And why does this thing have what looks like a cluster of beady eyes on its tiny little head???  ICK!  I bet he’s pretty crunchy though, you know like the grasshoppers people eat.

Manuel Antonio seems to be frequented and favored more by the locals as well.  The sands and the waters are smoother and calmer.  The water somehow feels warmer too.  And as you drive into the area you are blown away by the wildlife and rain forests close by.

Way back in December 2009 we went to Panama City, Panama.  And of course while we were there we had to go and see the Panama Canal.  So that means 6 out 7 Modern Wonders down, 1 more to go.

In all honestly though, I think that the Ancient Wonders and Medieval Wonders are more…well…wonderful when it comes to the Wonders of the World.  But that’s just me.

I try to tell myself to stop being a big pussy and I’m still waiting for the day to come where I’m not completely obsessed in fear at the sheer amount of insects in Costa Rica.

I’m not sure if the rainy season breeds massive infestations of insects or what.  But one recent evening, John and I were cooking in the kitchen when all of a sudden something flew at us over the stove.  So we killed it.

We continue to cook and another bug flew at us.  So we kill it again.  And then another…and another…and so on. An unrelenting assault of these flying buggers.

We had to attempt to seal the area off because they kept sneaking in.  I don’t know how many there were exactly – because we lost count after what felt like a thousand!

We ran and hid in our bedroom for the rest of the night.  Totally freaked out.  We weren’t sure how they were all going to get out of the house – but we found out the next morning that they didn’t.  They all died.

Luckily they didn’t bite or anything.  It was just such a freak show.  John and I keep telling ourselves that this is just one of those things you look back on, 10, maybe 20 years down the road from now and laugh at.  Yeah, right…

On our recent trip back home to Vancouver, we ended up on a 15 hour layover in Houston, Texas.  So we thought what better way to pass the time than to head out and find some real, authentic Texas BBQ!  And Mo’s is what we finally found.

As soon as we got off the plane from Costa Rica to Houston we flew past Customs and ran out of the airport to the nearest taxi stand we could find.  We noticed an really nice African-American lady helping direct people into cabs who looked like she loved and knew her BBQ so we headed towards her to ask her where the best place to eat real Texas BBQ was.

As we were making our way towards her, a tiny Asian-lady popped out of nowhere and asked us if we needed a taxi.  So we figured “why not?” and asked her if she knew of any good BBQ places instead.  As soon as she started talking John and I looked at each other and grinned – this lady was so much like my mom, John’s mom and all the other Asian ladies we know and are accustomed to.

Well actually, she was more like my mom – really animated and excited, with cute Chinese accent and all.  John had to laugh as he whispered to me “OMG that’s soooo your MOM!!!”  she kept trying to make us go to eat Asian food at the mall because it was “cheap and good” (“cheap and good” is totally an Asian thing…) but we kept repeating that we really wanted BBQ.

So basically the conversation was like this:

Crazy Asian Lady – “You no wan go to downtown…veeery expensive! You go to Mall by here – good Asian food!  CHEEP! CHEEP!”

Us – “Ya, we really want BBQ..”

Crazy Asian Lady – “Ya, oH-Kay – you go to Mall good sushi!”

Us – “Uh do they have BBQ at the Mall?”

Crazy Asian Lady – “YOU GO TO MALL NOW!”

Us – “But we really want BBQ!!!”

Crazy Asian Lady – “YOU GO WATCH MOVIE AND EAT CHINESE FOOD!!!”

Us – “Can you ask your lady friend if she knows where BBQ is?”

Crazy Asian Lady – “OKAY OKAY you want BBQ…I go get my friend…”

Nice African-American Lady – “So you guys want Asian food?”

So after that whole hilarious conversation the ladies decided our best bet for good BBQ eats would be Mo’s.  Which is by the Mall.  We get in a cab, the ladies tell the driver where to go and we head out.

Well we thought we were heading there until we got to the Mall and the Driver was like “I dunno where Mo’s is M’aam…” I have never seen John as crestfallen as I saw him when the cab driver dropped us off at the mall!  We actually got out of the cab and John flagged down another cab to see if she knew where Mo’s was.

She didn’t have a clue and tried to Google it on her phone, but she typed in MOE’S instead of MO so nothing came up and she drove off.  It was so hot outside that I suggested that we head inside the mall to figure out a new game plan.  John trudged in after me.

There was absolutely nothing to eat at the mall except crap.  Every place looked like a sham as all we could think about was Texas BBQ.  So we walked around for a bit getting sadder by the minute and decided to go to the mall’s smoke shop to get a lighter and we started talking to the shop owner.

He saw how disappointed we were that there didn’t seem to be BBQ places close by and he could smell our desperation so he took pity on us and grabbed his computer to find Mo’s for us! We grabbed the address, thanked him profusely and headed on our way – I think I caught a glimpse of John actually SKIPPING out the door gleefully.

So we headed back out, grabbed a cab and finally were on our way to Texas BBQ heaven.  And heaven it absolutely was! Mo’s was wonderful!  Their own BBQ sauce, great sides and HUGE baked potatoes with all the fixings and massive portions.

Mo’s Gets 5 huge Patty and John Big Bellies! 

(Before)

(After)

(The SPUD)

(The End.)

]]> http://www.patty-and-john.com/houston-texas-bbq-layover-adventure/feed/ 0 http://www.patty-and-john.com/vancouver-trip-the-wonderous-japadog/ http://www.patty-and-john.com/vancouver-trip-the-wonderous-japadog/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:33:59 +0000 Patty http://www.patty-and-john.com/?p=949 We Are JAPADOG Hogs!

(The Oroshi  and the TeriMayo both with Wasabi Mayo on top)

The little vendor/big lineups of Japadog started it’s humble beginnings as a street vendor stand on the corner of Nelson and Burrard in downtown Vancouver.  And now many happy hotdogs sold and eaten later, the awesome vendor has graduated into a busy shopfront along with a slew of other tasty eateries on a strip along Homer and Robson.

(This food strip on Robson is amazing!)

We love them and run there to eat all the time.  The line ups are worth the wait and they even have fries now at the storefront.  We tried the butter shoyu fries and they were mouthwatering delicious.  I can’t even write anymore without wanting to get on plane ride home to get a hotdog-fry combo right now!

(At first John goes like this…)

(And then John goes like that!)

We easily give Japadog 5 huge Patty and John Big Bellies! 

]]> http://www.patty-and-john.com/vancouver-trip-the-wonderous-japadog/feed/ 0 http://www.patty-and-john.com/pork-chop-delights/ http://www.patty-and-john.com/pork-chop-delights/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:01:42 +0000 Patty http://www.patty-and-john.com/?p=945 Vietnames Pork Chop On Rice – The Regular and The Special

So we’re back to Pho Thai Son again where they have the best Vietnamese Pork Chops on Rice, well alright not exactly “again” – these two plates were ordered and eaten during our pho visit as well!  In any case, there are two options displayed here, the Regular and the Special.

I’m not sure what number they are on the menu, but you can’t miss it or you can just ask them directly for it and they’ll know.  It’s one of their most popular dishes for a reason – because it’s GOOOOD!  I’d describe it to you some more, but then I’d get so homesick I’d have to fly home right away to get me shop chops…RIGHT NOW!

I EAT Salad Rolls
Tasty Shrimp Salad Rolls YUM
Salad Rolls MINE!

(The #13 at Pho Thai Son)

I’ve made it more than clear how much I miss wonderful, warm and tasty bowls of Vietnamese Beef Pho.  The perfect cure for hangovers, the perfect comfort food, and the absolute in overall deliciousness, I honestly can’t think of anything else to say except to just GO GET SOME!!!

This bowl here was mine – you’ve got to get your own!  After 8 months of NO-PHO in Costa Rica, I had to use all self-restraint to not order 10 bowls of goodness all in one shot.

In Vancouver, John and I have have 2 places we love to go specifically for pho. Pho Hoang around Main and 16th and Pho Thai Son on Broadway.  The thing that really makes these guys the best in the biz is the beef broth.  It’s really all about the beef broth and both places do it the best.

If you love Vietnamese rice dishes, roll dips and salad rolls then you’ll have to check back later for specific restaurant recommendations because with so many Vietnamese restaurants in Vancouver, each place has their own little flair on each of these specialties.

We landed back home in Vancouver on a Saturday evening, which made it perfect timing to sleep then wake up nice and early for a delightful Sunday Dim Sum lunch bonanza!

8 months away from our favorite dim sum restaurant – The Happy Valley Seafood Restaurant, hadn’t changed the delicious dim sum treats that come out of this wonderful kitchen one bit.

We gorged and gorged on dish after dish, finally sating our dim sum addiction after a good 2 hours straight of eating!  And we’ve got the pictures to prove it…

A definite 5 out of 5 John and Patty Big Fat Bellies for Happy Valley Seafood Restaurant   Oh Happy Valley we love you and we’ll see your tasty delights again when we come home for good!