Fast Foward To: Here

Oh darling, there's nothing like turning another year older and remembering all the things forgotten, put aside, piled up, and put out of mind. Like this blog. Like my attempts at painting actual hangable art, and creating a budget to actually follow, and follow successfully.

Well now, the lady of lunching is currently on a hiatus from habitual noontime, downtown lunching. And evening dining and drinking debauchery. And also seemingly gone are the $150 salon trips, morning coffee jaunts, with memorable vintage shopping sprees. But all is not lost.

Enter email account number 3- used solely for online mailing lists, coupons, "what's happening" mailing list updates, and sample/freebie giftcard tryouts. The Panera coffee punch card is extinct, as is the local drive-up coffee window, and those pesky credit cards. Holding back on some fabulous things does cause a new found appreciation for the new adventures when you take them.

Now enter new adventure: dining with sushi. Even though the lady is Asian- she's never had sushi. She's not that kind of Asian. So for the big birthday celebration, some sushi veterans took me out to for sake and new foods. The caterpillar roll looked like a real caterpillar but tasted delicioso with a mixed sake martini- and nothing can compare to the 'big O' roll- a favorite with everyone at our cushy sofa sectional in the front of the restaurant.

I now dream about my next sushi trip.

Flat Branch Pub & Brewing it up

Beer, scotch, bourbon, veggie burgers, and cream sodas you say? Around and about the downtown District area for the last 15 years, and the first brewery in over a hundred years, Flat Branch Pub & Brewing has earned a hearty reputation. They brew their own locally named-for beers, along with a super tasty sarsaparilla-esque root beer and cream soda that you will never be able to drink enough of! Starting off with beverages that are different in name and flavor (in the "good way" of course), there's the Green Chili Beer- which one of my great friends quotes as tasting "like beer and nachos had a baby" and is definitely on the spot. Esquire online gives Flat Branch a 76% rating as a "Best Bar."
For the meat-eating crowd, the burgers here are thick, juicy, and heartily flavorful (that's what I've heard again and again at least). And for the rest of the fanfare of non-meat eaters, Flat Branch has an awesome, super filling, hearty, tasty veggie burger. When you normally think of veggie burgers, something with soy comes to mind, maybe with a dash of pepper. But just wait. Their version of the veggie burger has dirty rice, oats, red pepper, tofu, portabello mushrooms (mmmm...), which you can add a slice of pepperjack cheese to and douse in a basil pesto. Grab a side of their homemade garlicky smashers and into veggie bliss you go. Really, it's hard to get enough of their ruby red cream soda, so go check it out.

Such a Creepy Girl, Such a Pretty Voice

With the days going by weighing between light and heavy, the mood puts me in a musical moment. There are so many countless bands and solo artists who's albums pile up around my speakers- but my guilty pleasure are solo girly pop artists. "Pop" has almost lost its luster, or actually just morphed into a vast array of blended mediums- a little synth, a little rock, a little more lip shine, and a with lot more gloss. Stumbling around today, I find a female artist from Estonia (she does realize most people don't know where it is- do you? Look around Russia). Her name is Kerli and she has a beautiful voice-an actual different voice! Her debut music video off of her Love Is Dead album is a blend of cute and kitschy Hot Topic wall posters, but I dig it.

So, here's my lowdown- The look of Lady Gaga (ala Christina Aguilera possibly with all that platinum, unless on the flipside-gasp!- it's natural..), and the eyes and dressy gathering of Amy Lee from Evanescence- but with a softer, lovely voice. You can check her out on myspace- with an unplugged song to prove her vocal prowess, and of course her album is out now. Something about her should make you feel a little mixed up, with such a blend of soft and edgy darkness- but her voice will put you at ease.

Glass Ring Me In

Glass Rings! Murano glass! Italian style on your hand! Non-metal cocktail rings are sometimes a little tough to find, at least here in the Midwest, and not elsewhere besides in a plastic clearance $1 bin. Enter: Glass rings. They carry the cocktail-ring weight but can be slim enough for your index finger or large enough to garner yourself some attention. It's the Italian lamp working style of glass making that has made Murano a hallmark in the glass working industry. Many craftspeople and jewelry makers have mimicked the original Murano glass ring style and made it their own- adding copper, gold, and other metal designs. The Carrotbox has been a great resource for some feminine designs that haven't been around town. Even Pier1 gets in on the action with a metal and glass combination- and many of them appear to be some sort of precious stones- but are just molded glass! My rings have been dropped many (okay, very many) times and only one has sustained a chip- and the drawback is not that a chip would add character to the overall design, but that my finger is essentially nearing a possible cut on a daily basis. Luckily, I don't mind suffering a little for these lovely rings.

Tulips in Bloom

Spring is abounding everywhere- even with rain falling in buckets throughout the midwest! The dark, gloomy, overcast skies call for a brighter daily ensemble palette. But how do you get the 'spring look' (Thanks to Stacy) without falling victim to the overabundance of pastels? Hold onto your bright-popping colors and bring a different shape into the mix. Add some Tulips! Why, of course! You can add them to your garden as well as your closet!

Take a moment to peruse Shopstyle- and behold the vast array of almost-knee length, knee length, and below-the-knee length skirts in every color and pattern (even in pastels). Yes, Behold! Marc Jacobs has a great example above keeping the color alive in satin violet with the springy punch of polka dots. Add in the figure (especially for the hip area) flattering shape, and you've got yourself a fabulous skirt that goes great with those current airy spring tops, and will always pay homage to your stems, er, I mean legs, or gams, or what have you. Drapey fabrics worn in just the right areas are always a plus- so you can look pulled together and sport a spring look that's fun!

Lions, Tigers, 110 Beers, Oh My!

With a quick weekend jaunt to the Little Apple in Kansas- an old, familiar haunt quickly won me over. Old Chicago with its decadent pizza and calzones make such a hearty meal- even for a bonafide vegetarian. Well, this vegetarian who can't get enough cheese and veggies at least. Starting with a side salad, and also the daunting task of selecting one beer from the selection of 110. ..I slightly lingered before making the decision to enjoy my favorite beer. Good Kansas City beer by the way- Boulevard Wheat (with its signature sidekick slice of lemon) is the tastiest and bodes well (even according to Blvd's brewing information) with a spinach artichoke calzone and side of marinara dipping sauce. The calzone was filled with spinach and artichoke of course, plus sun-dried tomato, basil, garlic, and oozing with cheese. Mozzarella (the homemade version being uber delicious) is always the happy, stretchy cheese in these sorts of foods and brings a smile to everyone. The calzone itself was a huge wrapped meal I could hardly finish myself, so a portion was shared with others who also enjoyed every bite- and even more so than their own meaty calzone. Vegetarians prevail- although next time we'll be a little more adventurous in trying new beers, with about 100 more to go. . .

French Fry Me Up

Hot, curly, Arby's fries are a tasty temptation that hits me out of nowhere. Maybe it's the warm, spicy, and fried goodness? Maybe it's the need for more grease and salt in my diet? Since it's the single thing consumed by me (the vegetarian) off their menu mostly- and subsists of copious amounts of grease- it had to be written about! There's even a recipe to make the glorious fries in your own home- let me know how it works out though.

What makes the fries so great is the combination of zesty seasonings, the super-wide curlyness, and lastly- the fry's perfect balance of being crispy and mushy in the same bite. They are great with or without the famous Arby Sauce. In fact, a perfect lunchtime snack is a large Tropicana lemonade, and two large orders of curly fries. The fries are always hot and fresh, and the cool lemonade tempers the flavor and temperature just right. My mouth is watering. . .