Arabian Nights & Cutie Pies

I have a weakness for food movies and Indian music, so I kind of had to go see "The Hundred-Foot Journey." My sweet husband induldged and took me...it was't quite as foodie as I was hoping but since there was Indian pop music and there were no trashy scenes, it turned out well. In addition, I realized I needed Marguerite's wardrobe:

and head-scarf collection:

All in all, it was a productive movie-going experience.

Afterwards, my genius hubby said, "Well, now I guess we should go eat Indian food!"

Except, we don't know where Indian food is and we left the food-looker-up device (my phone) at home. So, we decided Mediterranean was also ideal and went to hit up our spot, Pasha's. My amazing mother-in-law discovered this place and she's turned us into fans. Even better, it's right next door to this market called Ali Baba's. I needed to go to Ali Baba's because this:

Behold, my roadmap to San Antonio. I was actually going to buy a map, but then I found this and thought, hey, I have GPS, I don't know how to get anywhere, I just need to know where to go! I needed a food guide and Alex needed a poisonous snake guide, we found both at our giant H-E-B. Clearly, our priorities are well-organized. And this thing has proven itself incredibly reliable. Ali Baba's was listed as a place to hit up. Except, once I saw Ali Baba's I was no way going alone. 

The foodie movie was the instigator for the together-trip to Ali Baba's. And it was no disappointment. Coconut oil and Himalayan pink salt were SO cheap, plus we found THIS:

I know you are as green as It is with jealousy that we found this incredible Thing, although you may be wondering, like I was when my husband excitedly exclaimed that we MUST get It, what exactly IT is.

Well, I will tell you.

Actually, the Ali Baba's cashier will tell both of us: it is an Indian Bitter Melon. And, once I googled it upon arriving home, it turned out that "Indian Bitter Melon" did in fact bring up other objects resembling this bumpy verdant object. Apparently you soak it and saute it, and you absolutely must de-seed it, although whether or not you skin it seems to be up for debate. We shall see what happens when I face the thing in armed culinary combat.

Besides Indian Bitter Melon, we also foooouuuuund...TURKISH DELIGHT.

Narnia fans, rejoice. Don't worry, there was no White Witch circling the Turkish Delight section, so having selected a box of assorted sweets in safety we made plans to eat them and read some "Arabian Nights" upon returning home from dinner, because my husband just comes up with ideas like that at the slightest provocation. So, we bought the Turkish Delight and the Himalyan pink salt and the Indian Bitter Melon and we did NOT buy the yogurt soda (whatever that is) because...it was refrigerated and we did not have a cooler and we were going to dinner before home. Otherwise, my husband would have bought a whole liter.

Pasha's was a great choice because they were actually serving the yogurt drink I had just talked him out of buying. (He feels we need to go back to Ali Baba's for a liter, in case you're considering a yogurt soda spree for yourself.) Also, we had this funny little waitress who was very sweet, and who thought we were "just so cute" she brought us a free dessert. 

No, really, we got free dessert for being cute. Look:

She said it was called mango cheesecake, but I told Alex it was really a Cutie Pie. 

He thought it was funny.

We did read some "Arabian Nights," but since we fell asleep at home before we got to the Turkish Delight, he announced that he needed to bring me breakfast in bed this morning. (I know, I know...such a stud.) Having lived in Italy for so long he's a big believer in eating meals in courses, so my first course came in looking like this:

Tea. In a teacup. With Turkish Delight.

Such a Cutie Pie.