Emily's Footsteps

Isn't Sun Valley a lovely name?

2013-09-24T18:40:00.002-07:00

Last weekend CB, our friend (who we've nicknamed the sister wife and who is really more of a Sir John Middleton but who has asked to be referred to as Bingley on this blog so we'll call him that because he's a good friend) Bingley, and I headed to Phoenix, AZ. Why? Why not? The gentlemen wanted to see a the Funny or Die Oddball Comedy Tour that would not be touring to the Southeast and I wanted to be warm and dry for a couple of days, so Phoenix seemed like a good plan for all of us.

Phoenix is a lovely place with all kinds of things to do and see. There are scads of galleries, fabulous shopping in Scottsdale, tons of outdoor activities for...you know...outdoorsy people, amazing architecture...at least that's what all the brochures at the resort where we stayed said. It all sounded wonderful; however, all those activities would've required me getting out of my pool chair and that just seemed like a lot of ...work. And really, working on my tan was about all I could handle. That and eating.

I must say that when I did muster the energy to peel myself away from the pool, I found that Phoenix has some fantastic restaurants. We ate breakfast (lunch EST) Saturday morning at Matt's Big Breakfast which is a farm to table breakfast (obvi) place with big (duh) portions. Yum. I ordered the salami scrambled eggs with hashbrowns and CB had flapjacks with bacon and homefries. It was So. Much. Food. So we went back to the hotel to sleep it off and recover.

With our football appetites sated, our skin sunkissed, and our stomachs once again ready to receive food, we headed to the airport to pick up Bingley and grab some dinner at Barrio Cafe. This place was voted best Mexican restaurant in Phoenix and boasts a James Beard nominated chef. It's in a modest looking neighborhood, but the food absolutely lived up to its rave reviews. Hands down the best Mexican food I've ever eaten.

Sunday was more pooling and tanning with a quick break for some In N Out Burger. I had never been before, so the boys humored me and I was not disappointed. Then more tanning and pooling before it was time to head to dinner and a show. Stockyard Steakhouse was our dinner choice for the evening. Yum. I really don't think there is much better food than a really well cooked (and by well I mean medium rare) filet mignon. Sorry, Mom. Between the apps, 'tres, 'serts, and wine, I really wasn't sure how I was going to make it through the comedy show without falling asleep.

For the record, I did stay awake for the show. It was funny. But I know most of you and you don't care about the show. You're more pissed off that I didn't take pictures of my meals than the fact that I'm not talking about the show. Sorry.

All in all it was a delightful, restful weekend. I tried to get CB to stay forever because it's always sunny and every day is a good hair day, but he said no because they don't have sweet tea. I guess that's fair. He did make up for it by buying me some roses and chocolate on Saturday. That's how my husband rolls, y'all, he buys me flowers on vacation because he knows I love them and can't have them at home. And he takes me on faboo weekends away. What a stud.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

A Lady who lunches...

2013-09-10T14:43:00.001-07:00

*The following post references a burger which was consumed on a Friday; however, it is not an official Fatty Friday post.

**Also, sorry there are no pictures. I don't carry my camera (which is separate from my phone) with me. One day I will catch up to the rest of the world.

Summer finally decided to show up last Friday, so Katherine and I lunched at the rooftop bar of The Georgia Theater. Y'all. If you have not been to the rooftop of the Georgia Theater, you simply must. It is delightful. Under the new management of the Branded Butcher, there is a fabulous menu that includes barbecue, tacos, sandwiches, and burgers with yummy Holeman and Finch buns. The only downside (can I even call it a downside?) of the burger was trying to pick from the bazillion toppings they offered. I went with the pimento goat cheese, but it meant that I had to pass on the whipped bone marrow. Are you freaking kidding me!?!? Whipped Bone Marrow?!?!? On a burger?!?!?! Why is this not a condiment everywhere. Mmm. I'm tearing up a little just now thinking about the fact that I didn't order that. Don't get me wrong, the pimento goat cheese was great, but...I mean... I don't think I'm being too dramatic here. Where was I?

Yes. The burger. It was pretty good. I wish I had specified that I wanted it medium rare, but that's my only complaint. Everything else was perfect. And the atmosphere is unmatched. It's just super fun to go up there and look out at downtown and think about how awesome it is to live in the Classic City. Seriously. Awesome. Plus, while we were lunching the Phickle Chickle showed up. You know how I love me some Athens Glitterati, y'all. This lady works her rear end off making and selling pickled vegetables that make you want to slap your grandmama. And, as someone who works so hard pursuing her passion, she's just an inspiration. One day we'll be friends. In a totally not creepy stalker kind of way.

