Last week I had an interesting conversation with a girlfriend. She has started her "Things to do before..." list and will be marking a big one off this spring with an international trip.
That got me to thinking about all the things I want to do, think I want to do or have thought about doing. Yet, here I am being the same ole me.
So, my question to you is, "do you have a life list?" If so, what's on it? Of course I know I can't base my life list on anybody else's. Then it's wouldn't be my life list.
BUT - I'm basically a nosy person, so if you want to share, I'm game.
I'm gonna have to start putting my list together. I'll let you know what I come up with and when I start marking them off.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
My St. Louis Urban Adventure
I recently spent a few days in St. Louis visiting some tried and true tourism attractions and some new spots.
Believe it or not, January is not a bad time to go to the zoo. While it was chilly, the animals were out and about and enjoying themselves. We played peek-a-boo with Sophia, a not quite grown leopard who would run up to the ledge in her enclosure, pop up to the top and then drop back down. We watched the tiger cubs romp in their enclosure with their mother, who wore the world-weary expression of any mom with five kids.
We also visited the Science Center, the Art Museum and the Botanical Garden, all St. Louis icons. We went bowling at a newer attraction, Flamingo Bowl in the loft district on Washington Avenue. Giant screens hung above the lanes tuned to MTV2 and Turner Movie Classics (what a combo, huh?). I can’t bowl to save my life, but it was great fun anyway.
And of course – we ate and drank. We went to Sweetie Pies, a soul food restaurant where you’d think your grandmama was in the kitchen. Generous portions of entrees and sides guarantee you won’t leave hungry. Familiar favorites include fried or baked chicken, greens, mac-n-cheese, cabbage and black-eyed peas. The Riverfront Times ranked it the best place for soul food for 2008.
We stopped for drinks at SubZero on the Central West End. This vodka bar offers more than 250 vodkas and an impressive menu of drinks as well as the some of the city’s best sushi and New American hamburgers.
But the eating didn’t stop there. We lunched at the Historic (and haunted) Lemp Mansion. The Lemps were a prominent St. Louis family in the 1800s who encountered all sorts of tragedy. The mansion is reported to be inhabited by a ghost or two. Who knows, it might be true.
One night I insisted on a Italian and had the best risotto at Bartolinos. We stopped at Modesto on The Hill for drinks first, where I enjoyed sangria for the first time. Yummy.
A good time was had by all. You should try it some time.
Believe it or not, January is not a bad time to go to the zoo. While it was chilly, the animals were out and about and enjoying themselves. We played peek-a-boo with Sophia, a not quite grown leopard who would run up to the ledge in her enclosure, pop up to the top and then drop back down. We watched the tiger cubs romp in their enclosure with their mother, who wore the world-weary expression of any mom with five kids.
We also visited the Science Center, the Art Museum and the Botanical Garden, all St. Louis icons. We went bowling at a newer attraction, Flamingo Bowl in the loft district on Washington Avenue. Giant screens hung above the lanes tuned to MTV2 and Turner Movie Classics (what a combo, huh?). I can’t bowl to save my life, but it was great fun anyway.
And of course – we ate and drank. We went to Sweetie Pies, a soul food restaurant where you’d think your grandmama was in the kitchen. Generous portions of entrees and sides guarantee you won’t leave hungry. Familiar favorites include fried or baked chicken, greens, mac-n-cheese, cabbage and black-eyed peas. The Riverfront Times ranked it the best place for soul food for 2008.
We stopped for drinks at SubZero on the Central West End. This vodka bar offers more than 250 vodkas and an impressive menu of drinks as well as the some of the city’s best sushi and New American hamburgers.
But the eating didn’t stop there. We lunched at the Historic (and haunted) Lemp Mansion. The Lemps were a prominent St. Louis family in the 1800s who encountered all sorts of tragedy. The mansion is reported to be inhabited by a ghost or two. Who knows, it might be true.
One night I insisted on a Italian and had the best risotto at Bartolinos. We stopped at Modesto on The Hill for drinks first, where I enjoyed sangria for the first time. Yummy.
A good time was had by all. You should try it some time.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!!!
Out with the old, in with the new. Today, I'm going to get a little sappy. Just deal with it.
What are you going to do to make this year better than the last one? While we're all thinking about our lives, worrying about our 401Ks and listening to the doom and gloom coming from the media, take a moment to count your blessings.
Do you have your health? Your family? A job? A job you like? How about a job you love? Do you have the use of your limbs? Are you in your right mind? Are you making the best use of the talents that God gave you? Think about all you have to be thankful for.
And then, do something for someone else. Volunteer at church, a shelter or other community organization. Give of yourself. Share your time and talents. Believe me, someone out there will be so grateful for you. And you will feel so good at the end.
Take care of yourselves. Eat a little bit better. Exercise a little bit more. Love your family a whole lot harder.
Make 2009 your best year.
What are you going to do to make this year better than the last one? While we're all thinking about our lives, worrying about our 401Ks and listening to the doom and gloom coming from the media, take a moment to count your blessings.
Do you have your health? Your family? A job? A job you like? How about a job you love? Do you have the use of your limbs? Are you in your right mind? Are you making the best use of the talents that God gave you? Think about all you have to be thankful for.
