September 29th, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by galateadia
1. There is a broom hanging over one of the kitchen doors.
2. I have a canister of flour, and one of sugar.
3. There is a pitcher of sweet mint tea in the fridge.
4. There is an overly large assortment of teas.
5. There are stacks of cookbooks in no less than three rooms.
6. There are at least two books waiting to be read, and residing next to my side of the bed.
7. My print of Pygmalion and Galatea is hanging.
8. My jade trees are on the front porch.
9. I have a functioning computer.
10. There is at least one cat residing in my house.
11. I’m using the coffee table my father made.
12. I have bubble bath.
13. There are random board games left in the dining room.
14. There is a pot or pan on the stove top.
15. I have seasonally decorated small plastic cups.
16. There are at least one or two too many bookshelves in the house.
17. The lamp table James and I met under is in a good location, and still in one piece.
18. I bake something sweet at least once a week.
19. I get to throw a good party at least once a year.
20. I get to make some jam.
Posted in: Home_stuff, Lemming-a-tude
August 20th, 2009 / No Comments » / by galateadia
…finding half-eaten Spongebob cookies on the bathroom windowsill…
Posted in: Photography, Theda
July 17th, 2009 / No Comments » / by galateadia
RIP
Dr. William Howard Philpott
March 1919 – July 2009
Wherever you are, I hope you’ve caught up to your beloved Katherine. I know she was patiently waiting for you.
Posted in: General Things
Tags: Family
June 15th, 2009 / No Comments » / by galateadia
![V-Day Lunch [4]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3348616054_8aa424bbf7_m.jpg)
Posted in: Family, Photography, Theda
January 30th, 2009 / No Comments » / by galateadia
Our main rooster, Lucky
So, this last spring we invested in some chickens. Mostly so we could have egg laying hens in order to sell eggs, though the plans have grown from there. We will be raising poultry hens also.
Anyway, Lucky is a special guy, Lucky has a destiny. He was meant to be in charge.
You see, he was only one of a dozen chicks we bought last spring. He shared his little cage with his brothers and sisters for about a month when the local rogue band of raccoons broke into the cage and ate all of his brothers and sisters. The only surviving chick was Lucky. At the time we had no idea if he was male or female. But he was a rooster, and since we bought six pullets to replace the lost chicks he now has a flock of his very own. He’s a very ‘lucky chicken’ indeed.
And he is very wary, and watchful, and concerned – like a good rooster should be.
So, for all of you locals out there that would like fresh eggs, and in the near future fresh chicken, keep Lucky and me in mind. Occasionally I even deliver!
Posted in: General Things
January 29th, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by galateadia
List 10, local to you, restaurants you love; NO CHAINS (unless they are local places that have 1 or 2 locations, that doesn’t count as a chain)
No particular order on these, I don’t think I could ever narrow it down to most liked and least liked.
1. Golden Phoenix. By far the best pan-asian (with a focus on Chinese and Vietnamese) restaurant in OKC. It’s even been mentioned in the NYTimes. I always get #241 (I think that’s the number), it’s the rice with sauce covered with egg and roasted pork omelette. So simple and so yummy, Chinese comfort food A++.
2. Iggy’s. After Taste of Chicago closed I swear I went into mourning. It took me a little while to find this tiny little hole in the wall in Edmond called Homeplate hotdogs. We visited that place once before the owner moved the location and changed the name to Iggy’s. The place is run by Iggy and his mother, and occasionally a relative. They have all kinds of hot dogs, as well as good philly cheesesteaks, italian beef sandwiches, and chocolate-coated cheesecake on a stick! I run into local celebs in this place all the time.
3. KhaZana. We used to go to Gopuram all the time, until this place opened. More selection, more vegetarian foods, and just a better overall experience. I don’t know what the reviewer in that link is talking about, I think Indian food smells divine and I didn’t really get a sense of this place being overly Americanized to the point it would change anyone’s “ideas” about Indian food. Unless you just had wrongheaded ideas about it in the first place.
4. Queen of Sheba. Such good food! We’ve been there with friends, we’ve been there alone, it’s a great place either way. The only place I know of in OKC that actually has mead on the menu. What, didn’t expect mead on the menu at an Ethiopian restaurant?
5. Tokyo Japanese Restaurant. For sushi this place is pretty damn close to authentic, and if you don’t like raw fish there is a huge menu of other items. It’s close quarters on Friday or Saturday night, but most other nights are busy but not too much so, and the service has never been bad. (Story aside: James and I used to frequent Sushi Neko exclusively because the one time, a long long time ago, that we tried Tokyo there was an unfortunate rotten fish smell outside. We’ve since eaten there a dozen plus times and never smelled any rotten fish. I wonder what was going on that day we first visited?)
