A long way for BBQ

[Slingerland]

Speaking of feeling "rich" I just traded some texts with Marina...

• Marina: you drive Chervolet?
• Me: yes
• Marina: not BMW or Mercedes?
• Me: that's right.
• Marina: Chevrolet is cheaper car, right?
• Me: yes, but it is very dependable.
• Marina: why not BMW or Mercedes?
• Me: I would rather save money for more important things.
• Marina: such as?
• Me: dinner out with beautiful Russian tech leader.
• Marina: I like your thinking.     

ML, my parents grw up dirt poor in the Great Depression.  If things get that far with Marina, she'll learn how my family struggled to succeed.  Plenty of pictures, and mty aunts and uncles love to tell stories about it.

[Slingerland]

 BBQ is on…
 
I don’t know how much info the list wants to know, so I’ll just put down a timeline on what’s happened and what’s coming up.
 
Last night: put rub on brisket, wrap and put in refrigerator overnight.
 
So far today:
 

• 7:00 – started fire in the Jambo.  Inject the brisket with beef stock.
• 8:00 – Jambo is stable at 300 degrees.  For cooking brisket, I use a “power cook” technique.  Brisket is on.  Put rub on the ribs.

To go (estimated):
 

• 11:00 – Brisket internal temp should be stalling at 160 degrees.  It’s had smoke for 3 hours, which is enough smoke flavor.  Next I wrap the brisket in aluminum foil (wireless thermometer) with ¼ cup beef stock.  Back on the Jambo to wait some more. 
• 12:00 – let the Jambo temp ease down to 250~275 for the ribs and chicken.
• 13:00 – brisket point will reach an internal temp of 205 degrees.  Pull the brisket from the smoker, wrap it in two layers of old towels, and put it into a beer cooler.  It will continue to cook and tenderize from its own temp for the next 4 hours.
• 13:15 – put ribs on the smoker.  Lori and Stuart should be here any minute.
• 13:30 – trim the chicken breasts and put into the mini-loaf molds.  Apply rub.
• 15:15 – ribs will have 2 hours’ smoke.  Run a thin coat of Parkay Squeeze Margarine over the tops of them, and then wrap ribs upside down in aluminum foil.  Return to smoker.  Also place chicken on smoker.
• 16:00 – flip chicken breasts in loaf pans.
• 16:15 – take ribs from foil.  Apply sauce to most (leaving a few dry).  Return ribs to smoker.
• 16:45 – pull chicken from smoker, remove from loaf pans.  Apply coating of the sweet sauce.  Return to smoker to set.
• 17:00 – pull brisket from cooler.  It will still be hot, but fully cooked and tender.  Cube it into bite-sized pieces, spread over a cookie sheet and apply thin coat of sauce.  Put on smoker to set the sauce.
• 17:10 – preheat warming oven in kitchen to 150 degrees.
• 17:15 – pull everything from smoker, put into warming oven in kitchen to let the meats rest.
• 17:30 – let’s eat!!!

And in all of this, Lori will be making cornbread muffins, corn on the cob, baked beans and a salad.  She’s also making a dessert but won’t tell me what. 
 
Drinks: some local sweet wine (yuck), Russian beer (if it gets here) and some locally made beer.  Plus hot tea, soft drinks, water, etc.  Also since Marina ordered an Amaretto the other night, I bought a bottle of Disaronno for her to try.
 
I have to admit, this is a lot to do, but I’m not nervous about the BBQ… I’m nervous about it being “right” for Marina.  I feel like a 16 year old going out on a first date.  I know it’s not “love” but I’m experiencing that tingly, tickly feeling of being infatuated with somebody.  It’s been a long time since I’ve felt it.
 
Cross your fingers everybody...
 

[Slingerland]

 Welcome to the newest episode of “Arkansas-Russian BBQ” on the “Food Network”.
 
I just got back from the airport, and my team is on the long trip home.  The BBQ was a blast!  This will take a couple of posts… I know that it may be TMI, but I’d like to get comments and thoughts from those who see things I miss.
 
