Roots Rock Reggae

The hubs and I just recently returned from our first trip to Jamaica, where we celebrated our third anniversary (still together!). We flew into Montego Bay, and then made the hour or so drive through the back o' bush to Negril, and then through even more bush aaaaalllll the way to West Bumba, otherwise known as Little Bay (a stone's throw away from Bob Marley's house). We wanted a trip where we could just unplug and unwind, and get away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. The views were a-mah-zing; Jamaica is such a beautiful country. We had a blast, but I was very happy to get back home! After all, there's only so much rice and peas and rum girl can inhale without worrying about her figure. Here are some pics from our romantic little rendezvous in Jam-Rock...

As you can see, the water is crystal clear, the sunsets are breathtaking, and even the shanties have so much character and life. It really was a beautiful trip, and I'm happy to have Jamaica as the first stamp on my new passport!

Manger Avec Moi

Hellllloooo my darlings! I know, I know. It's been waaaaay too long. But I was on vacation for a week (vacay pics to follow), and I had several bracelet orders to fulfill. And now I'm back... isn't that really all that matters? I've been trying to cook a bit more, so I thought I'd jump right in with some tips from your resident gourmet goddess... That's me, in case you missed the memo. Let's dish:

1. Love fresh garlic? I do. I put garlic in everything, and not to keep the vampires away... I just love it. I used to buy the jar of minced garlic, but then noticed that the cloves themselves are so much cheaper. But peeling and mincing every time you want to cook something is SO annoying! Well, I have the perfect solution for you. You'll need a food processor or chopper, but it's a cinch, and keeps ready-to-use fresh garlic at your fingertips. Buy several cloves of garlic, peel them all at once, throw them into the food processor, and chop to the desired consistency. When done, scoop all of the minced garlic into a freezer bag, and run your hand over it to flatten (make sure to get all of the air out). Pop into the freezer, and you're done! Now, anytime you need some fresh garlic (which is almost always for me), all you have to do is break off a chunk, and throw it in the pan! I've been cooking out of the same bag of garlic for at least a month now. Totally worth it, and still cheaper than buying the pre-minced!

2. This tip is for my readers who live in apartments or have limited yard space, but want to have a go at growing their own herbs and veggies. You know those big, multi-purpose plastic bins? They're not just for storing sweaters during the summer! You can use them as your own little garden boxes on balconies or decks, and plant all kinds of goodies to have readily available when you're having a Julia Child moment. Make sure you buy the larger ones that are at least 8-10 inches high, so your plants have room to grow. Also make sure you use a good quality potting soil, plant the seeds no more than 2 inches below the surface, and make sure they get plenty of water and sunlight. We have a patio deck that gets great sun, so I recently started my own little garden. So far, I have scallions, chives, and Italian flat leaf parsley. Basil, cilantro, dill, beefsteak tomatoes and bell peppers are next on my list. This is the perfect planting solution for people with limited space.

Scallions and chives!

3. For those of you who do not have a meat thermometer, here's an easy way to tell if your meat is fully cooked: touch it. Press down on it with your spatula, and see how soft it is. If it is firm and presses back... It's probably done. You don't want to overcook any meat, because overcooking causes meat to dry out. Also, don't forget to rest your meat for at least 5 minutes after cooking! Just remove from the pan, place on a plate, and tent it with some foil. This process allows for the meat to reabsorb all of its yummy natural juices, aka FLAVOR.

 Well, that concludes the tips for the day. Check back soon for more from the REAL Atlanta housewife! xo

YOU Are Possibly the Coolest Person I Know...

Hi, gorgeous! It's National Compliment Day, an unofficial national holiday, created by two imaginative New Hampshire natives Kathy Chamberlin and Debby Hoffman back in 1998. Time for a confession: I love compliments. Big ones, small ones, sincere ones, wholehearted ones, halfhearted ones, fake ones ... Who cares? I don't discriminate; any ego stroke is a good stroke, in my book. Perhaps that makes me a bit self-involved, but let's be real ... who doesn't like compliments?? Nice words make people feel good; they just do. So, do your part today. (You should actually probably try doing this every day, but let's face it, sometimes you just don't feel like being nice.) Tell somebody something that you like about them today - make someone smile. You just might get a compliment back ... in which case, you'll probably smile ... and smiling is good for the soul. See how it's all worth it? I'll lead the way:

You're good enough; you're smart enough; and doggone it, people like you!

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...if you don't care to make anyone else smile, but you still want to do something good for your soul - compliment yourself. You'll still probably smile. Just give yourself a look-see in the mirror and say, "Damn, I look good." I'll allow the vain self-indulgences today, but only because it's National Compliment Day. I'm pretty sure there aren't any rules. It's not like it's National Compliment Somebody Else Day. Until next time, my highly intelligent and strikingly good looking readers! 

High Brow Art with a High-Yellow Broad*

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On Friday, the hubs and I spent the afternoon at the High Museum, exploring their Picasso to Warhol exhibit. It was our first time going there, so we didn't know what to expect.  What a pleasant surprise; the exhibit is wonderful! I was so impressed by the collection. They have some really breathtaking pieces on display, including several that would be recognizable even to the fine art novice. There are mobiles by Calder, oil paintings by Picasso and paper collages by Matisse. The styles range from Cubism to Fauvism to Pop Art; from the real to the surreal. For all of my Atlantans out there - if you have a free afternoon, and you haven't already been, I highly recommend that you pay a little visit to the High Museum. Parking was $10 in the campus garage; adult admission was $18 (Foursquare offers a $5 off coupon when you check in; Scout Mob should also have the same coupon). If art is kind of your thing, and you dig the museum scene, the High offers different packages that include unlimited admission, free parking and various other perks/discounts at the cafes and gift shops.

