My First Tag

My frend Helena has tagged me to come up with a list of my ten currently favorite things. It's taken me a couple of days because it's not a question I normally ask myself. But here goes:

10. Yoga. Yoga is just crunchy enough for me - I still shave my legs but I sit with them crossed listening to Eastern music and greet my fellow yogis with "Namaste." I've built muscles, posture, and attitude. It is called meditation in motion and that's the way I feel.

9. Starbucks' Iced Venti 2% Chai Latte with 2 extra pumps. Sublime. I always sigh on the first sip. Ahhh.

8. The Bourne Identity: I know I'm totally late to this party but we have two kids and don't get out much. And shortly after they go to bed, we go to bed. I read a quote that basically says 'much in the same way that Connery was meant to play 007, Matt Damon was meant to play Jason Bourne'. I concur.

7. My new red peep toe pumps. They are sexy and pretty and fun and they give me attitude. I bought them to go out to dinner for our anniversary. I wore a great black and white dress, these shoes, and carried an absolutely adorable red clutch. I either looked very trendy or like a prostitute.

6. Tasting Flights: Ordered at the above mentioned anniversary dinner. It's so wonderful, you try smaller portions of things you probably wouldn't order without 'tasting' them first - you get the idea. The result: Andy really liked the avocado and lobster salad and I can still live without beets, no matter how cool or 'in' the waiter says they are right now. Incidentally yellow beets = turnip.

5. Asparagus with goat cheese. I bastardized a recipe I found in some magazine and came up with the following. It is delicious with grilled filet mignon and baked potato.

Pencil Thin Asparagus
Slivered Almonds
Diced Proscuitto
Crumbled Goat Cheese
Coating of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Toss all in a Ziploc to mix well
Place in a glass baking pan in a single layer
Bake in a 425 oven for about 15 minutes

4. My new wall color: It's sort of a brick red/wine red with a little less purple. I love it. I bought a new rug that's too small but the perfect colors and Andy hung the flat screen TV on the wall today. For the first time in five years, I almost have a real, decorated room!

My remaining three faves are part of a very important and long-standing end of summer tradition of which I first partook in 1997. This year I celebrate my 10 year anniversary.

3. Corona Lite: Anyone who knows me knows I've always been more of a wine girl than a beer drinker. Not this summer. I LOVE these. They're light, they're refreshing, and you can't beat them with thick wedge of lime thumbed down the neck of the bottle.

2. My brother's gumbo. I cook because we need to eat. My brother cooks because he loves it and because the ability to cook is passed down through the Y chromosome in my family. His gumbo d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s - so good it makes your mouth water even as your eyes water. This is the spicy food that put me into labor with my two year old. Really.

1. If the gumbo link worked, you may have guessed my number one. It's that time of year again Parrotheads: we're headed for the Labor Day Weekend Show with Jimmy Buffett! We show up to the parking lot around 10:00 am for the 8:00 pm show. It's a 18 hour vacation in Margaritaville. I can't wait!

So now I tag Jen at Monkey Planet and Mrs. Chicky 'cause I like her even though I've never met her.