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via Adventures in Juggling

It's a Trunk!

Scott and I took advantage of a perfect storm of clear, cool weather and empty garbage cans out back and cleaned out my car this morning. Not only is there a back seat (with seating for 3 tiny people), but there's also a nearly empty trunk.

Nope, no pictures. The car needs a good detailing. And a wash. And the peeling paint on the bumper is unappealing (groan!). But trust me - this was a spectacular first step.

Speaking of cars, we just got Scott's back from the Saturn dealer. This was one of those unfortunate scheduled maintenance combined with an actual issue and new tires trip. The result? Too painful to speak about. But at least the car is road-worthy for a few thousand more miles. And his tires are filled with nitrogen. Apparently that's good.

A Rare Sports Post

How 'bout them Lions? When I left work last night, Ohio State was winning a defense-heavy game 6 to 3. When I got home (to find Scott PLAYING VIDEO GAMES instead of holding vigil for me) the score was 13-6. And we were winning! I got to watch the last minute of the game, including that amazing interception in the end zone, and then I did my College Football Happy Dance. Scott did a little happy dancing too, though his game wasn't half as exciting.

How 'bout them Phillies? I watched 4 innings of this game (minus a few SNL sketches) - enough to see the Phillies' back-to-back home runs, and to see the Rays come back to tie the game in the 8th. Then I went to sleep. I just didn't want to risk staying up to watch extra innings. It looks like they pulled it off though, and are now up 2-1 in the series. Game 4 is tonight.

Back to PSU for a minute. They are off next week, and that worries me a bit. Bama would have been #1 if they hadn't had the week off when Texas jumped them in the rankings to become #1. Now that Ohio State is out of the way, I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that they stay undefeated for the rest of the season and that Texas or Bama loses (sorry Scott). But what happens if #4 wins next week and they jump us? Hopefully that won't happen.

Table for Three

The bug man came and went Wednesday afternoon around 3:00. He was here for five minutes. I asked him what the "big infestation" was that the office manager had alluded to the day before, and he said he hadn't seen anything at all in this building. Though perhaps it would be on the second side... What really got me about the whole process was that he was squirting his little gel syringe in the front of the cabinets - like right at the hinges. I never once saw him reach all the way back.

I won't complain though. We did get 7 bags of crap thrown out. And to celebrate, Scott and I took off right after the bug man left for an early dinner at Mama Melrose's. (originally made a 4:10 reservation so that we could go see Fantasmic, but were so exhausted we just came home after) We were seated at a table in the very last section of the restaurant, next to the wall, which happened to be decorated thusly:

I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I want Placido Domingo watching me eat. I wanted to take a picture of him and Scott together, but Scott wouldn't cooperate. We pigged out on an assortment of artisan breads and mozzarella/tomato salad, Scott had the steak with gorgonzola butter (and red pepper polenta...ick!) and I had pork marsala with mushroom risotto. We split a piece of cheesecake for dessert, along with a glass of port.Scotty likey dee port. Jamie likey the tiny glass - like the size you'd give a six-year-old his wine in, if you were so inclined. Anyone else think Scott should totally make this his Facebook profile? Aunt Rose would be so proud...

The next 2 weeks are going to be pretty nuts for me. I'm working every day next week except Wednesday, training Friday and Saturday (training someone else - not me being trained), a 2-hour class this Tuesday and an 8-hour class next Monday. And then ELECTION DAY the next day. I'll be hosting an election night party for myself, similar to my Emmy party, with random appetizer foods and a bottle of rosé I got from my boss last week. And I certainly pray that I'm not drowning my sorrows in bubbles by the end of the night.

So if you don't hear from me, assume I'm fine, just working or sleeping!

Happy Horse S--t

If Scott ever calls you up at work and the first thing out of his mouth is, "listen to this happy horse shit," just hang up and don't answer the phone for the rest of your shift. Trust me, it'll make your life simpler!



