Let’s face it, sometimes you get behind on laundry.  The worst is when that outfit that you planned on wearing to your special date (or even your kids little league uniform) isn’t ready when you need it to be.  You might not even realize it until you’re getting ready to head out of the apartment.  So what do you do?  If you’re like me, you try to run it through the washing machine really fast and hope that your dryer can dry it in time.

Well, for the “laundry-challenged” people in the world like us, there is help!  I just found this video on YouTube and it has a great tip on how to help dry clothes faster in the dryer.  The actress is pretty funny too.  Love the accent!  Check it out!

Repo Men

Remy and Jake are best friends and The Union’s most dangerous repossession men, reclaiming top-dollar organs when recipients fall behind on their payments. But after an on-the-job accident forces Remy to be outfitted with a top-of-the-line heart replacement, he finds himself in debt and unable to pay. Now, the hunter becomes the hunted as Jake will stop at nothing to track him down to finish the job. Rated R.

Just watched this movie and all I can say is WOW.  Great film and definitely worth the $1 rental fee.  If I knew it was this good, I may have even gone to see it in the theaters.  Let’s just start with the acting.  With Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, you know that you’re getting top-notch performances.  But what I liked about Repo Men was that there were so many themes presented.  There was a little something in there for everyone to soak in.  The future of society’s morals, medical technology advancement, the steadily increasing power of big business – all of these are topics that you’ll see touched on.

I also like the fact that the DVD gave me the option of watching the “unrated” or the “theatrical” version.  You don’t always get that option with a DVD rental.  Anyway, check it out.  The closest Redbox kiosks to Rosemont are at Wal-Mart (970 Mansell Rd), Kroger (570 E Crossville Rd) and Sam’s Mart (10761 Alpharetta Hwy).

Do you currently carry renter’s insurance?  Rosemont Apartments strongly advises their residents to get a policy.  It’s really not as expensive as you may think.  In fact, you can save money on your policy in quite a few ways.  Here is one in an article I found about saving money on renter’s insurance.  Check out this video too.

Smoke Alarms: Preventing a fire loss is important to you and especially to you renter’s insurance company. Claims due to fire are very expensive and renter’s insurance companies often will give an additional discount for even one fire alarm permanently fixed in the apartment. Please, even if your company does not offer a discount, take the time to install one anyway.

The Bleu Burger at the Salt Factory

Are you familiar with the term “gastropub?”  With the nature of my work, I’ve been reading a lot of restaurant reviews and “where to eat” articles in a nice variety of different cities.  More and more frequently, the word “gastropub” keeps popping up.  I know “gastro” is the greek root for the word “stomach” and “pub”, that’s short for “public house”…a intimately set place in the neighborhood that people go to get a drink and a bite to eat.  But where did this new combo word come from?

As it turns out, the term “gastropub” was born during the mid 90’s when some genius british chef’s realized that there was a market for pubs that served a quality of food slightly higher than the typical fish and chips (or burger and fries in the States) to a somewhat more upscale clientele.  In general, the menu of a modern gastropub is much more expansive than a typical pub.

In the Roswell area, the Salt Factory (952 Canton St.)  in downtown Roswell is a great example of a gastropub.  It has a elegantly quaint setting that may have you thinking your drinking your pint at common British watering hole, but one look at the menu and you’ll know that what your about to eat will be anything but ordinary.  Ironically, one of the most popular items on the menu happens to be their “Bleu Burger”….which is pretty much a glorified bacon cheeseburger with a little chow chow on the side.  Check them out next time you get hungry!

Anyone planning to go see Lottery Ticket when it hits Atlanta theaters this weekend?  It looks like it might actually be pretty good.  It’s about a young guy named Kevin Carson (played by actor/rapper Bow Wow) who hits the lottery for a cool $350 million.  Apparently, that was the easy part.  Hanging on to the ticket over the long weekend until the lottery office reopens is the challenge…especially when the neighborhood thugs and and slick talking pastors get wind to his fortune.

Check out the trailer below.  As always, here are showtimes for theaters around the Roswell/Alpharetta area: AMC Mansell Crossing 14, Studio Movie Grill – Holcomb Bridge Rd, UA North Point Market 8 and Big Cinemas Peachtree 8.

Take me out to the ballgame!

Do you enjoy baseball?  How about your dog…does he/she enjoy a good game?  Well, the Atlanta Braves certainly hope so.  On August 29, when the NL East leading Braves host the Florida Marlins, dog-loving fans are invited to Bark in the Park, a promotion that allows you to bring your dog with you to the game.  Just think, you and your pooch can finally spend some quality time together doing something that you both enjoy.

The Braves organization will transform Coca-Cola Sky Field into doggie heaven.  Don’t worry about water for Fido either.  They will have watering holes for your dog to drink from, as well as a veterinarian on-site should they get sick.  Even little dog pools will be available so they can jump in and cool off.

While the game starts at 1:35 p.m., dog-owners and pets are welcome to come through the gates as early as 11:00 a.m. in order to get situated and enjoy pre-game festivities.  One important thing you should note though – you can not just show up on the 29th with your dog.  The Braves are selling a combined “One human/One dog” ticket for $25 and they are only available through advanced purchase.  You will also need proof of certain vaccinations in order to get a ticket.  Additional “human tickets” are only $12.  For more information on Bark in the Park, call 404.522.7630.

(Photo Credit: misschatter)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Credit: AllRecipes.com

The Ghost Writer

When a gifted ghostwriter is hired to write the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, he quickly finds himself trapped in a web of political and sexual intrigue. Lang is implicated in a scandal over his administration’s harsh tactics, and as the ghostwriter digs into the politician’s past, he discovers secrets that threaten to jeopardize international relations forever.  Rated PG-13.

To be honest, The Ghost Writer wasn’t the movie I thought I was renting.  As I was looking through Redbox new releases and saw it, I began to recall seeing a preview for a movie starring Pierce Brosnan (at least I think it was him) in which he was terrorizing a married couple.  There was lots of action and shooting.  That’s the type of movie I thought I was renting.  That was not The Ghost Writer at all.

With that being said, I was pleasantly surprised after I watched it.  There was just enough suspense and mystery to the plot to keep me interested throughout.  Brosnan is a great actor himself, but Ewan Mcgregor in the lead role was very believable too.  I was never lost on the plot and the movie has an ending that is somewhat mysterious…which I like.

The closest Redbox kiosks to Rosemont are at Wal-Mart (970 Mansell Rd), Kroger (570 E Crossville Rd) and Sam’s Mart (10761 Alpharetta Hwy).

Look at that...soft, chewy, creamy goodness!

There is nothing better in the morning for breakfast a fresh, lightly toasted New York-style bagel with a generous smear of cream cheese and lox.  My personal preference is the “everything” bagel.  It has sesame seeds, poppy seeds, salt and onion bits baked on top.  Anyway, before I start getting hungry, let me get back to the purpose of this blog post.  It’s to tell all you Rosemont neighbors about the best bagel shop in the Roswell-Alpharetta area.

BB’s Bagels & Diner (770 McFarland Parkway, Alpharetta, 770-475-1818), owned and operated by New York transplants Eddie and Anna Siino, are probably a step above any other bagel that you may find in the entire metro Atlanta area.  And from a bagel aficionado such as myself, that is saying a lot.  Getting a bagel just right takes skill.  It can’t be too tough, it can’t be too soft.  And it has to just the right amount of shine and chewiness.  Trust me, BB’s knows how it should be done.  And the cream cheese schmear…just right.  Not too little, not too much.

Expect to find all of the classic bagel flavors, such as salt, sesame, and pumpernickel.  But also check out some of the unique flavors, like “chocolate chip” and “french toast”.  Drop by and give them a try when you get a chance, and stop back here to let me know what you think.

(Photo Credit: mukluk)

Anyone into yoga? Certainly there are at least a few people over here at Rosemont who either practice it or are interested in learning more.

Yoga, which means “to unite” in Sanskrit, promotes awareness of the body’s physical and mental partnership. It is a holistic approach that intimately relates the mind, body, breath and spirit as a working totality. Understanding their correlation leads to a connection with universal life energy. The clarity that follows this practice paves the path towards emotional, physical and spiritual development. – The Open Mind Center (Roswell, GA)

Over recent years, it’s popularity within the Unites States has grown at a rapid pace.  I guess more and more people, both men and women, are realizing that there is a real benefit to a strong mind-body connection.

Now there are different styles of yoga that have become popular, each with it’s own specialized benefits.  Hatha, Bikram, Kundalini and Svaroopa are a few.  I believe Hatha is the most popular.  I’m just starting to learn more about yoga myself, so I’m not exactly sure how the styles differ.

There is actually a Hatha yoga class that starts on August 12 here in Roswell.  The class is called “Hot Yoga” because they keep the room temperature between 90F – 105F!  Interested?  You can drop in on a class at The Open Mind Center (1575 Old Alabama Rd., Suite 213) on Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30-p.m. and Saturdays from 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.   The cost is only $19 for one class, or you can purchase a pack of classes at a discounted rate.  For more info, call 678-243-5074.