Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Friday afternoon we toured a house about a mile and a half up the road from us in Anderson, the area we currently live in and absolutely love. We pass by this house daily on our way to work and ever since we noticed it, it has peaked our interest. For several months in the winter it was undergoing promising-looking renovations and updates; it was neat to see its daily evolution as we drove past. The house is a charming two-story white house with slate gray shutters and a red door comfortably nestled in a little cutout grove of trees along a wooded, scenic road. A “For Sale” sign went up a few months ago – and has stayed up. We always thought it was a sweet house in a superior location and we were curios to see the inside, but the house looked small from the outside, didn’t appear to have a basement, and we weren’t looking to buy even though the price was surprisingly reasonable. So we settled for stalking it on the local realtor’s website once or twice and then let it go.
Recently we noticed a “rent to buy” sign had made its way into the front yard. Upon closer inspection of the website materials we realized that the house did have a basement. That was about all it took for our curiosity to get the better of us. On our way home one evening we stopped by the house to peer into her vacant windows. Impressed with what we saw we tempted fate, called the realtor, and set up an appointment, hopeful that renting would be an option.
No such luck folks and I wish we hadn’t seen that house because it is perfect for us. In the fall the house was purchased by a contractor (read: someone who likely knows what he’s doing) who flipped the house and added a whole slew of appealing updates. Because he’s a contractor, he’s not interested in being a landlord and would much prefer to sell the place, which would be less expensive than “renting to buy” in the long run.
In addition to the massive, clean, and freshly renovated unfinished basement that could safely and dryly store everything we own (cue Ted drool), there’s a brand spanking new concrete driveway, roof, a/c unit, furnace, carpeting, double-pane windows, electrical panel, water heater, and outdoor drainage system. It has a small yard (read: less lawn to mow and less leaves to rake!) but all the landscaping was redone, beautiful plants were planted and awesome new tile and stone walkways were installed. The house features a large gourmet kitchen with all new completely stainless steel appliances with tags still attached (cue Lara drool), an abundance of new cabinets stained a lovely deep hue (drool drool) and gorgeous finished concrete counters (drool drool drool!). The 2.5 bathrooms were all refinished with those same cabinets (again, drool), marble counters (swoon), and new fixtures. The 3 bedrooms are softly carpeted and beyond spacious (read: um, huge) and the closets are not only large but also have shelving already installed in them (faint!). The house is gas heated (which greatly cuts down on electrical bills during the winter!), has a cozy gas fireplace, a beautiful living room with hardwood floors, and this totally awesome extra room with a brick chimney for a touch of texture and nearly wall-to-wall windows that not only provides a stellar view, but could be used for anything from a dining room to an entertainment lounge. It even has an extended window seat that would make an incredible reading nook for me. Even more importantly, it appears that the poured concrete foundation is rock solid (a.k.a. it won’t fall down like our current house is threatening to do) and is likely insulated as well. The house is 52 years old so it’s got enough of that historical vintage charm to draw us in, but with all the updates it “doesn’t look its age” structurally. The realtor said the house wasn’t going because the first listed price was too high (it has since by reduced) and because it doesn’t have a garage, a high priority for people in this area, especially with the winter snow.
In other words, were we looking to buy, we would have brought in an inspector today and, if all went well, made an offer tonight. After seeing something we’re both so smitten with, it’s hard to walk away or view anything else with unbiased eyes. The kicker is the price is actually reasonable. If we knew we were settled in our jobs and knew we’d be staying in Cincinnati for a length of time (we’re already sold on the city – we love it here!), we could probably afford it if we really tried, though it might be stretch. With our future so uncertain we weren’t really looking to buy, but now the seed is planted in my head: When will a house this nice and with this many updates be available for a reasonable price again? I don’t know. And that makes it even harder to pass it by, though that’s exactly what we should and will do.
The lesson to me is let sleeping dogs lie. If it calls to you, but you probably can’t have it should you end up loving it, don’t even look at it.
But, damn, is that a great little house!
And we can dream, can’t we?
