A Saturday Evening Where We Ponder the Question: Is It Possible To Have Too Much Bacon Jam?

Liberty Kitchen and Oyster Bar
1050 Studewood, Houston

This weekend, Hubby and I had a date night. We spent the past week studying our My Table and trying to select an appropriate venue. We finally decided on Liberty Kitchen which is a popular spot in the Heights. Lest you question the popularity of said restaurant, as we were leaving Hubby heard the hostess tell a couple that there was a two hour wait and they agreed to wait. Two hours!

I digress. Liberty is a cool space in a cool part of Houston. But, in true Houstonian fashion, it's casual. The bar features fabulous cocktails -- pineapple infused vodka mixed with fresh lemonade, anyone? Additionally, Liberty has a very strong appetizer menu including, as its name suggests, oysters. I love appetizers. They are, I think, always the best part of the meal. Maybe it's because I'm most ravenous at the beginning of the meal, so everything tastes better. Maybe it's because I like getting to sample lots of little things. Maybe it's because appetizers are frequently fried or pickled. Bottom line, I am totally happy making a meal of small plates. 

Smoked salmon. A bacon-free option.

After studying the menu and discussing options with the waitress, here's an overview of what we ordered:

1. Deviled Eggs. These are one of Liberty's signature dishes. What we didn't realize is that there are multiple versions. We thought we were ordering the smoked salmon deviled eggs. We actually ordered smoked salmon AND deviled eggs. The deviled eggs we ordered were topped with a bacon jam and a fried oyster. 

2. Smoked salmon (see #1 above).

3. Crazy grilled and fried oysters with jalapenos and bacon jam.

4. Salmon burger with pimento cheese, Sriracha, and pickled cucumbers.

5. Thrashed at Maverick's Burger with pimento cheese, mustard sizzled onion-jalapeno pickle, hickory sauce, and....wait for it bacon jam.

Now, in our defense, we didn't intend to order 3/5 menu items containing bacon jam. It just sort of happened, mainly because of the great deviled egg mix up of 2015. But, bacon makes everything better, right? Isn't that what people always say?

Well folks, I've concluded that you actually CAN have too much bacon jam. I mean, I love bacon as much as the next girl. But, by the end of the meal, all I could taste was bacon. Moreover, Hubby kept mentioning how much he really enjoyed fresh, clean grilled fish with just a bit of lemon. Now, Liberty is known for their seafood, so maybe it's not surprising he had fish on the brain. But, he must have mentioned how much he loves grilled fish at least five times during our meal and twice on the way home. He was even telling childhood stories of trips to the Gulf where they would indulge in fresh, grilled fish. In retrospect, I think he was so over-baconed that he started craving something cleaner and healthier. A quick review of the Liberty menu lists approximately thirteen dishes (including breakfast items) that contain bacon and/or mapley bacon/bacon jam including two of the vegetables. That's a lot of bacon.

Over a delicious cup of Katz's coffee, which was thankfully bacon-free, Hubby and I discussed the meal. We will be back, likely often since this will soon be a neighborhood restaurant for us. It's a fabulous place for appetizers and drinks. I'm certain that we will return and explore the seafood options, after all much like Ina's Jeffery "just loves chicken," Hubby, "just loves fresh fish." But, next time, we'll leave the bacon on the side.

Texas forever.

That's Right, I'm Not From Texas

Four months. Four months ago, we turned our [station] wagon westward. 1500 miles later, we arrived in H-town ready for adventures. Sometimes, it seems like we've been here for much longer than four months. The memory of the four day drive with three vehicles, two kids, and one dog has faded (or perhaps it has been repressed). As I reflect on these first four months, I started to compile a list of what I've learned in my brief time as a Texan. My observations are as follows:

1. Armadillos, I don't believe they exist (cue Princess Bride footage). In my four months as a Texas resident (and many years of visiting the state prior to living here), I have never seen a living armadillo. Sure, I've seen dead ones on the side of the road, but I'm pretty sure TxDOT places them on the roads overnight to perpetuate the myth of these prehistoric tank-like mammals.

2. East Texas is to Texas as West Virginia is to Virginia. Yes, I realize that's not a perfect analogy. The logic games on the LSAT were not my strongest section. But, ask any Virginian, and they will understand what this means.

