FAME! I'm gonna live forevaaaa.....

....I'm gonna learn how to fly, high! So excited. I submitted a quote ages ago to Overheard In The Office and it is going to be published today! Look for the quote from the ATL and give it the big thumbs up. ...People will see me and cry FAME!

Two Guys

What is with businesses being named "Two Guys and a ______________" these days? Puh-leez! Come up with something more creative! The other day I saw a van marked "Two Guys and a Mop." In KC, there is Two Guys and a Grill and also Two Guys, a Girl and some Speakers. Then of course everyone is familiar with Two Men and a Truck. And what about Two Guys Auto Center in Brooklyn, NY? Ok, I got that one from Google but you get the picture. I hereby demand that all yet to be named businesses refrain from the use of "Two Guys." We get it. You are two guys going into business. Good for you. Now do yourselves a frickin' favor and come up with a creative name for yourselves!

Park Tavern: Come For The View, But That's About It

The weather here in the ATL has been just gorgeous these past few days, so what better way to take it all in than with a casual evening at Piedmont Park? I absolutely adore Piedmont Park... walking through it just reminds me of the fact that I live in a big city. I love that. Everywhere you look there is a feast for the eyes: soccer games, yoga classes, dog walkers, rollerbladers... and not to mention the gorgeous view of midtown skyline. Last night the Mister and I decided to stop in to Park Tavern for a cold one and a little nibble. The restaurant sits right on the corner of the park, and looked like it would be a great place to drink the night away. I didn't feel like cooking, and we needed to blow off a little steam from the work week. We sat outside (of course) and settled in to enjoy the view. Unfortunately the enjoyment ended right about there. Mr. Soup and I are fans of the wheat beer, of which we ordered one of the tavern's own. Blech. It tasted like it was tinged with Comet. No thank you, I'll have a Miller Lite. Next up, the appetizer -- spinach dip with crab & lobster. Promising, no? Yeah, not so much. Overall the dip lacked flavor and if it had either crab or lobster in it, I'd be shocked. The best part was the celery it was served with, if that tells you anything. For dinner, the Mister ordered the bison burger, and I stuck with regular hamb. The burgers actually weren't too bad, they had a nice char-grill flavor to them. We both had sweet potato fries on the side, a welcome change from the standard french. Besides the view, this was the highpoint of the evening. Service at PT is lacking overall. Hector, our server, came complete with a tasty Spanish accent, but I think he brought the European penchant for serving along with him across the pond. We had to ask for things multiple times, he got our bill wrong, slow service... you get the idea. Next time we go to the park, I think we'll bring a picnic.

Banana-Cranberry-Orange-Walnut Muffins

Whoa Nelly, that's a mouthful! I had some 'naners I had to use up this weekend. The following recipe was the delicious result. I made the Mister take a good number of them to work so they won't tempt me here at the homestead!


Banana-Cranberry-Orange-Walnut Muffins

2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. Splenda for Baking
2 eggs
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. dried chopped cranberries
3 T. orange zest
2 very ripe bananas

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. In mixer, mash ripe bananas. Add eggs, cranberries, orange zest, and walnuts. Slowly add dry ingredients with mixer on and combine until a batter is formed. Scoop batter into sprayed paper muffin cups or into a sprayed muffin tin. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Delectable with a pat of buttah!

