Eat this. Now.

OK. So this post is going to be short. I want to share a recipe. Plain and simple.

In the whirlwind that has been my life over the last month, I have rarely taken the time to research and try any new recipes. I was bored the other night, so I picked up the Food Network Kitchens Cookbook. What a fantastic book, y'all! The recipes border between gourmet and homestyle and are all delicious-looking. I settled for Lemon Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus. Oh. My. Word. I happened to be sitting alone in my apartment when I took the first bite, and I was so overwhelmed by the taste that I just had to call someone. Naturally, this person was my mom. If I could count the times I have called her over the years to tell her the most ridiculous, pointless, silly things that I see/do/hear, you would be amazed. It's quite funny to me that even after 23 years, she still laughs and listens to my ranting. That's love. Even when I call and forget why I called before I could tell her the stupid or random fact. :)

Any who, back to the risotto. OK. So I ate so much, I was stuffed. No jokes. I want to pass this along to you, my readers, because you will die. It's for certain that this is one of my new favorite meals. Just make it. Trust me.*

Lemon Risotto with Shrimp and Asparagus**

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

4 oz. frozen shrimp

Olive Oil

3 cups chicken broth

A pinch of dried thyme

1 shallot, diced (this is a small pinkish onion -- use 1/4 white onion if you can't find a shallot)

1 1/2 cups Arborio (risotto) rice

Salt

Pepper

Zest of half lemon

2 tablespoons butter

Juice of half lemon

Recipe:

Cut asparagus into inch pieces discarding woody stems. Heat a few turns of olive oil in a large Dutch oven pot (this is a pot with two handles on the sides) on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and let warm up for about 5-6 minutes. Take the shrimp out and keep warm on a plate under tin foil. Meanwhile, add chicken broth and thyme to a large pot (just a regular pot this time) and warm up just to a simmer. Add the diced shallot to the pot the where you took the shrimp out and let it cook for about 2 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and stir until it is coated and covered in oil. Ladle in about 1/2 cup of broth to the rice and let it absorb while stirring. It's important to let the rice absorb all the liquid before adding anymore. Keep adding broth to the rice until about half the stock is used. Add the asparagus and lemon zest into the rice and stir gently. Continue ladling 1/2 cup of broth stirring between additions until all the stock is used. When rice is al dente (which is just a fancy term for "firm to the bite") after about 15 minutes, add in the shrimp, lemon juice and butter and stir quickly so it absorbs.*** Remove from the heat and let the risotto rest for a minute before serving. Top with salt and pepper to taste.

Y'all it's so yummy!! Please, please let me know if anyone decides to use this recipe and tell me if you think it's as good as I do!!

I thought I could keep this post short, but I guess not. Ha! Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend! DC is getting snow on Saturday! I'll have to wait for the next time because I'll be visiting Adam's family in Virginia Beach this weekend. And, I made his mom some Pumpkin Spice Biscotti, so I'll post how it turns out soon!

*Sorry I couldn't get a better picture. I had already started eating it and couldn't stop. You know how that goes, right?

**I really edited this recipe from the original because I didn't like some of the ingredients. Does this mean I am honing my craft?? Oh, now I'm excited!

***Now the rice is called risotto because it has absorbed flavor and liquid.

What a whirlwind!

Wow! The last two weeks have flown by! I have so much to share -- so let's start at the beginning!!

Firstly, I must say that I had a FANTASTIC time at our dinner party at Katie and Heather's apartment. It was so fun to meet with friends and sit around and talk and eat. I mean, those are pretty much my favorite activities to do with friends.. preferably while holding a glass of wine. Anywho.. let's get back to the food.. because it was awesome! Everyone was instructed to bring a side dish or dessert as Heather and Katie shared the duty of hosts and made the main dish (with the help of Katye): Bruschetta Chicken. Yum. That's about how you sum it up. It was covered in tomatoes and veggies and was just delish. We also shared parmesan risotto, cornbread casserole and lots of yummy appetizers of homemade hummus, Caprese salad, veggies with dip, and a homemade Southwestern cheese ball! Lastly, we finished off dinner with my homemade pumpkin pie and Mary-Kate C.'s ice cream sandwich casserole! Y'all it was so much fun and man oh man was I stuffed! I am so excited to do it again in December! Randan and I have volunteered to host next month's dinner party at our apartment! It's going to coincide with LOTS of birthdays, so it wil definitely be a blast! Plus our new roommate Courtney will be all moved in and ready to celebrate! Wahoo!

Here is a picture of my pumpkin pie! Sorry, I forgot to take a picture before it was half-eaten. :)

And here is the recipe!* Trust me, it is soooo good. But beware, it packs some serious calories.. not that I care because I love pie and I love the holidays for which we bake them!

