Thursday, December 17, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 12/16/09

Good Morning my LOVES! I hope you all are feeling good and are making your preparations for 2010! I am sad to report that "Wednesday Dinner with Ash" is taking a vacay, I will be back in January 2010 bigger and better than ever. I just need a little break to get somethings together and make sure I'm ready to give you guys some heated blogs about my love of food! I wish all of you Happy Holidays and make sure you give from the kindness of your heart! Be blessed- Ashley....

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Wednesday Dinner was on Tuesday 12/8/09






















Good Morning! OMG! This has been one of the hardest weeks for me, I have been so tired lately. It has been extremely hard for me to get up on time, I'm going to blame this week on the gloomy weather! I hope you all are doing well and getting ready to cuddle and be warm this weekend, there is a storm on the way. With that being said let me get into this weeks "Wednesday Dinner". This week I had dinner a day early due to the fact that it was my Dad's birthday on Tuesday. My Dad is a very simple man when it comes to eating and he likes what he likes. He is always open to try different places but if he doesn't like it he won't eat it and definitely won't go back. My Mom was trying to surprise my Dad and do something different, but if you know my Mom then you know her choice was going to be somewhere where she has been or wanted to go. My Mom had decided she wanted to try Santa Maria BBQ (http://santamariabbq.com/) , she tried to play it off since my Dad likes BBQ also. Santa Maria BBQ is located in downtown Culver City, actually right across the street from Tender Greens. Since it was my Dads birthday, Melissa came down and Shelby was off of work also so we were all able to be together. We had an extra bonus, Shelby's best friend Ryan also joined us. Let me give you a little back round on my Dad since I don't really talk about him much on my blog. My Dad just turned 57 and he is in great shape, he has been married to my Mom for 28 years and they have been together for 35 years. My Dad is the baby of his Family and he is very modest and humble. My Dad stands for a lot of things and is great in my eyes! Now back to dinner, Santa Maria is a cute little place it wasn't crowded but it wasn't empty either. The waitresses are very nice and polite. I was a little thrown off with the menu there, it seemed like BBQ wasn't really once of their specialties and after eating my food I could see why. Here is what we all ate:

Mom- Appetizer Sampler (Tri Tip, Chicken, Ribs and Fries)
Dad- Oak Pit Burger and Fries
Ashley- Oak Pit Burger with Cheese, Avocado and Bacon and Fries
Melissa- Spencer Steak with Beans and Salad
Shelby- Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries and Cole Slaw
Ryan- Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries and Potato Salad

Ok so this place really had me thrown for a loop, they brought out garlic bread served with salsa and then what appeared to be a crudite' which was pickles, olives, carrots and celery. That was very strange to me, Shelby and Melissa both got salad and the salads were good. Typical house and Cesar salads but fresh and good. My Mom started off with a cup of Corn Chowder which was ok, I didn't really care for it. We weren't waiting long for our food to arrive which was good because I get really impatient when that happens. Dinner came out quick and it was time to start eating. Everyone enjoyed their food except for Ryan he didn't really care for the pulled pork. My burger was good, I am really not into beef burger I prefer turkey but that burger was alright with me. Melissa's Spencer steak was good! I would have liked it served with mashed potato's or something instead of the beans. My Dad was satisfied with his burger, and my Mom liked her food too. Over dinner we laughed about so many memories we all have of and with each other. When its just my Mom, Dad and my sisters is when I feel the best! I couldn't have asked for a better family and support system. My Dad doesn't really like to go out and eat so getting him out was a treat and I know he enjoyed himself. All in all dinner was great! The bill came to about $106.00 which isn't bad for 6 people and the tip was included. After dinner they bought out a mini chocolate cake and we all sung happy birthday to my dad. Of course this cake was small enough for one person, but we made it work and everyone was able to get a bite. This cake was DELISH, very moist inside and very chocolaty! It would have been even better with ice cream but they don't serve ice cream. I don't think I'll be going back to Santa Maria BBQ, because they are missing the BBQ. I can go just about anywhere and get a good burger but it will hold my Dad's 57th birthday as a memory for me. If you would like to get in the "Wednesday Dinner" car or have any suggestions, drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about my Dad: I have always held my Dad dear to my heart and have always said that I want a man just like my Dad. My Dad is smart, caring, loving, honest and humble. He has always taught me to do the right thing and not get caught up in things are people. He has always been there for me and I am so proud to be his daughter or "Charlies Angel". I love you Dad! Until next week I'm outtie 5000-Always Ashley

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 12/2/09











Hey everyone, I know I've been gone for a while but do to the holiday I took a little vacay from blogging. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and know that you should be thankful everyday not just on Thanksgiving, so with that being said let the "Wednesday Dinner" story begin. This week was a special dinner, I spent it with both of my sisters Melissa and Shelby. It is extremely rare that we are all together during the week, but this week it clearly worked in our favor. I decided to go to one of our favorite places that just became our favorite recently, we had dinner at "Tender Greens" (http://www.tendergreensfood.com/). Tender Greens is located in the heart of downtown Culver City on Washington, its tucked away and if your not familiar with the area or the restaurant you might pass it up. It has a very hip and up to date style about its self, with tables inside and outside its the perfect place to eat all year round. I love this place because the food is good, healthy, and they serve beer and wine and you can also bring your own bottle of wine with you if you like. Shelby and Melissa also loves this place, its very reasonable and according to Shelby "A cute place for a first date". So here is what we ate:

Ashley & Shelby: Hot Plate (Chipotle BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, & Cesar Salad)
Melissa- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

Last night Tender Greens was crowded inside and appeared to be getting crowded outside, but luckily it wasn't to cold outside last night and we were able to get a table right under a heater. Over dinner my sisters and I just laughed and joked like we always do when we are together, but it was also a time to congratulate Shelby on getting her first college acceptance letter! I am soooooooo very proud of her and happy to see her moving forward in her education. And of course in true Stephens girl fashion once the seriousness was done is right back to joking. After I got off Shelby it was time to get on Melissa (just for a minute), I was joking with her because this weekend her and her boyfriend are celebrating they're 1 year anniversary (LAME)! just kidding, I am very happy for my sister because I know that she is extremely happy in her relationship so "I wish you guys many more anniversaries and hopefully there will be a wedding soon". Then I had to get back on Shelby, this little girl loves potatoes! She can eat potatoes all day everyday, I mean and she likes them every way possible (french fries, mashed potatoes, baked potato, hash browns, steamed potatoes). She kept eyeing my potatoes asking me if I was full, and mind you she still had hers on her plate. She is too funny when it comes to potatoes. Now back to dinner, Tender Greens is set up cafeteria style when ordering and paying for your food (order first, pay second, and get the food third) so at the time I ordered my food I also ordered dessert:

Aztec Brownie

I only got one because I figured we would all be so full from dinner and the brownie was a pretty nice size for my sisters and I to share. This brownie was so moist and chocolaty! OMG DELISH!!!!!!! It had a hint of cinnamon in it and it was topped with powdered sugar, all I really needed was a cold glass of Milk and it would have been perfect. But since I didn't have any Milk and I had to share it two other ways it was good for what it was. All in all dinner was great, any time I can spend with my two sisters is great for me. If you would like to join the "Wednesday Dinner" club or have any suggestions drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about control. Control is defined as: restraint; authority. Control is something we all need to have over ourselves and our lives, however you should not want to control what someone else does or says. That is a form of a major insecurity, because when you think about life and what we go through you can never ever control what someone else does, says, or thinks about you. All you can do is control you. Until next week, Ya'll come back now- Ashley

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 11/18/09

















Good Morning my loves! I hope you all are doing well and in a good mood, I know I am. Anyway this weeks "Wednesday Dinner" was wack, I was stood up by my cousin (Shame on him). My plans where to have dinner with my cousin Marc but for some reason Marc was double booked helping my cousin Mikey move into his apartment yesterday. So I was left to fin for myself, which was fine but the only problem was I had no clue of what I wanted to eat. I had waited so long to eat I was starting to get irritated and get a headache. Anyone who knows me knows you don't play with my food or my money! I was going back and forth with what I wanted to eat, I didn't want to drive far but I wanted something good. Sheesh I know I was all over the damn place. So after much thinking I decided to go to good old "El Pollo Loco" (http://www.elpolloloco.com/) and here is what I ate:

2 Taco's Al Caborn (Chicken)
1 Chicken Taquito
1 Loco Salad
Chips and Guacamole
2 Churros

I know that sounds like a lot of food and it probably is to most people, especially for one person to eat. But if you know me you know I'm greedy and there is a fat person that lives inside of me! I got all of that food for $7.02 WHAT! I know crazy right! Don't sleep on El Pollo Loco's value menu! I went inside to order my food and I have no idea why the hell I did that because this El Pollo Loco was PACKED! There were parents and kids all over the place and it seemed like it took about 10 minutes for me to get my food. They where just really going thru it over there. So I just bought me food home, tore it down and it was a wrap. All in all the food was good, the best part for me was the Churros (YUMMY)! If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" ride or have any suggestions get at me ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about CHOICES. A choice is defined as: the act of choosing, the right to choose. In life we all make choices some good and some bad. However at a certain age in your life you have to make a effort to make only good choices. Recently I found out that someone I once loved and cared a lot for made the ultimate bad choice. I felt so bad and wanted to try my hardest to help, fix or make it better. However what it boils down to is a "Choice" that that person made and now has to live with it. Never let anyone choose for you, and make sure the choices you make in your life are choices you can live with. At the end of the day one bad choice can bring a lifetime of unhappiness. Think about it! Until next week Cheerio- Ash

