Sundays in My Neck of the Woods

Once a restaurant called Esposito's, Espo's on Congress Street, in Portland, Maine, has continued the quality and service of it's predecessor. ( I attempted to verify stories I've heard, but Espo's does not have a website, so I need to caution that the next few sentences are rumors that I have been unable to prove or disprove.)  As I understand it, the owner of Esposito's, which had long been an excellent Italian Restaurant passed away, and his children re-opened under the name Espo's Trattoria.

Having a hankering for some Italian eats, Hubby and I visited Espo's.  We were treated to a basket of focaccia bread with a dish of olive oil, parmesean, and rosemary sprigs for dipping, while we checked out the menu and specials.  The bread was practically oven-fresh and delicious by itself, but even more so when dipped in the olive oil mixture!

I was surprised to see Cream of Broccoli soup on them menu, but knowing that all of their food is homemade, I decided to have a cup as an appetizer, as it's one of my favorites.   The cup turned out to be a bowl of piping hot, cheesy goodness.  The soup was thick with cheese and broccoli, and was literally steaming when the waitress placed it on the table in front of me.  I dislike lukewarm foods, especially soup, so this was steamy, cheese-laden delight.  It was very easily the best Cream of Broccoli soup I've ever had in a restaurant.

The soup was followed by a salad with lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and lots of purple onion slices and a tangy homemade Italian dressing.  All the vegetables were fresh and crisp.

For my entree, I selected the meat lasagna, which was layers of cheese, lasagna noodles, marinara sauce, ground beef, sausage, and pepperoni--and did I say cheese?  Mozzarella, parmesean and ricotta, all melted, goey and tasty in a lasagna portion that was nearly 6 inches by 6 inches in size!  After all the soup, salad, and focaccia bread, I was only able to eat about a third of it, but the waitress boxed the remainder for a yummy lunch another day.

Hubby went for his favorite, spaghetti and meatballs.  (I love spaghetti, too, but am unable to eat it in a restaurant without wearing half of it by the end of the meal!)  The portion was huge, with a generous amount of marinara sauce topped by two meatballs the size of baseballs.  The meatballs were scrumptious, and were close to half a pound each, I would be willing to wager.  Hubby even had to have part of his dinner boxed to take home!  (And that's not a common occurance!)

It was a win/win evening;  a wonderful meal out, with a second wonderful meal for later with no cooking needed!

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Saturday Silliness

I'll start today with a little Dr. Seuss for Grown Ups and Older Folks:

 I feel a little "Dr. Phil" influence on this first one!

 And for this is for those fans of micro brews and other ales.

 I think no explanation is required here!

And this last one is for those among us who've reached The Golden Years!

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Middle age is when broadness of the mind

and narrowness of the waist change places.




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Potatoes




Well, a Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other.  Finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato,  which they called, "Yam."  Of course, they wanted the best for Yam.  When it was time, they told her about the facts of life.  They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she
wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots.

Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her!  But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either.  She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe. , Mr. And Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland ..and the greasy guys from France called the French Fries.  When she went out west, they warned her to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped..

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high-class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on trucks that say, "Frito Lay."

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University ) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips.  In spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Brian Williams.   Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset!  They said, "You can't possibly marry Brian Williams, because he's just  (Are you ready for this?)

(Are you sure?)

*



*
(OK!  Here it is!)



*

*

A COMMONTATER!"


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In case you didn't know...



Women are Angels

And when someone breaks our wings....

We simply continue to fly....


On a broomstick....

We’re flexible like that.



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The Storm


They were together in the House.  Just the two of them.  It was a cold, dark, stormy night. The storm had come quickly, and each time the thunder boomed he watched her jump.  She looked across the room and admired his strong appearance...and Wished that he would take her in his arms, comfort her and protect her from the storm.

Suddenly, with a pop, the power went out.... She screamed...He raced to the sofa where she was cowering.  He didn't hesitate to pull her into his arms.  He knew this was a forbidden union and
expected her to pull back.  He was surprised when she didn't resist but instead clung to him.  The storm raged on...They knew it was wrong...Their families would never understand... So consumed were they in their FEAR that they heard no opening of doors...just the faint click of a camera......



(Click!)

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Halloween Warning:

Attenion:  This is a Public Service Announcement:

Do Not Leave Alcohol Near Your Pumpkins!

                               I'm just sayin'.


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The Ten Worst Looks of the Past and Present

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it worth reviewing what Jennifer Romolini of the Shine Staff at Yahoo considers "the wors fashion trends of the past 10 years."  You might want to use one or more of these as part of their Halloween costumes; certainly some are scary enough to qualify!

                                                         Christina Aguilara
                                        The fake tan, for that slightly orangey glow.

Heidi Montag

 Excessive plastic surgery for that totally expressionless face and/or boobs the size of watermelons.

Kate Gosselin's reverse mullet haircut.

The Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi "Pouf"

Pamela Anderson

The shaved "no-eyebrows look" or as above, the penciled in eyebrows.

Tyra Banks

The "Wavy Hair Went Electric Socket Wild " look called crimping.

Black lipstick and black nail polish.  (sorry, I'm not sure who this is.)

Singer Cassie Ventura

The half-shaved haircut, or, "Army on the right, Lady on the left."

Kim Mathers

Lip-liner only for that "coloring book outline that never got colored in" look.

                                                                    Britney Spears
According to Jennifer, hair extensions which have been used beautifuly by black women to supplement their locks, have not been so great on white women who seem to bleach them to hay-like consistently.

Well, there you go!  Will one of these styles will complete your Halloween look?

For more detailed info on these looks and who wore them, click on the link below.
The pictures and information for this post come from Shine on Yahoo.

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Ugly Dance World Cup

If you've been hanging out here at Wrestling With Retirement, you know I like to share intereting competitions I find with you.  Well, below is the video winning team at the first "Ugly Dance World Cup "  It was held in Hamburg Germany in September of 2009. 






I suspect this whole competition is some kind of backlash from Dancing With the Stars.  Let's face it, Jerry Springer wasn't exactly a modern day Gene Kelly on past shows, and then there was Kate Gosselin, and this year Michael Bolton and the Hoff.....It was bound to happen.

The 2nd Annual Ugly Dance World Cup was held this month, in Hamburg again, but after reviewing the video, I decided it was too ugly even for this blog! You know to what depths my taste has sunk in the past, so you can be sure that it was REALLY ugly.  If your curiosity is getting the best of you, you can watch it at http://www.uglydanceworldcup.com/  , but proceed at your own risk, and remember I warned you!

I understand they are taking applications for next year, if you're interested!


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Getting Unruly Thighs and Cleavage Under Control

If you were planning a trip to Italy in the near future, leave you mini-skirts, low rise jeans, and deep V-necks at home, or they might be more expensive to wear than they were to buy.

The Mayor of Castellmmare Di Stabia, Italy,  Luigi Bobbio, plans to ban mini-skirts, lowrise jeans, and too much cleavage in an effort to "restore public decorum" and rid the town of "rowdy, unruly" behavior.  According to the BBC, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has granted new powers to mayors accross Italy in an effort to fight crime and confront anti-social behavior.

Now while I'll grant that for most women over 40, wearing a mini-skirt is a crime, I have trouble seeing mini-skirts and excess cleavage exposure as anti-social behavior.  I've always thought that any woman wearing a mini-skirt and flaunting generous amounts of cleavage was probably a very social being (as in "Come and get it, Baby!").

The "flaunting" fines vary from $42 to $700 in U.S. Dollars, so if you're planning a trip there and mini-skirts are in your wardrobe, be prepared to pay the piper!

I would be curious to see how they plan to enforce this code.  It smacks of the old parochial school days when girls were made to kneel, and if their skirts did not touch the floor, they were sent home to change their clothes.  Will a "Drop and Kneel"  order be issued to suspected offenders?

Then there's the "too much cleavage" ban.  Who determines how much cleavage is too much?    Will a ruler be inserted between the breasts and  a mark on said ruler be the indicator of what is allowed?  ( I think my husband would come out of retirement for that job!) 

I can be convinced that after a certain age, any exposed cleavage is too much--that's just my opinion.  But a ban on all cleavage will make for some strange-looking swimsuits.  Whoops, that doesn't matter, because Bobbio wants to ban sun-bathing, too.

Other mayors across Italy are talking about banning sandcastles, kissing in cars, wooden clogs, feeding stray cats, using lawn mowers on weekends, and playing soccer in public parks, all of which I guess are deemed antisocial and rowdy activities.  Man, those kids building sandcastles...you gotta' watch them before things get out of hand!  First thing you know, they'll be building moats, sand cannons, and who knows where that will lead?  Anarchy, for certain! And feeding stray cats--why those cats may decide to expose their cleavage, and then where would we be???

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The High Heels Dash

If you weren't in Ogunquit, Maine, this weekend, you missed the High Heels Dash.  Yes, it's a race run by women and men in high heels (must be at least 2-inch heels!) to raise money for the Frannie Peabody Center.  The Frannie Peabody Center is an agency committed to providing compassionate care for those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.  Founded by a small group of concerned individuals in 1985, the center has grown and has opened a second site in Kittery, Maine.  The Center provides information, advice, support, advocacy and referrels, as well as serving as an anonymous HIV testing site.

Runners must pay an entry fee to participate in the High Heels Dash, and most get sponsors in addition to that.  The funds are donated to this United Way supported chaity.

Some entrants may have participated in a practice run in Scarborough, Maine a few days ago;  it's really not wise to run a race in heels without practice!

Get a look at those heels!  They are high ones!  Ready, set, go!

And they're off and running!  You've got to admire the hutzpah!  I barely can WALK in heels, nevermind run!