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, plus 2 yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 stick butter, melted then cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 piece pre-made pie dough (I just go to the freezer section of the grocery store and get one that's ready to bake, although I am going to try to make my own.. I just need a rolling pin.)**
Whipped cream for topping

Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half and melted, cooled butter and beat until combined. Finally add the cinnamon, ginger and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 50 minutes or until the center is set. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top!

So aside from the wonderful dinner party on Veteran's Day, my birthday was this past Monday! I am now officially 23! And I am so happy to have been surrounded by so many wonderful friends all weekend! We started the celebration on Saturday by going to dinner at Liberty Tavern in Clarendon. We also went to happy hour at Kelly's Irish Times on Monday and had fun as well, but let's not skip the best part and get back to talkin' about Saturday's meal!
That dinner was A-M-AAAAAA-ZING!! It was such a great atmosphere and was definitely moderately priced! I had the filet with this extremely yummy raspberry and red wine sauce on top with fingerling potatoes and braised oxtail stuffed cabbage. Oh my Lord! Y'all it was to-die-for. I ate the whole thing. Not kidding. Definitely one of my most fave meals I have ever had! It rivals my most favorite meal at Hennessey's in Columbia.. and that's hard to beat!*** I think everyone had a great meal as well. Randan had the rabbit confit with egg noodles, which I tasted and loved! Adam had a delish Italian fennel sausage pizza, and a few others the hand-made Gnocchi! I was so thankful to get to have a great meal in DC and spend time with great friends!

Here are some pictures from the fun that was had that night:

Not to mention that I also got flowers sent me at work from sweet Adam on Monday :)


Overall it was a great birthday weekend! I got lots of fun gifts and have many memories that I will always remember! And hey, 23 isn't so bad!
Y'all have a good rest of your week!
PS: I want to give a shout-out to the Hampden-Sydney Tigers football team for a perfect 10-0 season and congratulations on making it to NCAA Division III playoffs! I'll be at the first round home game on Saturday cheering you on!! Wahoo!!
PSS: If only the USC Gamecocks would win on Thanksgiving weekend against Clemson, I would be a happy camper for sure!
*I did borrow this recipe from Paula Deen. How could you not? Her pies are to die-for. For reals.
**Yeah, that was a shameless plug for "if you wanna get me a gift, a rolling pin would be perfect."
***Y'all if you have never heard of Hennessey's on Main Street in Columbia, SC, get there now. The food and the atmosphere are terrific and the ingredients are all local. Can't beat that!

Happy November!

It's finally my favorite month of all! I can just taste Thanksgiving! But, there are so many things to look forward to in the days leading up to that wonderful holiday! The next three weeks are packed with fun festive get-togethers -- starting next Wednesday when all of my girlfriends and I hold our first Supper Club! We are gathering at Katie and Heather's apartment in Ballston to celebrate fall with a dinner prepared by our lovely hosts. Everyone invited will have to bring a side dish or dessert, and I am so excited about mine! Homemade pumpkin pie ya'll!! I'll share a picture and recipe once it's made!

My birthday is just around the corner as well.. which all of you know is only 12 days away. I know, I know, aren't I too old for birthday countdowns? Well, no actually. I love birthdays. I think it is a great day to celebrate your life and how much you are thankful for all the people who surround you and love you. So, yes, unfortunately, I will continue to countdown for my birthday.. until I hit a year that I am embarrassed to admit. But for now, bring it on 23! Wahoo!

Then.. just to add a little bit more excitement to November.. NEW MOON comes out in theaters on the 20th! Oh Lordy.. I can't wait! I have read all the Twilight books and love them! I highly recommend them to you, dear reader. For a few of my friends, who shall remain nameless, the books are a bit of a younger read, but if you want some action and entertainment surrounded by a love story, then you will LOVE these books. Not to mention, Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson) is beautiful.* Just sayin'. Be sure to read the article about Robert and Kristen Stewart (who plays Bella Swann in the movie) in the new edition of Harper's Bazaar - on stands November 19.

Anyways, a little update on Halloweekend! We had a BLAST! We decided to go to a party at Front Page in Ballston to hear Gonzo's Nose (an 80s and 90s cover band). It was really great and there were alot of funny costumes! Adam and I dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus and it was hilarious!**

On another note, we did decide to cook dinner this past weekend! I promise I haven't forgotten how to cook! We ended up making a really great, super-easy chicken dish with mustard-cream sauce that packs a TON of flavor! I have made this dish quite a few times, so I have adjusted the spices a bit. We made it with a side of corn, but you can choose whatever side dish you like. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup chicken stock or white wine (whatever you have on hand)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon tarragon (I use a small palm-full, as tarragon has a strong licorice scent)
Olive oil

Recipe:

Cook chicken breasts in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until white all the way through about 8-10 minutes. A great tip that I have learned recently is to use frozen chicken breasts. If you can find them in the grocery store, they cook for 15 minutes on each side, and come out perfect. You can put them in the pan FROZEN and leave them alone! It's great!