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 11/11/09
















Goooood Morning! I am so well rested its ridiculous! I went to bed at 9pm, which is a first for me in a long time. Anyway I hope you all are doing well and are looking forward to something positive in your life. This weeks "Wednesday Dinner" was all about reflections, inspirations, friends and family. This week I was on a solo tip, for the simple fact that this week marks my 20th blog! Which means I have been blogging and doing dinners for 20 weeks, that's crazy. I am so glad to be consistent with this and thanks to all the people who have and are following my blog, and I can't forget about all the people this far that I've had dinner with (thanks to you guys too). This is just the beginning and there is plenty more to come! So let the "Wednesday Dinner" story begin. I was so on the fence with what I wanted to eat because I couldn't figure out what I had a taste for. So yesterday I was in limbo with that for a long time, after I left work I stopped by my Uncle Mickey's house (Brittany & Mikey's Dad) because my cousin Mark was babysitting my God Daughter Skye (Dominick's Daughter). I was excited to see her and she was excited to see me! I hadn't seen her in a minute, so it was good to see my little baby. She is getting so big and talking so well at 3 years old! She is HILARIOUS and of course oh so dramatic, bouncing of the walls, screaming, playing and I guess clearly being a kid ( I love her). After I was there for a while my cousin Brittany came by followed by Uncle Mickey and then Mikey came home. It was so good to see my family, I spent a little more time and then I peaced out. On my way home I was holding a very interesting conversation with my best friend Tiffany and I swear, we have a relationship that only the two of us understand. She told me she was waiting for her daughters father to get a hair cut, so I decided to pop up on her. But the funny part is she saw me before I could surprise her. So we chit chatted for about 30 minutes and then I went home. When I got home I was still undecided with what I wanted to eat, so I pitter pattered around the house for a minute and then it came to me. I decided I wanted to eat "Okie Dog". If you grew up in LA then you are familiar with "Okie Dog". Located on Pico down the street from Roscoe's. "Okie Dog" has been around forever, I was raised on the food there. It's one of my dad's favorite spots, so here is what I ate:

Pastrami Burrito (chilli, pastrami, cabbage, bell peppers, onions and I get mine with cheese)
French Fries

"Okie Dog" is one of those neighbor classic places, and unfortunately they don't have a website. They have all kids of good, greasy and fatty foods. From chilli cheese hot dogs and fries, burgers, teriyaki bowls all kinds of stuff. When you go inside they have pictures of all the Famous people who have stopped by. As much as I love "Okie Dog" I would never eat my food there, its not located in one of the safest neighborhoods. I was so hungry that I ate most of my fries on the way home, the one thing I do love about "Okie Dog" is that the food is so hot that by the time I got home is was still warm. The burrito is HUGE and big enough for two people, of course I only ate half of mine and it was DELISH to the last bite. Most people wouldn't eat all of that stuff together in a burrito but I say "Don't knock it until to try it". After eating that I was extremely full and ready to call it a night. But I had a taste for something sweet, so I decided to go to "Lucy's" and get a Strawberry Malt. OMG so good! Lucy's is another neighborhood classic if you grew up in LA! So after that it was lights out for your girl. All in all dinner was DELISH my day and time was well spent. If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" order form drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to just say THANK YOU again to everyone who reads and supports my blog. To all of those who have experienced "Wednesday Dinner" and to all of those who are going to experience "Wednesday Dinner". You guys are the BEST and the support is so appreciated, please spread the word and tell people to tell people to check out my blog. On that note, until next week See ya- Ashley.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 11/4/09









Good Morning!!!!! This day light savings time change really has me on one! It seems like I'm ready for bed by 8pm (CRAZY)! I hope you all are having a positive and prosperous week so far and are looking forward to the weekend! This weeks "Wednesday Dinner" was another special one. I think I mentioned this before but my sister Shelby and my cousin Taelor are 10 days apart. My mom and my cousin Chanel (Taelor's mom) were prego at the same time (Hilarious). So last nights dinner was all about my Tootie aka Taelor. For some reason Shelby and Taelor were so excited to be turning 17, for what reason I am not sure I don't remember any big perks that came when I was 17 but that was a whole different time back then. Anyway Chanel and Taelor's dad put together a "Family gathering" last night and so let the "Wednesday Dinner" story begin. We all met last night at Taelor's Great grandmother's house for dinner, her great grandma's house is the meeting/party place for their family most of the time. It is such a wonderful feeling to see that both of Taelor's great grandparents are in good health! The party was suppose to start at 6:30pm-7pm-ish, but you know how we do sometimes. The house was filled with cousins, Aunt's, Uncles and close family friends. Taelor is a very picky eater and has always been since she was a child! I remember babysitting her and this kid wouldn't eat and when she got older her pickiness went to a whole different level. Now that she's older, when she finds something she likes she likes it! Her favorite foods are Chipotle, Wing Stop, Burger King and Panda Express. So I knew we were going to have at least one of those for dinner last night, and the winner was Panda Express ( http://www.pandaexpress.com/). We ate:

Fried Rice
Chow Mein
Broccoli & Beef
Orange Chicken
Steamed Rice

You can never really go wrong with food from Panda, so I was pleased. I didn't know that Panda Express has "Chili Paste" its really good! It gives a little kick and spice to the food. Over dinner I sat with the "Kids" (hahaha) and they are HILARIOUS! I remember being 17 but I don't remember being that grown. loud or excited about weird things. All of Taelor's friends are funny, they keep me laughing! They have all this crazy slang and funny phrases about everything. Of course they always make fun of me because I look they're age and I'm older than them (they really get a kick out of that). Its so funny watching Taelor with her friends because I have watched her grow up and also some of her friends, so that has me feeling a little old. After dinner it was time to get into the cake and ice cream (Ice cream and cake do the ice cream and cake). I love that commercial!. Chanel (Taelor's mom) has a thing with cake, every cake they get is from Hansen's Bakery ( http://www.hansencakes.com/). Chanel got Taelor a small round cake and 2 dozen cupcakes, I believe the cake was Marble filling and the cupcakes where chocolate, vanilla, and marble (So YUMMY) and fresh I love cupcakes and ice cream. Of course you she didn't forget the ice cream! Taelor's favorite ice cream is Vanilla! After cake and ice cream it was time for Taelor to open her gifts and she got some pretty cool things! I think she was most excited about "DJ Hero" for her Wii, she was grinning from ear to ear. Dinner was great, there where good laughs, family, friends, food and pictures. If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" blog or have any suggestions drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com . In closing I would like to say a few things about Taelor; I have watched here grow up and still find it so heard to believe that she is 17 and this time next year she will be in college. Its amazing because her and Shelby are the 2 kids that I've actually watched grow up (literally). I am so proud of her and she always makes me laugh and smile when I see her. I am mostly grateful for her because of the relationship that her and Shelby have! They are truly connected in a way that only the 2 of them understand. I want to say thank you Taelor and I love you!!!! Until next week Tata for now-Ashley