That's it. Lunch was great. Katherine was great (as always). And Athens was great. It was just one of those "I love my life" kind of days.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

One Upon a Year Ago...

2013-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Colonel Brandon suggested we take a trip for Labor Day and asked where I would like to go. "That sounds nice." I thought and decided that we should go to New Orleans (having never been to New Orleans, it did not occur to me that it is not a city in which fashionable Ladies of Leisure Summer). Humidity, be damned! I have always wanted to go to the Crescent City and was beyond excited.

Unfortunately, there was a bit of trouble brewing in the Gulf in the form of Hurricane Isaac. I spent the entire week leading up to the trip anxiously ~~watching live Weather Channel coverage~~ working just like I was supposed to. Alas, tales of airport closures and power outages were seriously threatening our plans and even hours of watching Jim Cantore ~~cover the storm~~ punch the hurricane in the face like a badass couldn't make me feel better. In the end, however, the airports opened, the hotel confirmed they had power, and we were good to go. So I packed my bags, got a manicure (no reason), finalized my list of must-eat restaurants, and hit the road to hit the air.

CB was traveling that week, so I met him at the airport. I arrived a few minutes after his plane landed, so I went to meet him at baggage claim per his instructions. When I got there, however, there were no bags, no other people, just a sweet boy all spiffed up and sitting by himself on the side of the baggage carousel. He didn't see me walk up, so I sat down next to him and said something like, "You look very sharp today!"

Standing, he said, "Well..." and then I don't remember anything he said because he was down on one knee being wonderful and making me the happiest person in the world. I'm not sure what my response was, but I think it was something along the lines of, "yes," because afterwards I had a beautiful ring on my finger, a handsome fiance on my arm, and a plane waiting to take us away for a blissful weekend.

In the end we went to New Orleans and had a fabulous time, ate WAY too much food, spent time with some sweet friends, and didn't stop smiling.

Fondly,

The Lady

*This post was supposed to go up last week, but I forgot to hit "publish." Oops.

Happy Birthday...

2013-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

...to my seester. She's a pain in the rear end, but I love her. Enjoy 27, Leigh-Bee, it's gonna be BIG!!!

Love,

The Lady

Catching up...

2013-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while.

Fondest regards,

Lady Brandon

By popular demand...

2013-08-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

A few of you have requested that I start the blog back up. It's not that I wanted to stop blogging, it just got difficult to be consistent with it. Plus, I really never felt like I had anything exciting to write about. I like writing, though. Plus, the last year has been kind of awesome and I've thought many times how nice it would be to have a written record for when I'm old and senile. I can't promise I'll keep up with it or that it'll be any good, but here it is. A few modest posts.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

Once Upon a Freshman Year...

2013-08-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

There was a girl newly arrived in the greatest town on the planet and feeling a little apprehensive without her people around her. She did not yet know that this little town had big things in store for her. She was just getting her footing, so, in an attempt to step out and discover something about her new home, she went to a football game. She didn't dress up. She didn't tailgate. She didn't even have any friends with her. I guess she just assumed she'd find people there. Thankfully, she did.

Once the game started, the crowd was loud, the environment was fun and she figured college would be an okay place. She had no idea that this lovely Saturday in August was the beautiful beginning to a lasting love affair.

Clemson had been ahead for most of the game and things were not looking good as the fourth quarter began. Then...magic. Something clicked and the Dawgs were on DJ Shockley, Billy Bennett, and the rest of our stories heroes delivered an astonishing 31-28 victory to begin a season that would lead to Georgia's first SEC title in 20 years. The girl had never seen anything like it.

The girl was in love. She knew it was just a game. But she also knew it was so much more than that. Fall Saturday's in her new home brought with them tailgates with great food, Uga and Larry Munson, fashion unmatched by any other conference and a sense of camaraderie unknown in any other sport. Saturdays brought together generations and traditions reminding her of the enormity and history of this game. This institution.

2012-08-26T17:04:00.001-07:00

Today I watched DIY network. All day. Meanwhile, Colonel Brandon actually DIY'd. DIH'd? Either way, it was pretty much par for the course on a Sunday. Of course, I took the occasional break from the couch to offer my expert DIY opinion and run to the store for a bottle of wine just because I could.

