#86 - Eat at 10 new restaurants.

This is where I will log and review the ten new restaurants at which I/we dine on the way to completing #86.

1.  Martin's Barbeque (10.05.09) - I'm clearly not a southern native because I tend to think all barbeque (of the pulled pork variety) tastes pretty much the same.  So, of course, to me the pork sandwich was good, and the stew and potato salad were great.  The negative is that they don't have french fries.  This doesn't really work for me.

2.  Momma Goldberg's (12.17.09) - I absolutely LOVE sandwiches and could eat one every day for the rest of my life.  Based on that, keep in mind that I might not be the most unbiased reviewer of a sandwich place.  Momma Goldberg's STEAMS their sandwiches which sounds really gross.  Despite what I imagined, the sandwich wasn't soggy at all, and instead was so delightfully soft I barely had to chew it.  YUM.  It's bad, bad, bad news that this place is right around the corner from my office.  I have a feeling I will become "a regular".  I had the Momma's Love sandwich, but I am dying to try those nachos.

3.  New China Buffet (01.06.10) -I almost hate to count this because I kind of feel like if you've been to one Chinese buffet, you've been to them all.  At least that's how it feels in Central Georgia.  I was delightfully surprised to find that there was sushi on the buffet (which also seems to be a new thing at any and all Asian restaurants around here).  It was really good, but I still prefer the China Buffet across town where you can dip your own ice cream at the end of the meal.  YUM.

4.  Benson's Steak & Sushi (02.18.10) - While the kids were away at Grammie's (2 out of 3 of them anyway), Sam, Sarah, and I tried out Benson's, which I had heard was a local knock-off of PF Changs.  We began with a sushi appetizer...with *actual* raw fish.  It was the first of the kind that I'd ever had, and I'm surprised to say that I loved it.  (When I told my dad about it, he said if I can eat raw fish then there's no reason I can't try liver and onions.  I told him it might have something to do with it being called "liver" and onions.  Gross.  Who's with me?)  So thanks to Sam for being brave and helping me to expand my horizons.  I got the Salt & Pepper Shrimp and Sam had Beef and Scallops.  They were both very good.  The cabbage that my shrimp was served over was great.  I wasn't all that impressed with the price.  It was good, but I'm not sure it was *that* good. 

5.  WOW Cafe &Wingery (02.21.10) -We went here after church because kids eat free on Sundays (score!).  When we pulled up the parking lot was significantly less crowded than it has been since opening, so we took that as a good sign.  We ordered the sauce sampler for an appetizer, with boneless buffalo wings coated in five different sauces of our choosing.  They were excellent.  We ordered our food and waited.  Were it not for the tv's at our individual booth showing Spongebob (which is outlawed at our house, but we made an exception in the interest of occupying the kids), I'm not sure they'd have made it.  There were several very large parties filling up the dining room, and the kitchen just couldn't keep up.  The servers were hustling, and doing the best the could, but clearly the food was straggling out of the kitchen.  It's a shame about the wait because our food was delicious.  Sam had the Buffalo Wrap and I had the Bayou Blues Burger (keeping with the tradition of me ordering the man dish).

6.  The Grillmaster (3.5.10) - Ben & Abby went to Grammie's house for the weekend, so we dared to try a new barbeque joint down in Perry (since neither Ben or Abby really dig barbeque, despite their usual penchant for pork products).  We'd been wanting to go since we heard about it a while back.  We pulled up to it and we were skeptical.  It didn't appear that you could dine in and this is a requirement for Sam, especially where sauce is involved.  We decided to take our chances, and were pleased to find out we could (though sans high chair, we made do).  All in all we tried ribs, pulled pork, brunswick stew, potato salad, and baked beans.  The pulled pork was the best.  The potato salad is worth mentioning though, as it seemed to have ranch dressing in it.  It was definitely interesting.  It is run by two men, one who mans the front and the other who does the cooking and they were both great.  The man behind the counter might as well have been family.  It felt like we were long-time customers on our first visit there.  Kudos for making us feel at home!

