Sixth Anniversary

Adam and I went to Ann Arbor, Michigan for our sixth anniversary last weekend. We had a really wonderful time just strolling around town, shopping, and eating great food.

We started our first day with a trip to nearby Saline because I was craving pasties. Pasties & More is a small place that was decorated in a way that I would expect: grandma's tchotchke style, basically. Instead of the older Finnish or Cornish women I was anticipating, the restaurant was manned by two men from somewhere in the Mediterranean I think. Our greeter/server could not have been nicer and lucky for me, pasties were indeed on the menu. We were assured that everything is homemade and I believe them. Adam and I both ordered beef pasties. It was pretty good: nice crust and good mix of beef, potato, carrot, and rutabaga. I would have liked a bit more salt and pepper in the mix, but that is easy enough to add. The gravy on the side was tasty enough, but I was craving childhood favorites and that means ketchup was the condiment of choice. We walked off some of the pasty by taking a short tour of the downtown. The town is a nice place with a variety of shops. We got a refreshing Italian soda (kiwi and strawberry) at the Drowsy Parrot and headed out of town.

Our next stop was the Kerrytown area of Ann Arbor. The tourism sites suggested parking would be difficult and they weren't kidding. I got a little testy, but Adam handled it all with his usual aplomb (love him!). I was soon cheered up by the cute shops, farmer's market, and the first stop on our Zingerman's pilgrimage. The deli is a fairly small space and the line for sandwiches was out the door. We didn't have to wait because I just wanted to shop. I came out with pepper, a peppermill, some preserves, an upscale Nutella, mustard, and homemade pretzels. The employees were wonderful...very helpful, genuinely friendly, and mellow. I guess that is the only way you could deal with the hustle and bustle in such small quarters.

We waited for some rain to pass at Sweetwaters, a coffee shop. I had a Chocolate Dragon (a chocolate cappuccino) and it really hit the spot. Adam had a latte. After dropping off the Zingerman's booty we took another walk. The temperature was perfect. Ann Arbor has a lot to recommend it. We never got to campus, but we did get close. University of Michigan students are lucky indeed. There were lots of art galleries, a ton of bookstores (The Dawn Treader is a fine used book store), restaurants...you name it. We went to Borders because it started there. I bought a Ratatouille picture book because it is adorable. Any kid's book that uses aioli, profiteroles, and julienne in its rhyme scheme must be supported!

We got back to the hotel so we could have some downtime before dinner. We went to our second Zingerman's stop: the Roadhouse. The place is casual and relaxed. The food and service were topnotch. I had the best Manhattan with a smooth rye and Adam was adventurous and went for the Ramos Fizz (frothy, citrus, gin drink...refreshing!). My salad was fresh and the vegetables tasted like they came from a garden (and they just may have, actually). The Green Goddess dressing was thick and herbaceous. Adam had a poblano potato soup that was creamy and delicious with just a pleasant hit of spice. My main was a grilled Iowa pork chop, mashed potatoes, creamed corn and applesauce. It was all excellent. Adam's brisket was tender and I really liked the barbecue sauce, though I agree with him that it is very powerful. We didn't eat it all because we wanted to save room for dessert: a trio of gelato. Our favorite was the vanilla because the vanilla beans and dairy just melded perfectly. I also liked the coconut. The strawberry was good, but I must admit that we were expecting something more along the lines of a sorbetto. The dairy element was good, but muted the strawberry. Our issue, not theirs.

Overall, the evening was a great success and a perfect anniversary dinner (though a day early). The people who work there were all friendly, attentive, and knowledgable. It was so refreshing. I think that we met one of the founders, Ari. He brought food to the table, provided us with the proper silverware, and information. I love seeing an owner so involved. It really speaks well for the whole organization.

The next day we stopped at Zingerman's bakery and the creamery. For our trip home we purchased some bread, butter, and cheese. At this point it should come as no surprise that the employees were lovely and the food outstanding. I don't know that we have had such fine car snacks before. The farmhouse bread has proved to be the winning selection.

We left Ann Arbor full and happy. The drive home was leisurely and fun. And I got to spend lots of time with Adam and that is always the best thing.

Ratatouille!

When the summer began I had the idea that I would be spending a lot of time in the movie theater. That hasn't been the case. I am not sorry that I missed Spiderman 3 or the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I chose a different summer blockbuster: Ratatouille.

I loved the film. How could I not? Paris, food, cute animated rats....golden. We went on opening night and the crowd was good. A few fools didn't turn off their cellphones, but they promptly shut them off. The kids were well behaved. The few outbursts were related to the film ("Hey, they're teasing the rat!") or general toddler discomfort. The movie seemed to keep everyone's attention.

This was the perfect Pixar movie for me. It is gorgeous to look at. They have not included musical numbers ( though thanks to DVD technology I can skip the nasty Randy Newman songs in the Toy Story movies). The main character is a mammal. I like the tone of the film too. It has action sequences and slapstick humor, but overall I think it is ultimately sweet.

Most refreshing of all is that there is no hint of the "cool, dude!" character. I don't know how to describe it, but somewhere along the line there was a shift toward making kid's entertainment "Xtreme!" "Radical!" "Cool!" and so on. So, we are subjected to the extreme sports grannies, surfspeak penguins, baby fashionistas, etc. Apparently, this irritates my inner old codger.

Remy and company are blissfully free of artificial awesome.

This is one of those times that I wish I was a mom...or could at least borrow an enthusiastic and willing child for an afternoon or two. One of the tie-ins to the movie is a charming cookbook for kids. I am enchanted by the idea of cooking simple French dishes with a child. Or maybe I am enchanted by the idea of a child who is interested in more than chicken nuggets and ranch dressing. That is the advantage of imagination. If I did really have a child he or she would probably be more interested in dropping egg bombs on the floor or in figuring out how the computer animation works than in playing in the kitchen. Come to think of it, when I was a kid I wasn't all that excited by the kitchen either.

Then again, I didn't have a cute little chef to inspire me.