women of music

have you seen the show "hoarders" on A&E? that is what my music collection looks like.

stats:

• 67 GB
• 498 artists
• 1043 albums
• 11,077 songs

with so many choices, my favorites are always changing. lately i'm into girls. hot girls with sexy voices. quite often lesbians. and good lyrics don't hurt.

the archandroid
by janelle monae
selected song: cold war









give up the ghost
by brandi carlile
selected song: dying day









the story
by brandi carlile
selected song: turpentine









brandi carlile
by brandi carlile
selected song: sixty years on









rockferry
by duffy
selected song: mercy









lungs
by florence + the machine
selected song: raise it up









lessons to be learned
by gabriella cilmi
selected song: cigarettes and lies









made of bricks
by kate nash
selected song: foundations









19
by adele
selected song: chasing pavements









back to black by amy winehouse
selected song: tears dry on their own










wild young hearts
by the noisettes
selected song: so complicated









begin to hope
by regina spektor
selected song: apres moi









eleven eleven
by regina spektor
selected song: buildings









donde estan los ladrones
by shakira
selected song: no creo









pies descalzos
by shakira
selected song: antologia









so jealous
by tegan and sara
selected song: fix you up









if it was you
by tegan and sara
selected song: living room









this business of art
by tegan and sara
selected song: all you got

blue playdoh

These 10(ish)-year-old girls that live in my condos were having a "yard sale" with some of their toys last night. It was pretty hilarious. The stuff was pretty new, but used once or twice. It looked as if one of them had recently had a birthday party and was pawning off all the gifts she didn't like.

I noticed a tub of blue PlayDoh, which I'd been meaning to buy anyway for my play therapy shelf. Here is how our conversation went --

Trisha: Hey girls, how much for that blue PlayDoh?
Girls: That's on sale for $1.
Trisha: Well I have some bad news for you. Walmart sells that brand-new for $0.88.
Girls, without skipping a beat: We can sell it for $0.70 then!

I went in the house, scrounged up $0.70, and did the deal. When I got back in the house, Joe said, "So you gave them $0.75, right?" Right then and there, I realized what a horrible, cheap person I am. Did I really barter with a 10-year-old over $0.12? I should be stoned to death with PlayDoh tubs full of rocks :(

2.5th Annual Girls Weekend

I have been to visit my good friend, Stephany, in Houston for the past two Januaries. We threw in an extra summer trip this year so we could see Brandi Carlile at Lilith Fair. Unfortunately, the concert got canceled, but we made up for it (and more) with all the fun stuff we packed into the weekend!

Friday
Ate some world-famous oak-smoked brisket from Rudy's Bar-B-Q. It's located in a GAS STATION but oh-so-good!

Went shopping in Old Town Spring, a quaint little historic shopping village. Did some wine tasting, bought some yummy treats, and found the cutest handmade bird feeder for our Lead house.

Did some "Dancing Under the Dinosaurs" at the Houston Museum of Natural Science's Mixers and Elixirs event. The "buffet" was disappointing (7-Eleven-style nachos) but definitely the best people-watching of the whole trip!

Saturday
Toured Minute Maid Park where the Astros play. Walked right down onto the field (but don't touch the grass!!!), sat inside the team's dugout, and toured the owner's suite. We even saw how the Diamond Club members live. These people paid $20,000 just for the rights to buy season tickets, and then they pay an additional $350+ per game for the actual tickets!! At 81 home games, that's a minimum of $28,350 per year. They have padded seats and all their food and drinks are included. Nice!

Watched the horse races at Sam Houston Race Park. We had Winner's Circle Tickets, which included an all-you-can-eat buffet and the best seats in the house! I lost all my money :( but Steph won $25!

Sunday
Cruised through Clear Lake and Galveston Bay on a bottomless-brunch champagne cruise. It was a little cramped and Steph got motion-sick, but I'm glad we checked it out! There was a really good live musician, a la Eric Anthony who played at our wedding.

Mulled around the Kemah boardwalk. The shops were lame, but the roller coaster was wicked fun! It was one of those rickety old wooden types that scares the shit right out of you. We didn't stay long because it was about 110 degrees (with the heat index) and we were completely drenched in sweat.

Ate some fantastic Mexican food at Chuy's. My enchiladas were stuffed with chicken, squash, and spinach, and smothered with SUPER spicy Texas green-chili sauce. Topped it all off with a Mexican Martini -- green-chili infused tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and a jalapeno-stuffed green olive.

