Kick-*ss F*ckin Chile

2 cans Trader Joes organic vegetarian chile
1 can Trader Joes organic diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 big can plum tomatoes
1 small can green chiles
1/2 andouille sausage diced
4 strips turkey bacon crumbled
1/2 cup water

Pour ingredients into crockpot, stir and heat.
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped ripe avocado, and crackers.

-- Post From My iPhone

Christmas Traditions

I'm feeling particularly "Christmasy" today, so I wanted to document my Christmas Traditions. Everyone had different traditions, here are some of mine:

1) Hanging the mistletoe around the house. We have 3 sprigs of it now, so I like to surprise my hubby with kisses in various doorways and hallways.

2) Jingle Dog - we have a red velvet collar with white fur and jingle bells on it, for Sport. At first he hates it, but since we leave it on him all month, he gets used to it. I call him my Jingle Dog!

3) Decorating the tree on Black Friday. Maybe it's weird, but I like to be respectful of Thanksgiving and not decorate until after. But the moment it's over, I start putting up my tree and decorations. Christmas is my fave holiday! I've got it down to a science, and usually all the decorations are done within 2 hours or so.

4) The Christmas Music Collection - I have been gradually collecting Christmas music for years now. I keep them in a case, that I pull out once a year. Then we rotate through all the CDs. New to the collection this year (compliments of Aunt Julie) are "Christmas with the Rat Pack" and "Diana Krall Christmas Songs." So far the Rat Pack is my fave, but I love them both.

5)Starbucks Christmas Blend Coffee - I treat myself a few mornings before Christmas, and sometimes even buy a bag of the coffee beans to grind & brew at home, although somehow the store's brew always seems to taste better. If you haven't tried it, you MUST drink some at least once. Delicious!

6) The Ham. Matt insists that either Thanksgiving or Christmas (one of the 2) HAS to have a Honeybaked Ham. He goes CRAZY for it (almost as crazy as the dog). I like Turkey on Thanksgiving, so usually Christmas is the HAM. No exception this year either. I picked it up yesterday.

7) Wearin' O the Red & Green - Over the years people give me funky socks (Santa Socks, Grinch Socks, etc). So I try to use them in the month of December. I even have a pair of Red Shoes I don, with my Christmasy outfits. No, I do NOT do the ugly sweater thing, unless it's for an Ugly Sweater party. I'm more about solid colors, some patterns, and I have a Nutcracker pin I like to put on my jacket. Winter Scarves are definitely in - so long a they are real scarves, not the fru-fru old-lady-kind. Still gotta be the Sexy Mrs. Lane ya know!

8) Santa Hats - once in a while we'll put on the Santa Hats. Not for long though. Most of the time the are hanging around my house on various lamps, curtain rods, or on my stuffed Grinch (he who guards my Poang Chair in the den...). good party accessory!

9) The Annual Christmas Card - I start planning mine in October. no seriously. Being married to a photographer has its perks, but we like to choreograph the perfect card. We start brainstorming early. Also, considering the time it takes to order the cards, have them printed, delivered to us, address them all, stamp them, mail them, etc, it takes a few weeks. I usually have them in the mail the day after Thanksgiving, if I can. Not that it's a competition, but I like being the FIRST card people see (I know that is super silly) but it's my "planning-ahead-ness" and I can't help it. Then I spend the rest of November/December, enjoying getting cards in the mail all month long. We hang them on a snowflake/shaped iron thingie that I hang in the dining room so I can see them all the time.

10) Eggnog - Matt loves Eggnog. I like it too, but I like it to have a kick. I used to get Silk Soynog (which is still tasty), but it is not so good for mixing with other things. Now-a-days I like the "Evan Williams Eggnog" - it comes pre-spiked with whiskey/bourbon, vanilla, caramel, flavors. oooh yes! No mixing required, and since it's alcoholic, we tend to drink it in smaller portions, and I only end up buying the one bottle. Previously, we'd have 2 bottles of eggnog (non-alcoholic) in the fridge, and that's like twice the calories, ug. Let's just do it Evan Williams way!

11) Year-round Christmas Shopping - now this may sound silly to you, but I love it. Throughout the year, I buy or collect gifts that I may use for Christmas Presents. I like this for several reasons: my gifts tend to be more unique or special to the recipient, the cost is spread across 12 months, not just all in 1 month, I beat the holiday rush of INSANE-SHOPPERS, and I can have my gifts wrapped as soon as I want to instead of all at the end of the year. Also, once the tree is up, I can just put these gifts under the tree right away!

