All right, fans. I was a bit hungover yesterday as I had martinis the night before last. I ended up subbing for junior high the next morning, which was actually fun having drank gin the night before. It put me in good spirits, pun intended (I was not drunk and would never teach drunk, although I had a boss from UK, when I taught in the Middle East, and he showed up drunk one time. The students locked him in a cabinet, but I digress).

Anyone who knows me, knows I like Trader Joes Gin (the cheap one, which is Rear Admiral. I researched a lot and it got great reviews, although now the organic gin, Art of the Still, is their hot item. But for eight bucks it makes a great martini and no hang over at least for me.

I always think of WC Fields when I have a martini: martinis are like breasts. Two are perfect. One isn't enough and three are too many. I couldn't agree more. I never realized Mae West didn't drink until I saw the stage play, Dirty Blonde, on Broadway, but the estimable Claudia Shear, who also wrote Blown Sideways Through Life and the book for the Broadway musical, Tuck Everlasting. I always assumed West and Fields were drunk, they were both so funny. It was even in West's contract that if he was drunk, she would refuse to film.

I travel to Thailand next week as I think I already wrote. I'm definitely looking forward to some street food. There's one area in particular that has a huge number of vendors. I'm sure the rats come out after they close everything down. And I know several people who refuse to eat street food in Thailand or the fish living in the polluted canals. I can't say I blame them, but I've (knock wood) never gotten sick from street food, it's cheap, spicy and goes down well with a cold Chang Beer. And as long as you're not eating poor quality food long term, one should be OK.

I had no hangover after teaching, but was "tired" all day and it was great to have some left over ziti with broccoli rabe and sausage. The traditional recipe calls for sausage, but I'm trying not to eat processed food, so I used organic ground beef from Aldi, added a ton of Mongolian spice and I also used chickpea pasta. It was perfect for my "tiredness."