A fellow blogger out there, Jacksonville Reviews, posted her new review of a restaurant called Taverna in San Marco.
I can't wait to visit with friends. We are going out of town this weekend (our Chicago trip) but when we get back we HAVE TO VISIT!
Once I finalize the Chicago trip plans I will be posting them here on the blog. I will also be posting a full trip report once we get back.
I recently discovered an awesome website chow.com. I am sure EVERYONE else out there already knows about it, but I didn't. They have tons of Chicago message boards to take advantage of. They also have boards for many other places. Check it out if you plan on traveling anytime soon and are an obsessive foodie like I am.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Inspiration
Happy Monday to the world. Not much to report today but I wanted to share an inspirational statement from my co-workers desk calendar....
"Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. Remember the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. Figure out what you love to do - what you have a heart to do - and then do it."
This is what I am working towards every day.
"Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. Remember the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. Figure out what you love to do - what you have a heart to do - and then do it."
This is what I am working towards every day.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Coat Rack
Anyone out there have a coat rack? I think I have found my small space entry-way decorating solution. This coat rack is a lovely bright orange color and would look great in my house. It's only $79.95 from CB2(Crate and Barrel spin-off store).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Plans
The next time Mr. Foodie and I have some free time we are going to make this:
Candied Bacon Ice Cream Photo and Recipe courtesy of http://www.davidlebovitz.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Oklahoma
Going to see Oklahoma this Friday night with Mom and her parents. Mr. Foodie bailed on us b/c of the bachelor party so we will have to enjoy it without him. I have the house to myself this weekend. I am looking forward to it. Clean and peaceful. Just me and the cats! I have plans on Friday evening, and then the Jaguar game on Sunday. Sunday is our first home game of the year. I really hope we win this time. I am also hoping to be 2-0 in Fantasy after the weekend.
This weekend I am going to take my cross-stitch to get framed. I am thinking a silver-antique looking frame would be nice. I also hope I get my sewing machine delivered before the weekend so I can practice using it. I did some sewing when I was a kid, but it has been a long time. I am planning on using it to make napkins, place mats, and maybe a runner for our table. I could also make pillow cases. I don't know about making clothes. Maybe pajamas for me and Mr. Foodie. Who knows? I am going to sign up for a class through Joann fabrics. I will report back on my progress.
This weekend I am going to take my cross-stitch to get framed. I am thinking a silver-antique looking frame would be nice. I also hope I get my sewing machine delivered before the weekend so I can practice using it. I did some sewing when I was a kid, but it has been a long time. I am planning on using it to make napkins, place mats, and maybe a runner for our table. I could also make pillow cases. I don't know about making clothes. Maybe pajamas for me and Mr. Foodie. Who knows? I am going to sign up for a class through Joann fabrics. I will report back on my progress.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Weekend in Review
We had a nice relaxing weekend. We made the carnitas recipe I posted earlier and they turned out great. We still have pork leftover so I think I will serve it over rice tonight with black beans. The White Sangria was also great as usual. Our football team had a disappointing loss this weekend. On a positive note, our college teams won AND my fantasy team had a great win. I love it win the girls beat the guys in fantasy football!
Saturday evening we met our friends at Walker's Wine Bar in Riverside. A cute little place with good atmosphere. I liked that fact that it was extremely crowded and we all had a place to sit. We shared two bottles of bubbly.
We have a very busy weekend coming up. Mr. Foodie is headed to Key West for a bachelor party. He is flying back on Sunday just in time to make the home opener - Jaguars game. I will have the house to myself Friday and Saturday night. Friday we have plans to see Oklahoma with my grandparents, and now I have to find someone to go with me. Hopefully my Mom will step up to the plate.
Saturday evening we met our friends at Walker's Wine Bar in Riverside. A cute little place with good atmosphere. I liked that fact that it was extremely crowded and we all had a place to sit. We shared two bottles of bubbly.
