Another Award...And Post #400!

This is my post number 400! What better way to celebrate than an award?
I was given this award by the DanRiverMama @ A Kiss And A Peck. Thank you so much! And given on my birthday yesterday, thank you!

Here’s how it works: USE ONLY ONE WORD!
It’s not as easy as you might think. Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It’s really hard to use only one-word answers.
1. Where is your cell phone? here
2. Your hair? brown
3. Your mother? heaven
4. Your father? heaven
5. Your favorite food? any
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? money
9. What room are you in? living
10. Your hobby? blogging
11. Your fear? fear
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? wealthy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren’t? thin
15. Muffins? banana
16. Wish list item? vacation
17. Where did you grow up? WI
18. Last thing you did? ate
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Your TV? On
21. Your pets? Sophie
22. Friends? few
23. Your life? chaotic
24. Your mood? anxious
25. Missing someone? no
26. Vehicle? SUV
27. Something you’re not wearing? socks
28. Your favorite store? Amazon
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? yesterday
32. Your best friend? partner
33. One place that I go to over and over? bathroom
34. One person who emails me regularly? Harriet
35. Favorite place to eat? out

I am passing this on to....

...you can't wait to see the names can you?

Diane @ Good Mourning Glory
Kelley @ Kelley's Casa De Chaos
Diane @ Turn Left At The Pigs
Kat @ Sassy Irish Lassie

Congrats ladies!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

BlogNerd Bash

I live with my partner and our 14 year old son and 16 year old daughter. I don't have a giveaway per see, but I do run a monthly Top Commenter Contest where I reward my Top Comment Whores, (I mean Top Commenters). Still plenty of time to join in. Just start commenting!

First off, Happy Birthday to Amanda at Garibay Soup...and me! Amanda is having a BlogNerd Bash and I'm just the kind of nerd to join in. What, you didn't know I was a nerd? I'm celebrating my birthday virtually, how much more nerdy can you get? I'm BlogNerd Bashing, BlogHop 09'ing AND, TGIF VGNO'ing.

Wanna know what other kinds of fun stuff I'm doing? I'm listing to my son talk to his friend who I very not affectionately refer to as Eddie Haskell. Said friend wants him to go to the movies, but refuses to pay back the money he owes my son. He wants to see that new movie G Force, except they keep calling it "G4", so every time my son says G4 I yell BINGO! And I have my daughter doing it too. You just can't buy good times like this, can you?

Oh and you know what else I get to do while I celebrate my birthday virtually? I get to watch my kids play video games on the big screen tv. How did they know that is one of my favorite things?

Yes, my name is Lola and I'm a blogger. Just how addicted am I? Let me tell you. I have Lola's Diner, Lola's Victory Garden, and Fire Crotch Rocket. I am also a contributor at Sited And Blogged. You may also catch me guest posting around. Yes, I think it's a fair statement to say I'm addicted. But I have to say, it is legal and quite less expensive than other vices.

If you are on Twitter, follow me. My Twitter Id is "lolasdiner".

If you're new to the Diner, why not stay for awhile and check out a few posts and have a milkshake or a cuppa Joe?

If you like what you see, why not become a regular? It's easy, just become a follower.

Come on, you know you want to! All the cool chicks are doin' it.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

TGIF VGNO! - Lola's Birthday Edition!

Time For A Party Game! - From Ann

We all enjoy a little creative writing, right? Let's play "The Title Says It All". Here's what you need to do to play along. With the MckLinky "guest book" as your guide use the title of the previous blog listed in MckLinky in a sentence, or in a short story. #2 uses #1's blog title, #3 uses #2's blog title, etc. Example: "When I need a laugh, or a shoulder to cry on, I know that I can go to Ann Again... and again." (You really can too :-> ) Be sure to add/insert a link to the blog as well. I've started it out this week. There are some incredible blog titles out there. I can't wait to see your creative writing.

Everybody says I'm a Sassy Irish Lassie. Especially on my birthday. So, come celebrate with me and grab a margarita. Party on!



And yes, I look just like that in the morning. How'd she know?

Be sure to check out my birthday post - It's My Birthday/Lucky To Be Alive, if you haven't already.

And now for the real party!



Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

It's My Birthday!/Lucky To Be Alive!

I had written, in longhand, (in a Composition Book, because I'm all cool and retro like that) a post about Expectations. (I do longhand when I'm in bed and get a burst of creativity...or crap.) Did I say it was long? Oh yeah, I said in longhand, I also meant in looooonghannnd. Yeah, it was long. It was also kind of dark. So I ditched it. I'll save it for another day when I'm in the mood for a pity party.

Cause this ain't no pity party! Oui, Oui, Oui! Oui, Oui, Oui! (Doin' the birthday dance!)

So instead of Expectations, I decided to change my Birthday Theme to "Lucky to be alive". What? You're saying that's kind of dark too? No, not really. It's just a commentary on how times have changed and how someone of the ripe old age of 48 (did I type that?) is lucky to be around considering all the shenanigans we got into as kids and considering all the new fangled safety devices that are around to protect our children today.

As a child:
We never wore seat belts. Not required. Most cars didn't have them.
We never wore bicycle helmets. What helmet?.
We never had any anti-bacterial soaps or cleaners.
We never had hand sanitizer.
We drank tap water without a second thought.
We drank from the garden hose all summer long. Every summer!
We ran wild through the neighborhood, or the next few over and our parents were none the wiser as long as we were home on time for lunch and dinner.
We trick-or-treated by ourselves and ate most of our candy before we got home.
We used insect repellent products containing 100% Deet or some more deadly carcinogen.
Rambunctious toddlers ran loose and our parents didn't have a care in the world. There were no toddler leashes or GPS Nanny Devices. Speaking of nannies, we didn't have nannies or governesses unless we were British royalty or our names were von Trapp.
We didn't have to worry about "R" rated movies. There were either movies everyone could watch, or XXX movies. And us kids didn't know about those, unless we had some pretty cool teenage friends.
We raced on our bicycles chasing the ice cream truck like starving orphans, without any regard to other vehicular traffic. And it came every single summer day.
Mr. Rogers was our neighbor and he came into our living rooms every day and no one thought that was the slightest bit odd, this kind of man-child who played with puppets and trolleys in the neighborhood of make-believe.
If our parents were smokers, they smoked literally everywhere. At fast food restaurants, bars, grocery stores, airplanes. Just about anywhere but church. There was no consideration for secondhand smoke. It was smoke em if ya got em.
There was no stranger danger.

Think of it.

How is it we survived? And how did so many of us survive?

I'm so glad you did, so you can join me in celebrating my birthday!

Thank you for stopping by.

As per the usual, everything is hush hush around here.

Our son keeps teasing me with, "I know what we're doing for your birthday". (In kind of a sing song taunt. Don't you hate that? Wait until his birthday!)
I respond, "No you don't!"
He replies, "Well...yeah...so!"

Good answer! Lol! Anastasia is keeping her lip zipped, so we'll see what happens. If nothing else, I know where a big ol' bottle of Strawberry Margarita Mix is stashed.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays - Worst Cooking Disasters

Come join me for a very special edition of If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! We'll be taking time out to share some memories. We'll Blog Back Time with possible ways to right past wrongs or about how times have changed. We'll share childhood memories, school/work memories, family and friend memories.

Today's topic is: Worst Cooking Disasters

Come on, even Lola has had 1 cooking disaster, what about you?

Did you have some cooking disasters early in college, early in your marriage?

Did you make a disastrous mess?

Did it turn out awful?

This week's topic courtesy of Stephany @ Soulful Sepulcher.

I can't say I've really had many cooking disasters. Mine mostly revolve around taking on too much and making an incredible mess. The second one would be when I tried to can Pumpkin Butter. I posted that over at Lola's Victory Garden since it has to do with canning.

My first disaster was when I made Gefilte Fish, from scratch. And I mean completely from scratch. I did everything but catch the damn fish. Being inexperienced in making this Jewish delicacy, I wasn't aware that purchasing the fish cleaned and filleted was what I should have done. (To answer your question, I am not Jewish. I often cook Jewish foods so my children are exposed to their dad's culture. Besides, it turns out I liked most of the foods.)

Granted it was nice having the heads to make the stock that I cooked them in richer, but have you ever cleaned 20 pounds of fish? It's gross! I mean the fish monger does clean out the guts before it gets to the grocery, but they usually don't do a really good job. Then there is the removing of the head (ewwww, the eyes!). Removing of the tail and fins. Then the descaling. Can I tell you how much I hate descaling a fish? Those scales end up everywhere! Then the deboning and removing the skin. Arghhh! I still can't believe I did this.

So much mess. I lived in an apartment at the time. My tiny kitchen table and floor was full of fish parts, even though I planned ahead and laid newspaper down. (Only on the table.)

Thank goodness I had a food processor. Once all the cleaning was done and I had perfect chunks of fish fillets and all I had to do was dump them in batches in the food processor. Then add the other ingredients and form into patties. Then cook in batches in the fish stock. Then refrigerate (because we like them cold, like Manischewitz intended.)

Sadly, I don't have a recipe to share with you, because the 2 copies I bought of my favorite Jewish Cookbook mysteriously disappeared when my ex came over to help with moving. (As if he would actually cook anything in that book. I'd love to get another copy of that book. I purchased it at a synagogue gift shop years ago. I don't live near any synagogues and searching online I have come up with nothing. It also had a fabulous recipe for sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake.) Anyway, if you're as crazy as I am and want to try making your own, the taste is incredibly phenomenal! My secret is adding shredded cooked carrot in with the shredded fish and other ingredients. It not only improves the taste, it makes it look better.

And yes, I have made this since. However, I purchased fillets and I also purchased fish heads for the stock. I would never again go through the work of cleaning 20 pounds of fish myself. (Well, never say never, if I could get my hands on some free Coho Salmon, I would clean it, but that's about it.) Now I have a taste for Gefilte Fish. (Not that crap in a jar at the store.) I wonder when white fish is going on sale?

Now it's your turn. Please post your "Worst Cooking Disasters" on your blog. Then come back to Lola's Diner and leave the actual post link here. Please grab the html code for If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! Badge HERE.

Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

IF YOU SEE THAT MckLinky APPEARS TO NOT BE WORKING, PLEASE POST A LINK TO YOUR "FIRST TIME I STOOD UP FOR MYSELF" IN THE COMMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR PARTICIPATION. THANK YOU!



PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MckLinky IS STRICTLY FOR 'IF I COULD BLOG BACK TIME THURSDAYS' PARTICIPANTS ONLY.
ANY OTHER LINKS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT PREJUDICE!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Is there anybody out there?

The blogosphere is like a ghost town this week. Blogs aren't updated as frequently and very few comments. Did I say very few comments?

PEOPLE I NEED COMMENTS.

Oh look a tumbleweed.

Is everyone getting ready for Blogher? Shopping and packing, packing and shopping. Finding the perfect outfit and the perfect shoes. (Is this dyke mocking you? Noooooo, I'd be shopping for something new to wear also, but I won't be needing to buy shoes to match. I'd just need to decide blue or black croc (knock-offs), sneakers, boat shoes or black loafers. Actually, I'm kinda hooked on my croc knock-offs, so I'd probably just have to decide blue or black.)

I live an hour (or less if I put the pedal to the medal and traffic is light), but I can't attend because my finances wouldn't allow for the ticket price. I'm very jealous of all of you who can go.

For those of you going, see my previous post, Guide To Blogher - What To Do In Chicago (FREE) for some tips on FREE tourist attractions and must stops, like the Hershey Store. Oh, and I got the 411 on liquor stores in the area too, just in case you're nervous about packing your adult beverages in between your unmentionables and having them survive the flight intact.

So what is everyone who is not going to Blogher doing?

Are there any Blog Carnivals for us (ahem, losers)? Anything going on? Anything?

Who is still posting?

Where are the commenters? You know I have a contest every month for the top commenter, since the comments have dropped off, you still have a chance if you get commenting now through the end of the month.

By the way, just 2 shopping days until my birthday.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

guide to Blogher - what to do in Chicago (FREE)

First of all, all you party girls are going to want to know where you can get your beverages. If you are staying at the Sheraton, these are less than a mile walk or a really quick cab or bus ride.

Ben'Z Liquors - 0.7 miles away
15 East Ohio St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 222-2505

Binny's Beverage Depot - 0.9 miles away
213 West Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 332-0012

Rothschild Liquor Marts - 0.99 miles away
55 W Van Buren St # 350, Chicago, IL
312-427-0334

If you are a chocolate freak (who isn't), be sure to stop at the Hershey Store at 822 North Michigan Avenue, (312) 337-7711. Sunday - Thursday: 11am - 8pm, Friday & Saturday: 10am - 10pm. Or try Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop at 830 N Michigan Ave # 1, (312) 337-9330. Sadly, Ethel's Chocolates is no longer in Chicago and is no longer on the first floor of 900 North Michigan Avenue. They were awesome and used to be my Friday fix.

As far as restaurant recommendations go, one of my favorites is Baisi Thai. It is in the 900 North Michigan Avenue Building, 6th floor. They have a lunch buffet (Monday-Saturday 11:30am-3pm) that is awesome. I used to work in the building and it was really hard not to go more than twice a month. Tucci Benucch is also on the same floor and has excellent Italian cuisine. For a complete guide to what is in Chicago's Loop, check out Chicago Dining Guide - Chicago's Loop. Included are high-end restaurants, restaurants by type of cuisine, as well as the fast food chains. Also Starbucks.

