Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Things to do with DD on a rainy day….

So what happens when you bring someone a ½ dozen donuts from elsewhere and you never end up getting together? Rather than letting those babies go to waste (or in this case, waist) – you get creative!

My creative bulb burst after reading about people who make (gack) Krispy Kreme soup. That’s a little over the edge for me, but when you are talking donuts, anything goes.

In my case, I thought starting out with plain ole milk would be great, but since we were out of virtually everything during the recent SoCal weather splurge, I hade to get EXTRA nifty and used Vanilla Nestle Quik….I poured some (about a cup) onto the stovetop into a frying pan with the same amount of water. I then broke up the somewhat stale leftover donuts that were disintegrating and let everything simmer together for about 10 minutes (it starts to look like oatmeal). As I stirred it, I threw in some powdered sugar for some grip.

Once all of the liquid absorbed, I raised the heat to high and fried up the donut guts. It starts out very globby, but as it fries up it retains a new, globular stiff mold (add more powdered sugar, roo) and tastes much like what it is – greezy, delicious, re-fried doughnut dough. I served it hot with vanilla ice cream and black coffee. Omg. Heaven with tons of calories! Ba dunk a dunk.

Monday, September 24, 2007

... and the City, Part 2

The next leg of our trip included Dunkin’ Donuts, Luby’s in downtown Tinley Park (fabulous lunch with my adorable father and entertaining Auntie’s…)

It’s a damn good thing there are no Dunkin’ Donuts out in these parts or I would be bigger than some of the colossal mansions that frequent almost every square inch of the better parts of L.A. It’s not so much the donuts – I mean, donuts are just plain, greasy goodness. But it’s the coffee.

Now there is argument on this topic: personally, in its virgin form, I think it pretty much sucks. But if you get it the way it’s SUPPOSED to be enjoyed, you would know that extra cream and extra sugar is a requirement. True, everything tastes good with an extra vat of both, but trust me when I tell you that a good cup of DD coffee with the works is like drinking the best slice of cake, only warm and fuzzy going down.

And then there was lunch -- Luby’s was our second choice. The truth is, the food was forgettable, but the entertainment, AWESOME. My aunts, both in their 70’s, are the hippest, coolest, most up-to-date-with-everything-of-interest people you could ever meet. They occasionally drop ‘f’ bombs (well, one of them) and they tell the BEST stories and love to listen to yours. So, lo and behold, nothing good to say about the restaurant except the bar in back looked fun and upon being there around one in the afternoon, I noted that almost everyone (young and old) had martinis. Oh, and like everything Chicago, there was a nice BIG “Bears” emblem on the door.

Da’ Bears. Wearing Bears clothes anywhere in Illinois is trendy. That morning I was getting a mani/pedi in possibly the slowest nail salon I have ever been in. I believe I was there for 1 ½ hours and had had my Big Gulp size DD coffee and was ready to writhe on the floor from boredom. Anyhow…after my pedi, I was getting my dreadfully long mani and started to people watch when I realized the woman next to me was practically in costume: Bears blue shorts with bright orange polo with Bears blue tank underneath. Then I noticed her jewelry: football “teeth” leather band around one wrist, Bears charm bracelet AND a whopping BIG C Bears ring. If that weren’t enough, I noted Bears flip flops…who knew??

Not quite the flips flops, but sheesh!!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

…. And the City, PART 1

Another trip to Chicago was had. As per usual, it was fast, hurried, harried and overly booked, but still fun.

One thing me and The Man have NOT gotten down to a science is the fact that in order to take pictures, SOMEON E has to remember to bring the damn camera. And in that same realm, if we don’t remember to bring the digital camera (or can’t find it), we should bring one of the many throw-away cameras we have filling our kitchen junk drawer.

That NOT being the case, I will give you a guided tour via the Internet…(or as they say I the town that I grew up in, “the Internets”)

Let me start by saying we received a nice warm welcome in arriving to Midway Airport. I mean warm in that there were not razor sharp winds or heaps of snow. It was quite balmy, especially at 1:30 AM.

After picking up our rental car, I decided to take the Man to the City to the (drum roll, please), Weiner’s Circle. That’s right kids. Hot dogs are among the bevy of good food that the City holds, and this place is one of the greats.

Before we arrived, we drove down Lake Shore drive

to

Wrigley Field (Home of the Chicago Cubs)

and then drove south down Clark Street to check out the sites – bars, restaurants and MORE bars…and many, many drunk folk. I am not talking 1 or 2, but herds of people leaving from one place to another, leaning on one another. Stumbling. And one man was even an acrobat (a wobbly one) and did cartwheels through the intersection only to fall flat before ending his gymnastic-like adventure.

The Weiner’s Circle was VERY interesting. The people working at the counter were, um, let’s say, the RIGHT kind of people to deal with the drunkards that come in their doors after 2 in the morning. For one, we were greeted with, “Mother F---cker, what do you want??” Once they realized we were completely sober, their demeanor changed (even their tip jar said, “Tip me here, Mother F----er!.”) But as we waited, the place became mobbed with the group of college kids that were holding one member of their team up and trying to feed him fries. Then a group of guys that we’d seen further down the street leaving a reggae club came in to chime back with their own “m’fing” language.

The hots dogs and fries? M-effing amazing (even though, all of you kiddies who know me know I DON'T really eat dogs, just a taste :)



Too bad I couldn’t show you REAL pictures, but you can get the jist...next stop?

Navy Pier...

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Credit

Since it was almost a year ago today since my perp tried to get my credit -- I thought I would share this:

I’d encourage anyone and everyone check your credit report NOW from all three credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, Transunion). By law, everyone is entitled at least one free credit report a year. Use the site below to easily navigate the three sites and actually get your credit reports for free. Free. For real. FREE. What do you have to lose?

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/

P.S. Happily, there has been no activity on my report since the beginning of this year, but I implore you -- if you EVER think someone has gotten a hold of your identity, get to the police ASAP.

P.P.S. Is it me or did past year FLY by? I am in shock right now...