obsession of the month: mad men

I know, I know. I'm "late" to the whole Mad Men thing. But hear me out: I have a 15-month-old, and my television time is not what it used to be. So I'm using Netflix to catch up. I thought, 'Oh, I'll get season 1 and see if I like it.' Holy martini, it's so good! I adore the one-liners, the clothes, the furniture, the uncontrollable drinking and smoking, and the misgivings of 1960 society. It's a very smart show.

Perhaps what I most love about it is that it makes me think. I think about how much social norms have changed since then, how different my life would be if I lived then and whether I would be a beatnik or a housewife. A career woman or a mom. A wife or "the other woman." The truth is, I would hate living during that time, but Mad Men gives me a chance to imagine what it would be like. So thank you, Mad Men, for being a smart show, because I hate mind-numbing TV, like those "World's Most Ridiculous Car Chase" programs. Give me smart TV. Give me Mad Men, please!

out with the old...?

*Photo by Mallory Hill

Last night, we ventured to a new gastropub in the Dallas Design District, and it will be difficult to describe in words just how fantastic it was. Meddlesome Moth is a take on Britain's gastropub phenomenon--a fancied-up, pub-like atmosphere with high-quality, four-star cuisine (not to mention a myriad beers from around the world on tap). My sister and her boyfriend joined The Husband and myself in a cozy booth overlooking the entire restaurant. I noticed the stained-glass windows tilting into the room immediately--relics from my childhood when they were on display in the now-demolished Hard Rock Cafe in uptown. Before we even tasted anything, I was already impressed by this detail. I decided to try a beer flight (above) rather than trying to take on the 140 different ales, lagers, wheats, IPAs, etc. on the menu. I chose "Hop Head" because, well, I like hops. The food was an adventure too since most of the menu is meant to be shared. We ordered and (I kid you not) polished off all the following: hummus and olive spread, shrimp and grits, pork belly with pancakes and syrup, cornbread and collard greens, sweet corn, seared ahi tuna, pumpkin pie, and an apple tart. It was all incredible, but next time, I think I will stick with a traditional English meat pie, just for ol' times sake.

On a sad and somewhat related note, one of my favorite foodie spots in Dallas, York Street, has closed. It was a tiny place with about 10 tables in Lakewood, but my-oh-my was it good. I hope Sharon Hage, the owner and chef, opens a new place soon.