The cook ran pretty much according to the timetable.  The weather was a beautiful spring day, temp was 70~75 on my patio.  Lori and Stuart arrived just after lunch in Lori’s Miata (this is important as you’ll see.)  The kids jumped right in: Lori started on the sides while Stu helped me do the “manly” things with the smoker. 
 
The guests arrived around 4:30 (I didn’t really set a specific time) and Stu showed them around the house.  They liked the house, and like ML said, they didn’t believe stories of how my parents grew up in poverty.  But they claimed to understand why I would work hard to get away from the poverty.  (It’s a shame my mother wasn’t here to meet them.)
 
Yulia had brought her laptop computer to “check on a few things” so Stu took her to the den and hooked her to the wifi.  Brad and Dana showed up, so they took Boris and Pavel to the den and started up the X-Box. 
 
Marina waited until the others were out of sight, the grabbed me for a quick kiss.  She pulled back with an exaggerated grimace, “Uh, you smell like Smokey Bear setting forest fire,” but then kissed me again to show she didn’t mean it… much.  While the others played on the X-Box, Marina went back and forth between Lori and me, but spent most of her time talking to and helping Lori.  They seemed to get along very well.
 
Around 5:15 I was pulling the meats off the Jambo to the warming oven when I looked around and realized that Stu had left.  Lori said, “He went to Mom’s to get something.  He’ll be back any minute.”  Then Lori looked at me, appraised my appearance and said “Dad, go take a quick shower.  I’ll pull everything together.”
 
After a fast shower I was back in the kitchen as Lori wrapped up setting the buffet table.  I found out the surprise dessert was her apple cobbler cupcakes.  Every fall Lori dries locally-grown Jonagold apples, then reconstitutes them into a tangy-sweet apple pie filling.  She had been trying to make the cobbler work in cupcake tins. 
 
Stuart got back just in time.  We ate on the patio, and the Russians LOVED the food.  As predicted, they preferred the sweeter sauces (me too) but the Americans went for the stronger sauces.  My kids are half-Korean, so they love the spice!  Lori almost lost her burnt ends to Yulia’s poaching.  Total food consumption: 9 racks of ribs, 8 chicken breasts, half a brisket point (Lori hid the rest from Yulia), plus salad, cornbread, corn, beans, cobbler cupcakes… NO LEFTOVERS!
 
As far as drinks, the Russians preferred the pale ale and Irish Red beers from Diamond Bear while the Americans had grabbed the Russian beer for themselves.  Marina nursed a glass of Arkansas sweet wine, but Yulia didn’t like the wine and went back to the Irish Red.  The kids stayed with soft drinks and tea, of course.
 
After eating, Stu took the guests back to the den while Lori and I gathered up the trash and did a quick kitchen cleaning.  Marina stayed with us, drying dishes, putting things away as Lori showed her where things went.  I told Marina she was a guest and to go enjoy herself.  She made sure Lori wasn’t watching, then hugged me and whispered “I am.”
 
Last thing to do was to hose off the Jambo’s cooking racks, so I went outside and did so.  But when I came back into the house, I heard WILD LAUGHTER from the den, followed by Boris… “quiet Boris”… taciturn Boris… BORIS!… yelling a stream of Russian curses (I think) followed by more evil, cackling laughter.  I ran to the den and this is what I saw:
 
Stuart had gone back to his mom’s house to get his X-Box.  He had pulled the TV from my bedroom and set the den up to be a gamer’s dream.  Two X-Boxes, two big screen TVs, everything networked into a multi-player zombie apocalypse game. 
 
But Boris… BORIS!… was animated, no longer calm and passive.  He was standing up, jumping with his controller, yelling and laughing at the game. From somewhere, he had procured a black porkpie hat, and suddenly a childhood memory popped into place.  Boris no longer looked like a short Clark Gable.  With horror I realized that Boris now looked like…
 
Boris interrupted my memory: “ROBERT!  LOOK!  I make big trouble for moose and squirrel!”  And he pointed at the game.  And my fears were confirmed: Brad and Dana were logged on as “BULLWINKLE” and “ROCKY”.  And instead of playing WITH the team, “BORIS BADENOV” was shooting the other players in the back!
 
