Salsa dancing sounds fun! Hope you had a blast.

Sadly, I have become lactose intolerant and the ice cream and me? We have parted ways. :( My fat cells love this though.

The Stinking Rose's 40 Clove Chicken is out of sight. The garlic ice cream, however, is not. The first sensation is the taste of vanilla, followed by the overwhelming aftertaste that is garlic, and not even roasted garlic but the raw stuff.

Garlic and vanilla ice cream are two things that should have never been crossed! I mean, BLECH.

Green tea ice cream is pretty nasty, in my opinion. I've not tried garlic, though, so look forward to your review. Have fun with your bad salsa self and your hairy purse (that sounds vaguely dirty). Can't wait to see pictures and read your report!

And Roy does look vaguely Vampirish!

Have a blast. HAVE. I don't know what day it is . . . I am depressed about the lack of ice cream.

Yay!! A Roy Picture! just what I needed!!

Oh - congrats on de-hermitizing!

Have a blast!
I'm impressed that you'll be trying the garlic ice cream. I'm not that brave.

i went to the stinkin' rose in san francisco years ago. it was great. prepare to smell like garlic for a few days afterwards tho. might want to warn people at your work. it will come out of your pores. :)

Bravo, girl!!! I hope you have an amazing time this weekend; I'm so proud of you!!!

Make sure you have some nuclear-strength breath mints just in case. You never know. I'm just saying.

Isn't salsa dancing one of your New Year's resolutions??

One more thing: your bag does not need a bikini wax. It needs a Brazilian wax!!

I'm pretty adventurous, culinary-wise, but I don't know about garlic ice cream.

Liz, yep :) It was one of my resolutions!

eeew, I don't want to exude garlic all week!

MMMM. Garlic. I put Garlic in everything - yet have never tried it in my icecream.

Hairy Purses, Garlic Ice Cream, Salsa Dancing - You are turning into a WILD WOMAN!

Luv Ya Anyways ;)

Yay, looking forward to the garlic ice cream report. I have been wondering about that for years, along with garlic chocolate. (Yes. Really. You can buy garlic anything in Gilroy.)

Your wimpier-about-trying-the-garlic-sweets fans thank you for your intrepid reporting.

Have fun with your merkin bag!!! Be sure to take pictures of the bag in action.
I love Roy's toothiness!

I have a funny story about garlic ice cream, well, sort of. My kids were all little, and my grandma made them all ice cream cones. My youngest, Jason, who was about 5, said, Ooo, this is horrible. My husband, being my husband, said, shut up, you asked for it, now eat it. My grandma said, wait a minute, and she tasted it. She had given the kids garlic butter, that she thought was ice cream. We got a great big laugh out of that one, and still do.

Garlic ice cream RAWKS!!! Well, for a little while, it rocks... then, well, it starts to taste a little weird. But whatever, it was good. And an experience. And I can now say that I've tried it! Have a wonderful time with your hairy purse and your garlic!

Good for you getting out. I am a bit of a homebody too, but love my girls nights out. I strive for a balance between the 2. Your bag, while cute, really could use a shave. There was a gal in one of my knitting class who makes felted hats and I felt the same way. Enjoy the Stinking Rose, I've always wanted to go there. Good pic of Roy. You must have been trying to give him his medicine.

Stay. Away. From. The. Garlic. Ice. Cream. Been to the Stinking Rose (love it!). I love garlic--isn't it one of the basic good groups? I love ice cream (ditto?). But the 2 together? Did not (repeat not) work for me.

Sounds like a fun-filled weekend. Enjoy yourself. Hermitage can continue at a later date.

BTW--just drink a lot of water the rest of the weekend. No garlic smell on Monday.

OMG!! That picture of Roy is priceless!!

We have a rat terrier who we call Ratula because she likes to bite when she plays. And also maybe because her ears are of bat-like proportions...supporting the idea that she could turn into a bat like Dracula. (And yes...we even have a little cape and bow-tie to dress her up on Halloween. Poor dog!)