12) Calendars, Day Planners, and Schedules - oh my! Being a plan-ahead-kind-of-gal, I really love Christmas time, because I get to give myself a NEW calendar/day planner/etc. It helps keep me organized for the coming year. It's also a great time to have everyone send you their latest current address/phone so you can update your contact list. This year I am getting more digital and less dependant on paper planners/calendars. My contacts and calendar are both on my gmail account, which is backed up and synched with my iPhone. I also have backup copies of the contacts in my Outlook at work, and my Yahoo account. So check it out, never will I worry about losing the info! It's also a great time to look ahead at the next year and figure out when I tentatively may want to book vacations or parties. Gmail even has a feature in the calendar, where you can add an appointment or event, AND invite more people! Kind of like a mini-Evite. It's great for "Save the date" type actions. and the best part is, it's FREE!

13) Reuse & Recycle - Call me Thrifty, but if you gift me a gift bag and tissue paper... I typically will save it and reuse it next year. Yes indeed. Why not use that Gift Bag more than once? Straighten and refold that pretty tissue paper, let's reuse it! Heck it's GREEN friendly too! Of course I don't reuse the ripped or torn things, but that is rare these days. And yes, I'll admit it. I also re-gift sometimes. Not a lot, but once in a while. Sometimes a well-meaning person will give me a fabulous gift, but it just isn't my thing. So, I will find it a better home. Of course usually the giver will have no idea at all that this ever happened. I don't want to hurt their feelings. I used to feel a teeny bit guilty about re-gifting until I caught my Mom doing it. It must be genetic. Anyway, it's totally another way to recycle things!

14) Gift Cards - Every year, I ask for Gift Cards for Christmas. I don't necessarily need a gift, I just want the gift cards. Why? Because I like to shop. AND as you know, EVERYTHING goes on sale After Christmas and through the beginning of the New Year! So, Gift cards let me SHOP and SAVE, what's not to like? It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Supplement-IT Launch Party at Solstice Cafe

Our friends from SMAZEN Enterprises LLC and the E.K. Morrell Group are hosting a Holiday Happy Hour to celebrate the launching of Supplement-IT, and giveaway prizes and coupons for Erika's Massage Services.
Did I mention there will be drink specials, prize drawings, and a special appearance by "The Supplement-IT Girls" ? no? well check it out ya'll! THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th at 7pm, SOLSTICE CAFE in Grant Park.

Supplement-IT is the FIRST dietary vitamin supplement, made for IT Professionals by IT Professionals. Check out their website for more information. http://www.supplement-it.com

E.K. Morrell Group's Site. http://www.erikamorrell.net

Promo Video for the Party from Bob Dylan.

FaceBook Invite for the Party.

New Year's Eve at Solstice Cafe

So far we have 19 people. I went ahead and put in a reservation for us. It's in my name and on my credit card, so if you need to back out, please let me know in advance. 38 hr cancellation notice is required or I have to pay (don't make me come find you, lol).

The Prix-Fixe Menu (scroll to bottom of this post) includes the Champagne Toast at midnight, and is $45 + 18% gratuity (due to the large party. aka $54.

So bring cash for your meal ($54/person). Other drinks are extra (recommend running a separate tab for that at the bar, keeps it more organized for the server.
Again you can bring your own bottle of something, but there's a $10 corking fee per bottle. Let's bring a few Magnum sized bottles of wine to share, right? ha!

New Years Eve 4-Course Dinner $45 at Solstice Cafe
Vegetarian option available (V)
Includes Champagne Toast
Please add 18% gratuity for large parties.
1st Course – Choice Of:
Carrot Soup
Braised Short Rib & Horseradish Cream
Chipolini Onion Brodo
With Mitake Mushrooms (V)

2nd Course – Choice Of:
Chopped House SaladGrilled Red Onion, Chic Peas, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese, Tomato, Cucumber, Age Sherry Vinaigrette (V)
Solstice SaladStrawberries, Apples, Walnuts, Gorgonzola and Balsamic Vinaigrette (V)

3rd Course – Choice Of:
Pastrami Smoked Salmon
Horseradish Bilinis, Capers and Red Onion Marmalade
Potato Gnocchi
Chestnuts, House Made Fennel Sausage and Parmesan-Olive oil Emulsion (V)
Beef CarpaccioWhole Grain Mustard Aioli, Fried Capers, Parmesan, Smoked Sea Salt