We have a very busy weekend coming up. Mr. Foodie is headed to Key West for a bachelor party. He is flying back on Sunday just in time to make the home opener - Jaguars game. I will have the house to myself Friday and Saturday night. Friday we have plans to see Oklahoma with my grandparents, and now I have to find someone to go with me. Hopefully my Mom will step up to the plate.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Carnitas
Salsa Verde Carnitas Recipe - adapted from SimplyRecipes.com
Ingredients
5 pound pork shoulder, bone-in, (sometimes called "picnic"
1 jar of Salsa Verde
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons or oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt
12 to 16 corn tortillas, heated and softened
1/4 head of cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar (if you only have unseasoned, add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to it)
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija Mexican farmer's cheese, or some grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour Cream
Directions
1 Trim the excess fat from the roast. Put the meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa verde, onion, stock, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours. Turn 3 times during the 3 hours to ensure even cooking.
2 Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove meat from liquid in pot and put the meat into a roasting pan. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Roast meat for 15 to 20 minutes until parts are brown and crispy. The browning may take up to 30 minutes depending on your oven. Just keep an eye on it.
3. While the meat is roasting, skim and discard fat from liquid in the casserole pan. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.
4 Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt.
Serve with heated and softened corn tortillas (20 seconds each in the microwave spread out over a paper towel will heat and softened packaged tortillas sufficiently), diced avocado, crumbed Cotija or grated Monterey jack cheese, sour cream (or crema fresca), and seasoned cabbage slaw.
Seasoned Cabbage Slaw
Place thinly sliced cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle on olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, salt and pepper. You can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar, if you do, sprinkle on some sugar to help balance the acidity of the vinegar. Toss. Adjust seasonings. Let sit for 10 minutes for the cabbage to absorb some of the dressing.
Ingredients
5 pound pork shoulder, bone-in, (sometimes called "picnic"
1 jar of Salsa Verde
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons or oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt
12 to 16 corn tortillas, heated and softened
1/4 head of cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar (if you only have unseasoned, add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to it)
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija Mexican farmer's cheese, or some grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour Cream
Directions
1 Trim the excess fat from the roast. Put the meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa verde, onion, stock, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours. Turn 3 times during the 3 hours to ensure even cooking.
2 Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove meat from liquid in pot and put the meat into a roasting pan. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Roast meat for 15 to 20 minutes until parts are brown and crispy. The browning may take up to 30 minutes depending on your oven. Just keep an eye on it.
3. While the meat is roasting, skim and discard fat from liquid in the casserole pan. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.
4 Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt.
Serve with heated and softened corn tortillas (20 seconds each in the microwave spread out over a paper towel will heat and softened packaged tortillas sufficiently), diced avocado, crumbed Cotija or grated Monterey jack cheese, sour cream (or crema fresca), and seasoned cabbage slaw.
Seasoned Cabbage Slaw
Place thinly sliced cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle on olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, salt and pepper. You can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar, if you do, sprinkle on some sugar to help balance the acidity of the vinegar. Toss. Adjust seasonings. Let sit for 10 minutes for the cabbage to absorb some of the dressing.
The Best Sangria
I have been making this sangria recipe for about 4 years now with excellent results. It is very refreshing and a crowd-pleaser. Excellent for the start of football season when it is still warm outside (here in Florida it is warm until after Halloween...).
Ingredients:
6 peaches, plums or nectarines, or your favorite combination of stone fruits, halved, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups peach nectar
1/4 cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
1 bottle dry Spanish white wine (white Rioja) or Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups club soda, or more, to taste
Ice cubes for serving
Directions:
In a large pitcher, combine the fruit, peach nectar, orange liqueur and wine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Stir in the club soda and ladle the sangria into ice-filled glasses. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients:
6 peaches, plums or nectarines, or your favorite combination of stone fruits, halved, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups peach nectar
1/4 cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
1 bottle dry Spanish white wine (white Rioja) or Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups club soda, or more, to taste
Ice cubes for serving
Directions:
In a large pitcher, combine the fruit, peach nectar, orange liqueur and wine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Stir in the club soda and ladle the sangria into ice-filled glasses. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Inspired Design
I just found out that they have an online shop where you can purchase items from the artists affiliated with the school. They have jewelry, decor, fine art, stationery, etc. I personally enjoyed this peice:
I want to buy this shirt for Mr. Foodie, but it is meant for women and his 6"4' self wouldn't be able to fit in it. For those who don't know, his groom's cake was a large stick of butter. Yes, I didn't make a mistake. A LARGE STICK OF BUTTER!!!
13 Gypsies - Jacksonville, FL
Last night we had a lovely dinner with out great Friends A&J. They just started their first jobs (real post-college jobs) as first year associates with their respective law firms. I wish them all the best. I know they will be successful at whatever they do. I am trying to get one of them to do a guest post on here but they are super busy.
They asked me to review the restaurant we went to last night so here goes.
13 Gypsies - Restaurant in Jacksonville, FL
The restaurant has a pretty good atmosphere however they could make some changes. There is too much open space. I know it sounds crazy for me to request this, but I feel like they should put more tables in. That would make it a little more cozy and give it a European bistro feel. The staff was friendly, but not exceptional. No complaints. Our server was willing to answer my list of questions about the menu without an attitude.
The Food
The restaurant markets itself as a Peasant Kitchen. Here is a quote from the website/menu:
"STAYING TRUE TO HIS ROOTS, CHEF HOWARD HAS FOLLOWED AND CAPTURED THE DOCUMENTED GYPSY MIGRATORY TRAIL... OUT OF INDIA AND WEST ACROSS CENTRAL EUROPE, ITALY, FRANCE, SPAIN, AND NORTHERN AFRICA. KEEPING THE RECIPES OF EACH LOCATION AS CLOSE TO TRADITIONAL AS POSSIBLE."
We ordered 6 tapas and 2 desserts with a side of Flat Bread and Peasant Bread. I will start with the 6 tapas dishes:
STREET STYLE PORK KABOBS - OLD WORLD MOORISH SPICED KABOBS, WITH FLATBREAD - The pork was extremely overcooked. The cut of meat was indistinguishable, but the spices were good.
SPANISH 'GAMBAS AL AJILLO' - SHRIMP SAUTÉED IN OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, AND RED PEPPER. - This was our least favorite dish. In a coastal fishing town like Jacksonville, Fl previously frozen imported shrimp from China just won't cut it. If it's a price thing, increase it and buy the best ingredients. We found ourselves very disappointed with this item.
ROMAN GNOCCHI SEMOLINA AND PARMESAN FLATS, TOPPED WITH A MUSHROOM TAREEFI SAUCE. - This was the star of the show however I have several comments to make. The dish should have been a little warmer to start out with. The plate should have been warmed before plating the food. The flavors were good, especially the Parmesan which was a high quality cheese. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly however there should have been more of them on the plate. After careful consideration of the meal, it is possible that we liked this dish the most because it was the only carb dish we tried, everything else was meat and seafood. It was also the last dish to be delivered and the flavors in it were nothing like the others we tried.
FRESH CHORIZO AND PEARS - CHEF'S HANDMADE CHORIZO SAUSAGE, SAUTÉED WITH PEARS AND SPICED DATES - The Chorizo was a little dry in my opinion however the flavors were good. A thought the dish lacked texture. We determined that the dates should have been caramelized to give them more of a crunch to contrast with the sausage and pears. Overall the flavors were pleasant.
ANGRY BULLPAN SEARED BEEF FILET, SERVED WITH PACHECO SAUCE AND CROWNED WITH CRUSHED RAW GARLIC AND PEPPERCORNS - We enjoyed this dish very much. The peppercorns added a great crunch to the beef. The sauce was very unique, like nothing I had ever tried before.