I looked straight at my son when I calmly asked, “Your idea?”  He shrugged and gave me his best Alfred E. Newman “What, me worry?” look.  Boris piped in, “Stuart show us Bullwinkle cartoon.  I borrow hat from him.  IS GREAT FUN!!!”  And then he went straight back to cursing, laughing and shooting at the others.  I looked at Yulia and Marina and they fell apart laughing at my pained expression.  Finally I lost my false calm and laughed until I cried.
 
(Next: Russian programmers, Arkansas beer, Little Rock police and DWI…)
 

[Slingerland]

 The party was winding down about 10 PM.  Marina and Lori had moved from the X-Box carnage to playing on a Yamaha digital piano.  Boris had killed all the living, then the undead, too.  Brad and Dana had left to get their kids from the babysitter. 
 
It had been a FANTASTIC evening, but suddenly a new problem arose: Yulia, the only Russian with a valid driver’s license, was simply too tired and buzzed to drive.  Uh oh… after a bit of discussion my daughter suggested that she drive the rental car to the hotel and Stuart follow in her Miata.  “Technically” Lori wasn’t authorized to drive it, but Yulia simply couldn’t do it safely, especially with the police crackdown.
 
Marina added, “I’ll stay and help finish cleaning up.”  She turned to me, “Robert can bring me to hotel, right?”  This earned me a sideways look from Lori, but she didn’t say anything.  And after a few minutes, we all said our goodbytes for teh night and the house was quiet.  Marina was there, alone with me.
 
I looked at her and smiled, “The kitchen is clean enough for the night.”  She smiled, put her arms around me and we kissed.  After a moment we broke apart, and I poured us both another drink… small ones.  Coke for me, Disaronno for her.  We sat down on the sofa and I turned the TV on a soft jazz music channel.
 
Marina snuggled up onto my shoulder, my free hand caressing her arm.  We just relaxed there for several minutes, enjoying the glow of each other’s’ company, relaxing together at the end of a high-stress week.  Finally she broke the peaceful silence, “Tomorrow, back home.”
 
I looked into her eyes, and felt the time was right.  I told her that I was infatuated with her, and she made me feel young and happy.  She said she felt the same way and we talked for some time.  We were gentle but honest with each other: long distance relationships can be very difficult.  She reminded me that we’ve actually “known” each other for over two years.  Before we met in person she thought I was a “good man.”  Seeing me in my home simply reinforced it.
 
She cannot have children of her own, but she said that my kids were fun.  And since they’re older children, she said building a friendship with them would be very different than actually having to help raise them.  “You have already done hard lifting,” she teased me.
 
And with that, I leaned against her, gently caressed her hair while we kissed again; softly, luxuriously.
 

[Slingerland]

We drove to the airport (I went too in case of any issues with the rental car, or whatever I could do to help.)
 
Little Rock doesn’t have a big airport, not much to do inside.  We were there the prescribed 2 hours before takeoff, and ended up with 90 minutes to kill.  We went to an overpriced lunch just outside the security check-in gate, had some mediocre food, but visited for as long as we could.
 
Finally it was time.  I paid for the lunch, and we all said our goodbyes in the hall.  Marina went last.  I watched them go through the security check then left the airport.
 
On the way home, I received two messages: one from Marina, one from Yulia.  Marina and I have been trading texts as they flew first to Atlanta, then on to home.  They’ll arrive tomorrow at 6:50pm their time.  Marina and I have agreed to not rush… take some time and think this through.  We’re infatuated and intoxicated with each other, but we’re mature enough to know that it’s not “love.”  Not yet.
 
She’ll be back next month for another week to work up Phase II of the project, the week before Memorial Day.  We both have a lot of holiday time if we decide to extend her visit.  It’s interesting that she has a multiple entry visa here, yet mine to Russia was denied.  Maybe I should try for a tourist visa instead.
 
I know it was an unusual trip report.  In all the stories I read on the board, normally the man goes to the FSU, spends a couple of weeks and tries to find love.  But in my case, two years of remote friendship, followed by a 1 week business trip and the future is there for me to follow.  Thank you everybody for the stories, and giving me some ideas about this journey ahead!

[Belvis]

Thank you for the interesting TR. Not everybody has the ability to turn a week long  office romance  into exiting story about rise of the relationship with many characters in the plot. I hope next episodes will follow.
I was waiting to see what excuse Marina will find to stay for a night. She found the elegant solution 
Good luck for both of you.

[calmissile]

Thank you for the interesting TR. Not everybody has the ability to turn a week long  office romance  into exiting story about rise of the relationship with many characters in the plot. I hope next episodes will follow.
I was waiting to see what excuse Marina will find to stay for a night. She found the elegant solution 
Good luck for both of you.

+1  Ditto
It certainly is more pleasant reading than all the negative sh*t that is typically posted.     

[Slingerland]

Thank you everybody, for your compliments.  In college I used to do a lot of creative writing, and as a software architect, I have to be able to write information for my customers as well.
No real updates today, I received some texts during the night at the layovers.
I sent an email to Yulia this morning, asking her for some "quiet" assistance in finding a good florist.  I think I'll have some flowers sent to Marina at work on Friday.  Reading in the forum, RW prefer odd numbers, so I think I'll send her three: a red from me, a pink from Lori and a yellow from Stuart  .

[Faux Pas]

Thank you everybody, for your compliments.  In college I used to do a lot of creative writing, and as a software architect, I have to be able to write information for my customers as well.
No real updates today, I received some texts during the night at the layovers.
I sent an email to Yulia this morning, asking her for some "quiet" assistance in finding a good florist.  I think I'll have some flowers sent to Marina at work on Friday.  Reading in the forum, RW prefer odd numbers, so I think I'll send her three: a red from me, a pink from Lori and a yellow from Stuart  .

Maybe 11 from you? Go big or go home bruh

[Slingerland]

Maybe 11 from you? Go big or go home bruh

Sounds like a MUCH better plan! 

[mendeleyev]

Just a quick general guide:

Except for funerals, always odd numbers only.

Except for breakups, never send yellow only. Yellow can be included in a bouquet but not just yellow.

Between friends with no romance: yellow is okay.

[SANDRO43]

Slingerland, I'd advise you to ask the Mods to move this thread to a board here reserved to registered RWD members : it might be embarrassing for Marina if all and sundry were able to read your post made at 06:38:15 .

[Slingerland]

Slingerland, I'd advise you to ask the Mods to move this thread to a board here reserved to registered RWD members : it might be embarrassing for Marina if all and sundry were able to read your post made at 06:38:15 .

Oh crud, I thought is WAS reserved for registered members... I'll flag to the mods.

[Gator]

 
 Yulia simply said: “Take good care of Marina.  She is precious.”

That says much.  Marina evidently confided some with Yulia.  You may want to talk with Yulia on occasion, to ask how you are doing in taking care of Marina.   
 
Hope to read Chapter Two next month.  You said she could extend her time when she visits again.  I suggest that you invite her now to do exactly that so she can book her flights, etc.   
 
As I stated before, a fantastic trip report.   

[ML]

I know it was an unusual trip report.  In all the stories I read on the board, normally the man goes to the FSU, spends a couple of weeks and tries to find love.

Count yourself very lucky, just as I do with my Gal here on a student visa.  A lot more comfortable for both parties if she can come this way.

[Slingerland]

Marina and Yulia have multiple entry business visas (B-1?), so return trips are simple (unless the US and RU escalate their visa p*ssing match.) 

Today the customer requested that Marina return the week before Memorial Day.  Management has forwarded the request and it shouldn't be a problem.  I should know something tomorrow... my thoughts are to take the following week off as vacation with her.

ML, you have some good insight about meeting a woman who has more experience with the "west."  Marina has travelled through Europe and over the last two years has learned an incredible amount of internation commodities and currency movements.  She has more of a grasp of western life than the women in some of the stories I've read about here.  Marina is more "worldly" I guess.

Of course, I live in Arkansas... not exactly a cultural Mecca... her trip was during the three weeks of pleasant spring weather (excepting thunderstorms.)  I wonder how she'll react to the 100+ degree summers?  And pine tree pollen?  It's not really a destination site for Russian emigrees. 