Fatty Friday: FOUND!

2012-01-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

The quest is over, my friends! Bold words, I know, especially since we hadn't realized that the quest was back on. A couple of weeks ago Colonel Brandon suggested a trip to a new place called Stuffed Burger. Based on the name of the establishment, history of past building occupants, and the fact that it's on a less than reputable street for restaurants, I had decided not to patronize this particular burger joint; however, CB is just so nice that it's hard to tell him no. I'm so glad we went because, and I don't think I'm exaggerating here, it changed my life. I didn't want to speak too soon, but after my mushroom swiss burger (the mushrooms, cheese, and grilled onions were inside the patty...hence the name) I was pretty sure we had found it.

Last week we went again just to make sure and after my pimento cheese and bacon burger, I feel pretty confident in saying that Stuffed Burger does indeed offer the Classic City's best burger. A. Mazing.

The ingredients are fresh, quality, and cooked well to make a darn good burger. The potato bun is tops (and bottom) and steamed beautifully. The icing on the cake is that Stuffed Burger also offers tater-tots, kool-aid, milkshakes, and Fountain Cheerwine. They seem to maintain a classic burger joint feel and menu while still offering innovative, creative food. There just aren't enough good things I Can say about this place. In fact, I think we may be going again tomorrow. Yum!

Fondest regards,

The Lady

2012-01-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I've been terrible! It's been over two months, and I'm sure you've all forgotten about me...except that most of you are related to me, so I hope not. My New Year's resolution is to try to be a better blogger, so I promise to try and post more. Now, I'm not trying to make excuses, but I have been internetless at my home for the last few months. On the one hand, it's kind of annoying to not be able to access the interwebs whenever I want to, but on the other, it's been kind of freeing. True, I don't know what's going on in the world, no clue how to dress in the mornings, and no idea whether Derek and Meredith are going it get Zola back(I will leave it to you to decide which is most important to me); however, I am not a slave to e- mail. People cannot get access to me whenever they like. I've had to be very intentional about getting my work done when I'm actually at work rather than staying up all hours of the night sending e- mails, planning lessons, etc. That said, I haven't really decided how much of a hurry I am in to get my apartment back online.

A couple of other things to catch you up on...on which to catch you up? Okay...

1. Thanksgiving and Christmas with the fam were great. Relaxed and low-key.

2. Football and me are through. I still can't really talk about it beacause it just hurts too bad. You may be able to read about it on Sarah or Sloan's blogs, but I'm pretty sure they're not talking about it either.

3. Things with basketball are not looking good this year. I haven't made it to as many games as I'd like, but they haven't played as well as I'd like, either. It takes two, you know. I'll keep trying.

4. I'm blogging these days from my iPad. Col. Brandon got it for me for Christmas so that I could blog wherever and whenever I want to. He's thoughtful like that. He also got me six boxes of candy cane jojo's. I honestly can't tell you which I'm more excited about.

I think that gets you about caught up. There are a couple of decoraty, apartment renovaty type posts coming up, but I don't have pictures yet. This no Internet at home thing involves much planning ahead...not one of my strengths.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! I'll post again soon!

Fondest regards,
The Lady

2011-11-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

After approximately 2 months, I have officially completed my 2nd successful sewing project! Pillows for my living room chairs:

First I sewed 2 blue napkins together. Then I did it again:

Then I stuffed them with pillows:

Then I decided they were boring, so I made little yellow flowers to put on them. At this point I was too lazy to sew anymore, so I used hot glue. Don't tell Martha.

I think they're super cute!

Fondest regards,

The Lady

2011-11-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Goodness, gracious. My internet has stopped working chez moi and work has been so busy lately that I just haven't had the time to blog. I am so sorry and completely understand if you have given up on me. In which case you probably aren't reading this apology.

A couple of Fridays ago, CB asked if I felt like being social and getting "the group" together to do something. If you know CB, you understand that it is a big deal for him to actually want to interact with other people. He's usually willing to tolerate other people and attend social functions, but it's rare that he asks, so I jumped at the chance even though I was feeling a little tired. I called B- to make dinner plans and see if there was anything they wanted to do post-dinner. We hemmed and hawed and then, like an idiot, I said, "Why don't we go to the corn maze?!" It was like words were coming out of my mouth while my brain was shouting, "SHUT UP YOU MORON!"

