Hoover's no more?

My parents have put the family's cafe and cabins up for sale! Paradise no more!

For the past 10 years, Marysvale, Utah, has been the only steady home away from home that I've had. While it has been constantly changing every year, with new additions and remodeling, it is still home. When I lived in Virginia, over a period of 7 years, my mom and I lived in three different places. Then we spent 6 years in an apartment in Pleasant Hill, and now 2 years in our home in Martinez. 

The Cafe is HOOVER's NOT HOOTERS! Will it always be that way though? I've worked there on and off since I was 12 years old when I helped my sister Ashley with dishes. It was founded by my step-great grandmother more than 60 years ago. I spent most of my summers care- free (except for last summer of course, while I slaved away in the cafe) and

enjoying the great outdoors with my family and friends. It was a tradition to put off the 24th of July (and sometimes the 4th of July) fireworks in the cafe parking lot. Paiute and Sevier Utah are not the same as Lake Tahoe! There aren't crowds of people rushing to get to South Central Utah on all the major holidays...yet it is just as beautiful, if not more so. Bullion Canyon is one of my favorite places in the whole world, right up there with Florence and Rome!

While I respect their decision, I am still upset, and still hoping to squeeze in a few more visits before, *gasp*, a sale might go through.  My Grandma Joan, I'm sure, will always live there, so I'll always be able to visit, but it's just not the same. 

A picture of me and Korey in the cafe last February for my Dad's 50th birthday party.

Mr. President Elect

Well, well, a junior senator from the state of Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama has been elected President, on...yesterday, November 4, 2008. This is an historic time in America's history for sure, because he is the first African American to be elected to the executive office. How soon we forget another great man from Illinois who changed our country for the better. Let us hope a President Obama will accomplish great things and leave a lasting legacy that both Republicans and Democrats will appreciate in years to come. 

While I am a registered Republican, and while I did not vote for President Elect Obama, I must say after the initial breaking of my heart (not just for McCain but for my local candidates, none of which won), I can appreciate and take pride in this moment. This is monumental--and one of those moments where 50 years from now I'll be saying to my grandchildren, "I was there", when our country took a massive step forward. 

Who is to say what the future will bring? Will a President Obama govern to the center or to the left? Will he push semi-socialist agendas through a Democratically controlled congress? Who knows. I believe he will take the time to consider the 48% of Americans that voted for someone else, I have to hope that he does. As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people take away the rights of the other forty-nine." 

I hope while all eyes are on our great nation, Barack Obama governs well, and with the ease and respect with which he has campaigned. He is an amazing speaker, there is no doubt. 

Has he proven to me that he will be able handle the office of the President? And get things done in a bipartisan fashion? No. 

But I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Since I didn't vote for him, that's all I can give.

Wind That Shakes the Barley

A couple of years ago, my Mom and I ventured over to Berkeley to see an Irish made Independent film called The Wind That Shakes the Barley. I wanted to see it for three reasons: 

1) it had Cillian Murphy in it--who at the time I had seen in Breakfast On Pluto, Batman Begins and Girl With the Pearl Earring. 

2) it was filmed in Ireland, and from the trailer, had some very beautiful cinematography 

3) it was about the Irish war for independence and the civil war

The film was frightfully depressing, yet beautiful. I loved it, even though I had trouble understanding them speaking for the first half of the film. 

It's been on TV the last few days, and so I've watched it again (with subtitles) and I just wanted to recommend it. It's not much of a love story, though there is one, and it's not comical at all.

It's an impressive drama that enlightens upon a subject few of us know much about. 

The trailer, for your viewing pleasure:

Craving Some Limeade

Even though it's rainy California weather and getting much colder, I am craving some summer Limeade! I know Simply Limeade is pretty good, but this sounds better. 

Recipe: 

7 Key Limes or 3 Regular Limes

1 Cup Sugar

6 Cups Water

Cut limes in half (into quarters of eighths if smaller blender), put all ingredients into blender, blend on HIGH for 2 minutes. Pour through wire mesh strainer into a pitcher, add ice and ENJOY!

  

EDIT:

wouldn't this be marvelous in Louisiana? Still no word from UL!

Popcorn Palace

It wasn't until I worked at a movie theater that I truly appreciated good popcorn. I had never really understood the big deal about going to the movies and getting popcorn. During my two years at Cine Arts, though, I perfected my popcorn making skills making regular popcorn by adding different amounts of salt/flavoring and oil, and doing the butter shake (in which you have layers of butter and you shake the popcorn around in the bag). 

Now, microwave popcorn just isn't the same to me... 

Now when I go to the movies, I usually switch between Kettle Corn and regular popcorn, because my theater didn't serve Kettle corn, so I never got sick of it...

About two months ago, one of the kids in my neighborhood delivered a package of gourmet popcorn to our house. My mom failed to mention that she'd ordered it and so it was a surprise to me. Even though I am quite a popcorn connoisseur--at least when it comes to movie theaters--or popcorn snob ("That is so not real butter.")--I have never understood the gourmet popcorn appeal. 

During the holidays, it seems that gourmet popcorn is a common gift or handy snack. I never really liked it or understood why. Popcorn, by itself, and even with some salt and butter, isn't too bad for you...in moderation, of course. But adding sugar and caramel (I don't like "Carmel")? Is that necessary? 

My answer now is, YES. I was surprised to find that Popcorn Palace (from Chicago's Navy Pier), the brand of gourmet popcorn my mom had ordered, was delicious and dare I say, mouthwatering. Cookies & Cream was the first flavor I tried and was delighted to enjoy. They have other flavors like White Chocolate Cinnamon, Peanut Butter Drizzle, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie. I can't even imagine eating pumpkin pie or apple cobbler with bowls of those sitting around! 

This is something I'm sure to add to my notorious "Christmas Wish List: Guaranteed Satisfaction" for 2008.

Captain Compete!

read more about it here

A Taste of Ink

There's a new blog in town! Just what I need, another thing to update--but this is for my writings. Check it out if you dare, there's not much there because I've only posted the first chapter of one story. You might notice one of my stories has the same title as this blog. (I stole the name from my story.)