6. Classen Grill. It’s a brunch place, or I should say, THE brunch place. The only place in OKC I know of to get beignettes, and their cheese grits are greasy and have got kick. I love the biscuit debris the best, but they are known for their kick ass omelets.
7. Korean House. Located in Del City this place doesn’t look impressive, but their food is fantastic. I especially love the Dwae Ji Bulgogi.
8. Bunny’s Onion Burger. Good ol’ fashioned Oklahoma onion burger. Best I’ve ever had. The place is small, the service is hit or miss, but the burgers are never off. And their fries aren’t bad either. 
9. Mediterranean Deli. Zorba’s is good, but since they’ve moved it’s lacking…something. The Mediterranean Deli has never disappointed. It’s mostly a lunch place, but you can get a early dinner there too as they are open til 6:30. Plus, you can get grocery items here that you just can’t get any where else in OKC (hello wonderful wall of cheeses! whole nutmegs for less than an arm and a leg! freshly cured olives!); and they cater too.
10. La Baguette. I wish we could go here more often. I’ve never been there for brunch, but I bet it’s wonderful too. Our usual MO would be to go here just after work for an early dinner. Even when we looked less than stellar they serve us with a smile and the owner always stops by to talk with us. And the food! Never have had anything I didn’t like here.
Those That Almost Made The List List
Kilkenny’s – Yeah, it’s in Tulsa…but Irish food and good cider! Yum!
Grand House – Despite what I’ve heard from so many other (non-asian) people, I’ve never had a bad dim sum experience here. I love it for more than the food though – I love it on Saturdays when it’s crowded with every color of the rainbow of people, and they are all eating and smiling, kids are running around, the waiters circulating, and it’s just lovely, wonderful, colorful, good-smelling chaos.
Checkerboard Cafe – It’s open in Midwest City again! Go! Go! Eat some pie for me!
Dead, But Not Forgotten, List
1. Taste of Chicago
2. Krystal’s Pizza Palace
Posted in: Food, Restaurant
August 15th, 2008 / No Comments » / by galateadia
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison (I like reindeer better)
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich (I haated them as a kid, but like them well enough now.)
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (in NYC)
16. Époisses (a very strong French cheese reportedly banned from French public transport)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (we even grow them!)
22. Fresh wild berries (if there are wild berries and no visible owners around…they’re mine!)
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese Not likely now, either
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (hell no)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters (top ten fav food)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (love!)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (surprisingly enough the best version I’ve had was at Quizno’s)
33. Salted lassi (but I like Mango Lassi better)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (not a fav; would rather have a martini and a cigarello)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (do chocolate covered ants count?)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (used to have to drink nothing but as a kid)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (I would love to try this!)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (Last, and probably only, time I had one was when I was a kid)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8%
59. Poutine (oh but I want to try some of these!)
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (why would one eat a clay-like anti-caking agent?)
64. Currywurst (Do I have to go to Germany to get it? Where do I find it in the states?)
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (all of them!)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu [A Chinese liquor which sounds like a good accompaniment to roadkill: "There are a number of accounts in English which comment unfavorably on the taste of baijiu, comparing it with rubbing alcohol or diesel fuel."]
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong (was my fav tea when I was a tea-nager)
80. Bellini (I love, love, love peach bellinis)
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse (I will admit I might try it once, but the idea of eating horse doesn’t in the slightest appeal to me)
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox (from Grand Central Station in NYC even!)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
Posted in: Food, Lemming-a-tude
July 16th, 2008 / No Comments » / by galateadia
Posted in: Family, Theda
May 18th, 2008 / No Comments » / by galateadia
So we were all packed up and ready to leave today. But Theda’s little liver had other ideas.She didn’t pass her third
bilirubin test. She gets to spend some nekkidish time (undefined until further tests result in lower levels of bilirubin), in a UV light bed.
And it’s all James’ fault! He had jaundice when he was born, and the pediatric attending said this condition has a high genetic link. I can’t think of a single person in my family born jaundiced.
We’re holding out hope that she will respond well to the phototherapy and they will release her tomorrow. She has company coming in from Tennessee and needs to be home on Tuesday to meet them!
Posted in: Family, Theda
May 17th, 2008 / 2 Comments » / by galateadia
My mother-in-law will be called Lola, as that is the name most grandmas in the Philippines are called. My mother will be grandma, since that is the traditional moniker for such familial relationships in our family. My grandmother, Helen, gets a very special name. She partially chose it herself, it partially chose her.
Great-grandma Helen will be called –
Super Nana!
Posted in: Family, Names, Theda