I always think I'm going to have fun at the corn maze and then I always end up cold and tired, wondering why I agreed to walk around a corn field for 2 hours in the dark. Of course, B- said, "Sounds like fun!" So I threw my sneakers in the car and headed to dinner fretting about the impending 2 hours we'd spend playing "Children of the Corn."

My worries were quickly cast aside, however, when we got to dinner and I realized that nobody was dressed for Oconee County. Immediately, I began to think of how we'd get out of it and as we wrapped up our meal I said, "You know...maybe we should think of our options here...I mean we don't have to go to the corn maze. It's cold. And dark. And it takes so long...We could carve pumpkins instead..." Which suggestion was met with much enthusiasm from the girls and groaning from the guys until they realized that they could play video games while the ladies carved punkins and then all were excited about the plan. So that's what we did.

B- was really aggressive with her pumpkin carving. She was determined to get every last bit of goop out. And she did.

K- was very careful with hers.

C- actually dressed for "pumpkin surgery" which may have been overdoing it a little, especially considering it wasn't actually Halloween yet.

Then they were done.

And we lit them up.

And they looked beautiful. Except for my poor spider whose leg broke in carving which resulted in improvisation and, subsequently, thunder thighs.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

2011-10-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago we shifted offices around at work. Again. This is my third move in as many years; however, I think this one's going to stick, so I've decided to settle in. It's actually my first office, which I hated then because it was basically the church storage closet, but we've since cleaned it out and it's kind of growing on me. Gradually, I've been adding little things here and there to spruce it up and make it a bit more personal. For instance, last week I took back my adhesive chalk board dots from various other offices and stuck them to my walls. I also hung picture frames with colorful paper in them to use as dry erase boards. I also purchased a little end table to put next to the couch, but now I need some chachkies.

I saw this tutorial from a design website Sloan introduced me to, and I decided that those would make a perfect bouquet to add a little office cheer. I found some colorful paper and spent the afternoon making these colorful little lovelies:

I'm pretty sure the guy I share an office with will love them as much as I do. Mm hmm. The only problem was that I bought the wrong wire and it definitely doesn't hold the weight of the flowers, so I just glued them together and balanced them on top of the vase. Whatever works.

Pop quiz:

Q. Where is the worst place to go when you are in a DIY mood with a limited income?

A. Michael's

I could have spent my entire life not knowing about colored, glitter hot glue and been a happy person. Now I know about it and I don't have it and suddenly my life is empty. Same deal with Martha Stewart's scrapbooking collection. And paint on gold leaf. And metallic spray paint. I did manage to escape without buying anything I didn't need for this particular project, but I am definitely planning the next one. It will more than likely involve some sort of shiny paint.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

2011-09-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

I forgot to put my face on yesterday morning. More precisely, I was going to wait until the afternoon, but I forgot then, so I spent the day sans makeup without realizing it. I couldn't figure out why 3 different people asked if I was tired until I got home, looked in the mirror and said, "I do look tired today. What in the...oh...that's just how my face looks when I don't cover it up." It was a real feel-good moment. Maybe I should get more sleep and eat less refined sugar. Or maybe I should just remember to apply concealer every day.

Yesterday's incident was one of those that made me stop and wonder if I'm really cut out for Lady of Leisure-hood. I don't think proper LoLs go out in public without mascara, do they? So, in an effort to feel more Leisahly today, I baked.

Now, most people love fall because of the cooler weather and the excitement of snuggling up in a sweater with a steaming mug of cider and some pumpkin flavored dessert. Not me, y'all. I hate when the weather starts getting cool because I would much rather be by the pool in a swimsuit with an ice cold...beverage. That said, the one exciting thing about the otherwise gloomy prospect of winter is that it's finally cool enough in my apartment to turn the oven on again. I would gladly give up baking for the promise of eternal summer, but that's not an option, so I'm looking on the bright side.

In other news, I hope you enjoyed that photo and food news because it's all you're getting until I can think of another Fatty Friday theme. We're running out of Classic City burger joints and, to tell the truth, I'm kind of relieved. I think I need a burger break. There may be a couple more from time to time, but for now, I think we're on hiatus. Sorry.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

2011-09-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while, but this is my 100th post! I really wanted to take some time to think of something to make it really special...like when you open it, candy would shoot out at you. Or fireworks. Or something. In the end, I decided that it was more important that I just go ahead and post. Sorry that you won't be getting a free puppy with this reading.