Mmm, I love garlic! Whenever I cook, I use twice as much garlic as any recipe calls for! I've heard of garlic ice cream, but I've never had an opportunity to try it, so I'm looking forward to your review of it. I had apple ice cream, once, about 20 years ago. It was yummy. Note the "once." That was the only time in my life I've ever seen apple ice cream. Why? You see all kinds of other fruit in ice cream. And the apple ice cream was delicious. So what gives?

I'm pretty much a hermit myself. Probably not such a good thing, but it's who I am, I guess. I go to knitting, but usually once I'm home, I don't want to go out again. I don't seem to go anywhere else though. (I'm assuming the grocery store doesn't count.) But look what I did while I've been at home on vacation this week: I converted my website into a blog!

Btw, I keep meaning to tell you, Roy looks so much like the cat I had as a child, it's spooky! Does he like to be held on his back like a baby?

A good hike will sweat out all the garlic-ness.

Garlic ice cream: weird idea, but I'm with you, I would totally try it.

Our local gelato place recently offered a flavor called Olive Oil Black Pepper . . . I tried it and it was gooooood. A bit strange (sweet gelato with a peppery afterbite), but delicious.

WOW! Salsa dancing sounds fun! Hell any dancing sounds fun! However, garlic ice cream does not sound fun. Don't do it!
I'll be dehermiting at a graduation party and baseball game (free sky box tickets :-)).
I may have to dance at both.

The stinking rose sounds fabulous. Can you tell I love garlic? You must report on the garlic ice cream though. I just can't imagine it.

Hey, I knit a hairy thong. (yes, it's on my blog. Sorry to put that here. Always feels too obvious.) I knit it as a joke but the recipient's fiance apparently thought it was HOT. So you never know what might come about with your hairy purse! (I thought it was cute, and I showed it to my stepdtr, who wants to knit one. We made no mention of merkins or waxes whatsoever. She IS 11, after all).

Salsa dancing! Whoo hoo! Um, garlic ice cream. woo oo... I dunno about that one. :-)

I've actually had a very nice garlic ice cream, it had a light vanilla taste followed by a light and pleasent garlic taste. I don't know if I could eat as much of it as I could rum raisin, but I would definetly have it again someday...

1) I don't know about garlic ice cream, but I love green tea ice cream!
2) I went out dancing last saturday for the first time in 16 years. (Yes I'm old). I even got goosed!
3) Your braclet bag does NOT need a bikini wax. I love it just the way it is.

The only problem with the purse is that it needs to be pink. ;-)

I heart Roy. have a great time this weekend you crazy socialite you!

HAVE A GOOD TIME!!! And I like your braclet bag.

I see someone has beat me to mentioning the 40 Clove Chicken. (There is a Stinking Rose in SF as well.) It is fabulous. Oh, and the garlic bread. Bread served with a little skillet of garlic and oil. Just beautiful.

Congrats on going out salsa dancing. Next thing you know, you'll be heading out to places by yourself. I plan to shake my rump tomorrow night.

I loved the bracelet bag so much that it made a prom appearance with my little cousin this year!
Have a good time.
Garlic ice cream? Just sounds nasty.

So, I lived in LA all last summer and keep wondering whether I might've actually met you at a stitch-n-bitch sometime but anyway, yeah, I loved the Stinking Rose. Get the garlic bread appetizer stuff; they give you a little fondue pot with WHOLE ROASTED GARLIC CLOVES that you actually spread on the bread.

The garlic ice cream, though? NASTY. It looks like plain vanilla ice cream. Despite knowing it contains garlic, your brain says, "oh, yes, we like vanilla ice cream." You take a bite, expecting creamy vanilla goodness... and get the taste of eatting a very cold, raw garlic clove. I love garlic, but yo, that stuff's awful.

Have a wonderful time shakin' your groove thing!

I love it when I scroll down and get me some kitty ears, then nose, then the cutie Roy face. It makes my day.

I had to put my cat down on Wednesday. So sad. But I look at your kitty pics and feel better. Read your words and laugh. Thank you~

Love that picture of Roy showing his
'rat stabbers'...i'm confused about his leg, though... where is it coming from?

Have a great weekend from the gal who is really NOT a stalker because she asks you stupid questions about people you may or may not know
:-)

Check out this news story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060609/ap_on_en_tv/tv_reality_cats

Thank God for TIVO!

