Did you check out the Olympic Opening Ceremony a few days ago? Pretty grand, right? I didn’t get through all three and a half hours, but I watched most of it. I know putting on a show of that magnitude cannot be easy. I thought parts were spectacular and other parts needed help.

I appreciated the salute to England’s history. Did you know England used to resemble The Shire? But then it got all fiery like Mordor? Yes, I can turn anything into Lord of the Rings.

It was pretty fascinating but went on a really long time. Mr. Betty and I watched it in a soccer bar and I can tell you most people tuned out after a while. But once scenery changed, the crowd perked up. A few moments that brought big cheers:

While Mr. Bean is not my thing, I loved the humor he brought to the show. It wouldn’t be British if it wasn’t funny. In fact, one of my complaints is that there could have been a few more nods to humor. Would an Absolutely Fabulous skit or scene from The Office been too out of place? I don’t think so.

If I had directed this show, I would have devoted more time and granduer to Harry Potter, too. I was happy to see J. K. Rowling there, but it wasn’t enough. And I thought it was funny that of all the Harry Potter characters they could have featured, they chose Voldemort. Why not Harry? Or Hagrid? Or Dumbledore? Pretty much anyone who doesn’t embody pure evil would have been okay.

I would have had witches and wizards flying around, an olympic game of Quidditch, a spell or two. I also would have made it a bit more London-y. No red phone booth? No double decker buses? The world expects these images of London.

Perhaps the highlight of the night was the filmed segment of the Queen being escorted to the ceremony by James Bond. Outrageous! She won over a whole new generation by doing that. She is so darling.

My other main issue was with the music segment. What could have been the greatest concert of all time ended up being a cheesy medley with neon-clad dancers. A country that boasts everyone cool in rock and roll could have blown the roof off the mother. How great would it have been to have Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John and The Beatles together? The titans on one stage performing for the world! Am I the only one who is bored by Sir Paul? Shit, I would have rather seen Adele perform again.

I think we can all agree that the pyrotechnics were everything they should have been and more.

What were your favorite moments of the show?

It’s the first week our gentlemen Walt, Jesse and Mike are in business together. Let’s see how they do.

The honorable man that Mike is, he visits his guys in their various prisons to let them know that their loyalty and silence are appreciated. Although the FBI seized what was to be their hazard pay, Mike promises to make good on the money. What a good boss.

The other boss, Walt, moves back in with Skyler, much to her chagrin. She responds by having a nervous breakdown in front of her sister at the carwash, complete with smoking cigarettes and screaming her head off. Walt explains it away, blaming her affair with Ted. He’s a master at shifting the blame, isn’t he? Skyler looks like the bad guy while he is the forgiving husband. He’s also the model father, watching Scarface with his kids. My dad used to watch Karate Kid with me, but I get the sentiment.

Walt also manipulates Jesse, telling him how much he trusts him and wants him to be happy. He suggests that if Jesse foresees a real future with his girlfriend, Andrea, he’ll have to decide whether or not to be honest with her about his job. Although we’ve never seen Jesse happier or more at peace, he breaks up with her. Just like Walt wanted.

Have I told you lately that I love you, Saul Goodman? Kids, this is why you should go to law school. To make lots of money and friends and have a fat bodyguard that mouth-breathes like Tony Soprano. Anyway, Saul expresses his displeasure at Mike joining the business, which goes ignored. Moving forward, he takes the guys on a tour of the businesses he vets as a cover for their new lab. But the guys are picky like Goldilocks. One is too steamy, one will make pee-scented tortillas, one is a lazer tag place for kids. Picky, picky. But then Walter has a crazy an inspired idea when Saul shows them an exterminator shop.

The plan is that they will set up in houses that are tented for extermination, moving locations every week. They’ll cook for a couple days before the house is bombed for bugs. The exterminators are thieves and will help provide the perfect cover and move in the massive amount of meth cooking equipment. (Add this to the list of reasons why I hope to never have a bug problem.)