Dinner Party
Thursday night we invited our friends Nick & Linda over for dinner. In October when we learned we’d be moving to Cincinnati and needed a place to crash for three days while we did a whirlwind round of house hunting, Fr. Bob’s friends Nick & Linda generously took us in without knowing a thing about us. They were having a bonfire at their home when we arrived late that night so they introduced us to all their neighbors, trusted us with the keys to their home, and even gave us a garage door opener to use while we stayed with them. They housed us, fed us, gave us our first real tour of Cincinnati, helped us locate areas of town to start our house searching in, and advised us of the areas of town we definitely wanted to avoid. When we signed the lease they took us out to dinner at Montgomery Inn BoatHouse to celebrate. When we moved into the house a week after our wedding, they showed up at our front door to help us scrub the fridge and unload boxes from the moving truck. They brought with them a “welcome home” box full of new-house necessities like toilet paper, disposable plates and silverware, bottled water, light bulbs, hand soap, and cleaning supplies. They also brought a lasagna, salad and garlic bread; it was our first meal in our new home. They even picked us up at the Cincinnati airport and drove us back home after our Christmas vacation. Needless to say, we’re very thankful for them! We’ve all been swamped lately and haven’t seen them in several months, so to remedy that and to say a big old “Thanks For Being So Wonderful To Us!” we invited them over for dinner.
I was excited for the opportunity to break out our set of cute wooden salad bowls, Packer wine glasses (yes, we actually own Green Bay Packer wine glasses), and shapely serving dishes I collected during college. I used our low bowl succulent garden for a centerpiece because A) it’s awesome, and B) it adds a sweet flair to the table and still allows you to see and converse with the person sitting across from you, unlike a vase of tall blooms which can block people off from one another. For an appetizer I made a fantastic creamy spinach artichoke dip (find the recipe here) and served it with lightly salted bagel chips. And because I grew up an olive-loving Bidus, no dinner party would be complete with the obligatory and beloved black olive and petite dill relish tray that has made an appearance at every family function and social dinner since as far back as I can remember. For dinner we started with a really simple yet abundantly flavorful salad I absolutely love – spinach, strawberries, almonds, and goat cheese. Try it. It is astonishing how tasty this salad can be. I don’t even use dressing on it because it’s so good without it. After the salad course we dined on crescent rolls and my grandmother’s crowd pleasing Italian sausage pasta casserole. We drank Door County wine – black cherry and honeycrisp apple were on the menu – and finished the meal off with a Le Cordon Bleu custard-filled butter cookie crust fruit tart I’d made that afternoon (recipe here). The fruit tart is absolutely mouth watering! I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a quick dessert to throw together in less than 30 minutes, but if you’ve got a few hours of time on your hands, guests to pamper, and a hankering for something light and sweet, this dish is both visually beautifully and delicious without feeling to sinful or heavy. Nick & Linda brought us a pretty bouquet of flowers, which if my memory serves me correctly, is actually our first bundle of flowers we’ve ever had in this house! It’s about time!
Sadly, I’m working both days this weekend because that’s just the point we have to be at in our lives right now in order to keep our ends meeting, but I hope you’re all having a lovely summer weekend :-)
Epic Fail Friday: Coney Island
Last Sunday when Ted’s sister & family were in town for the 4th of July weekend we paid a visit to Cincy’s premier little amusement park dating back to the 1800’s – Coney Island! Coney Island in itself is definitely not an epic fail. It’s located right along the Ohio River and is oozing with old fashioned rides and sweet carney charm. There’s an enormous pool and a wide variety of traditional fair food – a candy store, slushies, hot dogs, beer, ice cream, snowcones, burgers and funnel cakes. There are scenic wooded picnic areas, a beach at the river to take a stroll along, a stage for live bands, fireworks, hot air balloons, and a ferris wheel, roller coaster, bumper cars, swings, giant slide, paddle boats, and nausea-inducing spinning rides dating back many decades. It’s a nostalgic step back to a time when good clean fun was king and things were simpler and cheaper. And with half-price admission coupons to go along with the already thrifty price tag, it’s a great place to spend the afternoon.
Now, the people who apparently frequent this place on the 4th of July weekend are a whole different story entirely. Boy was the people watching fantastic! I gave up counting the number of vehicles parked straight in diagonal parking spaces. I also gave up counting the extremely embarrassingly and ill-fitting or outright inappropriate swimsuits, “cover ups” (that covered nothing I assure you), or heinously gaudy outfits. I get that this is a theme park of sorts so attractive attire isn’t necessarily priority, I get that it’s sticky and hot out so limiting clothing is a popular option, and I get that it’s the 4th of July therefore patriotic flag shirts are all the rage. But, man, was the people watching good! I saw so many epic fails of truly scary proportions that it was unreal. I had my camera ready and poised to document the atrocious parking jobs and laughable/inappropriate outfits with everything you don’t want to see hanging out, but my memory card just didn’t have enough room to hold it all and I decided it might be too rude to actually post those pictures on the web for all the world to see. Alas, no photo evidence, but at least your imagination can get a workout.
Lesson of the day: Unless you want to be somebody’s inside joke or hilarious memory of 4th of July 2011, please reconsider what you think is appropriate public attire and what you think looks good on you. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Just don’t buy it or go up one size – there’s no shame in that. If you need to feed your baby, yanking your flabby hooter out of your already ill-fitting bikini top with at least 30 complete strangers surrounding you may not be the best way to accomplish that. Neon yellow highwaters do not match your red, white and blue flag button-up. Please wear pants – your skimpy swimsuit bottom that amplifies and highlights your massive 75-year-old thunder thighs is fine at the pool, but not so stylin’ when your ripply thighs are flapping in the breeze on that swing ride. Look before you park. If everyone around you is parked at a diagonal, you probably should be too. It was a wealth of epic fail. A joyful, funny, wealth of memorable goodness. Please don’t be that person. Happy Epic Fail Friday!
What truly epic fails have you seen recently?
How to Have the Most Relaxing 3-Day Weekend Since Undergrad
*A suggested itinerary.
Saturday
I’d recommend starting off your morning with a trip to the local farmer’s market up the street to ogle the freshly-picked vegetables and to select a block of creamy lemon zest cheese and a carton of brown eggs that were laid the day before. You’ll want to treat yourself to a sampling of the luxurious baked doughnuts and gourmet snickerdoodle and chocolate chip cookies sold there as well because they are positively delectable. Proceed homeward to play in the hose water wash, dry, polish and vacuum your vehicle and relish in the beautiful mid-morning weather. Take a drive in that handsome, shiny car of yours to explore a new-to-you area of Cincinnati that looks like a forgotten step back in time. Take a lovely stroll around the scenic playground and park just steps from your house while awaiting the arrival of your weekend guests. Enjoy a good old fashioned American cookout of beer brats with all the fixins’, BBQ and sour cream & onion chips, fresh-squeezed lemonade, watermelon, and homemade mini strawberry rhubarb pies. Turn on the radio, play a few games of washers in the lawn, whoop the pants off your opponents, then snuggle in for an evening of relaxing television watching, the likes of Deadliest Catch and Pawn Stars.
Sunday
After attending mass with a toddler who thumps the music issue shut during the quietest possible moment of the mass then declares in a loud, echoing voice “Are we done yet!?” hereby providing the entire congregation with some church-time entertainment, head home to feast on a lunch of creamy chicken taquitos, queso blanco dip, and cilantro lime rice – all homemade. Allow yourself a good half hour to roost before playing three competitive games of team washers in the front yard. Lay down on the bed for a few minutes to cool down beneath the swirling ceiling fan and end up taking the most cozy and thoroughly refreshing hour-and-a-half nap you’ve had in the last several years. Load up the car and drive five miles to the river between Ohio and Kentucky to Coney Island for an evening of shameless people watching, slushies, funnel cakes, beer, giant slides, roller coasters, bumper cars, glowing hot air balloons and an early 4th of July fireworks display.
Monday
Sleep in late, deck yourself out in red, white and blue and walk to the Independence Day parade in your local township. Applaud the Purple Heart Veterans, wave to the firetrucks and horse-drawn carriages, listen to the high school band playing patriotic tunes and scramble for Dubble Bubble and Starburst candies tossed out of vintage cars by cheerleaders. Your next stop should be the greasy spoon 1950s diner down the road for a late brunch where you’ll devour plates of breakfast food, onion rings, and Philadelphia root beer, all the while dreaming of the crowd you’d need to polish off the 4 lb. Big Nasty cheeseburger and 20-scoop, 4 topping ice cream sundae. Vow to make it happen…eventually. When the drizzles threaten head the children’s museum where adults definitely do not fit through the rope tunnels at the woods-themed playscape and make a pit-stop at the Duke Energy ball pit to watch a pair of clumsy siblings tear through the rope curtain entrance at warp speed, trip over themselves, then nose-dive and face plant it into the carpet. Laugh because that is the only appropriate response. Pull into the ice cream parlor for a dish of the world’s tastiest hand-scooped mint chocolate chunk ice cream. Finally end your weekend at home sitting down to a plate of homemade Italian sausage pasta casserole, a bottle of Door County black cherry wine split among the adults, ice cream & pop rocks cupcakes, and a late night of adult-only fun – hours worth of Wii Party games and a glorious view of your next door neighbor’s sparkling 4th of July fireworks display right from your living room’s picture window. God bless America!
*Note: The best way to carry out a relaxing, fun, and stress-free weekend of epic awesomeness is to plan nothing – no events, no times, no itineraries – and just go with the flow. Oh, and be sure to eat a lot. Oink oink! The one thing you can plan to do? Continue the tradition annually. :-)
July!
It’s July already! Can you believe that? Only two months of summer left. How did June go by so quickly? I wait all year for summer and it goes by in the flash of a lightning bug!
Our three-day-weekend has arrived and we are going to OWN it. I am so pumped for a relaxing 4th of July weekend! I cannot wait for Coney Island and movies and wii games and tasty desserts and lawn games and cookouts and fireworks and the family that’s coming in town to share it all with us. Tomorrow morning I’m excited to hit up the farmer’s market I’ve been anxious to visit and then play in the hose water wash my car. I anticipate a weekend of pure loveliness!
On Tuesday night we received free tickets to the Cincinnati Opera’s newest production of “A Flowering Tree” with live music from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. I also wouldn’t be surprised if one of the primary Cincinnati dance companies had something to do with it too, though don’t quote me on it because I don’t really know for sure. Have I ever mentioned how much I like free performance art? It pretty much rocks.
This opera was unique because it was a contemporary opera – sung mostly in English with some Spanish mixed in as well. Furthermore, it was a translated Indian folk tale, composed in 2006, with a contemporary set design and India-inspired costumes to go with the English and Spanish lyrics. The story was sweet and uncomplicated, without countless details to keep track of, graphic plot twists, or grandiose themes. It was as accessible as it was beautiful, something that everyone could appreciate.
On Wednesday Ted switched it up for the hot summer months with a stylin’ new haircut. This was before…
…and this is him now!
I’ve always loved his hair long and the guy has killer thick, shiny hair that any girl would love to have, but he’s very handsome with short hair too. All the while I’ve know him he’s switched back and forth between long and short hair, and like the Wife of the Year that I am (he’s laughing himself silly right now), I love him either way. Bonus points because now he looks just like the sweet dude I married.
This week we were also graced with the presence of this little one in our neighbor’s yard for several early morning hours. Ted calls her Jo. She looked lonely without her mamma, but she was so adorable strolling around the yard, taking a bath, and laying down for a nap. I’m convinced our neighbor spayed “Baby Deer Away” on her landscaping because Jo hasn’t been back to visit since.
Today we discovered more new plants in our yard! As the seasons change new flowers keep cropping up that we never knew were planted in our yard. In the early spring it was the daffodils, then the rose bushes, and now these beautiful pink and purple blossoms. The longer we live here, the more we discover. Maybe there’s a secret pumpkin patch waiting to sprout up in October!
