Five Senses Friday, Day 7

I bring you five senses this Friday from my beloved city of Austin, TX! We are here for Johnny's nephew's high school graduation. I could totally live here.

Sight:
1. The massive, mega-Whole Foods on Lamar! Holy-moly, it is the Mother Store. We practiced excellent, unwilling restraint, but we did buy raw Macadamia nuts; two bottles of Guayaki Yerba mate; Neera's Kashmiri marinade; Go Raw sprouted pumpkin seeds, banana "bread" flax bar, and live "granola" bar; and Raweo cookies. I desperately wanted to grind raw pecan butter, but sadly they were all out of pecans. This store also had an entire raw, living foods bar. I chose the organic salad bar for lunch instead, but a raw foods bar! We sat outside and watched the grackles flirt with each other.
2. 4-year-old Izzy's portrait of me on our fridge at home.
3. Bridget Jones's Diary on TV - I love that movie.
4. Finding Buddy's Natural chicken (vegetarian-fed, no hormones or antibiotics), HEB's Natural Angus ground beef (vegetarian-fed, no hormones or antibiotics), and Eggland's Best eggs (do I really need to repeat myself again here?) at our local HEB.
5. Our freaking cool hotel room here in Austin - a grand suite at the urban, bungalow-style, Japanese-influenced Hotel San Jose. I will post our pictures in a few days!

Smell:
1. Organic basil.
2. Curry wafting through the air at Shiva Indian restaurant (Houston).
3. Vanilla Air Sense. It actually works using essential oils!
4. Ethiopian myrrh burned on charcoal at home.
5. Ararat restaurant, the best eats in Austin. We dined there tonight with my Aunt, her boyfriend, our friend Stu, and my Mother-in-law. There were belly dancers!

Taste:
1. A White Russian (with raw milk), one of my favorite occasional nightcaps at home. The Dude would be proud.
2. Raw cashew butter; also cheap in Whole Foods' bulk section.
3. Mansaf at Ararat: "Roasted lamb prepared with rosemary and garlic. Served with grilled veggies, Persian rice, bulgar and a side of rosemary tahini sauce."
4. Thai salad and a glass of Australian merlot at King Biscuit in the Heights (Houston).
5. Raw, shredded Reggiano Parmesan cheese on a homemade organic spinach-grape tomato salad.

Hear:
1. Singer-songwriter Dennis Welch's concert at our Church. Very good - he reminded me of Shake Russell.
2. More great African music on my iPod - from the Africa Never Stand Still CDs.
3. Johnny reading Morning Prayer in our home.
4. NPR's Fresh Air Weekend before Church last Sunday. I like this program better than Morning Edition.
5. Myself singing along to "Apple Tree" by Anna Egge, from an old Paste magazine sampler. I play this song over and over - perfect, and in my range.

Touch:
1. Cute, new skirt, tank tops, blouses. espadrilles, and a purse/bag from Old Navy.
2. Florasone cream + Dr. Burt's Res-Q ointment for icky eczema patches on my hands.
3. A new, smooth, dragonfly credit card/driver's license holder.
4. And new Brocade Plum Blossom Mary Janes in black & red. I wore these with my red and black Che Reagan T-shirt and felt like a verifiable Crunchy Con.
5. Giovanni Organic Tea Tree Triple Treat shampoo - TINGLY! It's like caffeine for your head - excellent aromatherapy.