HOLY GUACAMOLE, ELIZA ROCKS!

Highlights from yesterday:

#1)

The St. Pita's food truck in San Marcos
Image from slowdownsavor.com

I've got two words for you. Fried. Avocado. Holy Avocado (which happens to be its name), it's good! Especially when it's combined with lettuce, tomato, purple onion, Monterrey Jack cheese, Sriracha sauce and a house-made ranch dressing, then enfolded in a deliciously warm and soft pita wrap. Well, we knew St. Pita's was the brain child of the same young people who own and run our Leaning Pear Cafe in Wimberley, so it was pretty much a given that anything they served there was bound to be good. But this? This was moan inducing over the top, and I don't even like avocado all that much!

#2)

Eliza Gilkyson's performance in the outdoor arena behind the Cypress Creek Cafe last year was fantastic. But Eliza, up close and personal, in the cozy coffeehouse atmosphere of Cafe Susanna? Well, in the words of Mr. T, I pity da fools who didn't make it to her performance last night, though, truth be told, there wouldn't have been room for you anyway, nor pie either (they sold out before the show started!). So, on second though, thanks for not coming!

FUNK OR FUN?

Well, I've gone several days without taking a single blog-worthy photo, and that can mean only one of two things -- either I'm in a serious funk, or I'm just havin' way too much fun! I'll let you be the judge.

That's Paula on the far left.

My hubby left for a business trip to Houston on Monday morning. A short while later, BFF Paula arrived. The very next day big sister Carolyn showed up. Paula had to leave yesterday, but Carolyn won't leave until tomorrow, shortly before Hubby returns. While he's been gone we've eaten at most every restaurant in town, plus Trattoria Lisina in Driftwood (Mandola's) and Casa Garcia in Kyle. We've shopped, we've rocked, we've read, we've talked. Haven't exercised anything but my jaw, and haven't turned on the stove or oven even once. So which do you think it is? Deep, deep funk, or, just way too busy having fun to even think about pullin' out the camera?

Carolyn at Mandola's on a previous visit.

BOOK TRAVEL II: CAROLYN CONFUSES THINGS

So, first my hubby just about had me convinced that we should take another river cruise. But then, just for the hell of it, I went back to reread a couple of Marlena de Blasi's books about Italy. Once I was immersed in those, I became absolutely convinced that we must go to Orvieto. I mean, what's not to love about a town where the average work day includes three trips to your favorite bar for shots of espresso, plus a trip to the drogheria (a spice shop as well as a coffee roaster) to get just enough coffee beans or dried fennel flowers or a pinch of cinnamon for you to use that day, "not because they fear a more abundant stash would grow stale -- the contents of the great glass spice jars are all pre-Flood -- but so they can come back again tomorrow." Then there is "the sanctity of ten o'clock pizza when the whole town craves its paper wrapped dose of it, warm, perfumed with rosemary and crunchy with sea salt," followed by a trip to the bakery to pick up the bread for lunch. Must finish up the shopping by noon, for at half past, everyone goes back to the bars for their aperitivi, where most likely there will be little plates of roasted nuts, fat green olives, shards of crumbling cheese, tiny salted pastries, and prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks, just to whet your appetite for lunch!  After lunch is the sacred nap, then "a little more work, sparkled by another espresso, some tiny marzipan-stuffed confection, or the smallest cup of gelato -- pistacchio or hazelnut or one made of white peaches and black rum. A good stretch, a yawn, and back again for an encore in the bars. The evening aperitivi. Then la passeggiata, the walk down the corso to take the air. A quick stop for more bread and home, then, to the table. And early to bed, since all of it begins again tomorrow." Sounds like my kind of town, no?

Image from richtexts.blogspot.com

But then my friend Paula arrived a couple of days ago, and she said "Have you ever considered a trip to Quebec? As crazy as you are about all things French, it might be the perfect compromise. Everyone I know who has been to Montreal just loved it, you'd eat great food, but you could probably get a direct flight from Austin, and not have to fret about missed connections or lost luggage. And, think how lovely and cool it would be there in summer!" Sounded pretty good, but still, I do so love traveling "by book", and I am so very invested in these Italian books, after reading them two or three times each!

Then sister Carolyn arrived, and confused things even further. Paula mentioned Montreal again, and Carolyn immediately says "Oh! Have you read any Inspector Gamache mysteries by Louise Penny? The ones that take place in and around Quebec City? You'd love them, and could probably get plenty of ideas for another of your travel-by-book vacations! Well, fudge. Guess we'll be heading to Half-Price Books today, to see if I can find any of her books, and to see if I can make this decision just a little more difficult! Anybody else got any book/town combos they want to throw into the mix, while we're at it?

SIMPLE HAPPY: A NICE PLACE TO WALK

Know what I love most about Wimberley's not-so-new-anymore hike and bike trail?

I love the way the tree limbs come together to form long peaked tunnels over the pathway. It's a bit like walking through my own personal cathedral, and being there always seems to remind me of how very much I have to be thankful for.

COLOR MAD FOR TOMATO TONES

Remember that website called Design Seeds that I like so much? The one that takes neat photos and turns them into cool color palettes? Last time I was there, this palette just jumped off the screen and grabbed me, so I pinned it to my "Color Mad" Pinterest board.

It made me realize that I live in a somewhat tomatoey home.

While I was there on Pinterest, I stumbled across these chairs, and pinned them to my Color Mad board as well.

I think these chairs deserve to live here in Tomatoville, don't you?

RAINY WORRIES

One of our low-water-crossings, which caved in last time it flooded.

It's been raining all week, and we were supposed to get a break today, but I woke to a raging thunderstorm which continued for at least an hour, coming down hard and heavy. I was beginning to get a wee bit worried. You see, my hubby has business in Houston this week, but I've got a big sister and a best friend coming to play with me while he is away. They will be sadly disappointed if we end up getting flooded in, and can't leave the house the whole time they are here!

Well, the sun finally came out, and the sounds of thunder grew ever more distant. There may be hope for us yet. Keep your fingers crossed!