Love the hairy purse...love ALL purses. Have a great time salsa dancing, Chiquita.

The Stinking Rose is a good restaurant. I'd stick with garlic chicken strips or escargot. The garlic ice cream (which I have tasted) has chunks of raw garlic in it. I prefer my garlic slightly roasted.

A little L.A. history...the Stinking Rose on La Cienega, called Restaurant Row in Beverly Hills, is in the building that used to house Lawry's Prime Rib Restaurant. Then, in the early 90's, Lawry's built a new restaurant across the street. Enjoy the late 40's architecture (somewhat visible) in the entrance/parking overhang and the layout of this famous place.

Have fun :)!! I was laughing so hard with Roy's picture, hehehehe

I have a rule, Lucia's Culinary Rule (for I am Lucia): add garlic to all entrees and Cointreau to all desserts and you can't go wrong. If the recipe already calls for garlic or* Cointreau, add more. Please note that (however much we might wish it) ice cream is not an entree.

*No, I have never seen a recipe that called for both. And I never hope to see one.

Oh, I was craving a fang picture.

I think garlic is good with everything. Well, okay, with everything good. Anything you wouldn't actually want to eat on its own, like mayonnaise or lima beans, those are no good with garlic. But I've always wanted to try roasted garlic in a chocolate fondue. . .

And, I thought your bag was cute. And definitely not too fuzzy.

I have been to the stinking rose!!!

We were in the San Francisco area for a long weekend/vacation and had a convertible.

The next day, after eating the night before at Stinking Rose while in the convertible with the top down I got a big wiff of garlic. I looked over at my boyfriend and quickly realized that we were both emitting garlic in anyway possible. Our breath, out our poors and gross but we were also farting garlic. Quite interesting.

Enjoy!

I see you neglected to mention one of the best aspects about the Stinking Rose - THE MARTOONIES!!! Despite it being centrally located between home and work, I've only been there once, but I was very impressed with their MARTOOOONIES. And their B/C/D-level stars in the bar.

Have fun tonight, you and your merkin bracelet! Har har. It doesn't need a bikini wax--it fixes a bikini wax gone awry! Seriously, don't be upset, it's a cute little bag and we're a bunch of punk-a$$es for teasing.

I say, let someone else order the garlic ice cream and steal a spoonful when they decide it's gross. Order yourself a nice slice of cheesecake, or maybe creme brulee, as long as it's not garlic creme brulee.

I'm back from Sri Lanka and have finally caught up with your blog postings. Maybe I'll send pics?

Helen

One more thing--green tea ice cream ROCKS. I love it. Garlic would probably be a different thing altogether.

Helen

Love Roy. Love the bag.

Although, it really would be cute if it was pink... or mine. *L*

Yay! for getting more. Nice to someone is. Have a lovely weekend!

My little blog is just being set up, but in a month or so I think I will have it all fixed how I want. And then I can only hope to have cat photos as adorable as yours. Roy is better than any boyfriend.
Been to the Stinking Rose in SF only. Yum.

I'm off to a good start already - a typo in my first url transcription! Lovely. Stay tuned for more technological wonderwork.

Have fun, girlfriend! And let's face it, we Cancers are hermit crabs! Although I have also had the urge to break out of my shell, because tomorrow I'm going hiking, and taking my knitting with me! Can't wait to hear how the garlic ice cream is.

OMG Miss Tonia, do NOT let Nancy hear you are hiking *and* knitting or I will never hear the end of my no-hiking ban LOL ;)

sarah. every day I wonder how I manage to function in the techmology. I am not so much a techie.

I'm not sure I could handle garlic ice cream. I know they serve it at the Gilroy garlic festival, but maybe that's why I've never screwed up the nerve to attend.

Green tea ice cream is fabulous, though. I really like green tea ice cream mochi, with the slightly chewy, thin rice layer on top of the ice cream ball. Yum-o! :)

I don't the bracelet bag needs a bikini wax. Maybe just a little pruning! Have a great time this weekend.

Posting again to third the 40 clove garlic chicken - I make the recipe from Cook's Illustrated and even my kids love it (they are particular, shall we say, with food.) With wine, bread, mmmm......

Go hiking, I dare ya! :-)

Have a great time out with the girls. Can't wait to hear the report on garlic ice cream.

HI LAURIE!

Got any tips on de-hermitizing? I'm trying my darnedest to become a socialite after a very traumatizing relationship. (2nd marriage...nightmare)

By the way, I went to the Stinkin' Rose when I was last in CA. Loved everything...but DO NOT try the ice cream. Dear sweet Mother Mary...it's gagworthy.

Still crazy about my CrazyAuntPearl! Could not stay away...had to come back.

Love Ya!
Steve

Ooohhhh! I want one too! Where's the pattern?
I'm SO proud of you getting out and realizing your own prettiness and all. 'Bout time, missy!
(BTW- totally totally off topic- but I just remembered a good method of kitty medication when you have that icky pink stuff inna syringe. Hope you haven't heard it already: Don't worry about prying open the fangs of death- just hold the cat (yeah, I know- just that part already makes it unusable), and HOLD HIS MOUTH SHUT, stick the syringe stub into the corner of his mouth as far back towards the little gap between the jaw joint and his backk teeth as possible- then squirt it all in a steady stream and rub his throat to make him swallow, holding his mouth shut so he can't spit it out. Works the best of any ay I've tried yet. Hope it helps!)

Laurie, YOU'RE MY HERO!
I'm still trying to get up the nerve to go to my first stitchnbitch (in Berkeley.) And here you've chased men in Paris with umbrellas, knitted a furpie purse and you're going salsa dancing TONIGHT. You make my heart all warm.

Yippee for garlic.

And Roy boy. My cat Carl only has the one fang too (with the cute little Elvis/Billy Idol snarl) and he's jealous of Roy getting on the innernets.

Do not, under any circumstances, try the chocolate garlic ice cream. I don't know about vanilla, but I had the chocolate at the Gilroy Garlicfest, and thinking about it still makes my stomach turn!

I can't say that I have tried the garlic ice cream at the Rose, but I have tried the stuff at the Gilroy garlic festival. It really isn't that bad. You must love garlic though. The stuff at the festival was like a soft serve on a cone. No chunks that I can remember. I've seen corn and split pea ice cream in Asia. Nasty. Durian? King of the fruits...The worst ever.

Oooh, I LOVE salsa dancing. Where are you going? I know of a great place in Alhambra, and then there's the Conga Room downtown or the Mayan, but I don't know of many other places.

Hiking is just like dancing.
Forward step, forward step, drink, forward step, forward step, drink......

How do you get these pictures of your cats? They just crack me up!

Hey, I never made fun of your bracelet bag - it rules! In fact, I made one of my own...in blue... now that one I'll make fun of, because y'all. (If I may sound like Laurie for a moment.) My blue bracelet bag looks exactly like Cookie Monster. I have not taken it out in public yet, but when I do, I expect to be accosted by small children who think I am carting their favorite Muppet around with me. Charcoal grey was definitely the way to go, Laurie, because your bracelet bag looks terrific and does not need a bikini wax! :)

Keep us posted on that garlic ice cream - I'm intrigued! And please, will you give Roy some bacon? He's too cute.

Love the kitty pic! Have a great weekend!

Best thing about fuzzy bags: cat fur doesn't show.

DO NOT EAT THE GARLIC ICE CREAM. Trust me on this one. Yuck. Tried it at the Garlic Festival in Gilroy because, ice cream? Garlic? Both good.

Not. Together.

Poor Roy. Come live with me Roy, and you can feast on bacon while Hezekiah eats tuna. You'll still get meds though.

Haha, Cheryl said "merkin." One of my favorite words.

Ice cream.... mmmmmmm.

Hmm...I guess I am not so much up on the slang...I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've never heard "merkin" before... I have a vague idea of what it must refer to though...

The bag, however, does not need a wax. I think it's perfect just how it is!

And, I lived in the Garlic Capital of the World (Gilroy, CA) for 2 1/2 years, and yes, tried the garlic ice cream. This was probably '88 or so, and they most likely have changed recipes. I remember it not being bad - the garlic flavor was very subtle. However, I don't think I'd try an ice cream with actual chunks of raw garlic in it. Sounds like a bit much. And no chocolate either...