The equipment is hidden in roadie cases procured by Badger and Skinny Pete. Skinny Pete surprises us all with his beautiful piano playing. Badger is still dumb as a rock…surprising no one.

Walt and Jesse get to work and it’s just like old times. Meth is cooking, they have their yellow garb on, it’s all very cozy.

The first batch of meth comes out beautifully and the tented house worked out according to plan. The only problem we encounter is when the money rolls in. The staggering amount of money on the table gets smaller and smaller as Mike keeps subtracting the huge cuts for everyone and their mother. Walt is not used to sharing with so many other people and really loses it when Mike insists they start paying his guys the seized money they are owed. Jesse points out that they are getting a bigger piece of the pie than when they were with Gus and the pie just happens to be smaller. Walt suggests that maybe Gus wasn’t so wrong in slitting that guys throat. Uh oh.

It’s been quite a while since I had The Peached Tortilla. I keep a running list of things to blog about and it’s been sitting on the list for ages. There’s always something more topical that seems to push it aside, and for that I apologize. This winsome little truck may not be hot news, but that’s because everyone already knows how excellent it is.

Just like sister truck Yumé Burger, Peached Tortilla has elevated truck food to the divine. Wherever one may find it parked, there is usually a long line waiting. Incidentally, my favorite spot for food trucks is at the Draught House. Man, that is a good time. Great bar with a different truck in the parking lot each day of the week.

Anyway, what are some of the best things on the menu? Bahn mi taco, Szechuan veggie tacos, Pad Thai burrito, and my very favorite…the crab cake slider.

This is fusion at its best, winning accolades from Food & Wine, Eater and the AFBA City Guide. If you haven’t had it yet, this is a truck worth tracking down.

Have you had Peached Tortilla? What are your favorites?

As a member of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, I get to do some cool things and meet great people. You get a bunch of foodies together that also like to write and magic happens. Not only does this group like to eat, drink, and blog, but they are also kind, generous people who really care about our community.

Last night AFBA had a fundraiser to benefit Bake a Wish, a nonprofit that provides birthday cakes to abused, neglected or abandoned children. Such a simple act, yet is so important. Who doesn’t enjoy the slight embarrassment of being the center of attention on our birthdays? The off-key singing before making a wish and blowing out the candles, and then eating a slice of sweet, delicious cake. Every child deserves that.

Lots of people came out to support this great cause. In addition to bidding on fabulous silent auction items, attendees mingled and sampled mini cocktail-themed cupcakes. My favorites were the Arnold Palmers, although it was a close race. They were all delectable.

We sampled elegant bites from the Carillon and sipped cocktails in sugar-rimmed glasses. Most of the bloggers in attendance were women, and the Tejas Room at the AT&T Conference Center was packed with gorgeous cocktail dresses and sparkling handbags. This is just the kind of scene that I adore. It makes me want to twirl around in a Betty Draper dress and make mountains of cupcakes with a little birdie tweeting on my shoulder.

It was great night of tasty fun, amazing company, and most importantly, we raised money for an important cause. It made the cupcakes and cocktails that much sweeter.

Wonder why your fangs have been tingling lately? It’s because the Twilight scandal that’s been brewing. Kristen Stewart cheated on Rob Pattinson with Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. And he’s married! For shame, Bella. Actually, I’m more annoyed that no one is pointing the finger at the married director. Why is she taking all the heat?

Sherman Hemsley died. I know he’s looking down on us from his deluxe apartment in the sky and laughing at us. Farewell, George Jefferson.

Snoop Dogg is putting out a reggae album under the name Snoop Lion. Ha ha, I can’t stop laughing at that. The album’s first release is a song called La La La and features Snoop singing in a Jamaican accent. Oh, this is too funny.

Dracula will be coming to NBC in the fall. The good news? It’s from the same producers of Downton Abbey. The weird news? Jonathan Rhys Meyers will be playing Dracula. Actually, I think he can pull it off.

And that’s whasup.