To add to your disappointment, I did not take any pictures at Ole Miss last weekend. It was really fun, though. The Grove is a pretty spectacular sight and those Rebs sure do know how to tailgate. As they say, "We may not win every game, but we never lose a party." Truth. And everyone was so nice. In the hotel elevator that morning, an Ole Miss fan told our Red and Black troupe to look for his tailgate and come join 'em for a drink. Georgia fans don't do that.

The rest of the trip was pretty fun, too. I practiced the art of leisure on Friday while taking a nap as the boys gambled in Tunica. Then I got up and went to the pool where I napped some more. Between naps, we ate. It was one of those trips where I felt like I needed to get home and not eat anything for a few days. The first casino buffet we went to was nothing to write home about, although I did get some country fried steak and gravy and macaroni and cheese. That night, though, that was the real buffet, y'all...

The boys and I went over to Harrah's (this is sounding like a classy trip, right?) and went to Paula Deen's Buffet for dinner. Y'all. It was even better than I imagined. There was food everywhere. Everywhere. And the whole place was decorated like a cute Southahn house. It was fabulous and disgusting and wonderful all at the same time. At these buffets, however, we did notice that they are really big (pun intended) on the sugar free desserts. I'm wondering if there's a super high incidence of diabetes in the Mississippi gambling crowd. Probs.

Saturday night was another fab meal. After stuffing myself full of Sloan's Mom's lemon cake and 7 layer dip, we hit up Memphis for ribs at rendezvous. I felt like a Southahn failure because all I could manage was half my pork sandwich and 1 of CB's ribs. After 2 buffets and a tailgate, my tummy said uncle, so the boys dropped me back at the hotel to sleep it off while they went back to Tunica to lose a little more cash.

All in all, it was a pretty fun trip. I only had two things on my checklist: Sleep and see the Dawgs win, and both were accomplished.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

2011-09-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

After last season, I vowed the I would never again travel to watch the Dawgs play at someone else's house. Starkville, Jacksonville, and Memphis ~~broke~~ ~~shattered~~ ~~ruined my life~~ okay just hurt me too much last year. At the end of the season, I felt like I had invested time, money, and some dang cute outfits for something that just wasn't paying out. I knelt in the Liberty Bowl, threw my hands in the air, and vowed, "Never again!"

*dramatization

However, I can only pretend to be a fair weather fan. Alas, I just care too much, so, like so many over my other football related resolutions, that didn't last long. This weekend, Football and I will be spending some quality time together in Missississippi. Last time we were together in Mississississippi, (Starkville. One of the worst -villes I've ever been to) I was...well...I just can't talk about it. The wounds are still too fresh.

This time, though, it's about more than football. This time, I get to go to The Grove, y'all! Ole Miss is supposed to boast one of the best tailgate campuses in the nation and I am so excited! Apparently they really know how to do football in Oxford. I'm not sure they know how to play football (they lost last week to Vandy 30-7), but they sure can do football. I'll try to remember to take pictures...before the game...while we're still happy and hopeful...wopwop.

All that said, there won't be a Fatty Friday post this week. Sorry. I'll try to make it up to you next Friday.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

2011-09-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

I don't do very much grocery shopping. Since I live alone and eat out with CB most nights, it's really not necessary for me to keep food in the house. In fact, it usually just goes bad and I toss it 2 years later. Honestly, the only things I keep in the apartment (besides the occasional leftover carton) are coffee and half and half. Who could ask for anything more?

So, I didn't expect to buy anything at Trader Joe's when I stopped in there for lunch and shampoo yesterday. But then I thought, weeeellll...maybe I'll get some hummus...and crackers...and ravioli...and short, boring story long, I did actual grocery shopping and now I have real-life food in my house. My favorite purchase: dark chocolate caramel with sea salt. It's not voges, but it is delicious at half the price.

I really do love Trader Joe's. In fact, I love it so much I'm thinking about marrying it. If only that was legal. Maybe I can move to Vermont. We probably won't be able to give my mom grandkids, but I think she'd be okay with cheap wine and the occasional Viennese Lemon Cake. She just wants me to be happy.