3. While on the topic of Virginia -- as a Virginian, I'm now a "northerner." It doesn't matter how well I incorporate y'all into daily conversation, that I pronounce sherbert with an "r," or that I liked pimento cheese way before it was trendy. I might as well be from New York.

4. If you are a woman, it is basically impossible for a man to ever get off the elevator before you. It's also pretty much impossible for you to open a door for yourself. I'm totally fine with both of these traditions. Chivalry is not dead. Initially, this caused some awkward elevator exiting scenarios. But four months later, if a man doesn't let me off the elevator first, I judge him.

5. I will never put away my summer clothes. Ever. I no longer have a summer wardrobe and a winter wardrobe. I just have a wardrobe. There are weeks when I'm in a tee shirt one day and a sweater and coat the next.

6. The lack of true seasons can be awesome (see number 5 above), but this also means that I am bitten by mosquitoes year round. I keep OFF in my car at all times. The higher the Deet content the better.

7.  An F-150 may be considered a "compact car" and as such may park in the compact spots of  my parking garage requiring me to make 12 point turns to get out of my parking space to avoid hitting the massive truck bed.

8. Wild hogs are really bad. I've had what seems to be a disproportionate number of conversations about wild hogs since my arrival here despite living in the fourth largest city in the U.S.

9. Just because a neighborhood looks scary, doesn't mean that it's dangerous. The total lack of zoning in Houston often means you will have an upscale shopping center next to a bail bondsman, a prepaid cellphone store, and a check cashing store. You will know when you are in a really bad part of town. Trust me (see prior blog post about my fingerprinting adventure).

10. The driver's education requirements in Texas clearly do not cover the usage of a turn-signal.

11. When I don't know how to pronounce the name of a town in Texas, I just ask myself, "How would Coach Taylor pronounce it." If I pronounce it as he would, I'm usually correct about 97% of the time.

So there you have it -- a brief list of a few things that I've learned since becoming Texan. I'm sure I'll learn much more as time goes on. Lyle had it right when he sang the song that inspired this blog's name. Just because you're not from Texas, that doesn't mean that you can't fit in here. Texans are friendly folks who are only too excited to welcome you and tell you how great their state is. So, no, I'm not from Texas. But, I like to think that Texas wants me anyway. And, in the words of Tim Riggins, "Here's to God and football and... good friends livin' large in Texas. Texas forever."

Something Old, Something New

The view from Sam Houston Park -- old meets new

I was determined that this Saturday would not be spent running errands. Sure, we had a few things that had to be done (Fingerprints 2.0, a stop by the UPS store, ballet lessons). But, by mid-morning, we were ready for an adventure in the Bayou City. Armed with two guidebooks (one for food and one for sightseeing), we headed out for a somewhat spontaneous (by my standards) adventure.

Breakfast at the Fountain View Cafe

Knowing we needed to be fully fortified before any sightseeing occurred, we first stopped at the Fountain View Cafe. With many accolades (including Houston Press' "Best Pancakes" 2011 and Southern Living's "5 Best Breakfast Places in Texas"), this family-friendly casual cafe has been serving Houstonians good home cooking since 1983. The Fountain View Cafe was bustling on a late Saturday morning, but that didn't stop the staff from being incredibly friendly. We had our choice of breakfast or lunch items. Hubby and I opted for breakfast and the kid's had lunch (grilled cheese). The prices were very reasonable. Each of the kid's sandwiches were less than $3. Hubby had the cafe's signature pancakes with bacon and eggs. I opted for two eggs and a meat (bacon) which also came with a side of toast and grits. The grits were delicious. Sadly, I couldn't convince the kiddos to try them. Maybe next time (we will definitely come back to this place again). 

Dog statues were very popular with the kids.

After breakfast, we decided to drive downtown to Sam Houston Park, which is Houston's oldest park. Established in 1899, Sam Houston Park is right on the edge of downtown. What makes this park truly unique are the old homes that occupy the parkland. When Mayor Sam Brashear initially established the park, he included an old house within the park's boundaries.In the 1950s, a group of Houstonians banded together to save the old house in Sam Houston Park and also worked to relocate other old Houstonian homes into the park. The result is an open park space in the shadows of Houston's impressive skyline, peppered with historic buildings. You can take a self guided tour of the exterior of the houses using your cellphone. Tours of the interiors of the homes can also be arranged through the Heritage Society.

