{ladies who lunch}

So, as I previously mentioned, I have been enjoying mini adventures exploring LA with my good friend Samantha. Well, for lunch yesterday, we explored Downtown and went to lunch at Bottega Louie. First, and foremost, I have to praise my Dad--who's company built the building and this restaurant. With the vaulted ceilings, waxed floors, and beautifully detailed moldings-- I loved it. It was very grand-looking. Good job, Dad!






They are famous for their pizzas, so Sam and I ordered their Bianco pizza--ricotta, garlic and arugula. It was DELICIOUS.. (For our appetizer, we chose prosciutto and fresh fruit, also delicious).


But they are also famous for their patisserie--especially their colorful, flavorful macarons. YUM. We actually went with the chocolate eclair. Soooooo good.


It's interesting. I grew up in a family I feel was typically American--as in, we ate family meals around the table every night. And if we went out, we enjoyed fast food or inexpensive sit-down food like Souplantation... Which means that I was never exposed to some tastes that I guess are considered more posh(?). I've always been eager to try new foods, yet I never tried arugula until high school. I'd never tried a gooseberry, dates, prosciutto or persimmons. Are these things posh? I don't know. I feel like they are. I never experienced restaurants like this... where the food was of such high quality, with so many new tastes (at least to me) that I felt like raving about it. I enjoy my fast food and inexpensive sit-down restaurants just as much as the next person--but that's because it's what I'm used to. If I ate at someplace like Bottega Louie often, I feel like I would become the biggest food snob ever.

Needless to say, I feel quite cultured from eating at this restaurant because it seemed very European. And the food was delicious and the service excellent. Just beware that because of the vaulted ceilings and waxed floors, sound tends to amplify so it was quite loud.

"california (come back to texas)"

For those of you who don't know, the post title is a spin-off of the Bowling for Soup song "Ohio (Come Back to Texas)." Funny? I think so.

My trip to the great state of Texas was amazing! And although I'm a Californian through and through, and it was my first time to step foot in that humongous state, I loved it. Why? Well...

First, I have family that lives in Houston (which surprisingly was very reminiscent of Los Angeles, albeit flatter). My new (and first) nephew, Isaac, is absolutely adorable. So adorable, in fact, that he is getting his own post.

Second, NASA is stationed near Houston! So we got to go to the Space Center and tour the grounds! Holy mackerel! Let's just say that I'm now positive that I will never be an astronaut. (Not that I wasn't positive before). haha

Third? Rodeo Houston was going strong! Lots of livestock, carnival rides, deep fried foods and Enrique Iglesias!

Fourth? the food. Sigh. I will never escape being a foodie. There was only yummy food to be found in Houston.

1. FAMILY

Aunt Georgia and Isaac.

Sarah and Marie waiting in line for a tour at the Space Center.

Marie and Brent waiting in line for some yummy Texas BBQ.

Me and my favorite little boy! Look at those cheeks!

Momma and Isaac.

2. NASA

"Houston, we have a problem..."

This is Marie's face right before we walked up the 87 steps to Mission Control. 

She was just a little bit excited.

Mission Control room from the 1960s. Cool, right? We sat in the viewing room behind a wall of glass. The same room that the families of the astronauts sat in when we landed on the moon.

Marie in front of an engine.

Saturn V. Like woah. It is massive. And a lot longer than it looks in this picture.

Marie planning to dreaming about actually flying in the cockpit of this space shuttle.

Isaac tolerating the museum. ;D

The cute little Monson Family at the Space Center.

3. RODEO

Football-stadium-turned-rodeo. By the way--aren't the clouds gorgeous?

Walking amongst cattle. There were babies and everything!

Yikes! Texas Longhorns!

Wee little piglets! Try and find the runt of the litter! Oh, Wilbur...

Georgia in her spankin' new cowboy hat.

Marie salivating over the selection of cowboy boots.

Marie: "She He thinks my tractor's sexy..."

The carnival from the top of Reliant Stadium. 

Oh, and to the left is the Astrodome--where victims of Hurricane Katrina stayed.

Rodeo events! Basically, this is a chariot race. One of my favorites! 

Not bad for nose-bleed seats, eh?

Getting ready for the concert!!

Marie: *scream* "Enrique! You are so hot!!"

This is what he looked like at our concert. T-shirt, jeans, baseball cap and a scruffy beard. 

Whew! (Fanning face). 

[Deveny--doesn't he look like Anthony Harper? I kept thinking that during the entire concert. LOL.]

4. FOOD

Texas Bar-BQ-- Goode Co. And it is seriously good. I had a beef brisket po' boy. Yowzah. It was delish.

And the pecan pie was the best pecan pie I have ever tasted. And I'm not just saying that.

Rodeo food: Onion blossom and pork kabob. Can't go wrong with fried and bbq'd food.

Now for my very first deep fried Oreo.

Georgia got the deep fried nutter butters. That's five pounds of way more powdered sugar than I needed.

You might think that's a corn dog. Well, you'd be wrong. It's deep fried cookie dough on a stick. Say what? Yes. I said, "It's deep fried cookie dough on a stick." It was so sickeningly sweet, I gagged. I have no idea how Marie ate it and is still living.

What I don't show (food-wise), is delicious food from a restaurant called Barnaby's. Classic American meals. Five stars. We ate there twice. Also, Sarah made the BEST brisket sandwiches on Sunday night with homemade bread. I'm waiting for the recipe so I can make it again. I'm craving it. No joke.

Anyways... that was my Houston trip! I had so much fun! Thanks Sarah & Brent for letting Georgia and I crash your busy schedules and disrupt Isaac's days!