Desk Set Weekend

Desk Set is one of my top-10 favorite classic films! Released in 1957, the movie stars Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Hepburn plays Bunny Watson, the incredibly smart and witty head of a broadcasting network's Reference Department. Tracy plays Richard Sumner, the man secretly hired to install an "electronic brain" (aka computer)in their office. Once the gossip gets out about Sumner's purpose, everyone is convinced that they're going to be replaced by a machine.

As to be expected, the chemistry between Hepburn and Tracy is delightful and their banter throughout the film is snappy and funny. This movie speaks to me on many levels (the dialog, the clothing, the insanely monsterous EMERAC, and the best office Christmas party you'll ever see). However, I am a librarian by profession, and so there is a connection for me there as well. Not only is Bunny Watson the Reference Librarian I dream of becoming, but it's very interesting to see how the struggle to adopt and adapt to technology hasn't changed much in the last 60 years.

Suffice to say, when I saw that Abilene's Historic Paramount Theater had Desk Set on their 2015 film series I gave a little shriek of glee! Coordinating the weekend with friends that live in Abilene, this quickly turned into an "Event." First of all, my girlfriend and I decided that our group had to dress appropriately. So we both started looking around for 1950s inspired outfits. It took me a while to piece mine together (I ordered the skirt online, but couldn't find a top I liked for weeks) while my girlfriend found a period-looking dress pattern and made hers.


On the big day, we decided to eat downtown at the lovely Abi Haus! We'd eaten here before and were very impressed with the food and service. It's a small venue, so we made sure to get there as soon as they opened.


Myself and the husband!


My girlfriend and her husband!


As a table, we decided to share the Farmer's Plate (fruit, bread, cheese, and honey) and the fried mushrooms. The fruit actually had a little bit of salt sprinkled on top, so when you mixed it with the honey it was amazing!


Abi Haus prides themselves on their pre-Prohibition drink menu, so I decided to forgo beer with my meal and went with the ABI Mule instead.


For my entree, I decided on the nightly lamb special. It was cooked perfectly and the curry-spiced carrots/mango pico de gallo complemented it nicely.


After dinner, we headed straight to the Paramount Theater to buy our tickets and get good seats. This is such a beautiful place to watch films! The building was originally built in 1930, remodeled in 1986, and is reminiscent of a completely different time in history.


Squee! Vintage movie poster!


Here we are in our full finery! (I'm sensing some Wonder Woman cosplay in my future) You can also see the beautiful tile work that lines the front entry and the ticket counter.


The interior of the Paramount is a feast for the eyes: luscious dark hues with gold accents, intricate moldings and light fixtures, a night-time sky filled with stars and clouds that drift by as you watch.


During the intermission, my girlfriend and I went up into the balcony to get a better view. The facade framing the stage always reminds me of a set from Romeo & Juliet.


Here are some more small details that just amazed me.


Desk Set was even better on the big screen! There was a scene towards the end of the film where I had never noticed Hepburn's delighted clapping and laughing at EMERAC's technical difficulties.


If you are anywhere near Abilene, I highly recommend visiting the Paramount! (Even if you're not close by, I would still recommend a road trip!) Here's the rest of their 2015 season. We may have to come back for December to see White Christmas. I sense another costume event!

Afterwards, we went out for coffee (and beer!) at Mezamiz Coffee House. Although I do truly love Abilene, sometimes it seems like the town rolls up its streets at night. Although it was 11:00 on a Saturday night, business was so slow they were closing an hour early. So, we drank our beverages quickly and headed home.


Before we left town the next day, we had to have breakfast at the Hernandez Bakery. This has become a tradition whenever we visit Abilene as they have some of the best tacos I have ever eaten. This time I got the barbacoa and the chicharron, the latter being spicy enough that I had to forgo the salsa.


And then, it was time to head back home. It was an amazing weekend filled with good friends, food, and fun!

Food Excursions in Austin, TX

So, the husband and I were in Austin several months ago for a conference. I love visiting Austin! Lots of quirky people to meet, places to visit, and food to enjoy! We were able to stay downtown near the convention center, which always makes life great. We could walk everywhere. Our hotel was lovely ... and I immediately spotted a photo opportunity!


These were sitting right in front of the convention center.


I love how one can take something as functional as a bike rack and make it into artwork! If you're not familiar with Austin, the bat motif ties back in with the Congress Avenue Bridge and the million-plus bats that live underneath it. While we didn't head down to the bridge for this trip, it is very impressive to watch them all emerge at nightfall!

The first place we decided to eat at was Frank.


We've eaten here before and love the atmosphere!


While they do offer veggie options, I just don't think you can truly enjoy this place unless you're a meat eater! Even my drink, the "Red Headed Stranger," had bacon!


We started out with the Canadian Waffle Poutine. If it's covered in brown gravy, it's a hit for my husband!


I decided on the Smokey Baloney (they had me at "Sriracha aoli!") and my husband had some tasty creation which we have since forgotten the name of (bad, bad blogger!) Suffice to say, if you like sausage and beer, you should certainly make a detour to Frank.


For dinner that night, we tried to get into Moonshine, a promising-looking place right behind the convention center. However, we were told it was an hour or more wait. (A common hazard of convention traffic, I'm afraid) We decided to walk around and see what we could find instead. This turned out to work very well in our favor, because we ended up at the Russian House intead!


I knew we were going to be in good hands when we walked in the front door and had the option to dress up in Russian attire and get our picture taken with a stuffed bear named Misha! I couldn't convince the husband to don a fur hat, so we headed back through the bar area to the smaller enclosed dining room.