Sala - Sabor de Mexico

This past Saturday evening, the Mister and I hit up Sala, an upscale Mexican restaurant just down the street from us in Virginia-Highland. If you remember about a month back, I posted about a restaurant who came to our station and brought various yummies for us to sample. Based on what I'd tried at the station (orange margarita, great guac, pork taco), I was anxious to peruse the menu in its entirety and see the restaurant space itself. Being that it was such a beautiful night, we wanted a table on the patio... but no such luck as we walked in without a res. We took a seat at the bar and ordered an app. Love the bar stools by the way - they are made of solid wood (oak maybe?) and they are nice and heavy and stable. Looks-wise they were just ok, but they got an A+ on functionality. We ordered the Sopes de Frijoles for our appetizer, which looked particularly, um, appetizing because I had just read this blog entry on the central Mexican specialty. Just what the doctor ordered! Our sopes arrived beautifully plated. The creaminess of the refried beans and the sweet flavor of the masa complemented my cocktail perfectly. Speaking of cocktails: when you go, you must try the Relampago Latino. It is their house infusion of Sauza Blanco tequila and pineapple. Que bueno, no? I am a pineapple fiend, so I was delighted to see this cocktail on their menu. It was a welcome change from your standard margarita, so I ended up having dos. The pictures on Sala's website do not do her dining room justice. The atmosphere at the eatery was sooo comforting. The lighting was soft and warm, and the dark wood tables and one red wall made me feel like I was putting on my coziest fall sweater. Not what you might expect for a Mexican restaurant, but the environment and decor was just so inviting. I was happy we ended up with a table inside the restaurant for that very reason. For dinner, Mr. Soup ordered the Tacos Pollos, which came with a delicious poblano mole. My man enjoys a quality mole, and can usually be counted on to order anything on the menu accompanied by said sauce. The hint of Mexican chocolate in the mole made the tacos simply divine. However, I have to say that my Tacos Bistec trumped the chicken. Tender grilled carne asada topped with a guajillo-avocado salsa and a bit of fresh cheese and crunchy cabbage.... my mouth waters with the afterthought. The tacos at Sala are small - they come on 4" tortillas, three to an order. It doesn't sound like a lot of food, but along with the scrumptious refries and rice that came with our orders, it was the perfect amount of food. And now I will end this post with the obligatory OLE! (clap clap!)

25 Skills Every Man Should Know

On my way into work the other day, I was intrigued when I heard about a new article in Popular Mechanics proclaiming the "25 Skills Every Man Should Know." Now, I am proud to say that mah man makes for an awesome husband when it comes to the honey-dos. As I write this, he is hanging picture frames on our wall. "Eh, no big deal," you might say, but I have to tell you that before we began the hanging itself, Mr. Soup spent a few hours designing a to-scale schematic of our wall and the pictures to be hung. It is accurate to the 1/8" inch. It includes light switches, smoke alarms, and outlets. The colors of the frames are even indicated on the diagram. Yes ladies... I know you're jealous.


So back to Popular Mechanics. I had to review the list with mah man because I was pretty sure he could perform all of the tasks, but I had to be positive. He did not disappoint. Here they are, in all their glory:

The List: How to...

1. Patch a radiator hose
2. Protect your computer
3. Rescue a boater who has capsized
4. Frame a wall
5. Retouch digital photos
6. Back up a trailer
7. Build a campfire
8. Fix a dead outlet
9. Navigate with a map and compass
10. Use a torque wrench
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid
15. Get a car unstuck
16. Back up data
17. Paint a room
18. Mix concrete
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
23. Paddle a canoe
24. Fix a bike flat
25. Extend your wireless network

I might also add drive a manual transmission, change a tire, and cook a decent meal. As for the tech related stuff, I suppose I lucked out there a bit because the Mister is in IT. However, even I know how to back up data and extend my wireless network... the latter is just a phone call!

So ladies, how does your man stack up?

Faves Tag ~ My First Ever!

I have been tagged by The Southern Social to let you all know a little bit more about the things that make me happy happy: Sound: the various snorts and snores made by my A+ #1 most beautiful French Bulldog in the world, Sunnie Late Night Snack: popcorn with ranch seasoning, cheesy poofs, or sliced apples sauteed in apple butter, cinnamon and apple juice with vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans. Smell: anything citrus, specifically grapefruit scented lotion Color Combination: orchid pink & apple green; navy blue & kelly green Time of the Year: Spring! I love the blooming trees, tulips, warmer temps, and driving with the windows down and the music up. Books: Running With Scissors, The Lovely Bones, The Pleasure of My Company, A Million Little Pieces, Bringing Down The House Vegetables: roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, cooked onions in dishes, garlic (is that a veg?), mushrooms, spinach Male Actor: Matt Damon, Daniel Craig (Bond? Hello.), Sacha Baron Cohen is farking hilarious Female Actress: Diane Keaton, Reese Witherspoon (the epitome of class), Naomi Watts Flower: anemone or tulips Vacation spot: The Mediterranean, and I am curious about Tokyo Pizza: Margherita from Lombardi's in NYC - coal oven crust, the best! Sports: Big 12 Basketball, Chiefs Football Subject in School: English Holiday: Thanksgiving Perfume: Ralph Lauren Style Shoes: right now, probably my Michael Kors zebra maryjane stilettos Candy: Christopher Elbow Chocolates City to shop in: NYC, does online qualify as a city? Beauty Products: I'm pretty basic in this category - Neutrogena moisturizer, Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Pearl Plum, Stila eye shadows in Kitten and Cloud Item to shop for: handbags, shoes, home decor, stationery Item I hate shopping for: the shoe-ins: jeans and swimsuits! Favorite TV Shows: 24, Sopranos, Big Love, Weeds, Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, Grey's, Six Feet Under, SATC, The West Wing, Anderson Cooper 360, Robin & Company

