Friday Confessions

I claim the South as home, but I really have to admit that I am a midwesterner by blood. That being said, never have I been much for southern cuisine. Breakfast gravy? No, gravy goes on turkey at dinner.  Grits? More like gross. And collard greens?  I'd rather shove bamboo shoots up my fingernails than even smell them.

So when the chef at Rosebud did a demonstration at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, and he served up a hefty portion of biscuits & gravy and stone-ground grits, I really didn't have it in me to say no thank you. After all, he slaved over a hot stove all morning & I watched him personally whip up this culinary masterpiece. Plus I think he was eyeing me and my "dontcha know"s the whole time, trying to size me up. Was I really going to say no to his food to his face? I couldn't.

AND OH MY GOD I WISH I HAD BELIEVED IN SOUTHERN BREAKFAST FOOD SO MUCH EARLIER IN LIFE. 

I now find myself ordering grits on the side at brunch, and requesting extra gravy on the side. I am the epitome of health, I know.  So when I found out they were catering The Flying Biscuit for lunch at work today, a little part of my soul died. And so did half of the catering size dish of delicious, creamy grits. THEY WERE SO GOOD. Different than Rosebud's, but so freaking awesome.

I'm now going to crawl in the corner and attempt to not run back to the kitchen any more. Or fall asleep at my desk in peaceful slumber. I might ask if I can take the tray home and eat it for dinner though. Too much? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

Confessions Friday

Based on the fact that my beloved football team lost their QB last night to a broken arm, here's a little tidbit that you may not know about me:

I've never broken a bone! Sprained finger that I entirely overexaggerated to get out of orchestra my senior year of high school, check plus, but no broken bones on this body. I've never even been to the hospital!

Ok, your turn, tell me a fun fact about yourself!

PS - Joshy Nesbitt, please have magical powers and heal your arm quickly a la Claire Bennett in Heroes.

Friday Confessions: Via Edition

I went out to lunch & dinner yesterday. I try really hard not to do this, but all I had at work for lunch was leftover taco makings but only enough for 1 taco, some red quinoa, and potstickers. I took a vote and it was unanimous - out to lunch I went.

 Then, halfway through the day my friend asked if I wanted to go grab dinner since she had a Groupon that was about to expire. Oh, okay, twist my arm. After I spent an exorbitant amount of money at Hancock Fabric and Michaels, I met her for dinner at VIA (on Pharr Road, across from ATL Fish Market).

We sat outside because it was too nice not to, and we had margaritas. They weren't the best but I mean... they were tequila. Whatever. We ordered 2 appetizers & a pizza and it was a great amount of food for the 2 of us! I really wanted to try figs, and Jackie is like... the least picky eater ever, so we got the fig & prosciutto pizza. YUM. The food was great, the service was ok, but the whole place just seemed really, for lack of a better word, very swanky.


I  hate the word swanky. I think it's stupid, overused, and lame. But really, there's no better word to describe this place. It wasn't chic, it wasn't just cool, unfortunately it was swanky. But I really liked it.

The best part? Well, there's 2. The first one is that the grand total was $6.48, and the second one is that I also have a coupon to use there, so obviously we have to go back. I can't wait!


Thanks for a fun dinner, Jackie :)

Friday Confessions

I am a huge booknerd. I don't think it's a secret but it's my confession to you today. I love to read. I've always loved to read. I'm sure I've told the story about how my dog really did eat my summer reading list? My sister & I used to see who could check out more books at a time. We brought our own bags to the library WAY before bringing your own bags anywhere was cool. My sister & I definitely get our love of reading from my mom, who used to sneak into the bathroom to read even though she wasn't doing anything but reading, and who used to open her book at stoplights. Forget texting while driving, my mom needed a law about reading while driving. And you think I'm kidding.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I'm not really sure, I definitely share my mother's fondness of reading,even at inopportune times. Sometimes you just gotta know what happens next! Although in her books, it's almost always some steamy sex scene... she reads "romantic" books that required her to have book covers on all her books when we were kids.

I have a GoodReads account -- do you? And every so often I go through and add books that friends are reading to my "To Read" list. Then, every once and a while, I jump on the library website, reserve 20 books, and wait patiently for them to come in and for me to go pick them up. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was one of those. I knew I wanted to read it, but I was so engrossed in Pretty Little Liars that I couldn't interrupt the series for something as trivial as The Hunger Games. Well, sorry Aria Montgomery, but your stupid, crazy friend Alison turned Courtney turned Alison again just doesn't quite stand up to the Hunger Games, and I'm a fool for thinking she did. And sorry if I just ruined Pretty Little Liars for anyone, but the books got a little out of control. And by a little I mean a lot.