BLACKENED OCTOPUS - SECTIONS OF TENDERIZED OCTOPUS, BLACKENED WITH CHEFS OWN SPICE BLEND. The table enjoyed this dish however it need to be crispier in order to call it blackened. The spices were great and the butter sauce was incredible. It just needed a little more sear on it to make it perfect.
Bread: The Peasant Bread was blase' while the flatbread was satisfying.
Dessert: Both of the desserts we ordered were okay, but not exceptional: Bread Pudding and their famous Tres Leches cake. We were not impressed.
In sum, I think we would go back to this place. The wine and sangria was inexpensive which was a refreshing change to most restauarants. The bill for two couples was 117.00. This included a bottle of house white, and 2 carafes of Sangria. Not bad for a pleasant evening with friends.
They asked me to review the restaurant we went to last night so here goes.
13 Gypsies - Restaurant in Jacksonville, FL
The restaurant has a pretty good atmosphere however they could make some changes. There is too much open space. I know it sounds crazy for me to request this, but I feel like they should put more tables in. That would make it a little more cozy and give it a European bistro feel. The staff was friendly, but not exceptional. No complaints. Our server was willing to answer my list of questions about the menu without an attitude.
The Food
The restaurant markets itself as a Peasant Kitchen. Here is a quote from the website/menu:
"STAYING TRUE TO HIS ROOTS, CHEF HOWARD HAS FOLLOWED AND CAPTURED THE DOCUMENTED GYPSY MIGRATORY TRAIL... OUT OF INDIA AND WEST ACROSS CENTRAL EUROPE, ITALY, FRANCE, SPAIN, AND NORTHERN AFRICA. KEEPING THE RECIPES OF EACH LOCATION AS CLOSE TO TRADITIONAL AS POSSIBLE."
We ordered 6 tapas and 2 desserts with a side of Flat Bread and Peasant Bread. I will start with the 6 tapas dishes:
STREET STYLE PORK KABOBS - OLD WORLD MOORISH SPICED KABOBS, WITH FLATBREAD - The pork was extremely overcooked. The cut of meat was indistinguishable, but the spices were good.
SPANISH 'GAMBAS AL AJILLO' - SHRIMP SAUTÉED IN OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, AND RED PEPPER. - This was our least favorite dish. In a coastal fishing town like Jacksonville, Fl previously frozen imported shrimp from China just won't cut it. If it's a price thing, increase it and buy the best ingredients. We found ourselves very disappointed with this item.
ROMAN GNOCCHI SEMOLINA AND PARMESAN FLATS, TOPPED WITH A MUSHROOM TAREEFI SAUCE. - This was the star of the show however I have several comments to make. The dish should have been a little warmer to start out with. The plate should have been warmed before plating the food. The flavors were good, especially the Parmesan which was a high quality cheese. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly however there should have been more of them on the plate. After careful consideration of the meal, it is possible that we liked this dish the most because it was the only carb dish we tried, everything else was meat and seafood. It was also the last dish to be delivered and the flavors in it were nothing like the others we tried.
FRESH CHORIZO AND PEARS - CHEF'S HANDMADE CHORIZO SAUSAGE, SAUTÉED WITH PEARS AND SPICED DATES - The Chorizo was a little dry in my opinion however the flavors were good. A thought the dish lacked texture. We determined that the dates should have been caramelized to give them more of a crunch to contrast with the sausage and pears. Overall the flavors were pleasant.
ANGRY BULLPAN SEARED BEEF FILET, SERVED WITH PACHECO SAUCE AND CROWNED WITH CRUSHED RAW GARLIC AND PEPPERCORNS - We enjoyed this dish very much. The peppercorns added a great crunch to the beef. The sauce was very unique, like nothing I had ever tried before.
BLACKENED OCTOPUS - SECTIONS OF TENDERIZED OCTOPUS, BLACKENED WITH CHEFS OWN SPICE BLEND. The table enjoyed this dish however it need to be crispier in order to call it blackened. The spices were great and the butter sauce was incredible. It just needed a little more sear on it to make it perfect.
