A few days each summer we get this amazingly sticky, humid weather. And today was the day it landed. I mean, this photo even LOOKS humid. Since we only have a window A/C in our bedroom, Meredith came over to drink chilled wine with me on the porch with strawberries as we caught up on each other's week. It was all good until the mosquitoes began feeding on me. Then we moved inside to the basement, which must be a full 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.So I guess now I know what I'll be doing this weekend (installing more air conditioners). But you know what? Remind me of this next February. Please.

Oh, hello sweet thing. This girl has been all kinds of snuggly since we returned from California. And since she got a bath this week and is silky soft and smells good, I don't mind a bit. I chose this photo today because she looks a tad defeated, and that's how I felt about work today. Blech. Here's hoping for a better tomorrow, eh? Also? Here here to long weekends being right around the corner!

So when Jamie and I went to Mexico last month, we kept raving and raving about the amazing tacos we had on the beach there. Truly, they were remarkable.And in the weeks after our return, I started out trying to mimic the recipe. I have gotten pretty close. They are still not quite as amazing as the real deal, but I'm thinking that has more to do with the scenery and lack of outside responsibilities that add to the flavor, not my adaptation. And then somebody keeps nagging me to post the recipe.So today I ran home from work and had about 15 minutes to eat before running back out, and Jamie had made a quick version of the tacos and had them waiting for me. So I took 5 of my 15 minutes, and shot these photos for you :) And here is how you, too, can make wonderful, authentic Mexican Tacos. Note: In some instances I have given you the "authentic" recipe and then the "time saver" recipe.TORTILLAS:I have grown to prefer corn, but Jamie loves flour, so just pick what you like. Authentic: Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a hot frying pan and brown both sides of the tortilla to warm/crispen it before eating. Time saver: Just pop them in the toaster oven to soften them up a bit.FILLING:Chop up 1/2 large onion and saute in a frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute on low/medium heat and be patient! As the onion starts to get soft, add in 3 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 can of drained black beans. Stir. Be patient. After about five minutes, sprinkle in some cumin to taste and some cooked shredded chicken (we get ours off of a rotisserie bird from the store). Stir. Be patient. Wait for these onions to get nice and brown and sweet. The more carmelized the better. Once they are there, your filling is done. There is no time saver here, just trust me it's worth the wait.GUACAMOLE:For authentic guac, this is my recipe. Scoop out three large, ripe avocados into a medium sized bowl. Mash with a fork, then squeeze fresh lime (or lemon) juice on. This keeps the guac greener longer. Add: One finely diced small onion, one large roma tomato diced, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 of a jalapeno finely diced, handful of fresh chopped cilantro and salt to taste. Spoon the guacamole over the filling inside the tortilla. Time saver: Instead of guacamole, slice some avocado and place on top of chicken/bean filling, then drizzle with your favorite salsa, a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro.And that's it! No cheese. Yes, it would be tasty. No, it's not how they do it. It doesn't look half as good as it tastes, but trust me it's delicious!

This is a fruit! For real! My buddy KP (who is the chef behind Gai Gai Thai) brought this to me today at work to try. It's a Thai fruit called rambutan eom (yeah, he gave me the spelling -- no way was I coming up with that on my own). You cut it open (that spiky stuff is the skin) and inside it looks like a white, peeled grape. It tastes mildly sweet, but it has a big pit in the middle, so you have to be careful not to bite down too hard.Hear hear for adventurous eating! Or adventurous fruit eating. I'm still squeamish about adventurous raw meat eating.

What a sweetie, eh? We got home from Los Angeles today and proceeded to unpack, prep for dinner, run a few errands and nap before taking our pups to the dog park. Memphis kinda hates the dog park -- which is pretty weird. She gets super nervous and starts foaming at the mouth, and then goes to greet all the new people who, understandably, are a bit gun shy about the foaming-mouth dog. Then she shakes her head, is covered in drool and mopes in the dirt.Merlin, however, is happy as a clam. He runs and runs and barks and barks and barks and chases and sniffs and pees and just couldn't be more thrilled. So that's why we went -- the guilt from leaving for the weekend made us do it.Also, today is the last day I have with the beloved tilt-shift lens, so I wanted to shoot with it even though I'm sure you are tiring of the excessive blurring of my photos. Don't worry, things will be back to normal tomorrow...

Last full day at the beach... sigh... We started the day by taking a long bike ride and (apparently) getting amazingly sunburned. Then we walked up the street and had fantastic fish tacos (why can't anyone in Minnesota make proper fish tacos?). Then it was time for a long nap before we ventured over to Santa Monica so I could take some sunset shots. Mmm... the light was so yummy. I'm gonna have a hard time returning that tilt-shift lens, kids.For more images from our evening at Santa Monica are over here. I do love that pier.