7.  American Deli (3.17.10) - Don't let the name mislead you.  This is not actually a deli.  When I think of deli, I think of sliced deli meat sandwiches.  And I LOVE them.  Sam called and invited me to meet him for lunch at the American Deli, so I was getting my mind set on something like turkey on sourdough.  When I got there I realized my options were hot wings, a Philly cheesesteak, or a burger.  Hmmm.  All tasty, but not "deli" menu items in my humble opinion.  No matter.  I tried the Philly and it was quite good (especially for central Georgia).  I also tried the hot wings (that Sam ordered) and they were tasty as well. 

8.  Mama Mia's (3.23.10) - We met for lunch at Mama Mia's.  They just opened up maybe a month or two ago.  We were the only patrons at around 11:30, but as we ate, more people came in.  I hope they stay open because it was really good and reasonably priced, I think.  We tried the cheesy garlic bread to start and it came with some seriously awesome marinara sauce.  We shared a chef salad with their house Italian dressing (of the creamy variety).  It came loaded with black olives, onion, tomatoes, ham/turkey/cheese rolls, and a hard boiled egg.  It was great!  Then I got a chicken parmigiana sub and Sam got a pizza steak sub.  We split them halfsies, of course.  That's just what we do.  It's like a mini-buffet when we share our meals.  I'll be so sad if he ever stops wanting to do that with me.  Anyway...they were both good.  I would love to go back and try the pizza.  And I'm sure we will...now that we've scoped out the interior and know that it won't be scary to take the kids there.  (Follow-up, I *did* take the kids there while Sam was in Oklahoma City.  Mission accomplished!  And the lasagna is AMAZING.)

9.  T-Rex (5.28.10) - On a whim amidst a short trip to Orlando, our family of five found our way to Downtown Disney on a Friday night on Memorial Day weekend standing outside the behemoth restaurant that is T-Rex.  Our eldest has a serious penchant (read: obsession) with dinosaurs, so we thought this would be the perfect place to take him.  We were told it would be a 45 minute wait (which was not bad at all considering the sheer volume of people and the location).  While we waited, the kids got to play paleontologist in a sand pit, uncovering dinosaur remains.  It was awesome and even Sarah enjoyed it!  While I'm sure the food was okay, I barely had a chance to notice it.  The decor is amazing...complete with moving, roaring dinosaurs.  (And, of course, we were a little distracted because Abby got sick while we were there.)  It was pricey, but that's to be expected at a resort location.  Overall, glad we went, but wish we all could have enjoyed the meal a bit more.  (For the record, Abby is feeling just fine now!)

10.  Texas de Brazil (6.4.10) - On my most recent stay in Schaumburg, Illinois, we dined at this Brazilian grill.  The premise is simple.  You pay one price for all you can eat salad bar and meat, with emphasis on the meat part.  There is a steady stream of servers coming from the kitchen with meat on skewers, ready to carve for you tableside.  The highlights were the bacon-wrapped chicken, House Special top sirloin, and bacon-wrapped fillet.  There was a lobster bisque on the salad bar that was out of this world.  Then there were the caramelized bananas...from which I had to cut myself off for fear of undesirable repercussions (if you catch my drift).  All around a great place to eat.  I was just glad I'd worn my stretchy pants.  (I didn't really, but I should have.)  Highlight of the evening:  When the server guessed I was from England.  Gotta say...I've never been asked that before.

As it turns out, Sam would be able to complete this task in a single week-long business trip.  However, since my world is mostly confined to Central Georgia, and being that we (used to) dine out quite regularly and there aren't *too* many new places to try, it took me longer.

Either way, it is finished!  #86, consider yourself checked!

[A bummer of a] Flashback Friday

I truly hate to admit this today, given that I am in an absolutely gorgeous city with all sorts of new possibilities at my fingertips, but dangit, I'm sad.

I'm sad for a few different (very good) reasons, but the one I am choosing to dwell on today is of a personal nature.  And of Mother Nature. 

In the form of a Flashback Friday (with a regrettably depressing tone), here goes nothing...

