(no subject)

[shadowkat]

Lovely day - even though I spent most of it inside, with my back to a window view of skyscrapers climbing against a bright blue sky. It was in the 70sF, started out in the 50sF and slightly warmer than yesterday, with a nice breeze. So I took a walk up towards the cookie place. The cookie people have grown used to me - and tell that they will see me next week. I even know some of their names. There's a lot of turn over as would be expected - customer service is a tough job. You've a lot of down time, and then have to deal with impatient customers, many that don't speak your language. (It's NYC, one gets used to hearing 500 languages a day after a while.)

I'm wearing the new cat shirt that I bought via Amazon - it's not perfect, the green background dye is slightly off, and there's a little fading on one of the cat designs? But other than that - it's fine, and I only really plan on wearing it at home any how.

And per mother's request - I'm hunting trips to Mackinac Island, Michigan and Chicago that we can go on together. If you've done this or know of any, feel free to drop [ETA: positive] suggestions/recs in the comments below.[I only want positive recommendations for Mackinac Island. I decided to take out the bold, and underline Mackinac Island, because the two responses I got were about Michigan. And really really negative on Mackinac Island. I was kind of hoping for the exact opposite?]

Apparently, Mother's sister suggested it - her younger sister lives in Michigan. She didn't provide additional help or advice on the matter.

Making my way through Rivals - finished the first season on Hulu. It's fun, and reminds me a lot of 1980s prime time soap miniseries and shows, such as The Thorn Birds, I'll Take Manhattan, Dynasty, etc. They were fun too. I think there's a bit more to Rivals - mainly because it's a satire, the 1980s shows weren't satires exactly.

Also, gave up on the satiric romance fantasy Long Live Evil by Caitlin Rozakis, again. I made it a bit further, but don't like anyone, including the heroine - who isn't as bright as she thinks she is. And am now reading the horror novel Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Moon instead, say what you will about Moon? She's a better craftsman than Rozakis.

And still reading This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Illona Andrews - which has an entertaining twist. It's kind of hilarious once the twist is revealed. The first person narrator and protagonist, Maggie the Undying, is an unreliable narrator. It's a portal fantasy, where the heroine inadvertently falls into her favorite dark epic fantasy series (comprised of two books - the author never got around to writing the third and has kind of disappeared from view, and the books bear more in resemblance to Game of Thrones than well, Narnia.) She thinks she knows everything, being in all these point of view characters (think Game of Thrones) in the books, but ...hee, she doesn't. Also she does stuff - and that well changes things in the world.

I'm sticking with it, because I like it and the lead character. And got it on audible as well as hardcover. But it is slow going. I don't tend to read fast generally speaking. I do however remember books like movies and can replay them in my head.

***
Friday Five

1. In an average week, how many nights do you eat home-cooked dinners?

Pretty much every day.



2. Do you plan your meals out in advance, or just wing it?

Wing it. I'm an intuitive cook. It depends on what I find at the grocery store.

3. How many nights per week do you eat out or order food delivered?

None. I have dietary restrictions and am single. Plus cheaper. And being gluten intolerant - it's easier to make it myself.

4. Do you keep a stock of nonperishable foods from which you could whip up a meal or two if you needed to?

Yes.

5. Have you ever tried preparing meals for the week all at once, say, on the weekend?

No. I don't have the storage space. That only works if you have a big freezer or refrigerator and pantry. I don't.

Comments

[cactuswatcher]

Friday Five

1 Like you, shadowkat I eat at home in the evening almost all the time. I eat lunch out a couple times a month.

2 I usually do my meal planning at the grocery store. "That looks good... Haven't had that in a while... I can make a couple meals out of that..."

3. Eat out or order out in the evening? Not recently. I occasionally ate out on Sunday evening back in Phoenix, but just haven't felt like it here in Tucson.

4. Stock of food for quick meals? Certainly.

5. I frequently make enough for four evening meals, chili, spaghetti, jambalaya or something similar in scope, but never for more than four days, and never anything at the same time for the rest of the week. More than that and you really should freeze some to be safe, and whatever, it will never taste as good. So I often, but far from every week, make a really big evening meal with three days of left overs then fill in the rest of the week with something on the spot.

[shadowkat]

Yeah, being single - and food portions always bigger than I can possibly eat? I have left-overs. Often chili, soup, salmon, veggies, you name it. But I am also often throwing stuff out, because I don't get around to eating it in time. And I agree on freezing. It doesn't taste as good the second go around - when frozen. Plus I have a small top of the fridge freezer box. It's not a separate freezer that is large - like some people have, or a bottom of the fridge double tray freezer. And if it is stuffed - it builds up ice and doesn't work well.
So I can't stuff it.

[threemeninaboat]

I've been across the water, we stayed at the Mackinac Breakers. From what I've read expect to do a ton of uphill walking on the island.
Our weather was not great, even though it was June. It was really cold and rainy. The food was all fried and "tourist beach" food. Scope out to see if you can get better food. It was very buggy. And while I did get to see many cool lighthouses there were no cool ships on that side. Not much to do.
We also stayed in New Haven and Traverse City: we had good food and fun in both. New Haven has a tall ship they let me sail and helm.

Chicago: the transportation was super easy, it's also flat, no bugs. Lots of food, it's a good food city. We LOVED the jazz club Golden Mill. Lots to do. Roz was also gimpy in the leg and had an okay time getting around.

We both adored Detroit.

[shadowkat]

I think we'd probably stay on the main drag. There are lots of gluten free places per Gluten Free Mackinac Island Guide.

Sorry you had such a horrible visit.

It's voted as one of the number one summer favorites. And one of Mackinac Island's biggest appeals is it is car free. This is important. We are looking for a place that we NEVER have to drive. No driving required!

[threemeninaboat]

Ah, then yes.

[kazzy_cee]

I don't think that people who don't regularly make their own food realise how much cheaper it is (and it often doesn't take much more time to do). My boys realised that when they went to university, and thankfully they were good cooks.

[shadowkat]

Yup. I can make salmon and veggies in under 15 minutes in the air fryer. Prep time? 10 minutes.

Certain appliances help. It used to take thirty-five minutes.

Take out takes far longer - it's faster and cheaper to fix it at home. And having dietary restrictions - take out isn't really something I can do easily.

[mtbc]

I'm not sure what I'd suggest in Michigan though I've been around the Lower Peninsula a fair bit. Generic Midwest, really. Modest lakes for fishing, some nice trails through woods, etc. Mackinac Island is a bit hilly and chock-full of tourism. I happened across a nice little church which was a shady break from a sunny walk but I have no idea what or where.

I don't remember much of use about Chicago apart from that the rapid transit was a godsend and I liked the aquarium.

Good luck with it all though!

[shadowkat]

I wasn't looking for Michigan recs, just Mackinac Island. LOL! (You're the second person who went there - why is that? Did people's eyes jump over Mackinac and land on Michigan?)