He did this to me Monday when he got home from work. Why? The apartment people left us a memo on our door that said:

Your home is scheduled for a pest clean out treatment. This service involves intensified application of all cabinets in both the kitchen and bathroom areas...



For best results, you must remove all products, dishes, pots, glasses, paper goods, etc. from these areas. When removing these items, please place them in the living room or bedrooms away from treatment areas so our technicians can work more effectively...


Scheduled cleanout date: 10/22/08

Someone was happy to hear the news - this is Milo in a box, inside a box, on top of another box! The cardboard trifecta!

So they gave us one full day to basically empty out the kitchen and the bathroom. That's five years worth of accumulated stuff in a day. I managed to score two empty boxes from work, and we found 2 other empty boxes and 2 laundry baskets in the house. First we cleaned the living room (which was our original plan for the day). Then we cleaned the kitchen. Then we pulled everything out of the cabinets and pantry.

It's possible the fumes from the "poison cabinet" under the kitchen sink may have gotten to Scott.

The end result? A temporary disaster area. Of course, once we are allowed to reload the cabinets and the closets, the result will be a much cleaner home. We'll still need to clean out the random crap accumulated in the dining room and the bedroom, but at least the living room will be clean and clear for a while!

Not pictured: The rolling "pantry," which has been relocated just outside the kitchen; the Christmas tree, which is stored in garbage bags because we couldn't get it apart to put it back in its box, and is now in the bedroom blocking me from getting to my pajamas or socks, or the kitchen counters, which are all cluttered with items for which there were no boxes.

We did learn some stuff in this endeavor:

1. Calling the office and yelling about the obscenely short notice won't do you any good.

2. Milo still doesn't like change. He spent most of yesterday exploring previously blocked-off areas and then growling and hissing at anyone who came near him.

3. Kraft boxed macaroni and cheese has an expiration date.

4. Elphie wants to go to the Good Will. I assume this because she has been in/on the box of unwanted dishes and kitchen wares since it came out of the pantry. By the way, if anyone needs a skillet or three with the non-stick mostly scraped off, a set of six sundae glasses, a plastic plate with Pocahontas on it, or 2 white coffee mugs with the Gevalia logo on them (and gold around the rim) please let me know. I don't even think Good Will wants that stuff!

5. A freshly mopped floor is a magnet for spills. Last night we lost some purple beer (good recommendation, Janette. Scott really liked it) and a cup of Papa John's garlic butter. Watch your step!

Seven garbage bags and 12 hours after we started, we were done. And I mean DONE. We were both passed out before 11:30 last night.

And now all we can do is wait. We can't cook because the stove top is covered by appliances that came out of the cabinets and the oven is full of pots and pans. We can't do the dishes because the dishwasher is full of clean dishes that needed a home. We have dinner plans tonight, but I'm hesitant to leave the house if they haven't come by then because I don't want the cats and the guinea pig to become desegregated in our absence.

I guess Scott was right. Horse shit. Total horse shit.

Issues

For some reason, my computer says that the blogger.com site doesn't exist.  So until I get that figured out, don't expect to see much of me.

 

Here's some entries you're missing:

 

* Since I already have a Phillies hat, I guess I'll be cheering for them.  Sorry, Rays!  (and yes, you're missing a picture)

 

* Sarah Palin on SNL?  Meh.  Sarah Palin on DWTS?  Now you're talking!  (also, very funny picture goes here)

 

* Here's a video of Barack roasting John McCain at the Smith Dinner.  (oh wait, no video!)

 

Well, I guess you'll just have to assume I have lots of fun and witty things to say.

 

Hmph!

WWJtPD?

What? Didn't you watch last night's debate? Here's the story.

Actually, I've got MSNBC on behind me, and they were carrying a Sarah Palin rally live. She actually changed her "Joe Six Pack" line to "Joe and Jane Plumber" as if this particular plumber is just an idea.

If I were Joe, that wouldn't please me at all!

Bad Kitten!