Overall it was another great trip! Thanks so much for everything, Steph. Can't wait to see you next time!!

the board game to end all board games

Our family loves board games! Some of our favorites include:

Ticket to Ride

Apples to Apples


Things

Compatibility

A few weeks back, I decided it was time for a new game. I did some research online to find the best board game ever, and MAN, did I find it!

Carcassonne is named after a city in southern France. It's a fast-paced tile game in which you try to build cities, roads, cloisters, and farms. People tell me it's like Settlers of Catan. I know, totally nerdy, right?! I even bought it at Hastur Games & Hobbies -- the mecca of nerdiness. Judge me if you must, but this game is WICKED fun.

There are plenty of expansion packs so you never get bored (like you would anyway). We bought the first three expansion packs and they have been keeping us busy for HOURS!

We'll be playing it at Tequila Tuesday gatherings throughout the summer if you want to come check it out! Or, buy it for your own collection. It's totally worth the investment ($40 at Hastur but cheaper online).

Chile Rellenos

You GOTTA love chile rellenos. And if you don't know what they are, you should: The chile relleno, literally "stuffed chile", is a dish of Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla. It consists of a roasted fresh poblano pepper (a mild chili pepper named after the city of Puebla), some times substituted with non-traditional Hatch Green Chile, Anaheim, pasilla or even jalapeño chili pepper. It is stuffed with a melting cheese, such as queso Chihuahua or queso Oaxaca (traditionally), or picadillo meat made of diced pork, raisins, and nuts, seasoned with canella; covered in an egg batter or simply corn masa flour, and fried. It is often served in a tomato sauce. The sauce varies widely. There are versions in Mexico using rehydrated dry chiles such as anchos or pasillas. (Courtest of wikipedia.org)

A few years ago, I had a life changing experience -- I ordered the chile rellenos at Gonzalez Y Gonzalez at the New York New York in Vegas. Make the effort next time you're in Vegas. You won't regret it. The chiles are huge. The cheese is abundant. The batter (which can really make or break the dish) is the perfect consistency and flavor. And the sauce just tops it off perfectly.

Since then, I've been on a quest to find some great chile rellenos in SLC, but nothing really compares. Here are my critiques and ratings out of 5 stars:

Red Iguana -- Soggy batter and the sauce has a weird aftertaste. **

Morelias -- Very good. Perfect texture of batter. Yummy tomato sauce. ****

Tios -- Batter has a nice flavor, but is kind of soggy. Sauce is too salty. ***

Guadalahonkies -- Cool because you can choose from many different sauces. The "Colorado" was nice and spicy. But there was hardly any cheese inside, and no batter (?). ***

Tres Hombres -- The batter was way too "eggy". At least it had a lot of cheese. I could take or leave the sauce. **

Crockpot recipe -- Too soggy and had a weird texture. *

I would love some suggestions of good chile rellenos in town!

Random Facts About Me

I doubt anyone will read this. It's more for me to look back at in 10 years and laugh! (Thanks for letting me steal this from your blog, Wendy.)

Birth date: October 14, 1983 (Libra pride!)

Height: 5'4'' (that's why I wear heels nearly every day)

Eye color: Blueish-gray

Hair color: Real color=?, Current color=red/auburn

What does your name mean: Trisha=noble, Hepworth=home high on a hill, Reynolds=brave councilor

High school graduation year: 2001

Favorite TV shows: Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, The Office, South Park, American's Next Top Model, Project Runway, The Biggest Loser, Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, So You Think You Can Dance, Weeds

What's on your mousepad: U of U Alumni Association

In the car- ac or windows: Windows, until it's about 90 oustide

Do you believe in yourself: 95% of the time

Favorite game: Ticket To Ride, Compatibility

Favorite drink: Beer, coffee, diet Coke

Favorite food: CHEESE, nachos, Greek, Mexican, Indian, Middle Eastern

Favorite colors: Black, purple, green

Favorite sounds: Music, laughing

Favorite smell: Fruity stuff, spicy stuff, good-smelling-boy-smells

Favorite thing to do on a weekend: Read, sleep in, catch up on Tivo, go out to restaurants/bars with my husband, attend sporting events

Favorite soundtrack: Cocktail, Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing

First thought in the morning: Can I get away with a few more minutes of sleep?

Do you get motion sickness: No, thank God.

Rollercoasters- deadly or exciting: Love them!

How many rings before you answer the phone: My phone doesn't ring -- it plays a different song depending on who calls.

Are you a good friend: Depends if I really like you or not.

