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.

Will Wake for Donuts

Christy's Donuts Kolaches
1103 West Gray Street, Houston

On Saturday mornings, Hubby frequently wakes before the sun and heads out for an insanely long run. Meanwhile, I keep the home fires burning. This means forgoing a Saturday sleep fest and waking up whenever the kiddos do, which is usually also before the sun. Since I like to sleep in, I'm usually less than enthusiastic about this plan. But, I'm much less grumpy if I'm rewarded with some sort of breakfast treat upon Hubby's return.

Since arriving in Houston, we've been searching for good kolache places within the city limits. Kolaches, as you may recall from previous posts, are Czech pastries that are stuffed with either fruit filling or a variety of meats (technically, the meat variety are known as klobasnek, but most folks in Texas don't distinguish between the two and call all Czech pastries kolaches). So far, the best kolaches we've found have been on roadtrips in the Hill Country. But, we always remain hopeful that there might be a hidden kolache gem somewhere in H-town. This past week, I learned about Christy's Donuts Kolaches in Houston's Montrose neighborhood. The reviews of the kolaches looked promising. Plus, Christy's also features donuts. I love donuts. So, on Friday night, Hubby promised to return home Saturday morning with donuts and kolaches from Christy's. He also agreed to snap a few photos for blog purposes. Thanks, Hubby.

Christy's is your quintessential old-school donut shop -- formica tabletops, yellow and brown color scheme, and a menu board where the offerings are displayed using those little individual black letters. Hubby arrived early and ordered 3 varieties of kolaches - ham and cheese, sausage, and boudin.  Boudin is a Cajun thing -- essentially a sausage made of pork, onions, and rice. He also ordered a few crumb donuts. As is custom at Christy's, they included a few complimentary donut holes in the bag.

By the time Hubby arrived home, I'd been up for a while managing the early morning kid chaos. I'd coaxed our black lab off of an Ethan Allen chair where she was curled up sleeping contently. I'd built a pretend campfire for the kids and mediated when my 3 year old son opened my 4 year old daughter's doll closet and started removing the clothing. I'd suffered through the horrendous Caillou Musical Christmas Special for at least the seventeenth time this holiday season. I'd located markers and paper so that my daughter could create invitations to the performance she was planning for later this weekend. I'd also had a fair amount of coffee and no food. I was more than ready for the arrival of breakfast.

Crumb donut. Delish.

As is always the case when we try kolaches in Houston, I was somewhat disappointed in the kolache quality.  The ham and cheese tasted like it may have been made yesterday. Hubby confessed the workers had to go in the back to get the ham variety. They hadn't been displayed in the bakery case -- a tell tale sign that they were yesterday's offerings. I also wasn't a huge fan of the boudin, but that's not Christy's fault. Boudin just isn't my thing. Hubby, on the other hand, thought it was good. What I did enjoy, however, was the crumb donut. It was like eating a combination of coffee cake and donut -- how can you go wrong? The kids enjoyed the donut holes. But, in our short time in Houston, they've become Shipley's fans. They were sad that Hubby hadn't brought home their favorite Shipley's varieties.

I'm glad we tried Christy's and I would consider doing so again. I've heard the blueberry cake donut is good, so I would like to try it out. And, I would happily eat the crumb donut again. But, as for kolaches, our quest continues. I'm starting to think this just isn't a kolache town. Hmmm...maybe I need to quit my day job and start a kolache business.

Texas forever.

Horsing Around at the HPD Barn

The Houston Mounted Patrol Stables
5005 Little York Road, Houston

Horse statue outside the stables. 

For as long as I can recall, I've loved horses. I grew up riding and I'm always happiest when I'm in a barn. My kids are also interested in horses, though still a bit young to start riding. They are also interested in police officers. As a former prosecutor, I've told them a lot of stories about police officers and have tried to instill in my children a respect for law enforcement. Given our love for horses and our interest in law enforcement, I was thrilled to learn that you can tour the Houston Mounted Patrol Stables. Since the day after Christmas fell on a Friday and we were all off for the day, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to meet the horses and tour the barn.

The barn tour is free and very casual. Visitors are asked to sign in on the visitors' log in the office. You may bring apples, carrots, or peppermints to feed the horses. Visitation occurs from 8:00-4:00 on weekdays excluding city holidays. You can also arrange for a demonstration tour, but in order to do so you need to call in advance.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a very friendly off-duty officer. He told us we could walk around the barn at our leisure and that we could give the horses some treats. Fortunately, I'd packed a bag of carrots. Unfortunately, I was ill-prepared for the number of extremely friendly horses who would hang their heads over their boxes. Most of the horses were allowed to have a piece of carrot or part of an apple, but one horse had allergies, so we couldn't share our treats with him.