Meanwhile, combine all liquid ingredients in a saucepan and heat through on medium heat. After it reduces a bit, add the tarragon. After the chicken is finished cooking, pour the sauce over them and serve. It is a tangy sauce that works well with any side dish. I recommend corn, asparagus or green beans! Here is a picture of the finished product.

Well it's Hump Day, so that means it's half way to the weekend! Hopefully it will be a relaxing one with lots of cooking and football. The Carolina Gamecocks need to keep up those wins, so let's kick some Arkansas Razorback butt! Y'all have a good rest of your day!

*No worries, I'm not cheating on Harry Potter. He is still my favorite.

**Would you expect anything less from a Christmas fanatic like me? No? Didn't think so.

PS: Here's a little picture of my new office!

Happy Thursday!

Happy Thursday, y'all! As this weekend draws nearer, I get more and more excited about Halloween! Adam will be in town tomorrow night, and we are hopefully going to have a scary movie marathon!! As for our apartment living situation, we have found out that children just might be trick-or-treating in the building! I'm excited to finally be able to give out candy at my house. Wahoo! Hope you all have a happy Halloween as well!

Here's a cute foodie picture I literally "Stumbled" upon on the internet. If you haven't discovered the amazing-ness that is http://stumbleupon.com/, you need to check it out! You will get hooked! All you have to do is type in your interests and it leads you along a string of random Web sites that keep you entertained for hours. As soon as you get bored with one site, you click "stumble" at the top of the page, and it sends you on your way to a new and often more interesting site. Watch out though! Don't get too addicted!

On another note, keep my parents in your thoughts! They are lucky dogs visiting all the way over in Italia right now with four of their very close friends! They got there safely this morning*, and have since found their way to the Italian home they are renting for the next few days. They will be traveling all over Northern Italy for the next ten days. This is their second trip to Italy, so I don't forsee any problems with them finding the best food and drink around. I know they are having the time of their lives, and I am so happy they are enjoying themselves. They deserve it! I just request a bottle of vino (or five) upon their return. :)

Y'all have a great afternoon!!

*Mom texted me at 3:45am. I was so dazed, I didn't understand what was going on. She was dazed and forgot the five hour time difference. Bless her little heart. All's well though, so no worries!

**Jessica-- Just look at this picture and tell me you see tomato Bob herding his fave veggie sheep. Hilarious.

In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina..

There's nothing like going home.

This past weekend I got to travel back to South Carolina for the first time since August! It was such a wonderful trip and I got to see my family and my friends! I can't wait to get back there for Thanksgiving.. but until then.. this is how it went!

Friday night after work, I caught a flight home to Charlotte. Mom and Jessica came and picked me up and we made the trek back to Lexington! It was so good to be back at home. I spent time with the family and then hit the sack!

Saturday morning we all woke up and went out to eat at O'Charley's. They have a great brunch there! (Who knew?) My dad and I both had the prime rib omelette. It was so yummy and full of bacon, asparagus and mushrooms and smothered in Swiss cheese. It came with crispy potato wedges on the side and two slices of Texas toast. Not to mention the yummy Mimosas that Mom and I ordered too! It was definitely a great choice.*

After brunch, I traveled downtown to Columbia to The Gates to Samantha, Andrea and Amber's apartment. What lucky girls to live in such a beautiful apartment so close to Williams-Brice stadium! And they can have their pets Nala (Andrea's dog) and Billie Jean (Amber's cat) there with them.** After everyone got ready, we went over to the Memorial Lot to reunite with everyone!! That was soooo fun! It was so wonderful to see all of my friends again. It's always good to know that you can go for months without seeing the ones dearest to you, and it's like time never passed. I am so lucky to have such good friends. :)

After a few hours of tailgating (and more than a few beers were consumed) we headed to the stadium to watch the game. I can't tell you how much I missed Gamecock football! It's so great to come back to Williams-Brice and watch a game in person. It just isn't the same on TV. Although I love Crystal City Sports Pub game-watching parties, there is nothing like watching my Gamecocks play with 80,000 of my best friends.*** Here are a few shots from the game..

Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC

Watching the game with Andrea and Cady Nell

If you look closely, that's my ZTA little sister Maya on field as Homecoming Queen!! Maya was the second ZTA in a row to win Homecoming Queen! My good friend (and old roommate) Heather won last year. My sorority also won Homecoming school-wide! We were so excited!!!