Bread: The Peasant Bread was blase' while the flatbread was satisfying.
Dessert: Both of the desserts we ordered were okay, but not exceptional: Bread Pudding and their famous Tres Leches cake. We were not impressed.
In sum, I think we would go back to this place. The wine and sangria was inexpensive which was a refreshing change to most restauarants. The bill for two couples was 117.00. This included a bottle of house white, and 2 carafes of Sangria. Not bad for a pleasant evening with friends.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Design: Entryway
I have been looking for something new to dress up my entryway. The space is very barren, but very small. I have to find something small but trendy/modern. Crate and Barrel has recently offered many more furniture options, and I found this: Ully Tall Pedestal Table
What do you think? My only concern is that it would not contrast enough with the wood sideboard I have. I also like this pedestal table as well: Clairemont 27" Pedestal Table
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
10 ways to waste time
Many of my work days are filled with nothing to do. Especially late in the afternoons, when I run out of half-way legitimate things... I thought I would share 10 ways for you to waste your time.
1. Join a Fantasy Football League. This provides you with tons of time-wasting material to sift through. If there is money involved (which there is in my league) you can even justify it. Sort of.
2. Cake Wrecks - My favorite website/blog in cyberspace. Whenever I am REALLY bored (like right now at 4:41 PM, I check out the latest post and browser older ones).
3. Read about my fave NFL Football team: The Jacksonville Jaguars.
4. Facebook Stalking - An oldie but goodie.
5. Read TheOnion.com - Hilarious, Seriously Laugh Out Loud stuff here.
6. Check the sale section on Williams Sonoma.com & Pottery Barn.com.
7. Crossword puzzles. I am obsessed. I have this ludicrous notion that doing them will prevent me from getting Alzheimer's one day.
8. Play Solitaire on my iPhone. Mr. Foodie claims I am obsessed with this activity.
9. Look up recipes in the Internet. Plan dinner parties that will never happen. Look up Thanksgiving recipes.
10. Sleep. Yes.... I have an office. I close the door, and sleep sitting in my chair. The good news is that my back is to the door so no one can see me. I reason that I can wake up if someone opens/knocks on the door. So far so good.
1. Join a Fantasy Football League. This provides you with tons of time-wasting material to sift through. If there is money involved (which there is in my league) you can even justify it. Sort of.
2. Cake Wrecks - My favorite website/blog in cyberspace. Whenever I am REALLY bored (like right now at 4:41 PM, I check out the latest post and browser older ones).
3. Read about my fave NFL Football team: The Jacksonville Jaguars.
4. Facebook Stalking - An oldie but goodie.
5. Read TheOnion.com - Hilarious, Seriously Laugh Out Loud stuff here.
6. Check the sale section on Williams Sonoma.com & Pottery Barn.com.
7. Crossword puzzles. I am obsessed. I have this ludicrous notion that doing them will prevent me from getting Alzheimer's one day.
8. Play Solitaire on my iPhone. Mr. Foodie claims I am obsessed with this activity.
9. Look up recipes in the Internet. Plan dinner parties that will never happen. Look up Thanksgiving recipes.
10. Sleep. Yes.... I have an office. I close the door, and sleep sitting in my chair. The good news is that my back is to the door so no one can see me. I reason that I can wake up if someone opens/knocks on the door. So far so good.
Oklahoma
I just got back from the dentist office where I FINALLY got my permanent crown put on. This whole root canal/crown business has cost me about $600 out of pocket (I have dental insurance) and at least a full day's work. Not to mention the discomfort and annoyance that has gone on for about a month.
Enough complaining....
I do have some good news. Mr. Foodie and I are going to go see our city's symphony perform Oklahoma with my grandparents. We call them "Grandma and Grandpa." My Grandmother loves musicals and brought me up singing and dancing all of the time. We are going to a nice dinner ahead of time, and then taking a shuttle to the symphony center.
