20 October 2008

happenings

Evidently I'm not worthy of two forks...
Let me explain.

My sister was visiting this past weekend, and I wanted to show her around and have a good time together. The place I wanted to go (a cozy little European cafe) was mysteriously closed. I sincerely hope it isn't permanent. Perhaps they were hosting a private party. Anyway, instead we went downtown and I took her to a fancy restaurant for appetizers. Since we weren't incredibly hungry and I'm not made of money, that is all we ordered. Immediately after placing our orders, the waitress began removing plates and silverware from our table. At this point my sister leaned over and whispered "I guess we aren't worthy of two forks." The more I think about it, the more I wonder why it was so important to remove those forks right at that time. Couldn't we have enjoyed the illusion that we were elite and deserved to have multiples of the same utensil? We sat tall and sipped our ice water like we belonged. Never mind that we only had one fork. No one can make us feel uncomfortable. Next time I'm bringing my own fork.

Another adventure we had consisted of a Walmart run in a desperate attempt to find a movie to rent cheaply. (I'm afraid I frequent redbox rather than blockbuster) We encountered two young men who were over eager and very loud as they "followed" us around the video display. At one point my sister picked up a DVD that looked promising and announced that everyone should own it. The title -- The House without a Christmas Tree -- We studiously ignored them and eventually they seemed to get the idea and moved on their way. However, when we went to the car they appeared in the parking lot right next to us. After speeding up, swerving erratically and waving their arms out of the windows (receiving no response from us) they finally gave up. Yes, that's right. If you want to impress us, you have to do more than just show off your expert driving skills and knowledge of discount movies. Sorry guys, better luck next time.

The rest of the weekend was profitable and relaxing. I found some good deals on home decor and am very excited about decorating my apartment. Almost everything was on sale, or 'damaged' so I managed to knock off a dollar here and there. I love bargain shopping! Hopefully I can borrow a camera soon and post pictures of my place. No promises, but I will do my best.

In other news, I have started my fund for a trip to Europe next year. Here I come, Poland!

~me

12 October 2008

follow your nose

For the third year in a row I made an appearance at the World Food Festival sponsored by Wells Fargo. This is basically a weekend of opportunities to try various ethnic dishes for an affordable price -- all in one place! In the past I've gone with a couple friends on Saturday morning, but this time I dropped in on Friday night. It was considerably more crowded, and quite a few people were drinking...not apple juice either. I've always been intrigued by their salsa dancing demonstration, but this time I was treated to a live performance. I'm not sure what the band was called, but the members were decked out in green plaid kilts, black boots and black knee socks playing bagpipes and dancing around the stage! It was a sight to be sure. I sampled some Indian vegetable cutlets, a nice steaming cup of chai, a Bosnian pita with cheese and a Greek gyro. All in all, I think it was a successful adventure.