My Random Musings | Peaches Prattlings

{June 29, 2017} An adventure and a new vegan restaurant, wow!

So… life is an adventure and I live it every day!

Today’s adventure is brought to you by the letters y, u and m!

It started with a restaurant suggestion, Ambitabul, vegan Korean, great! Korean vegan, who knew! http://amitabulvegan.com/

Then it was get an Uber to the restaurant. GPS said 1.18 hours, ok, that works. Almost every time we meet for dinner it can take an hour or more, so no problem.

I get in the car and the Uber driver says Libertyville? I say sure, sounds good. I have no idea about the names of cities in Chicago but I should say the areas of Chicago or Illinois, as it were. So I don’t know if you remember one of my first classes way back when with this project I gave the address to the driver didn’t say the name of this city and ended up at a vacant lot and when I said this doesn’t look like, I name the city, he said that’s a suburb of Chicago! Whoops.

So on this point, lesson learned make sure you know where you’re going! So back to our story… we are driving, driving, driving, highway, getting farther away from Chicago, I ask, where are you taking me?!

We are getting close to our supposed destination, I double check the address…um… my driver, a fabulous woman named Keele, I’ll talk about her in a minute, she says, I know that area, that’s near where my parents live… back towards Chicago!

I finally call WIS, and I am laughing hysterically, so is Keele, and rightfully so! I tell her what happened and I’m not sure if she stopped breathing laughing so hard! I’m just glad Keele didn’t drip breathing from laughing so hard! None of us peed in our pants, so I think that’s a bonus!

WIS graciously agreed to wait for me, so glad she did! Turn around and away we went!

Now, back to my fabulous driver and new bff, Keele! It’s amazing how you can know someone two minutes and you’ve known each other’s lives. By the time we parted company, we covered dating, marriage, dating websites, Vegas, families, travel, work, um, what’s left?

When we finally got to the restaurant and parted ways with my new bestie, she would have been a perfect fit for the evening! Maybe next time!

Now… on to dinner, oh my! I started with date tea, wow! That’s all I have to say! We asked for the recipe, the only way were getting it is when the owner retires and writes a cookbook… not for at least 15 years, what? Ok, we just have to go back! The tea was made by boiling fermented dates, it was sweet, no sugar added!! It was like drinking liquid dates, wow!

I started with veggie dumplings, light, crisp on the edges, fabulous. I could have just eaten that, but I was hungry. I had soup with veggies and noodles, they did have a soup with the dumplings, next time! WIS had a noodle dish with a little kick.

We finished with ice cream and a red bean cake. We saved room for it! Truly wonderful! Even the names of the dishes were clever, 9 Ways to Nirvana Noodle Soup, fun!

We closed the place down. I took my leftover soup, we went for a drive, looking for a good place for an Uber to pick me up and saw some really cute places around Chicago.

Uber to the hotel, my driver was very thankful for my leftover soup. I have to say, lovely man, but not the same as Keele. I hope you have the pleasure of her company one day!

{June 27, 2017} Lessons Learned in Amsterdam

It was a great trip. Great to be with family, exploring a new country, learning a lot.

I believe I mentioned that our apartment was in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. That part of Amsterdam, it’s difficult not to be in the red light district comma but there are areas that are a little more intense than others.

‘A red-light district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc. are found. Areas in many big cities around the world have acquired an international reputation as red-light districts.’ When you mention Amsterdam, that’s what a lot of people think of. Well, that and weed.

The term red-light district originates from the red lights that were used as signs of brothels.

Author Paul Wellman suggests that this and other terms associated with the American Old West originated in Dodge City, Kansas, home to a well-known prostitution district during the 19th century, which included the Red Light House saloon. This theory has never been proven.

The other thing very popular and prevalent in Amsterdam is the freedom to smoke marijuana just about anywhere. And they do. Every time you walk by a coffee house, undoubtedly there are people smoking weed, or if you just walk by a stoop, a park, it doesn’t matter somebody is smoking. And living in the US you forget how many people outside the US smoke cigarettes.

All that being said, now how do you explain things like this two kids, who don’t exactly understand the fact that it’s legal and it’s common practice.

GES explained to EJS on the first day that it was legal to smoke marijuana and that it was a choice, like drinking is a choice.

EJS really didn’t like the smell of either cigarette or marajuana and she was covering her nose with her shirt we told her that was rude, and she shouldn’t cover her face like that all the time. So I came up with a way to do it a little more politely, and it’s something I do now, which is to crook my finger and put it under my nose on my upper lip as if I’m thinking, “we’re thinking we’re thinking”, if you could see us looks pretty funny but, she did it she didn’t it was not as obvious. And if we were walking together I would tell her when the smoke was gone.

The next concept to explain, I’m sure you figured out, is the red light district. Not an easy thing to explain to a 10 year old who is full of questions. But after a few days I think I came with up with something and she agreed. I said to her “EJS, you know when you walk by a toy start in a mall, and you look in the window and you see something that you want?” She said yes, I said well then it’s the same concept it’s just a different type of toy store for adults. She said oh, with a bit of recognition and I said ‘is that a good of good enough explanation? Yup. I said are we done? yes.

I hope the lessons learned have helped!

{June 15, 2017} Bad form Uber

You have got to be kidding me!

It’s raining today when I left the office so I looked to get an Uber to dinner. And when it rains, prices surge. But this was ridiculous!

I’ve seen 1.4, 4.1 then it got worse, it started at 6, then went to 7.1. Seriously? It cost $70.59 too go FOUR POINT THREE miles. What?

Going back to the hotel? About the same distance… $9.

Bad form!

{June 13, 2017} A vegan at a BBQ joint!

A new restaurant with DLP, Southern Cut Barbecue.

It just so happens the restaurant is in the hotel I’m staying in this week. We met after I went to the gym at our new favorite nail salon. Claws and paws done, time for food.

We headed to my hotel to drop my bag and decided to eat there. There wasn’t much for me, but I found a very yummy salad, kale and brussel sprouts with cranberries and sliced almonds. For the meat eaters, it did come with bacon.

We started with fabulous deviled eggs with asparagus and truffles, very tasty. DLP had brisket, said it was quite tasty. Round it out with a baked potato and sweet potato with candied walnuts.

A very nice meal at a nice place and the vegan was happy. Go figure…a happy vegan at a BBQ joint!

{June 10, 2017} If you don’t actually look, why do you need to see it?

Dear Costco.

You require me to show you a receipt upon exiting your store. Ok, I comply and show you my receipt.

Why don’t you even look at it?

When Costco first opened, the folks at the exit would look at every item and the receipt, especially the big ticket items. That is understandable, no bags to put the items in, unless you bring them.

Now, when I exit, you don’t even look at the items or the receipt, you just put a slash through it. I watched you look out the door one time while you scratched that line thru the receipt.

So, what’s the deal? How would you know if stole something?

Just curious.

{June 8, 2017} It’s done! It’s official! I can leave the county!

Wahoo! Passport in hand, I can flee the country when I need to. Or just go on a trip.

I tell people, jokingly, that I keep my passport with me because you never know when you’re going to have to flee the country!

After everything I went through on Monday, I was prepared with my birth certificate, copies of my birth certificate, I’D, credit card and to the passport office I went.

Through security, remove jewelry, shoes, headphones, sunglasses, 9th floor, phone on silent, get in line. Greeted, get in another line, get a number, have a seat.

About thirty minutes later, number called, go to window, answer yes to a lot of questions, give credit card. Get receipt and special receipt to come back between 3-4pm to pick up the passport.

Back to work, three o’clock back to the passport office, get a new number, wait ten minutes and now…

I can leave the country! Look out world!

{June 7, 2017} I’m a wonder woman but…

Now I want to be Wonder Woman!

Tonight, DLP and I went to see the latest installment of super hero movies, on the DC side, Wonder Woman.

Wow.

Yup, that’s all I have to say, wow. It’s all about the backstory, how Diana became Wonder Woman, the island, hidden, the Amazons, the gods, the training, the Warriors, the secrets, lies, the thing that everyone in the audience and on the island knew but no one would tell Diana.
There’s that solitary, all women life on the island, interject a man, the great scene is when he gets out of the bath and she’s more interested in his watch then the naked parts. I love when there is a movie with beings from another world, and we, mere mortals, have to explain things…sometimes it’s a little uncomfortable.

There were a few times that it felt a little Captain America-ish, only because you had a hero or heroin, as it were, from another time or place, amongst the world of Modern Men, and she had a shield. Not hating on Wonder Woman by any means just a comparison.

The hard part, is here we are again, the war to end all wars, the big bad Germans and the ragtag bunch fighting them because they can save it all. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it and that was the era of those stories.

As for the ragtag bunch, a great combination, a drunk, sharpshooting Scotsman, a Master of Disguise, an Indian chief thief, pilot and an Amazon woman, what could go wrong?

Does Chris Pine ride a motorbike in all his movies?

The costumes were great, with all the hubbub about Wonder Woman’s outfit and speculation, it kicked arse! It was the Wonder Woman costume we know with a little metallic, Iron Man flare, material wise that’s it!

Compassion, strength, fortitude, honor, duty, responsibility, belief, love. Yeah, that about sums it up.

Two great quotes:

I can save today. You can save the world. That’s Steve Trevor to Diana.

It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.

{June 2, 2017} Bad form JFK and Budget!

The flight was fine, there ended the enjoyment of my trip home to see my dad.

The flight itself was fine, first class, wasn’t even full, I got to sleep for about 20 minutes, that was fabulous!

I ended up talking to a very nice man with fabulous eyelashes who is in the entertainment industry, his mom has fabulous Tina Turner hair, was on his way to Scotland, just broke up with his boyfriend, done with the drama, has the hots for a guy in Belgium, it was quite the flight.

I forgot how big the international terminal at JFK airport is! I got to baggage claim eventually, only had to wait a few minutes for my bag, that was good.

After I got my bag that’s when the adventure began, please read that line dripping with sarcasm. I walked away from the baggage claim area and saw the sign for ground transportation, I haven’t rented a car at JFK before, so this was interesting.

After I walk under the sign that says ground transportation, the only thing I see when I walk outside, after following the arrows, are trains, buses, taxis and passenger pickup, um, where do I go for rental car? No idea.

After literally walking in circles for about 4 minutes I finally go back and ask somebody working at the hotel counter where the rental car place may be and apologize since I know that is not his job. He says ‘Oh just take a left past the lack of signage and go to the Welcome Center’, okay, thanks.

I go to the welcome counter, and ask where to go to get to the rental car center and he says take the train, what train? The the AirTrain, okay great where is that? Go back that way, fantastic. I go back towards baggage claim see the escalator going up and the sign for AirTrain, great. I get on the air-train and get off at the rental car center.

Normally I rent from Avis, and possibly because I’m preferred I get notified of where my car is. Avis was too expensive this weekend so I rented from Budget.

There were at least 40-50 people total including little kids standing in line waiting to get a car. The line was out the door and they only had two people working. What a shock.

I stood on line with everyone else, ended up talking to this lovely woman who used to be from New York City and is now living in Florida for the past two years. She was traveling with her sister who used to work at the Brooklyn Hospital, which is where I was born. She actually asked me if I knew my obstetrician, and I just kind of looked at her and said huh? and we laughed about that, I could tell you my pediatricians name. We got to talk for about an hour! Yes that’s right I said an hour. There were gobs of people and two people working.

I finally got to the counter and the gentleman said do you prefer an SUV or minivan, I said I prefer a compact car because I’m not comfortable in either. He said we don’t have any, minivan or SUV? I said SUV. I got a Kia Sorento. Then I drove to my dad’s house.

I landed in New York City at 10 p.m. I arrived at my dads house at 1:30 a.m. This process should not have taken three hours. Ever

I’m now going to pass out, have a great evening!

{June 2, 2017} He’s FOUR! What?

Happy happy fourth birthday to my first grandson, Baby A!

Ok, so first, I’m going to have to find something different to call him, might get awkward at 16, “Happy 16, Baby A!” Ha ha, we’ll see.

Wow, four years old. I still remember the day his mom, KAB, told her dad and I she was pregnant. She carried LB in front of her and said “hello father” and he knew instantly, I had no idea, but I was thrilled for her!

And nine months later, June 1st, I got to meet him for the first time! He was just a few hours old and oh, he stole my heart! I happened to be in Atlanta and got to go to the hospital and hold that little love muffin in my arms.

He is smart, funny, silly, precocious, stubborn, brave, fearless, loving, a snuggler, possessive and generous all at the same time.

He’s an awesome big brother to his baby sister E, you should see how she looks up at him, there outs so much love there. And love to see him with his parents, oh man.

What an artist! I’ve shown you some of the amazing things he has made me!

He gets excited when he knows I’m coming to visit, sad when I have to leave. How much do I love that?

He’s four, feisty and fabulous. Happy birthday Baby A, big hugs and kisses from JJ! I love you!

{June 1, 2017} Missing you

Why can’t I have multiple posts in a day? I don’t know, its my blog!

June 1st is bittersweet. I have a grandson who turned four and today is also the anniversary of my mom’s passing.

My mom, wow. I’ve told you about her a few times, I’m ok with one more.

She was a force to be reckoned with. Smart, funny, silly on occassion, kind, caring, considerate, stubborn, opinionated, vocal, affectionate, encouraging, multilingual, cultured, well traveled.

She would take on almost any challenge, escslators were a stumbling block. She was one of the smartest people I knew and she would laugh that she couldn’t add any variation of 8 and 5!

She was there to offer advice if needed, sometimes if not, like any good mom. She tried to save us from making mistakes that she made but there to help when we did.

She would kiss the boo-boos when we fell, to this day, I miss that. Hey, I still get my dad to kiss my boo-boos, especially when I bump my keppe, that’s your head for those of you not in the know.

There are things I see in myself and my sister when we interact with her girls, my grandkids, extended family. She would wake us by gently touching our faces and ask “did you take a soft pill today?”

Did I ever tell you her let names for us? They were goofy, but we went with it. She would call GES kitty litter, I asked what does that make me, cat litter?! No rhyme or reason and we just went with it.

I’ll leave you with this funny fact. When we were kids and driving with mom, we needed something to call bad drivers on the road. What did we come up with? Pizza head!

I miss you mommy and I love you.

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