Scared's Chinese Slaw

I just made the recipe below (courtesy of my friend Stacey) and it was so simple and good I had to blog about it right away. Let me tell you, it was a challenge just to put the fork down and sit myself in front of the computer to type this out. I can't wait to take it for lunch this week. I apologize for the absence of pictures, my camera is on assignment again. Scared's Chinese Cole Slaw (with my adaptations, because I was using what I had on hand) 1 package cooked chicken or beef ramen noodles, seasoning aside 1 bag of broccoli slaw 1 c. mixed sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, and raisins (called dieter's mix and can be found at Whole Foods) 1/3 c. tarragon vinegar 1/3 c. oil (I used macadamia nut oil) 1/3 c. sugar or splenda seasoning packet Place cooked noodles, slaw and nut mix in bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, seasoning packet, sugar and vinegar until emulsified. Pour dressing over slaw and enjoy.

Everyday America

Last night, Mr. Soup and I went to one of our most anticipated shows of the summer... Kenny Chesney with Sugarland! I linked the latter for you because they've recently busted up the charts on the country music scene, but aren't quite as established as Kenny just yet. Due to extended beer consumption in the parking lot, we missed Pat Green, the first opener, who is also great... but I was super psyched about Sugarland and Kenny.

Sugarland is fronted by the powerhouse vocals of Atlanta native Jennifer Nettles, who I happen to think looks quite a bit like Kirsten Dunst. In a word, she is a ROCKSTAR! (She has a loft just down the street from our neighborhood, which I think is tres cool. She also sees the same service advisor I do at the Decatur BMW Dealership. OMG! Can we say 6 degrees from Kevin Bacon anyone?) I saw the band about three years ago when they were an opener at a station event in KC. They have come quite a ways since then. I am thrilled that Sugarland has made it big, seeing as Miss Nettles spent thankless years on the road with her bands Soul Miner's Daughter and The Jennifer Nettles Band. It's about time for someone with such kick ass vocals to enjoy the limelight. I'm sure you'll recognize some of their more popular hits Who Says You Can't Go Home and Baby Girl. She is a performer who truly knows how to work the stage and entertain... not just stand up there and sing! We caught most of their performance, and it was a treat. I'd go see them again anytime. We were lucky enough to catch my favorite Sugarland song, Everyday America. Give 'er a listen if you haven't heard it on the radio already.

On to the main event, Kinny Chessney (as he says it.) I. Love. Kenny. We saw him at Kemper Arena in KC a few years back with Gretchen Wilson and he was freakin' awesome. It's no wonder that he has won multiple 'Entertainer of the Year' awards from the CMA and ACM organizations, because he puts on a rockin' show, not to mention his music. Here is how the stage looked right before he came out:
That's the only quality pic I have, because I was taking them with my phone... but as you can see we had pretty durn good seats! Anyway, on with the show. He opened with Beer In Mexico which was uber convenient because it is my current fave Kenny song. Mr. Chez has been around for awhile, which makes for a great concert, because every song played was a hit. Last night's show was the last of their tour... and lucky for us because we were graced with some very special guests!

I'll start small: The Georgia Tech Marching Band came out and joined Kenny on a tune or two, during which time Jennifer Nettles served as the baton twirler. We also enjoyed the musical stylings of the GA Tech Glee Club, lucky us! :-) Seriously though, I admire any young man willing to be a part of any group with the word "glee" in the title these days.

