half food blog. half tech blog. half george blog.
Archive for June, 2005
reminds me of the one i love, deep in the heart of texas
Jun 29th
10 places I’d rather be this weekend instead of Texas:
1. SoCal
Davis IM’s me in the middle of the night last night because he’s on California time. He told me all about how it’s been hard getting to the training meetings because he’s been surfing all freakin day. The part about how the beaches are blanketed with hot college girls didn’t help any.
2. NYC
Mary El is visiting Abi there this weekend. I’ve never been to NYC when it hasn’t been freezing. There’s always something to do there.
3. ATL
Yeah, I’d rather be at work. So what? Just goes to show how sad Texas makes me. Besides, I would have wanted to throw a big BBQ or something. Maybe go see fireworks. Maybe even read a book. Okay, that’s probably pushing it.
4. On a cruise
I haven’t been on one in like 7 years and that was with my family. I want to go on a cruise with a whole bunch of friends, eat lots of good food, get plastered every night, and cause general ruckus on international waters. Now THAT’S my idea of fun.
5. Space
I’ve never been. I hear it’s pretty nice out there. Granted, it’s a little dark, and the whole lack of gravity thing is a little inconvenient, but come on. It’s space. People have wanted to live in space for eternity. It’s like the West Beverly Hills of the future.
6. Vancouver
I love Vancouver. What a great city. Fresh fruits and vegetables, good restaurants, nice weather. I’d rather be in Vancouver on any given weekend.
7. Iraqi Detainment Camp
Compared to sitting at home being bored out of my skull, I think I would rather be a detainee with pertinent information that people trained to inflict pain would be trying to get out of me. At least there I’ve got someone to talk to.
8. Europe
Sure it’s hot, expensive, and full of people that run around squawking like chickens with their heads cut off. But I’ve never really traveled Europe. I think mainly I’d like to go to Italy. Maybe do a French cooking class in Paris. Get trashed in Amsterdam. Okay, honestly, I just want to relive Eurotrip.
9. Antartica
Have you SEEN the weather in Dallas this weekend? Some ovens actually can heat up to that temperature. Standing rib roast? No problem. I’ll just put it in my backyard for a couple hours. Add a few strategically placed mirrors and you’ve got yourself a broiler.
10. Puerto Vallarta
White sand, blue water, and hotties from all over the world flock here. How do you say no? Just chillin on the beach, the sound of clinking Corona bottles served by a gorgeous Mexican girl named Elena reverberating through the air, and laughing away all the cares of the world with your friends.
mary mac’s tea room.
Jun 28th
Many people have asked about how restaurants on my list are and whether they’re worth going to or not. Most of the time, I don’t remember all the details. So, in order to stop you demanding people from asking me questions all the time, I’ve decided to start documenting my restaurant travels.
Last night, I experienced Mary Mac’s Tea Room for the first time. Locals find it quite “ornery” that I’ve been in Atlanta for so long and have never been to this little slice of southern heaven, but my arteries and I now realize why this place is a must if you ever come to Atlanta.
Our server, Tracy, is a pleasant black woman who despite having a table of Korean fob tourists next to us was able to keep us served and happy in the most efficient and southern way possible. When she wasn’t explaining what “collard greens” were to the Koreans, she was able to bring me my first dish of the night – a house specialty they called the “pot likker”.
Basically, it was a cornbread muffin in a salty and savory collard green broth, served piping hot. For being as incredibly salty and over-flavored (like all southern food) as it was, it was rather delicious and soothing.
Next came our entrees. I had the plate of fried dead sea animals with potato cakes and a vegetable and cheese souffle…
and Slin had the chicken fried steak with fried green tomatoes and broccoli souffle.
There was so much southern goodness in every bite. Seriously. The potato cakes were chewy and flavorful, which is hard to come by with…potatoes. The two of us joyously ate until we couldn’t breathe. Really, we had trouble breathing.
Tracy finished us off with dessert. I had to sacrifice my entire souffle for a to-go box in order to shove this bread pudding with wine sauce down my stomach.
Slin had strawberry shortcake.
Both were way too overloaded with sugar. My teeth started hurting halfway through. Don’t even get me started on how my poor stomach felt.
Some people may confuse my rantings about this place as complaints, but rather, these are exactly the right qualities that a proper southern meal should have – overly salty, overly sweet, overly greasy, and everything cooked in lard in a cast iron skillet. It’s not something a southern immigrant like me can handle all the time, but to the locals, it’s what keeps them alive.
why swedes are awesome.
Jun 25th
Ikea, if you don’t know, is like the mecca of home furnishings and other things inherently Swedish. We just got one here in Atlanta, making us the greatest city in the southeast. (like we have any competition.) I think I can only buy a house that’s in a city with an Ikea.
Technically, the grand opening of the store is next Wednesday. However, thanks to Maryanne, her newly Ikea-employed friend that has a name which I don’t remember, and a previously insatiable craving for cheap furniture and housewares, we were able to raid the store today before every housewife armed with a credit card south of the Mason-Dixon was able to ransack it.
I came out with nothing. I have no house. Hence, I have nowhere to put the furniture.
Looks like I need to buy a house.