The easiest (and most pleasurable) way to eat vegetarian is to go Indian. With the spices, the curries, and the breads, who needs meat? Not me! Swad is my new favorite place. Located in a rundown strip mall at  9515 North Lamar, it’s nothing to look at.

The inside, like the outside, is shabby and humble. You don’t always get a plate, you pick up your own silverware and napkins. There are plastic cups and pitchers of ice water that you get yourself, too. You order at the counter and your food is delivered to your table shortly afterwards. Completely informal, Swad isn’t about the ambiance. It’s about the dosas!

The masala dosa is a long thin, crispy crepe made from lentils and stuffed with spiced vegetables. The dosas at Swad are oversized and mostly hollow. The filling in concentrated in the center. You eat them with your hands, tearing off the slightly sour crepe and dipping it into the curries and sauces. Swad’s menu doesn’t describe the sauces, so you just dip and hope for the best. It’s a culinary adventure!

Inside view:

My favorite dosa is the mysore masala. The crepe is soaked in a red chutney, making it less crunchy and spicier than the masala dosa. Once again, Swad’s version is so large that it hangs off the tray.

Here’s a shot of the spicy potato filling:

Another great offering is the Thali Special. Only ten bucks, this is a meal for two. A selection of breads and pakora to dip in various chutneys and curries, this is a great way to taste lots of different flavors.

The samosas are the best I’ve ever had, the triangular pastries stuffed with fragrantly spiced veggies, potatoes and lentils.

Panipuri are small little puri fried crispy. You poke a little hole in the balls and fill with mint water, potatoes, and tamarind chutney. This is a popular street dish in India and fun to eat.

 Another dish that allows you to sample lots of flavors is Paratha-shak.

If you haven’t been to Swad, definitely go and check it out. Most items on the menu are $7 and under. This is a great place to go with a group of friends and order a bunch of unfamiliar items to share. I promise, no one will miss the meat.

The 2012 Emmy nominations have been announced and Breaking Bad scored multiple nods. Bryan Cranston earned a nomination as well as Aaron Paul (Jesse), Giancarlo Esposito (Gus) and Ana Gunn (Skyler) in addition to the show’s nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. Sweet! I’d love to see Aaron Paul win again.

Now to discuss the latest episode. We start our pretty weird. We’re in a German test kitchen and a team of food scientists are unveiling some new sauces to an executive, Mr. Schuler. He dips into each sauce with no expression. We quickly learn that we are inside the massive conglomerate (Madrigal) that owns Los Pollos Hermanos, along with many other restaurants. Rather than face the three men there to see him, presumably the cops wanting to link him to Gus and the meth lab, he kills himself with a defibrillator in the bathroom. When he crashes off the red toilet face first onto the floor, I am reminded why I love this show so much: the camera work. It is genius.

Later, Hank and his partner attend a big meeting with Madrigal who agree to cooperate with the investigation. Also, Hank’s boss apologizes to him for not listening to his suspicions about Gus. He ended up getting fired. Bye, bossy boss.

We hear a conversation where Jesse is freaking out that he lost the poison cigarette Walt gave him. Walt calms him down and says he’ll help Jesse search his house for it. Of course, Walt is lying and has the cigarette. He hides the poison in his wall and makes a duplicate cigarette filled with salt. We don’t see him drop it in Jesse’s apartment, but at some point he does and DJ Roomba picks it up. Jesse cries with relief and regret. He almost shot Walt over that storyline. Walt is comforting and reassures Jesse that they are still BFF.

Walt and Jesse approach Mike and ask if he’d like to be a partner with them. They want to start cooking again ASAP and know Mike would be great at helping their distribution. Without Gus running the show, they can all share larger chunks of the profit, but Mike isn’t interested because Walt is trouble. He is right.

Always busy, Mike meets new character Lydia at a diner. She is nervous and uptight, and afraid that Gus’ dealings will lead back to her. She gives Mike a list of eleven people who she feels threaten her, in the hopes that Mike will deal with kill them. The list of people are Gus’ guys, and he assures her that they are safe and will keep their mouths shut. That doesn’t satisfy Lydia and she commissions one of the guys to kill the others, including Mike. Damn, lady.