The barn was immaculately clean. All of the horses were eager to meet the children and to have their noses rubbed. We also met several barn kittens. The kids enjoyed seeing the bathing stalls, though none of the horses were being bathed during our visit. After walking up and down the long hallways, we walked out back to the training arena behind the barn. In the distance we could see all of the horse trailers and tractors, the perfect added bonus for my 3 year old son.

This is the perfect activity for kids and adults alike! I can't wait to return in the future with my kids. They are already planning our next trip. Next time, we'll bring more carrots! Texas forever.

Arena behind the barn.

Someone Had to Order the Naughty Santa

Torchy's Tacos
350 West 19th Street, Houston

Torchy's Heights Location

(multiple area locations)

I love tacos. In fact, one of my greatest guilty pleasures when living in DC was taking the Metro to Union Station on Friday afternoons for a Taco Bell lunch in the food court. There's just something about that special Taco Bell beef that is addicting. But, I digress. Living in Texas, there are a plethora of taco options. Though I explored Austin's breakfast taco scene a bit last month, I'd yet to try some of Houston's taco offerings. This past Sunday night, we returned from a weekend away. Since our refrigerator was bare and we didn't want to fight the holiday grocery store crowds, we decided to get take away from Torchy's Tacos in the Heights.

Torchy's Tacos -- wrapped up and ready to eat

Torchy's is actually an Austin institution that migrated to H-town a few years ago. There are four Houston area locations including one in the Heights. At Torchy's, they serve "damn good tacos." The menu is broken into breakfast tacos and non-breakfast tacos (aka "tacos"). Breakfast tacos are served all day. Of particular note is the Monk Special which includes potatoes, bacon, green chiles, and cheese. The non-breakfast taco menu is filled with so many diverse and unique taco varieties that it's almost overwhelming. I ordered the Mr. Pink which consists of guajillo [that's a type of chili pepper] seared ahi tuna, a cabbage slaw, cilantro and queso fresco with a slice of lime. Mr. Pink is served with a tasty chipotle sauce. Delish. Other interesting combinations include the Fried Avocado taco and the Trailer Park which consists of fried chicken and green chiles and can be ordered "dirty" meaning they add queso.

Delectable Torchy's guacamole

In addition to the standard taco offerings, Torchy's also features a Taco of the Month. The featured taco this month? That would be the Naughty Santa. Really, can you go to Torchy's during the month of December and NOT order the Naughty Santa? I think not. Thankfully, Hubby agreed and ordered it (though he maintains he wasn't aware of its name at the time). The Naughty Santa includes grilled shrimp and chorizo served with pickled onions, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, and cheese. Hubby said it was okay, but he wasn't a huge fan of the chorizo-shrimp combination.

Prior to trying Torchy's we'd heard that there

were two must order sides -- guacamole and the queso dip. We ordered both. After all, it's the holidays, and I am a huge fan of pretty much anything into which I can dunk a tortilla chip. The guacamole was excellent. It was filled with intense citrus flavor and very fresh. The queso was also quite good and traveled well since we were getting take away, but it was definitely on the spicy side.

Overall, I really enjoyed my Torchy's taco meal. The ingredients were fresh and the menu was adventurous. I'm only sorry that I wasn't able to try a larger variety of tacos during my first visit. I'm looking forward to future visits and I'm hoping to check out the breakfast menu in the not too distant future. And, all this writing about tacos has me thinking I might just also need to make a Run for the Border soon as well. Feeling nostalgic.

Texas Forever.

Road Trip 3: Navidad in San Antonio

Years ago, long before I was a Texan, I read an article in Southern Living about the San Antonio Christmas parade. I knew I had to go. You see, I love Christmas and the holiday season. I mean, I really love it. I also love San Antonio, specifically the River Walk. Yes, I realize it's kind of a touristy area, but I can't help myself. There's something so wonderful about the water taxis coasting down the snaking river bordered by beautiful landscaping and lively restaurants. I've been a huge fan ever since I first saw it, several years ago, in one of the hottest Texas summers on record, when I was massively pregnant with my second kid. If you can fall in love with San Antonio under these circumstances, you are probably a true fan.