Then, in a surprise move, my favorite morning news anchor came out and busted out some serious cowbell with Kenny! For those of you who don't know, I have an utter obsession with CNN (more on that later), so seeing one of my fave anchors person was so cool. Robin got her start with the NBC affiliate WMAQ in Chicago, so I watched her in my formative journalism years. She has a sparkling personality that suits her perfectly for her morning news anchor position, and in turn I watch her nearly everyday. So, Robin Meade, in person, playing the cowbell...bonus!

Last but definitely not least, guitar player Joe Walsh of Eagles fame knocked a few out on stage last night too! The ol' man can definitely kick it... but, um, his wardrobe of a polyester rainbow-colored snake print shirt may need to be updated a bit.

Seeing as the show was the last engagement of the Flip Flop Summer Tour, Kenny spent the last 20 minutes of the show hugging band members, shaking hands, etcetera. As an audience member, this wasn't exactly what I was hoping for in terms of an exciting ending. I wanted to hear a big hit, rock it out, and then go home. Sadly, we were kind of left standing there waiting to see if he was going to play another one. No such luck. Oh well, will have higher hopes for the next show.

We'd had a late lunch, so by the time was over, we were starving. Our evening was topped off with a little late night Mexican and a Corona Light. At this point I will ignore the little voice in my head daring me to make a "Beer in Mexico" reference...

It makes me ill.

I was listening to V-103 this morning on my way into work. A news report says that apparently, a new gang initiation "challenge" is to pour flammable liquid on a puppy's back and light it on fire. My heart is just broken. I have no words. Animal cruelty seems to be everywhere these days. Sadly, it always has been everywhere, it is just more in the spotlight as of late. I tried to watch Amores Perros the other day, an indie flick which has received rave reviews from critics. I had to turn it off after ther first five minutes... if you have seen it, you know why. If there is an upside, dogfighting-related arrests have increased since the Michael Vick scandal was unearthed. Give your beloved four-legger an extra scratch behind the ears today.

Red Rockin'

Labor Day Weekend brought about a much needed escape from the Big A. (I smile to myself as I write this seeing as today is Thursday and we are only one day away from another weekend! Gawd I love the three-dayers. Then the four day work week afterwards is an extra bonus.) Mr. Soup and I made our way to Denver, CO to meet up with the in-laws for the purpose of taking in some fine scenery and an even finer concert.

Being from the midwest, I have been lucky enough to visit Denver and its surrounding communities a few times in my past. It's the next major city on I-70 after KC, so it makes for a short jaunt over the state line to the mile-high city. The weather was beautiful over the weekend, as Denver weather usually is. The elevation mostly eliminates the need for air conditioning during the day, and the nights are cool and comfortable. We were lucky to enjoy that type of weather on Saturday night, when we went to Red Rocks Amphitheater to see BB King perform with The Reverend Al Green and Miss Etta James. Here is a picture of the amphitheater:

WOW! What a place. I had visited Red Rocks once before with my friend Heidi (who is such a good sport I must say as she is not much of an "outdoor" girl. Love you Hides.) We saw it during the day, and no concert was going on. It is completely magnificient on it's own... and seeing a live show there is something else entirely. The acoustics are awesome since the place is literally carved between two rocks. And, the fact that we had 5th row seats to see the blues & motown legends didn't hurt either! BB was fab, he told some great stories about the good old days... that maybe were not so good for him. Also, hearing Etta belt out "At Last" was perfection. With all that being said, I must admit my favorite was Al Green. He started singing in the 70's and he still knows how to rock it. Let's Stay Together is probably one of my favorite songs of all time, and always reminds me of Pulp Fiction. Also, he came out dressed in a full tux and white gloves, so I have to give the man some props on that. Singing wise, I will just say that he is the original Michael Jackson. He can do a "hee-hee" just as good if not better than the King o' Pop.

So! This has been the summer of concerts. JT, Toby Keith, Michael Buble, BB King Blues Festival, and Kenny Chesney with Sugarland this weekend.... oh my. Now if I could just score some tix to Stevie Wonder in a few weeks, that would be sweet...