The ABC Life Blog

New activity: Sampling Venezuelan Food

Eager to try some food from Venezuela to see how it compares to other Latin American cuisine we’ve tried in the past, we headed over to Todo Pasapalos on Preston Road in Dallas. We decided to try the arepas. Laura ordered the arepas with cheese, Barbara with ham and cheese. We had expected the cheese to be melted but it was like someone had just poured out a big pile of grated cheese into a bland tasting corn pocket. The ham broke up some of the taste but the all-cheese arepas was pretty much inedible. And the prices were high for what you got. We were planning to compare it to another Venezuelan restaurant in the area to see if theirs was different. However, after Barbara watched a film that took place in Venezuela and saw that the main character ate arepas for breakfast that looked exactly like the cheese one Laura had, we figured it was just something you get used to living there and not for our palettes at all.

New activity: Venezuelan film

Barbara: Pelo Malo (Bad Hair) was an interesting but somewhat sad film from Venezuela about a single mother living with her baby and her 9 year old son who inherited Afro textured hair from his father and is constantly trying to straighten it. His dream is to have straight hair like the rest of the students and become a singer; his mother is frustrated by his behavior that she sees as being unlike a “normal” boy his age. While not my favorite film, I liked it enough to stay with it and was sad for the boy throughout.

Activity: Continuing food tastings

This month we continued our ice cream search and for U we found one at Sweet Firefly in Richardson at which we’ve had nothing but delicious flavors. This was no exception. Uptown Cinnamon was quite good and the cinnamon was not overpowering as it sometimes can be.

For V we made Very Strawberry Pie from a cookbook of pies that we’ve used before. It is a no bake pie with a strawberry and pudding filling over a chocolate cookie crust. Our attempt at making this pie was, well…let’s just say Barbara is taking the cookbook to the library as a donation.   

New restaurant – UNBELIEVABOWL

We, especially Laura, love the bowl concept for a meal so we decided to try this restaurant. We expected just a small bowl with a few pieces of protein; in other words, nothing special. Fortunately, we were pleasantly surprised. The bowl was enormous and it was chock full of our protein of choice. Next time – and there will be a next time – we’ll either share one or count on having it for two meals.

New Taiwanese eatery – 85ᴼ C Bakery and Café

This is kind of cheating, but we tried this dessert place on the last day of August (T month) and didn’t have time to post it so we – of course – had to return for another dessert this month. OMG. This bakery is the best! People were coming in, grabbing a tray, and loading it up with various desserts. Ever since we went with friends a few years ago to eat out lunch and a total stranger came over to every table to ask what they were having so she could decide on her choice (which we found fascinating), we have been tempted to ask a stranger how they liked the food. Barbara dared Laura and to her surprise, Laura went over to the dessert case and found someone to ask. Barbara was impressed. We split the chocolate chip bowl, a large domed shaped pastry, and it was great. Then Laura took home coconut bread and an egg tart and they were both well received. Unfortunately, this place is very close to home so the pounds might start adding up. But that will just mean a shopping spree for new clothes so win, win.

New activity: TOILET SEAT MUSEUM

There are museums for just about everything but it’s doubtful whether you would think there would be one about toilets! So when we heard there was a Toilet Seat Art Museum nearby, we naturally had to check it out. (There was also once a museum in Madison, Wisconsin about toilet paper, but it’s now defunct. Shucks!) The Toilet Seat Art Museum showcases more than 1,300 toilet seats – all of which are the life’s work of Barney Smith.

Mr. Smith was a retired master plumber and an artist who loved finding discarded objects and mounting them on toilet seats. He started displaying his work in his garage in 1992 and the public loved him and his work. Some of the seats pay tribute to historical or news events, celebrities, geographical locations – whatever caught his interest. We were amazed at the variety of toilet seat art and so impressed by this man who was still doing what he loved at the age of 98. Barney was quoted as saying that he wanted to be remembered “for how a person could save a lot of stuff that is being destroyed and for showing them it needs to be saved – maybe not on a toilet seat, but they can save what has come their way instead of destroying it. Showing that it’s worth something.” What also was worth something was visiting this museum. Definitely something different and not likely to be forgotten.

New Restaurant: T-SWIRL CREPE

Continuing the week with something different, we went to a Japanese crepe restaurant that features both sweet and savory crepes. There are 44 locations across the United States but this was our first visit. Our friend Kathy joined us and we decided we would each have a savory crepe and then follow with a sweet one. We didn’t realize how filling the crepes would be so a sweet one will just have to wait for another visit. What makes this place special is that the crepes are made with 100% gluten-free rice flour batter and the ingredients are creatively arranged into the crispy crepe like an ice cream cone – typifying the gobble on the go trend. We can vouch for the tastiness of the Chicken Teriyaki, the Okinawa Hot Dog and the Thai Chicken crepe. Overall the food was quite good, but the new experience of eating a crepe this way with these flavors made it a delightful outing.

New activity: MUM-ENTOUS EXHIBIT

We were reminiscing about our childhood the other day, especially from when we were each teenagers. All the cliques that exist, who the popular girls were, etc. So, it made sense to us to go to Garland to see what they call the “MUM-ENTOUS” Exhibition. Our high school in New York City had no football team and consequently there was no such thing as a Homecoming Dance. Laura’s kids went to high school in California and told us that there was Homecoming but no mums. Barbara’s kids went to high school in Plano, Texas, however, and boy was Homecoming the thing. Barbara was astonished to see the size of a mum as she was envisioning a small corsage. We learned that several universities argue over who can claim hosting the first homecoming. Each generation since the 60s has had critics of the mum and even a “dump the mums” which as you can imagine made them all the more popular. Here are some stats and descriptions:

This is our favorite description of this oversized corsage: “Every mum is part Christmas tree, part Disney princess gown, part wind chime, and part banquest hall centerpiece…tugging on the girl’s heart and the back of her neck.” Which one appeals to you the most?

New activity: CONTINUING WITH OUR ICE CREAM TASTING

It’s a hardship but we felt we needed to continue tasting ice cream according to the ABC Life. This month for T we had one success and one failure. At one of our favorite ice cream parlors, Handels Homemade Ice Cream in Plano, we tried the Twixter flavor. This flavor is vanilla ice cream with caramel ripple, chocolate chips, and sugar cookie gems, and a real GEM it is. We look forward to a repeat visit for it.

The non-success was a half hour drive on another day to Margaret’s Cones and Cups in far west Frisco. After driving for a half hour we had trouble finding the place so we pulled into a hotel drive and asked the two valets there. We have to mention that when we thanked one of them he responded “Always” in a very sultry voice. (Barbara smiles about that to this day 😊). We finally got there and discovered it wasn’t due to open for another 20 minutes. But the door was open so we walked in. No customers and the clerk was just setting out chairs so we thought maybe he’d accommodate two potential customers. But no. So of course, we had to get that taste out of our mouths by another Twixter trip. Day saved!

New activity: Tiny Doors of McKinney

Some years ago, we took a food tour of McKinney and during our walk through the old square our guide pointed out a tiny door at the corner of a store. He explained that there were many around the city and since that time we have been curious as to how that started. Since it is “T” month, this was the perfect time.

As it turns out there are 82 of them! They are about 7 inches tall. Some have functional elements such as doors that open or mailboxes, some represent the store they are in front of. Andrew Jones, the Cultural Director of McKinney’s Cultural District, said that he was inspired by seeing 3 stores that had “fairy doors.”  He and a local artist, Beth Fields, collaborated on the idea. Since it was such a hot day, we didn’t search for all 82 doors but we did see about 16-20. Here is a sampling of some of our favorites.

And of course, after a “hard day’s walk”, we had to frequent one of the tiny door stores, Mary’s Mountain Cookies, to try a Truffle cookie. This store has some of the largest cookies we’ve ever seen so one was just enough for two. Unfortunately, it promised more than it delivered. The crunch was there, the ingredients we liked (caramel, pecans) were there but the flavor was lacking.

National Day: National Tell A Joke Day August16

Since it’s Tell a Joke Day we have to, don’t we?

The postman comes to deliver a package and when the woman of the house opens the door, she is dressed only in a robe with nothing under it. She thanks him and invites him inside where she promptly disrobes and takes him into the bedroom. Afterwards she hands him a dollar bill. The postman asks “what is this for?” and she tells him: “This morning before my husband left for work I asked what I should give the postman for Christmas and he said “F___ him, give him a dollar.”

HAPPY NATIONAL TELL A JOKE DAY

New restaurant: DREAM TACOS

When we go to sleep, we occasionally have dreams. But not about TACOS. However, The Dream Tacos restaurant could soon make an appearance. Their tacos are definitely dream worthy! Chef Chetra is the talent behind the taste, as he has created global fusion tacos from the cuisines of France, Japan, southern BBQ, southern East Asia and Mexico. Barbara had the Beef Wellington Taco and Laura took the recommendation from our waiter who said enthusiastically that the Bulgogi Korean Marinated Taco is his favorite. Both tacos were reasonably priced and truly delicious. Plus, the decor was delightful and added a special touch to a great tasting experience.

After a great meal at Dream Tacos we decided there are so many tempting “T” restaurants that we should start making room for them by going to the gym and spending some time on the treadmill. As tired as we were after not too terribly long at the treadmill, we know we’re on the right “track” to getting in better shape.

But did you know….

LEARNING CENTER

Treadmills were used in muscle-powered machinery since ancient times, and 19th-century English jails used them to punish prisoners. We can see why!

New Activity: Exploring Sculptures Around Town

We’ve been to many art exhibits since we started our ABC Life but not many, if any, were sculpture exhibits. This month we decided to change that. We started with the Art Centre of Plano which was having a Texas Sculpts exhibit. There were several pieces we found interesting, such as the large and colorful piece below which appealed to Barbara and the interesting, pointed hand with tiny little people walking on top of and in the direction of the finger, which we both liked. If you looked carefully, you could see a tiny figure that had fallen off and the title of the piece by Norman Kary was Follow the Leader.

Our positive feelings did not extend to the pieces like the blue pig and the cast iron Hostess Cupcakes which were selling for $200 each!

But what impressed us most were the descriptions written by the artists. We could certainly understand them saying something like Luke Sides who sculpted the pig said, “My work attempts to make a statement about sculpture by approaching craft…..in a new way.” But we quite wanted to barf when someone gets so pretentious as to say, “My aim is to serve as a conduit for collective and individual self-awareness, from which healing and true change in the community can spread like a ripple effect”. Really? From a heart-shaped stone with washers and bullets in it? But we guess that’s what makes the world go ‘round.

DID YOU KNOW that there are more words in the English language that begin with “s” than any other letter? So just as the month ends and we have no more available time to do more “S” activities, so too did the time run out to go to the Nasher Sculpture Center to view more sculptures. Ah well, it’s a good problem to have!

New activity: Salute to the Senses with Spanish Music

When we heard that the Eisemann Theater was presenting a performance of Spanish guitar music and dance, we knew we had to get tickets. After all, it’s “S” month, plus we always enjoy live music events. We were not disappointed. Roni Benisek, best known as Benise, is an American guitarist who has gained a wide following for his shows and the beautiful music, fascinating dancers and staging that enhance the origins of each performance. Plus, the show – “Benise: Fiesta” – was unique in that it included classic songs from such legends as Led Zeppelin, The Eagles and AC/DC and fused them with Spanish guitar and dance. We were treated to music from Spain, Mexico, Cuba and Brazil, often accompanied by African drumming and either flamenco, salsa or samba dancers with gorgeous, swirling dresses. It was truly a feast for one’s eyes and ears and we were very glad we went. 

LEARNING CENTER

In keeping with a musical theme, we learned that during some sand avalanches, desert dunes vibrate loudly, like musical instruments. Scientists call this phenomenon “singing sand.” Most often the notes “played” by the dunes are in the keys of G, E, or F. Thank you again Encyclopedia Brittanica!

We’ve always liked the idea of a coffee shop in which you can also sit and read or buy books so when we heard about SPIN COFFEE AND VINYL we were looking forward to seeing how it was. Instead of books they sell vinyl record albums, which young people today – including Barbara’s son – have started getting into. Any time the current generation “discovers” something like vinyl albums or bell bottom pants, it makes us chuckle. We were a little disappointed, though, because by the time we got there in the afternoon, there was basically none of their advertised desserts or sandwiches to be had so the visit was a bit of a bust. We will say, though, that the place’s seats were full so it definitely has a customer base and we’re glad when we see an niche place like this doing well.

New series: SUPER PUMPED

Barbara: “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber” on Netflix is a series worth watching. Who of us hasn’t taken an Uber? This show is the story of how Uber got started and portrays its CEO, Travis Kalanick, played expertly by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as a very innovative but extremely driven and unethical man who was eventually forced to resign. Unfortunately, his bad behavior paid off as he sold off about 90% of his shares for a profit of about $2.5 billion. I’d definitely recommend watching the series.

LEARNING CENTER

Speaking of someone who came up with a profitable idea, we learned how the SLINKY toy was created. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, in 1943 Richard James was trying to create a set of springs that would stabilize maritime instruments during rough weather. He inadvertently knocked some of them off a shelf and watched them “walk”. This inspired the creation of the Slinky. We were probably playing with a Slinky while our brother listened to his vinyl records!

The ABC sisters always love lists, monthly challenges, and taste comparisons so this month we decided to do two food samplings.

New activity: S Named Ice Creams

Well, this was a no-brainer. Sample ice cream flavors?
We’re in! We sampled four flavors beginning with the letter S. We began at
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt. Laura sampled the Smores ice
cream which was graham cracker ice cream with marshmallow ripple, chocolate
chips and mini marshmallows. She loved it despite the fact she’s not a big
marshmallow fan. Barbara chose the Salted Caramel Truffle. This was
salted caramel ice cream with chocolate truffles filled with salted caramel. A
big hit! A few days later we went to Baskin and Robbins. Laura chose their Smores
with Oreos to see how it compared to the other (a comparison within a
comparison) and it was so-so. Barbara had the Strawberry Cheesecake which
reinforced the fact that she doesn’t like when ice cream has pieces of cake in
it, but she did think the strawberry flavor was quite good. We know it’s a
hardship, but we may have to compare every alphabetical flavor ice cream during
the year!

New activity: Smoothie Sampling

Barbara: Since Laura had already gone through a smoothie phase, this particular sample tasting was only for me. I’ve always wondered how people could drink those awful looking green smoothies but have read about how healthy they are. I started out easy with a non-green smoothie at Jamba Juice which was made just of two fruits. It was good but basically just tasted like a citrus drink and I could not see myself replacing my breakfast with that drink. Then Laura gave me her smoothie book and I started making green smoothies. I was actually shocked at how good they tasted, filled me up and didn’t leave me longing for a regular meal. Each one had spinach so I’m proud of myself for doing this and went way past the three-smoothie limit. I’m now having one green smoothie a day, either as my breakfast or lunch, and we’ll see how long I continue.