The only downside to the trip is that now I can't stop thinking about Christmas. I want peppermint and crack jo jo's. I want them real bad. If anyone knows when I'll be able to get them, please tell me so that I know when this agony will end.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

Fatty Friday -- Blind Pig Tavern

2011-09-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the thing that jumps out at me about the Blind Pig's Menu is that almost everything seems to be deep fried. Appetizers, hot dogs, sandwiches, you name it! This, of course, made it very difficult to pick a hamburger as none of them were beer battered or fried. It's a shame, too, because I think a deep-fried burger would have ended the quest then and there.

What the burger selection lacks in deep-friedness, it makes up for in topping choices. It was tough to pick just one of the 16 signature burgers, but after much painful deliberation and agonizing debate, I settled on "The Memphis" - a cheeseburger topped with bacon and peanut butter.

See the peanut butter dripping out the bottom there? Delicious. I used to doubt the goodness of PB on a burger, but I'm a believer now. The burger was really pretty good, but they overcooked the patty. Sad, because it coulda' been a contenda. Overall I have to give this "Brando Burger" a 6 because, well, well done just kills it for me. If you're in Athens, though, and want to try a good PB burger, Clocked will do you one up right.

CB got a burger too, but don't ask me what was on it. I really should pay more attention; however, I was completely distracted by the topping on his fries.

You see that white stuff? I thought it was some weird looking cheese...but it wasn't...it was gravy. In addition to being pro-pb, I am also a believer in gravy on fries now. CB decided that every restaurant should offer gravy as a topping for everything. Like ketchup or mustard. In addition to being dashingly handsome and disarmingly witty, he's also a genius.

I would say the worst part of the meal was definitely the overcooked burgers. The best part was that we got to try new things, so definitely not a wasted night. Also, we bumped into Katherine and her husband Chad, for whom even getting 4 wisdom teeth removed hours prior is not a good enough excuse to miss trivia night. What a champ!

Fondest regards,

The Lady

P.S. The Little Lady and I went to Trader Joe's today and a woman was walking around offering samples of dried seaweed. I politely declined, but TLL totally tried it. How many 8 year olds do you know that would try seaweed. Coolest. Kid. Ever.

Sometimes it's hard to be a woman...

2011-09-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

To be clear, I am NOT dressing up for football. We are in a fight. Not a bad fight because, hey, football seems to be trying, but a fight nonetheless. In fact, I am determined to laze about in sweats and not blow dry my hair or put on makeup until football gets its act together and stops giving the ball away to Steve Spurrier and his cocks.

Wait. What was I talking about? Oh, yes, not putting forth the effort to look my best for football. I do, however, still need to look decent for my friends who, let's face it, are the real reason I get out of bed on Saturday anyhow. So, last Saturday I got up, got dressed in a nice top, flats, and cute jeans (albeit I was sort of slumming in jeans instead of a dress) and walked down to the tailgate all the while listening to my cell "ping" with incoming "WHERE ARE YOU?!?" messages. The friends, who get to the tailgate at 7 am, don't understand why I don't roll in until about 11 am for a 4 pm game. I'm not really sure they understand the whole "Lady of Leisure" thing. Not only do I need my beauty rest, but it would be simply gauche to show up before I am sure everyone else has arrived.

I really do love Game Day in Athens. It is about a mile from my house to the tailgate and the entire stroll is filled with game day music, sound bytes from Larry Munson, kids tossing footballs, men tossing corn hole bags, ladies in dresses, and just a generally idyllic scene of Southern Merriment (so long as you tune out the less idyllic language).

Even if football lets me down (I know, I know, they did really well last week and they're trying. I'll stand by them just like Tammy tells me to), Game Day in general will always be wonderful.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

Fatty Fri...uh...whatever the heck day it is -- Loco's

2011-09-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. Sorry, y'all. I just got so busy Friday what with...and...um...then there was the...okay, okay, I was watching Mad Men on Netflix and I didn't feel like writing. At any rate, I'm doing it now, so quit fussin'.

Thursday night was burger night again, so we went to Loco's. This was a bit of a controversial decision for me as Loco's is a chain; however, it originated in Athens, so we're counting it. I ordered the Redneck Burger medium rare, no onions (it had cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and ketchup...so, your basic cheeseburger).

I don't have a terrible lot to say about it. It was like the Jane Fairfax of burgers. Nothing wrong with it, really, but altogether unremarkable. It was very juicy and kind of a mess to eat, but that was what stood out the most. I'd give it a 6.5. Not the best burger I've had, but certainly not the worst.