Good luck!

I like the roasted garlic on toast.... and I have to confess... one time my mom knit me this totally cool sweater (and I am not saying this because I think your bracelet needs a waxin' either) that was wicked hairy -- all beautiful Ironstone yarns.... I gave it a trim... I really did... and I have never confessed that to anyone. But I took out my scissors and totally trimmed it down...

Your commentary on hirsute bracelet bag reminded me of a guy I used to date who worked for, (pause) The Beaver Trading Post(an antique's store) Oh, the sniggers, the salacious remarks, the smirky smiles! I just grinned quietly when I was given a tip on a particularly coveted item, at considerable discount. Looking back, I wonder if that's what is truly meant by 'trading post'.

Merkin = a pubic toupee. Dates back to the 1600s according to OED.

factoid o' the day!

Have fun Laurie!!!

Wow - I am jealous....salsa dancing is one of my favorite activities!!! Garlic and ice cream?? Hmmm...I like the green tea ice cream that most seem to hate, but somehow, I'd be a little more wary of garlic in my ice cream...

As for the garlic smell - no hiking....just go salsa dancing again AFTER the crazy garlic - dancing your colita off for an entire night is guaranteed to make you sweat out any crazy smells(salsa dancing is one of those Latin activities that must be done until at least 5 am on a short night:-))

I am so glad you have learned that you have 9+ lives. You have so much more to experience. Have a wonderful night out!

In Bar Harbor, Maine, they have lobster ice cream. Wasn't brave enough to try it. The very idea - ugh.

Have fun...enjoy you're evening!! Garlic ice cream??? sounds like YUCK to me :)

I've heard of garlic ice cream, but have never been in a place that had it. It sounds skeeeery. I can't wait to hear your reaction!

Love the photo of Roy. (of course!)

Laurie, I hope you have way too much fun-CANNOT wait to hear all about it!

Hahahaha, that photo is just waaaaaaay too funny!

Weird that you're talking about garlic ice-cream, coz that cropped up in a conversation on Wednesday. Apparently this friend of mine had tried it once, so take this as a warning: Try the garlic ice-cream on its own. Do NOT mix it with any other flavours! Chocolate ice-cream + Garlic ice-cream = Fatal!

Roy!!!!
Sorry, just had to say that. I think it's because he reminds me of my Judy cat, except he's paler. And also skinner, and more boy-like, and with fewer fangs. But I just love that coloration -- kind of like tea with milk, or eggnog with nutmeg.

Garlic ice cream... hmm. I think corn and split pea ice cream sound great though. There are lots of Asian dishes involving legumes with sugar (sweetened bean paste, beans in coconut milk, etc.) and it's a little adjustment if you aren't used to it but I actually quite like it now that I've tried it a few times. And corn is already pretty sugary.

There's a Vietnamese restaurant near where I used to work that has avocado smoothies -- apparently with sugar, like most smoothies. I was intrigued but never had the guts to try it.

I would totally eat lima beans with garlic mayonnaise. Green beans would be better though. With maybe almonds. Would probably be good warm or as a cold salad. Hey, I think I have green beans in my freezer... unfortunately I already ate so much ice cream today that I think I'll have to count it as my entree even if it isn't! Mayonnaise is out the rest of the day, that's for sure.

Anyway, I love the bag. I would probably trim it a little bit if it were me but that's just me. I usually trim felted things until they look like they've been shaved. But the amount of trimming I normally do would of course defeat the entire purpose of using the Fizz. I think it's totally cute. Maybe that's what I'll do with my one lonely skein of Up Country... except steel blue is not that great a bag color. It's pretty, but it doesn't say cute evening bag. Have fun!

I would try an avocado smoothie. I would also try avocado ice cream, which I saw Alton Brown making on "Good Eats" one night, and he gave a recipe. I really really love avocados, and may have to give that one a whirl.

If Catula does attack you at least he'll only leave one hole in your neck. The garlic reminds me of a friend's story, he had an Italian buddy staying with him who as thank-you gesture made this stew that had a BULB of garlic PER PERSON. T & his roommates devoured it as it was delicious, then they all went out dancing. They had plenty of room on the dance floor, it must have looked like one of those petri plates in microbiology where the antibiotic is added to the germs and you get this clear no-germ zone (of inhibition, I think it was called) around the germ cluster. I know you fear & loathe germs, but the garlic & its massive vitamin C will take care of any of those!