After the game, we headed downtown to 5 Points to eat at Salty Nut and hang out for the night. My fried chicken wrap was everything I remembered and more. Yum! I really can't describe how exciting it was to be back in Columbia after so many months away! I'm glad I got to go downtown to my old stomping ground with all of my best friends! And a big thank you to Sammy, Andrea and Amber for letting me stay with them this weekend. It was definitely a blast!

On Sunday morning, my sister Jessica picked me up and we headed right across the street the the South Carolina State Fair. Now.. if you know anything about the Marshall family, then you know how OBSESSED we are with the SC State Fair. It's an annual tradition to go to the fair when it comes to town in October and take advantage of all the amaaaaazing varieties of fried goodies!! My sister and I got there just as the gates were opening and we headed straight for the food. Don't worry.. we got around to other parts too. Here are some pictures from the fun that was had!

Eating my favorite food at the fair!

We have been going to the same Pronto Pups stand for 13 years!

Jess with her Pronto Pup!

The best lemonade at the Fair!

Making our lemony concoction. Jessica was so excited she could hardly stand it.

So excited to be at the fair! (And to be holding her lemonade. Ha!)

Of course, pizza was next!

She loves her cheese pizza!

Yes.. we did visit the indoor exhibits. What a huge tree!

After all the excitement of the indoor exhibits, we were hungry again. (Imagine that.) So, we decided to conduct a little fair experiment. We wanted to try some fried candy. The SC State Fair, in the last few years, has been experimenting with different types of fried candy bars. Over the last few fair cycles, they have managed to fry (and sell) fried Snickers, fried Reese's and even fried cookie dough. Well this year, they outdid themselves: they managed to fry Pepsi. Yes, my friends, Pepsi-Cola. Now, as you know, the Marshall family has strong ties to this lovely drink, so Jess and I were more than willing to try it in a different form. I mean, we have tasted almost every Pepsi product flavor. (They even make Dr. Pepper flavored BBQ sauce, believe it or not.) So here we were, getting ready to try the weirdest food yet. Here is the proof:

Oh yes.. your eyes are not playing tricks on you.

Yep.. they did it.

They look like donuts.. but don't be surprised..

Here is Jess' first bite.. Ha!

Had to get our Fiske fries.. Don't worry, we covered them in salt and vinegar!

Here was our final loot: popcorn for Mom, caramel apples, a Greek gyro, and Fiske fries.

Was it a success? Absolutely!

After all was said and done, and we were home from the fair, I really was so happy how the weekend turned out. It was so great to see my family and my friends. I miss them all so much, but I know I will see them again soon. I just keep telling myself how grateful I am to be surrounded my so many wonderful people in my life. I am truly blessed.

Stay tuned for more posts this week. I have a great grilled chicken dish I want to share with you all! And after I go back and buy the pie crust I forgot at the grocery store today, I am making my famous PUMPKIN PIE!! Have a good week and happy eating!

* Thanks to Mom and Dad for routinely trying this restaurant out. I can say.. it is a great brunch place for being in downtown Lexington.

**Nala was rescued by Andrea, Cady Nell and Peters last year after a sorority sister found her on the side of the road. She is such a good dog. She looks like she is part wolf and part hyena with a gray snout. She even slept snuggled in between Andrea and I on Saturday night. She is so sweet and they are so lucky to have such a lovable dog! Can't wait to see her again!

***And by 80,000 of my best friends I mean it, y'all. Everyone in that stadium loves each other like family when we watch our Gamecocks play!!

**** After I read through this post, I realized that me and my sister's tour of the fair was a walking Pepsi ad. Ha! We are Marshalls!! Take a look back through the photos and see if you can see it!

Happy Thursday!

Happy Thursday everyone! It's almost Friday which means I will be traveling to South Carolina this weekend for USC's Homecoming football game! I could not be more excited to get home and see all my family and friends! It has been since August that I have been back in Lexington/Columbia, SC. I will have a full-fledged update on all the fun that will be had! I know my sister and I are planning a trip to the SC State Fair on Sunday to get our fill of corndogs, Fiske fries and caramel apples! We may even throw in a few rides before I have to leave to board a plane back to DC. I can't wait to be in SC!

In keeping with the theme of Happy Thought Thursday, I have posted a few Peanuts comics* that remind me of the fun times we have ahead of us. In less than two weeks we have Halloween to celebrate. We have yet to make definite plans for Halloween, but I am sure something fun will come up that we can attend. And hopefully not too soon after that, winter weather will begin to set in! I know I am looking forward to the first flurries in DC! My birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all right around the corner! It's going to be a fun couple of months coming up!

I hope y'all have a great rest of your week and a great weekend as well!

*If you are having trouble reading the small print, just click on the comics and they get bigger in a new window!

The Big Apple!!

It may come as a surprise, but I have NEVER been to New York City before. I have many friends who have made the big move to the big city, and this weekend, I am finally going to be visiting for the first time! Randan and I will be leaving Saturday morning on a bus headed to NYC!

