summit while we watched a scary movie.


(They were probably discussing my questionable parenting choices.)

Fresh Eyes

This week we had an eleven-year-old house guest for a few days, and it was rather enlightening. Having him spend time with us during the week helped me see our daily life with fresh eyes.

Here are a few things he told me while he was visiting:

"You guys always have the best dinners." Warren had just made spaghetti, which was awesome, but I wasn't thinking of it as anything special. "What did we have the last time you were here?" I asked. I've already forgotten again what it was, but as he walked towards the living room he added, "We ate it at the table," and motioned to the dining room table. I've let the dining room table get covered with odds and ends and I can't remember the last time we ate there! But the next night we did. (Warren made stir fried noodles and vegetables.)

At bedtime, when our visitor discovered that I was going to get in bed with the boys and read them a book (Hershel and the Beast by Steve Stern), his eyes lit up and he said, "That reminds me of being a little boy." He eagerly got in the top bunk and listened intently to the story. "I usually just put myself to bed," he said. "I still think of Satchel and Jiro as little boys," I told him. Warren likes to fuss at me for spending an hour or so tucking them in, but I ignore him. A psychologist (who I interviewed for a story) once told me that parents should tuck their kids in as long as they'll let them. That's exactly what I intend to do.

It was also an absolute pleasure to have a child in the house who consistently said "please" and "thank you" and even cleaned up after himself. (I'm hoping his good example will inspire the monkeys.)

His mom thinks I was doing her a favor, but in reality she did me one.

Five Finger Toe Shoes

For Satchels' birthday in April, he only wanted one thing--a pair of Vibram's Five Finger Toe Shoes. It's a good thing that's all he wanted because they run about $80.

Yes, they are hideous. I know. I tried a pair on. But there's just something about them. Satchel loves them and he wore them everyday until I made him stop. (More on that below.)

Wearing them has attracted lots of attention to his feet. From Fisherman's Wharf to the Delta Fair, numerous people have stopped to stare and say things like, "What the heck are those?"



Now let me just say this. I realize that these shoes were not made for eight-year-old boys, but I have been extremely disappointed in their durability.

He had them for about a week before I had to sew a hole in the toe. Since then, I've sewed a couple other holes as well. And as you can see from the picture, the latest hole cannot be sewn.



Additionally, these suckers STINK. Oh my lord, do they stink. I've scrubbed and scrubbed, but you cannot remove the funk.



In fact, we've scrubbed so much, the smelly part has started separating from the protective bottom sole.



It's really a shame. Satchel really does love these shoes. I finally had to tell him that he simply could not wear them any longer. I put him back in the Keen sandals that I bought him 2 years ago that somehow still fit and pretty much look like new. (And cost half as much, I might add.)

I emailed the company to see if they replaced or repaired their shoes when they fell apart, but I haven't heard back. (When the soles on my Chaco's wore out, they sent me a new pair.)

I realize that not all companies are going to offer a lifetime guarantee like Chaco. Keen doesn't, but I've found their shoes to be more than durable. When I pay $80 for a pair of shoes, I expect them to last more than 6 months. And not stink to high heaven.

Who knows, maybe they'll improve the quality in the future, but for now I'm doing my best to convince Satchel that wearing socks and normal shoes won't make his feet explode.

Little Shop of Horrors

When I heard that my friend, Justin Willingham, was staring as Seymour in the Harrell Theater's production of Little Shop of Horrors, I had to go. (He assured me that it wouldn't be too scary for the monkeys--although the Harrell Theater discourages children under 3 from attending.)



When I told the monkeys we were going to a play they were genuinely excited. They love going to shows at the Orpheum and have developed a real love of theater. They often ask me "What are we going to see next?"

We went to the 2:30pm Sunday matinee. The monkeys and their cousin sat in the front row and my mom and I sat a few rows back. They loved feeling grown up, and I loved being able to actually have a conversation with my mom!

The show itself was fantastic, and the cast was phenomenal. Really! I'm no theater critic, but I know good. Even my mom--who has seen the show on Broadway--said it was one of the best productions she's seen. The monkeys and their cousin also really enjoyed the show. From the front row they got to be enveloped by the smoke machine and have the actors sing right to them.

Unbeknown to us, they have a special perk on Sundays. After the show, we were invited to meet some of the cast and see how the Audrey plant works. We also learned that the puppeteer has lost 29 pounds since he started operating the plant two weeks ago! I guess he gets a little sweaty in there!



The Harrell Theater is pretty small--it seats 368 people and is in Collierville. It's a bit of a trek for us Midtowners, but totally worth the drive. And just so you know, it's adjacent to a community center so the kids can burn off some energy both before and after the show on the center's playground. Additionally, intermission snacks can be bought there as well.

I highly recommend that you take your kids (ages 6 and up) to the show! We may even go again it was so good. (Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for kids.)

All Taekwondo, All the Time

The monkeys have been taking Taekwondo at school for about three years. The Millers, of Midtown Taekwondo fame, have been their teachers.