Mr. Foodie and I are very lucky because we both have awesome families that get along very well. We enjoy spending time with the grandparents on both sides which is refreshing. Also... I know some of you out there might think I am crazy, but, I love my Mother-in-law like my own Mom. She is one of my best friends, and I don't know what i would do without her. I guess that is what happens when you meet your future mother-in-law at 15...
So here's a toast to all the mothers out there - Thanks for all you do.
Enough complaining....
I do have some good news. Mr. Foodie and I are going to go see our city's symphony perform Oklahoma with my grandparents. We call them "Grandma and Grandpa." My Grandmother loves musicals and brought me up singing and dancing all of the time. We are going to a nice dinner ahead of time, and then taking a shuttle to the symphony center.
Mr. Foodie and I are very lucky because we both have awesome families that get along very well. We enjoy spending time with the grandparents on both sides which is refreshing. Also... I know some of you out there might think I am crazy, but, I love my Mother-in-law like my own Mom. She is one of my best friends, and I don't know what i would do without her. I guess that is what happens when you meet your future mother-in-law at 15...
So here's a toast to all the mothers out there - Thanks for all you do.
Green Street Hooligans
Last night was Dinner and a Movie at our house. Mr. Foodie made his famous mashed potatoes (he whips them up in our Kitchenaid stand mixer) and one of our all time favorite dishes Pork Au Poivre. We first made this dish about 2 years ago after watching Elie Krieger's show On Demand. Mr. Foodie likes to make recipes while watching them being made on a television cooking show. I can't stand doing this. I HAVE to have a printed recipe for me to read. This really illuminates our two contrasting learning styles! We tried the recipe and loved it so much that we continue to make it regularly. We have also served it to friends on several occasions with good results.
Click on the link above for the recipe. It will take you directly to the food network site.
We watched Green Street Hooligans. Mr. Foodie swears that I put this movie in our Netflix Queue, however I totally disagree with him. A movie about soccer, street fighting and gangs? I DON'T THINK SO! The movie was ok, made me really miss London.
I also completed about 50 stitches on a new cross-stitch piece I am working on. It is a Lighthouse Christmas Ornament for our tree. Mr. Foodie picked it out. I am done with the "sky" above the light house.
Click on the link above for the recipe. It will take you directly to the food network site.
We watched Green Street Hooligans. Mr. Foodie swears that I put this movie in our Netflix Queue, however I totally disagree with him. A movie about soccer, street fighting and gangs? I DON'T THINK SO! The movie was ok, made me really miss London.
I also completed about 50 stitches on a new cross-stitch piece I am working on. It is a Lighthouse Christmas Ornament for our tree. Mr. Foodie picked it out. I am done with the "sky" above the light house.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Blut
What is Blut?
It is a noun?A verb?
A body part?
Blut = Blogging + Rut, or a Blogging Rut
Webster's Dictionary defines it as the lack of witty things in blog posting. Uninspired topics. A state of blandness and mediocrity. A disease affecting millions of newly formed blogs in cyberspace.
I am close to hitting 100 posts and I find myself running out of things to say. This brings up several more fundamental questions: 1. Is my life THAT boring that I can't find things to type about to complete strangers? 2. Is this some type of blogging litmus test? 3. Will I pass?
After a thorough scan of the literature, the prognosis for my Blut diagnosis looks good. I am instructed to follow a strict regimen containing the following:
1. Positivity - Live it, Breathe it, Be it
2. Don't give up on the things I like to do and replace them with moping, TV, and sleeping/picking fights with husband.
3. Get this whole job mess sorted out. Do you know how it feels for a control freak like myself to not know what's coming next? Really.... *I just had a physical reaction to typing the previous sentence: Teeth grinding, jaw clenching, tense muscles. I <3 anxiety.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sunday!
