Not a snowball's chance in Texas

I had the most interesting weekend with my amazing cousin @evaruth in San Antonio this weekend. I was really impressed by the fun and flavor of the town. My cousin was great at keeping us on the move which of course means I will have to pull out all the stops for her next visit to DC (aka we don't need to go back to H Street Country Club again. Ever.).

After getting "snowed in" (the snow was fake the closures were real) Friday morning we ate ceviche and drank the best margarita (frozen with a swirl of Prickly Pear on top) at an awesome restaurant called La Gloria part of the Pearl Brewery complex, which serves Mexican street food. We explored art galleries on First Friday. Woke up and ate the most amazing migas I've ever had at Taco Haven, hiked around Eisenhower Park and drank delicious craft beer at Freetail Brewing (#fatkidlikescake hint: if you ask them nicely to reheat your congealed queso they'll forgo the reheating and just bring you a fresh bowl) before collapsing into bed.

While I'd spent time in San Antonio for Hillary in 2008 my experience had been limited to the commute between my bed and my desk (a delightful and stress-free 20 minutes). This was a side of town I had never seen before and could definitely resolve to head back to. I resolved on my way home that I could find my own San Antonio in DC. More culture, more new places, more art and less manicures.

Okay I was just kidding about the manicures.

Tonight I felt like a really good dinner was in order. In the spirit of this weekend I decided to try to make at least one thing I'd never made before (more proof to the theory that I am a 50 year-old woman stuck in the body of a 25 year-old).

Salmon with Mustard and Brown Sugar Glaze (1/4 cup of butter cut nearly in half in my version, would have made Paula Deen cry)

Roasted Cauliflower

And super easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy 15-Minute Beets

Ok ok, so only one of those things was new, but so what, it's a start and you're pressed to break me up with my veggies.

On my way to being a San Antonio girl!

Jewish Women Weekend

It's been a tough weekend for Jewish women in America. First the horrific shooting in Arizona, then the death of singer/song writer Debbie Friedman. In my opinion it's always hard to be a Jewish woman. There are all too many men (Jewish men included) in this world ready with a JAP barb or a Jewish mother joke to keep us down in the rare moments that we're not ruminating on the size of our hips or the slant of our nose. Sometimes I'm certain that the glass ceiling is made from double panned glass if you're an MOT. To be a successful Jewish woman means to overcome a plethora of forces, internal as well as external.

If in fact the Congresswoman and her staffer were targeted for being Jewish then this incident should serve as a reminder of the many barriers that still exist for Jews in this country and speaks to the tremendous strength of both the Congresswoman and Friedman. So many times I have found myself attempting to play-down my Judaism in the workplace for fear of leaving room for people to peg me as the stereotype of the loud and obnoxious Jewish woman they have seen portrayed in the media and in entertainment but this is to the detriment of those around me. Why shouldn't I be proud of who I am and the women who have paved the road before me, women like Friedman and Giffords. Women like Justice Ginsberg. The strength of their voices should be the clarion call for a new generation. A generation that is bent on carving our own paths and refining our individual and collective voice (ruah as Debbie would say).

I pray that Congresswoman Giffords makes a full and speedy recovery and that her voice comes back louder and stronger as an advocate for the Jewish community as well as for the voiceless among us.

To Congresswoman Giffords and the many people whose lives were forever marred by the tragic events Saturday, may the source of strength who blessed the ones before us, help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.