4th Course – Choice Of:
Lamb Shanks
Confit Yukon Gold Potatoes and San Marzano Tomato Ragu
Tuna “Wellington”
Porcini Mushrooms, Spinach, Foie Gras and Red Wine Sauce
Filet Mignon
Rosemary Fries, Haricot Verts and Black Truffle Hollandaise
Butternut Squash Raviolis
Toasted Hazelnuts, Sage Whipped Mascarpone and Brown Butter (V)

Solstice Cafe | 562 Boulevard SE | Atlanta, GA 30312 | 404-622-1976 |

New York New York Pictures & Movie Links

NYC Movies: http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk303/vslane/NewYork2009/
Abbie has multiple NYC Photo Albums on her FaceBook Site. Look under her albums for the following:
1. New York Dining, Dogs, and Death by Culinary Ecstasy
2. Last Day in NY
3. Winters Eve 2009 Highlights
4. MoMA - Museum of Modern Art
5. Bar Boulud
6. NY Celebrity Sighting
7. Macys Thanksgiving Parade
8. Balloon Inflation
Matt's Photos: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/10588422_tmaeF#735859682_KSikL
Abbie was a guest blogger for MyUpperWest, check it out: http://myupperwest.com/upper-west-side/winters-eve-recap/
Winters Eve Movies: : http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk303/vslane/Winters Eve 2009 Lincoln Square/

New York New York Last Day

Tuesday, December 1st -
Central Park morning
Lansky's Deli for another PLT
Flight Cancelled, but not
Last walk with Frank
Cab Ride home

New York New York Day 8

Monday, November 30th -
Emerald Inn - Chicken Pot Pie
Regis Sighting!
ISAW Photos in Central Park
Time Warner Center
Touristy-Shopping & Tasti-D-Lite
Much Needed Reflexology Session
Picking up the Laundry
Winter's Eve Festival!

New York New York Day 7

Sunday November 29th -
Leftovers
Home Brewed Starbucks Christmas Blend Coffee in the Krups!
Battery Park
Hot Dogs from a Vendor
Site of the World Trade Center Towers
Century 21 Shopping Wonderland - Matt's coat, my new purse
Santa Fe - Rosangel
67 Wine - Santa Julia Malbec, Mollydooker Two Left Feet

New York New York Day 6

Saturday, November 28th -
Starbucks Christmas Blend
Brunch with Gulru & Turkish Delight at the Central Park Boathouse
5th Avenue stroll to Tiffany's
EAST VILLAGE
Prune - Bone Marrow, Apple Pie A La Mode,
Cellar 58 - Bulgarian Wine?
The Continental - 5 shots of anything for $10. yeah, CRAZY!
Learning my ABC's-
Blue and Gold Bar
Porch
Duke's
Sunflower Deli with Kymry
Blessed Sleep and WHAT no Hangover? AWESOME!

New York New York Day 5

Friday, November 27th -
Levain Bakery - a 6 ounce dark chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips, and amazing Coffee!
National History Musuem - apparently where all the Black Friday KIDS go. It was MAYHEM!
Gray's Papaya
Shop a Little
La Traviata Pizza
Morrell Wine Bar - Mollydooker The Boxer