And because it is, indeed, Epic Fail Friday, I won’t disappoint, though my fails are pretty lame this week, so be prepared to be unimpressed. I have nothing witty to offer. Today’s Epic Fail Friday is brought to you by stale fortune cookies and the Red Hat Society. Its been a pretty tame week so I don’t have much to rag on. I’ve been reduced to labeling a stale fortune cookie at our Chinese eatery of choice as an epic fail. Maybe that in itself is an epic fail? Regardless, it was a fail because the fortune cookie is such a looked forward to tradition that I was pretty aghast at the lack of a fresh fortune cookie. Monday as a whole was pretty much a day of complete epic fail on the job front. We dealt with so many stupid questions, rude people and door alarms that we started keeping tally but eventually lost track. Needless to say, it was a painful day. That day my co-worker Sara and I had to deal with the most scatterbrained, confused, and frankly, obnoxious, group of red hat society women to ever set foot into a public institution. I have absolutely nothing against the red hat-ers or their color coordinated rhinestones and sequins, bejeweled shirts, net and feather hats, red pants, and purple sweater-sets. Most of them are very nice people who really just enjoy the group outings and one-another’s company, and if they want to enjoy it in head-to-toe red and purple, well then more power to them. That being said, this particular group of individuals was a serious test to our sanity and kind of made us want to drink beer at 11 a.m., under a people-free rock. We explained no less than 7 times the direction in which the line formed. Eventually, when words apparently failed, we physically showed them. When that too failed and we continued to battle question after question after question and the “group leader” insisted on organizing micro-managing each lady’s line placement (totally incorrectly, might I add), we just gave up, totally overwhelmed by the chaos of it all. That entire day was basically one giant epic fail. So for the sake of keeping up with tradition, there’s this week’s Epic Fail Friday. Oh, but wait! I do have just one more epic fail to offer! Please excuse the horrible cell-phone pic, but is that a noodle in Ted’s blueberry breakfast crepes from Bob Evans? Yes. Yes, it is. I guess it beats the dead rat someone found in the Kroger salad bag this week in Cincy.
I’ll be on a brief blogging hiatus to enjoy the 4th of July weekend with my family, but with any luck I’ll be back on Tuesday to fill you in.
Have a safe, happy and fun-filled weekend!
Apartment Leasing for Dummies
So, you want us to become your community’s newest residents? That’s fair; we’re clean, tidy, quiet, friendly, responsible, well-behaved individuals looking to downsize, and we have excellent credit scores. You have an immaculately landscaped property and an apartment just itching to be rented. We’ve done a lot of looking over the past few days. We’ve spent countless hours online, scoped out our properties of choice, scheduled tours, gone on tours, done our research on amenities offered, and made our budget. We are, by no means, experts. But we’re well on our way. We’ve learned that there are some things that draw us in and some that send us fleeing. In the hunt for new digs when we’re faced with countless properties that offer everything from detached remote control access garages to sparking swimming pools to tanning beds, luxury clubhouses, cathedral ceilings, gourmet kitchens, private balconies, and preferred employer programs, here’s what impresses us right off the bat. These are definite Do’s!
– Preferred Employer Program perks: You’re willing to knock $25 off our monthly rent, waive the application fee, and cut our security deposit in half because Ted works at UC? Uh, sure. Yeah, that sounds excellent actually.
– The $5 Papa John’s Pizza night: Once a month, every month, a large Papa John’s pizza ready and waiting for you at the clubhouse for only $5. I think this is one of Ted’s top criteria for an apartment community (for real). Bribing us with food? Apparently it works.
– An informed leasing agent: We ask a lot of detailed questions, so if you can recite the exact dimensions of the height, width and length of the garages upon request, know the complex’s rules on charcoal grill v. propane grill storage, enclosed trailer parking, internet package pricing options, and which utilities are gas and which are electric, you’ve already proven to us that you’re knowledgeable about your property and that you care about your resident’s needs and inquiries. That’s an instant turn-on.
– Updated buildings and amenities: So your building isn’t brand spanking new (but props if it is!), and that’s okay, but potential residents really appreciate well-cared for properties if they are older. Concrete and brick walls for sound-proofing and fire-safety, smoke alarms, fire suppressant sprinkler systems, new spacious cabinets, updated appliances, fresh paint, new carpet, windows that seal, no cracks in the walls…those kind of things can make a world of difference. I know these things definitely turn our heads.
How about what you should avoid? These may seem obvious, but they come straight from immediate personal experience. Take a hint leasing agents, these are big Don’ts!
– Glaring spelling, grammatical, or factual errors in your marketing materials: Check it over before you publish it. This simple task takes only 5 minutes of your time. Not to mention it must be fairly embarrassing when a newcomer points out your obvious errors in floor plans, amenities, or street names. The dimensions on the floor plans state the room is 2 feet bigger than it really is; that’s misguiding your consumer and there’s really no excuse for that information to be incorrect. Sentences that don’t even make sense because words are so badly misspelled, omitted, or in the wrong tense just looks unprofessional. These things do matter.