The school lessons are "club" lessons and the kids pretty much stopped wearing their uniforms when it became clear that getting dressed took up most of their class time. Satchel would wear his belt from time to time. I wanted the monkeys to have a fuller experience, like Warren has with Kendo. I thought this year would be a good opportunity for them to start taking classes at the studio.



Initially they were not very excited. The classes full of kids they didn't know doing moves they didn't know intimidated them. I had to actually plead with them to go each week. And bribe them with Taco Bell!



Jiro didn't want to be the lowest ranked kid in the class, so one week he wore one of Satchel's old belts with a couple of stripes. Mrs. Miller quickly noticed and encouraged him to earn his own stripes. Then he got shy again, worried he wouldn't be able to remember everything he learned in class. Mr. Miller happily told him that classes were for practicing, and it was okay not to remember everything.

Satchel, who had a club yellow belt, soon earned a real yellow belt and some green stripes. Earning stripes totally motivated him to want to go to class more and more, and practice at home.

Jiro started earning his own stripes and the two of them were soon practicing their moves at every turn.



Last week, the school had official testing and the Millers told Satchel and Jiro that they were both ready to test--Satchel for his high rank yellow belt and Jiro for his yellow. In one month they learned more than they did in the previous three years combined! Or maybe the three years base knowledge is what helped them progress so quickly. Or maybe it was just their desire to get more stripes and higher belts.





Personally I would have been nervous with all of the judges, but both Satchel and Jiro seemed to be cool and confident. A nice change from the earlier begging and cajoling required to get them there!




As Warren and I proudly watched, I noted that their testing seemed to be even harder than the Kendo testing he did recently! I had totally expected them to get their belts at the end of class, but the Millers announced that they wouldn't get their results until the 23rd, at a family picnic in Overton Park.

The monkeys actually took this news in stride, which was a nice surprise. But believe me, they are counting the days until the 23rd! I was really proud of them.

OK, so if you're still with me. I of course have videos.

Here's Satchel's Don Gun pattern:



Jiro's Song Song pattern:

Healthy Choices

So as I mentioned, I've been trying to make healthy choices. It's much easier said than done.

The impetus? After getting up at the crack to work out 3-5 times a week for the last year, not to mention standing up at my desk for about 4 months, I haven't lost a single pound. Now, had I actually taken my measurements I am sure that they would reflect a definite redistribution of my weight, but the scale is getting on my nerves. Apparently working out can only do so much. (Like 5lbs over the course of a year.)

I know that dieting will not work for me. I don't do the cooking at home, and frankly, I really like eating out. Dining with Monkeys is a big part of my life, as is writing about food. One cannot write about food without eating it!

So enter healthy choices. I figure I have several opportunities to make better choices than I have been.

I consider myself to be intelligent, but I have to admit that figuring out what the healthiest choice is, isn't always easy.

Exhibit A:

I was at a luncheon at the U of M Holiday Inn. They have a buffet. I chose to get a salad. I only put the tiniest bit of cheese on it. Now, when it came time to get the dressing, I was screwed. They were not labeled, and even if they were, I am 100% sure there was not a reduced calorie option. So I just got a very, very small amount of Bleu Cheese.

Next up was the entree selections. 1) Chicken and penne pasta with alfredo sauce, 2) salmon with butter sauce, and 3) beef stew. Clearly none of these was low calorie either. I went with a very small portion of beef stew.

The vegetables were last. Brussell sprouts clearly cooked in butter, corn and lima beans probably doused in butter, and some very dry looking roasted potatoes. I went with the potatoes.

I felt pretty good about my choices, but was overall unhappy about the general fattiness of them all. Then I caved in to peer pressure and followed by colleagues to the dessert table.

Exhibit B:


On Tuesday I went to lunch at my favorite lunch spot--Flying Fish. I had planned to get the shrimp kabobs with veggies on the side, but the special was fish tacos. The special is 2 fish tacos instead of the usual 3, so I rationalized that getting 2 would be a healthier choice than my usual order. However, I usually get the tilapia grilled and the special comes with fried catfish. I did order veggies instead of rice & beans, but after tasting them I feared they were brushed (or soaked!) with butter.

Sigh.

When I got back from lunch, I checked the nutritional info on the Flying Fish website. I tried focusing on the good serving of protein I got instead of the fat.



Exhibit C:

Now that the kids are totally obsessed with Taekwondo, we've found ourselves at the neighboring Taco Bell way more often than I care to admit. Normally I resist getting anything for myself, but this week I was hungry. I ordered a bean burrito instead of my usual nachos. After looking at the nutritional info on the Taco Bell site, I felt like I made a fairly decent choice. (Next time I'll get a fiesta bean burrito.) But can anything at Taco Bell really be considered healthy?

And there have been other landmines to contend with. On Tuesday the boss bought donuts for everyone. (I declined.) Tuesday night I bought a birthday cake for Warren. (I had one small piece.) On Thursday, the co-workers brought in Chik-fil-A minis for breakfast. (I could not resist.) Today I got donuts for the kids. (I ate 2 holes.) Oh and I also got invited to one of my other favorite restaurants, Elliott's, to try the new firecracker sandwich and the two new varieties of hot wings.

Double sigh.