I can't wait to walk around the city with my scarf blowing in the wind and a hot Starbucks in my hand! A big thanks in advance to my good friend Maria for letting us crash in her apartment for the next two days.. I could not be more thankful!

If you have any ideas on fun things to do, please let us know! We are novices!!

In the meantime, I'll keep you updated on all our plans!

It's Fall Y'all! Happy Thursday!

Oh, it's here! In full-force! The weather is cool, the scarves and boots have come out of the back of my closet and my Starbucks consumption as been up-ed by about 20%.* I have been a long-time advocate of the fall season. I guess it's in my blood. (I'm a November baby, if you hadn't heard.)

I have to say, I am sorry for lapsing again in my updates. The end of September and the beginning weeks of October have been a whirlwind for me. I am so blessed to report that I have a new full-time job here in DC that I couldn't be more excited about. I am moving offices from Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill and I could not be more ready! I recently was in Michigan for the passing of my grandmother, and was able to visit with my family for almost a week. It was a very sad and trying time for everyone, but I am so glad that I was able to spend time with everyone that I love. I will miss Gram, but there will always be a piece of her in my heart. :)

There are so many more fun things to look forward to as fall sets in! So to start us off, here is a funny fall picture for Happy Thought Thursday! It's almost Halloween everybody!! Get ready!

*Yes.. I have probably had a Starbucks concoction everyday for two weeks. This may be a problem. But, we'll deal with that another time.. :)

Happy Thought Thursday

Here's a little something I saw in the Metro the other day. I thought it was quite funny. Even fast food restaurants are obsessed with Facebook these days. Sorry it's a bit blurry. :)

Happy Thursday!

Less than 100 days!

In honor of the fact that there are less than 100 days until my absolute favorite time of the year.. Christmas, duh.. I want to reminisce some of my favorite holiday memories. There really are so many, but I have a few that always remind me of how blessed I am, how nuts I am, and really just how much I LOVE Christmas. Many of them have to do with my friends and family, which I believe is the reason why I am such an avid holiday lover!

1. Christmas music on the radio.

This is one of the first real signs that Christmas is approaching. Thanksgiving turkeys have been eaten, kids are on the long stretch to Winter break, and the local soft rock station changes over to holiday tunes 24/7. If you are lucky enough to have grown up in Columbia, SC you may have noticed that WBBQ (the station in Augusta, GA) starts their tunes a bit early. I am talking right after my birthday.* Almost a full week before Thanksgiving. I know that some people hate this part of the season, but I happen to think it is fantastic! It gets you in the mood to decorate and drink warm drinks and await Santa. To the sad dismay that is my life, I begin adding a holiday song here or there into my rotation on Pandora beginning with the first signs of fall. Don't judge me. I already know I am crazy :). (For crying out loud, I already started this countdown!)


2. Eggnog Lattes from Starbucks.

I know, I know. Eggnog. The forever argued over holiday drink. "Is it safe to drink? It's gross!".. blah, blah, blah. I LOVE eggnog. Always have, always will. My sister and I used to get so excited when mom brought it home during the fall season! We would drink it for breakfast and with dinner. Weird? Maybe, but who cares! And the only thing better then plain eggnog are the eggnog lattes from Starbucks! So creamy and good! I am so happy to say that one of my favorite childhood drinks is now an adult version. Sweet!


3. The Nutcracker.

For twelve years, starting when I was 9, I performed in the annual production of the Carolina Ballet's The Nutcracker in Columbia, SC. It took just that one performance as a party soldier, in November of 1996, for me to realize the love and passion I had for ballet. I continued to perform until my freshman year of college, when school and life began to pick up and ballet slowed down. I will never forget the nerves and excitement of arriving at the Township Auditorium the Sunday of Thanksgiving week and seeing which dressing room I would be in, what the stage looked like when the auditorium lights were on, and always sneaking a peek into the older girls' dressing room to see my favorite dancer or costume. I was fortunate enough to dance the role of almost every part in that ballet throughout my eleven years performing. It was a thrill to dance in the flower scene as the Dew Drop Fairy twice! My entire family was consumed with The Nutcracker at this time of year, as my dad was in the Party Scene as a Party Dad and my mom worked backstage as the property manager. My sister even (sometimes) enjoyed coming to the studio to hang out while my mom painted and created amazing props. We lived, breathed and danced The Nutcracker for four months every year. The people of Carolina Ballet became a family to me, and I am so lucky to have met so many wonderful friends. Dancing will always remain one of the most important parts of my life, and there is no better feeling than starting the Christmas season off with a beautiful production that warms hearts. My wish is that I will one day be able to be involved again with this wonderful ballet. Until then, I will always envision Sugar Plums dancing in my head. :)