Back to the topic at hand, The Hunger Games. I started this book Wednesday night and got through 6 of the 31 chapters, and I knew if I didn't put it down then, I'd be up all night reading. It's that good. All through work yesterday I thought about what was happening to Prim and Katniss and Peeta and Gale. Then, babysitting last night I was able to convince 2 energetic little boys to hang out on the couch with me and all read quietly. WIN. And then I got home and I just couldn't stop. I read while I baked brownies, I read while I walked around packing my bag to go out of town this weekend... and I got into bed and read until 12:30am, WAY past my bedtime. And then the first book was over, but it was like it had just begun, because of course there are 2 more books, and of course I knew what was ultimately going to happen in the first one. I mean, duh.

So I urge you, command you, encourage you, whatever it takes to get you to the library or bookstore to check out this book. It was awesome and fantastic and everything I love in a book. There was even a love story involved with all the drama and suspense.

Hunger Games, I'm addicted. Fulton County Library, please get your ish together so I can have Book 2 promptly on my return from South Carolina.

PS - Heading to the land of orange & purple & cows this weekend to see some of my best friends (although one infamous Roxxy will be missing) Go Jackets!

Friday Confessions

I've told you all about my relationship with running. We've been getting along okay lately, but I'm just bored with it. I'm all about classes at the gym, but gyms are expensive. Enter, Groupon. Cue angels singing. I nabbed the Atlanta Hot Yoga Groupon for $39 -- unlimited yoga for a month.

I've never set foot in a yoga studio before. I did Yoga for Runners one time on my bedroom floor and I liked it but I wasn't really sure about it. So Wednesday I went and cashed in my Groupon... AND I'M NEVER GOING BACK TO RUNNING. Ok, exaggeration, but seriously, yoga was the bomb dot com. I liked every single thing about it. I liked the people that were in my class, I liked the studio, I liked the way it made me feel, I liked the instructor, I just really liked it! Probably TMI, but I've never really sweat to the point that you could see it through my shirt, even in my 2-a-day, 3-hour-practice-in-the-heat-of-the-summer volleyball days. After this measly one hour yoga class though, my shirt was absolutely soaked through. Gross, but so satisfying.

Go, little yogis, and get your yoga on. You'll never look back either. Unless sweat and hearing people breath really strangely grosses you out, in which case, run as far as you can in the other direction. I'm still not digging the whole breathing thing, but I mean we can't all be perfect, even Mr. Yoga.

Friday Confessions

Can You Tapas This?

I have never been much of a nail polish girl. I mean, I always had it in my house, but rarely on my fingers. Then in college I had acrylic nails. My boyfriend swore he would disown me if I ever got rid of them (so of course when on the verge of a break up, what do I do? Bye bye, beautiful acrylics!) But now, for some unknown reason, I have become a nail polish hoarder.

It started with the OPI Espana Collection. I love all things Espana, and these colors were to die for. My first true love was Can You Tapas This?

Lincoln Park After Dark

I think I wore that color on my toes & fingernails for a solid 3 months before moving on to bigger and better things, like Lincoln Park After Dark. It's what I'm wearing today. It's almost black, but it has a beautiful shine to it that makes me not feel like I'm channeling my inner 14 year old goth chick at Town Center Mall. Anyone else know what I'm talking about? I swear I'm not wearing a belly shirt with chains and low rise baggy cargo pants. And I also swear there isn't any pink or blue in my beautiful blonde locks. But, I really love Lincoln Park After Dark. It does make me feel like I've stepped out of my comfort zone. I love that feeling, of being out of the box when you really aren't.

And then, earlier this week, I was feeling really gutsy. My mom & I stopped at ULTA because they have nail polishes Buy 2, Get 1 Free and of course the nail polish junkie in me just had to take advantage, especially because I had a $5 off coupon. That made the polishes a mere $4 each. Half price! The more the merrier! And I bought an awesome white -- Alpine Snow. I loved the white, but it didn't make me feel nearly as badass as Lincoln Park After Dark makes me feel. I felt pure and innocent, 2 things I am. (Not). 

In conclusion, is anyone else obsessing over nail polishes? The OPI Swiss Collection is really kickin it up a notch, too. I got this Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous sparkly color all over my toes and it's just... exciting!

Now, I just need to figure out how to do my own nails without smudging it or having the color up to my first knuckle and we're in business. 