New York New York Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 26th - Thanksgiving Day!
Lauren & Torrey left at the crack of dawn to catch an early flight.
We slept in some, but I dragged myself out of bed at 7am. Frank was trying to wake me up, I could tell. And I wanted to get him a walk before they put up the barricades for the Macy's Parade. I threw on some clothes, and my puffer vest, and off we went. Thankfully, even though Central Park West was barricaded, the crosswalk was still open. So we passed several families (setting up their spot on the corners), and ran over to Central Park. Frank did his business, and it was quick. He seemed to know something big was about to happen. He was also on his best behavior. He stayed with me, and weaved in and out of crowds of people, as we made our way back to the crosswalk. OH CRAP, now the crosswalks were barricaded! How would we get back to the apartment? I wasn't about to walk miles north to W 79th street to get around the parade. Heck no! Frank and I stood helplessly at the crosswalk, wondering what to do. Suddenly, I noticed a family ducking under the barricades and crossing the street to my side. OOH it WAS possible? I squeezed myself through a barricade, but then had to worry about Frank and his leash. I let him walk under one, but then I had to get his leash untangled. Bless his heart. He just put his paws on top the barricade and waited for me to get the leash figured out. Meanwhile, the crowd just LOVED him. Everyone was petting him, and oohing and saying "what a good dog!" and "my he is SOFT", and Frank was just eating up the attention. We crossed the street, and thankfully, the policeman was there, and I politely explained that we had to get through to our apartment. He was very kind, and physically moved one of the barricades to let us into our sidewalk. I thanked him. Another family we passed on the curb, had a little toddler. The cherub couldn't have been more than 1 yr old, just barely walking. The father asked if he could pet Frank. Of course I said. I also let them know that I was just dogsitting, so I kept a firm grip on Frank's collar while the toddler pet him. It was just the perfect moment. They thanked me, and then Frank and I weaved past the other clumps of people squatting along the street, and back to the apartment. Matt was still asleep. :-D
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We opted to run out to Breadsoul Cafe again for a quick breakfast, and then back to view the parade. By the time we finished eating it was 8am. People were passing us with portable chairs, ladders, blankets, kids in tow, strollers, and all heading towards Central Park. Unbelievably, everyone was in high spirits, and very friendly. Matt and I decided the crowd at the end of our street was too packed for us, so we split up (he with his camera) and I with mine. Matt would take a few shots, and then go back to the apartment to watch the parade on TV and football. I was determined to watch the ENTIRE parade. Gradually I inched my way through the throng of people up towards the front corner of the street and Central Park West. When the first Balloon came into sight, I actually had tears in my eyes. There is NOTHING like watching the Macy's Parade LIVE and in person. The TV just can't convey the electric enthusiasm of the crowd and performers. It was exhilirating!
It was hard to believe I stood there, snapping away photos, waving back at the parade float celebrities, and singing along with the marching bands, for TWO hours in the cold. But it was so worth it!
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Afterwards, I went back to the apartment and had Matt rewind the DVR so I could watch the parade again. Then it was time to shower and get ready for lunch.
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We had 1:30pm Reservations at Bar Boulud for Thanksgiving Lunch. They had a Prix-Fixe Menu, and it was DIVINE!
I love how close everything is in NYC. We almost literally crossed the street and rounded the corner and BOOM we were there.
We splurged on 2 glasses each of one of the best wines I've ever had! It was a 2005 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel Magnum.
My menu choices were:
Soupe De Potiron - roasted butternut squash soup, candied pumpkin seeds, pomegranate molassas
Roasted Heritage Turkey - Corn Bread Stuffing (with giblets),haricorts verts, classic cranberry sauce, turkey gravy
Gratin De Pommes - Local granny smith apple butter, rouign amann cake, apple cider sorbet
Matthew had:
Coquilles Saint-Jacques - seared Maine diver sea scallops, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, almonds
Roasted Heritage Turkey - Corn Bread Stuffing (with giblets),haricorts verts, classic cranberry sauce, turkey gravy
Tarte Au Chocolat - bittersweet chocolate tart
and
Although we ordered only 2, we ended up tasting all 3 desserts (they gave us a free one)
Coupe De Potiron Confit - Pumpkin and Cranberry confit, toffee pudding cake, orange-caramel ice cream
It was just delicious!!!
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Then we "waddled" back home, to watch football and relax. After all, the Cowboys were playing, that's Matt's Team!
In our new tradition (since I learned about it from Wine Club), we had some Beaujolais Nouveau to celebrate Thanksgiving.
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Took Frank on his nightly walk, and fed him. We played fetch with his ball some too. He really loves to play!
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We planned to go to Sushi at Haru or Amber, but Amber was closed, as we walked up the street, and we ran into a place called Sushi Gari, quite by accident. It was delicious, but the night was cold, everything was closed, and NYC felt empty for once.
We went home to enjoy some more wine and watch TV before bedtime.

New York, New York Day 3

Wednesday, November 25th
BreadSoul Cafe - where we dined for breafast (delicious and inexpensive)!
MoMA - had to do the Art thing. We saw Van Gogh's Starry Night, and the Claude Monet exhibit as the highlights of the day.
Rosie O'Grady's - where we went to lunch. We shared the Maryland Crabcakes, fries, and I had wine while Matt had Stella. Gorgeous Irish Pub!
67 Wine - where we bought wine for Thanksgiving Day. YES they had the Beaujolais Noveau Georges Duboeuf.
Dinner @ Alachi Masala with Kymry. After Lauren came home, we hitched a cab over to an Indian restaurant, where we met Kymry. We hadn't seen our dear friend in almost a year, so it was nice to get to visit with her again. This restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, but they will let you bring your own. So I brought some with us.
Macys Balloon Inflation Ceremony - Lauren took us to this event.
Then we walked back towards the apartment, stopping at a deli for desserts & a quick stop at the wine store. Back to the apartment (hiked up the 5 flights of stairs), and then much drinking and visiting with our pals.

