Food for thought and consumption

I have spent a fair amount of time this week in and near my hometown.  I had a meeting with a customer one town over from where I grew up.  In fact, the customer now resides in the building where I held my first job out of college.  Times have changed.  In nearly 20 years, the street that had a few office buildings and nothing else, has added gas stations, drug stores and a ton of restaurants. 

Once I got cut lose from the customer gig,  I launched out and hit the highlights of my hometown.

First things first, I perused the shit out of Crate and Barrel over at North Point Mall.  Dishes!  Holiday decor!  Gadgets.  I spent an hour just walking around and feeling the merchandise. It was fabulous.  I miss Crate and Barrel. Clearly.

I went for Chinese.  I've bitched, repeatedly, that Nashville lacks decent Chinese.   I got my fix yesterday.  I went to the place where Matt and I had our rehearsal dinner, China Garden.

It doesn't get any better.  The contents of this bowl have healing properties.

I was able to tell Patrick, the owner, about Dad.   The good thing about having that conversation yesterday is that I won't have to have it over the holidays, if  (and let's face it, when) we go out for Chinese.

The other good thing is that it was freaking amazing.  Egg roll, wonton soup and Mongolian beef.  Freaking amazing.

While I was on the job, I got to enjoy some other culinary delights - the aforementioned oysters, burgers from Rhea's,  Sweet Tomatoes... last night, Mom and I hit up El Zarape, which used to be El Zorrito.  Not as good, but they still make Tlalpeno soup and it was great.

I've been hitting the soup pretty hard.

I do love soup.

I mean, I fucking love it.

OK.

So  tomorrow, Mom and I are going shopping, having a pedi and getting Mom a plane ticket for a trip she's planned with some friends.

Sounds like a full day.

I'll try to fit some soup in there.

ae