Taking a quick moment between birthday celebrations (mom's yesterday, Luke's tonight) to bring another "bad kitten" moment.

Last night, I heard weird noises coming from the kitchen, looked over, and my stream-of-consciousness narrative went something along the lines of "Shit! Elphie get DOWN! Fine, but you are totally getting hosed after I take a picture!"


Please note the box of grits mid-air. Not so much a sign of a good photographer as a lucky one!

And now I am off to study my sample ballot and figure out what the heck Amendment 3 is all about.

More Pictures

Here are some more pictures from our soggy afternoon in Epcot:






Like I said in the other entry, it was very rainy. Obviously, we made the best of it. :)

Monday Munchies

(reported on Tuesday)

read on for descriptions of the items above

Scott and I decided back in August to do one of the "Food & Wine Tasting" events during the Festival this year. We thought the one entitled "Sushi, Sake and Sashimi" would be fun, because we like sushi, but haven't really exposed ourselves to anything really weird. And neither of us really knows anything about sake.

The weather yesterday sucked. It poured on and off all afternoon, and we got caught twice in sideways rain. It would have been a great day to sit at home with the windows open and read books. Instead, we hiked all the way around the World Showcase in squishy socks.

It was TOTALLY worth it!

The meal progressed from traditional to modern (American) selections:

The first of the three courses was the sashimi - tuna with fresh wasabi (yeah fresh - like ground right off the root! yum!) served with shredded dikon and seaweed. This was paired with Kurosawa sake.

The second course (pictured above) contained an unexpected treat for Scott. From left to right, they were Wagyu Beef Aburi with Fresh Wasabi (rare - seared on top with a blow torch right before serving), Marinated Tuna, Shime Salmon, and Eel with Egg Omelet.

The Wagyu was by far the highlight of the meal. The sous chef ("Tony") walked around during this course showing a piece of Wagyu and a piece of American steak to show the difference in the marbling, and Scott wanted me to help him steal the meat and run out.

The other items were good, too. The tuna was marinated in soy, and was delicious. The salmon (topped with fresh ginger) was better than Scott or I expected it to be. And the eel was sweet with a strange texture. Of course, I had a little trouble getting my eel onto the chopsticks. By that point, I had finished my second serving of sake (the "Katana") and was having difficulty with my hand-eye coordination.

The final "modern" dish was Tempura California Roll with Volcano Sauce. It was tasty, though the tempura had cooled and gotten chewy. I took the volcano sauce - mayo with chili powder - in moderation, and then Scott used what was left on my plate on his last piece. The final sake "Okuno" tasted more like vodka than anything else, and actually intensified the chili flavor on my tongue. Ouch!

And so, we walked out of the event with an appreciation for sake. I still don't think it's something I'd keep on hand at home, but I really got how well it paired with the Japanese food. And we're both craving more Wagyu sushi. Food for thought: That one piece of meat, would probably retail for about $10. And I'm sure Scott would agree: worth every penny!

Sunday Snippets

...a list of random odds & ends tied into one post

Yesterday The Restaurant got a new menu item: Grouper with Geoduck Clams. What's a geoduck? Well first of all, you pronounce it gooey-duck. And here's some pictures. Did you blush a little? I was explaining to The Chef that The Husband (you know - Scott) was quite intrigued. After all, and product that has been featured on Dirty Jobs, No Reservations, and the Bald Man's Quest for Disgusting Food must be tried! The Chef claimed he didn't know it had been on any of those shows, but I totally think it's on the menu because it was on those shows.

Next Topic: Politics

(notice how I sandwiched between less divisive subject matter)

I want to move to Georgia so that I can vote for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA). Regarding the recent shenanigans at McCain-Palin rallies, he said:

"What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse,"

You should read the rest of the article, too. Looks like McCain can dish it, but he can't take it.

