It was a very exciting weekend over here. Pman said his first real word. Well, technically Mama is his first word.He's been saying that for awhile now, mainly when he wants something oh and he says Hi. It sounds more like "Aaaaah" but it's really hi. but Saturday he said "Pop Pop" in plain English. I am still giddy over it. Pop Pop in the our language means pacifier. It's also a verb as in "Pop pop your pacifier" meaning spit it out. We got this family word when W was a baby and he had to take his pacifier out of his mouth before he left his crib. So it went from being a verb to being a noun. Anyway, I was getting Pman up from his nap and I said, "Pop pop" and threw the pop pop back in the crib and he repeated me as clear as day. A happy day.

Have you been to Houston's in a while? A casual fine dining chain for those who have never heard of it. Anyway, they are trying to make it a bit higher end but it's still a chain nonetheless. They were a bit miffed from the start at having to put us at a table rather than a booth because Pman is too wiggly at this point in his life to sit in a booster seat. We need a highchair where we can strap him down. Then this guy takes our drink order and I ask for a water for W. I asked for something like a plastic to go cup, something that he can't spill or drop and break and you would have thought I asked for a freakin' cow. This is how it went.
"Do you have a kids water or just a to go cup for him?"
"Actually, no we don't."

We are in freaking New Orleans where people have to go cups stocked in their house in every closet and every drawer imaginable. and Houston's doesn't have a plastic cup. Well let me lend you a few. I have them coming out of my ears. and there is nothing kid friendly on their menu at all. Now this doesn't bother me as much. It's our own fault that our kid is a picky eater. But to not have a frickin' cup that a toddler can drink out of? Am I being unreasonable? The whole thing pissed me off. So he brought our drinks. and there was a straw in every drink except for W's. I mean really. I'll stop now because maybe you're not interested but I can no longer tout this place as a good restaurant. Our salads sucked anyway and I am still amazed at the prices. I think the bill was $50 and that only included an appetizer, 2 entree salads and an order of french fries. and at a chain restaurant.

We went to MiLa on Saturday. They have been getting a lot of good press lately and I was intrigued. So we went and I have to say it was unbeleivable. Now, if you know me by now, I am a stickler for service. and there was one thing that pissed me off when we first arrived. It was early. Not one other person was in the restaurant. The host was this big obese football player looking guy. but he spoke so softly that you couldn't hear him. "Speak up!", I wanted to say. He sat us at this back table behind this random curtain. I sat, thought about it, got up and asked if we could sit somewhere else.
"No."
"No?" I swear this always happens to me. I show up at a place with no one esle in the whole restaurant and they tell me that all the tables are full. I get it. they have it mapped out but I know from my limited restaurant experience that you can work around this when it is only 6pm and you haven't even sat one table of the first seating.
"No." he whispered. "All of the tables are reserved."
"And everyone who is coming reserved an exact table?"
"Yes."
I stared at him ready to perform the broken record technique.
and he caved. Thank goodness the waiter was very likeable and really went out of his way to make me forget the ass.

So my supper was the most steaming hot, juicy sweetbreads over truffled grits. and then I had the double cut pork chop with Israeli couscous and greens. The dessert menu was awful. Just kind of wierd so we didn't partake but the whole experience was incredible save for the minor incident at the beginning. I highly recommend it. There's a reason why they are getting so much national press.