Denver, CO

I was in Denver, CO this week for work.  We were there for about 24 hours; I did not have time for much except work and getting some good food and beer.  I also forgot my camera so the quality of these pictures is not that good.

 The view from my hotel room.

 We ate at Breckenridge Brewery for lunch. The smoked bbq wings were so tasty and the salmon tacos and rice were out of this world.  The bartender was funny and kept the good beer coming.  They had barrels of Stranahan's Whiskey (apparently it is a really good whiskey distilled in Colorado).  After lunch we went to the distillery to check it out and I brought back some surprises for Shawn (everything made it through TSA fine).

 Our last and only other meal was at Buckhorn Exchange.  If you are in Denver you HAVE to stop by and grab so delicious food.  It is Denver's oldest restaurant and they are know for the meats they serve.  I had buffalo prime rib…melted in my mouth!  The homemade beans and chips served on the side were very good and the apple ice-cream dessert thing was perfect to top the meal off!

 The bartender talked me into trying this beer, Herman Josephs Private Reserve.  Apparently it is made in Colorado, served in only a handful of restaurants in the area (23 to be exact), and they only make small batches.  It was very very good!

The bartender said my drink was on the house if I could guess how many stuffed animals they had on the premises.  I guess 425 and I was wrong…the correct answer is 551!  This is the view from my table…who doesn't love eating when dead faces are staring you down??

Clyde's 1st Birthday!

Clyde turned 1 yesterday!  We have made it past the hardest part (apparently the first year is very rough for iguanas).  No major issues; just some broken toes and shedding problems but he is doing really really well now.  He has quite the tank setup to help with his skin and we are not letting him roam around as much until he is a bit sturdier (he has too many crooky toes).

He is very healthy!  He is a bright green with some blues at times and he whips that tail and hisses when I have agitated him too much.  All great signs!  He is a sweetie though, he loves when his mommy cuddles him in his blankies and he will even let me hold him on his back like a baby (weirdo). He loves when we soak him in the tub and when his daddy scratches his head.  He is not particularly found of the boys…I won't lie he hates them, especially Walter (since W likes to look into his tank and bark).

He did not get to enjoy his starfruit birthday breakfast on the special red plate this year.  He is not old enough or calm enough to eat outside his tank…maybe in a few years.  No gifts either since iguana don't play with anything but we still made his day special!

Happy Birthday Clyde! We love you!!

 Fat and Happy! Can't barely move.

All puffed up and mad…has his beard out!

Another First

I went to my first crawfish cookout and loved it!  Tex had them shipped in from Louisiana.

Apparently as you put them in you have to check and make sure they are alive.  They do scream a little when a lot of them are in there.

Once you cook them you throw them in a marinade along with corn on the cob, whole potatoes and onions, sausage, and lemon halves.  When ready you serve on trays, soda box, whatever you can find!

 Shawn taught me how to eat one (not like in the picture).  You break off the tail making sure to leave the "mustard" on…I am pretty sure thats the guts.  Keep the head down to not lose any juice, then tip it back and suck…brain juice?  Then you pull the meat out of the tail and enjoy.  It was a little difficult at first (I don't like eating things with eyes) but after a while I didn't care because it was so good.  I think I went back for thirds, okay I lied fourths.

Shawn being silly for the camera.

New Orleans

Last week I was in New Orleans for about a day and a half (a quick trip for work).  What is there to do in NOLA?? Eat and eat…and EAT.  I had so much great food and in mass quantities.  The waiter at the one restaurant said I could easily be a native; I was devouring 12 charbroiled oysters, a shrimp BLT po boy, fries, water, sweet tea, and a beer.

Thanks to Becky, Kennedy, and King I knew where to see amazing sights and eat even more amazing meals!  Katie's friend had more places for me; I will just have to go again to make sure I get those done as well.  I am already dying to get back there with Shawn for a long weekend.

I went to see the Metairie Cemetery (it isn't as morbid as it sounds).  It was beautiful much different than cemeteries in Arizona.  Just amazing sculptures and structures.

