Jazzy's BBQ

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine suggested that we go to Jazzy's BBQ for lunch. I decided to try it since I've heard so much about it. I love food, so any opportunity to expand my horizons is welcomed.

What you see here, from left to right, is Corn Bread, BBQ sauce, Sweet Potato Pie, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, and BBQ Ribs.

I'll start at the top and go item by item:

Corn Bread - Amazing. I loved it. It wasn't too sweet or dry. It was moist and blissful cornbread perfection.

BBQ Sauce - Good Stuff.

Sweet Potato Pie - It's the most amazing thing I think I have ever eaten. Seriously. This size pictured is the small and I sincerely wished I had sprung for the large. The pie crust is sweet and the filling and smooth and perfect.

Collard Greens - Good enough for my kitchen and good enough for my grandma.

Macaroni and Cheese - The dark spot in this otherwise delicious meal. It seems that they use chunks of bread in it. It's absolutely awful and flavorless. I'm not sure how this passes their test, because everything else is so full of flavor. It wasn't a lack of salt. It was a lack of flavor altogether.

The Ribs - The Ribs were very good. Even if you didn't douse them in BBQ sauce, they were delicious and not at all dry.

The Bottom Line: Try Jazzy's but skip the Mac N' Cheese.

Jazzy's is located at 5703 W Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL 33634. You can call for pick up at (813) 243-8872.

MacGyver Vs. Chuck Norris

When I was a young girl in the 80's I was only in love with one man. That man was MacGyver. He was so cool and smart. He could do anything with nothing. In my family, we know about that in a significantly less bad ass sort of way, so it appealed to be. He had that solid mullety goodness that my best friend Jenny B. and I swooned over. She had a poster of him in her bedroom and I was so jealous.

Recently, my coworkers and I had a discussion. In a battle between MacGyver and Chuck Norris who would be victorious? I doubt this is an original line of thought, but we discussed it anyway.

Certain people thought that Chuck Norris would be victorious since he is so strong and an awesome fighter. I say MacGyver because he is very smart, can escape from anything, can build the most complex things with the least complex tools, and the fact that he is hella hot. (Yes, I said "Hella." This is MacGyver we're talking about.)

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Children are funny.

As you know, I don't spend an awful lot of time talking about my children. I'm not a mommy-blogger and I don't really think I would ever want to be. This blog post will be a little different because it is about Annie.

Annika just turned 7 on Valentine's Day. She's absolutely adorable, but beyond that she's very much an individual. She likes to be different. She likes to dress like a girl, but she wants to hang out with the boys. She worries about bullies, but she swears she won't let them push around her friends. She's decided that she is a werewolf and she's not kidding.

Annie recently had a "boyfriend." My mother completely freaked out. I didn't. I really don't think that it's a big deal. I don't see any point in decreeing that she not have a boyfriend. At this point, they just play together on the playground anyway. I think it's normal and healthy for children to express curiosity in the opposite sex and I think it gives us an opportunity to help her develop a pattern of positive behavior and choices.

Children see adults and they are aware that some of us date. They are curious about it and they want to be like us, so they imagine what it's like to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. They pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend or moms and dads, but they also pretend to be doctors, cashiers, and cowboys. It's a natural part of growing up.

Do I want Annie to start planning her wedding? No, not at all. Annika isn't planning anything either. She looked at me sadly at told me they broke up. It seems he didn't like Michael Jackson, so it never could have worked out.

Quinn

Quinn is our resident lady's man. He's the only male cat in my house, for one. For two, my brother really isn't interested in dating, so the title defaults to Quinn.

Quinn thinks that Obi Wan is too young for him and treats her like a sister. They groom each other and snuggle, but he never attempts to engage her "romantically." Bella, on the other hand, seems to be just the right age for him. He's constantly stalking her and trying to get her attention. Bella could not be less interested. She was happy when it was just her and Obi Wan. She thinks that Quinn should let himself out once and for all.

Quinn and Bella engage in epic battles. If I am home, I generally attempt to separate them or talk them out of fighting. This morning, Quinn would not be deterred. Bella warned him and he kept coming.

Bella hid under our futon in the living room and Quinn snuck up on her. This was a mistake. Bella had taken all she planned to take for the day. She reached out and slapped him. She even used her claws and scratched his nose.

