End of Summer Blues

Does anyone else have a case of end of summer doldrums? I have to keep myself occupied so as not to think about it. Touch wood, this isn't too terribly challenging. There are so many stories trending in the news today. A bevy of relevant and equally extraneous information finding its way to my In Box. The Prime Minister of Greece is resigning and calling for new elections. Opa. I read an article this morning stating that rats can tread water for three days and hold their breaths for three minutes. This confirms that "if your toilet can handle your rat-sized turds, a rat can certainly handle your toilet." Thank you for the early morning chortle Digg. That abominable squirrel toothed Josh Duggar, who found himself in serious hot water some time ago for allegations involving his sisters (plural), has been disclosed as one of Ashley Madison's customers. He cited "I have been the biggest hypocrite ever". You think? The wife has said that she blames herself and plans to stick around. I read that they had their first kiss at the alter. Honestly. The graffiti artist Banksy has announced a five week exhibition at a derelict Tropicana factory on the coast of England. Intended to "haunt your dreams", Banksy describes this wanderlust "family park unsuitable for children". I wish I lived in England, this place looks spectacular. In other news, I read about a man who slept in his contacts and is now officially blind in one eye. I am happy to continue wearing glasses. Last but not least, coffee in the form of gummy chews? Yes please Go Cubes.

This week had flown by. We made time for two date nights. Despite living together, I think that carving time out is important. No phones, no TV, an opportunity to get dressed up and be just the two of us. Growing up, my parents always left us with a sitter on a Saturday night. They went to dinner, dancing, the works. It was their time and we children grew to respect it. We even liked it. The three of us were very adept at pulling the wool over our sitters eyes. After work on Tuesday, we went to Leatherman Golf Learning Center located just south of uptown Charlotte. A bucket of balls will only set you back 9 bucks and they serve beer to boot. A pair of years ago, my mother said that couples should find something that they enjoy doing together and nurture it. Here we are. I am not great at golf but my competitive nature fuels me on. On Wednesday afternoon I found myself at Taipei South in the heart of Pineville. Delicious, quick and cheap, this spot fits the bill for a working lunch. We had a heck of a thunderstorm on Wednesday evening. One of our neighbor's trees fell on top of their house. According to the local news segment, no one was hurt. For dinner, I braised chicken thighs in coconut milk, lime juice, curry, basil and turmeric. Turmeric is uber healthy. As such, do try to incorporate it into more of your meals. They lend a lovely color to scrambled eggs. Netflix has also answered our prayers in the form of Peaky Blinders. This outstanding show is a period crime saga set in Birmingham, England directly after World War I. Google Cillian Murphy and we will leave it at that. What are you watching on Netflix now?

Last night, we went to a neighborhood haunt, Cantina 1511 for a light nibble. I must admit, I usually forget about this spot when we have a hankering for Mexican but an appetizer we ordered last night has bumped this spot to the top of my list. The Guajillo glazed pork belly taco sliders prepared with pickled pineapple and shredded slaw are the jam. Afterwards, we went to see Jurassic World. I bought the largest bucket of popcorn offered and it was splendiferous. Added bonus, you can now booze at the theatre. When did this come about? The Breyer's grew up besotted with and utterly fascinated by dinosaurs. Place mats, shower curtains, books and encyclopedias. We ate, slept, drank and breathed dinosaurs. We saw the very first Jurassic Park film as a family in the cinemas and enjoyed it in the confines of our home many times thereafter. While the technology in the third installment was spellbinding and the raptors looked more real this go around than the prior two films, the plot was lame. For some reason, the gal's hairstyle and all white attire bothered me. Also, I didn't see the romantic connection between her and the raptor tamer. I am sure we will watch it again when it comes out on RedBox. I am of the opinion that the film could have been more action packed. What did you think of it?

Yesterday after yoga class I treated myself to a coconut milk latte at Luna's Living Kitchen. Talk about delicious and filling. I also bought a bottle of hemp dressing that I plan to pour over everything this weekend. I just completed day five of my next 30 day yoga challenge. The studio where I practice, Charlotte Yoga, has a marvelous community and following. Many of my peers are partaking in the same bravery. This morning, our brilliant instructor stated "yoga helps us find the flow in all the chaos". She also spoke to change being constant and the only component that we can control is our response. She challenged us to breathe, be good to ourselves, forgive ourselves for any imperfections and in my words, just get on with it already. The weather promises to be brilliant this weekend. This evening, we plan to check out a new tap room and tomorrow begs for breakfast at a pop-up. The Panthers take on the Miami Dolphins tomorrow evening so I am sure the local haunts and watering holes will be jam packed with fans. The below recipe is a simple number perfect for eeking out those last summer meals on the grill. And finally, I cannot stop listening to this song by Machineheart. Matthew will cringe but I love it. Wishing you all a halcyon weekend indeed. 

Grapefruit and Fennel Marinade

1 grapefruit - juice and zest

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 TBS honey

2 TBS fennel seeds

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 cloves of garlic - chopped

Pinch of kosher salt

Mix everything together in a bowl, pour in a bag along with your meat and allow to marinade for a couple of hours. Remove from the bag and prepare on the grill or in the oven. It's the biz when served with this grilled romaine salad.