Before you buy or order seafood again, go to http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/ and click on Seafood Watch for a list of the latest ocean-friendly choices. It's organized by region and you can print out a handy pocket guide -- and enjoy your purchase with a clear conscience.
There’s not a World Market in our little Alabama town, so everytime my husband and I are on the road and pass one, we have to stop and go in. The thing about World Markets is that there’s plenty for both of us to happily browse through. First, we both head to the food section in the back, where my husband gets tickled by the huge nostalgic candy inventory and I investigate the gourmet junk food — are we healthy or what? We linger in the beer aisle and I check out the coffees and teas while he surfs the fiery southwestern choices. After that, my husband eyes the furniture and I ooh and ahh over accessories such as pillows, curtains and candleholders. In truth, his attention starts to wander while I’m still dragging him over to check out this rug or that coffee maker but he’s a good sport and tries to stay focused long enough to veto the paisley-print sheets and the orange batik lampshade. My fantasy is to walk into World Market, tell the clerks, “I’ll take two of everything,” and then live in global bliss ever after. And I’m absolutely sure my dear husband feels the same way.
The Zagat Survey is here! The Zagat Survey is here! 
Sorry — couldn’t resist channeling Steve Martin there. But seriously, anybody who eats out needs to take a look at the just-released Zagat Fast-Food Survey at http://www.zagat.com/fastfood. More than 6,000 folks rated their fast-food experiences, including full-service restaurants, and the results are fascinating. But before you go check it out, see if you can identify the eateries pictured above. On the left is the winner of the full-service best salad, best coffee and best value — it also came in second for most popular. On the right is the winner of the fast-food salad and is the most popular large chain. I don’t have any prizes to give out — you’ll just have the satisfaction of knowing your restaurants perhaps better than your kitchen. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Here’s another guess-that-store quiz. Okay, actually it’s just 
another excuse to squeeze in a photo of grandson Capt. Adorable, but I can’t resist. My husband John Pitts cautions against overwhelming you all with pics of the Captain but we’re all friends here and I know you forgive me and besides everybody I meet in person is tired of me waving my digital keychain in their faces. Anyway, can you identify this upscale grocery? Usually we keep Capt. Adorable in the cart but he couldn’t stand it this time so we allowed some supervised leg-stretching and he immediately headed to the produce section, where he started squeezing the fruit, eating the lettuce and checking out the fresh pistachios. Smart boy.
Here are two of my favorite bathrooms in Tupelo, Mississippi from two of my favorite restaurants in Tupelo, which, by the way, is much much more than merely Elvis Presley’s hometown. The photo on the left is from Fairpark Grill, http://eatwithus.com/grill, an eclectic and modern space with a super bar and a menu featuring burgers, sandwiches and shareable appetizers. Theone on the right is from the Grill’s sophisticated older sister, Park Heights, http://eatwithus.com/parkheights/ — a serenely elegant and upscale restaurant that offers rooftop dining for an unparalleled view of downtown Tupelo. Both of these are owned by the Eat With Us Group, http://eatwithus.com/mission.php, which also started the family-favorite Sweet Peppers Deli franchise. Anyway, I love these bathrooms! Although my husband detests raised-bowl sinks like the Grill’s, I adore them and so wish I could sneak them into our bathrooms at home without him noticing. And the Park Heights bathroom is so peaceful and stylish, just like the dining areas. You all know my thing about restaurant restrooms: They’re the perfect spots pampering customers and making them feel special — like a little extra “We are so glad you chose to come spend your money with us” instead of “We’re forced to offer you these facilities so here you go.” These get it right.
Capt. Adorable's other grandparents, Sharlie and Buddy Behel, of Tuscumbia, Alabama. See? I can share!!!
The back porch of the Behels' log cabin
Were you lucky like me and got some good family time this Memorial Day? I count myself lucky — and blessed — because my daughter’s in-laws consider my husband and me bona-fide family and invite us to every holiday gathering. And that’s a good thing because I would hate to miss out on all the food and fun that results whenever two or more Behels gather together. Sharlie and Buddy Behel, my daughter’s in-laws, are some of the most generous and hospitable people I know. Their home is always open to family and friends — nobody’s a stranger. They sort of adopted me when my daughter first started dating their son — I was a single mom then without family nearby and with characteristic kindness they took me in right from the start. And since I’m only a year or so older than their oldest son (my son-in-law was their surprise third baby), Sharlie and I feel more like sisters than in-laws once removed. You can see from the picture how much I care about them — I don’t share Capt. Adorable with just anybody!
