Grill

Well we've bought a grill. It is long and a cylinder and black. It is grill-like if you will. We have four chairs and a table also. The Lemon Fair patio should be a hot spot any moment now. Grill item one was hamburgers. They turned out very tasty with hand made guacomole by Daven (recipe not included but feel free to contact him). Night one with the grill was filled with chill music (90s hits by Eli) and a lot of bottles of Boone's farm.
Night two with the grill it was caputured and taken to The Cabin, another off campus Sewanee home. It is about 5 miles away over the airport and through the woods. (so yes friends I was kidding when I claimed I was going to walk home from it). That grill adventure was complete with Turkey burgers a la Jim Johnson. Again, recipe not included. (and no facebook to link to).
I never thought myself to be a "grill owner." I dont particullarly like fire. And it seems messy with all the black and such. But the home wanted it and we got it and I am learning the ways of comprimising and being nice and such. And wow its much more social than I have ever dreamt of being. I am putting a lot of pressure on the little fellow-make me cool grill-make me cool. Although learning to use it might be the first step in that process.

August 10 Blog Picture of the Day

as a shout out to my last day in DC my sick office building. spent many an awesome days learning there

August 9 Blog Picture of the Day

Don't you want to live there!

Out of the City

Life without a car is interesting. I handled it in London perfectly. You could do trains to wherever you wanted to go. Almost everything was walkable. It was not hot. Here it is all kind of the opposite. The metro doesn't come into Georgetown, traffic is crazy, it is so hot, and what is the point of taking a bus to the metro to go two more stops? Also, the few times I have driven it has been the most terrifying experience. Stoplights are on the side not the center of the street. There are tons of rules about not turning here or only turning here from the third left lane. Also at different points in the day major roads become one way. And if you screw up driving in say Tuscaloosa or even New York yes you might get a ticket but that is pretty much it. Screw up driving in DC? You could cause a danger to National Security. I am getting a moped when I come back.
So getting out of the city is a big deal. It takes effort. And friends in high places. Those high places being Virginia or Maryland. Thursday Caroline Minchew and I went to Mount Vernon and the movies. Big Day. Mount Vernon is totally revamped. There is a visitors center that will rock your socks off. The house is still the same. It was going to rain so we decided to do the outdoor stuff before entering the house. On our way to the stables a guide came up to us and said "I suggest you take cover!" Then the sandstorm hit. Then we were rushed into the house. Then we we got upstairs to the guest rooms of Mount Vernon the guides walky talky starts buzzing and we were ordered to "shelter in place." This meant we were stuck on the small landing at the front entrance of Washington's house for 25 minutes with a hodge podge of tourist (Caroline had already said she was from Arlington and they didn't ask me so she paved our path as the weird locals that spend their day at historic homes around the area). We asked some tricky questions though to our guide. At the top of the stairs there was a very tiny window so we could see rain but that was it. When we left it stopped raining. We saw a cool movie about Washington (although only half of it was on the screen). When he crosses the Delaware snow falls from the ceiling. When they fire the canons your seat shakes.
So when we head out it starts pouring again. Then we get a call from Ms. Minchew that the Parkway is closed because of all the trees down. That main street in Alexandria is closed because of all the trees down. We were trying to get to Roslyn to see a "The Kids are all Right" so when we finally did-miracle. Awesome movie. Cool relationship dynamics. It is about lesbians so obviously Tuscaloosa wasn't going to have it. On the way home Caroline and I had a bit of trouble getting onto Key Bridge. We ended up at the back entrance to the Pentagon. She did a U-ey stat. I don't think any national secrets were endangered.

"Ice"cream

So away from the normal low fat healthy food for the day. I saw online a recipe on how to make ice cream with no crazy steps just a bowl and the freezer. That tempted me. Then I saw the picture. That tempted me even more. Then I saw you make it with liquor. BINGO.
There is a website online called Daring Bakers. You join this forum and you get a baking challenge a month then you blog about it and take pictures and such. Last week was this ice cream dish and while most concentrated on making their swiss swirl ice cream cakes pretty one baker decided to concentrate on the ice cream.
5 oz of melted chocolate
1/3 a cup of whipping cream
5 teaspoons of whole milk
6 tablespoons of amaretto

Mistakes ran rampant on this recipe. Mistake numero uno being making it-so far from Weight Watchers I can't comprehend its point value. Mistake number two being I bought 2% milk. Mistake number three being I think I did 5 tablespoons of whole milk. Mistake number four being I tasted it this morning as the Kat left for work-8am. I was drunk by 8:10am. Unlike baking with liquor it does not evaporate. Nope it sits in their mingling with the chocolate.
I just tried about three scoops. Writing this with a coherent flow is becoming difficult. It was very watery but I think that was covered in mistake number 3.
I will try this one again-with correct measurements-at a more normal time to consume amaretto-and suggestions for something the tone down the alcohol taste would be greatly appreciated.

Debbing it Up

Got the deb dress today. Is it supposed to be like a wedding dress where you don't show anyone? Until further confirmation I won't share yet. Although I have sent a couple of texts. The most remarkable thing is its the almost exact same dress my mother wore to her ball. And she can fit in it. Skinny "you know what". It is wintery and white and simple. I have looked in Maryland, I have looked in DC, and now I have looked in Virginia. Purchased-out of my mind for a long time.
So we start down the road for Tuscaloosa Cotillion. 2 of 3 escorts claimed, rooms at hotel booked, friends start looking for long dresses, and the list will just get longer. Gloves, makeup, hair.....
The one rule I am most dreading is of course the "no engagement on the night of Cotillion." That really had been my dream-then my candlelight ceremony with my "sisters". I had it all planned out. Well a Christmas Eve engagement will do just as well.
VOM
I did get to Springfield, VA with no problem whatsoever. Coming back I was stuck in traffic by the pentagon-which always seems a bit nerve wracking-then ended up near the mall, turned the wrong way on 14th, but figured it all out. Also I may or may not have skipped town on a parking payment so I guess I am officially on the lamb for that.
It is the life of a intern....and the blue cheese burgers taste just as good on day 2.

My week as a pointless human being

There aren't many points in a person's life where they can say they had a week to simply do nothing. And as I approach my Senior year this reality is becoming more and more apparent. So this week as Jasmine heads to Turkey to get married and I have a week to go before I go home I am finding out what that feels like. I am going to be spending this week going to buy my deb dress, having coffee with people I haven't seen yet, and cook. The latter is weirdly the most exciting. And tonight I start with blue cheese stuffed burgers. They are a recipe from a book Jasmine gave me.

1lb of ground meet

1 egg white

2 tablespoons of water

3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

1/3 cup of grilled onions.

So combine all of that together. Then divide it up into 8 mini patties. Cut a clump of blue cheese and put it on top of half the patties. Then take the other half and mash it together. Then grill in a skillet...or ya know a grill if you have one and know how to use it.

Okay so let me preface this first with they were WONDERFUL. I suggest this recipe for everyone. I also suggest reading labels. I got pork not beef? It still tasted fine. You could use turkey meat too. Also I need to figure out how to check to see if it is cooked without cutting through. Imagine cutting into a blue cheese filled patty. Yes it was as messy as it sounds. Also, I have lunch for the next four days. I will update on how the whole leftover thing works out.

Now time for the Bachelorette. However Kirk got kicked off like 3 weeks ago so my heart just isn't in it.