And finally, a healing moment of kitten cuteness

Elphie then and now. Look how much bigger she is compared to the kitchen tiles:

Elph-butt is at that stage where she doesn't understand "no," and thinks that being on the kitchen counter might actually be worth getting hosed with the squirt bottle. In short, kitty adolescence. Scott and I have basically ruled out a Christmas tree this year, because she's insane and uncontrollable. I have that wreath from last year - I figure we'll throw a string of lights on it along with a dozen ornaments, and voila! Instant Christmas!

Milo's first Christmas was when I lived with Cat. We had a 18" fake tree I got from WalGreens. It sat on top of the entertainment center, and we locked Milo in the laundry room when we left home so that he wouldn't jump up there unsupervised and knock the whole thing down. Somehow it seems more humane to just rule out the tree this year!

Saturday Morning Politicking

Today I'm not going to talk Presidential politics, except to say this: think of every commercial put out by the McCain campaign in the past few weeks. Policy discussion? Economic, environmental, or social plans? Not so much. Mud-slinging at its finest. Now I'd like to share a quote from Senator McCain back in 2000:

“I just have to rely on the good judgment of the voters not to buy into these negative attack ads. Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don’t have much of a vision for the future or you’re not ready to articulate it.”

And now for the other portion of today's entry: Florida's Amendment 2:

"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

Now is probably a good time to mention that same-sex marriage is already illegal in Florida. The religious right and the homophobes think that this issue - moreso than guarantees for education, care for old people, or protection of the environment - needs to be in the State Constitution.

Similar amendments in other states are being used to take away benefits from public employees (Kentucky, for instance), and dissolve domestic partnership registries used to provide health care benefits and pensions (in Michigan). Broward and Palm Beach Counties and the cities of Tampa, Gainesville and Miami Beach, among others, offer Domestic Partnership Registries. Most Florida universities and more than half of Fortune 500 companies offer Domestic Partnership benefits. These benefits would be placed at risk, if not outright abolished, if this amendment passes. (previous paragraph blatantly stolen from here)

Regardless of what you feel about gay people ("eww...icky") or gay marriage ("the Bible says nooooooo"), I can't imaging that anyone out there really thinks it's a good idea to make it impossible to visit a partner in the hospital, or to take away insurance benefits. The people this amendment will affect are human beings and deserve the right to live their lives without interference like this.

Come on, Florida. Let's try to fix our existing problems rather than create new ones for other people.

Seas

While at Epcot last week, we actually did do things other than eat. We rode Soarin' and Spaceship Earth, and hung out in the Living Seas where there were FOUR dolphins in the tank at once. Sadly, my camera just isn't that into taking pictures through 6" glass, and my dolphin pictures all sucked.

I had much better luck taking pictures of things in the smaller aquariums. Here's my rockin' cuttlefish photo and a giant clam (about to suck up that poor clown fish!):

Shiny Happy Kitten

It's been a while since I overwhelmed y'all with the absolute cuteness that is Miss Elphaba. So here's two pictures for you. The first, with the disdained "I am allowing you to sit under me" look reminds me so much of Mr. French it's creepy. The second is what I see all the time - Elphie attacking something.

But really, have you ever seen a shinier cat? She's so sleek I sometimes think she's part otter!

"Awesome" Notes

"Use your words, Jamie!"

Somehow, the word "awesome" has sneaked back into my vocabulary in a big ugly way. Today, I was writing a note to our Operations Manager (henceforth known as "guy who didn't hire me") on a post-it:

Guy who didn't hire me,
Here's an awesome guest compliment letter that The Boss thought you'd enjoy.
JM

And then right before I left for the night, I left a stack of brand new cocktail menus (transcribed from the lounge menus with big tacky photos that The Boss doesn't feel has any place in his stuffy uptight dining room) on The Boss's desk with the following note:

You're welcome!
Yes, I am awesome! :-)
J-Mo

I don't know what's come over me! Really though, it's got to stop.