Shopping in Huntsville, Alabama, has taken an upturn ever 
since Bridge Street Town Centre opened almost two years ago. Billed as an outdoor mall and lifestyle center with a stylish European flair, Bridge Street definitely is a fun place to stroll and window shop and see and be seen. It’s beautifully landscaped and maintained and has plenty of 
easy-access parking. The retailers here are the usual suspects — Gap, Banana Republic, Victoria’s Secret, 
Anthropologie and J. Crew are my favorites — but there’s also a Kate Spade, where I usually wander in, shake my head in disbelief at $525 handbags and walk back out again. Luckily, more in line with my budget are the classics of DSW, Old Navy and Barnes and Noble. But really the best part about Bridge Street is the food. This is where you’ll find the always-popular P.F. Chang’s and Maggie Moo plus the L.A.-based Dolce and Ketchup and a Melting Pot, making Bridge Street a dining as well as a shopping destination. The Monaco theater and the accompanying lounge Scene are hot spots, too. I mean, who could say no to enjoying wine and sushi in a leather recliner while watching the latest flick? Not me.
P.S. I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “If Bridge Street is so popular, where are all the people in these photos, Miss SmartyPants Reporter Blogger Person?” And I say, “Good question.” And here’s the answer: I took these photos about a month ago on the day that news of swine-flu cases in Huntsville was just breaking and schools were closed and everybody was supposed to stay home and wash their hands. And so of course I thought, “This is the perfect time to go shopping.” Wouldn’t you???
Okay, has anybody out there tried the Ziploc Omelet? A friend e-mailed the recipe to me and I’d never heard of it but an Internet search pulled up lots of references. As usual, I’m probably the last one to hear about this! Here’s the recipe, from the e-mail:
This works great and is good for when all your family is together. The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet.
1) Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.
2) Crack two eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than two) and shake to combine them.
3) Put out a variety of ingredients such as cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.
4) Each person adds prepared ingredients of choice to their individual bag and shakes. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
5) Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13-15 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.
6) Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.
Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and it’s a great conversation piece.
What do you all think? I could see where if you’ve got a crowd in the kitchen and everybody’s hungry it’s a great way to feed lots of folks in a short amount of time. On the other hand, I’m not sure about basically eating boiled scrambled eggs. One of the best parts about cooking and eating omelets is the brown crunchy bits on the bottom mixed with the melted cheese and of course with this you don’t get that yummy flavor experience. But there’s definitely a fun factor here and I can see where it would be entertaining. I may just experiment on myself with this first — but keep a skillet handy just in case.
If I could conjure up my dream store, it would look a lot like Gypsy 
Market in Birmingham, Alabama. This combination upscale-convenience and funky-antique store is at the corner of Second Avenue North and 23rd Street, across from Urban Standard coffee shop and What’s On Second 
eclectic vintage store and smack dab in the midst of downtown loft living. My younger daughter and I peeked in the store early one 
morning after lattes and cappuccinos at Urban Standard and promised ourselves a return visit. Owner Kent Griggs, who had a downtown diner in Birmingham a few years ago, opened Gypsy Market to be a one-stop shop for loft dwellers who need a last-minute loaf of fresh homemade bread or bottle of wine — or something creative and whimsical to decorate the apartment with. There’s also a cooler of ice cream and a pot of Birmingham’s own Royal Cup coffee. This is exactly what I think of when I imagine living in a downtown loft — hanging out in a very cool space and drinking espresso all day. And eating ice cream and homemade bread, of course. Read more about Gypsy Market at http://www.al.com/business/birminghamnews and Royal Cup at http://www.royalcupcoffee.com. And check out Urban Standard, one of my favorite coffee shops, at http://www.urbanstandard.net/.
P.S. Make sure to click on the pics inside the store to see them larger and get all the details in the backgrounds — there’s some amazing stuff here!
I know how hard it is for me — a human person — to resist a similar display of yummy treats. When faced with an array of delectable-looking goodies, I lose all self-control and want one of everything. I wonder if dogs who come in to the local Pet Depot feel the same when they spot this. And raise your hands if you ever have mistaken a doggy cookie for a real one. C’mon — you know you’ve done that. I think I would especially fall for the “chocolate” football versions in the middle of the bottom shelf, but the round “sugar cookies” with the pink icing look pretty interesting, too. And those little white Scotty dogs with the perky red collars in the back right are adorable! When my older daughter was in high school, she made homemade treats for our now late beloved black Lab, and the kitchen always smelled so good when she was baking them. Now I’ve made myself want a real chocolate football cookie. And a dog.
Coffee with Cathy 