Then after a small detour through a not so great area I made it to Drago's on the Riverwalk.  It was at Drago's where I had the most amazing oysters - charbroiled and topped with amazing cheeses along with a shrimp BLT po boy (my first one ever).  I ate myself sick for lunch that I had no room for dinner that night.  After I stuffed myself I walked along the Riverwalk and watch the boats going by.  The weather was beautiful, warm enough and sunny.

I had to get to Picayune, MS to check into my hotel and get some work done (yes I do have to work on these trips).  The next morning I spent working but by noon I was on my way back to New Orleans for more adventures!

Before flying home I went to Cochon for lunch where I had boudin, crawfish pie, and alligator bites…I could not finish (the alligator bites were a great snack later).  Then I went to Jackson Square and Cafe du Monde for beignets which I took to the water's edge and sat on a bench to enjoy.

Sadly I did have to come back home to cold weather.  But it is official...I now want to live in the south!

My Little Escape Artist

My littlest man (who will be turning 1 this month) has now decided he does not like his aquarium.  A few weeks ago we decided to purchase a humidity system for his tank. Long story short, until we made a dome to attach to the end of the tube we would have to leave the top of his tank cracked to allow the tube to stay in place.

My first night away in San Francisco Clyde decided that the tank was no longer for him (I think having the boys gone also reassured his safety).  Shawn said when he got upstairs for bed Clyde was missing!  He searched and searched the house and decided to give up and listen for Clyde moving around.  Well as he went to jump in bed he pulled the comforter back and guess who was snuggled up in bed with his arms slung back (when an iguana is sleeping like that it means they are very comfortable).  So every night last week Shawn would find Clyde somewhere in our bedroom.

When I got home Sunday night he was sleeping on top of his tank on the blanket we had put over the small opening to keep him in, sneaky little fellow!  Shawn said he realized Clyde was escaping to sleep on blankets.  I think I spoiled him by cuddling him in baby blankets (always my fault).

I was home sick yesterday and when I went back upstairs to take a nap I realized Clyde was missing again, I pulled back the covers but he was not there…however he had shed in my bed…I DRAW THE LINE HERE PEOPLE!

Shawn took a plastic cereal bowl, drilled a hole on the bottom, and voila we have a dome for our humidity system that allows for the cage to be closed.  Clyde was very upset last night when he tried to escape for countless hours, poor guy.  When he is bigger than the boys he can roam the house but until then he has to stay in his tank :(.

Laying on the lamp for heat while mommy was away.

San Francisco

I was in San Francisco this past week for work.  It was a great conference and I was glad I went (professional development).  Wednesday night my mom flew in to spend some time with me.  We had a blast.  I get to see her about once a year so this mini vacation was a great way to spend some time with her.

Thursday I sent her off to Fisherman's Wharf where she found the first sourdough bread factory to tour…and eat.  I met her there for lunch and had a delicious soup and salad!  For dinner we went to Farallon for her birthday dinner.  It was so yummy and she even tried an oyster, yes just one.

Friday we went to Muir Woods to see the mini redwoods and Sausalito to eat and walk along the water.  We even saw a seal catch and eat a fish!

Saturday we went to the early bird tour of Alcatraz.  It was an awesome tour and I want to go back for the night tour (maybe).  For lunch we had a try-tip salad wrapped in flat bread.  It is from a local chain there and I loved it (had it twice).  I went to the best food court a few times for lunch during the week (thanks sissy for the recommendation).  Later Saturday evening we went to see Safe Haven (my mother will only go to rom-coms or just romantic movies, yah for me).  It was actually a pretty decent movie.  By saturday night I was really sick (I had been slowly getting a sore throat and really bad cough/cold since Friday morning).  We ducked into a traditional Chinese restaurant where I had some chicken soup with chinese medi and rice wine.  It was good and helped with my throat.

Sunday we said our goodbyes and we headed back home.  The flights were rough being sick and they lost my luggage but I was home around midnight.  After a day off to recover I feel a little better and I have my luggage back.

Oh and the boys are back home…they had a blast with their Auntie Dina all week, THANKS DINA!