CB ordered the salmon and steamed vegetables. I think a burger a week is starting to take its toll.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

dysFUNction

2011-08-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

I'd like to say that Football came back to me on his knees, with flowers, begging me to take it back this season, but it went more like this:

Football: Hey Baby. (wink) You know you can't live without me.
Me: (perhaps a bit too gleefully) Yes! Yes! I do!!! Wait...I mean...I'll think about it.

There are no promises that I'll get treated right this time around. No assurance that I won't be dressing up for empty promises and throwing money at disappointment. But I do love football. And in the end, Football is right. I will take it back every time...as long as Nick Saban is never. Ever. our coach.

There was one teeny weeny little trade off this time around. I will actually be skipping this weekend's opening game to go see family. Sure I decided to go on the trip because I didn't think I'd have a ticket. Maybe I considered canceling my trip once I was offered one. But I'd like for y'all to ignore that little tidbit and consider that I am growing as a person...a person who won't have a t.v. this weekend. And I'll be fine. Really.

For a moment, during last weekend's hurricane hubub, I thought, "Did God send this as a message to tell me to get my butt to the game next week?" I felt a little like Jonah. Maybe I had been reading a little too much Michelle Bachmann's blog. But whatever it was, I was a little worried. God is a Bulldog, you know, but I don't think hurricanes as punishment is really His style. Not since Noah's day, anyhow.

At any rate, whether the weather was my fault or not, next weekend I will be at the game, fully dressed in my Game Day best, butterflies (and tailgate food) in my stomach, standing outside the gates of Sanford Stadium like a schoolgirl awaiting her first date...again. Ah, fall!

Fondest regards,
The Lady

P.S. I picked up some bacon Palmetto Cheese for the first home tailgate. I tested it, of course, and it. was. good. obvi. Totally worth a trip to South Carolina.

Fatty Friday Lite

2011-08-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night I went with the Bible Study kids to a place called Al's #1 Italian Beef. I suppose you can infer from the name that it's not exactly a salad joint. Their signature sandwich is similar to a philly cheesesteak except that they dip the entire thing in au jus before wrapping it up and handing it to you. Eating it felt more like completing some sort of man v. food challenge than just eating dinner. At the end I had a sense of accomplishment and a strong desire to sleep for 3 days. That said, when Thursday evening rolled around, the thought of a hamburger wasn't altogether appealing. Apparently I have a beef threshold. Who knew?

I am, however, a dedicated blogger who has promised her fans a burger review every Friday. This week seemed like a good one, then, to head over to Graze. They have a kind of "build-a-burger" menu featuring a variety of different meats and toppings. We've been a few times and I almost always get the lamb burger with tzatziki (close enough), cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, and tomato and one other burger that I haven't tried before (btw, the patties are only 3 oz., so they're more like sliders). The lamb burger is far and away my favorite which is why I always get.

Last night we chose (from left to right) the grass fed beef with cheddar, lettuce, and tomato; black bean with avocado, sprouts and tomato (mine); fried mozzarella with marinara and pepperoni; and bison with lettuce, tomato, and sauteed onions minus the tomato which was removed and eaten separately at the end (that's right, Sarah)...those were CB's.

I really enjoyed the black bean burger, but did not care for the actual burger which was dry. The problem with itty-bitty patties is that they get overcooked. Also, CB pointed out that the bun to meet ratio was too high. Plus, I forgot to add mayonnaise which was my own dang fault. To be fair, I'm leaving the black bean burger out because it's just pretending to be a burger. Judging the beef one alone, I'm giving it a 3. Definitely my least favorite so far. I would, however, recommend Graze for a number of their other menu options including the lamb burger, the black bean burger, or their salads...also, CB says the fried mozzarella "pizza burger" is delightful.

We're running out of ideas for places to try, so if any current or former Athenians have any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

A Ladies' Luncheon

2011-08-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

There are two kinds of people, y'all, people who eat lunch and people who do lunch. I prefer the later. And nobody makes doing lunch more delightful than The Swan Coach House. So naturally, when The Girl with Curls and I did lunch the other day, that is where we went. In all of its florally upholstered glory.

I don't think I can adequately describe this place except to say that it. is. southahn. And pink. And fancy. Adn it almost made me feel prepared for my first Junior League meeting. I had the tea sandwiches (chicken salad and pimento cheese. Obvi) with the frozen fruit salad. Why doesn't anyone else make frozen fruit salad? Sarah ordered the quiche which did not come with frozen fruit salad, so I'm sure it was not as good. We both had cheese straws, of course.