In addition to the historic houses, there are also gardens, a large pond with turtles and waterbirds, some great live oaks to climb, swings, and a little fountain area, all of which make great locations for the kid's to play. Our kids loved running around the big open field and playing on the porches. One house featured huge dog statues in the yard (replicas of the dog statues that originally stood in front of the home in its former location). The kids enjoyed climbing on the dogs. This was the perfect place for the kids to play. I appreciated that they could play outdoors without being on conventional play structures. I also think this will be a great spot for future holiday card photo ops.

Fountain area with coyote statues
and bubbling water feature

After exploring Sam Houston Park, we drove to Cavender's Boot City. Cavender's is a major western wear store with locations throughout the Gulf States and the West. Today, we were on a mission. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins at the end of February. This is a multi-week event consisting of a carnival, rodeo events, barbecue cook-off, and concerts. It's kind of a big deal. As such, my daughter's school has a rodeo event for which she needed new boots and I have a work event that required the purchase of dressy western wear. Don't ask me what that means. 

Cavender's is a great place for all things western. Of course, with a name like "Boot City," they offer a wide selection of boots. But, they also have shirts, jeans with rhinestones, glittery belts, turquoise jewelry, stick horses, and cowboy hats. The staff members are always super friendly and willing to assist. We left with a new pair of boots for my daughter and some pretty awesome jeans and a furry jacket/cape for me. 

You just can't get more Texan than this --
Cavender's with Whataburger in the background.

All and all, it was a perfect Saturday afternoon spent further exploring our new home. Of course, we are still learning all that the city has to offer. There are times when we are reminded that this is a very different place (like when I find myself trying on rhinestone jeans for a work event). But, we are embracing the differences here and as each day passes, we start to feel more and more like this is our home.

Texas forever. 

Savin' Time and Taking Urines

This week I had my fingerprints taken for a work background check. HR suggested using an outside vendor instead of the local police department. They indicated that going through the outside vendor would "save time."  Here are a few highlights from my time-saving experience:

1. Plug address of fingerprint place into GPS. Forget to set the GPS to avoid highways. Unexpectedly end up on highway and feel like Dionne from the movie Clueless.

2. Exit highway. Immediately feel as if I'm on the set of The Wire. GPS and I both start freaking out. Gillian Welch soothingly sings in the background. Observe prostitute walking down the road at 2:00 in the afternoon.

3. At the insistence of GPS, make U-turn and pull into "shopping plaza." Said plaza contains a body shop, a hair salon, a nondescript market, and likely either a check cashing outlet and/or a bail bondsman. Lights of all establishments are out. All businesses have bars on the window, yet none have addresses posted.

4. Observe loiters in the parking lot of the essentially abandoned plaza. At least two of them are driving 1970s vehicles jacked up on enormous tires. Later learn that these classics are called "hi-risers."

5. Leave shopping plaza and pray that the GPS will somehow reroute me and transport me into a tony suburban strip mall with a Barnes and Noble and a Starbucks. Make random turns because none of the streets have signage.

6. Locate main road. See that prostitute has been joined by several friends. Swear silently in my head at HR rep. Assume this is some sort of hazing ritual.

7. Pull into parking lot of strange office building. Confirm address of background check. Call Hubby to let him know approximate whereabouts and remind him that the move to Texas was his idea.

8. Garner enough courage to enter building. Locate directory and am distressed to realize that fingerprinting vendor is not listed. Wonder whether prostitutes might be able to assist.

9. Finally locate fingerprint testing location. Discover that location provides many services including "taking urines" for criminal offenders. Watch as two very aggressive patrons confront lady behind the desk. Avoid eye contact.

10. Get called back with small group of people to be fingerprinted. Discover that after each person is fingerprinted tech just wipes off screen with some sort of liquid solution. Worry about contracting the flu. Worry that fingerprints of criminal offenders will be somehow input into database under my name.

11. Finally hear my name called. Notice that technician has put a hyphen between my middle and last name on the computer screen. Explain that there is not a hyphen in my name. Listen as fingerprint tech explains that since I have 2 last names, I automatically get a hyphen. Consider correcting tech and telling him I don't have 2 last names. Decide it's just not worth it. Now have an aka.

12. Am criticized by fingerprint tech for being too tense during test. Think better of explaining exactly why I am tense.

13. Gather my "receipt" and my driver's license. Worry about drive home. Drive home. Drink wine.

Texas forever.

All About Dogs

Good Dog
903 Studewood Street, Houston

Street view of Good Dog in the Heights

The Heights house search has continued through the holiday season with no success. Of course, there are limited options on the market this time of year. It also doesn't help that we are looking in two very small parts of the Heights based on our elementary schools of choice. But, there's one factor that has really complicated our search -- our dog. Yes, we have a 2 year old black lab mix who is lovable and a bit of a nut. What can I say? She's a lab. If we were committed to buying a house, the dog would be an non-issue. But, in part because we want to test drive the uber urban neighborhood and in part because we still own our house in DC, our goal is to rent a house in the Heights for a year. As a landlord, I get it. Dogs can damage property and generally wreak havoc on a home. As a responsible dog owner, it's frustrating especially when (1) my son is way more likely to ruin your hardwoods than my dog and I've yet to see a "no kids" provision in a listing and (2) many landlords allow cats and small dogs both of which are way more destructive than my practically perfect lab who is named for a character in Downtown Abbey.

But, I digress. On a beautiful and uncharacteristically cold Sunday, Hubby and I headed back to the Heights to look at yet another adorable bungalow. Since we didn't have the kids in tow, we decided to get a quick bite. What did we select for our kid-free meal? Good Dog (because nothing says kid-free lunch like a hot dog place).

The bar at Good Dog

We'd heard from a very reliable 10 year old foodie that Good Dog was fabulous. So, we were excited to try it out. Good Dog is another one of Houston's food truck success stories. Since 2013, the restaurant has inhabited a cute old house on busy Studewood Street. Good Dog boasts local hot dog buns and hand-crafted condiments. All the beers and wines are local. This is gourmet hot dog dining at it's finest, sort of a more bohemian, artisanal version of DC's DC-3.

Sloppy Slaw

In addition to having a wonderful and varied menu, Good Dog has a great team of workers. From the guy who took our order  to the bartender, everyone was very friendly and very willing to discuss the food. It was clear they were proud of what they were producing, which was a good sign. Hubby ordered the Chilln' Dog, a dog topped with chorizo and beef chili, pickled jalapenos, diced onion, and Good Dog's short bus mustard. I went totally non-conventional and ordered the Sloppy Slaw Dog topped with an apple horseradish slaw (yes, I said apple) and the house whole grain mustard (I asked that they hold the cheese, but the Sloppy Slaw is intended to be served with Swiss). Sitting at the bar and munching on these fabulous hot dogs, we were a happy couple. The Chilln' Dog was spicy, but not so hot that the flavor of the dog went missing. The combination of apples, horseradish, and a dusting of celery salt really worked well on the Sloppy Slaw dog. I appreciated that the slaw was generous on the horseradish heat. The buns on both dogs were great, and were more of a main event than a mere hot dog vessel.

Chill'n Dog

Plates cleaned, we left Good Dog behind and headed out to another house appointment. The house was super cute -- fireplace, built-ins, French doors, odd nondescript warehouse next door -- the perfect combination of edgy and historic that I've come to love in the Heights. Pets are case by case, so perhaps we will be lucky and this one will be "the one." Regardless, we had a good hot dog and reminded ourselves that this search is worth it.

Texas forever.

Burgers 101

Bernie's Burger Bus
5407 Bellaire Blvd, Houston

I'm a reformed vegetarian who loves burgers -- preferably medium rare with a slice of Vermont cheddar or other artisanal cheese. I'm a mustard not mayo kind of gal. Hot sauce or jalapenos are welcome as is guacamole or maybe even a fried egg. Bacon is always appropriate. Living in DC, I was surrounded by fancy burgers (my favorite being the au poivre burger from Ray's Hell Burger). Though Houston is a burger town (my well-worn copy of The Ultimate Food Lover's Guide to Houston lists over 20 burger-friendly restaurants excluding food trucks), we had yet to explore the burger scene. But, a rainy Sunday when the temperatures dipped into the 40s seemed like the perfect day to start.

