A Taste for Thai

Lately it seems I have a taste for Asian food, and Thai tops the list. My favorite place to indulge my cravings is Sway on South First Street. Like most restaurants in Austin, it is noisy and crowded, but that said, the food makes up for it. 

                            The sleek and modern dining area is filled with large  

                            communal tables, and the outdoor patio is a nice option.

       

                          I like the energy of the open kitchen and watching the

                          organized chaos.

                          

           

   

Tiger Cry - grilled hangar steak with red chili nahm jim and fresh basil. The menu at Sway is part fusion with an Australian influence. That may sound a bit unusual, but it works.

          

Shu Mai - Crab, shrimp and cuttlefish with trout roe and cucumber vinegar

Pork tenderloin, Thai style with snow peas and almonds.
I'm getting hungry all over again.

The Big Easy

These photos will leave little doubt where I spent the past few days. In town for a family wedding, I was surprised to find the French Quarter little changed after Katrina.

Of course, no visit to New Orleans would be complete without breakfast at Cafe Du Monde. Waiters, bearing trays of steaming chicory coffee and beignets covered in clouds of powdered sugar, make their way through the crowd. Ahh, heaven.

           Outside the cafe, street musicians entertain the crowd waiting for tables.

The landmark St. Louis Cathedral,with its triple steeple, overlooks Jackson Square. It is the oldest cathedral in North America. Definitely worth a visit to see the painted murals on the barrel vaulted ceilings, and the beautiful stained glass windows.

Jackson Square is filled with artists, con artists, musicians and tourists taking in the sights. Below is a Tarot card reader set up with his cards and crystals.

   

        Where else but New Orleans would you find such dodgy characters set up in front of a church?                                                

This town is all about fun, food and jazz. It' a non-stop party, y'all. Or as they say in New Orleans, "Laissez les bon temps roulez."

                          Merry Christmas *   Joyeux  Noel *     Feliz Navidad 

 *

Channeling Nate

You know how there is always a room in your house that just doesn't work for you?  Well, my den is a perfect example, and I've decided to finally do something about it. Looking at the space, I realize that it is simply a collection of everything that didn't fit somewhere else. Time to start fresh with a plan. 

In my fantasy world I would just call up my close personal friend, Nate Berkus, and have him fly down and transform my room.  Where are you Nate when I need you? Oh, you are working on Oprah's house in Hawaii. Guess I will have to go it alone. 

                                            Here is the den as it is-my "before" shot.

I have lots of ideas and am slowly putting them together. The problem is paring down when there are so many things that I love. Here is my digital design board, with some of the elements that may or may not make the final cut.

These are the basics, but it will be months before all of this will be completed.
Better to let the room evolve slowly. Did I actually say that? I'm always impatient when it comes to finishing a project. 

I like the idea of carrying the neutrals I have in the front room into the den. The red plaid club chair will be slipcovered in a brown linen, and the armchairs that were in the front room should be fine with the white slipcovered sofa and the dark cocktail table. It's musical chairs around here.

Haven't made up my mind yet about layering the zebra skin over the jute rug. I really like it in the entry room where it is now.  The cocktail table is a dark mahogany with turned legs that will work well with my other tables. Oh, the possibilities!!