Before we left, Sarah asked the valet to take our picture. I was asked to step down a step, but I refused. It's not my fault Sarah is part elf.

Enjoy it, because every picture of us for the rest of the year will be taken at tailgates and football games. It's so close I can taste it. In fact, in decidedly unladylike fashion, I pointed out a young man at lunch clad in orange and I leaned over to Sarah and said, "You know how I know it's almost football season? I have the inexplicable urge to hit that guy in the mouth just for wearing orange." Shame on me. I'm just going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he just wasn't thinking. Maybe he's a yankee.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

Fatty Friday -- Double Down edition

2011-08-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't actually consume a double down. Not that I wouldn't. I mean, the idea of replacing bun with meat is kind of genius, but KFC has never really appealed to me. However, let's not kid ourselves into thinking that I am above that kind of gluttony.

Case in point, I downed two burgers yesterday. Forgetting that it was Thursday and Thursday is burger night, I had a burger at lunch. I would have skipped the dinner burger, but I know how you all look forward to Fatty Friday, so I manned up and went in for seconds. I'm just that committed to y'all. And now you get to read about both. You're welcome.

For lunch, the co-w@$kers and I went to Farm Cart. It's a mobile grill that sits outside Farm 255 at lunchtime when the weather cooperates. I love it because they serve simple, locally frown fare just like Farm 255, but at a much lower price. For example, the Farm burger is $14, but the Cart burger is only $6.50. Other than being slightly smaller, I can't tell the difference. Yesterday's burger came with the option of sauteed onions and gruyere or pimento cheese, Duh. No contest. And it was delish. A little juicy and difficult to eat whilst sitting on my bosses couch trying to have a staff meeting, but what can you do? As an added bonus, the pimento cheese dripped out onto my homemade potato chips! I'd give it an 8. Easy.

We are trying to figure out the criteria needed for a restaurant to be Burger-Quest worthy, but last night we limited the options to places where we could watch The Braves. They are really good. In the end, we chose Brett's which is a local West-Siiide joint that is mostly student free because it's in one of the less frequented shopping centers. We like it because the food is good and they have a TON of options to choose from, including 8 burger options. CB settled on the Brett's Burger with bacon and jarlsburg on't while I chose the Corpus Christie with barbeque sauce and pineapple chunks. We both got the sweet potater-tots. Obvi.

The burgers were really, really good. Cooked just right and the bun was delicious. My only complaint was that a slice of pineapple would be easier to eat than pineapple chunks. CB said this was his favorite burger so far, giving it a 7.75 (7.5 for the actual burger + .25 bonus for having sweet potater-tots). He probably would have given it higher marks had it not been for the poppy seeds on the bun. I'd agree with his score, solid burger, but not my favorite.

While Brett's may not have won last night, the Braves did. Way to go, Chip! Sorry I called you old.

Fondest regards,

The Lady

Fatty Friday (on Saturday) -- Allen's

2011-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

No Athens burger quest is complete without a trip to Allen's, a Classic City classic which boldly claims to have the best burger in town. Allen's has been around forever and was, apparently, a big tradition "back in the day." The original location closed down a few years ago and people freaked out. You would have thought it was the end of food as we know it the way people flocked to get one last burger. Hello! If it's so good, why weren't you eating there all along? Some people were so upset that they reopened Allen's in a different location and that is where we dined the other night.

There were two burgers to choose from, the 4 oz. Allen's burger and the 8 oz. Billy's burger. Not knowing which one was supposed to be the best in Athens, we each got an Allen's burger and split a Billy's burger.

As we started eating, I was reminded of an episode of Parks and Rec where Ron and Chris have a burger cookoff. Chris makes super healthy, super fancy turkey burgers with fresh ingredients and the judges love them. Then, Ron slaps down plain 50/50 burgers on buns and wins the contest. I tried to find a clip for y'all, but I couldn't. Sorry.

Anyway, Allen's went with the less is more approach and it works. The only complaint I had was that the smaller burger was dry. Otherwise, CB and I agreed that the food was pretty delicious. In fact, CB said it was his favorite burger so far. I am still partial to The Royal Peasant, but was pleasantly surprised at how good Allen's was. I'd give it a 7. What, exactly, does that mean. I don't know.

Fondest regards,

The Lady