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 10/28/09







Good Morning, I hope everyone is feeling good! I know I am (Woohoo). This weeks "Wednesday Dinner" was a little random but good non the less. It first started with me going to see Michael Jackson's "This Is it", let me say this about the movie; if you are a HUGE Michael Jackson fan I would encourage you to see if but if your like me and your just a fan of his music I wouldn't waste my time or money. In my opinion it seemed very weird watching it, I won't give away the details of the movie but I could've waited until it came out on DVD personally. So after I saw the movie I was wondering what the hell I was going to eat. My original plans were to have dinner with 2 of my big homies Chris and Deon but we had to reschedule. So my homegirl Tati put me on blast yesterday on facebook asking me what was for dinner, but she wasn't able to come out either. So I had to think of something quick, I remembered my boy Chris had my Tshirt he bought back from New York for me so I figured let me go get my Tshirt and we can have dinner too. So let the "Wednesday Dinner" story begin. Chris and I haven't hung out since the summer time so it was good seeing him and catching up, although he lives on the other side of town (Haha). Since I was going to pick up my Tshirt it didn't make since to drive all the way to Hollywood and come right back so I figured we could grab something quick to eat and then traffic would die down by the time I was ready to leave. I had been having a taste for Roscoe's for about a week, so Roscoe's it was! ( www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com/) Chris doesn't live to far from the Roscoe's in Hollywood on Gower so it was all good, here is what we had:

Ashley- Eclipse and E- 3 Wings, Grits, One egg & a biscuit (but I was get 2 eggs with cheese)
Chris-Heineken and Country boy- 3 Wings and a Waffle

Our waitress was pretty cool she did her job and didn't make any mistakes and plus everyone knows Roscoe's isn't known for their customer service! Although the waitress did hook me up with 4 wings instead of 3 got to love that. Over dinner Chris and I did a lot of catching up, Chris is an aspiring Director working in the industry on a new pilot show but has been on his grind working on sets for about a year. I can see huge difference in him since we first met. He recently got a promotion at work and I could tell he's a lot happier now. Chris has this infectious smile that can light up any room and its also contagious you can't help but smile when he does. Over dinner we talked about so much, from work, life, family, and relationships. He had me cracking up when he was sharing his relationship break up with me (HILARIOUS) but hey people break up every day so that's really nothing new. I also shared with him something that he didn't know about me which was also pretty funny (my break up story), so all in all dinner was good. I want to wish Chris the best of luck on his career move, I see you shinning boy! Keep up the good work! Usually I do dessert after dinner, but after eating at Roscoe's I didn't have a taste for anything sweet which is odd for me because my sweet tooth is always in full effect. But little did I know I would get a sweet visit from my BooBoo, when I got home he came and hung out with me for a while and there were hugs and kisses all around (thanks BooBoo). So all in all my night ended great! If you would like to be on the "Wednesday Dinner" hit list or have any suggestion drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com . In closing I want to talk about something one of my friends told me, he said and I quote "You sound so hurt in your blogs, like a women scorned". So not true but at a certain time that was a true statement. At the time when I started this blog I was in a good place and every day things keep getting better and better. I have let go of things and people that were not good for me or to me and have reconnected with people who are good to me and things that are good for me. I was just getting tired of giving and not getting so I had to do something about it and when I started to change and grow certain things just didn't feel right anymore. So let me say this to me dear friend "I am fine and doing much better, although some days might be better than others I am getting through everything the best way I know how. I am done hurting and fighting and I am being the best me because the best is coming to me". Until next week Bon Jour-Ashley!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 10/21/09






















Good Morning! Friday is slowly approaching (Woohoo)! I hope everyone is having a positive and productive week! This week I was able to stick to my plans for dinner again, so it looks like I'm 2 for 2. The plan was for all of my cousins to meet and have dinner in honor of Shelby's birthday, Shelby's actual birthday isn't until Saturday but we decided to get the party started early. Unfortunately Brittany and Mikey couldn't make, I think Mikey was having something at his Fire Station and Brittany was with him. I don't know what happened to Dominick, but as usual the show must go on. Shelby, Melissa, Marc, Brandon (Shelby's bff) and I all went to dinner. Since it was all about Shelby last night I decided to let her pick where she wanted to eat. so let the "Wednesday Dinner" story began. Shelby wanted to go to Natalie Thai (http://www.nataleethai.com/index.htm), for months she had been telling me I need to go there and blog about it so I was down with that. I am not big on Thai food but I have a few Thai places that I love to go to when I am in the mood for Thai food. We all planned to meet at Natalie Thai at 7pm which was pretty early for me since I had been doing dinner so late for the past couple of weeks, but I was glad to be getting back to my early schedule. Natalie Thai has 2 locations, one in Beverly Hills and one in Venice. We went to the on on Venice since it was closer for everybody. On the outside Natalie Thai looks very hip and clean, however there is a disclaimer Shelby forgot to tell us ("They got a B") oh Shelby is what I was thinking in my head. Inside its also very hip and cute but the service isn't. Our waitress was a complete piece of work and I was highly irritated with the service we where given! We were all ready to eat and order once we got there, I wasn't aware that Natalie Thai serves Sushi because its not on their website but we started with some sushi and drinks:

Philadelphia Roll
Natalie Thai Jazz Roll
2 Shrimp Tempura Rolls
California Roll
Ashley& Melissa- Pina Colada's
Marc- Blue Hawaiian

I was in so much shock last night at the actions of our waitress, I will not put her name on blast but I will say that I will NEVER be going back to that Natalie Thai again! It seemed like she was over whelmed with taking our orders, Shelby and I ordered Sushi first and about 10 minutes later Melissa ordered some more Sushi, I took about 10 minutes for Shelby and I to get our Sushi and 30 minutes for her to bring out Melissa's (that's just ridiculous!) that was strike one!. The Sushi there is DELISH, they put a spin on their rolls they make them from the inside out. For example a Philadelphia roll usually has the salmon on the inside, they put the salmon on the outside. The drinks Melissa & I has were DELSIH too, the Pina Colada was good and served in a little coconut cup with an umbrella. It was time to order and here is what we had:

Ashley- Pad Thai Noodles-Thai spaghetti, pure and simple! Noodles, shrimp, chicken, egg, green onion
Shelby-Pad Thai Noodles- Thai spaghetti, pure and simple! Noodles, shrimp, chicken, egg, green onion
Brandon- Lampang Chow Mein-Beef, pork or chicken with chow mein noodles and vegetables
Marc- Spicy Monsoon Noodles- Plenty of flat noodles with mint leaves and choice of chicken, beef or pork
Melissa-Thai BBQ Pork-sweetly flavored, garlic crusted BBQ pork
Ashley, Shelby & Melissa- Heavenly Combo-Fried rice with shrimp, chicken, beef, onion, egg, tomato, pea and carrot

OK so here was another issue I had with the waitress, in the middle of ordering Melissa asked her to come back to her (meaning take Marc & Brandon's order, since Shelby & I had already ordered). It was obvious that she didn't know what Melissa meant because she just walked away? Who the hell does that?? So I had to get the attention of the hostess to ask her to send our waitress back over. When our waitress came back over she stated she thought Melissa said come back to all of them, huh? That was strike two! When our food came out and it was piping hot but I noticed Melissa's food was no where to be found, so 5 minutes went by no food for Melissa, 10 minutes went by still no food for Melissa, 15 minutes went by still no food for Melissa. The waitress came over and asked if we needed anything, and Melissa's like well wheres my food? Apparently the waitress didn't here Melissa's order (HUH?!?!) then she gave us some sort of hand jester to emphasize she didn't here Melissa. Melissa asked her to put the order in anyway, that was strike three for that waitress and three strikes your ass is out! During dinner we just goofed off and had plenty of jokes and laughs! Shelby's best friend Brandon is like me and Melissa's little brother so we always have fun with him and Marc is funny too! So all in all it was a good time. Luckily by the time Melissa's food came out we were still eating, but there was something fishy or should I say funky about Melissa's food. The Pork was served with some dipping sauce that smelled like (BooBoo), really it smelled like a fart and I just couldn't get with that! In my opinion the food was average not the best Thai Food I've had but it was all about Shelby, I just have to double check her choices next time. Dinner came to a grand total of $126.04, I was happy that there was only 5 of us and not 6 because the waitress would have got an automatic tip and I would've been upset about that! Melissa and I had planned to spilt the bill but our cousin Marc was kind enough to spilt it with us(Thanks Marc!!!). Melissa and Marc wanted to leave her a tip and ya'll know how I do with tipping! I believe in good customer service and if you can't be good at that then find another job, call in sick, or take a vacation. I hadn't had service this bad since that fiasco at Red Lobster, so to me Natalie Thai is running neck in neck Red Lobster as places I will never go again! The only plus to last night was that I was with people I love and the food was alright, unfortunately this week we didn't do dessert :-( . I was ready to get out of there and I didn't want to give them any more of my money and plus we were all to full. The Pina Colada Melissa and I had were actually sweet enough for the both of us, I think dessert would have been to much. If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" roster or have any suggestions on where I should go drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about Shelby: Almost 17 years ago Shelby was born and from then on my life has changed. I was never really into to babies or children but she changed that. She was my little baby and I have helped my parents raise her, as a child she was so cute, caring and filled with so much personality. She has always had a heart of gold and I am so very proud of her! I have watched her grow into a lovely young lady and I am so blessed, thankful and grateful to have experienced life with her. As she prepares for college and finishes her senior year I am in awe and at times speechless because I am amazed at the wonderful things she is accomplishing. She is more than my sister she is one of my best friends and one of the flyest Seniors I know. So thank you Shelby, you have taught me so much and I love you!!! Happy Birthday Boo! Until next week, Sayanora-Ashley

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 10/14/09
















Hey ya'll! OMG thank GOD its Thursday! This has just been one of those weeks for me! For some reason I haven't been able to get to work on time this whole week. I'm not sure if its because of the weather or if its because of my tummy problems I've been having (and no I'm not prego), but any who the show must go on. This week for once I was able to stick with my plans and no changes where made, which was great for me! Yesterday was just a crazy day in itself but for some reason when I got to dinner last night I just felt so calm and relaxed but once I left dinner the craziness picked up all over again. Now let the "Wednesday Dinner" story begin, this week I was able to have dinner with one of my dearest friends. Erica Flowers is her name and we have been friends since we were 3 years old, we attended the same private school as children. As we got older we lost touch, and about 3 years ago we found each other on Myspace (of course that's when Myspace was so the place to be) HA! Anytime Erica and I get together we always have a ton of laughs and a lot of catching up to do. Usually I let my guest pick where we go and eat so this week was no different, and Erica made a great choice. We met up last night at about 8:30pm which was kind of late but Erica needed time to put her daughter to bed. On a side not Erica's daughter is the cutest little girl, she is so sweet and smart she is the spitting image of Erica when Erica was that age. I love the fact that Erica is always so prompt and on time so meeting at 8:30pm was right on time for the both of us. Erica suggested that we meet at Truxston's (http://www.truxtonsamericanbistro.com/), I had never been there before and this is one of Erica's favorite places so it was a win win for the both of us. Truxton's is local but it is tucked in a location where you would never guess, but usually those are always the best places to eat. When I arrived I felt this really great energy, it was like this place was a breath of fresh air. It is very clean and just all around refreshing! Truxton's wasn't overly crowded but it wasn't empty either, I am noticing that more and more people are having late dinners these days. In the south eating this late is called supper, hmmmm thats a thought when I eat that late maybe I should call it "Wednesday Supper". Anyway so we sat at a booth in the back and "Wednesday Dinner" was on. I was so hungry, I didn't really eat a lunch yesterday because I was going to go balls to the walls for dinner but when you wait all day to eat your eyes are usually bigger than your stomach. Truxton's has a huge dinner menu, everything from soups to salads, burgers to sandwiches, pasta to pizzas, appetizers to desserts and regular entrees. There were so many choices and trust me it was a hard one but I was pleased with my choice and Erica was too, here is what we had:

Truxton's Monkey Bread- Pull-apart Housemade Bread Rolled in Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Butter
Ashley- Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Penne- Penne Pasta Tossed with Chicken Breast, Red Onions, Poblano Chiles, Cilantro, Corn, Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce and Topped with Cotija Cheese
Erica-Grilled Chicken Breast- Skinless, Pounded, Grilled Chicken Breast Lightly Brushed with Olive Oil, Garlic and Fresh Herbs. Served with Steamed Seasonal Vegetables and Side Salad

Eating with Erica is always fun because she keeps me laughing about how she is trying to loose weight. If any of you know Erica you know she doesn't need to loose any weight, but you can't tell her that. She always cracks me up with her skinny girl diets and work outs. During dinner we caught up on so much, from our dating/love life's, work, school, friends and as usual everyday life happenings. Erica also shared with me that she has gone back to school on line to get her Bachelor's degree, which is amazing! Recently Erica graduated from Nursing School and is officially a RN, she is doing so great and clearly going places! I am so proud of you and wish you all he success in the world!!! Our waitress at Truxton's started off good, but fell off towards the end of dinner. Erica and I both got a little bothered by a dinner party that was being held behind us, they were just getting to loud and ghetto for our taste and our waitress seemed to be giving them more attention. After much needed girl talk and good food it was time to get some dessert going, Erica shared with me that Truxton's has something like a Pizookie from BJ's. No "Wednesday Dinner" is ever complete with out dessert, so we were all set to try Truxton's version of a Pizookie. Sadly we were told that they were all out of the cookie dessert (Sad Face), but the Manager suggest we try something just as good and we did, we had:

Housemade Chocolate Brownie Sundae- Housemade Chocolate Brownie with a Hint of Cream Cheese Topped with Two Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream and Whipped Cream Drizzled with Chocolate Sauce and Topped with Shaved White Chocolate, Powdered Sugar and Caramelized Walnuts

When this dessert go to the table, I was in heaven! This is clearly a dessert for two, I give a high five to anyone who can finish that by them selves. Erica and I were both in awe of this brownie sundae, the brownie was fresh and moist with just enough ice cream, chocolate sauce and walnuts. I especially enjoyed the shaved white chocolate on top, that was one of the best dessert I had in a while just absolutely DELISH! All in all dinner was great, I will definitely be going back to Truxton's again. I am learning that old friends are truly the best friends, thanks Erica for a great dinner date (HA!). If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" team or have any suggestions on where I should eat next, drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about Education. Education is defined as the gradual process of acquiring knowledge. Education is one of the most powerful tools a person can have, a smart person has power. Education can be something that is learned formally by going to school and then there is street education that is taught by real life experiences and lessons. In my opinion it is important to have both. Education is something that no matter what, no one can take that away from you. It is important to know things in life and apply them, with all the knowledge that is available there should be no stupid people in the world. Education is key and important, so if you are interested in going to back to school do it because I am. 2010 here I come! Until next week, bye bye! -Ashley

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 10/7/09





























Hey ya'll and Happy Thursday!!! Another week almost complete for those of us who work 5 days straight (Wooohooo). I hope everyone is feeling good and looking forward to something positive and exciting this weekend. This weeks "Wednesday Dinner" was very special to me, I got a chance to have dinner with one of my favorite women. My big cousin Chanel! For the people who know me you all know the relationship Chanel and I have and for those who don't here's a brief description: Chanel has been in my life since I was 10 years old, she started off doing my hair and she still does, her and my mom were pregnant at the same time, Chanel's daughter Taelor and my baby sister Shelby are 10 days apart. Chanel has always been like a big sister to me since I don't have one, and last year she got married and my sisters and I where in her wedding. Chanel and I have been through so many things together and we have both helped and watched each other grow over the years. She has always supported my choices in life even she didn't agree with them. She has also given me some great advice over the years and she always makes it a point to say "I love you" when we get off the phone. Thank you for it all Ms. Chanel and I love you too. Chanel was so excited we were going to dinner and so was I, so let the "Wednesday Dinner" story began. Chanel and I were stuck between two different places this week, but we both decided to follow our first minds and go with what I would say was a great choice. Although we didn't get to have dinner until 8:30pm, which is a little late but it was still a great time none the less. So Chanel and I met at TART ( http://www.tartrestaurant.com/). TART is located in the Fairfax/Farmer's Market/Grove area. TART is a very simple looking restaurant from the outside and inside, the decor is very home style which is cool because it goes along with the food. From pizza to pasta, chicken to steak, fries to mashed potatoes, burgers to sandwiches, they have what I would call "comfort food with a twist". The restaurant wasn't crowded but it wasn't empty either, there were a couple of people having a late dinner mostly in groups of two. The atmosphere at TART is very laid back, which is great because sometimes you just want to go and eat dinner and not put on all the fancies. When we arrived at TART I was so hungry, I really hadn't eaten a full meal yesterday because I was looking forward to dinner, with plenty of appetizers and entrees to choose from I knew my choice was going to be a tough one but after talking to the waiter and getting his opinion of what was good we were finally ready to order and here is what we had:

2 glasses of Pinot Grigio
Chanel- Tart Salad
Ashley- Potato Soup
Chanel- Blackend Chicken Penne Pasta
Ashley- Shrimp & Spinach Pizza

I have to say that Chanel and I were both please with our food choices, personally my Potato soup was DELISH. I love soup its one of my favorite things to eat when it starts getting cold, so I was excited and pleased with the Potato soup. Chanel loved her before dinner salad and it looked really good I was just to into my soup to get a bite of her salad. Then it was time for dinner to come out, I must say that the timing was perfect on getting the food out to us. It wasn't to soon after we ate our soup and salad and we weren't waiting extremely long either. Dinner came out and the food was pipping hot, which in my opinion is a plus there is nothing worse than getting cold food when eating out. The portions of food where big, well at least big to me because my eyes are always bigger than my stomach. My pizza was actually big enough for two people, I didn't finish it all but I will finish the rest for lunch today. Chanel's pasta was big enough for one with a little left over for a snack today. Chanel didn't get a chance to taste my pizza because she doesn't eat seafood, however I got to taste her paste and it was YUMMY! Over dinner we talked about so many things: Shelby and Taelor going off to college, Taelor's Cotillion, family, marriage, work, and just all around everyday life happenings. On a side note Congratulations to Chanel's best friend Geenia, she's getting married and I just found out last night! Wooohooo another wedding and another couple to live happily ever after, I wish them the best! Talking to Chanel is always easy and comforting. Last night was very laid back, we laughed not to hard and not to little. Sometimes as women we need to be around another women who make us feel comfortable and make it easy just to be you, so thanks for last night Chanel. The night was coming to an end but not before we ordered dessert, TART has so many good looking desserts to choose from since we were both full it didn't make any since for us both to get a dessert so we shared:

S'mores Ice Cream Pie

This pie was like something I never tasted before, its like a S'more with ice cream with out all the mess and stickiness. I am not sure about anyone else but I love S'mores and I love ice cream so that was a win win for me. Chanel and I did real damage to our dessert and there was nothing left, we both agreed that pie was DELISH! Last nights dinner came to a grand total of $71.67, which isn't bad for 2 people who both had an alcoholic beverage, appetizer, entree and dessert. I will definitely be going back to TART, but next time I will try breakfast. Also on another side note this week and next week is LA Dine Week ( http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/restaurantweek/participating_restaurants.html). LA Dine week is a chance for people to experience higher end restaurants at a lower end price, check out the website. If you would like the "Wednesday Dinner" train to pick you up or if you have any suggestions, drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about haters, a hater is defined as a person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person. We have all experienced Haters in our life time, some of us were being hated on before the term Hater was created and some of us have been hating on others before you even knew you were being called a Hater. Either way it is never a good thing to be so consumed with what someone else is doing. With hard work, faith, and dedication you can have just as much if not more than the next person. So before you start hating on someone, stop, think and be happy for them and figure out how you can get what they got! And for the people who are getting Hated on "Let you Haters, be your motivators". Until next week- TTYL- Ashley