Happy painting (and sorry if I offended the goth kids at Town Center). 

PS - I tagged this as a hobby. Can painting one's own nails really be considered a hobby? It is now! Hobby away!

Happiness

I know I've been on blog posting overload the last few days. I just have a lot on my brain & I have to get it out there for all the world to see.

But today, my confession is this: I am happy. I am so happy, I am grateful, I am so delighted with life and where I am going and what I am doing. It just doesn't get much better than where I am right now. I have great friends, a fun job, fantastic co-workers, I'm healthy, my family is proud of me, and I'm really finding my place in the world. DEAR UNIVERSE, I AM HAPPY!!!! WOOHOOO!!!

 

Anybody else just feeling great?

Happy Friday!

 

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Friday Confessions

My weakness. Snickers. In ice cream form. At 100 calories a pop. YUM. A few weeks ago at the grocery store I had a coupon that was $1.00 off 2 boxes of these suckers. Of course the grocery store only had the economy boxes with 16 per box rather than the 7-count box I was hoping for. Oh well.

OH MY GOD. Best purchase ever. They are the perfect after dinner treat, before dinner treat, breakfast treat... you name it, I'll use it as an excuse to eat an ice cream bar. And, the best part is that just 1 is just enough for me. I don't find myself craving them, or other sweets for that matter, and it's the perfect 3 bite mini-Snickers. Shockingly enough... I still have 2 from the original box and the whole second box left! As long as I've got the coupon, I shall continue to purchase these chocolatey-peanuty-caramely delights!

PS - A tip: don't bring them to work, or thieving ninja bosses like mine will steal them. RUDE.

I Shall Tweet On

So I was struggling to come up with something to confess today. I've already bared my soul for the whole internet it seems. I messaged my friend Peanut*, hoping to gain some sort of inspiration...

A little background on Pea - we lived in the sorority house together for 2 years. Pea helped me craft projects for my ex-boyfriend back when my crafting sucked (and back when I had a boyfriend... remember those days pea? we were both in relationships and we were so happy!) She made out with freshman as a senior in order to keep us entertained, and the majority of Friday mornings my last semester of college, I could count on her coming into our room, head hung in shame, and crawling into bed with me while she, my roommate (Roxxy), and I shared stories from the night before. There was no telling what the stories were going to consist of. And you can bet that on those Friday mornings, the three of us were also the first ones downstairs to get our fill of chicken fingers before resuming our positions in bed. But now, little peanuthead has moved far, far away, but I can always count on her for good stories.

Today, I forgot that she had come HOME for the weekend, and I messaged her to tell her about my conquest today - I am planning to exercise not once, but TWICE. Little pea told me how proud she was and then the following conversation ensued:

Peanut: wait, you know whats creepy

Peanut: jackie* read us your tweets! so i already know that:)

me: hahah why was jackie reading my tweets out loud?

Peanut: bc i was telling them about how i read food blogs and they asked how i found them and i said you and jackie was like everytime i look on twitter katie is all of my updates and so she read us your updates

me: haha i'm mildly embarassed

Peanut: oh but its SO funny at the same time, you really are the internet genuis

So thanks, little peabrain, for embarrassing me and simultaneously making me feel quite proud (and for confessing more of my soul on the internet). Also, stay away from the 18 year olds. Just a tip.

*names have been changed to protect the innocent (or not so innocent)

Friday Confessions

My Friday Confessions is two-fold. First of all, I confess that the button above will link you to the blog of a very, very dear friend of mine that I have "known" for 10+ years, probably longer but we can't remember. She just had a sweet little baby girl. Check it out - she's artsy, craftsy, and she's a bombass photographer. And send kisses to sweet baby J, too.

Second of all, I HATE liking things other than wall posts and photos on Facebook. (Yes I included a link in case you have been living under a log for the last 7 years). This whole new revamped Facebook where I have to follow my interests is complete CRAP as far as I'm concerned. So I like Taylor Swift. What of it? But do I really want to see her newsfeed updates and that she has 14,449 12 year olds comment on her status? Uh, no.

Facebook, if we could just revert back to 2005 when you hit your prime, that'd be great. In the meantime friends, for the love of all things good (and your ability to FB stalk me), please people STOP sending me requests to "like" your whatever. I'm not going to do it. Seriously. It's because of this feature that I have considered de-activating my facebook and also why I have made it virtually impossible to find me via that particular social networking site. So THERE, I sure showed you Facebook.

But really... it's FB-1, KT-0.

