everyone, i would like to introduce you to my taylor swift kids from tj maxx. they are dotted canvas with striped ribbon shoelaces. they are precious and adorable and are the sweetest pair of sneakers i have in my closet right now. it is their pleasure to have met you as well.
t swift keds.
people on planes. they’re quite a sight. it’s almost like we’re a different species when we board an aircraft. you see people in this raw, emotional state. some of us feel entitled. some of us get emotional. some of us panic. some of us become annoyed. but whoever we are, we find ourselves surrounded by strangers with whom we are creating a unique and unrepeatable bond. there’s this experience that, for however long or short a time, is connecting us all, uniting each of us as we sail through the air to our many futures. quite a perspective, yes?
i write to you tonight from a b757-200(n) bound for texas. i’ve got a chatty smoker to my right and a crewcut gentleman to my left. she, i could do without. he, he might be fun company for the next hour and 38 minutes. the lady in front of me has clearly boarded the plane in quite a state. she’s obviously stressed and out of breath. i so hope she had to run to catch the plane! i love watching people who are running for a bus or train or flight. i have been that person many times, so i will gladly enjoy a smile at their expense. but only if they make it! if they miss it, it’s just sad.
we’ve got a 12 year-old boy pouting over his mother, someone’s dog yipping and yapping, and now, oh no. the guy to my left will not stop fidgeting and whistling. i wouldn’t normally mind, but i cannot escape it! there’s nowhere i can go! perhaps he’ll tire himself out before too long. yes, yes, keep fidgeting and whistling, sir. i dare you.
writing and reading and writing some more as i am aboard this flight is almost a form of entertainment in itself. good thing i think i’m pretty funny! (no comments, please.)
uh oh. now the smoker is engaging me in conversation. please, can you not see me engrossed in my writing? my imagination is soaring above the skyline as we take off, and i only wish i were destined for some place new and exotic, some place tropical or scenic or foreign…yes, any of those would do just fine.
as we climb to 10,000 feet, i rest my head and at least close my eyes for a few. i wouldn’t say i’m tired, but i’m fine with the day winding down soon. the whistler has crept out of this personal space just a tad, and our knees and elbows are resting on one another. i couldn’t really scoot myself any more to the right, but i find that i don’t really mind. were i more tired, i might have even snuggled up next to him. okay, this all sounds odd. let me clarify: i do not go around town looking for strangers who will snuggle with me. all i’m saying is that this little bit of human touch felt nice. if you’re judging me, then you’re only denying the fact that you agree. if you’re laughing at me, please go on. i find myself to be quite humorous as well.
ah, and now he slumbers so peacefully and quietly. i knew the fidgeting and whistling would wear him out! it’s as if i can tell the future. it’s as though i know what is going to happen. it’s like i’m making it all up in my head to entertain myself. yep, definitely the latter of them all.
whenever i travel, i always wonder about the people i see. where are they going? where are they from? what do they do? what is their story? i like to paint their pictures myself, because i’m not always in the mood to dive deep with a stranger. we’ll say the whistler is a military man. i make this assumption merely on his demeanor and tattoos. the smoker to my right? she’s a divorcee, her kids are out of college, and she’s reluctantly traveling this week for work. see? wasn’t that fun? now you try!
we’re cruising along at 38,000 feet, storms to our left but sunshine as far as i can see. speaking of seeing, i’ve always been curious to know what the sky looks like from the captain’s seat. just breathtaking horizons that stretch on forever. i bet it is quite a view. actually, a view i would love to have, but probably never will, is one from outer space. wouldn’t it be a magnificent thing, to see the curve of the earth with your own eyes? our planet in all its majesty? actually, you want to know the real reason i want to see the earth from space? because i still think it’s flat. kidding! i’m totally joking! i had you for a moment, though, didn’t i? you can say yes. i’ll accept that answer.
