My Aberdeen Monday...

Have you ever noticed how slowly the garden grows when you are watching it...

while two weeks away produces a small forest of new flowers all reaching for the sun and a canopy of branches providing a spot of shade dangling from the weight of new leaves. 

For some reason, I missed this performance last summer.

Anyhoo...

all this garden talk reminded me to tell you about a business opportunity waiting for you in NE Scotland.

About an hour west of Aberdeen...

just beyond Alford and towards the Cairngorms National Park...

a group of us headed out to a little spot infamous for its woolen socks that even Prince Charles is fond of.

Mossatburn is for sale and is filled with all types of goodies.

The couple that owns the place has already sold their award winning goats and is now moving closer to retirement.

Being just one stop on our lovely drive admiring the countryside...

it makes a great day trip filled with shopping, castles and of course, tea.

It is an absolutely beautiful day here in Aberdeen...

and a bonus of summers this far north;

daylight until the sun goes down at 10 o'clock p.m.

Ye-ah baby!!!

Happy Monday.

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," M*A*S*H

You know the best part about having grown children?

They are just as entertaining as when they were two.

And...

sometimes they pay!

Having Abbie along on my trip out to California this go around

 allowed for plenty of sibling time and the sheer joy of watching them together. 

So...

for now...

a huge shout out to their father who is off sailing the west coast of Scotland for his big day...

and my father...

who will spend the next few days with my brother in Idaho.

For the rest of you...

from the shores of Lake Anahuac.

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. " ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright,Pavarotti, My Own Story

Other than being overwhelmed by the many choices...

Los Angeles never disappoints on the food front 
and we are never at a loss for some place new.

An early celebration of 'the editor's' birthday led us to begin our evening standing in line for gourmet hotdogs...

and a large selection of imported beers. 

Not being a beer drinker...

 I made my choice by the glass it is served in.

A girl needs her standards.

Next stop...

dessert.

And...

since we could not choose between two VERY worthy choices...

we watched them whip up a few experiments...

 at Ice Cream Lab...

and then moseyed on down to Sprinkles 

where your choice of ice cream can be scooped into the cutest red velvet cone... 

as you read Thomas Jefferson's own recipe for ice cream

 circling around the ceiling.

Of course,

Sprinkles is best known for its cupcakes...

which are now available 24 hours a day in the cupcake ATM machine next door.

Instant birthday cake!

Fun times with the youngsters!

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

“And now," cried Max, "let the wild rumpus start!” ― Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

Once again,

Google turned a routine, run-of-the-mill internet search 

into my morning entertainment as I relive one of my favorite children's books 

on the would be 85th birthday of the famous author.

Meanwhile...

I wanted to share some Houston Hotties (I'm talking restaurants here)...

new discoveries this trip home.

Adair Kitchen provides a comfy cafe atmosphere with "simple favorites morning-noon-night"...

and a newly added juice bar.

Its Galleria area location is a convenient meet up spot.

Another newbie caught my eye with its menu serving up paleo options...

located near the old stomping grounds of Ren Man's 'man cave'.

The Corner Table...

is a tasty choice in the Kirby/Westheimer area where many tables are filled with 'ladies who lunch'.

Today...

I am sitting in the California sun with 'the editor', 'the dancer' and 'the foodie'...

agreeing with Max.

"Let the wild rumpus start!"

Happy Monday.

"Get your tutus on..." ~ Girls Just Gotta Have Fun, Sophia Grace

Leave it to spunky, sweet Sophia Grace to provide the perfect finale,
 as we bid farewell to my 'girls trip' to The Hague.

"Hey girls...we gotta GO green light...
wanna get to the mall, they got them jeans I like..." 

 We did do so much more while visiting The Netherlands...
but there was a good dose of shopping.
And, shopping with others who like to shop...
and give honest styling advice...
who 'got my back',
was a refreshing reminder of how true those words are.
Spontaneous shopping is Fun.

And like Sophia Grace herself...
those days in The Hague were priceless.

Meanwhile...

from home sweet home, 

 where each evening...

sunsets dance across the lake...

in bright yellow tutus.

"BRUCE BOGTROTTER: Well, it's hard for me to remember a specific cake. AGATHA TRUNCHBULL: This one was mine. And it was the most scrumptious cake in the entire world. BRUCE BOGTROTTER: My mom's is better. AGATHA TRUNCHBULL: It is, is it? How can you be sure unless you have another piece? Sit down, Bog." ~ Matilda, Roald Dahl

When you are traveling with a group of ladies, 

choosing where to eat is always taken seriously,

because, let's face it, 

when talking priorities...

right after shopping, 
dining is like that screaming baby...

 in need of attention.

Any efforts made to plan ahead just might prevent the baby from screaming at all.

Our amazing Dutch hostess arranged meals at three restaurants that are standouts in my memory.

The fresh atmosphere and food at Juni make it an excellent choice...

when work meetings or dinner parties are in your plans.

Bruce Bogtrotter would of course choose the Roald Dahl Chocolate Cake from among the many choices of home baked goods displayed front and center...
 so you know ahead of time to save room.

We ventured to the beach one night for some...

and enjoyed the food and the view.

Of course, our last morning...

gave us a chance to refuel before squeezing in a bit more power shopping...

as our flight loomed in the near future.

Gathering around the large table amidst the over-the-top decor of t Goude Hooft 
was the perfect 'last meal' together.

We said goodbye to The Hague...
with three indicators of a successful trip:
1) Bulging suitcases
2) Foodie finds
3) New friends

How about you?
Have you ever been on a trip with friends?

Happy Thursday.

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says

Having arrived back in Texas on Monday...

every minute has been busied with marking items off the list.

You know the ones...

eating Tex Mex,

retail therapy at old favorites,

catching up with family...

and oldie but goody friends,

and soaking up the bright (& much warmer) sunshine.

Meanwhile...

here is my rendition of this weeks photo challenge.

Living abroad is always entertaining,

 when someone is speaking their native language 

and then get to a point in conversation where an English title or name is used.

My ears always perk up...

everytime.

It is the same for store names.

Those of us from Houston got a kick out of hearing this store pop up in Dutch conversation.

Of course, I reminded them of the true pronunciation 

and to not listen to New Yorkers who totally have it wrong.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.