4. My mom's incredible decorations.

Our house has always been tastefully decorated. My mom has always had what it takes to make a house a home. But when it comes to Christmas... it is amazing! Each room in our house has a theme. She decorates each one from top to bottom. Not in a tacky way, but in a subtle way that is so great. It's all about nutcrackers on the back porch, snowmen in the kitchen and a village scene in the study. We have at least three Christmas trees every year: the gold one in the dining room, the family ornamented one in the study and the ever-changing tree in the living room. Our house is always filled with scented candles and wonderful cooking around the holidays and I always miss it most at this time. The decorations that are put up outside are so tasteful and beautiful. The white lights frame our front door and run all the way down the front banisters to the topiaries at the bottom of the steps. They are never too much and my family and I love to turn them on and ride to the end of the cul-de-sac in front of our house just to ride up and see how pretty everything looks. It is a special moment every year, and I am so excited to have my very own Christmas tree in my apartment this year. The first 'big' one.** Decorations really open up the door to a great celebration!


5. My first Christmas snow.

As I have said before, I have spent most of my life in Lexington, SC. The state with no seasons. It goes from hot to cold in a matter of days. So when my family traveled to Detroit, MI to visit the rest of our extended family for Christmas break during my junior year of high school, you can imagine the shock of the extreme winter weather that awaited us. It was C-O-L-D! My sister and I were sure that it would snow when we were visiting, so everyday for a week, we would wake up and hope that a white blanket would be covering the yard outside. But nothing happened. It was finally Christmas Eve at my aunt's house and we were so happy to share it with our family, but it was so sad that we may be leaving soon without a hint of snow. Much to our happiness and surprise, when we woke up the next morning, there were 6 INCHES covering EVERYTHING!! It was one of the best Christmas presents ever. I'll never forget being able to play in the snow on Christmas morning and then being able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon laughing and sharing time with my loved ones. I hope I can have this same surprise again sometime in my life!


6. Listening to Mariah Carey's Christmas CD

This has been a tradition in my family forever. We LOVE Mariah Carey's Christmas album. It is one of the best CDs ever. It always makes me so happy to drive down the road during the holidays, blasting these songs and singing along with my dad. Who cares if it's Mariah? We don't. :)

7. Celebrating Mom's birthday on the 23rd then celebrating Christmas Eve and Day

Mom's birthday is two days before Christmas, so we always do something nice on her day before the craziness that is Christmas. She always gets gifts for both, so I enjoy shopping for her the most during the holiday season. Then starts our Christmas ritual. We are a Christmas Eve present-opening type of family. We have always done it this way. I didn't think anything of it until I started school, and my friends thought it was weird. We always do the same thing every year. We go to church around 5 p.m. Then we come home, get our pajamas on and go out in the garage and get those huge black trash bags. We turn on the holiday music channel on the TV, and then my sister and I sit on opposite sides of the living room and we open all of our wrapped presents. We take turns between everyone, and then we would let Sugar open some of her presents.*** She was so cute digging her nose in the bags looking for treats. I'll never forget it. After everything was done, we call the family in Michigan and then watch TV until we get sleepy enough to go to bed. Then the next morning, we wake up and get our gifts and stockings from Santa. Then we try everything on and figure out what we will return. It all ends with a big breakfast before we all watch TV all day long. I love our holiday traditions the most out of everything in the holiday season. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR DECEMBER 23 to get here! 

I hope that my holiday memories have you excited for the next few months to fly by as much as I want them to! I know, I know, I shouldn't rush through the best season of all. I will take in every moment here in DC until I get to come home for the holidays. Until then, Merry (almost) Christmas!! 

*My birthday, for those of you who don't know, is November 16. I will be 23. Eww. But, add it to your calendar anyway. :)

**As for those who have roomed with me in the past, you know I put up the baby fake ones here and there.

***Sugar, our dog, will be loved and missed this Christmas. :(

Happy Thought Thursday

Every Thursday, I am going to post a photo and write a tiny blurb about something I see around DC that makes me have happy thoughts. And by happy thoughts, I mean a lot of things. It could make you fall out of your seat laughing, make you think about something or someone you miss, or maybe leave you with a slight grin on your face. I know how absurdly observant I am, so hopefully I will find sights that will put you in a happy place during your day. Stay tuned for today's happy thought..

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Again, I must apologize for being so slack with this blog. I started out so excited about everything, but with all the busy-ness that has been going on in my life, I barely have time to eat. Literally. I haven't cooked a meal in about a week before last night. I have been relying on my stocked cabinet of Cornflakes, Nutrigrain bars and rice. Ha. The life of a recent college grad.*

So this past weekend, I went to what I think was one of the most fun weddings of all time. I flew down (thank goodness!) to South Carolina on Friday and had Mom come pick me up and she brought back to good ol' Lexington for the night. Then on Saturday, I met Christa and John in Columbia and we set out for our whirlwind trip to Charleston for Meredith and Paul's wedding.