In Ogunquit this weekend, a large crowd of spectators gathered to cheer the runners onward!

And here they came!   Trophies were awarded for the best time, the highest heels, and the most outrageous costume.

This race is not for sissies!  High-heeled shoes are not made for running, and injury is a very real possiblity; one misstep and you could be head over heels--or would it be heels over head?  In any case, it's a risky race.  However, everyone seemed to have fun, and many dollars were raised for a very good cause. I guess you could say the winner was a shoe-in.

Note:  This just in:  I have an update from the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce stating that the winner for highest heels was sporting 6.25" stilettos!  Also, the winner of the race was the guy in the photo above wearing the funny glasses and the Afro wig;  the winner of most outrageous costume was the fellow in the black sequin dress with the long strand of pearls!  Thank you to the Chamber for giving us the news!  The also invited me to take part next year, but since I haven't worn high heels since the late 1970's, I don't see that happening! 


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Sundays in My Neck of the Woods

On Route One just on the east side of Freeport, Maine is an eatery called Buck's Naked Barbeque.  We decided to get naked and pay Buck a visit--not really.  (We visited, but fully clothed.)

There's a cheery pig on the sign that's bound to make you smile, and the aroma of smoked meats makes the mouth water!

The place is a log cabin, and dark wood and exposed rafters inside with a bar at one end, and a small space for a band at the other gives the place a back country feel.

As the sign above shows, there are four choices of BBQ Sauce on your table, and I had to try each of them.  All were tasty, but my favorite was the Red Bottle described as "sweet and tangy with a chipotle finish."  The South Carolina Mustard BBQ was unique...I had never tried anything like it.

 We had Onion Rings as an appetizer.  They were pretty good, but the crumb coating didn't adhere to them well, and many were "bare."  I would have to say, I've had better.

 I had a combination plate with St. Louis style ribs and Baby Back ribs, potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread.  The serving was huge, and I brought some home to have for lunch the next day.  There was no problem getting two meals out of that one serving!  The St. Louis ribs seemed over done;  they were crusted with black ash on the outside and seemed to have a lot of fat on them.  I didn't eat some of them because of the fat.  The Baby Back ribs were better.  The potato salad and baked beans were delicious, but the corn bread was dry and hard.  I love cornbread, but I left that piece untouched except for my small initial bite.

 Hubby had Pulled BBQ Pork, BBQ Sausage, and BBQ Chicken with potato salad and baked beans.  He enjoyed his meal except for the cornbread, and his chcken leg went home with us; even he couldn't finish the huge serving.

We said "Goodbye" to Buck's and probably won't be back soon to visit, if ever.  There are other places that serve better ribs, I think.   I will miss the potato salad and the beans...they were the best part of the meal!

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Saturday Silliness

The T-Shirts and Mugs are here in plenty of time for the Holidays!
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Scary Thoughts:


"The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket."



"The only two things we do with greater frequency in middle age are urinate and attend funerals ."


"After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching somewhere...you may be dead." 


"Do you realize that in about forty years, we'll have millions of old ladies running around with tattoos and pierced navels?" (Now that's scary!)




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A couple go for a meal at a Chinese restaurant and order the 'Chicken Surprise'.The waiter brings the meal, served in a lidded cast iron pot.

Just as the wife is about to serve herself, the lid of the pot rises slightly and she briefly sees two beady little eyes looking around before the lid slams back down.
'Good grief, did you see that?' she asks her husband. He hasn't, so she asks him to look in the pot. He reaches for it and again the lid rises, and he sees two little eyes looking around before it slams down.

Rather perturbed, he calls the waiter over, explains what is happening, and demands an explanation.

'Please sir,' says the waiter, 'what you order?'

The husband replies, 'Chicken Surprise.'
'Ah! So sorry,' says the waiter, 'I brought you Peeking Duck'.
(please ... no fowl language!)


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They were dressed and ready to go out for the New Year’s Eve Party


He turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered their pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.

They phoned the local cab company and requested a taxi.

The taxi arrived and they opened the front door to leave the house. 

As they walked out the door, the cat he had put out in the yard, ran back into the house.

They didn't want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.
The wife went on out to the taxi, while he went back inside to get the cat.

The cat runs upstairs, with him in hot pursuit.

Waiting in the cab, his wife didn't want the driver to know that the house would be empty for the night, so she explained to the taxi driver that her husband would be out soon,  She said, "'He's just going upstairs to say Goodbye to my mother."

A few minutes later, he got into the cab. 'Sorry I took so long,' he said, as they drove away.  'That stupid bitch was hiding under the bed. I had to poke her ass with a coat hanger to get her to come out!  She tried to take off, so I grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me.   But it worked! I hauled her fat ass downstairs and threw her out into the back yard!  She better not shit in the vegetable garden again!'


The silence in the cab was deafening.


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Finally a computer setting I understand!

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