But, I digress. Back to the Christmas parade. Hubby's family frequently attends this event, and our first holiday season in Texas seemed the perfect opportunity to join them. When asked to describe this event, I tell people that it's basically like the Macy's Day Parade, with boats.  The parade has been held for 30 years and it proceeds rain or shine. You can purchase tickets to reserve seats along the river. The boats are brightly decorated and were themed to represent different countries and cultures. There were also some Christmas themed boats. As with any good Christmas parade, the event ends with the appearance of Santa on a boat, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas as elves throw candy canes. It's a magical night for kids and adults, and one that I strongly recommend for anyone who finds themselves in Texas the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The morning after the parade, we gathered for a festive breakfast at one of my favorite places, Mi Tierra. Dating back to 1941, Mi Tierra is a San Antonio institution serving fabulous Tex Mex food 24 hours a day, every day. The front of the restaurant features a Mexican bakery (panaderia) that usually has a pretty lengthy line for the pralines, cookies, and other sweet treats. The entire establishment is brightly decorated. Basically, every day looks like Christmas Day at Mi Tierra, so it's especially fun to go at the holidays. Mariachis wander offering to sing your table a song for the bargain price of $7. There's nothing like being serenaded by the Mariachis and Hubby always requests Feria de las Flores (less touristy than requesting La Bamba). Breakfast, which is served all day at Mi Tierra, is fabulous. I had the Chilaquiles served with the best Ranchero sauce you can imagine.

Chilaquiles!

The staff members are very friendly and are nonplussed by large families with tons of children (we had 7 kids at our table that morning).

After breakfast, we walked across the courtyard to the San Antonio Market Square. The Market Square is a Mexican shopping market consisting of 100s of Mexican shops. You can purchase everything from colorful sarapes, maracas, and toy guitars (we picked up 2 guitars) to jewelry and leather goods. This particular shopping trip was a focused mission to pick up a few more Mexican tin Christmas ornaments (to add to our collection which already featured an Alamo -- nothing says Christmas like an Alamo Christmas ornament) and a small, South American style nativity.

Mexican tin ornament -- this one happens to be the Alamo.

The Market is overwhelming, but a must see. You can easily spend hours perusing all the vendors. Many are cash only, so come prepared. Once you've had your fill of shopping, you can always head back to Mi Tierra's bakery counter for sweets to boost your blood sugar (we did). If you do hit the bakery counter, I highly recommend the Mexican hot chocolate. Or, you can also refuel at the various street vendors who sell everything from roasted corn to horchata.

Our stomachs full of Mexican goodies and our arms full of shopping bags, we walked back to the car, started the Christmas music, and turned the car home to Houston. Our first holiday celebration in San Antonio had been a huge success. I look forward to incorporating this event into our annual holiday traditions and hope that some of my family and friends from the East Coast will join us in the future. Feliz Navidad to all! Texas forever.

This Year We are Thankful for Smoked Meats

Kreuz Market
619 North Colorado Street
Lockhart, Texas

Somehow, in the midst of planning our Thanksgiving road trip, Hubby had a brilliant idea. Like most of his brilliant ideas, it involved barbecue. After spending the holiday in Hubby's hometown of Temple, we were headed to San Antonio for the annual Christmas parade. It just so happened that we could route ourselves to San Antonio by driving along the Barbecue Trail. The only question was where to stop. We pondered. We debated. We read an old Texas Monthly article from the 1970s. But, after much discussion, we decided there was only one place to go -- Kreuz Market in Lockhart.

Kreuz Market needs no introduction. Founded in 1900, Kreuz has a simple philosophy, "No Barbecue Sauce (nothing to hide), No Forks (nothing to hide), No Kidding (nothing to hide)." It's Texas barbecue at its finest and it's all about the meat.

On the day after Thanksgiving, we pulled into the Kreuz parking lot around lunch time. I exited the car and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of smoked meat. There was a chain link fence adjacent to the restaurant protecting enormous stacks of wood. There was no doubt that we were in for a treat.

My daughter, the inexplicable 4 year old vegetarian, makes an exception for 2 meats -- brisket (her Texas heritage) and ham (her Virginia heritage). So, we were quite pleased to see brisket and smoked ham on the menu. We decided to order both as well as an order of sausage. Kreuz is like most Texas barbecue establishments. You order your meat at the counter and then take your butcher paper wrapped barnyard (along with some slices of white break and Saltines) back to your table. There's also a separate counter where you can order sides (we opted for mac n' cheese, beans, and German potato salad), fix'ns (pickles, hunks of cheese, onions), and drinks (beer, Dr Pepper, and Big Red are really the only acceptable choices in my opinion).

