annzeepark914

@JacquelineLHope: That person who sits next to you even though the bus/tram is half empty may have autism. I just learned this recently. They have issues with "space" and have no idea that what they're doing (e.g., sitting next to a person even though there are lots of empty seats available) is perceived as creepy. Now I wonder if that applies to parking lots as well. Whenever I've had a new car, I always parked way out in the middle of a lot to avoid dings. Then, when I'd return to my car, almost always there would be another car parked right next to it, even though there were a gazillion empty spots all around the two cars. Go figure!

Wow - this has been interesting reading about all the stuff people post on Facebook. Now I'm beginning to understand all the complaints about FB. I only have 14 "friends" on FB. We all have separate group sections (e.g., my stepdaughter, her mom and I have one so we can enjoy lots of photos of my little grandson and the funny things he says without boring other folks). I've heard that the husband of one of my "friends" posts lots of political rants on his page so I'm glad I don't have to see that (if I did, I'd just drop him as a friend...he wouldn't even notice).

@Maharincess: What do you put in your macaroni salad? I love macaroni salads and love to hear how other folks make theirs. When I lived in Raleigh I shopped at the Stonehenge Harris Teeter and swooned over their macaroni salad. I think it had some sour cream mixed in with the mayo. It was divine.

@ShoePrincess: Thanks and yes, I'd be interested in having some info' re: the cooking classes. I took a class on a cruise a few years ago and that was quite an experience (standing close to bubbling pots, slicing ingredients as the ship moved up and down)...plus fun dining with classmates afterward.

I do! I do! But since moving from NC to No. VA, I make do with Popeye's (which is pretty good but not as great as Bo's). When Bojangles first came to the Raleigh area, they were running those commercials with someone speaking in a Cajun-style accent. I loved the wings and dirty rice. Also, back in the day, I'd go to Chik-Fil-A and get their Chik-n-Que on a hamburger roll. It was delicious! Like pulled pork in a bbq sauce but it was chicken and there would be a pickle slice in it too. I once wrote to the company asking them to bring this item back but never heard from them.

@harrie: Thanks so much! I just copied that recipe and will use it along with the one I posted above. I like the idea of the rice getting a bit crunchy in places when done on the grill.

I don't need a recipe but I do need some advice re: this recipe that I found at Food Network. What could I sub for the chorizo? Would a turkey kielbasa be ok? I don't want anything spicy-hot, just something with flavor. (I plan to use chicken breasts) Also, has anyone made paella and would this be an ok version? Do you think it would be good cooked on a gas grill? or, if I did it in the oven, what temp and for how long? I know, lots of questions! Thanks in advance :>) Paella: Combine 1 cup uncooked Spanish rice mix, 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, 6 peeled large shrimp, 2 skinless chicken thighs, 2 ounces sliced dried chorizo, 1/4 cup each pimiento-stuffed olives and roasted pepper strips, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika in a disposable pie pan. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with pepper. Seal the pan in foil. Grill over medium-high heat, 30 minutes. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-things-to-grill-in-foil.page-2.html?oc=linkback

@ShoePrincess: Thanks for the tips! I've added them to my list. My husband keeps saying I should sign up for a cooking course since I enjoy trying ethnic recipes but I'm rather intimidated. Let us know how your class goes.

Hmmm...ok. I was hoping to find a thread that would invite "Favorite Episodes"...did I miss it somehow? Anyway, my favorite episode was on tonight: Season 3 Episode 2: The Truth. In a way, it's two wonderful stories in one. George worked up the courage to tell his girlfriend (Valerie Mahaffy--great actor!) that "it's not you, it's me" and included the chopsticks in her hair and her precocious pronunciation of papier mache, etc, that drove him crazy. Then, the icing on the cake for me is Kramer dating Elaine's roommate, complete with tribal music that they cavort to around Elaine's apartment. I think I could happily watch this once a week.

Oh yeah....when she got wound up it was hilarious but she could be so condescending to her sister and Charlene (and all that pontificating would drive me up the wall). Wish Designing Women reruns were still around...we've got Verizon and I can't find them anywhere. The early years of DW were the best!

@PRgal: I love your description of this weekend: Eastover.

Once again, made Bubbi's meatloaf from Dave Lieberman. It's delicious and we love it (I don't use her topping, though..make my own with some ketchup, a teence of BBQ sauce, tiny bit of Worcestershire, a little brown sugar, S&P then 3 strips of microwave bacon). Tomorrow's dinner will be Ina Garten's ham (with the sauce made out of orange marmalade, orange zest and juice, Dijon mustard & brown sugar) along with scalloped potatoes and asparagus. I hope everyone who celebrates has a memorable Easter/Passover this weekend.