For our first burger adventure, we selected Bernie's Burger Bus in Bellaire. Bernie's started as a food truck/bus business and opened a brick and mortar location in the summer of 2014. Bernie's has won many accolades in the four years it has been in business, including best french fries in Houston (Houston Press 2012) and Top 100 Restaurants by Alison Cook (Houston Chronicle 2012 and 2014). In 2012, Bernie's won the Best Burger and Best Food Truck in My Table's Houston Food Awards. So, this place has some serious chops. But, could the burgers stand up to all the favorable press? The answer, in a word, is YES.

Two Top/School Desk

Bernie's brick and mortar is located in a small strip mall off of Bellaire Avenue. The restaurant has a school theme that is brilliantly executed. Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately noticed the giant, yellow school bus towards the back of the space. That's the kitchen. My 4 year old just had to know, how did they get that bus in the building? Our waitress advised that they just pushed the bus inside the restaurant. The next thing I noticed were the adorable two tops situated around old school desks. A row of lockers stands against the back wall of the restaurant. It's super fun and creative decor without being over the top.

The menu.

The menu is made to look like a black and white composition book. It's the interior of this well written menu that really makes the school theme come alive. Each burger has a school themed name -- there's The Cheerleader (she's hot, featuring fried jalapenos and pepper jack cheese with slow roasted garlic tomatoes), there's The Firedrill (guacamole, salsa verde, and pepper jack cheese), and there's The Recess, which is billed as a break from burgers -- it's a grilled cheese. There are also smaller burgers such as the Preschoolers and the Kindergartners. Want to customize your burger further? Add an "Elective" -- burgundy mushrooms, tipsy onions, a fried egg, or chili to name a few. And, don't forget your extracurriculars -- the side dishes including the heavenly french fries.

The options are almost overwhelming. But, wait -- there are also specials. The "special" burger

Peppermint Milkshake -- a holiday special

during our visit included unicorn meat (that's pork and bacon) served with a slab of mac n' cheese on top. There are also milkshakes -- and special milkshakes. Since we happened to hit Bernie's a few days after Christmas, the special milkshakes included pumpkin, gingerbread, peppermint, and chocolate peppermint.

The Cheerleader

Hubby opted for the Cheerleader and I ordered the Preschoolers. I also had a Peppermint Milkshake because 'Tis the Season. The kids enjoyed Mac N' Cheese and some french fries. Hey, don't judge. Every so often, you "need" fries to go with your mac n' cheese. And, that night, I tried to force them eat vegetable soup to make up for their starchy lunch (I failed).

The burgers were perfect with great flavor. All the toppings and cheeses were fresh and tasty. The fries lived up to the hype, salty and crisp. Even the aioli served with the sweet potato fries was awesome. The buns had been well-buttered and the flavor of that butter

The Preschoolers

blended into the rich beef of the hamburger (hey, why not, I was already drinking a 1500 calorie milkshake). Yes, this was artery clogging goodness at its best. We have found our H-town burger home -- fabulous burgers, creative decor, and super friendly staff. Now, the challenge will be forcing ourselves to try other places, because nothing is going to compare to this.

Road Trip 4: Galveston Day Trip -- Jalapeno Hush Puppies, Poisonous Snakes, and a Shell Shop

For Christmas, Hubby received a book entitled 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Houston. The book provides detailed descriptions of a wide variety of hikes, from urban to remote woodlands, all within 60 miles of the Bayou City.  On the Saturday after Christmas, we decided to give the book a test drive and head down to Galveston for a little nature and a little fried food.

Depending on traffic, it's about a hours drive from Houston to Galveston. Located on a barrier island, Galveston has a long and interesting history -- settled by a pirate, served as a major port and the capital of the Republic of Texas, and decimated (twice) by major hurricanes. Today, Galveston is a major tourist spot for Texans featuring a State Park along the Gulf and an historic downtown. 