Our meat and fix'ns secured, we settled down at a table in the very large, airy dining room. The setting was pleasantly rustic and clean. We were all starving and we didn't waste time tucking into the barbecue. Overall, the meal was great. But, I've become a bit of a barbecue snob after many years of quality briskets smoked at home by Hubby. We didn't get the best cut of brisket and it was a bit fatty. The cut can make all the difference. I did, however, really enjoy the smoked ham and the sausage. Paired with Saltine crackers, pickles, and a big slab of cheddar, I was pretty much in heaven.

When nothing but gristle and grease-stained butcher paper remained, we wiped our hands with the paper towels provided and hit the road for San Antonio. Our first family trip to the Barbecue Trail had been a success. En route to San Antonio Hubby and I evaluated the meal and planned our next trip back to the Trail, which won't be too far in the future, I'm sure. After all, there's always time for barbecue.

Texas forever.

B is for Brick and Mortar

Melange Creperie

403 Westheimer Road, Houston

There are many momentous firsts in the life of a child -- the first steps, the first words, and, of course, the first time you take your kids to eat at a food truck. On a beautiful, warm Sunday in mid-November, I decided it was time to indoctrinate my children into the ways of urban eating. En route to Melange Creperie, I attempted to prepare my four year old daughter for the experience. I explained the concept of "brick and mortar" versus food truck (and taught her the phrase "brick and mortar" of course). I explained that there would not be seats at this restaurant. She seemed to embrace the concept and maintained she had seen something similar on the PBS show "Wild Krats." Really, pretty much everything my kid's have learned they've learned from Wild Krats.

Melange Creperie is located in the parking lot of Mangos.

We could smell the crepes almost as soon as we exited our car. The smell of butter and melted cheese wafted through the air. This was going to be good.

Melange Creperie is a small food cart located in the parking lot of Mango's in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston. A single chef prepared the crepes and took orders from his tiny stand. We arrived during a bit of a lull. He had about 4 crepe orders in front of us. As soon as we arrived, he asked our order (even though he was in the process of making other crepes). He never wrote it down. He just remembered it, which was quite impressive considering how quickly the crowd started to build. As he assembled the crepes, he engaged in pleasant conversation with all awaiting the crepes, including my kids. He seemed to have a few regular customers. I asked him if he always had a crowd, and he said it was usually pretty steady, except when the Texans were playing.

There were four primary crepe offerings on the menu: Nutella and Banana, Migas, Ham and Cheese, and Pumpkin Pie. As we waited, he also told us that there was a secret "off menu" item called the Wolverine which featured pumpkin pie filling, chocolate chips, bananas, and graham crackers. My kids ordered Nutella and a Nutella and Banana crepe. I ordered the Migas and Hubby ordered Ham and Cheese with spinach and Texas hot salsa. The crepe chef was conscious of his crepe making strategy. Since he could only make two crepes at a time, he wanted to ensure that our kid's orders were ready first. I was very impressed by how considerate he was of all of his customers. His friendly banter made the wait pass quickly.

Migas Crepe

Once my son's order was done, I walked him over to a far corner of the parking lot and sat him down on a curb. He tucked into the Nutella and Banana like he'd been eating crepes his whole life. My daughter was also thrilled to eat her Nutella crepe. Of course, she considers Nutella one of the major food groups and probably eats more Nutella than any non-European kid in the world, so perhaps this wasn't a surprise.

The Migas crepe was amazing. A layer of egg and cheese was tucked between the folded crepe. The center of the crepe was stuffed with a homemade pico style salsa and homemade tortilla chip strips provided the perfect crunch to offset the soft egg and cheese. Even my 3 year old son, loved the Migas despite the slight kick to the salsa. This kid is a Texan. Hubby was also very satisfied with his crepe and finished it quickly -- so quickly that he also had time to help my son finish his Nutella and Banana.

Our crepes finished, we thanked the chef and returned to our car. This was easily one of the best foodie experiences we've had to date in H-town, and I cannot wait to return (maybe as soon as next weekend). My only concern is that when I return to Melange Creperie, I will be craving the heavenly Migas crepe and it may not be on the menu. Oh well. First world problems.

Texas Forever.

