Bye Hiatus-- for now.

Hey kids, Mama's home! What did I miss?

Actually, Mama's been back in the Land of the Louisvillagers for a week now. But truth be told, I just wasn't ready to spring right out of my three-plus week long technology and communications exile. Having no cell/internet service in the wilds of Newfoundland just felt... good. Cracking open the old 'puter, figuring out why my cell phone wasn't recording messages, going through hundreds of spam emails... well, all that meant that I also had to pay bills, make doctor appointments, think about the waning days of summer. So instead, I embraced my inner slacker. Man, my inner slacker is hard core!

But, all good things must come to an end. And I've missed you, Louisville!

Newfoundland and Labrador were amazing; it's hard to believe (and heartening to know) that places like that still exist. Places where you can drive for hours and only see a handful of cars (and more moose). Places where you can literally drive to where the asphalt ends and know you are truly at the edge of the continent. Places where icebergs lollygag in harbors, hissing and fizzing and popping like a cube in your Jack and Coke. Places where people are committed to recycling, where people are unfailingly kind and polite, where people call you "ma love" as they take your highway toll or hand you a shot of Screech over the bar.

Damn nice place. Wouldn't want to live there. But damn nice place.

I'll get some pictures and more details about the trip online soon. In the meantime, seriously, what did I miss?

Here's a rundown of stuff I've missed, just off the top of my head. Sorry for the Old News, kids. It's new news to me.

• Kaelin's is officially kaput. RIP. We've got us a new Irish Pub (or so it sounds) in its place.
  
• Maybe said Irish Pub is merely keeping Louisville's Irish Pub numbers at a constant because Wet-Willy's-now-Dublin-Cellar will soon be something German. (I just don't get this place... this will be the location's third incarnation in as many years. What does it want to be?)
• Nio's will soon be something Mexican-- and that's super welcome. Even though I'm not a big fan of Mexican food, this neighborhood is lacking non-Qdoba Mexican fare.
• The Antique Mall is closing?? Shame that. I got a gorgeous kitchen table set there for a very reasonable price just a few months ago. And they only moved to the Broadway location a year ago.
• J.Gumbos on Baxter closed. I wanted so much to love J.Gumbos, as a former New Orleanian. Cheap food. Huge servings. A good selection of Abita. But I just never had anything there that really tasted "like home." I should try other locations-- they're still up and running.
• Karma Cafe will soon be something run by the Maido folks? I'm a huge, huge fan of Maido's awesome happy hour specials. Earlier this week, Roommate and I were heaping blessings upon Oishi Sushi for being reasonable, yummy, and not too far from home. But you don't get any less far from home for me than the Karma Cafe location. Keeping fingers crossed.
• Speaking of keeping fingers crossed-- this week Roommate and I went all the way to the 'Burbs to find decently priced and yummy Chinese Food at Sesame. When, oh when, will the Highlands Chinese food vaccuum left by the burning of Cafe Mimosa be filled?? We got delivery from Mimosa at least once every two weeks. Best egg rolls and pork fried rice. Anybody have any news on Cafe Mimosa?

So, what else? Things I'm looking forward to:

• Tonight's midnight showing of Harry Potter at the Baxter. Yes, I will giggle and squeal like a pre-teen girl. No, I will not be in costume.
• Waterfront Wednesdays, July 29, with Josh Ritter.
• If I weren't already doing Harry Potter tonight, I'd be all over Quill's movie night. They're showing Amelie at 7:30pm for all you folks who can't make the push to midnight. Hopefully turn out will be good, and they'll do more of these. (We inadvertantly went to Baxter Ave Wick's Monday movie night a little more than a months ago. Weird movie choices-- Weird Science and Animal House-- and way too loud AND no one there. Good idea, but there has to be a better way. Enter Quill's?)
  
• Do you know how well our Bats are doing?? They're nine games ahead of the rest of their division!
  
• July 21 SMC Louisville/Block5 Block Party on Main Street. Funnel cakes, everyone! Info here.
  

Okey doke, folks. This is me dipping my tootsies into the great ocean of Things to Do. Water's fine. I'll be sticking around.