Despite this, I do feel slightly better and my pants are actually a little looser. I'm squeezing in more veggies, eating more salads, and continuing to work out. But clearly, something's gotta give. I fear it's restaurants.

delecTABLE

On Sunday we had another edition of our eaTABLE Supper Club/Underground Restaurant. This time Colleen Couch-Smith was our chef, and Warren was her assistant. Colleen was also our hostess!





We started off with Thai poppers on the porch and Ginger Fizzes (vodka, Perrigrino, & ginger syrup). Colleen's husband, Ben, and I were the front of the house helpers, so we kept everyone's drinks filled and cleared plates when necessary. I just love playing restaurant!



Warren worked hard all week crafting his course. He made a Shojin platter with crunchy daikon rolls, marinated lotus root, and somen noodle nori roll with balsamic soy reduction. He really outdid himself! He paired his course with his own homebrewed genmaicha & ginger kombucha.



Colleen handled the rest of the courses. She crafted a miso vegetable soup with quail egg that was super umami-licious. It was paired with a Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale which is now my new favorite beer. (I'll just go ahead and admit that I could actually tell what was a good beer pairing. I have no idea when it comes to wine!)



The okonomiyaki with seared scallop and soy brown butter was also umami-licious. And so so so good. I want to eat one of these every day! She paired it with a Sopporo which was actually perfect.



The fourth course was a sesame crusted tuna with miso glazed eggplant and stir fried baby bok choy. The miso glazed eggplant was the best eggplant I've ever had! It was paired with Heaven' Door Tokubetsu Junmai chilled sake.



And for dessert, we had a delicious black Thai rice pudding with fresh mango and soy salted caramel. It was paired with McCarter's Guatamala Antigua coffee. By this point we all needed coffee. What a meal!



Thanks to everyone who made this such a great night!

Greenline Opening

Saturday was the official opening of the Greenline, with block parties all the way to Shelby Farms. There was no way we could miss that!



I don't know if the big sponsor-y signs are permanent, but these are:



I think people were obeying the rules for the most part. Satchel definitely needs to work on going at a reasonable and predictable pace. He stopped a few times when I wasn't expecting it, and it caused me to burn a little rubber!

The High Point block party was pretty happening. We stopped to get some shwag, check out the future plans for more trails, and chit chat.



Our favorite party was the one on Podesta, mainly because our friend lives there and we got to take a much needed break! They had live bands, free burgers, and Boll Weevils too!




After resting, we headed back on the trail to go to Shelby Farms. I skated the entire Greenline a few weeks ago, but the boys hadn't been past Waring until Saturday. Right as we got going, I got a flat. Luckily Warren strapped a patch kit to my bike, so we were prepared. He gave Satchel a lesson on fixing flats, which I have a feeling will come in handy someday.



Mary was somewhat horrified that the lesson involved putting saliva on the inner tube to locate the puncture.

Here we are at the end, hoping we'll have enough energy to make it home!



On the way back we passed the band of bikes--a bike powered stage with a DJ. They were a little road-hoggy, but nice.



We also saw some of our favorite skateboarders. I was a little jealous that I didn't get to wear my skates. The Greenline is really awesome for skating.



And this blurry pic was taken while on my bike. I wanted to capture the entrepreneurs who were selling water. We all agreed they'd make more money selling homemade popsicles!



I also wanted to mention that along the way were signs for High Point Pizza. I liked that they were letting folks know they were close by and welcoming, but I don't want to see tons of signs littering the Greenline, you know? I'm imagining political signs and whatnot someday.

We made it home at 5:00 which means we were riding for about four hours. It was quite a trek--about 16 miles in all for us. I was really impressed with how well Satchel did. Two days later and I'm still a little tired! But all in all, we love the Greenline! I can't wait for the whole city to be connected. I never dreamed I'd be able to ride from my house to Shelby Farms. Now I wanna ride my bike everywhere!

In case you missed it, my column last week talked about the fact that Families are already enjoying the Greenline.

Art Walk

On Friday the monkeys both got invited to sleep over at a friend's house, so Warren and I hit the town. We rode our bikes over to Broad Avenue to check out the Art Walk. (Taking the kids to the Art Walks is fun, but it's definitely more fun without them.)

I loved Mel Soillman's exhibit at Material, Tommy Kha's kissing pictures at the old post office, Jonathan Postal's rock-n-roll shots at Weaver & Associates, and Gadsby Creson's miniature bike racks at the Urban Art Commission. The nautically themed one for the Cove was my favorite. I hope they become a reality someday. As it is, we had to chain our bikes to a street sign.



After mingling and shmoozing and noshing, we went to the newly opened 3 Angels Diner for some dinner. Warren had the Thanksgiving sandwich and a beer. I had a green salad and water. (I'm making healthy choices this month as an experiment.)



It was really fun to see Broad Avenue hopping. Each Art Walk gets bigger and better--it's exciting to be a part of it. I'm very much looking forward to the next big event in November which will include re-striping the street and creating some pop up shops. Someday Broad Avenue will be a critical link between Overton Park and the Greenline.

Seeing how biking is all the rage these days, it seemed fitting that we ended the evening talking bikes with the bike cops. Cute, huh?