Road Trip 2: Date Night in Austin

Longhorn located behind the University Co'op
keeping watch over a parking lot of food trucks

I wasn't sure I could recall our last date night (not true, our last night was February 22, 2014 and was ruined by the fact that I finally succumbed to the stomach virus that had been making its way around our family shortly after finishing dinner). But, since my birthday was on the horizon, Hubby and I thought it might be nice to take a trip to Austin for an overnight get away this past weekend. Having deposited the children and our crazy dog with my inlaws and BIL and SIL in Temple (thank you, thank you, thank you!) and our guinea pigs left in the care of my SIL/BIL and our nieces in Houston (thank you, thank you, thank you!), we hit the road to the Bat City on a dreary, Scottish November day.

Hubby is Austin savvy, having grown up only an hour away and also having attended the University of Texas for his graduate degree. But, the city has changed quite a bit since he lived there, and finding a good lunch spot took some time. Fortunately, Mother's Cafe is still serving great vegetarian cuisine as they have been since 1980. Mother's Cafe is sort of a Texified Moosewood Restaurant. The atmosphere is comfortable and casual. We happened to hit Saturday brunch, so there was a harpist. Seated next to the restaurant's indoor water feature and munching on chips and some pretty tasty salsa, we were very content. Hubby ordered migas and the daily pancake (mixed berry). I opted for the guacamole salad, which was limey and refreshing, and a bowl of the soup of the day, which happened to be Mexican Rice. Mother's is proof that vegetarian food need not be boring or flavorless. The Mexican Rice soup was filled with flavorful veggies which the waitress said had been marinated or roasted (depending on the veggie in question) before being added to a homemade vegetable stock. I look forward to returning to this vegetarian haven on future trips to Austin.

After lunch, we drove to the Harry Ransom Center on the UT campus to see a temporary exhibit, "Producing Gone with the Wind." If you happen to be in Austin between now and January 4, 2015, this free exhibit is well worth a visit to the Harry Ransom Center. Several original costumes were on display. The museum is also screening some of the original screen tests for the movie. And, what trip to a Gone With the Wind museum exhibit would be complete without some GWTW merchandise including coffee mugs, magnets, trivia books, and tee shirts with catch phrases from the movie. Frankly my dear...

After a quick stop by the University Co'op to pick up a few stuffed longhorns for the kiddos and a quick break at our hotel to change into dinner clothes, Hubby and I drove to South Congress to do some window shopping. We stopped by Heritage Boot to check out the impressive selection of fancy cowboy boots. I spotted a really cute pair embroidered with cacti for a mere $1250. Yes, these boots were definitely out of our price range. But, it was still fun to look and admire. We also checked out The Turquoise Door, which specializes in Native American jewelry and Latin American folk art -- think awesome Dia De Los Muertos sculptures and Mexican tin Christmas ornaments. I could have spent quite a bit of time in the Turquoise Door, but it was almost time for dinner. 

Steak Tartare at Henri's

Since it was my birthday weekend, I was given total dinner venue selection authority. I knew I didn't want anything too fancy, since we planned to go dancing after dinner. So, after a bit of research, we made reservations at Henri's. 

Henri's specializes in two of my favorite things -- cheese and wine. It's a cozy restaurant with seating space for maybe 30 people at the most (if you include the tiny bar). Each table has a little glass jar filled with Trivial Pursuit cards so that you can quiz your dining partner while you await your cheese board. Overall, the atmosphere was cozy and casual -- exactly what I wanted. Hubby and I ordered steak tartare as a starter. Really, is there anything in this world better than raw beef with a raw egg on top? I've eaten more than my share of tartare through the years, but I've not had one better than Henri's. The beef was flavorful and perfectly seasoned. We followed the tartare with a "Monger's Board." The Monger's Board is a charcuterie board. You can opt for either 2 cheese and 1 meat or 3 cheeses and 2 meats. The cheese chef will personalize your Monger's Board with your wine selection for the evening. Accouterments such as homemade mustard, dried figs, and persimmon jam round out the plate. I should have taken a photo of the board. But, Hubby and I were so focused on eating a meal and actually having an adult conversation, that it didn't occur to me to photograph the board until the next day.

The night was still young when we left Henri's. Even though I really wanted to go back to the hotel for 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep, I rallied and we headed to The Broken Spoke. The Broken Spoke is a Texas dance hall. For 50 years (it celebrated it's birthday this month), the Broken Spoke has offered great live music to enthusiastic Two Steppers. Hubby and I happened to be there on the night that The Derailers were playing (one of Hubby's favorites). The Broken Spoke is exactly as I imagined it. The building is a little shabby (parts of the ceiling are held up by plywood and the ladies' room stalls have curtains instead of doors). But, it certainly doesn't lack ambiance. We arrived early and watched the end of the nightly "dance lesson" before hitting the floor ourselves. If I do say so myself, we held our own given that we haven't actually danced in years and given that I'm not Texan. We weren't the worst dancers and we enjoyed watching the best. We didn't make it to last call (not even close), but we stayed out way past our usual bedtime.

Sunday morning started as all Sundays in Austin must, with breakfast tacos. There are so many great breakfast taco spots, but we stuck with one of Hubby's favorites, Taco Shack, home of the Shack Taco. Taco Shack has many locations, but we ate at the downtown shack, which was less of a shack and more of a restaurant in the lowest level of an office building. The menu features many different types of tacos as well as migas and burritos. But, for us, there was only one choice -- The Shack Taco. Filled with chorizo (because we hadn't had enough nitrates the night before), potatoes, eggs and cheese and served in a warm tortilla, it's hard to beat The Shack Taco. Hubby was quick to point out that Taco Shack is superior because they cook the potatoes separately from the eggs, which means that the final potato product is crispy rather than mushy. Yes, Taco Shack was the perfect ending to our perfect Austin date night. 

There's a lot to explore for a foodie couple in Austin. We only just tipped the iceberg this past weekend. But, we made notes of spots to hit on our next visit and also established a few favorites. And, hopefully our next date night won't be that far away. 

Texas Forever.

On DMV Anxiety and Becoming Officially Texan

"You don't need to be so nervous. It's just the DMV," said Hubby for at least the third time in the 35 minutes we had been waiting.

I have a pretty significant anxiety disorder. So, of course there's always a "need" to be nervous. I feel like I'm about to give a speech in front of 300 people at almost all times. But, I also have a bit of PTSD when it comes to all things DMV. So, of course I was going to be nervous. What bad DMV experiences could possibly have lead to this anxiety? Hmmm. Well there was the time I failed the eye test when I tried to pass it without glasses (thankfully, the lady gave me an immediate retest).  There was the time I didn't have my social security card and the DMV rep flat out refused to consider any other form of identification, including my birth certificate, as proof of my citizenship. There was the time that a disgruntled Maryland DMV employee decided sua sponte to give me 4 names instead of 3 when I attempted to obtain a new license after getting married, never mind that the Social Security Administration had already permitted me to drop my pre-marriage middle name. You see, at the DMV, all logic disappears at the door. It doesn't matter how poignant your arguments or how sweet your tone. The employees behind the desk are the gatekeepers and if your documentation doesn't exactly comport with the stringent DMV lists of supporting documents, that dog won't hunt.

Adding to my DMV PTSD anxiety (I'm sure that's a condition in the DSM V), was the fact that my out-of-state license was set to expire in (gulp) 9 calendar days. So, everything had to go smoothly or I would be unable to drive. Living in a town where there's no public transportation, being unable to drive is just not an option. Also, if my out-of-state license expired, I might have to retake the driver's test ... in a state that requires one to be able to [insert dramatic music here] parallel park. 

Having grown up in a state that didn't require parallel parking in order to obtain a license, I've never learned to do it. As they say in Clueless, "What's the point? Everywhere you go has valet." In my defense, I did actually attempt to learn to parallel park from my driving instructor.. Since my instructor didn't have cones in the car the night I asked to learn to parallel park, he required another student in the car to act as a cone. Shockingly, this didn't work out so well. So, I never learned to parallel park despite having lived in a pretty urban area for the past 8 years.

Sitting in the Texas DMV, I tried to calm down and remind myself that this was going to be just fine. My glasses prescription wouldn't fail me. I had every document I could possibly need to identify myself: out of state license, proof of residency, passport, birth certificate, social security card, military identification, proof of out-of-state insurance, proof of Texas insurance, my newly obtained (from a different government office) vehicle registration, and my certified marriage license. Short of providing a DNA sample, there wasn't anything else I could possibly need. I was prepared to become a Texan.

Finally, it was my turn to approach the counter. The DMV employee started asking for documentation, and I proudly provided everything requested. I passed that eye test with flying colors. I could distinguish between red and green lights (not that this was ever a concern). I only blinked once during the attempts at taking the photograph. And then, much to my delight, it was official. I was handed my...wait what? What? I don't get my actual license today. It's going to arrive in the mail in 7 days? Oh, you're given me a piece of paper to use as a temporary license...Well, okay. 

