La Plazita Tyler, Texas

La Plazita
11980 State Highway 64 W
903-526-4193

Several people asked me if I had tried La Plazita. I kept thinking it was a restaurant in a shopping strip and had been procrastinating eating there. Then one day on the way to the airport I saw this happy little house beckoning me to eat. La Plazita is a cute little restaurant off the side off highway 64. It was clean and inviting from the moment I stepped foot inside. I started off with the auqua de melon or melon water. It was super delish! Chips and salsa arrived without provocation and were finished in the same fashion. Upon perusing the menu I decided on the tacos, one chicken and one beef. Oh happy, happy, joy, joy my stomach sang, my palette rejoiced. I left there one happy rolly polly little camper. Adios La Plazita, I'll be back!

Villa Montez Tyler, Texas

Villa Montez
www.villamontez.com
3324 Old Henderson Hwy Tyler, Texas 903.592.9696

I have been to Villa Montez on quite a few occasions, usually with friends on a weekend night. On a spur of the moment plan, my mother and I decided to dine there for dinner this evening. I called ahead, even though we were leaving in a few minutes, to reserve a table. I was told that there would be no more reservations for the evening, but I could come in and wait for a table. I threw caution to the wind and mozied, being from Texas and all, on down to historic manse. We got there around 5:45 and the place was sparse with people. I put my name on the list and the hostess informed me there would be a 35- 45 minute wait. Hmmm... I could go in a lot of different directions here, but I think if a restaurant is empty people should not have to wait to get a table. We ended up leaving around 8:30 and there were still plenty of tables left. Maybe it is time for a policy change on that.

The Food
We had chips, salsa, and Queso Fondido while we waited in the bar for our table. By the time we were seated I was nearing the full level so I ordered the ceviche. Being a ceviche lover I was a bit disappointed as it was a tad on the fishy side. Mom ordered the seafood enchiladas and they were pretty good, especially the sauce. The husband rolled in late and ordered one of the largest burritos I have ever seen. It was heavy on the rice and beans and left a bit to be desired on the pollo. You can't properly have dinner without topping it off with a dessert, so we did. The Tres Leches was the most appealing sounding for the finale. Boy was it good. Ok, not good, Great. It was the best darn thing I had there. It was soft and moist, leche-y with the perfect amount of sweetness.

With a beautiful patio and warm inviting decor the ambiance is always great at the VM.

On a side note we had a great server. Catherine, whether with a C or a K, a Y or an I, did a great job and was most accommodating.

Mariscos DJS Tyler Texas

Mariscos DJS
1201 E. Ewrin

Tyler Texas 75702

I am a die hard Don Juan-er. I love their food. When I say love, I could expound with prose lavishing my affection for the queso alone-- but that is another section right...

Mariscos DJS is a new Don Juan restaurant centered around seafood. I ran to this place when I heard it was opening. Thoughts of all things wonderful swirled through my head. I strategized what I would order days before without even seeing a menu. If you know me I bet you could guess what I got. We sat down for our meal and were shocked --- No chips. What-- did I hear you right--- no chips? We browsed the menu, still bruised with chip withdrawal, and contemplated more. Wings were the starter, delish, juicy, flavorful. I ordered the fish soup. It was brothy and tasty. One caveat-- the fish has skin on it, I would prefer without. Erick had the seafood fajitas. He was happy albeit nervous about the small portion. As he eyed it he asked, "should I order more wings." Mom was less than pleased with her meal. We sent it back. It was a shrimp ceviche tostada. The shrimp was not cooked. Now I know what ceviche is, I order it all the time and this was way underdone. They graciously took it away and she ordered shrimp tacos which were indeed cooked.

Some things that need work:

• The chairs were hard but the vibe was festive. After a few margaritas I'm sure there would be no issue.
• Ceviche needs more love
• Please, Please, Pretty Please bring on the chips and salsa
• There really is no option here for people that do not want seafood. True this is a seafood joint, however some non seafood items would be a plus
• Dessert
  

Some things that were good:

• Loved the patio
• The decor was fun and festive
• Live DJ

I will definitely go back and try out Mariscos again. Like anything new there are bound to be some kinks, I'm sure they will all get sorted out.

Louis Vuitton iPad Case

I have never really been a fan of Louis Vuitton purses. Sure I fell victim to a fancy fake once when Murakami was all the rage, but in my defense the zebra print and neon lettering was hard to resist. I think of myself and that silly purse and wonder what was I thinking. Like a bad boyfriend the purse left me feeling like a cheap floozy. If I really want to get philosophical what does a bag say about a person. Oh I have a LV and you can see it-- cant you see it-- it has lettering all over it-- oh did you miss it... Ok, so if a real LV says that,what does a fake LV say? Here can you see me-- I have a FAKE LV-- it has FAKE lettering all over it-- OH did you miss it...

`

So I have wandered, back to the issue at hand.

`

Ole Louis has done it again. Just when you thought things could not get any tackier they have come up with a new iPad case. You can get one for $365, which is totally a great deal since the iPad is $499.

The Help

www.kathrynstockett.com/book/

This book was recommended to to me by a friend. I was really looking for a beach read but when I flipped through it at the book store I knew I had to get it. What struck me from the first sentence was the perspective it was written in. The more I read the more interesting it became, with each chapter voiced by different narrators. Obviously set in Mississippi during the 6O's The Help is a moving tale of stories that are seldom told. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone open to seeing things from another point of view.

Tyler Texas Rose Garden

Tyler has long been hailed as the Rose Capital of the world. The Tyler Rose Garden is a quiet spot in the middle of town where rows of flowers bloom endlessly. Roses of different names put off intoxicating aromas lifted softly by the breeze. Though I pass by the garden several times a year it has been years since I stopped in. With weather in the 80's, Sunday proved to be the perfect time for an impromptu visit. All the roses in the garden were in full bloom, smiling and swaying in the sun. There were other flowers too, lots of them, beautiful in vibrant colors. Trails meandered through the acreage directing to different points of interest. A quaint gazebo shyly sat at the edge of the property peeking over a simple view of a nearby bridge and pond. In the end my favorite roses were the purple fuchsia ones, although I don't remember their name. All in all it was a day spent well, and I did stop and smell the roses.

Hangover

So today I have a hangover. Even as I write this I want to puke. My head is pounding and I feel like there is a brick settled somewhere inside my stomach. Weird vibes are moving up and down my spine and a fog is thick within my brain. Why do we pay this price for imbibing... Last nights poison was beer. Nice, light, cold beer that looked oh so innocent and inviting. After the first one I felt great. After the second even better. By the third I was down right blissful. Somewhere after that in the mix of things, between the Lady Gaga on the juke box and the friendly reverie things went awry. My pal for the night turned against me. It was an instant where I was aware and then all of a sudden I turned the corner. Things became hazy, tacos sounded inviting, and all inhibitions were lost. I could sing, loudly, much to the dismay of anyone around. Ugly hyena laughing was all part of the game, although still I have no clue what was funny. Maybe my friends will remember... Luckily there was a team member that knew when enough was enough. A generous thanks to my husband for reeling me in after my incoherent nodding that I wanted to go home. The taxi was hailed, the tacos were bought, away we went . And today--- I must pay~