We won't have a view of the Eiffel Tower (maybe a view of the army museum). So many places you mentioned are on my/our list of things to do, visit, etc. (night cruise on Seine, Rodin...my kind of museum as it's not enormous and has a garden! and Rue Cler). We're immediately taking that Bus 69 for the tour of the city as we shake off jet lag...to get a feel for the city. Thanks for these tips :>) I've made a copy of the places you mentioned, though.

I'm going to Paris the first week of May (never been to Paris, only Provence) and I've got Cafe Varenne at the top of my list of places to dine (I'm a cafe type person when it comes to French food). Any recommendations for places in the 7th arrondisement? Department stores?

People who only slow down to turn right on red or (as I saw just this morning) rolling through a stop sign. I'm always afraid they're going to crash into my car when I stop at a red light or a stop sign so I tap the breaks and slow down as I approach a red light or stop sign to let them know--this car be a-stoppin' cause it's da law! We so desperately need to return Driver's Ed to high schools across our country. The drivers are getting worse and worse each year.

I know...that's why I'm confused. Last spring or early summer, I believe I read that the next season for Fargo would be in April 2015 so here I've been, joyfully awaiting my next Fargo fix in April. Bad enough that Downton Abbey is over with for the year...now I have to wait until fall for Fargo. Not good...not good at all. Grump!

Where in the world did I get the idea that season two of Fargo would begin next month? Was it wishful thinking? A typo? Hallucinations of a Fargo fanatic?

I loved the way he looked at George (after Mr. Costanza told his son it was time for the Festivus challenge) and said, "Well, Georrrrrrggge..." He was one of my favorite actors on Seinfeld (more so than Newman and Kramer). Who was the actor (actress?) who played the nutty character who lost Jerry's tax papers (the one with the knitting needles in her hair)? I've never seen her in anything else and she was a true scene stealer (hard to do around George!)

I wonder when she learned about the bag of ashes (how soon into her relationship/marriage with Todd)? That would scare the heck out of me and I'd like to think I'd be savvy enough to do some research and get away from that creep asap. Why in the world would Todd keep the ashes anyway? He murdered his first wife so why would he want the reminder of her? Maybe because he's a sick creep.

I believe this woman would have been murdered by her husband even if she hadn't been having an affair. In his mind "how dare she divorce me" is how he came across to me. Geez...there sure are a lot of sickos out there in the world. Maybe if she (and his first wife) had not married Todd so quickly, had experienced a longer dating/engagement period (at least a year), they might have noticed something odd about him.

Count me as a fan who doesn't want the show to end after Season 6. Heck, they could introduce new characters, keep some of the old (and gradually let them eventually disappear). I guess I'm spoiled by DA and have enjoyed having a show I can call my own after a lapse of many years (having a show to look forward to each week). So now JF will be busy writing a new show for NBC (which I'm not the least bit excited about...somehow aristocratic Brits from back in the day are much more interesting than wealthy Americans from the same era--and I'm an American).

Interesting that both of Todd's wives married him very shortly after beginning to date him.

I grew up in the Hudson Valley of NY and we loved putting peanuts in our little bottles of Coca-Cola. When I moved to Raleigh years ago and heard folks there say it was a southern thing I'd say, "We did that in NY back in the day". I still love to do it. I enjoyed hearing southerners say "Co-cola" (and one of my aunts who was originally from Richmond used to ask us if we'd like a glass of "ging-ale"...loved that & her elegant southern drawl!) I love Zero Coke and Zero Coke decaffinated--IMO much better than Diet Coke (which I find watery). For me, Zero Coke has some of that richness that the real deal Coke always has had. A really great ging-ale is Seagram's Diet Ginger Ale. I find it to be not overly sweet like a lot of ginger ales.

Always cringeworthy to hear but even worse® when uttered by a well-educated person. What's really driving me nuts for the past few years is the unnecessary usage of the word "more". Examples: I'm feeling more sick today than yesterday (what happened to sicker?) The weather is more warm this afternoon (warmer?).

@sark1624: I didn't mean that the young man (the third cousin) was a loser in the sense of someone who can't accomplish anything. I meant that due to not being the first born son, he wouldn't win the title, the estate, the prestige, etc But I liked him and hope that what we briefly saw of him in this last episode is who he truly is (i.e.,a nice young man) and that he and Lady Edith start seeing each other.