Want to get around on the cheap and need to know what bus or el train to take?
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) or call 1-888-YOUR CTA. Click this link for the route. If you are staying at the Sheraton Chicago, type that as the "From: Attraction". Then type in the name of the attractions you want to visit. Select Train, Bus, or Driving. (There are also tabs for each, when you get your route. Select the appropriate tab.) The Directions will also include the Bus/Train fare amounts.

Free Tourist Type Stuff:
Art Institute of Chicago - Free Admission - Thursday, Friday evenings only 5pm-9pm.
111 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 443-3600

Museum of Contemporary Photography. July 23rd at 5:30pm there is an EXHIBITING ARTISTS TALK: Curtis Mann, John Opera, and Stacia Yeapanis.
600 S. MICHIGAN AVE
CHICAGO, IL 60605
(312) 663-5554

Buckingham Fountain. The Fountain runs from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily,
Columbus Drive (301 East) and Congress Parkway (500 South) in Grant Park
Chicago, IL
(312) 742-PLAY

Navy Pier.

Navy Pier
600 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 595-PIER
(800) 595-PIER

Lincoln Park Zoo.
2001 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 742-2000
Millennium Park. Visit the Bean Sculpture. The Park is open daily from 6am - 11pm. Millenium Park Walking Tour downloadable for your MP3 Player.
201 E. Randolph St.
Chicago IL 60601
(312) 742-1168


Chicago Greeter Program. Free guided walking tours for parties of 6 or more. Call, or register online.
(312) 744-8000.

DuSable Museum of African American History. Free admission every Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (Admission Tuesday - Saturday $3 per person, hours 10am-5pm.)
740 East 56th Place
Chicago, Illinois 60637
(773) 947-0600

Garfield Park Conservatory. Open 9am-5pm daily. Thursdays, open until 8pm. Open 365 days of the year. Free admission.
300 North Central Park Avenue
Chicago, IL 60624
(312) 746-5100

Chicago Summer Dance Festival at Grant Park. July 23rd, 6pm-9:30pm the dance group is Kokolo. A free 1 hour dance lesson is followed by 2 hours of dancing.
Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden
601 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605

Have fun!

If you're going and will be twittering, follow "lolasdiner", if you aren't already, so I can get your tweets. And leave me a comment to let me know you're twittering.

(By the way, just 3 shopping days until my birthday.)

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Your Blog Is F'g Fabulous Award - Thank you!

Hehe, I got an award from the wonderful Jane @ Jane's Writing. Thank you!

Here are the following Instructions and Rules:
1. You have to pass it (the award) on to 5 other fabulous blogs in a post.
2. You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.
3. You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post. (easy Below)
Instructions: On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them. When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well. Don’t forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by emailing them or leaving a comment on their blog.

I am passing this award on to 5 fabulous bloggers:
1. Lin @ Duck And Wheel With String. Aww snap, I know how much you dislike awards because they are work, but this one is kinda cool, don't ya think?
2. Harriet @ I Am Harriet.
3. Kat @ Sassy Irish Lassie.
4. Kirsten @ The Soccer Mom Files.
5. Cardiogirl.

And now on to my 5 fabulous addictions:
1. Blogging - Like you all haven't figured that out already?
2. Farm Town - I can't go to bed yet, my crops are at 98%.
3. Chocolate - nuff said.
4. My immediate family - ok, seriously, until I overdose and must have some "me time".
5. Red meat - I went vegetarian for about 8 months 10 years ago. I missed steak and pot roast too much, lol! I will still eat veggie burgers because I actually do like them.

Phew! Got through 5. Now it's your turn ladies!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

dream...

I awoke in the middle of the night, Friday night/Saturday morning, to make my umpteenth trip to the bathroom (damn water pills) and recall a vivid dream I just had.

I was playing some sort of video slot machine or video poker machine.

I won a black Cadillac...

and...

$758,000!

Yeah, $758,000. I remember the amount distinctly. Isn’t that an odd amount? When people win at the slot machines and video poker, isn't it an even amount? I mean, like round numbers, like $760,000 or $750,000?

When I got up to use the bathroom, Anastasia woke up, came out of the bedroom at the same time I was returning. We both reached for the bedroom door at the same time and scared the bejesus out of each other. When she returned to the bedroom (I figured we were both awake anyway) I told her about my dream. Then she told me about her dream.

Anastasia dreamt she found inner peace.

Hmm, which dream is better?

And who wants to go with me to the boats this week?

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009