Good morning everyone. Mr. Foodie is in the kitchen cooking up a nice breakfast for us. His new specialty is Creamy Dreamy Grits - a recipe from the Flying Biscuit cookbook. The cookbook is published by a restaurant name the Flying Biscuit in Atlanta, Georgia. The restaurant is one of mother in law's favorite places to go when she visits her best friend in Atlanta. The Creamy Dream Grist will CHANGE YOUR MIND about grits. I am from the south, so grits already have a special place in my heart. I know there are many grit haters out there but you need to try these grits before judging.
Also - I bought a pair of boots online this morning in preparation for fall. Mr. Foodie helped me pick them out. I haven't had boots in a while, so I think it will be a nice change.
We have a couple of activities planned for today. We are going to go on a guided ranger tour of Kingsley Plantation at 2:00 PM. This is a really cool place here in Jacksonville, right down the road from where we got married. We are going to take our camera and take some photographs at Kingsley and at the Ribault Club (our wedding location). In my opinion, this is one of the top 5 wedding venues in North Florida. I will post some photographs here on the blog once we get back.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Employment Mayhem
I have some great news on the job search front. I currently have two really great prospects that I am excited about. I will share the details about the two options and give you a status update.
Job 1: This job would be a sales position with a major health insurance agency. Salary would be base + commission. Advantages to this include the following: Major Company (less likely to go away any time soon), Steady income (some ups and downs based on my performance), possibility of promotion (never a certain thing with a big company), and the big plus: Benefits. The only reason the benefits thing matters is because I have several health conditions that may make it hard for me to qualify for an individual health policy.
Job 2: This would be a sales position with a small local employee benefits agency. Here I would have a lot of opportunity. Salary would be base + commission, but the commission would be highly variable based on my performance. This job would require more work, but also much more satisfaction. I would have flexible hours and the ability to work as much as I would like. I could easily be making some serious cash about 1 year or so from now. The only negatives to this job are the lack of benefits, the fact that it is a very small company, and it would require a certain amount of risk.
I am 90% sure I will be able to choose one of them. I am heavily leaning towards job #2 but it will require me to step outside of my comfort zone. I thrive in a challenging environment. In my current job I spend most of time doing NOTHING (like blogging) because I literally don't have anything else to do... I will keep you guys updated. Thanks for your continued support.
Job 1: This job would be a sales position with a major health insurance agency. Salary would be base + commission. Advantages to this include the following: Major Company (less likely to go away any time soon), Steady income (some ups and downs based on my performance), possibility of promotion (never a certain thing with a big company), and the big plus: Benefits. The only reason the benefits thing matters is because I have several health conditions that may make it hard for me to qualify for an individual health policy.
Job 2: This would be a sales position with a small local employee benefits agency. Here I would have a lot of opportunity. Salary would be base + commission, but the commission would be highly variable based on my performance. This job would require more work, but also much more satisfaction. I would have flexible hours and the ability to work as much as I would like. I could easily be making some serious cash about 1 year or so from now. The only negatives to this job are the lack of benefits, the fact that it is a very small company, and it would require a certain amount of risk.
I am 90% sure I will be able to choose one of them. I am heavily leaning towards job #2 but it will require me to step outside of my comfort zone. I thrive in a challenging environment. In my current job I spend most of time doing NOTHING (like blogging) because I literally don't have anything else to do... I will keep you guys updated. Thanks for your continued support.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Life Update
A couple things I wanted to share with you all this morning:
1. I went to the dentist yesterday to get my permanent crown and the dentist chipped a minute piece of porcelain off so they have to send it back to the lab and I have to go back to the dentist. I am a little annoyed at this. I am so tired of going to that dentist office and missing time from work.
2. I have my interview tomorrow at 11AM with an awesome job prospect. I am nervous about it and excited at the same time. If this works out I will be so happy, I can barely control myself.
3. Mr. Foodie loved the Pottery Barn glasses. He was so excited and surprised that I found them.
4. College Football starts this weekend. We are spending Saturday with my parents eating ribs and watching the games.
I have had horrible nightmares all of this week. I am attributing it to a new allergy medicine the Doctor has me taking. I normally have nightmares occasionally, but nothing like this. Usually side effects like this are short-lived so I am confident it will end soon. I will just have to stick it out until then!