Friday Confessions

I love wine. A lot. I love all wines, really. When I go to wine tastings however, there is a reason that far surpasses the wine (sorry Hop City, your wines come in a close 3rd as to why we frequent your wine tastings). The chef. My confession? I've already decided that, despite my distance from possible engagement, and the missing boyfriend, or something that even closely resembles a boyfriend, the chef will be catering my rehearsal dinner & wedding. Why? Because he's incredible. His food is incredible, his personality is incredible, and I'll be honest... he isn't bad to look at, either! And that's an understatement.

We have 1 in our group who is a vegetarian, and no matter how many times we call in advance and proclaim we have a vegetarian, Chef Rob never seems to know until the minute we walk in the door. That means we get a lot of special attention. There are always discussions over who has the best seat, both for viewing, smelling, and wine-tasting privileges. That's still debatable. There's a lot more I could say about our fascination with Chef Rob, but for fear of my own blogging humiliation, I'll leave it at that. Plus, just in case anyone sees this before I show up tonight (or to next week's tasting), I'd rather not set myself up for looking like a tomato all through my meal. Embarrassment does not become me, at all.

So I am SO SO SO excited to go to another wine tasting tonight. The last one was beyond impressive, and I'm sure tonight between the company, the food, the wine, and the ridiculously attractive chef, I will be a happy camper.

So, today, I confess that as much as I love wine, I might love the chef even more. And I am so looking forward to this evening's wine festivities and the ones that will follow the wine. I'm skeptical about the bar-crowd that will be at Ormsby's tonight, but I'll be in good company so I'm sure it will be fun!

Happy weekend!

And a quick note - if you are an ATL peep and don't read The Q+DD, you should. They are great!

Friday Confessions

The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. Ever.

I have an American flag bathing suit, American flag tattoos, a USA headband, a tank top, and shorts. Plus about a million tshirts from Old Navy over the years. Suffice to say, I am fully prepared for this year's 4th of July celebration and I can't wait! Even though I have a full 72 hours to wait, I am mentally thinking "fireworks, fireworks, fireworks!"


Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Friday Confession

I need a lot more alone time than I ever thought.

I always thought I was the person who neeeeeeded to be around people all the time but this whole having visitors in town thing has proven me all sorts of wrong about myself.

Today we are going to the Coke Museum and CNN Center and Centennial Olympic Park and really all I want to do is lay by pool (by myself) and read my book (by myself) that is now 4 days overdue at the library.

Time to suck it up, put my big-girl pants on, and get moving. But I have got to tell you... I don't wanna.

Confession Friday

As seems to be the theme in the blogging world these days, I bring to you a themed Friday post. Confessions. Mine, yours, we'll share them and feel better about ourselves.

My first one dates back to 6th grade. 1998. 12 years ago. We had to write a paper about the person who inspires us. I thought and thought, and thought some more. I didn't want to be cheesy and write about my mom. I didn't want to be a total dork and write about an author of my favorite books (I did that in 5th grade and got relentlessly made fun of). So I chose wisely - I chose my favorite next-door-neighbor who was also mother of 2 children who I loved like little sisters. She was like my super cool, young, hip, rad aunt who knew all the secrets that my mom just didn't know anything about. Our own moms, at the time, were so totally uncool.

So I write my paper about Christina, how she inspired me and how wonderful she was. Either I kept it a secret from my mom or I just didn't show her my rough draft, but either way she never saw it until after the dreadful day I showed it to Christina. In my physical description of this woman that I loved so much, I wrote about her beautiful ash colored hair, her short haircut, her lovely eyes, her slight double chin, how she was the same height as me.... oh did you catch that part? Yes, in describing this 30-something mom of 2 and friend to me, I included that she had a slight double chin.

So I take my final draft after I had turned it in and my mom & I take it to show Christina. Christina reads it, laughs, shows it to my mom, and then... she asked me if I knew what a double chin was. YES!!! I nodded seriously, of course I knew what a double chin was. Then my mother proceeded to tell me, in front of Christina, about how it wasn't very nice to point that out about someone, and it was one of those unspoken of things in life, and that what the hell Katie, Christina doesn't even have a double chin anyway?

So here is my confession: I honestly had no idea what the heck a double chin was in 1998 and lied to look smart and it TOTALLY backfired. FYI, that was not the last time lying about my wealth of knowledge has totally backfired and made me look like a fool.

Also, sorry Chris. I hope you have loved me anyway after all these years. You probably don't even remember this, but man oh man do I. And for the record, you did not and still do not have anything resembling a double chin. That's all.