And that is how, on a rainy day in early November, I officially became a Texan. Texas forever.

Together Let Us Seek the Heights

The Heights, Houston

Having resided in Houston for almost two months, we decided we would take a Saturday to explore potential future neighborhoods. Perhaps I should actually say explore a potential future neighborhood since this particular trip was a targeted strike. Prior to moving to Houston, I started to focus on the Heights. Located inside the 610 Loop, the Heights is close to downtown H-town. It's an old neighborhood comprised of beautiful Victorian homes and, much more to my taste, adorable bungalows! So, on a beautiful November Saturday, Hubby, the kids, and I headed to the Heights to check out the neighborhood's offerings with an eye towards making the Heights our home.

We started our day with lunch at Jus Mac. At Jus Mac the menu, as you might guess, features mac n' cheese (technically, they also serve paninis and salads, but if you want a panini or a salad, why are you eating at Jus Mac?). Since our kids consider mac n' cheese to be one of their major food groups, we decided we couldn't go wrong with Jus Mac. Jus Mac offers a wide variety of gourmet mac n' cheese dishes such as Buffalo Mac and a Big Easy Mac (filled with andouille sausage). You can also create your own custom mac n' cheese by selecting from specialty cheeses, such as goat cheese, and other unusual toppings, such as a fried egg. Our kids have a minimalist mac philosophy, so they shared a serving of the basic mac. I was feeling more adventurous and opted for the Chicken Tikka Mac. Hubby had the Hamburger Mac. As soon as the waiter placed my Tikka Mac in front of me, I was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of garam masala. This was not a bad thing.

Tikka Mac

The Tikka Mac was super spicy since it featured pepper jack cheese as well as a plethora of Indian spices. It was delicious, but I couldn't eat more than a few bites before my mouth was on fire. Since Hubby ordered a large portion of the Hamburger Mac, we decided to switch dishes. The Hamburger Mac was full of ground beef, onions and creamy cheese, topped with crispy breadcrumbs. It tasted quite a bit like beef stroganoff, and was a comforting dish on a day that felt almost chilly. Overall, I enjoyed Jus Mac. I think we will probably return to try other mac varieties. 

After stuffing ourselves with mac n' cheese, we decided to drive around the Heights a bit to get a sense of the neighborhood. En route to the Love Park playground, we drove down Heights Blvd. and noticed a plethora of quarky sculpture art pieces in the median strip. Among our favorites were two large lawn chairs. We just had to get out of our car and snap some photos of the kids seated on the big chairs. Several other families were doing the same, and the chairs seemed to be the most popular of the Heights Blvd. art pieces. Once home, I researched the chairs, and learned that all of the Heights Blvd. art is part of a nine month installation known as True North by artist Gus Kopriva. Apparently, climbing on the chairs is not permitted. Oops. Good thing we didn't post any photographic evidence of that on social media...oh wait.

As the afternoon passed, we found ourselves in "need" of a snack. I pulled out my trusty "My Table" book and located the Fat Cat Creamery. This former food cart turned brick and mortar ice cream parlor serves a wide variety of small batch frozen treats utilizing local ingredients. We happened to hit Fat Cat on a day that they were featuring several fall flavors including Bourbon Pecan Pie (Hubby's choice) and Spiced Pear Sorbet (my choice). The texture of the ice cream and sorbet were both perfect. The Spiced Pear was filled with intense, not overly sweet pear flavor with a subtle hint of fall spices. Living in a city that's considered tropical, a good ice cream place is essential. I think Fat Cat Creamery will be our go-to ice cream shop in the future. Delish.

After Fat Cat, we decided to visit a few specialty shops I'd heard about in the area. We first stopped in at Penzeys Spices. Penzeys is a national chain, but I was unfamiliar with it prior to moving to Houston. The shop is entirely dedicated to selling fresh spices, dried herbs, vanillas, extracts, and fancy salts and peppers. There's an entire shelf dedicated to chili spices. Penzeys also carries a variety of specialty blends such as their zatar spice (a Middle Eastern spice blend) and the Sunny Spain spice, which is a lemon pepper blend. The entire store smells heavenly and they encourage smelling the merchandise (there are special sample jars to smell, so this is more hygienic than it sounds). The Indian spice selection is nothing short of impressive (rogan josh!). I found several great Christmas ideas and purchased a few spice blends for myself. As I stood at the checkout counter, I explained that this was my first time in the shop. An elderly patron next to me touched my shoulder and said,"Oh honey, this is just the best place." I had to agree.

Leaving Penzeys, we had time for just one more stop -- Tulips and Tutus, a children's toy and clothing boutique. This charming store is filled with lovely children's books, beautiful hair bows, and unique toys. In speaking to the cashier, I learned that all of the hair bows are made by a local Houstonian. The shop definitely keeps up with the times as they had quite a bit of space dedicated to Frozen-themed toys and activity books. I picked up a few Frozen items for stocking stuffers, including a very cute Elsa hair bow. If you have little ones in your life and you live in the Houston area, I would recommend a stop by Tulips and Tutus. 

With our two kids asleep in their car seats and our car filled with an odd combination of spices and Frozen merchandise, we headed home. It had been the perfect afternoon in the Heights. We felt at home here in this urban, hipster, retro part of Houston. There were so many restaurants to explore, so many parks to visit. This felt like it might be the perfect place to call home. We merged onto the freeway, leaving the Heights behind...for now. I think it's time to start searching those real estate sites in earnest. 

Mama's Day Out

Town and Country Village
12850 Memorial Drive, Houston

On Halloween this year, I found myself with a few hours to spare between various Halloween events at my kid's school. It just so happened that Halloween in H-town was simply beautiful this year. Yes, it was 80 degrees. But, the morning was cool enough to justify my traditional orange sweater and the air was void of humidity. So, with time on my hands on this beautiful day, I decided to spend a few hours by myself at Town and Country Village on Houston's west side.

Like most Houston shopping plazas, Town and Country has already started decorating for Christmas. So, embracing the holiday spirit, albiet the wrong holiday, I ran a few errands in the shops. Before I knew it, I was starving and ready for lunch.

There are several lunch options in Town and Country. But, since it was a day of luxury, I decided to opt for sushi at Nori Sushi Bistro. The restaurant was fairly busy with the lunch rush, but the hostess seated me immediately. I perused the menu; the selection was extensive. Many of the rolls were Texas-themed including: the Hushpuppy, the Rockets Roll, and the Rodeo Roll. I ordered miso soup as a starter. The soup was flavorful with fairly generous amounts of tofu and seaweed. For my main course, I played it straight with an order of tekka maki rolls and an order of salmon sushi. But, I couldn't resist ordering at least one Texas themed roll, so I ordered the Cowboy Rolls. The tekka maki were good as was the salmon sushi. I especially enjoyed the minimal rice to fish ratio on the salmon sushi. 

The Cowboy Roll consisted of shrimp tempura with a mayo hot chili sauce. The tempura was tasty and the sauce hot enough that it didn't warrant the addition of wasabi laced soy sauce. My only complaint was that the rice was just a bit to sticky for my tastes. Of course, sushi rice needs to be sticky so that it adheres in the roll. But, this rice was just a bit too glutinous.Overall, the sushi tasted fresh and the prices were reasonable for a substantial lunch. Plus, I was able to eat in silence while reading my Kindle. It was basically like a vacation.

After lunch, I decided that since it was Halloween, I deserved a sweet treat at Ooh La La: The Dessert Boutique. Pastry Chef Vanessa O'Donnell is a Texas native who has opened 3 boutique bakeries in the Houston area (and she's not even 35 yet!). From the moment I walked up to the storefront, I was impressed by the super cute decor. The shop is girly, girly, girly! It's the perfect place for a sweet treat with your daughter or your girlfriends. 

But, the pastry cases were even more impressive than the decor. Huge, beautifully decorated cupcakes, a wide variety of cakes, and french macarons. I'm very picky about my macarons. I was spoiled in Paris years ago, and ever since I'm pretty selective. But, since it was Halloween, Ooh La La had special ghostly macarons. I had to try one!

This macaron was pure perfection. The texture was fabulous -- not too firm, not too squishy. Excellent. The macaron was toasted marshmallow flavored. It tasted like warm vanilla and brought back memories of the best campfires on cold autumn nights. Paired with a cup of coffee, I felt like I had take a vacation to gay Paris! (all for the bargain price of $5). I see many mommy breaks at Oh La La in my future.

With only crumbs remaining of my macaron and all of my shopping complete, I decided to call it a day and head home to wash my daughter's Elsa costume before trick or treating. Every so often, Mama needs a break. Rested and rejuvenated, I felt ready to tackle Halloween night!