i pause here to not apologize but rather thank you for sticking around through this flight with me. my mind gets off track sometimes, hurtling itself down a new rabbit hole before finding the end of the first one. can i loosely compare it to stream of consciousness? why, yes. yes, i can.
something i despise about planes is the alarmingly distinct scent of the recycled air. it smells like nothing else and sometimes even gives me a headache. anyone else out there know what i mean? and speaking of unpleasant smells, i am convinced someone just cut the cheese. take that stink to the bathroom, man! i do not need to know what your personal brand smells like.
ah, just ahead is the drink and snack cart, that 5,000 pound rolling dresser of sustenance. okay, i know it doesn’t weight 5,000 pounds, but that thing is heavy. they’ve got some serious brakes to keep it in place. what should i get tonight? a glass of champagne? some chilled pinot grigio? hardly. i’ll probably end up with orange juice like always. yep, orange juice it is. not too heavy and just enough to hold me over until i land, because you know once i land, grab my luggage, and zoom away in my rental that i’ll be stopping at in-n-out for a milkshake. it’ll definitely be chocolate, and it’s going to be the perfect treat for the end of the day’s journey.
we eventually begin our descent into dallas, and the captain has so kindly informed us that it’s a toasty 92 degrees outside. oh, yeah, i’m definitely going to be wanting that milkshake when i arrive…
okay, folks, don’t move from those seats because i am about to tell you all about the phenomenon that is true food kitchen. my coworkers marty and batkinson had discovered true food on one of their many trips to dallas. they finally took me with them when i joined the party, and this place is close to life-changing. the atmosphere is clean, fresh, and crisp. the staff is relaxed and honest. the food and drinks are new and exciting and delicious.
one week in dallas, we went to true food three nights in a row. that’s three nights of the four nights we were there that week. whoopsies!
how does it feel when you walk into true food kitchen? it feels like a cross between anthropologie and urban outfitters. it’s a modern farmhouse. it might remind you of a coffee shop in seattle because it’s so “green.” i almost wished the tv wasn’t at the end of the bar. it kind of spoiled the ambience!
having eaten at true foods so many times, i’ll break our adventures down by course.
last night a whole bunch of us from work, 24 to be exact, met up to do some more birthday celebrating at “atlanta glam night.” okay, so my birthday was almost two weeks ago. what i’m talking about now is celebrating a birthday month. let’s all get on the bandwagon!
my coworker whitney also had her birthday earlier this month, and we decided that celebrating with everyone was a no-brainer. we started out the evening with a fantastic dinner at einstein’s in midtown. i’ve been there before for my friend kiley’s birthday, so i suppose it’s only appropriate that we continued the tradition. our semi-private dining space was perfect for our group. al and i arrived early to disperse the favors, and then the party got rolling. i don’t even think we ate until almost nine!
the preset menu was the perfect idea for our large party, and from what i could tell, almost everyone was in the clean plate club. there was steak and fried chicken and salmon all around! the medium steak i had was cooked quite well, the asparagus was flavorful and grilled perfectly, and as for the mac’n’cheese? to quote al, “let’s just order a trough of mac’n’cheese for dessert.” i’m onboard with it!
i looked around the space, and everyone just seemed so happy. i am glad that we all like each other so much that we want to be intentional about seeing each other outside of the office. looks like we had a pretty great time, don’t you think?
after thanking the wait staff and piling outside, some of us wound our way to front page news to continue the festivities. front page news is a good go-to whenever you’re looking for some live music and patio drinking, and it delivered last night as well.
al & me.
out next and last stop was just caddy-corner on 12th and crescent at ri ra. although a bit of a mess, this bar is one of my favorites in town. i have fond memories there with my siblings and friends, so i am always up for a drink or two or three there…did i say three? maybe it was four? regardless! al, vinh, andrew, and i shut the place down! hugs and handshakes were given among us all, and then al and i waved down a yellow chariot to whisk us home. such a great night!
andrew & me.
this morning i awoke with some hesitation. i was ready to keep those blinds closed and climb right back into bed, but i didn’t want the entire day to be a waste. i met up with kyle and kari for some post-night out brunch at buttermilk kitchen, just up the road from me. buttermilk kitchen is a brunch spot i love to take folks to when they are in town, and it was just the ticket for me this morning, if you know what i mean. i enjoyed some pimento cheese, toast, and sausage. so delicious, and so perfect after a night of going hard, living young, and living free. yolo!
i’ll be honest: i’ve been quite the time hog this month so far. july is my birthday month (ah, 26!), and i have spent my days doing just what i want. we ran the peachtree on the fourth, spent last weekend in athens for a friend’s wedding (congrats, sam and nathan!), and i now find myself with a lazy weekend. we’ve got more birthday celebrations tonight, but this morning was all for me.
although i’ve used the afternoon to catch up on cleaning house and tending to other domestic chores, i treated myself to an indulgent morning. first, there was a haircut with the lovely master stylist karen at balance salon in dunwoody. she’s just so great! i then skipped right on over to an open table at café intermezzo.
café intermezzo has been around atlanta since december 1979, and it has created quite a reputation for itself in the many years between then and now. this place is one where you can come for whatever reason. to catch up with someone over coffee, to share a spoon and dessert with someone special, to spend time pondering and wondering about all that is (yours truly). all are good and sufficient reasons to find yourself here, and café intermezzo is someplace that, when i leave each time, i hope to be back there again very soon.
this morning i had some writing and thinking to do, so i started my visit with a café au lait, a classic coffee creation. i forget how delicious they are, and this one may have been the best i have ever had. it didn’t need sugar. it didn’t need anything except to be consumed in fast fashion.
the lovely view from my terrace table. relaxing and serene, yes?
food was in order as well, and i figured i needed something substantial to get me through my busy day. i was in the mood to get something out of my ordinary, so the salmon and cream cheese omelette was delivered in no time. i had never tried lox and cream cheese. there is no time like the present! i took my first few bites, intrigued by the interesting flavor mixes. the sweet cream cheese with the fishy salmon proved to be too odd a combination for me, especially so early in the day, so i was unable to finish it all. but! at least now i have tried and now i know, no lox and cream cheese for me, please. i’ll probably stick with something more traditional next time.
wait, who am i kidding. the next time i come i’ll probably get a huge slice of cake…and a bowl of gelato…and at least two cafes. eh, par for the course!
on an unrelated note, it seems i like to take pictures of things of different heights. like, all the time.
my morning was relaxing and inspiring and carefree. sometimes we need to make sure we take care of ourselves so that we can pour into others as we are able. treat yourself. and if anyone asks, you can tell them i said it was okay.
a couple weekends ago our friends kyle and lisa were finally tying the knot up in roswell, ga. after the beautiful ceremony at st. ann’s, some of us guests had time to kill before the reception. to the bars we go!
downtown roswell was just the ticket considering the reception space was right there as well. lots of folks were out and about that sunny june afternoon; we weren’t the only ones with a good idea! our large group moseyed into the 1920 tavern off of canton street, and it was a great pick.
1920 wasn’t too crowded since it was that funny time between lunch and dinner, so they gladly seated us in the back room where there was plenty of space and plenty of tables.
we didn’t want to fill up too much, but some of us were a little hungry and thirsty. the drink menu and food menu both looked awesome; i’m kind of amazed we didn’t order one of everything. beverages were the first order of business, and after taking a good bit of time to decide, daniel and i both ordered the smoked rose while kari gave the opulent sparkle a try. the whiskey, mint, pineapple, and wood chips in the smoked rose were an unexpected but delicious combination. the pineapple wasn’t too strong and neither was the mint. the whiskey gave a nice finish after each sip, and i liked it so much i had two!
daniel and the smoked rose!
i remember kari’s opulent sparkle being bubbly and fruity and quite refreshing. cheers, kari!
hey, gur.
meanwhile, you have kyle and liz. love ’em!
