july fourth, two thousand eleven (part 2)

Friday was our fifth year wedding anniversary! best five years of my life thus far! who says high school/college are the best years of your life? not for me. i love my life at this moment. i love being a (almost) thirty something, baby momma in my volvo station wagon. i love sitting on the back patio on a Friday night after we have put Annie to bed and talk about our goals and dreams of the next ten years. sipping wine, redecorating my house in my head and sending up thank yous to the heavens for this beautiful life i have. i know, i'm a broken record. i just love Anthony, Annie and my little haven on napfield.

Anthony made dinner reservations at La Provence in LaCombe, LA. it is literally in the middle of nowhere. just a little farmhouse on the side of the highway. everything on the menu is either grown on the farm or bought local. it’s a green restaurant. there are big live oaks along the highway covered in spanish moss. things like that i appreciate now since i don't get to see that in Texas. there are so many things that i used to take for granted when i lived in New Orleans that i cherish now. it was great to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city... like going to Jacques-Imo's or Irene's where it is so crowded and a long wait for a table and you always feel in the way... NOTHING like that. it is quiet. no rush. no traffic. take your time. eat slow. enjoy the food. enjoy your company.

we started with CHARBROILED OYSTERS and MALFATTI OF CREOLE CREAM CHEESE (sort of like a warm cheese salad with cherry tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms. for the main course Anthony got SWORDFISH PICCATA and i got LOCAL SOFTSHELL CRAB ÉTOUFFÉE on top of jalapeno cheese grits. food orgasm. dessert... oh yes. WARM BREAD PUDDING and MOLTEN CHOCOLATE TORTE with hazelnuts. it was one of the best meals i have ever had. all of that food, a bottle of wine and coffe and we did not leave a single morsel on our plates! if you ever find yourself on the northshore of Lake Ponchatrain, Louisiana, make yourself a reservation at La Provence. Side note 1: i know it is not good manners to talk money, but the food bill was only $103 (the bar bill, however, was $65... oops.) Side note 2: i wanted to take pictures of the food for blogging purposes but anthony would not have it! he told me i would embarrass him...

check out these adorable "oak notes" on etsy