In a moment of humanity, Gus lets Lydia live in exchange for her methylamine connections. It looks like he’s going to be doing business with ole’ Walter White after all.

Mike is really a tough dude. He is equally cool playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos with his granddaughter, in the hot seat with the cops, or shooting his friends in the head. I am liking him more and more. Even though Gus’ laptop was destroyed by the magnet, the cops attained some valuable banking information leading them to Mike and his cronies. So there’s plenty of danger ahead.

I’m hoping next week is a Jesse-heavy episode. More Jesse Pinkman, yo!

When the opportunity arose to join a group of bloggers for a Hugo’s tasting, my interest was piqued. Given my last experience, I was hoping to have my opinion turned around. Plus, the food was never the problem. So I attended the tasting with an open mind and an empty stomach.

First up, the cocktails:

Mexican Martini

Blueberry Basil Mojito

Cantaloupe Martini

White Russian

The Mexican Martini was tasty, but I would have preferred the goat cheese olive on the side. The cheese made the martini a little milky and saltier than I would have liked. Both the Blueberry Martini and Cantaloupe Martini were made with Hugo’s delicious infused liquors. The cantaloupe had a spicy finish that we all enjoyed. I was worried that a White Russian made with tequila might be weird, but it wasn’t. It was yummy.

The Appetizers:

Shrimp Cocktail Shooters

Mexican Street Corn Wraps

Duck Cigars

The shot of Bloody Mary was so good, it didn’t even need the shrimp nacho on top. While most of my cohorts loved the Duck Cigar with Blackberry Ancho Chile Sauce, I preferred the Mexican Corn. The charred corn wrapped in unbelievably fresh and crisp Bibb lettuce was light and refreshing. A few people commented that it could easily be a salad.

The Entrees:

Quiche

Shrimp and Grits

Chorizo Spiced Pork Ribeye

The quiche is an offering on the brunch menu and was made with bacon, roasted corn and green chiles. The ribeye was flavorful and served atop the creamiest, silky mashed potatoes. And the shrimp and grits, available for dinner as well as brunch, was pure perfection. For me, this was the biggest surprise dish of the night. The fresh pico de gallo contrasted with the creamy grits and grilled shrimp to make a balanced and well-seasoned dish.

Dessert:

Cuatro Leches

Chocolate Bread Pudding

The bread pudding was so chocolately and rich. Really indulgent and delicious. It’s only failure was being served after the cuatro leches, which was the star dish of the evening. My whole table oohed and ahed, declaring it the best we’d ever had. The soaked sponge cake was garnished with dulce de leche, raspberry sauce, poached pears, and whipped cream. Unbelievable.

The food at Hugo’s is creative and well thought out. Although some of the dishes were over-salted, the presentation was simply beautiful. There were still problems with the service and timing, with long waits between courses, especially the drinks. The talents of the front and the back of the house are clearly mismatched. I believe Hugo’s has not yet found their identity. The careless service does not give due respect to the quality of food the chef is putting out. It all feels a little confused and haphazard.

With a few small improvements, Hugo’s could really have something great. I hope they can smooth out the service so that the food can shine like it deserves to. Have you been to Hugo’s? Leave a comment to share your experience.

Mr. Betty and I attended a fabulous surprise party on Saturday. I love a theme party and this was a Mexican fiesta for a 40th birthday. A milestone should be celebrated in a huge way and we really let loose. The hostess was my very good friend, Jill. Remember Jill? Yeah, she’s pretty much the most fun ever and knows how to throw a great bash.

Party Animal

Jill surprised her husband, Dusty, by not only throwing a huge party in his honor, but by flying in a bunch of his family from Kansas City. So sweet, right? I’m so bad at keeping secrets, I can barely wait to give Mr. Betty his birthday gifts. He’s received many a gift a week before his birthday. But she pulled it off!