I'm sad because my children are young enough that they will probably not remember the time when the most beautiful vacation spot I've ever have the privilege of going looked like this:

And even on the rare days when the tide brought in a sea of greenish algae making the water look less amazing than usual, the powder white sand was still good for making sandcastles the likes of this:

Today, Friday, June 4, 2010, countless news reports proclaim the inevitability of the biggest oil spill in the history of our country infringing on the gulf beaches sometime this weekend.  If I were an optimistic person, I could say, "Well, at least we got a good eight years of beach-going in while we had the chance", but I can't.  Not when the reason this pristine beach will be defiled is nonsensical.  It's reprehensible.  It is so far-reaching in so very many ways, the least of which is my family vacation.

For various reasons, we have not going on our annual Destin trip this year.  We used to go in May, but with a kindergartner that was not possible.  June was out because of a two-week business trip to Chicago (where I actually am right now - and really it's amazing here!  Though I'm less than excited about the 10% sales tax...).  We were going to go in July.  We might still go in July.  I want to go in July.  Our summer beach trip has been the event that motivates me to keep pushing on through the heat, through the dog days of summer, through the exercising so I can have a "beach body". It's been the source of a million and one unforgettable memories that get cataloged by the toting around of our trusty family camera.

And now...

I am mourning the loss of a gorgeous natural resource.  I have shed very real tears over it.

Destin has always felt like "our little secret", especially considering the low volume of people and amazing beauty as compared to the beaches where I grew up.  I don't think you can truly know how incredible the panhandle beaches are until you've been there.  The white sand.  The emerald waters.  It's breathtaking.

To the gulf coast, I am praying for you...from the fisherman to the rental companies, from the restaurant owners to the amusement parks.  I'm praying for your white sand and your emerald waters and your innocent marine life.

I'm praying that these treasures won't just be but a memory of which I'm lucky enough to have a few snapshots.

 

"I think the Panhandle beaches are the most beautiful beaches on the planet, in my humble opinion. The thought of the oil coming here; it's not the kind of thought you want to contemplate. It's disgusting. To think this could be going on for months and months is very disturbing to me." ~Gov. Charlie Crist

You aren't the only one who feels that way, Governor Crist.  Believe me.

If you're a mom and you know it, clap your hands! (Or just read this...either way.)

It seems worthy of mentioning that I have reached and surpassed 15,000 blog hits!  Not bad, folks.  Not bad at all.  I have no idea what this actually means, and I maintain that half of those hits are me obsessively hitting "refresh" for no apparent reason, but still.  A big heaping thanks to you all for reading and commenting and letting me know that you're out there!

Now onto more pressing matters...like How to Know You're a Mom...

If anything ever goes missing, you totally blame your toddler.  Nine times out of ten, it was probably actually their fault.  (Some parents have kids so they can make them do chores, others so they can blame stuff on them.  Me?  I do both.)

You remember the days when a beach vacation meant toting nothing but a book and a chair to the surf and quietly reading for hours.  Those days are long gone...but you wouldn't trade the new meaning of "beach vacation" for anything.

You sometimes wish your fearless three year old was just a little bit more fearful, especially when she runs full tilt straight into the ocean (for example).

You're convinced that your one year old has bionic ears.  No matter where she is in the house, within seconds of opening the refrigerator, you hear her panting and running towards it with the excited anticipation of scoring some type of snack.

You know the relationship between grandkids and grandparents is special, and you love how much they love each other...but you can't help wondering how big a role the fact that the grandparents never enforce naptime or bedtime plays into that love.

You've never seen someone get more excited over a rain shower than the weekend after your kids scored new umbrellas in their Easter baskets.

When you splurge on a family dinner at the Japanese Steakhouse, you're shocked to find out that your ordinarily fearless three year old is terrified not only by the fire, but more strangely, the chef's hat.  Maybe you'll show her this picture later and see how she reacts...you know...just for fun...

When all else fails throwing things into water is an excellent source of entertainment, be it stale bread into a duck pond, pennies into a fountain, or rocks into a stream (just to see the splash).