Quinn tore out of there and came to me crying. "LOOK WHAT SHE DID TO ME!" he seemed to be saying. I rubbed his back and head and then I disinfected his nose. He looked up at me in horror. I held him and snuggled him more until it didn't hurt anymore and then he fell asleep snuggled in between my pillows.

 

This Quinn in the aftermath of his naughtiness. You can barely see the scratch from the photo, but this is definitely his sad face. 

Weekend Update

This weekend was really just a laid back weekend. Friday, I had dinner with my brother at Sam Seltzer's. We both had the Prime Rib and creamed spinach. Cameron loves the creamed spinach, but I think it's a little too sweet and this batch was not thick at all. It was runny.

Saturday I just laid back and relaxed. I bought a gift for a baby shower I was invited to on Sunday. I watched the marathon of Pit Boss. I took a long nap. I don't have very many days like that, so it was nice.

Sunday morning, I stayed in bed until 9:00am. After breakfast, I watched some Food Network. I watched Ina Garten, Guy, and Bobby Flay's show "Grill It." I don't grill, but after that show there are a few things I'd like to try.

My cousin's baby shower began at one. It was adorable. She had baby clothing hung up all over the house above all the windows. All the doorways had lines of socks. Nearly all the women in my family were there, so we took many, many pictures. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard with my cousins.

My aunt made amazing food. She made black beans and yellow rice, Spanish style pork, Cuban bread, and salad. My Aunt Rayna made amazing blueberry and cherry muffins. (She gave me the recipe last week, so if you're lucky I'll share it.) They got a cupcake cake from Sam's Club. I'll admit that I was skeptical, but it was the best cupcake I have ever had. That frosting was thick and delicious.

I don't usually enjoy baby showers, but this one was pretty good. There were no crazy shower games, just a lot of relaxing with people you don't see very often.

Neglected!

I have neglected this blog and I feel awful, but I have been terribly busy with things that I feel like shouldn't be written about here.

In the past few weeks, I have been to Chuck E. Cheese twice, so I feel that is punishment enough. Chuck E. Cheese is "Where a kid can be a kid", but it's also where a normally sane adult can be driven to the very brink of sanity. The pizza is actually kind of good. I suppose when you have about 300 smallish children are running around, shrieking, and chasing after tokens like leisure suited casino patrons you look for the positive things.

Positive Things at Chuck E Cheese

• Beer (not good beer, but it technically is beer.)
• Simple Pizza Choices - Cheese, Pepperoni, or the Works. 
• Every game costs 1 token.
• They take coupons. - You can find coupons on their website and in the Sunday Paper.
• Salad Bar - Vegan and Vegetarians can suffer, I mean, eat here too!
• Indoor Playground - It only about a billion degrees here in the Florida Summer with 100% humidity. Look MA! No heat stroke!
• Friendly-ish Staff - The birthday party staff is about as cheery as you can get. The other staff is pretty good too considering the abuse they endure. I one met a girl who had worked at Chuck E. Cheese for about 8 years. I was shocked. She was the nicest person I had ever met there.
• Security - When you come in the door you and your children receive a stamp with a group number on it. If you enter or leave with a child they check your number. The stamp is in ink you can only see under black light, so spazzy folks like me don't freak out.
• Did princess not get enough tickets for her dream prize? NO WORRIES! You can buy them for a penny a piece.

Alright. You are now filled in on Chuck E Cheese. Future parents, be warned. Current parents, we can hope they will grow out of this soon. Right?!

Update for February

I heard this song last night in the car and I really loved it. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a clean version to post here. The band is called Newfound road and you can visit their website here. The name of the song is "Try to Be." I'd recommend not watching the video if Cloverfield or The Blair Witch Project got to you, but listen to the song anyway.

Now, back to business as usual.

First, I'd like to let everyone know that Big John's Alabama BBQ has reopened. You might remember that I posted a review about them last year. I'm STILL getting comments on it, so I thought I just update you. I think Cameron and I may have to visit them again.

Secondly, let's talk about the SuperBowl. I'll admit that I succumbed to my third beer and passed out after the Halftime show. I did see the first half and I really felt like the Saints deserved to win. I initially thought that the Colts would show strength under pressure, but the Saints were willing to be gutsy. I'm not commenting on the second half of the game since I didn't see it. At 10:15, I groggily sat up and asked who was winning. It was a humorous moment.

The new year has had me really busy, so I am trying to focus on everything and do things right. I have some great new things to talk about in the next week or so. I promise.