1. I went to the dentist yesterday to get my permanent crown and the dentist chipped a minute piece of porcelain off so they have to send it back to the lab and I have to go back to the dentist. I am a little annoyed at this. I am so tired of going to that dentist office and missing time from work.
2. I have my interview tomorrow at 11AM with an awesome job prospect. I am nervous about it and excited at the same time. If this works out I will be so happy, I can barely control myself.
3. Mr. Foodie loved the Pottery Barn glasses. He was so excited and surprised that I found them.
4. College Football starts this weekend. We are spending Saturday with my parents eating ribs and watching the games.
I have had horrible nightmares all of this week. I am attributing it to a new allergy medicine the Doctor has me taking. I normally have nightmares occasionally, but nothing like this. Usually side effects like this are short-lived so I am confident it will end soon. I will just have to stick it out until then!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Crafting
I have mentioned several times about my forays into the crafting world. I have some great news. I finally finished a Cross Stitch I have been working on for quite some time. I am going to post a photo as soon as I take a good one. The only step now is to get it professionally framed to hang on the wall.
The pattern is called a "wedding record." I choose to customize the colors with Hot Pink and Black, the colors from my wedding. The pattern includes our names and our wedding date. My Mom always did cross stitch when I was a little girl, and so did my Mother In Law. I picked it up about a year ago and I have really enjoyed it. I am a high strung person with a lot of anxiety at times, so cross stitching helps me because I can calm down while intensely focusing on something other than what is causing me anxiety.
My next project is to make another Christmas Ornament. I bought a pattern last year that has 16 different ornaments in it. I completed one last fall, and I just started a new one. I let Mr. Foodie pick it out. It has a Light House and Sailboat on it. I have only done about 30 stitches on it, but I thought I should go ahead and get started. I can't wait to show you all my handy work.
The pattern is called a "wedding record." I choose to customize the colors with Hot Pink and Black, the colors from my wedding. The pattern includes our names and our wedding date. My Mom always did cross stitch when I was a little girl, and so did my Mother In Law. I picked it up about a year ago and I have really enjoyed it. I am a high strung person with a lot of anxiety at times, so cross stitching helps me because I can calm down while intensely focusing on something other than what is causing me anxiety.
My next project is to make another Christmas Ornament. I bought a pattern last year that has 16 different ornaments in it. I completed one last fall, and I just started a new one. I let Mr. Foodie pick it out. It has a Light House and Sailboat on it. I have only done about 30 stitches on it, but I thought I should go ahead and get started. I can't wait to show you all my handy work.
TOOOsday
I visited Pottery Barn today on a whim before returning back to the office after my dentist appointment and I found an amazing deal of glassware. Mr. Foodie and I have an obsession with glassware. We have red wine glasses, white wine glasses, port glasses, margarita glasses, brandy snifters, champagne flutes, Pina Colada glasses, Pint Glasses, Pilsner Glasses, Irish Coffee Glasses, Martini Glasses, stemless martini glasses, and shot glasses. I think that is everything. You may have noticed that I didn't mention highballs and lowballs. We have 7 glasses left over from college, 2 from Pier 1 I purchased Sophomore year, several from a set we bought at Target, and 2 GlenLivett branded glasses we got free when buying scotch. However, do not fear. I have finally remedied the situation. While browsing in Pottery Barn I found the glasses we had been wanting to purchase for $4 a glass. Also I got $3 off for purchasing a set of 6. I was able to buy 8 highballs and 2 low balls. The rest of the set is on hold at another store in town. I will be going there tonight after work to finish off the set. I am super excited! I can't wait to tell Mr. Foodie. I would love to share a picture of the glasses but I can't find them on the website.
I also purchased a Basket for holding magazines which is not on the website either. Oh well, sorry for the severe lack of visuals.
I also purchased a Basket for holding magazines which is not on the website either. Oh well, sorry for the severe lack of visuals.
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