How To Weekend

I returned to work Monday all relaxed after a nice long break. My soul felt rested and peaceful. By Wednesday people started serious count downs to the last day of the school year. I refused to play into that game and carried on with my routine. By Friday I needed a drink! 

It just happened that King Ralph and I  were taking the March birthday couple, Princess A and her Prince Charming to dinner to celebrate. Princess A selected an establishment none of us have frequented before: The Kitchen Sink. I knew there was a cocktail there with my name on it. 

The Kitchen Sink serves fabulous Cajun and southern foods with a young urban vibe. It's a place my pal Lin could easily name "Cajun food for pretty people." We started dinner off with signature cocktails for the ladies and Craft beers for the men. King Ralph and I ordered Humble Pie, a spin on Shepard's Pie-- jalapeño cornbread, sauteed peppers, onions, shrimp, Andouille Sausage, & Tasso Ham, topped with sweet mashed potatoes with bananas topped with Étouffé Sauce & white cheddar. Prince Charming ordered The Kitchen Sink--sautéed shrimp & Andouille served over cheesy grits with a Tasso & crab gravy. I took a bite of his food and instantly knew what I'd order next time I dined here. And I WILL return! 

(Humble Pie) 

We finished off the birthday celebration with funnel cake straws served with sweet & spicy strawberry habanero jam and powdered sugar on top. My calorie intake for dinner was thanking me for eating just broccoli for lunch. 

Once Friday's food digested it was all about Saturday's trivia table buffet. We had a feast of Fuzzy's Taco Shop crispy shell shredded meat tacos, White Castle crave case cheese burgers, dips-n-chips and cupcakes from a Soulard Market bakery. Our food offerings apparently turned out to be brain food! You see Table 9 rocked the house, coming in numero uno. My nephew and M carried us with their brilliant knowledge of history, Prince Charming's strength was in sports, I came through with the dollar amount it cost to keep "Pretty Woman" ($3000) and collectively we put our bar knowledge of cocktails to paper with pen. Perhaps our strength came from the obnoxious amount of "10-12 minute breaks" that were had throughout the trivia game. It really began to wear us down...

some more than others. When you've got time to check updated sport scores on your phones...  It was undoubtedly the longest night of trivia we've played in all our lives! 

I won't even bother to give the details on some dude who offered to take an entire bowl of mustard to the face if $80 was collected. So many question of why came to my mind--why would anyone want to take mustard to the face, where did the mustard come from, how big is the bowl, will his eyes be open or close when the mustard hits his face???? Thank God he offered to double the money if $80 was collected. The impromptu mustard challenge at trivia was called off for the mere price of $160. 

Despite the nonsense...

I present to you, the trophy. The prize cash spilling out of the challis, well, we donated that back to the cause. 

Sunday came with a drag in my body. I consciously skipped out on church and headed over to Cliff Cave Park. It's funny how you can live for so long somewhere   and never visit locations so close. Cliff Cave Park is one of those places for me. 

M was in need of breaking in her hiking shoes, while I was in need of exercise. The park has three trails, with the Mississippi Trail being a paved 5.1 miles trail.

Right now it's beauty lacked, but the potential is there. Once the trees green up for Spring and Summer the trail walk will be pleasant. Fall walks will set you among golden and robust colors. The land is wet land, so there is an abundance of frogs singing and migrate birds floating in random pools of water. 

The trail loops along the Mississippi River, 

and past farm land--that hasn't yet been prepared for planting season. There are informational signs along the way to educate and benches to rest. We read, but never sat.

The nice thing about this trail is it was busy with walkers, joggers and bikers. It was full of young and old alike, with the common denominator to be outside and feel healthy. 

I suppose my soul was lifted over the weekend, so I can handle another week of whatever comes my way! Even the nonsense of counting down to the last day of school...I think I can bare it!