We got into Charleston at just around 2 p.m. and went straight to meet all my friends that I was staying with at the hotel in Mount Pleasant. It was SO great to reunite. It was a short-lived reunion because I had to go get ready and be at the church early to greet the guests at the program table.

Let me tell you something. There are some people who go over the top with weddings. And everyone has individual ideas on how to spend money on different parts of the wedding. But I will say, Mere and Paul did a great job at balancing everything to make their special day enjoyable for not only themselves, but their guests as well. It was BEAUTIFUL! The ceremony was short and definitely sweet ( I may have teared up a bit.) And the reception was even better. The 3 F's were in full-force: Food, Friends and Fun!**

To start, the reception location was awesome, to say the least. Middleton Place is a wonderful place to have a reception. It was large enough for everyone to fit and cozy enough to not feel like you were in a giant empty room. There were even peacocks roaming around the pavillion we were in! The band and drinks made it more than fun. And the food.. my friends.. let me tell you something, those were the best shrimp and grits I have ever tasted. They were in a cream sauce that made the shrimp to die for. And the grits were PERFECT. Nothing could have been any more perfect, in fact. Except for Meredith: she was lovely. I am so happy to have been able to share that special day with her and all of my closest friends. It was a night I won't forget. 

So, on my plane ride home, I kept thinking about those shrimp and grits. I would kill to have the recipe, but I doubt Duvall's catering in Charleston would give it up to a novice cook like myself. So I settled for the next best thing, shrimp scampi. It's not exactly what I wanted, but I figured it would satisfy my need for more shrimp.

Yesterday, I went to HT and got the supplies. I made the yummy dish for Randan and myself. We accompanied it with an iceberg wedge with parm cheese and ranch dressing. Pretty standard. And of course, the go-to side: Texas Toast with cheesy crust. Best ever. Yum. I also bought one of the last cases of Honey Moon beer. It's the Blue Moon summer ale, and I am going to miss it over this winter. It's very sweet and yummy. Goes great with seafood. 

Disclaimer : This happens when you steal my camera when I'm not around. Ha! Love you!

And in closing, I have a packed Labor Day weekend. It's going to be so fun and I can not wait for it.

Firstly, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks have their first football game this Thursday, September 3. We are joining the DC Alumni chapter at Crystal City Sports Pub for the game-watching party and I am so excited. Time to bust out the face tats and garnet and black colored dresses! Woo hoo! Go Cocks!

Then after work on Friday, I am driving three hours to Hampden-Sydney College to stay with Adam for the weekend. I have been waiting for this moment since I left H-SC last spring. I can honestly say that H-SC is one of the most fun schools I have ever visited. Not only is it in the middle of nowhere (Farmville, VA), but the entire school is filled with only one thing : boys. (Sorry, Adam, you know what I mean..) It is a completely different atmosphere than an SEC school or any other school for that matter. My weekends there have consisted of awesome parties, fun concerts and even better fraternity functions. Plus, there is a restaurant in town called Macadoo's and they serve awesome onion rings and sandwiches. Adam and I frequent it often when I visit (hint, hint). Annnnd, even though I am a college grad, my boyfriend's sweet school will give me the opportunity to relive some of my college days minus the classes.

I love it. Period. So, I am going to visit Labor Day weekend. Can't wait!

Stay tuned because this week, my cooking is back in full-force. Tonight, I am making Smothered Chicken with brown rice. Yum.

Oh, and Happy September. It's almost Fall!! Stick around for my crazy fall rants in the weeks to come! It's my absolute favorite time of year!

* Don't feel bad. I really do love Cornflakes. My grandfather used to eat them, and I think that's part of the reason why I love them so much. I remember eating them at their house when I was little and loading the sugar on to make them sweeter. I haven't changed that part. I may put Splenda in my coffee, but you can't make me part with the real thing for my Cornflakes.

**Ran-- don't you love my alliteration. Just a little English grammar for 'ya.

The break is over.

Well, that sure was a long vacation. Sorry not to have written in over a week! It's the longest I will go. I promise. Not only for the readers, but also for my sanity! I love to write and keep up with this blog. It gives me something to look forward to everyday. However, the last week has been quite chaotic.

Work is going as smoothly as possible. We are having a rather large conference next week, so the planning and organizing for the last couple of days has left me too exhausted to cook delicious meals (crazy, I know) let alone update my blog. I also traveled to South Carolina on Thursday to visit my family and then traveled to Charleston for a Bachelorette party for one of my best friends, Meredith. It was a whirlwind, that's for sure. But alas, I am BACK!