You find that your one year old loves music so much that it takes a mere two beats to launch her into giggles and an all-out dance party.  She is the living definition of "dance like no one is watching".

You walked in the living room to find your five year old lying in crunch position on the floor, so you inquired, "Doing some sit-ups?"  To which he incredulously replied, "Not me.  I'm doing some lay-downs."  Kids...

#28 - Complete a 30 Day Challenge on EA Active...check!

As part of my goal to shed some baby weight, feel better about myself, and set a better example for my kids, I began a 30 day exercise challenge on April 1st of this year.  I committed to doing 30 straight days of dedicated exercise.  Despite a business-traveling husband, ailing back and neck muscles, and the general chaos otherwise known as my life, I managed to complete the 30 days on on the last day of April, a day before my second 5K.  My first 5K was part of the list, and I got addicted (for lack of a better word).  I found it so fulfilling and rewarding that I opted to sign up for another so as not to fall into my usual habit of couch-sitting and potato-chip-eating. 

And because I'm sneaky and that pesky 101 list is always on the back of my mind...I started my second attempt at completing a 30 Day Challenge on EA Active (on the Wii) halfway through my 30 days of exercise, thus forcing a few extra days of exercise onto the original 30.  The EA Active 30 days started on April 13th and I finished up on Sarah's 1st birthday.  (Are you keeping up?  It's only slightly convoluted.)

It's curious to me that finding time for an EA Active workout was far more difficult than doing other unstructured exercises of my choosing, like jogging 2 or 3 miles.  For some reason, I found myself dreading it.  It's not that it wasn't a good workout.  It was decent, though hardly extremely challenging.  I just felt that if I was going to spend 25 minutes exercising, I really wanted to get my heart rate up and do some serious sweating.  You know, the kind of exercise that you're sure is working. 

At the end of my 30 days plus half of my EA Active 30 Days, I had gained 4 pounds.  Hardly the kind of results I want to post for the blog world to see.  However, I felt good.  I still feel pretty good (though, here I am couch-sitting).  That was part of my goal.  The "shedding baby pounds" part will have to come some other way.  (I'm just SO not ready to utter that terrible, horrible "D" word...because, well, I love food too much.)

As for setting an example, I think there was some success.  Throughout many of my workouts, Abby stood right by my side mimicking the moves.  Ben was more interested in my outdoor jogging adventures.  And Sarah, well, she just ate inedible objects whilst I was exercising.  (She's her mother's daughter...always scrounging for food.)

But now my kids know that I value exercise, and that's an example I hope and  pray that I can continue to set for them.

P.S. - They were the world's best 5K cheerleaders!

(Look it, I even got a fist pump from Abby!)

If that's not worth every drop of sweat, I'm not sure what is. (And believe me, there was a lot of sweat...here is proof...EWWW!)

In conclusion, summation, and all of those other lame closing words:

#28~Complete a 30 Day Challenge on EA Active...check!

Next stop...triathlon!  Just kidding.  (Maybe.)

how cool is this?!

I'm famous! 
(Click this.  Yeah.  I'm bossy.)

The very same friend who inspired me to embark on the journey that is The 101 List has featured me as a favorite blogger! 

I'm so very flattered, Sarah!  Thank you!

And now I'm going to return the favor. What you may not know is that Sarah is an extremely gifted photographer.  So amazing, in fact, that she is the reason I have recently entered the intimidating scary terrifying realm of manual photography.  I sincerely doubt that I will ever be able to do what she does behind a camera, as it's highly unlikely that I'll ever do it as anything more than a hobby, but that won't stop me from learning and trying!  Just like I enjoy writing about my children, she chooses to photograph her own precious kids (and other people's too!) and does so beautifully.   I only wish I lived closer so I could have her take pictures of my own family.  (I google mapped it.  It's about a 5 hour drive.  Hey maybe someday!)

If you have a chance, check out her photography blog.  You will not be disappointed! (And you can check out her "regular" blog too!)

And thank you again, Sarah!  You are a truly beautiful person...inside and out!