– Dirty model apartments: If there is one thing I cannot stand to see on a walk-through of an apartment, it is filth. Nothing is more unimpressive or turns me off faster than a filthy tub, a layer of grime in the sink, dead bugs on the floor, broken counters or cabinets, mud on the tile floors, stained carpet, and general disrepair. I do realize that a cleaning crew comes in before each new resident moves in, but what a terrible first impression an outright dirty model apartment makes. If you really cared about your property or getting new leases, then you’d keep the place clean. Filth is non-negotiable.
– Keeping information from potential residents: I know you know the crime statistics of your area. When I inquire about it, “I don’t know” or “We don’t have access to that information,” is unacceptable. It just means that you’re not willing to share because you know that this apartment is located in SketchyTown USA and you’d rather cover up the uncomfortable apsects. Just be upfront – your honesty is appreciated. When we ask if the basements of the townhomes leak, just be honest if they do. It’s not a make or break situation, we’ll just be better prepared. If there are problems, that’s okay. It’s to be expected because no property is prefect. But I do expect you to be honest and upfront with your information and if you don’t have an answer to something, to offer to find out the answer.
All of this is to say that we’ve had some great experiences and some disappointing ones. Sadly, we’ve discovered the great experiences are a little out of our price range. And so the search is far from over, but it’s been a rewarding experience so far and we’ve learned, at the very least, what we like and what we don’t like. Wish us luck!
Winning for the Day
This is what I call a WIN.
A Summer Bucket List
This summer I will…
– Bike the scenic Little Miami River trail, often
– Try my hand at homemade ice cream – cherry, peach and chocolate are on the agenda! So are homemade popsicles.
– Go fruit picking
– Catch fireflies in a jar
– Take more bubble baths
– Steam and devour a fresh buttery lobster feast
– Explore the rides, games, pool, scenery and fireworks at Coney Island
– Catch up on reading all of my girly glamour and travel magazines that have stacked up, unread, since October
– Go swimming (my swimsuit needs the exercise)
– Have a backyard picnic with blankets, Adirondack chairs, a radio playing good tunes, fresh-squeezed lemonade, cold cuts, beer, s’mores piping hot from the fire pit, and glow sticks/sparklers
– Wash my car with the hose Drink, play in, and maybe eventually get around to washing my car with the hose water
– Call in sick and spend a weekday riding coasters at King’s Island or Cedar Point
– Road trip for a weekend jaunt in Lansing, MI where we can dine at all our favorite eateries, visit old friends, see a show at Stormfield Theatre, play washers and disc golf in Grand Ledge’s Fitzgerald Park, enjoy an ice cream at Korner Kone, browse Horrocks, and re-live our life from two years ago
– Frequent the farmer’s market for tasty seasonable fruits and vegetables
– Hang out at a few local festivals and concerts in the park
– See a movie at the drive-in theatre in Amelia (and quite possibly make a feeble dent in that 4 lb. cheeseburger at Great Scott diner)
– See our families on long weekends and invite good friends over for dinner
– Go rollerblading (bonus if I don’t face plant it on the pavement)
– Try to convince my husband that I need a pet bird
– Get a little color on my skin (Yes, I wear SPF!) by spending more time in the great outdoors
– Catch up on all the seasons of Deadliest Catch
– Relish a day swimming, napping, hiking, and relaxing at a lake
– Enjoy a week-long week-long honeymoon adventure extraordinaire!
– Break in the grill
– Take at least one luxurious nap a week
– Buy Kentucky Bourbon (you know because I live 0.5 miles from Kentucky and haven’t tried it yet)
– Try three new restaurants in three different areas of town
– Treat myself to a few new summer frocks or accessories. I’m thinking pale blue and orange will be my bright summery colors of choice :-)
And then there’s those few things I really should achieve, like…
– Finding us a new place to live
– Secure more freelance/permanent theatre work
– Get my prescription updated and shop for stylin’ new eyeglasses frames
– Design and print our wedding photo albums and artwork canvases for the house
What’s on your summer bucket list?
Thursday Night Date Night
We dined for half-price on crispy tacos topped with delicious authentic queso fresco and drank divine strawberry daiquiris at our favorite little Mexican eatery in Cincinnati, Ricon Mexicano. We killed time browsing a new furniture store and picking out our dream living room and bedroom furniture sets, laughed about renaming KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) CFP (Cincinnati Fried Python) in honor of the newest town pet, and then hit up a showing of the animated flick Rio at the dollar theater. It was date night perfection. Every Thursday night should be so grand!