Scenes From a Cat Café

Recently I made my inaugural visit to The Cat's Brew, a cat café. The café portion is out front while the felines live and play in a couple rooms in the back, one of which is bedecked with cat trees, plush cat homes, etc. as well as places for humans to sit. Cat toys were littered about for us to tempt the felines into jumping, batting, and other cute activities.

I forget the names but this fellow was sleepy during my entire visit. So tired that he neglected treats. Cats need naps, after all. 

Beware the naughty look in those eyes!

"Hooman!" 

There is a wall separating the hooman interaction area from the other room where the cats can escape our clutches as well as use the litter box. A couple of the 9 cats availed themselves of the opportunity to sit atop the wall and look down on us in what I presume was the harshest judgement.

I think this is Ringo. He's taking a break from jumping at cat toys and being hounded by the little boy who was there. 

And I believe this is Evelyn. The staff pronounced it ev-e-lin though I kept hearing the Sixth Doctor saying it as eev-e-lin in my head. She received a lot of pets from me and we had a good time playing.

"You shall limit your pets to my head, hooman." 

Look at those blue eyes! 

"Give me that hand!"

I believe that all feline residents of The Cat's Brew are available for adoption and I certainly wanted to take more than one home with me.

In addition to the interminably cute cats, the coffee was tasty too.

Get on the Thai Boat

Some people are addicted to alcohol while others have an unshakable craving for nicotine. For me it is tom yum soup that has its hooks in me. A Thai restaurant could have the freshest handmade noodles on offer or laab made with meat from a chicken slaughtered to order yet I'd be seen ordering tom yum. Well, at least on my first visit. But it'd be a close call on subsequent ones.

I recently had my first dinner at Thai Boat Noodle in Sun Prairie and went with my go-to soup. Not being a fan of white cap 'shrooms, I asked that they be left out. Much to my surprise and delight, someone came out asking if I wanted other vegetables instead of the fungus. So I went with Chinese broccoli and snow peas.

It was very tasty. The broth had an earthy flavor to it that I've never encountered at other restaurants and enjoyed it very much. Next time I would go with bok choy, though. Also for next time, get the spicy tray or whatever they call it. There's no hot sauce nor chili in oil at tables and you have to ask for the spice. Also, dishes do not have a variable hotness scale. Oh well.

Oh! Almost forgot. The soup did not have noodles in it. 

Still, it was good and I'd order it again.

Oh, just some random photos

Is anyone else spooked by the animatronic pizza guy at Woodman's in Sun Prairie?

Every time I walk by this creepy chef, I get Westworld vibes and envision the ominous pizzaiolo springing to life and rampaging through the frozen pizza section. Screams pierce the air and blood stains the freezers as it slings thin crust frozen pies like Oddjob threw his hat, severing the limbs of innocent shoppers. It would then grab the nearest Chicago deep dish and finish them off in a frenzy of bludgeoning.

How does one do aromatherapy if there's no aroma?

Note to Madison area folks: this stuff says right on the label that it doesn't work well with hard water. Yes, yes - I noticed the warning too late. I'm surprised it's even legal to sell this stuff here. Caveat emptor!

I made rye cardamom chocolate chip cookies recently. 

While they were extremely tasty, I think a full bag of chips is overload for the recipe I used. (From King Arthur.) Plus the dough was crumbly so perhaps I'll try less flour next time as well.

Unsurprisingly, Piper still does not like going to the vet.

Did the clerk at Half Price Books not know who Thomas Friedman is or what his book is about? Or did some smart aleck customer play a joke on their fellow patrons?

An excited fisherman at WORTstock.

 I saw the goats at Acewood Conservation Park.

Black Phillip is just out of frame.