I've had avocado ice cream before. It was OK. I prefer the green tea ice cream to it though. And I may just need to head into SF this weekend because I just discovered that Bombay Ice Cream makes a chai ice cream.

The Stinking Rose is fantastico. And if you arent oozing garlic from your pores by the end of the night - you arent doing it right.

As far as the clubbing goes... SHAKE 'EM LIKE YOU BOUGHT 'EM!

Um, hate to mention this but many years ago I had a roommate that was in L.A. for business. She ate at the Stinking Rose the night before she flew home. Well my roomie reeked (we are talking REEKED) of garlic for 3 days and gave me flashbacks of being in the Paris subway whenever I was in the room with her. Are you sure this wont further piss off 4 already mad cats?

On the other hand, my roomie did say the food was quite good there and was worth sinking to high heaven.

you will LOVE using your bracelet bag (I've dubbed mine the pocket). It has brought me much joy when out shopping and people ask me about it (for the record, I ALWAYS tell them about your site and the pattern being in the March archives).

Have a great time this weekend! Me, I've got yard work and trying to figure out how to oust a hive of bumble bees. Um, yeah...not sure how that's going to go.

Don't forget to take some photos....some of us (me) live vicariously through others.

If you ever want to live vicariously through me and think that spending a weekend with a sick husband and two cranky teenagers sounds like a good time, let me know. I know just the place.

Thank god for Steev-o the Tivo!!!
Have a great time!!! ;0)

Yesterday night on the way home from work, I got peanut-flavoured soft-cream... and I **almost** tried the wasabi. The lady said it was spicy and a little bit sweet? I can't IMAGINE.

I've had the garlic ice cream. It's pretty good. But if you meet any hot salsa dancers tonight, kiss him TONIGHT, not after the Stinking Rose.

CAP - we're going salsa dancing tonight, too! Well, more like salsa watching. I am in New Orleans for my 25th high school reunion, after all. Color me O-L-D.

*That's* what I need to do -- de-hermatize! I was telling my mom about your Hermit post from not too long ago, and how it had been on my mind because I've been as much of a hermit as I can get away with lately. All I needed to do was get OUT a little bit to feel oh-so-much better. You are absolutely right -- one is only as "used up" as one allows oneself to feel. :)

Oh, the Stinking Rose is my favorite restaurant IN THE WHOLE WORLD!! At least the one up in San Francisco. We haven't been to the one in L.A. because we can't stand the thought of facing all that traffic. Frankly, I'd rather drive the 8 hours up to the Northern California restaurant than drive in from Riverside county and brave the L.A. freeways.

Anyway! The lamb is my favorite dish at S.R. I get it every single time and it's incredible. We took my sister with us last September when we went up North and she had the salmon. She STILL talks about how good it was.

I even liked the garlic ice cream. It tasted like vanilla ice cream, but you could definitely taste garlic in it. Surprisingly, the two flavors seemed to mesh. Weird. But good!

So, I'm jealous that you're going to The Stinking Rose. But not jealous enough to drive through L.A. traffic.

I lived near San Francisco for about 8 years - took all the visitors to The (Original) Stinking Rose. Everything is great, if you like garlic. If you don't like garlic, go somewhere else.

It's been a while, so things might have changed, but my favorite menu starts with the Garlic Buds - a shot glass of pickled garlic cloves. (They will pretty much burn out your taste buds.)

Move on to the Bagne Calde - garlic simmered in butter until it's soft, spread it on bread (or anything else you can find).

Then the pork chops - they come with spiced apples that are to die for (and they won't substitue the apples on anything else - I've tried). And, of course, garlic mashed potatoes.

After all that, the garlic ice cream just tastes like vanilla, so I don't usually bother.

And yes, you will smell like garlic for a couple of days.

Humm, garlic ice cream, please just don't say it tastes like chicken. rofl

Durian gelato. Dude, that is some BAD ice cream. They had to keep a lid on it in the freezer case, so the smell didn't contaminate the other flavors.