I've heard it said that using profanity is a sign of unintelligence. I guess the theory is that someone more articulate could express the same feeling without resorting to vulgarity. Frankly, sometimes I think a good "fuck" is an excellent way to get your point across. And if you can use the same word 20+ times in one post and not come off looking like a ghetto superstar, more power to you.

But awesome?!?! That just makes you sound like you're trapped in the 80's. And that's not good for anyone! Tsk tsk.

Caught Blue-Handed

(nope, not the post where I confess a Smurf fetish)

(also not the post where I talk about massive bruising caused by slamming my hand in a car door)

Apparently yet another of the blue gel ice packs for my lunch has sprung a leak. I didn't notice a puddle in the lunch box like last time though, so I'm not 100% sure. All I know is that I looked down and my finger was blue! And another finger was blue! And one knuckle on my other hand: also blue!

Tampons

Yes, I'm writing an entire entry about feminine hygiene products. Not just feminine hygiene products, but the ones that go inside the body.

**gasp!**

Why? Because it's my blog and I'll do weird stuff if I want to. Besides, recently it feels like I'm the only one reading what I'm writing anyway. "Hello, Internet, are you there? It's me, Jamie."

The entry is about tampons, not their use, or their effectiveness. There is a photo, but only the applicators are showing. And they were in mint condition until I placed them out on my bathroom floor. Yes, I wasted three tampons for this photo. But trust me, photo evidence was necessary.

So I assume by now I've scared off anyone not interested in reading about tampons. I guess it's safe to continue. So here's my story:

Up until now, I have been exposed to two types of Playtex tampons (yes, plastic applicators will some day block out the sun, but I like the Playtex product so much more than their cardboard brethren I'm willing to sacrifice the planet): the yellow (regular) packaging and the pink (super) packaging. I'm a yellow kind of gal, but always seem to have pinks around because half the time the store is out of yellow, and I'd rather go pink than go to another brand.

Well, this week apparently I wasn't paying attention and I bought a box of purple tampons. I noticed the purple stripe on the box, but since it wasn't pink, I thought that meant that they changed the yellow to purple.

WRONG!

Purple, it turns out, is ULTRA. And so a few days later, I found myself telling Scott about my mistake. "I've seen smaller things shot out of submarines." Even the applicator is reinforced. Really! Look!

Yellow on the left, followed by pink, and then purple.

The very bottom of the purple applicator has an extra ridge on it, as if the makers of the product are aware that without that little ridge, you would likely cut a circle in the tip of your finger during insertion!

And so the jokes kept rolling with me and Scott. He asked if there was any heavy equipment involved, and I said yes, that the box comes with a grenade launcher... but make sure you hold on tight to that string or Look Out!

With its one gallon absorption ability, you could wear just one tampon through an entire cycle. You know, theoretically, if you weren't worried about TSS or the fact that you would definitely feel "not so fresh" by the end.

Also, I'm not taking a picture of this, but if you were to insert an ULTRA into a glass of water, it would plump up to the diameter of an apple. Seriously - it's scary!

I think that just about covers it. But maybe one more time, just for S&G's, and since I probably won't have this opportunity again: Tampon!

Food & Wine Part Three

Don't skip ahead! Start with part one and part two!

Louisiana

Seafood Gumbo

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 1 - *gag* tasted like rotten fish to me!

Crawfish Etouffée

Scott: 4

Jamie: 4 - I thought it would be too spicy, but I found it delightful.

Abita "Purple Haze" Beer

Scott: 3 - It was good, but no Sam Adams

Praline Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Scott: 2.5 - cloyingly sweet

Jamie: 2.5 - what he said...and way too many pecans

Free Mini Tabasco Bottles: Priceless!

Turkey

Manti with Yogurt Sauce

(Note: manti is a spicy beef ravioli)

Scott: 4 - sour to the point of being sweet

Jamie: 4 - would've been a 5 if it didn't look like a pile of vomit! I really enjoyed it!

Canada

Chateau des Charmes Riesling

Jamie: 4 - I got carded when I ordered this! The first wine I had at the Festival, I can't tell you a thing about it, but I remember that I liked it!

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Scott: 4.5

Jamie: 5 - A festival favorite every year, though the predominant flavor in the soup is bacon, not cheese!

Vidal Icewine

Jamie: 5

Scott: 5 - Thick, sweet, with a honey after-taste. "Scotty like dee expensive wine!"

And Last But Not Least...

Puerto Rico

(left) Mofongo

(beef with green plantains, pork cracklings, shrimp and something like salsa)

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 2 - the salsa was a redeeming feature. Both of us could see how this could be tasty if made well and served fresh, but this wasn't.

(right) "Gypsy's Arm" Guava Jelly Roll

Scott: 5 - tasty! I don't usually like guava, and this was very sweet, but sweet in a good way.

Jamie: 5 - first thing I had on day #1, last thing I had on day #2.

Plantain and Beef Casserole

Scott: 4.5 (once we scraped some of the diced red peppers off the top)

Jamie: 5 - Scott wants to learn how to make this, and I'm going to let him!

Frozen Mojito

Scott: 5 - Even though it was a "slushie" it was very well balanced. They used Bacardi Limon, which I usually don't like, but in this case it worked!

Jamie: 4.5 - I was shocked that you could still taste the mint so well without any actual pieces of mint in the drink!

So that's our culinary world tour. We hope you are drooling on your keyboard right now.

...and I would like to leave you with two photos of Scott - a study of mojitos - taken at the start of day #1, and the end of day #2. That's how you know we were on vacation!!

Food & Wine Part Two

Have you read Part One? If not, start there!

Ireland

(left) Frozen Irish Coffee

Jamie: 5 - Yum! It's an alcoholic Frappuccino!

(middle) Boxty with Bacon Chips and Kerrygold Garlic & Fresh Herb Butter

Scott: 4

Jamie: 4.5 - picture corned beef and cabbage wrapped in a potato pancake with herb butter on top. Only, you know, there wasn't actually any corned beef.

(right) Guinness Draught

Scott: 4

Irish Cheese Selection: Cheddar, Dubliner, Ivernia with apple chutney and brown bread

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 3 - There was nothing wrong with the
cheeses, but they all tasted the same and were served cold. The cheese booth put this plate to shame. And that bread... doesn't look brown to me!

Potato Leek Soup with Dubliner Cheese Stick

Scott: 4 - Very creamy, light with a leeky undertone. The cheese stick was light in texture but intense in flavor.

Jamie: 3 - I didn't find it nearly creamy enough.

Time for a photographic interlude from the "Pearville Fair" section. Nothing to eat here but whole pairs, but still a fun photo op!

Hops and Barley

a.k.a. "The Beer Booth"

a.k.a. The booth with the mile-long line

Sam Adams Cherry Wheat

Jamie: 3 - which for a beer is pretty darn good!

Scott: 5 - It's his favorite beer, and can currently be found in our fridge

Sam Adams 13th Annual Festival Lager

Jamie: 2.5 - I didn't like it, but the flavor was layered and complex

Scott: 3.5

San Francisco, USA

Seared Beef Medallion with Cheddar Cheese Polenta

Scott: 4 - The polenta was very creamy. Beef had a little too much rosemary on it.

New Zealand

Lamb Slider on a Brioche Roll

Scott: 3 -Liked the roll, meat cooked well, the gravy was "eh."

Jamie: 3.5 - Tasted like pot roast on bread. I wouldn't have known it was lamb.

Bay Scallops with Baby Greens and Cranberry Vinaigrette

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Jamie: 4 - this was the first red I tasted on night #1, and I don't remember anything specific about the flavor, but I remember that it was delicious and really enhanced the mini pot roast sandwich!

Morocco

Grilled Beef and Hummus in a Pita Pocket

(note: that's the description in the festival guide, but there was definitely no hummus on there. instead, there was a salsa-like garnish)

Scott: 1 - It had been sitting at least an hour. The pita was soggy, hummus was missing, and the "hamburger" didn't have any flavor.

Mint Iced Tea

Scott: 4

Jamie: 5 - I love mint tea, and at this point of day #2, I needed something cold and refreshing. Hooray for countries without alcohol!

We're still not done! Part three will be here before you know it!

Food & Wine Part One

WARNING: This entry is *way* photo-heavy. But we all like pictures, right?

Scott and I spent this weekend working our way through the World Showcase like grazing livestock, eating all sorts of interesting foods - most really good, some colossally terrible. Here's our full Food & Wine Festival experience, in the order of the Festival Guide:

(and before you judge too harshly, please remember these pictures were taken over the span of two days and 3-4 meal periods and fed both of us)

With each photo is a description of the food/beverage and a rating on a scale of 1-5 from Scott and/or I.

(top left) From the Chile booth: Dulce de Leche (we also had the Empanada, which was delicious, but ate it before I could take the picture!)

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

(middle) From the "Mouse Catch" booth: Trio of cheeses - Dorothea, Manchego, Asiago

Scott: 5

Jamie: 5 (none were too stinky for us, and the man at the booth gave a great spiel for each and told me what order to eat them in)

(top right) Marqués de Caceres Rioja.

Jamie: 4. Awesome pairing, and even Scott appreciated it, but we both agree that a port would've been better.

Argentina:

(left) Beef with Chimichurri Sauce

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3 - tastes like pesto to me!

(right) Beef and Corn Pie

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3

Spain:

Seared Tuna Loin with Spicy Red Pepper Coulis and Garlic-Herb Ciabatta

Scott: 2.5 - Tuna was good, not good enough to cover the red peppers

Jamie: 3

Bodegas...Rosé

Jamie: fruity, worked well with the red peppers. It's nothing I'd seek out again

Austria:

(left) Tafelspitz - beef brisket with horseradish sauce and red-skin potato

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 4 - I had a bite of this on night #1 when I was super-full and went back of day #2 to try it again!

(below) Goulash with Bacon Dumpling

Scott: 3

Jamie: 3 - tasty beef stew, neither of us really cared for the texture of the dumpling

China:

(left) Pork Pot Stickers

Scott: 3.5

Jamie: 3.5 - Just like what you'd find at the local Chinese take-out

(right) Chicken Sha Cha

Scott: 2.5

Jamie: 1.5 - Something about this one made me gag. Didn't like the sauce, and didn't like the chicken. ick!

India:

Samosa with Tamarind Sauce

Scott: -1

Jamie: 1

Had I known it would be this awful, I would have taken a picture of Scott tasting it. The filling was too spicy, the curry was too overwhelming, and even the tamarind sauce (we have enjoyed tamarind in the past) tasted like it was laced with habanero peppers!

Australia

(next two photos)

Pepperberry Prawns on the Barbie with Sweet Potato Hash

Scott: 3.5 - Slightly peppery with a nice sweetness. The hash was good but peppery.

Yewllowglen "Pink" Sparkling Wine

Jamie: 3.5 - I liked it, even though it wasn't as pink as I thought it would be. This wine is sold in our local Publix, and was tasty enough that next time I'm in the mood for something sparkling I'll consider it.

Wattleseed Mousse

Jamie: 3 - The description included "coffee soaked lady fingers," so I was expecting something like tiramisu. It was good, but not as good as that. At least the seeds didn't get stuck in my teeth!

Chilled Barramundi Fish with a Fennel Slaw

Scott: 2

Jamie: 1 - Cold fish? None for me unless it's sushi!

Germany

Regensburger Sausage with Sauerkraut in a Pretzel Roll

Scott: 4 - Only complaint was the seasoning of the brat (too mild). The pretzel roll was moist and the sauerkraut was good too.

This brings us to the end of Part One. Stay tuned for beer, mojitos, "lamb sliders" and more!