New York, New York Day 2

Tuesday, November 24th - Lauren and Torrey had to work. We slept in late, then walked up the street to Lansky's Deli. Torrey recommended we try it. Matt had the PLT (aka Pastrami, Lettuce, Tomato) sandwich with fries. I had a burger with cheese. I was so hungry! Everything came with coleslaw and pickles. Matt was in heaven over the pickles. I was in heaven over my Burger and Fries. Everything was delicious! Hit the spot! Of course we could only eat 1/2 of our food, so we packed it up to take back with us.
We made a mental note that Lansky's will make you a Central Park Lunch Basket for 2, and I thought perhaps we'd do that later on during our stay.
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We stopped at a wine store along the way. I wanted something for dinner that night. Lauren had offered to cook up some cucumber/Thai dish, so we picked some wine to go with that. We grabbed a Sauvignon Blanc and a Malbec (I think? it has been a while so I forget). Lauren also had a bigger bottle that they hadn't finished yet. Matt insisted on a nap that afternoon (and since it was just Tuesday, I said OK).
Torrey was in and out most of the day, and we also learned Frank's routine so we'd be able to care for him while they were on vacation.
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We had a glass of vino ready for Lauren when she got home. Then we all ended up hanging out, talking and listening to music, while she made dinner. Since the kitchen was right next to the living room, Lauren could hang with us while she was chopping up the food. We had a lovely time chatting over the wine, and into the wee hours of the evening, and finally we had to get to sleep around midnight.
Whew!

New York, New York Day 1

This year, we had the wonderful opportunity to help out a friend AND have a fabulous vacation in the Big Apple. Our dear friend's Lauren & Torrey wanted to spend Thanksgiving with their family in Colorado, but they needed a sitter for their beloved dog Frank. Besides the obvious perk of caring for a smart, polite, and very well-trained dog - we had free lodging in Manhattan for 8 days. Their lovely apartment is situated 1/2 block from Central Park West (for walking Frank every morning), and very close to Lincoln Square. OF COURSE we offered to dog-sit. Why NOT?
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My dear friend Marybeth, sent me "Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to NYC" about 2 weeks before the trip. I've almost read it cover-to-cover, bookmarked it, dog-eared the pages, carted it all over Manhattan, and it has been the BEST gift EVER. We couldn't have had the culinary ecstasy of a vacation without this book. THANK YOU MARYBETH!!!
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Monday Nov 23rd, we flew in. I was just starting to come down with a cold, but was lucky to only have Monday feeling ill, but recovering nicely on Tuesday. We arrived late that night, and Frank was super excited to see us. Lauren & Torrey were glad also, but it was super late (delays with the trains/subways and our Manhattan navigation abilities). Matt has decided that he does not CARE anymore if it's a $90 cab ride, he's paying for us to ride stress-lessly in one vehicle to our destination from the airport. No more hopping onto NJ Transit, then Subway, then Walking, then up 5-flights of stairs - all the while carting around each of our 40pound suitcases. We got a WORK OUT! Anyway, I enjoy the bustle, it's totally my thing.

Varasano's, Vino, and Va-Nuptials?

Didn't realize how long it has been since I've updated this blog. Whew!
Saturday the 7th
Whilst the men enjoyed a bachelor party, I went on to my dear friend Mina's birthday bash at Varasano's. I thought I'd had everything, but you seriously have GOT to try Varasano's Pizza. It is truly amazing! Very delicious! Great Wine options, and My favorite pizza so far is the Nucci pizza on their menu. They also have a clam pizza among other daring adventures, but the Nucci was spectacular!
The owner is a math-fun guy, so the V in his logo is a square root. Also he's a Rubik's cube champ, so the dessert comes out with a raspberry coulis written cube-root around the chocolate demise pie. Yes that was a pun in baking.
As if the pizza weren't tasty enough, the desserts are just, well, I found myself smudged in chocolate demise. mmm!
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Tuesday was Wine Club, we tasted Gamay (the varietal) also called Beaujolais. You can read more about that in the Wine Club Blog. I hosted and it was amazingly delicious! Love it!
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Saturday the 14th
Our dear friends Minsoo & Sarah, tied the knot! There was a ton of Korean food options, and at the end of the buffet line was the Americanized food. I had already piled up on the Korean stuff, so I barely had room for the beef tenderloin. However, it was super yummy! They had some spicy kimchee, wowza!
The bride's dress was just gorgeous. The music was fun, and we pretty much danced the night away.
At the end of the reception, they were giving away the alcohol, so we took a box home. Thanks Minsoo & Sarah! Great wedding all around!
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Sunday we did a photo shoot for the upcoming Voyeur Magazine issue (tentatively scheduled for release at the end of December). I'm not giving away any hints. It's faboo!
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Today is National Baklava Day, although for once in my life, I was too tired to make it this year. I've just been SO busy with work, and prepping for the trip, it would be too much. However, when I go visit Grandpa in a few weeks, I'll be making some at his house. Never fear. The Baklava will reappear! at some point.
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Saturday night we are looking forward to the Dixie Pin-up Party to celebrate their calendar release. And then Monday it's off to the BIG APPLE! woo hoo!