Shrimp and Stuff

We happened to arrive in Galveston around lunch time and started our day in the Oleander City at Shrimp and Stuff on Avenue O. Shrimp and Stuff is a quintessentially beachy casual dining venue serving a plethora of fried seafood. They have both indoor and outdoor seating options. Since it was a pleasantly cool December day, we opted to sit outside in the little courtyard. The courtyard is filled with palms and other shade plants and a decorative fountain that the kids really enjoyed. For lunch, I followed one of my favorite menu strategies and ordered the restaurant's namesake dish -- shrimp, specifically fried shrimp. Hubby had a crawfish tail po-boy. We had coleslaw and hush puppies on the side. My land lover children, stuck with chicken fingers (the Tidewater gal was a little saddened by this), but they both tried (and enjoyed) the shrimp. The food at Shrimp and Stuff was solid and delicious. I really enjoyed the hush puppies, which had tiny pieces of jalapeno embedded in the fried cornmeal. This Texified twist on an old classic worked well.

Crawfish Po-Boy

After lunch, we consulted Hubby's new hiking book, and drove to Galveston Island State Park. On our way to the park we passed lots of new development and also two fields of cattle grazing. I was surprised to see the cows grazing on the barrier island only a block or two from the Gulf. But, I realized that this is Texas, and cows are everywhere. In a way, the cows grazing adjacent to the enormous pastel beach McMansions, were the perfect example of new encroaching on old.

Arriving at the State Park, we checked in at the visitor's center (a small beach outpost). The cost to explore the State Park was $5 for each adult (age 13 and older). After checking in and receiving a trail map, we moved the car across FM 3005 to explore the wetlands. There are numerous trails on the wetlands side of the park. We started with a short walk to an observation platform that gave us a great view of the marshes below. The children really enjoyed climbing the observation platform. After our panoramic view, we climbed back down and took a short hike along the trails. There were two long bridges that allowed us to walk across the marshes and to get a close view of the tidal waters. We observed pelicans, mockingbirds, and the holes of crayfish or crabs. Our hike was cut a bit short when I started being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Texas hiking lesson #1 -- Just because it's December doesn't mean there aren't mosquitoes. Fortunately, I had some Deep Woods Off in the car -- because in Texas, Deep Woods Off is as necessary as a spare tire and jumper cables.

Galveston Island State Park Trails - wetlands

We drove back across FM 3005 so that the children could take a walk on the beach. Not deterred by the signage warning us of dangerous waters and poisonous snakes, we pressed on to the sandy shores. Since it was a little chilly and gray, we almost had the beach to ourselves. I really enjoyed my first walk along the Gulf. The kids loved splashing barefoot in the waves and observing the variety of shore birds that gathered at the water's edge. The tide was going out, so there were some interesting seashells for the kids to collect. The kid's would have happily played on the shore for the rest of the afternoon. But, once my son's  pants were completely covered in wet sand, we decided to call it a day and head back into town for some sugar.

Dunes en route to the beach.

Signage at the entrance to the Gulf side 

Cacti in the dunes. Something I've never seen at the beach!

Parking near The Strand, we walked to La Kings Confectionery. La Kings uses old time candy making techniques to serve a wide variety of sugary treats to Galveston's modern visitors. The store features a 1920s soda fountain serving a plethora of ice cream concoctions. There's a large section of salt water taffy, a counter of chocolates and truffles, and another case of hard candies. They also have a coffee bar providing moms and dads with the caffeine needed to keep up with the sugar highs their kiddos are sure to have upon leaving La Kings. Treats and coffee in hand, we walked back out onto the Strand to stroll a bit before heading back to the car.

Before driving back to Houston, we had one more stop -- Murdoch's Bathhouse. In the 1800s, Murdochs was a bathhouse. In 1910,  Murdoch's added a gift shop and restaurant that still thrive today. Hubby and I had discovered Murdoch's on another brief trip to Galveston several weeks prior. Having been disappointed by a lack of shell shops at VA Beach several years ago, we were thrilled to see that the shell shops of our childhood still exist in Texas. We wanted the kids to experience shell shops as we remembered them -- dried out invertebrates, dead sharks floating in glass jars, shark teeth, conch shells, sea glass, and beach-themed trinkets. Murdoch's provided all of this and more. Not surprisingly, the kids loved it. 

Souvenirs in hand, we said goodbye to the Gulf and drove home to Houston. The kids were both asleep before we crossed the bridge to the mainland, my four year old daughter clutching a dolphin shaped magnet. This gray day, filled with sand, shorebirds, fried food, and beach kitsch had been perfect. Texas forever.