Mug Shot: Galaxy Mug

 

So, several years ago, when I lived near my sister, she bought us matching coffee/tea/wine mugs in a rose gold or metallic Millennial pink shade. Although, obviously, the mug pictured here WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE.

But I digress...

She was definitely in her pink era, at the time, having also recently repainted/refurnished/remodeled her bedroom AND her home office (basically the entire upper story) utilizing A LOT of Farrow and Ball "Pink Ground" paint.

I've written about this before. It was amazing. But let's move on. At one point, during this time, she was at my house and she noticed my husband was using my pink mug and for reasons that I don't fully understand, she suddenly decided that, since he's a boy, he shouldn't have to use a pink mug, which, if you've seen even a small portion my mug collection, you'll realize that NO ONE in my household "has to" use ANY mug if they don't want to (because there are so damn many other options to choose from). 

HOWEVER, the upshot of this is that she bought my husband his own metallic, insulated, coffee/tea/wine mug (which, in his case, is really just a tea mug, since he doesn't drink coffee or wine), which is the mug shown below.  

NEW RELEASE! No Way, Rosé (Kate Davies)

No Way, Rosé

By Kate Davies

https://books2read.com/u/3JA8oP

Could this be a second chance worth savoring?

Rosa

Don’t get me wrong - I’m thrilled that Nonna left her winery to my sisters and me, but I’m terrified, too. With Allegra and Bianca both out of the country, the responsibility falls totally on me - and what if I’m not up to the challenge? Now my ex, Jake Wright, is offering to help out, but that’s terrifying in a different way. Working side by side is bringing all those old feelings back to the surface, and I’m falling for him all over again. But does our partnership have a future, or is heartbreak on the horizon?

Jake

I’ve been away from our hometown for ten long years. Now I’m back, and working with Rosa is both the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to me. We’re saving her family winery one day at a time - and giving in to the heat between us one night at a time, too. But I’m afraid this pairing has an expiration date…

OR BUY THE SERIES:

POUR DECISIONS

https://books2read.com/Pour-Decisions

Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?

Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.

There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But these sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.

Mug Shot: Vacay Mug

 

Every day is a good day for a vacay, but today more than most since I'll be heading out on a trip in a couple of days. And yes, there will be beaches! 

I found this mug at Goodwill. I love the vintage look of it. It feels very eighties to me. Or maybe nineties? I don't know. Those were my Mommy Years. That whole period is rather a blur. ESPECIALLY from a fashion perspective.

Mug Shot: Squirrel Mug

 

So, funny thing about this mug. I don't know where it came from. My best guess is that it was left behind by a previous tenant in the last place we lived, and mistakenly packed and brought to Texas with us when we moved here. 

Which is ironic and annoying because space was at a premium when we were packing up, and I'd reluctantly let a lot of other mugs go. At least one of which I kind of regret. But anyhow...

This is kind of a cute mug. I suspect it's Japanese, given the flowers. And it's got a squirrel on it, which is ironic, as well. We have a LOT of squirrels where we live now. Gray, red, black, white--although I haven't seen the white ones in a while. My husband has befriended one of the squirrels who'd shown up to eat the birdseeds (that he originally was putting out for the birds). This squirrel (not the one in the picture) actually comes when he's called and would probably eat out of our hands if we were stupid enough to try it. We're not. 

Anyway, "bright eyed and bushy tailed" is probably as good a motto for your morning drink as anything, I guess. 

Mug Shot: Sorry, Not Sorry Mug

 

There's really not much to say about this mug (which was another Goodwill find). I like the size and the heft of it. I like the satiny, not quite matte finish, and the unglazed bottom. And, as for the message? t think that fits the mood of the day PERFECTLY. 

Mug Shot: Bling Mug

 

I bought this mug recently. No particular reason. I just liked it. It's cute, and blingy, and BIG. My only complaint is that I'm left-handed and this is very much a right-handed mug. Assuming you want to actually see the P. 