I guess I'm still in the afterglow of the visit, and maybe I'm putting the cart before the horse, but I see possibilities with her that I haven't seen in a long time.  You would think that at 50 years of age I would have learned patience!

[Slingerland]

P.S. to the mods: thanks for the helpful edits!

[Faux Pas]

Marina and Yulia have multiple entry business visas (B-1?), so return trips are simple (unless the US and RU escalate their visa p*ssing match.) 

Today the customer requested that Marina return the week before Memorial Day.  Management has forwarded the request and it shouldn't be a problem.  I should know something tomorrow... my thoughts are to take the following week off as vacation with her.

ML, you have some good insight about meeting a woman who has more experience with the "west."  Marina has travelled through Europe and over the last two years has learned an incredible amount of internation commodities and currency movements.  She has more of a grasp of western life than the women in some of the stories I've read about here.  Marina is more "worldly" I guess.

Of course, I live in Arkansas... not exactly a cultural Mecca... her trip was during the three weeks of pleasant spring weather (excepting thunderstorms.)  I wonder how she'll react to the 100+ degree summers?  And pine tree pollen?  It's not really a destination site for Russian emigrees. 

I guess I'm still in the afterglow of the visit, and maybe I'm putting the cart before the horse, but I see possibilities with her that I haven't seen in a long time.  You would think that at 50 years of age I would have learned patience!

Actually Slinger, there is a Russian/Ukrainian community in and around LR. Not of any size to speak of but there is one. You might be surprised at the amenities LR can provide. It was for a long time my wife's gasp of fresh air from the small community life we lived. She grew up in a city of 3/4 million. It's not so much the heat as much as how long the heat lasts. Also, every FSUW I know in the U.S. is cold natured. I can't explain it but, 65-70 degrees and they are bundling like it's a Siberian winter.

My advice going forward, you got a pass on much of the groundwork and expense that many before you didn't. If you are as smitten with Marina as you sound and she is with you as you've described, pursue with vigor. She's already chosen you. The next moves are yours and she'll wait until you make them, for a while. 

Good luck and good going there guy!

[Slingerland]

Actually Slinger, there is a Russian/Ukrainian community in and around LR. Not of any size to speak of but there is one. You might be surprised at the amenities LR can provide. It was for a long time my wife's gasp of fresh air from the small community life we lived.  <editing snip>  My advice going forward, you got a pass on much of the groundwork and expense that many before you didn't. If you are as smitten with Marina as you sound and she is with you as you've described, pursue with vigor. She's already chosen you. The next moves are yours and she'll wait until you make them, for a while. 

Good luck and good going there guy!

Thanks!  You're absolutely right, I've gotten my version of "Powerball" handed to me from my fairy Godmother!  Since I've gotten the pass on traveling to meet, I want to make things good for her next trip.
 
Thinking ahead, are there any local grocery stores that carry things for the FSU community?  Nothing shows up in Google.  Memphis doesn't look any better, but Dallas would be a fun overnight trip in the future.  I'm thinking about little touches such as Russian chocolate... something to tell her I am thinking about making her trip(s) here more "homey."  I've read the various stickies on "welcoming your FSU bride", and a lot of the ideas adapt easily to my situation. 
 
Of course the first week she's back will revolve around work.  But I will be listening to what she says and work up the second week on the fly... not anything exhausting, but a balanced casual vacation.  Maybe go to Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, Memphis for a couple of days... explore central Arkansas as well...

[Larry1]

Here's one example - Thinking ahead, are there any local grocery stores that carry things for the FSU community?  Nothing shows up in Google.

Amazon.com has a variety of Russian grocery items:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=Russian

Here are a couple of examples:

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Samovar-Black-Tea-Blend/dp/B003O5RUY2/ref=sr_1_11?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1366069296&sr=1-11&keywords=Russian

http://www.amazon.com/Kusmi-Russian-Morning-Tea-Bags/dp/B003H7FIMS/ref=sr_1_8?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1366069296&sr=1-8&keywords=Russian

[ML]

Thinking ahead, are there any local grocery stores that carry things for the FSU community?    I'm thinking about little touches such as Russian chocolate...