I can't wait to hear how the salsa dancing was! I hope you had a phenomenal time and met some hot Latin lover types.

That restaurant sounds awesome! I am going to SF in July, I so have to check it out.

Try the stainless steel odor nullification trick. There is an more expensive 'bar' you can buy but I just grab a butter knife and 'wash' my hands with it as if it were the soap. I don't know how but it gets rid of the onion and garlic smell pronto. You could 'wash' down with it after your normal wash. Probably have to do it til the garlic stops coming out in your skin oils. Hope you had a stinkin' good time!

Steve D...where's your blog?

I ate at the SF Stinking Rose one night then took a red eye flight back to Minneapolis. They gave me an entire row on the airplane, which made me very happy. I hope your dinner ends happily, too.

Durian gelato?! Eeeeewww. Now that's where I draw the line. :) Dagny, I've had chai tea ice cream - it was really good!

I loved the garlic ice cream at The Stinking Rose! I was in LA visiting friends 6 years ago and we we at at The Stinking Rose and it was amazing. Garlic ice cream is weird--it's cold and sweet and then ends up being a bit spicy. Weird. But good.

Oh! Comment 101. I better say something significant! We have a Stinking Rose up here in San Francisco, and I say, you should compare & contrast the two. Get away from that hot weather in the valley and come up here into the cool fog, and we'll go there together! I need some dehermitizing myself.

Hi Laurie,
I knitted the bracelet bag from your pattern (thank you thank you!) and I agree, it does not need a bikini wax! I think it's perfectly acceptable to sport a winter coat especially since it's winter here in Sydney now. ;)

Garlic ice cream sounds delicious to me! I can't wait to hear your review of it.

Just have to say that the only thing out of the ordinary I've ever had with garlic is dark chocolate.

Garlic dark chocolate is fabulous with a zin. The pepperiness of the wine + garlic chocolate is like a little appetizer in your mouth.

Yum! Can't wait to hear how the garlic ice cream went. :)

So, inquiring minds want to know if the SR is a D-A-T-E? Cause, I'm thinking the good night kiss could go either way.

And LOL about 4 mad cats getting even madder when Mom comes back from her garlic fest.

Yeah, Laurie, dish it! Even we guys need to hear the details!!!

I just visited a gelateria which had many interesting ice cream flavours including garlic! I tried balsamic vinegar gelato and tamarind sorbet - both were yummy. I wanted to try some of the others, like asparagus with cranberries, pear gorgonzola blue cheese, wild berries with jalapenos, basil pernod, but I only had so much room! This place had over 218 flavours. For anyone living in or visiting Vancouver, the place is La Casa Gelato (http://www.lacasagelato.com/aboutus.htm).

It is good to be out again. I think hermit crabness is very easy to do after the big Reeeeelayshonships break up. But bugger that, party girl! Keep on partying like its 1999 (or whatever).
BTW I like the bag as is - no brazilian needed, or even a new york!
Have fun be free!
Cheers!
Mia

I unfortunately had homemade ice cream this weekend that had been ruined by salt from the ice cream maker. FYI- salty ice cream is very very bad.

Did you give that bag Rogaine?

Garlic ice cream just doesn't sound right. But maybe I'm wrong- remember how surprised that guy in the commercial was when he accidentally dropped chocolate into his peanut butter?

Speaking of salty ice cream I came across this the other day and was laughing outloud:
http://www.tvgasm.com/archives/food_network/001570.php

Laurie, I made your hairy handbag yesterday. It's in the laundry basket waiting to be felted. I can't wait! Thing is, when I followed the directions it was too small. Maybe I used the wrong yarn (I did use Patons) so I doubled the recipe. I think it will be just right, but I think I'll also make a binky one. Cus it's too damn cute!

Curious to know what you think of the garlic ice cream. My housemate was *just* telling me she had it at that very restaurant. She liked it.

I knitted your bracelet bag, and gave it as a gift when I went to Japan. Of course,being a true knitter, I didn't leave the pattern alone. I used a different yarn, guage, bracelets, and didn't do the fur. LOL. I liked mine, but thought yours was cool too. :)

Amy,

The Giada link is hysterical! Thanx for the laugh!