Sniffling through the Season

Well it's been a bizarre week post-party-month.
My Auntie Julie told me about how she went Low-Carb and took Wheat Gluten out of her diet, and promptly lost 50 pounds (over the course of a year). She looks fabulous btw.
Not long after that, my parents did a detox and started slowly introducing foods back into their diet, and they discovered that they both had issues with Wheat Gluten and Dairy. My dad especially (Auntie Julie is his sister), has had terrible allergies and asthma his whole life. He would take his inhaler DAILY. Now he has figured out that he only needs his inhaler when he eats gluten or dairy or refined sugar. Go figure. It took the family a good 31 yrs of my life to figure this out. Anyway, good to know.
I was sorely ticked off at first, because I'd actually PAID a damn allergist to test me for issues with Wheat Gluten, Dairy, etc. And nothing showed up except Bananas and Shellfish. 1) I don't eat bananas anyway, I don't like them. 2) I rarely eat shellfish, and when I do, I have not had any issues. and 3) If my weight issues ARE gluten/dairy related, then why the hell didn't THAT show up on my test? My OB/GYN tells me that the allergy tests can only show true allergies, not "food sensitivities" blah blah blah.
Well well.
I guess once that inordinately large Birthday Cake, and gallon of Birthday Ice Cream is gone, then I can start doing the dairy/gluten free thing.
Oh that will suck, I LOVE, love, love cheese, and eggs (do eggs count?).
At least Wine is gluten and dairy free, right?
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To add insult to injury, I started having sniffles almost daily now, in the mornings. At first I thought I was getting sick, and thus I have been working at home this week, but now, I'm rather inclined to think it's allergies. I DO have half-n-half in my coffee every morning. And we've been slowly eating away at that cake. Hmmm...
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In other news, we are knee-deep in planning our Thanksgiving vacation. This year, we are going to The Big Apple to dog-sit. Yeah that sounds weird, but think about it. The most well-behaved dog (next to mine of course) in history ... Free room and board in an apartment 1/2 block from Central Park... RIGHT on the Macy's Parade route...romantic time alone with the hubby...7 gorgeous days to explore the city and wine and dine ourselves...ooh I cannot wait!
Not that we are avoiding family, but all our trips this year have been family or work related, and it is nice to finally be ALONE and get to do OUR thing.
Love to the fam, but we are "do-not-disturb" for Thanksgiving this year.

Party, Party, Party, and Party some more...

I'm very relieved to discover I'm NOT too old for this. We have been partying our little tooshies off! Let me try to recap...
Saturday the 17th -
West Grant Park Neighborhood Block Party - this was a nice tame party with kids, parents, a bonfire, and live music. It was also the first FREEZING cold night of the year here, so everybody was bundled up to the gills. I made Fajita Chili, with green chile peppers in it. very good hit, but hard to keep warm, even in the crock pot, as everything was outdoors for this party. Thankfully, someone got me a power cable to run to my crockpot plug, but it took so long to warm up, it wasn't devoured before we had to leave. We did have some fun though. Chris and Mina and little Ian were there, it was fun. Then we skeddaddled on over to Alex's party that evening.
Alex's Divorce Party - the man is finally free, and we celebrated as he requested. With a night at his favorite debaucherized establishment. I wore my pole party shirt in honor of the event. (no pics allowed, we were at the PP, hee hee hee!).
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Friday the 23rd
Dinner at Serpas - We tried a new restaurant called Serpas. It's located in Studioplex lofts on Auburn. The moment we walked in the door, one of our songs started up - Lover's Lane Island Paradise. Oh yeah. Groovy music as they walk you to your table. The food was to DIE for (so good), and the wine was amazing also. Delicious! Then we walked down 2 doors to Matt Odom's Photography Show at Art Department - I bought one of his pieces called "Dirty Hands". We originally met Matt in Castleberry Hill at the Atlanta Photographer's Guild meet up at Elliott Street Pub. He and his girlfriend Ashley are just awesome/adorable/fun/creative people. We love hanging out with them.
Then we skipped on over to The Porter (a pub in Little 5 Points) with some friends, and finally back home.
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Saturday the 24th
The Double-A Birthday Basher Matt's Photos. As is the case every year, I have to compete with Halloween for my birthday. This year Alex and I did a joint party the weekend between our birthdays, and it ended up being a total blast! Much better turn out, since folks weren't having Halloween conflicts. Such an awesome party, even the neighbors drove by asking for our play-list. We didn't shut it down until 3:30am that night. There was dancing, shots, birthday cake, ice cream, bubblegum vodka, and someone DID stick it in the mashed potatoes. just kidding.
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Tuesday the 27th
Got my hair touched up by Ms. Debi, and as I was leaving, my GPS notified me that all roads north (aka back home) were RED. It was raining, it was getting dark, traffic was a mess. I had a No Mas coupon in my purse. So I went to No Mas. Called a few friends, and Holly, Ben, and later Erika met me there. Woo hoo! more early birthday fun. Drove home much later, after traffic died down.
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Thursday the 29th
Matt took me out for dinner at Season's 52. Later Erika came by with some Bitch Bubbly (that I didn't know existed, but I was pleased to discover), and we had some cocktails before bedtime.
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Friday we missed our friend Walter's party, but we were "plum-tuckered-out!"
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Saturday the 31st
Erika's 80s Themed Halloween Party: Ben's Photos Tom's Photos Matt's Photos

Californication-ary measures

Ok please please don't tell my wine club I did this. It's truly a sacrilege.
The "oh-crap-we-are-out-of-vinegar" dressing
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
handful of pitted/cured black olives
dash of soy sauce to taste
dash of lemon juice to taste
1 empty glass container with lid (or plastic equivalent with lid)
Directions: Using a coffee mug, heat the red wine in the microwave for 30 seconds. Immediately add 3-4 cubes of ice, stir until ice melts. Pour wine mixture into empty container. Add Olive Oil. add olives. muddle the olives. Add soy sauce and lemon juice. Put lid on container and close tightly. Shake mixture vigorously. Pour some of it over salad, toss salad. enjoy! Save the rest of the dressing for future emergencies? Also gives the wine time to ferment some more. ha!
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How did this emergency recipe come about?
We were getting ready for a nice dinner. The spaghetti squash "noodles" were hot, the chicken/spaghetti sauce simmering, and the fresh spinach leaf, red onion, cucumber, feta cheese salad was ready to be dressed. Then it hit me, CRAP I'm out of vinegar dressing!!!
So, I experimented and lucked out. The hubby says he likes my "new" dressing better than balsalmic vinegar or red wine vinegar from the store. well okay then!
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In other news, we've recently become addicted to the show "Californication" and are knee-deep in Season 2. At this rate, we'll have finished more TV episodes than bottles of wine so far this year. Dare I say that aloud? LOL.

The Mad Month of October

As Autumn rushes in and takes us all by surprise (well it surprised me anyway), so enters in a mad rush of social activities, chaotic rescheduling, and the continual need to grab the white-out to fill in my calendar. Yes I have an online one, but figuratively speaking, it's still a PITA (pain in the *ss) when stuff gets moved the last minute. and literally I mean the last minute.
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The Midtown Fall Crawl was just wonderful. We tried food at many different restaurants, and discovered new places with great views. Among our favorite views: The Peachtree Club and Pacci's roof top deck. They actually have a screen porch around the bar. wow! We also had some amazing sushi at Silk and Steel respectively. Will have to return at a later date when we can fully indulge in their various glories!
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Le Flash was fun also. My favorite part was "pour" at the end. In the adjoining lot near Elliot Street Pub, they did an Iron Pour. Yes, several (appropriately clad) folks, melted down iron into a liquid hot magma, and very carefully poured it onto metalwork/molds/etc. in the name of Art! At the very end of the night, they poured the liquid fire onto an ice sculpture. It promptly exploded in a beautiful arc of fire and ice over our heads. Like the iron-pour-virgin I was, we were standing only 2nd row away from this wonderful madness, and the entire crowd started moving slowly backwards to get away from the hailing fire. Matt has a small burn on his shoulder (yes it burned a hole in his nice shirt), and he even fell backwards over another person (who crouched down from the flames, but accidentally tripped him). Bruised tailbone, slightly scraped elbow. Small prices to pay for experience, right? LOL. However, I was unharmed. It was an awe-inspiring event. I haven't been so exhilarated since going to the Cedar Point amusement park and riding the roller coasters. Matt was totally hyped also. We had a blast!
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In other news, Pardon me, but I really had a moment of p*ssed-off-ness and here goes:
Rant 1: October is an extremely busy month for me, let alone the rest of the world. The last 30 years have taught me that my Birthday Party will forever be competing with Halloween (damn it all to hell), and the last 4 years taught me that 4 Bulgarian friends have birthdays before and after mine, which causes even more scheduling pressure. There are several festivals and in-town events this month, and October is also one of the busiest wedding months of the year. Add all of that pot-of-trouble together, and you start learning ways to cope. With deference to my friends, I suggested to their matriach, that we perhaps host one huge birthday bash for all the birthday people. However, I did not hear back from her, and the time pressure was cooking. So, my roommate (being one of the birthday peeps) and I decided we wanted to party our way, and over 1 month in advance, we sent out our Evite. Not only would this give us dibs (I hope) on the schedules of our nearest and dearest, but also give them enough time to plan accordingly (aka: arrange for a sitter, or other conflict mitigation, as needed). Well, well, well, 2 people beeotched at me about it. Yes they are still coming to the party (good), but they had to beeotch at me (not good). One even gave me heck for being "too early" with my planning. *** Silly rabbit, there is no such thing as planning ahead too early. *** Haven't you heard? The early bird gets the worm. Prior planning prevents piss poor performance. And other such quotes. I know not everybody in my life plans ahead as well as I do. However, that doesn't mean you should rain on my parade. At the very least, give me credit for thinking ahead, and not doing the mad desperate scramble of schedule balancing at the very last minute. I want to actually relax on my birthday this year. Thank-you-very-much!
Sheesh, what is the point of having a calendar if you aren't going to use it?
Rant 2: I was all geared up for an event tomorrow night, and suddenly it's been rescheduled to next week. Well unfortunately, my Small Biz group meets next week, and I'd already committed to that one. and Small Biz gives you 1 months' notice. So crap, I can sort of do both, but I will be super late to said-event next week.
Let me just say: It's not such a bad thing if something gets rescheduled once in a blue moon. But it's damned annoying when things are rescheduled or cancelled about 3 times in the last 3 months, and it almost seems as if this monthly event will never get back on track. We meet monthly for heaven's sake. how hard is it to be free 1 day a month for the sake of FUN not even for Duty, for fun? ok rant off.

Vampires, Vino, and Vivaciousness

Go figure, we traded our Weeds "addiction" for True Blood. We borrowed season 1 from a friend, and now we are knee deep in season 2.
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Also, we spent most of the weekend on the Castleberry Hill Loft Tour. Matt went to Petite Le Mans for Saturday, but then Sunday he came with me on the tour. There were some AMAZING lofts this time, as usual. I had a total inspirational blast!
At No Mas (for lunch both days) I tried the Cielo Blanco tequila, and also decided the best flavor I was in the mood for was cheese enchiladas smothered in Mole sauce. mmm!
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Tonight we're off to the Midtown Fall Crawl. Mmmm!
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Friday it's time for Le Flash! The kick off for Atlanta Celebrates Photography - ACP 11. There will be live dancers, performance art, light shows, etc. Pretty big deal. From what I was reading, "Le Flash" is one of the first events of this nature for the USA. Overseas similar shows are called "Nuit Blanche" and it's held in Paris, Toronto, Tokyo, and Berlin, etc. I'm super excited that not only is such an event here in our country, but also in our beloved Castleberry Hill neighborhood.
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Over the weekend we are possibly stopping by the Norcross Arts Fest and getting a temporary new leather couch! I say temporary, because we will sort of be house-sitting it for a while, it's not ours to keep, but it will probably be around for a year. Friend of ours currently has no room in her home for it, but won't have space for 1 yr or so, so we offered to borrow it. This is perfect timing as I have been wanting a new couch for some time now, and this is a way to try out a leather couch without the committment. Woo hoo!
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Next week is Wine Club for Barbera. Mmm! That's a new varietal for me! I can't wait to try it!
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October is just HAPPENIN'! TTYL!