For those of you who don't live in Atlanta (i.e., a stone's throw away from the museum), I took pics of some of my favorites (because everyone should see a Picasso at some point in their lives) to share with you. I know, I know - SO thoughtful, right? I do it all for you, folks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please excuse the quality of the pictures. Taking cell phone pics when you have a perfectly good digital SLR collecting dust at home = epic FAIL. I promise to do better next time, guys. Mean it. In the meantime, go see Picasso to Warhol; it's only going to be around until April 29, 2012 ... so hurry up and go get yourself some culture, yo.

*The title of this post was taken from "Off That," from Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3. It shouldn't come as any surprise that Jigga loves fine art; he has spoken repeatedly for his love of the finer things in life. He has touted his Basquiat and Warhol pieces throughout the years; I've now seen exhibits for both of these artists. Thanks to my hip-hoppin' hubs for sharing this link, explaining Hov's love for fine art. Enjoy! Hip-hop is culture, too.

Stranded at the Drive-In?

Ahhh, the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? I always seem to relate the drive-in movie with that scene from Grease, where Danny tries to get fresh with Sandy, so she stomps off in her poodle skirt, and poor Danny is left alone, singing forlornly into the night whilst standing in front of the screen, ruining all of the other moviegoers' experience in the process. You know the one:



Good times. Believe it or not, I actually remember going to the drive-in movies with my parents when I was little. I'm pretty sure the last movie we saw before the theater closed its doors was Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome. Well, last week, the hubs and found a little gem inside the perimeter, called Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre, and we had a throwback date night of our own! This is a great idea for a fun and different outing, and it's easy on the pockets, too. They have six screens, each of which hosts a double feature every night; the first movie begins at 9 p.m., and the second begins around 11. Adults are only $7 apiece, and if you can stay awake, that means you get two movies for the low-low price of one! Who doesn't like a twofer? What fun! They have a snack bar on site, where you can purchase munchies that tempt your tummy, but that's the great thing about the drive-in -- you can bring your own snacks (without having to hide them in your purse)! The coolest thing about this place is that although it's inside the city, it's surrounded by trees, which keep the glaring city lights from disturbing your movie-going experience. It's a really cool effect, watching the movies on the big screen, with nothing but trees in the background. I bet scary movies are sick there; it probably gets super creepy.

I definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for an original date night idea, or even just a fun outing with some friends. For the movie buffs out there, where else can you pay $7 for two movies, bring your own snacks, AND not have to worry about those inconsiderate people that are inevitable always sitting within a three seat radius from you, whispering and providing obnoxious commentary? Sounds like a win-win to me!

Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre
2000 Moreland Avenue SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
404.627.5786

Lifestyles of the Young and Over-Committed

Amidst all of the hullaballoo with the move and the various tedious assignments that I had due all of last week, I also had a cousin who happened to be in town for a few days and wanted to get together.  I haven’t seen her in years, and I knew that if I didn’t take this opportunity, it would be another who knows how many months/years it would be before I got the chance to see her again.  Plus, she’d never met C.  We ended up making plans to have dinner on Saturday evening ... do you know how difficult it is to be the “host” in a new city (that you’ve lived in for less than five days)?  Right.  Because it’s always the host that has to pick the restaurant/lounge/wherever you end up going.  Cue frantic internet searching!

One thing you’ll learn about me is that I am possibly one of the most indecisive people, ever. No, really.  Especially when it comes to food.  I can tell you exactly what I don’t want to eat, but when it comes down to what I actually do want...?  Yeah, not so much.  So after much debate and going back and forth with my cousin, texting furiously about her likes and dislikes and meal preferences, we finally decided on a little tapas restaurant in Miami Circle called Eclipse di Luna.  The reviews looked good, and I’ve never really been disappointed with tapas, so we figured we’d give it a whirl.  What a find!  They had live music, and the food was great!  It was definitely a younger crowd, and the wait was about 45 minutes without a reservation. Silly me, I didn’t even think to make a reservation for dinner.  On a Saturday night.  No comment.  But in my defense, the wait wasn’t terrible – just enough time for us to have a cocktail ... and a photograph.  I ordered a mojito because apparently, that’s one of their specialties. It was pretty good!  (Okay, okay.  I’m a little spoiled by the amazing mojitos I had while in San Juan last fall, but I digress.)

In Eclipse di Luna's parking lot ... make reservations ...
so you don't have to take pics in the parking lot.

When we were seated, we were fairly close to the band, which would be good for a big group of people, butnot necessarily for a first date ... or a reunion between cousins who haven’t seen each other in years.  The majority of our conversation was spent shouting, but the food really did make it worthwhile.  The thing that I love about tapas is that you can order a bunch of yummy things and everyone gets a little taste of everything.  We ended up ordering the fried green beans (which were to die for with a light tempura crust), asparagus with almonds, fried calamari (served with fresh diced tomatoes instead of the traditional marinara sauce, which made it extra light and tasty), carne asada (holy deliciousness), this amazing seared tuna situation with a hearts of palm salad (I don’t know about you, but I LOVE hearts of palm), and the seafood paella. Everything was wonderful.  I practically ate myself out of my pants!  That’s always a good sign.  The best part of this place is the $15 all-you-can-eat special that they have on Mondays.  Definitely worth it, if the little plates that we ordered are any indication.  We will definitely be going back for more, and I absolutely recommend this as a fun place to go with a group of friends.  I wouldn’t say it’s the best spot if you’re trying to get all romantical ... unless your idea of romance is shouting at your date non-stop and repeating yourself constantly.  But if you haven’t already been, you should definitely check this place out.  I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed.