Yes, It IS About the Food OR Two Foodies Do WDW From Table To Table--TR About This Page:

[Her Dotness]

I really should have told Wicked Stepmom at 1900 PF the whole truth about why I keep Drew around. He indulges me shamelessly, he really does. Virtually all the fun money spent thus far has gone for stuff I want. He's only gotten the Haunted Mansion floppy-brim gray fedora which looks fantastic with the suspenders and bowtie he enjoys wearing for touring. Gotta love that man for repeatedly saying, "Whatever you want." Well, within limits. He STILL won't buy me the Arribas brothers crystal-encrusted replica of Cinderella's castle that "only" costs $37,500, funniest thing.

I got the most cunning black leather-look purse yesterday at Japan's Mitsukoshi department store. It's a crescent moon-shaped hobo bag with a fabric panel diagonally across about a fourth of it that features swimming koi done in metallic embroidery. So distinctive. We love to feed the koi at the Missouri Botanical Garden and are nutty about Japan from food to customs to arts to anime and manga. Sadly, neither of us can eat Asian food anymore since rice is so essential to the meals. Too many carbs, and it's easier to avoid Asian cooking than limit ourselves as much as we'd have to do to continue eating it.

There were so many gorgeous dishes on display.

A few years ago, we ate mostly Japanese and Chinese dishes after I began tinkering with Chinese and then Japanese cooking. The Japanese mix plates and bowls of various shapes and patterns at a meal instead of all matchy-matchy as Americans typically do. And they choose colors to reflect the season. Fall means earthtones whereas spring demands pastels and delicate patterns suggesting budding plants.

We had begun collecting Japanese dishes to do this to some extent. Honestly, it spoke to something in us, really enhancing our enjoyment of seasonal ingredients. So, I wandered wistfully through the dinnerware displays thinking about how enjoyable doing that had been before health issues put a stop to eating carb-laden rice and high-sodium Asian dishes.

But, I digress from mentioning the blue-on-white gaiwan I bought (lidded tea-brewing mug) in an all-over bamboo pattern. Those are great for efficient teamaking for self as well as keeping the tea warm for leisurely sipping. There's a gunpowder green blend at our local tea room I've been meaning to try, and a gaiwan will be perfect for brewing it easily.

Got some tabi socks which are great for extending the wearing season for a favorite pair of sandals. Almost bought a pair of geta but decided that was silly as much as they cost at $70/pair. They were lovely but something I'd wear only occasionally. Not worth it.

Let's see, today's meals start at Akershus where I WILL have my autograph book! Then, it's a Via Napoli lunch and yumminess of YUM, Monsieur Paul for dinner. We glanced at the latter's posted menu yesterday and were immediately drooling. Sure wish more health issues didn't prevent us both from having wine with that one! I was imagining the sort I'd like with each course. Could have specified the vineyard and vintage once when I learned about wines as a young married after losing most of a fabulous bottle of chianti my ex and I couldn't actually afford when my much-loved Siamese hopped onto the table and knocked the bottle over. That chianti was an impulse buy that turned out to be magnificent and inspired me to learn which affordable wines were better than you'd think for the price.

Sure do miss my wine-drinking days now that one glass per week is my limit. Oh, well, you either whine as I was just doing or find other delights to compensate--like lots of Basin White bath bombs and patterned soaps. Mmmmm-HMMMMM

Feeling sleepy. Gonna say buh-bye for a while and try to sleep if my sinuses will let me.