Eggplant and Tomatoes

Great local tomatoes are still coming in as are big, glorious aubergine globes of eggplant and shiny deep emerald zucchini. Combine them all in this fabulous recipe from Williams-Sonoma. Its a great side or hearty enough for a vegetarian entree---YUM!

http://tiny.cc/EggplantTomatoStacks

I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

What A Week

Finally! This week is over! My cousin, Jeff, is in from California this week. We'll be going out with him and the family. We hope to catch up with some friends and enjoy Downtown Restaurant Week in Norfolk. Just had a great hair blow out, mani/pedi and am feeling Divalicious. Cheers to a great weekend!

The Hubster Turns 51!

The party went off without a hitch. Tim was actually surprised! A good time was had by all. So, what are your great ideas for throwing a surprise party without spoiling the surprise?

My tips for worry free surprise party planning:
--have the party offsite, not at your house
--wait until the last minute; there's less chance of someone spilling the beans!
--invite by phone or email; invitations and confetti leave telltale evidence at home that will spoil your surprise(this happened for the 40th party)
--skip the fussy decorations--no one really cares anyway
--let your favorite watering hole make all your honoree's favorite apps
--sit back and enjoy!

The Hubster's Birthday

So what do you get for the guy who has everything and wants very little? My husband's 51st birthday is tomorrow. We have started to gravitate to more experiential things, so I covered all of the expenses at the Va Derby over the weekend. I'd still like to whisk him away for a long weekend sometime soon. Other than that, his gifts aren't too exciting.

I have, however, managed to throw together an impromptu surprise birthday party at one of the local watering holes in town. I was forbidden to throw him a 50th birthday party last year, so this is payback. Stay tuned for photos from the mid-week semi surprise party! Wish me luck in pulling this off!

Our Day @ The Virginia Derby

We came, we drank, we wagered. This year's Virginia Derby, the 11th running, was packed with big name jockeys. Race fans all have different ways of making their pick of the ponies. Some bet the horse's record, some bet solely on the jockey, some follow the racing form and take the odds-makers' suggestions and some just pick the most interesting name. Today, I tried all of these methods and I can honestly say, none worked better than the other.

If your a newbie to the horse-racing and betting scene, get a quick primer on the various types of bets to make. I'm now kicking myself for not boxing in the 7th and 8th races. The exacta, trifecta and superfecta are considered exotic bets and they pay more than a win, place, show or across the board bet. Then there's the daily double where dumb luck is really just as effective as a well thought out strategy.

All in all, in was a great day---some wins, some losses; but only down about thirty bucks for the entire day. Hey, where else can you get 6 hours of entertainment for thirty bucks? Enjoy the photos of our day---and our friends Sandy and Derby Dur!

We're Off to the Races!

Tonight starts my new blog. I have officially entered the 21st century---FINALLY!

Tomorrow we're off to the Va Derby! I LOVE horse racing. I know some people find it cruel and there is much concern for the health of the animals. Are 2-year olds able to handle the stress of schedules needed for Triple Crown contention, etc. But these animals are beautiful and the races are thrilling. Wish us luck as we make our wagers!