So Lovah and I were hanging out several weekends ago. I hopped out of bed and declared it was a great morning for IHOP. Lovah pointed out that I should probably study for the biology clep first and I saw the logic of getting that out of the way so I agreed to wait. As I was studying, visions of enchiladas started to fill my head and I asked him where his favorite Mexican restaurant was. He looked at me confused and said "I thought you wanted to go to IHOP?" I did, but then tacos and enchiladas were dancing around and tormenting my poor starving self. "I do because a nice stack of 'cakes sound good with eggs over easy, BUT so do enchiladas."

A little bit later I asked where a nice non-chain Italian restaurant was because I was thinking a nice fettuccine alfredo or linguine with clam sauce would be divine. He was confused and perhaps a bit exasperated with my loosey-goosey ways. I explained to him that I would know where I wanted to eat by the time we hit his door to leave. I like choices! I change my mind a lot and when it comes to food it depends on my mood. He definitely does not approach things in the same manner as I do and it makes for an interesting discussion.

Anyway, being a dutiful boyfriend (for a brief blip in time), he hauled out the phonebook and found a delightful Italian restaurant. He read the menu to me and I was really interested in a nice plate of pasta, crusty bread, a glass of vino....By the time we left, I decided as much as I was craving Italian food, my diet would be better served by going to Mexican. I don't overeat at Mexi restaurants and I lost the desire for a short stack (there was always Sunday for that).

Lovah has never had Brazilian food and we have,in this little southern backwater where I live, not one, not two, but FIVE Brazilian restaurants to choose from. So I guess I will drive him crazy while I decide which of the five I want to go to this weekend...one also has Greek food, another Italian, another Spanish. It is a nice mix and each has its pluses. He is going to think I lied because I told him we only had four Brazilian restaurants, but as I write this I remembered another one. I think we have more Brazilian restaurants than NYC. The owners are all friends (or former friends in some cases) and they settled in this area together years ago. Lucky us!

Poor Lovah! He likes life nice and orderly: the same-old, same-old. Me? I am like a pinball whizzing around, banging, clanging and making as many bells and whistles ring as possible. I have the attention span of a gnat and it makes for an interesting life for me. For the logic-bound person, I am a conundrum, a walking talking contradiction of choices, dreams, hopes. I hope I never change (don't think there is much worry about that!).

Labels: food, fun and confusion

Okay, the title is a little corny and makes no sense unless you watched SNL when Joe Pesci was on it. I am a Jersey girl. I was born there, but not raised there. Really you cannot take the Jersey out of a girl--ever. I have that sass attitude that attached itself to me at birth if my mother is to be believed.

I developed the ability to change accents as a protection growing up. A "Damn Yankee" girl living in the south was a ripe target for being beaten up on the playground and bus. So out came the "ya'lls" and long drawn out syllables to blend in. It drove my mother nuts at the dinner table and my older brother and I had to speak "proper" at home. When I would go up north to visit the relatives on holidays and for the summer, I became the target of mockery for my "southern drawl" so I quickly learned to adapt my accent to the south Jersey snappy accent. Talk about split personalities!

I have fond memories of my summers with my grandma and grandpa in Elizabeth, NJ. My grandma would throw me a birthday party in conjunction with July 4th since I was never there on my birthday. I guess I got a little spoiled and I thought the fireworks were all for me ;). My nemesis was my friend Lisa's brother: Little Ricky. Ricky is my age and he has blonde, blue-eyed good looks. He tortured me constantly--pulled my hair, chased me on his bike, and once he even kissed me. I hated him, yet I liked the attention (ah, the eternal man-woman dynamic). Looking back, I do believe Ricky had a crush on me and was doing his best to let me know.

Then there was a boy named Kyle. I adored Kyle and Kyle adored me, but alas, summer loves never last very long. There are probably a few more boys in the mix there, but I am drawing a blank on them.

When I go to my grandma's house (now my cousin Scott's house) and wander the neighborhood, I see ghosts of summers past everywhere I turn. I go see Little Ricky's mother and sister and catch up on the neighborhood gossip. Hell, I might even get to torture Little Ricky some myself when I see him next. Apparently, he has become quite the Lothario! His mother had a wicked gleam in her eye when I spoke with her last. I imagine Little Ricky will be getting a call to come over ASAP when I turn up this weekend. Should be interesting. It was always fun to knock him down a peg or two.

And the food! My god! I do miss the pizza and bagels!!!!! There is the best pizza shop a couple of blocks from my cousin's house, Elizabeth Pizza, and I plan to get a few slices while I am in the neighborhood. I just love the bagels that are the size of salad plates...hmmmm...and a cup of thick sludgy coffee. My stomach is growling just thinking of it. I also love the diners there. Yummy yummy! The south has never really caught on to the diner craze and I think that is a shame...24/7 for greasy food, bad coffee and a place to hang out...what more could you ask for?

I will be spending some time at the shore: Brick, NJ. I lived briefly in Lakewood/Brick area of NJ. I have some fond memories of another boy (and my first love, Richie) in that neighborhood. I won't be seeing him this go round. I will be visiting the cousins on the other side of the family while I am there. Thank goodness I will be close to the shore to absorb some of the beachiness I am pining for.

I am so excited about getting to see cousins on both the paternal and maternal side of the family. It has been roughly two years since I was up there and I had the ex in tow so it was not all that wonderful for me then. This time I am footloose and fancy free and looking for a bit of r&r. My cousin Jen is having a birthday party for her little boy who is turning three. Jen is younger than me, but we look so much alike we could be twins. We even sound alike--despite the faint southern drawl in my voice. You can't tell our voices apart after about 10 minutes of us being together. It is really cool.

Hope ya'll and you'ins have a wonderful weekend! I will be back on Tuesday with some adventures from Joisey.

Labels: accents, crushes, food, Jersey Girl, Little Ricky, NJ