Chocolate or Vanilla cake: Vanilla with cream cheese frosting.

What do you drive: 2009 Nissan Rogue (just got it and love it!)

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal: Nope

Thunderstorms cool or scary: Cool as long as they don't happen too often.

What do you wear to bed: Shorts and a tanktop if I'm feeling fat, nothing if I'm feeling sexy ;)

Guys- If a girl ever asked you for the shirt on your back, would you give it to her?

Girls- Would you ever ask a guy for his shirt? No that sounds dumb.

If you could dye your hair one color, what would it be: I've been thinking about going back blonde.

If you could have a tattoo, what and where would it be: I really want to get one this year! Some type of book or a stack of books, and probably on my foot.

Favorite brand of gum: Extra Spearmint (the green package)

What's on your walls in your room: A picture frame jewelry box, a big clock, and a contemporary art piece.

When you meet a person of the opposite sex, you notice their: Eyes and hair

What's under your bed: Plastic bins storing Joe's extra shoes

Who do you have a big crush on right now: Kate Walsh

Nickname: Shisha

Favorite Salad Dressing: Balsamic from The Bayou, ginger from Benihana, and ranch from Cafe Rio

One pillow or two: one

Pets: none. Ick.

Favorite Movies: The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting, Memoirs of a Geisha, Kill Bill 1&2, Overboard, The Hangover

Favorite type of music: Seems like my favorites fit one of the following criteria -- lesbians or foreign (or both) -- Brandi Carlile, Regina Spektor, Amy Winehouse, Gabriella Cilmi, Shakira, Tegan & Sara, Duggy, Kate Nash, Adele, Kings of Leon, La Roux, Florence + The Machine, Paolo Nutini, The Kooks

Hobbies: Reading, sleeping, TV, eating, drinking beer, trying new restaurants, sporting events, Sudoku, cooking, browing online, Facebook (sad but true), biking

Piercing or tattoos: 7 in my ears and 1 in my bellybutton

Do you get along with your parents: Not lately. It's an ongoing struggle.

Favorite song at the moment: "Rabbit Heart" by Florence + The Machine

Favorite Holiday: All of October -- my birthday, my husband's birthday, our anniversary, time for fall clothes, AND the World Series!

Were you named after anyone: some client in the database at my mom's work (health insurance company)

When was the last time you cried: Couple days ago when I heard about Steph's baby JJ maybe moving to another family.

Do you like your handwriting: Yes

What is your favorite lunch meat: Mesquite smoked turkey

Do you have kids: Not yet.

If you were another person, would you be friends with yourself: Yes, I'm fun!

Do you use sarcasm: Never ;)

Do you still have your tonsils: Yes, but I would REALLY like to get them taken out

Would you bungee jump: Already done it. Overrated.

What is your favorite cereal: Something peanut butter, sadly

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off: No

Do you think you are strong: Physically - no. Mentally - yes.

What is your favorite ice cream: I don't really like ice cream, but if I have to choose, I'll say Chubby Hubby.

Red or pink: Both!

What is the least favorite thing about yourself: Being lazy and unmotivated sometimes.

Who do you miss the most: Stephany!

What color shoes are you wearing: None right now

What was the last thing you ate: BMT from Subway

What are you listening to right now: Waiting for the Sox/Yankees game to get over the stupid rain delay

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone: My mom

Mountain hideaway or beach house: Beach house

Favorite sports to watch: Baseball

Do you wear contacts: Yes, but I hate them. I really want Lasik but I don't qualify b/c my retinas are too thin.

Scary movies or happy endings: Neither -- I like REAL endings

Last movie you watched: Bread & Tulips

What color shirt are you wearing: Lime green

Summer or winter: Summer

Hugs or kisses: Kisses

Favorite dessert: A cheese plate

Strength training or cardio: Cardio (bike)

Computer or television: Both at the same time!

What book are you reading now: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (love it!)

Rolling Stones or Beatles: Both!

What is the farthest you have been from home: Spain

Where were you born: St Mark's Hospital in SLC

Pornography

Today I'm at the 31st Annual Troubled Youth Conference. I'm at a very interesting breakout session about current research on pornography and how it affects our clients. Here's something for you to think about.

"David" by Michaelangelo

Is this pornography?

Would you be comfortable with you 4 year old seeing it? How about your 8 year old? 12 year old? 16 year old?

Would you have this statue in your home? What if your coworker had a picture of it in his/her office? Should it be shown at school as part of art history education?

What if your teenage son had it for the screensaver on his computer or cell phone?