And then, do something for someone else. Volunteer at church, a shelter or other community organization. Give of yourself. Share your time and talents. Believe me, someone out there will be so grateful for you. And you will feel so good at the end.
Take care of yourselves. Eat a little bit better. Exercise a little bit more. Love your family a whole lot harder.
Make 2009 your best year.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Do You Hulu?
Happy, happy. Joy, joy.
I just discovered Hulu. Or should I say I finally got around to checking it out after someone hipped me to it.
Either way, this is what I'm doing on New Year's Eve. I just watched one of my favorite movies on Hulu. It's called The Man Who Never Was. It's a WWII drama, made in the '50s and based on a true story of how the British deceived the Germans into believing there would be an invasion of Greece, when in fact they invaded Sicily.
What is so great about this movie is that it's about the people behind the scenes in the war. The ones thinking and planning and - in this case - plotting. If you like smart movies, I think this is one for you.
I just discovered Hulu. Or should I say I finally got around to checking it out after someone hipped me to it.
Either way, this is what I'm doing on New Year's Eve. I just watched one of my favorite movies on Hulu. It's called The Man Who Never Was. It's a WWII drama, made in the '50s and based on a true story of how the British deceived the Germans into believing there would be an invasion of Greece, when in fact they invaded Sicily.
What is so great about this movie is that it's about the people behind the scenes in the war. The ones thinking and planning and - in this case - plotting. If you like smart movies, I think this is one for you.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
A Christmas Story
Well, it's Christmas Eve and TBS is once again running its 24-hour marathon of "A Christmas Story." I love this movie. It's so sweet. Ralphie simply cracks me up.
For those who've seen it you know all the gags; the Leg Lamp, Ralphie getting "soap poisoning," the triple-dog dare and "You'll shoot your eye out!" If you haven't seen it, you really should watch it at least once. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
So, tonight I'm wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
For those who've seen it you know all the gags; the Leg Lamp, Ralphie getting "soap poisoning," the triple-dog dare and "You'll shoot your eye out!" If you haven't seen it, you really should watch it at least once. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
So, tonight I'm wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Pie
I'm not a huge pie person. I usually prefer chocolate cake. But I occasionally enjoy a good pie - key lime, peach or apple, maybe blueberry. Today, I had an absolutely fantastic double crust peach pie with a cinnamon, sugar icing dribbled over it. So amazingly good.
This pie came from a great little shop called A Slice of Pie. The first restaurant opened in Rolla, Mo., which is on the original Route 66. It's been covered in various blogs and magazines. There's a location in Jefferson City as well, which is where I checked it out.
I visited the shop yesterday for the first time after getting a rave review while yacking with my manicurist. She swore that it was beyond good. So I took myself to the shop and bought a whole pie to share with the office. We cut into it at lunch today and ate every bit.
A Slice of Pie also offers quiche and pot pies and if those are anywhere near as good as the pie, it's gonna be phenomenal. I'll let you know.
This pie came from a great little shop called A Slice of Pie. The first restaurant opened in Rolla, Mo., which is on the original Route 66. It's been covered in various blogs and magazines. There's a location in Jefferson City as well, which is where I checked it out.
I visited the shop yesterday for the first time after getting a rave review while yacking with my manicurist. She swore that it was beyond good. So I took myself to the shop and bought a whole pie to share with the office. We cut into it at lunch today and ate every bit.
A Slice of Pie also offers quiche and pot pies and if those are anywhere near as good as the pie, it's gonna be phenomenal. I'll let you know.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
We Need a Little Christmas
Earlier this month I posted that my mom wanted to go see the Radio City Christmas show in St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox Theater. I wrote that I'd learned the world-famous Rockettes started out in St. Louis before moving to New York.
So this past weekend we took a road-trip. This family-oriented show included rousing song and dance numbers, colorful costumes and set designs. As our group ranged from eight to eighty-plus (literally), it had something for everyone.
My favorite eight-year-old sat mesmerized through the first act, her finger in her mouth and her eyes wide. Scenes included a unique version of The Nutcracker; instead of people all the characters were wearing teddy bear costumes. It was really adorable.
And the Rockettes did their famous Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. They were precise and their formations were flawless. I was impressed.
The show definitely set the mood for Christmas. I've been humming the songs all week. As the song, "We Need a Little Christmas" ran through my head once again, I had to look it up to see where it came from. It's from Mame.
If the show comes your way, take your family. You'll enjoy it, I promise.
So this past weekend we took a road-trip. This family-oriented show included rousing song and dance numbers, colorful costumes and set designs. As our group ranged from eight to eighty-plus (literally), it had something for everyone.
My favorite eight-year-old sat mesmerized through the first act, her finger in her mouth and her eyes wide. Scenes included a unique version of The Nutcracker; instead of people all the characters were wearing teddy bear costumes. It was really adorable.
And the Rockettes did their famous Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. They were precise and their formations were flawless. I was impressed.
The show definitely set the mood for Christmas. I've been humming the songs all week. As the song, "We Need a Little Christmas" ran through my head once again, I had to look it up to see where it came from. It's from Mame.
If the show comes your way, take your family. You'll enjoy it, I promise.
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