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Wednesday Dinner 9/30/09





































Greetings everyone! I just realized 09 is almost over, wow buddy. Another year gone by to quickly! Anyway you know I'm a little tired but the show must go on. Yesterday was just "One of those days" for me, I had a night on Tuesday that's one of those nights you have when something exciting or interesting happens & the next day your all tired and what not. However in my case nothing exciting or interesting happened. It was just a mess, but on a lighter note I am feeling much better this morning. So I was on the fence yesterday with what I wanted to do or eat. My original plan was to go to the Trey Songz concert with my home girl Tati but we didn't get a chance to go, then I was going to see a movie but I was so tired yesterday there was no way I was going to be able to stay awake through a movie. So then I figured I would see if Shelby wanted to go out since shes working now she can afford to hang out (HAHA). So I invited Shelby & her best friend Maya to dinner, its so funny how history is repeating itself through Shelby for me. When I was in high school I had (and still do have) a best friend named Miya, that's so crazy to me. Shelby & Maya remind me so much of me & my Miya its just to funny! I was still on the fence with what I had a taste for, there was one place I kept thinking about so instead of thinking anymore I decided to follow my first mind. So "Wednesday Dinner" began at Hof's Hut (http://www.hofshut.com/). Hof's is one of my favorite places for plenty of reasons, mainly its not close but its not to far so when I go its a treat, there is not a lot of young people which means its filled with old folks & pretty quite, its extremely huge so its not like everyone is sitting to close to each other & they have a wide variety of food, breakfast is served all day, fresh baked pies, & home style cooked meals aka comfort food. On our way there Shelby & Maya had me crackin up in the car talking about what they are dressing up as for Halloween, what they are doing for Homecoming & just other little teen girl talk comments (it was too funny!). When we got to Hof's the wait was about 10 minutes to be seated, the place was pretty crowded for a Wednesday night but I guess people don't cook at home like they use to. I was a little disappointed in the service last night from what was suppose to be our waitress, it just seemed as if she wasn't on her best last night. It took about 10 minutes before we got our drinks so by then we were already to order. And here is what we had:

Potato Skins
Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Ashley- Double Pork Chops
Two thick, juicy center cut pork chops, rubbed with parmesan herb seasoning, grilled & served over apple almond stuffing. Served with homemade cinnamon apples, mashed potatoes with gravy & creamed corn
Shelby- Rotisserie Chicken Half chicken slow roasted in our rotisserie oven until moist and juicy inside, crisp & delicious outside with loaded mashed potatoes
Maya- Seafood Combo Platter
A large platter of your favorite seafood. A fillet of Cajun-jerk or pecan encrusted salmon, BBQ shrimp or panko breaded fantail shrimp & beer battered cod with loaded mashed potatoes

The prices at Hof's aren't that expensive, with many other restaurants offering special dinner deals like "2 eat for $20" Hof's is doing the same thing "3 courses for $19.99". Shelby & Maya decided to take the $19.99 deal & I was flying solo with mine. By the time dinner came out I was a little full because with had the 2 appetizers, but never the less I still ate some of my dinner. My pork chops were very good along with my creamed corn & mashed potatoes, I wasn't to big on the stuffing. I was a little disappointed because they ran out of corn bread but I got garlic toast instead & it was pretty good. Shelby said her chicken was good & Maya said the same about her food also. At dinner Shelby & Maya kept me laughing we talked mostly about Maya's relationship with her sister & the relationship Shelby has with Melissa, & the relationship Shelby & I have. As sisters it is not always easy to get along but we make it work like we would any other relationship. At the end of the day God forbid something happen to our parents, my sisters are all I have so it is our job to be tighter than skinny jeans!(Haha). Maya is struggling with her relationship with her older sister, they are just like Shelby & I 10 years apart. I spoke with Maya & gave her some insight & I will pray her & her sisters relationship. Maya was also giving me some suggestions on other places to go & I took my notes so thanks Maya! After we ate we were all so FULL but Shelby & Maya got a dessert with their meal, I didn't & I was going to take something to go but they didn't have the kind of cheesecake I wanted :-( . So Shelby & Maya got a mini apple pie to go & then it was time to roll. Over all dinner was good, I always enjoy my time with Shelby & Maya was just an extra bonus. They are both so sweet & funny I love you girls! Dinner was $57.64 which wasn't bad at all for 3 people who left there a little heavier from when they walked in. All in all it was a great time, yesterday I just didn't really feel like doing to much which was good because I did just enough. On the way back home we had a little girl talk in the car, I was giving the girls a little game on life, boys & girls. I was just explaining to them that not all men are bad & just to always, always no matter what conduct yourself as a lady. It was a good talk for all of us!!! If you would like to get on the "Wednesday Dinner" boat or have any suggestions drop me a line ashleymarie729@gmail.com. In closing I would like to talk about Energy, energy is defined as the power to do work, or force of expression. I am not sure how much people realize how important good energy is. If you are putting out bad energy people can feel it almost immediately. It is important to put out good & positive energy because you want to get that back in return. Bad energy gives back bad energy! Next time you meet someone or are around someone you know try & tune in to their energy & see what vibes you get, you'll be amazed once to start to pick up on peoples energy. Remember "You get back what you give out". Until next week Bye- Ashley