In keeping it short, I only have one thing to share with you today: Groucho's.

If you grew up in South Carolina, live in South Carolina or even visited there, I hope that you had the opportunity to visit my favorite place to eat. I learned of this special eatery when I was in middle school, and there was no looking back . I probably ate there at least three times a week in high school. We went there before all the sporting events and class projects. I went there an absurd amount in college too. Although, there was always the argument with my friends that Andy's Deli was better, I think they were just having a quick brain fart. Anyway, for most of us, it was THE place to meet up. For sure. (There are locations all over the state; my favorites being in Lexington, Columbia and Charleston).

It also has one of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted. The All-Turkey Apollo. Oh. My. God. I can taste it now. Yummm. White sub roll, sliced turkey, swiss cheese all melted and warmed up together. I die thinking about it.*

Let's keep going. :) All of this yumminess is not at all complete until you add the 45 sauce. This special sauce is delish. I don't know what's in it, except maybe some 1000 Island dressing and dill, but it is heaven on earth! Dip your sandwich in there, finish up your meal with some Baked Lay's and a refreshing glass of Sweet Tea, and honey, I am telling you, you are one happy camper!

I miss Groucho's all the time. I am so glad that I got to stop there last Friday with my mom and sister. Here's a picture of the masterpiece itself:

Sorry. I got hungry before I could take a picture. Going four months without it can do that to you. :)

It was such a great weekend, and I am so glad to have been able to finally see so many of my best friends that I missed so much. Next up: Meredith's wedding. Oh Lord, it's going to get crazy, but I CAN NOT WAIT! Maybe I can squeeze in another Groucho's trip while I am down there for the ceremony next weekend.

Have a good rest of the week! I'm making some yummy things this weekend, so stay tuned!

PS: Randan's birthday is Monday!!!! Ah!!! So excited!

*You many think I am being dramatic. That's fine. I don't care. When you experience your favorite meal, you will feel the same way. Trust me.

The road less traveled.

I love to travel. It is so exciting to find yourself in a new place and just be able to explore everything around you. It doesn't matter if your definition of traveling is small or large. There are so many places you can find just around the corner from where you live or by flying across the world. I prefer to do both. Whenever I can.

Here is a list of places I want to go sometime in my life. Preferably sooner, rather than later:


1. Back to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics. I know, I know. You're thinking that this is a huuuuuge number one choice of places to travel. But, it's rather easy to plan, if you start early and know what you're doing. I know the city of London very well. So, finding somewhere to stay is easy. It's the crowds and possible terror threats that you have to watch out for. Plus, the cost is less than desirable, but save, save, save is my motto. Sometimes. :) But who wouldn't want to visit the country across the pond to watch Michael Phelps beat more records and the little gymnasts do flips for days and the US beat everyone in basketball again. It's awesome! I love London and I want to go back. Plus, Adam has agreed to go too. What could be more fun than that?

2. Montana. Is that weird? Probably to some, but not me. I have never been a real outdoorsy girl. I like to be in air conditioning in the summer and under a blanket in the winter. But, when it comes to visiting Montana, I know I could handle it. Funny, but true story of why I want to visit there. When I was little, I had a globe. I would put my finger on a random spot and spin it as hard as I could to see where it landed, and that would be where I would visit one day. Well, my finger always landed on either Russia or Montana. I didn't care for Russia because of all of my Russian ballet teachers, so I settled on Montana. I even looked it up. And boy, it is spectacular. Just go look for yourself. Or come with me when I go there. You'll see.

3. Greece. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Mamma Mia." Need I say more?


4. New York City. Never been. Call me crazy, I know. Most everyone I know has at least visited one time in their lives. I have a few friends who even lived there for a summer or two. But, not me. I have always wanted to go there. Especially in the fall. I've heard it is beautiful with the leaves in the park, and when the weather is crisp. Yeah, I could definitely enjoy that. Hopefully, I will be there soon though! Randan and I have planned a trip for a weekend in October. It's not all finalized yet, but we are in the beginning stages. The weekend we chose is also the weekend of the NYC Food Network Food & Wine Festival. How perfect?! Now all we have to do is find the money to go to all the fun events. Ha! I'll keep you posted on this one.


5. Vancouver/Seattle/Pacific Northwest. Maybe it's because I like cooler weather. Maybe it's because I love Twilight. Or maybe it's because I just wanna be on the West Coast, but not in Cali. I just want to visit the PNW. Seems like a cool place to be. My friend Zach better have a good report when he gets back from his cross-country roadtrip so I can dream about how great it will be when I finally visit.

I am looking forward to visiting these wonderful and very different places in the near future. I hope to also bring along family and friends with me as I experience new adventures in each unique place.

Maybe I will find some good food on my travels. I am sure I will. :)