Indulgence

philadelphia indulgence dark chocolate cream cheese.

dip pretzels in it.

most delicious snack of all time.

you're welcome.

Columbia

Yesterday Candice, Julie and I explored everything downtown has to offer.

We ate at Mr. Friendly's in Five Points, and I had the most amazing pork chop of my life. It was topped with pimento cheese and an apple wood bbq sauce with mashed potatoes and collard greens on the side. It was so delicious. I only managed to get a picture of the fried green tomatoes appetizer because the pork smelled so good, I was halfway done before I thought to take a picture of it. Then I drove them around to all of the interesting things in Columbia. And Candice snapped a picture of my poor conehead, Stella. 

It was such a fun afternoon; another outing is in order.

"I'm the greatest star . . .

I am by far. But no one knows it."

image found here.

I live a secret life in my car when I'm driving. Broadway. Belting out the hits with the greats. Streisand, Menzel, RENT, Les Mis, etc. In my car I am invincible. No inhibitions. No one can hear me, but me. Broadway. My ultimate dream job (if only I had the voice). So for now, I'll keep my steering wheel and air vent audience. They seem to like me okay. They haven't complained yet.

mistaken

Here's my conversation from last night at church*. All I had to do was make an announcement to the girls about Summer camp.

YW Leader: Hi, I don't think I've met you before. What's your name?

Me: Alyssa. That's nice. She's being really friendly.

Leader: Oh, nice to meet you! Would you like to conduct opening exercises? 

Me: No...oh geez, she thinks I'm one of the girls...I'm the camp director for my ward. I'm just here to make an announcement.

Leader: Oh.

She then went and asked one of the actual girls to start the meeting, as I stood there contemplating the fact that I am five years older than the very oldest of the teenage girls who attend YW, and eleven years older than the youngest of them. I know I'm short and look young, but I don't think I look like a teenager anymore. Sigh.

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Then after church we went to Barnes & Noble. I was standing in the literature aisle browsing when a man came up to me.

Man: Do you know where I can find the Orwell section? You used to have a big display/section of Orwell's books.

Me: Um ... I've got no idea ... I don't work here. Why don't you try the literature section. Under the letter O. You know, Orwell. O. Pretty simple.

Man: (walks off with a grunt like he's mad I don't know where the books are in a store that I told him I don't work in)

Sheesh. I am not a Barnes & Noble employee (though that one doesn't really bother me) and I am not a teenager. I know, I know - I'll love it when I'm in my thirties and people think I'm still in my twenties, but right now it pretty much sucks to be a college graduate and often mistaken for a teenager.

*disclaimer: YW = Young Women (it's the organization for the teenage girls to get together and fellowship); Camp Director = The one who makes sure all the girls pass off every prerequisite to go to Summer camp. Opening Exercises = the person (always one of the girls) who welcomes everyone, shares a spiritual thought, and assigns someone to say the opening prayer. Ward = congregation that meets every Sunday for church service.

into the woods

image found here.

"In the thickest part of the woods, where the trees were only ten feet apart, it could be any date I chose, and sometimes it seemed to me that all the years were one, a handful of seasons repeating themselves, the conversations like snakes swallowing their own tails."

hood  |  emma donoghue

yesterday

[Yesterday was

Lunched with my mom.
Watched X-Files with my dad+mom.
Picked up my brother from school.
Sonic Strawberry Limeade.
This documentary. So so good.
Finalized birthday gifts for my husband.
Community Concert Band Rehearsal.

good.]

charleston

Yesterday I drove to Charleston and back for my father in law's law firm. My destination? The courthouse on the corner of Broad Street and Meeting Street downtown. Knowing the parking nightmare that is downtown Charleston, and armed with a map of the public parking garages, I planned to park in a garage on Queen Street a few blocks away from the courthouse. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of visiting the most beautiful city on Earth, it's right on the ocean. There are beautiful beaches, the most amazing historic buildings, parks, The Battery right along the harbor. But it's also a maze of really narrow - think late-1600s narrow - one-way streets. Finding parking even a few blocks away from your destination is a somewhat lofty goal. Finding street parking anywhere in the city is practically impossible. Don't even try. But I digress.

As I made my way to the center of downtown, I got caught in a right turn only lane with no hope of going back. I turned. And then, along with a bus, battled out the extreme narrowness and craziest excuse of a two-lane road that is King Street. Eventually, I found myself on Broad Street. Then something amazing happened. All of the planets and stars aligned. A woman left. I took her spot. On the street. In the heart of downtown Charleston. It was only a fifteen minute meter, so I looked around to get my bearings, and tried to figure out if I could make it to the courthouse and back in fifteen. I knew I had to be close, but was I fifteen minutes on foot round trip close? I looked up and around, and realized I was parked right in front of the courthouse. Lit'rally right in front. I got a spot on the street in front of the building I wanted to go to. In Charleston. People, this.does.not.happen. It was a parking miracle.

Moral of the story: Charleston is beautiful. The parking craziness is well worth it. You should be planning your trip right now. Seriously. Stop everything and come.

Henri

Presenting "Henri le chat noir" un film de Will Braden

and its sequel

Existentialist cat for the win. How I adore existentialism. And cats. And French.

easter 2012

easter 2012 was great for us. the hubs took me shopping for a new easter dress. it was a huge success. we went to church in the morning, and then stuffed our faces at my parents' house with lots of yummy food while watching the final round of the Masters. all in all a very southern easter. pearls. food. golf. family.

books + blue sky