In a recent post on "Notes from the Voodoo Cafe" (see my fav blogs listed on the left here), Rice (can't make that thing over the e happen) mentioned the Big Ass Road Trip (or something like that) she and EGE took a couple of years ago. Actually, that BART included the occasion that introduced Rice and the EGE to me. We were all at Art and Soul Hampton, VA, spring 2009. They are both as smart, talented and funny as her blog posts suggest, and the EGE is as laid-back as she is out-going. I was building a pelican from a fabulous adult sort of papier mache product in a class, and the EGE wandered in with his camera. I never saw him that week without his camera and monopod. That afternoon, he was wearing really great jeans with zentangles all over, with a bright pink shirt. When I told him my husband would wear the same kind of clothes, he didn't really believe me. I guess for good reason. ANYWAY, this is about our Flexible Ass Road Trip (FART). It formed in our heads as a volunteer, domestic winter trip. A rental house purchase at home postponed our volunteer plans, backing us up close to the Dead Zone which is the end of the year/Christmas break. We still believed we'd be volunteers after the holiday. Stuart actually did get in a couple of days of nail banging for Habitat4Humanity here, and saw their massive operation. Then Christmas week arrived, and everyone went shopping. I didn't call the local Literacy Council, knowing there was little I could do before the Big Ass Shopping TimE (BASTE). So, we concentrated on finding waters to paddle our kayaks. We imagined we would paddle a little more than we have, but the rain or wind or cold have kept the kayaks on top of the truck too much. OK. We bought a temporary membership at a local gym. Now, that's worked out pretty well. I've been almost every day, joining group work-out sessions such as spinning and hooping. Stationary bicycle and hula-hoop. HA! I loved the hoop class, and have bought a custom-made hoop from Laney, the instructor. But, I've mostly cooked. This first photo is the collection of mostly olive oils on my kitchen counter. I think there are 5 different evoo's in the total collection. Obviously, I was cooking brussel sprouts this week...evoo and coarse salt, roasted. Yummm!
Joe Patti's Seafood Market sold to me some calimari tubes, extra-large size, $3.99/lb, for stuffing with shrimp ($1.99/lb, heads on) and spinach (Publix, in a bag). Anne Burell's Braised Stuffed Calamari recipe. Oh, my, Good!
Second pic: calamari tubes in my sink.
Third pic: calamari tubes stuffed, and ready for the tomato braising. Aren't they gorgeous?!?
Fourth pic: This white pelican sat on the rail at the downtown dock, waiting for the man who was fishing close by to share. I walked up very close to this pelican, and he was totally unfazed by my presence.
Just a few notes on our FART (flexible ass road trip). More to come.
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