But such is life.

I'm not really a pink person, but this spoke to me. 

Mug Shot: Monument Cafe Mug

 

There's not much to say about this mug. It's a classic!  Big, sturdy, attractive--basically everything you'd want in a mug, other than a lid, perhaps.  This is from the Monument Cafe (obvs!) which is where it's pictured, as well.

The Monument Cafe is located in the Georgetown area of Austin. It's got some GREAT breakfast dishes, which reminded me of this scene from Fall For You:

When Jo returns with the dishes, I plate up two servings. “I have to get back to the restaurant anyway,” I say, gently brushing off Ms. Vi’s protests. “You know I’ve got that big dinner coming up; there’s a lot of work to do to get ready. Besides, I don’t want to leave y’all with nothing; you might get hungry later.” I’m tempted to say more, to tease Jo, who’s always had a legendary appetite. But she beats me to it.

“I dunno. That sounds pretty sus to me. Don’t they say that you should never trust a chef who won’t eat his own food?” she asks, batting her eyes innocently.

“No, I don’t believe I’ve heard that one,” I reply extending a plate out toward her and holding her gaze challengingly. “But, if you’re too afraid to eat, just say so.”

I’m proud of my restaurant and confident of the food we serve there, but I’m more than a little anxious as I watch Jo tuck into her meal. And I know how that sounds—as though I still have feelings for her that go beyond mere friendship, right? 

But that’s not what it is. Jo’s opinion is important to me, yes. But there’s a valid reason for that.  Most people will tell you what you want to hear. Which is nice and all, but you can’t fix a problem that you don’t know is there. And you won’t necessarily work as hard as you should to improve your craft if no one ever suggests that you might need to. I trust Jo’s judgment. I know she’ll tell me the unvarnished truth. And with so much on the line, that’s worth way more than pleasant platitudes. 

Which is not to suggest that I don’t feel dismayed when Jo’s eyes go wide, and she claps a hand to her mouth and utters a startled, “mmph!” 

“What?” I demand, scanning her plate to see which dish has elicited her reaction. I gave her a little bit of everything I’d brought—migas, biscuits and gravy, chicken fried chicken with pecan pancakes, Texas style eggs Benedict made with brisket and queso. All hill country classics made with locally grown-or-sourced ingredients and my own special twists. All solid dishes, or so I’d thought. “What’s wrong?”

“Bit her tongue, I imagine,” Vi suggests, without much emotion.

But Jo shakes her head at that. She holds up a finger and continues chewing for a moment longer then finally says, “Nothing’s wrong. Are you kidding? I just wasn’t expecting the massive foodgasm you just gave me.”

“Yeah?” I feel my spirits soar and I can’t keep from smiling. “It’s good? Really?”

“Fuck, yeah,” she replies—eliciting a gasp of outrage from her aunt. “No crumbs.”

“Jocelyn Marie! What did you just say?” 

“Sorry, Auntie,” Jo replies. Then her gaze meets mine. “Seriously, Carter. It’s so good!” 

She pauses for effect and then adds, “You should maybe think about opening a restaurant or something.”

Fall For You: Texas Heat

Heartwood, Texas: Book One

https://books2read.com/FallForYou

Jocelyn Barnes couldn’t wait to leave Heartwood in her rearview mirror—even if it meant breaking two hearts in the process. Now, with her career on hiatus and her great-aunt in need of help as she recovers from concussion, Jo finds herself right back where she started, older but not much wiser, and about to make all the same mistakes all over again.

Carter Donahue doesn’t believe in looking back. As the chef/manager of his family’s new farm-to-table restaurant, he’s got his hands full. With a goal of turning his legacy into a must-see, Hill Country destination, his focus is on the future. The past? He’d rather that stayed buried. The last thing he needs (or wants) is to dig up those old feelings or fall back in love with his ex—especially when she’s already got one foot out the door. Again.