As soon as we sat down, the waitress asked if we wanted complementary shots of vodka. Is there any other answer to this question but YES? And not just vodka, but bread, salt, and pickled vegetables as well. It was a very Old World way to start our meal!


We decided to split the Ukrainian Salo to start. According to the menu it's not just a "national dish," but a "national philosophy" of salted pork belly!


For the main course, the husband decided to try the Chicken Tabaka which was marinated in a garlic and wine sauce. I'm always partial to dumplings, so I ordered the Manty which were stuffed with very tasty lamb.


They had several pages of vodka to choose from, including an amazing assortment of infused and flavored options. I was very tempted by vodka infusions such as red currant, rosemary, birch, or lavender, I decided to take the waitress's suggestions on a very nice, straight Russian vodka.

We walked back to our hotel and hung out in the bar for a bit before heading to bed.


With conference programs, our next big meal was dinner. As this was going to be our last night in Austin, we knew we really wanted to get into Moonshine. Another set of friends was also looking for a good place to eat, so we decided to try it together. We were able to get make a reservation and the husband and I hung out on the porch until our entire group met up.


While he had a nice local beer, I went straight for the Old Fashioned. We had a little more time, so I also decided to try the Ruby Slipper Martini (vodka, grapefruit juice, grenadine, and champagne. It was nice, but the Old Fashioned was my favorite of the two.


Our friends arrived and we soon were seated. As soon as I saw that they had something called "Warm Bacon Dip," we knew that we were going to get this for the table. It was incredible!


I have a thing about Chicken Fried Steak. Of the many foods I have adopted since I moved to the South, this has been my favorite. If I see it on any menu, I'm going to try it out. To top off the meal, I decided to pick the green chile cheddar grits as my side! (This is another Southern concept I've grown to like: savory grits!)


Sticking true to his brown gravy roots, the husband decided to get the Texas Akaushi Beef Meatloaf with mashed potatoes. It was quite savory and I loved how it was served in a small pan!


All and all, it was a great evening of food and laughter! (And I may have had another Old Fashioned before we left)

The conference drew to a close and we left for home early the next day. Before we left Austin, however, there was one more place we had to go. In Texas, barbecue is a way of life! I own the book, "Follow the Smoke," which highlights some of the best barbecue places in the state. If you're in Austin, I must strongly suggest going to The County Line.


There are two locations in Austin and we ate at the Lake one. Our table had a gorgeous view of the water as well.


When you go, spend the extra bit of cash for their homemade bread. You won't regret it. I could live on this bread alone!


The barbecue is truly amazing! We have a pact between us to visit The County Line any time we're in Austin.


It you happen to visit the "facilities," you will be treated to a audio-recording of "Learnin' to Talk Like a Cowboy" which is pretty funny. (Conveniently, you can also buy a copy before you leave!)

After lunch, we finally said goodbye to Austin and headed north, but I can't wait for our next opportunity to head back!

Restaurant/Bar Review: Service Industry (Denton, TX)

The husband I and decided to have a date night mid-week, and it was up to me to pick the place! (And, luckily, I had just the place in mind)


Ever since Service Industry came to Denton, I've been wanting to go. I was hesitant to try it out on a weekend, however, in case it was super-crowded. (We'd been in this restaurant space before when it was Goldmine BBQ, and it wasn't that big inside) I figured that it couldn't be too crazy on a Tuesday night!


I think it fair to say that Service Industry is more bar than restaurant ... but it's a bar with a really lovely food selection. You won't find boring old pub food here! While we looked over the menu, I decided to start with a pint. Service Industry had several Texas beers on tap and I picked the Denton-based Audacity Brewing's Sunset, a Vienna-style lager.


The husband and I split an order of the Fried Cheese Curds to start. Chunks of fried cheese curds were mixed with thinly-sliced fried red potato chips. The entire dish was covered in a brown gravy and topped with strips of scallion. (We decided not to pay extra to add a fried egg!) While the cheese curds and gravy were quite tasty, the potato chips added a dry and crunchy note that we both felt was not as successful.


I had originally planned to stick to beer, but the drink menu lured me away from the taps. I ordered the Art School Girl, a tart and refreshing concoction of vodka, Campari, rhubarb bitters, pomegranate juice, and bitters. (And the glassware made me feel like I should be wearing pearls!)


For my entree, I decided to try the Service on a Shingle. Two large buttery slices of Texas Toast were topped with coffee-rubbed flank steak, kale chimichurri, roasted garlic aioli, and pickled red onions. This was a dish seemly made just for me! I adore chimichurri and it complemented the other ingredients beautifully.


However, the husband ordered what is probably Service Industry's piece de resistance: Chicken N' Waffles. Strips of well-seasoned fried chicken and golden waffles were served with sides of brown sugar syrup, bacon gravy, and Sriracha whipped butter. And teeny flags!


While the husband ordered another Audacity, I was tempted to try one last drink from the bar. The Old Mule was a mix of rye, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, ginger beer, and muddled oranges and strawberries. Essentially, dessert in a frosty copper mug!


(The husband in front of the daily specials "board")

Since the previous restaurant had a definite mining vibe going on, I was curious how Service Industry was going to change up the decor. While fairly simple, I thought there were some nice touches such as large roll of brown butcher paper that advertised the daily specials. I also follow Service Industry on Instagram and someone on staff has a very creative streak when it comes to drawing out the specials! As far as the actual "service" experience, our waitress was perfect: friendly and attentive, yet giving us enough space to eat and talk without being interrupted all of the time.

(I "mustache" you a question!)

Final Verdict: The husband I would definitely go back to Service Industry. We both had a lovely evening, with great food, drinks, and service. The hard part will be to decide whether or not to try something new ... or stick to the goodness of what we ate before!