In other threads, guys have generally concluded it's not a good idea to get a lot of things for FSU gals such as Russian TV channels.

Carrying this thought through, the same might hold for other Russian things.

For instance, my Gal hasn't needed any Russian/Ukrainian things.  The only thing she has done is start out with some Kefir (which can be bought at large chain grocery stores) and make her own cheeses, etc.

The USA is a great and wonderful place with a myriad of foods from many cultures.  There is enough to see and do and eat without harkening back to the 'home' country.

[Faux Pas]

Thanks!  You're absolutely right, I've gotten my version of "Powerball" handed to me from my fairy Godmother!  Since I've gotten the pass on traveling to meet, I want to make things good for her next trip.
 
Thinking ahead, are there any local grocery stores that carry things for the FSU community?  Nothing shows up in Google.  Memphis doesn't look any better, but Dallas would be a fun overnight trip in the future.  I'm thinking about little touches such as Russian chocolate... something to tell her I am thinking about making her trip(s) here more "homey."  I've read the various stickies on "welcoming your FSU bride", and a lot of the ideas adapt easily to my situation. 
 
Of course the first week she's back will revolve around work.  But I will be listening to what she says and work up the second week on the fly... not anything exhausting, but a balanced casual vacation.  Maybe go to Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, Memphis for a couple of days... explore central Arkansas as well...

There isn't a Russian grocery store in LR but there is an East Indian store that carries a lot of Russian goods. I can't remember the name of it. Do a search and if you don't find it let me know and I'll get it for you.

Personally, I wouldn't go to those lengths. She can get all that in Russia and it's not like she's going to be here long enough to miss it.

The Arlington in Hot Springs has a romantic getaway themed weekend. My wife loves it there. Get her the full spa treatment and get a bath for yourself (at the Arlington) They have a house band playing (a really good one) Every Fri and Sat night. Swing mostly on Sat.  Of course Eureka Springs has the same type atmosphere but, is much farther.

Memphis, a great place. The Peabody on Beale St. Right across the street from Auto Zone Park and the Redbirds.  Again, my wife loved it and then there's Beale St for another one of a kind experience.

Get crackin 

[Slingerland]

Thanks everybody!  You're right, she'll be here for a bit less than 2 weeks, plenty of time for the "small things."
 
FP, I know the Indian store, it's on Reservoir.  And you're right about the Arlington, my ex-wife loved the spa, too!  I wonder what she'll think about a duck ride?

[Fashionista]

I wouldn't worry about the food too much. By the way, my personal experience with small Russian and other small ethnic grocery stores is that they often carry old items that aren't even close in quality to what you can buy in Russia. They don't really taste "homey" as much as they taste expired. And the Western market is catching up. In fact, my favorite kefir is produced by a local Canadian manufacturer Liberte and sold in many supermarkets with other organic food. One exception is pickled herring. The best one is still made in Holland, I would move there just for that.

[Faux Pas]

I wouldn't worry about the food too much. By the way, my personal experience with small Russian and other small ethnic grocery stores is that they often carry old items that aren't even close in quality to what you can buy in Russia. They don't really taste "homey" as much as they taste expired. And the Western market is catching up. In fact, my favorite kefir is produced by a local Canadian manufacturer Liberte and sold in many supermarkets with other organic food. One exception is pickled herring. The best one is still made in Holland, I would move there just for that.

Slingerland, Fashionista is right. IIRC, most of what my wife got from that store was either canned or pickled,  Sardines usually every time.

Hot Springs in May is a wonderful place to be. Very touristy but, still a blast. Rent a pontoon and enjoy a day on the lake, another day take in the local attractions. You might even try whatever public bathhouse is open. Not as good as the Arlington or a couple of other places but, it is relatively cheap.

Don't eat at the Arlington as it won't impress. Probably the worse service in town. Let me know if you need some good eateries and I'll send you some. Renaldo's right across the street from the Arlington is the best Ecuadoran food ever. They do good things with food there and it's very reasonable

If you want to take her to a grocery store she probably like and to find and pick out some food, take her to Whole Foods Store. On Cantrell I believe?