Jill knows all the elements of throwing a good house party. Namely, lots of food and a keg.

For entertainment, we watched embarrassing videos of the birthday boy and boogied under the stars.

Even though I’m a certified non-athlete, the one team sport I truly believe in is beer pong. Even when people play dirty to win. Does showing a nipple in an effort to throw your opponents actually work?

Why, yes. Yes it does.

The night wouldn’t be complete without a piñata.

Filled with candy and tiny liquor bottles, the birthday boy killed this poor piñata.

After extensive partying, we sang happy birthday to Dusty. He didn’t protest…much.

More beer and my key lime pie gave everyone a second wind.

We partied on into the night, leaving Jill and Dusty with a sizable mess. One could argue that they provided the cascarones and encouraged us to crack them on each others heads, therefore asking for the mess.

Happy birthday, Dusty! May you retain your expert beer pong skills for your 50th.

“Titaya’s, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” This is more or less a direct quote of Mr. Betty’s every day since we had dinner there a few weeks ago. I’ve never seen him obsess over a restaurant this way, although I totally get it. Titaya’s is unbelievable. So good, so low-key…so busy.

We stopped by on a Saturday night with the intention of leaving if the wait was longer than 30 minutes. There really isn’t anywhere to wait. A tiny service bar in the back and about six chairs up front. It was too hot to stand outside with the masses, so we huddled in a corner by the hostess with lots of others. Every few seconds another group would come in and put their name on the list. Are you getting the picture? It was busy. It’s always busy.

Sure, it’s not much to look at. And there’s nowhere to wait. And the location at 5501 North Lamar doesn’t put it in the coolest neighborhood. But all of this adds to the charm that is Titaya’s. They don’t need to worry about anything else because the food is so damn good.

Mr. Betty and I had worked out extra hard that Saturday and were really hungry. We over ordered a tad. No one complained about eating spicy Thai leftovers the next day though.

We started with Goong Kra-Bok. It was described as shrimp stuffed with cabbage and bean thread noodles with an egg roll wrapper. I was expecting some exotic looking stuffed shrimp, but it was more like an eggroll. With a big shrimp in it. Delicious, but it wouldn’t be my go-to app.

Next we ordered three dishes to share. My favorite Thai dish is Gang Kiew Warn. I love the rich and spicy green curry filled with succulent eggplant, bamboo shoots, peppers and basil. It’s just fine without any meat, but I opted for shrimp this time. Man, it was so delicious.

Given the option of white or brown rice, I’ll always pick brown. And Titaya’s does it right.

Our noodle dish of choice was Pad Kra Prao. The tender beef, was stir fried with onions, peppers, mushrooms, basil and chilis in a spicy brown sauce. This had a glorious afterburn.

Mr. Betty’s favorite dish was a nightly special. Pad Cha Moo Pork was stir fried with bamboo shoots, bell peppers, and young green peppercorns in a spicy herb garlic sauce. This was excellent.

We took our time, savoring small bites with our chopsticks, eating right from the serving plates. Our waitress was so friendly, stopping by to watch as I photographed the food. We discussed cameras, her newlywed status, her recent vacation to LA (and the amazing Thai restaurants she visited there.) Despite the restaurant being bonkers busy, we felt well cared for and like we were treasured guests. She was genuinely thrilled that we loved what we ordered and wanted it all very spicy. The food came out very fast and our beers were poured for us table side. I love that.

Despite all the delicious food we ordered, we managed to show some restraint so we could order dessert. I’d heard that the Banana Roll with Coconut Ice Cream was not to be missed. Coconut is in my top three ice cream flavors. (The other two are Coffee and Butternut Pecan.) The sweet, creamy ice cream was in perfect contrast with the warm, crunchy bananas. A perfect ending after a hot, spicy dinner.

I had been to Titaya’s before and loved it. But it was new for Mr. Betty and seeing the delight in his eyes made it all the more special. It really doesn’t get any better than eating from the same dish of spicy Thai food with the one you love.