wearing your shades inside is still cool.
we also enjoyed an order of the blue crab and shrimp dip. it was hearty and cheesy and paired well with the crispy baguette slices. tasty!
blue crab and shrimp dip.
after a couple of rounds we had to call it an afternoon and head to the reception. oh darn! would i come back to the 1920 tavern, though, for another occasion? or maybe just another day ending in ‘y’? absolutely. 1920 is a speakeasy-inspired spot, not just with its décor but also with its cuisine, taking old classics and bringing them into the 21st century with market-driven and locally sourced ingredients. it is refined and approachable, sophisticated yet playful, and it is a great place to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.
perhaps you should stop by the next time you are in downtown rozzie…just a suggestion.
i’ve recently spent time in dallas, texas for work, and although we have been keeping quite busy, we always find time for a good meal. cranky consultants are not happy consultants.
dallas is quite the foodie town, and i feel like we’ve done a decent job of exploring it. of course, i wouldn’t be opposed to a return trip to find and try even more local spots.
these restaurants are presented in no particular order. and i am warning you now, we did a lot of eating.
happy birthday, america! and let’s give a quick thanks that this year’s anniversary was on a friday. hellooooo, three-day weekend!
we started the party this year with the 45th annual running of the peachtree road race. for most of us, this year was our fourth running, and it may have been the best one yet. the weather was just gorgeous, and the spirit on the streets was high. personally, i didn’t have the highest expectations for my race since injuring my back in april, but the energy from all the other runners was infectious. i could do it!
our final day arrived! and i was looking quite forward to doing a lot of relaxing, as it was our one and only day at sea. i rolled out of bed, and we met everyone on the upper deck for a little breakfast. as we were chomping down on handmade omelettes and bacon and fruit, the emcee from the dance floor announced that music trivia would be starting shortly. music trivia? we should be able to dominate! ali went to get our answer sheet and pencil, and we all waited as the questions were asked. there were a total of 20 questions, and we answered 14 correctly! we soon found out that we were the trivia winners, which of course is deserving of some kind of reward. i suppose on a cruise ship there’s only so much they can give away, so we walked away with a sweet trophy replica of the carnival imagination. go team!
just a few minutes later, bingo was being hosted in the grand theatre, so there was no time to lose. uncle jeff, aunt cindy, milo, ali, and i trotted downstairs, bought our bingo sheets, and settled in for some good ole’ fashioned fun. the host was a hoot, and although none of us got the chance to yell “bingo!” during the game, a couple of us walked away with a few bucks with our scratch-off cards.
bingo!
after two exhilarating activities, i was ready to bum around. i joined uncle craig and aunt janie back on the upper deck. the sun had finally broken through the overcast morning, hooray! i lathered on the spf 30 sunscreen, adjusted the beach chair, and closed my eyes to just be. the weather was as beautiful as it was when we arrived, and i honestly could just not get over it. what a treat!
we enjoyed vodka lemonades and some snacks throughout the afternoon. at some point, people-watching just could not be avoided, as the dj was hosting a party out on the dance floor. at least they played some iggy azalea, my jam! i only wish we had one more day out here!
as the late afternoon turned into the early evening, we gathered our things to spruce up for the night. as i got changed, i realized my sunscreen “lathering” wasn’t quite as thorough as i had thought. i had some sweet tan lines, and my face was quite red. nothing like a little natural sunshine on those cheeks, right? sure…
the theme this evening for dinner was nautical, so blues and reds and stripes were perfectly in order. erin even brought captain and sailor hats for us all to don! aren’t we just the most adorable bunch? everyone else thought so, as we were receiving the sweetest compliments throughout the night.
our final meal together was really quite lovely, and i had to push out the thought that it would be a few months before i would see everyone again for my brother’s wedding. “stay in the moment!” i told myself, and that is just what i did. we reminisced on our favorite moments with uncle craig and aunt janie, the guests of honor, and indulged one last time.
after finishing our desserts, we quickly made our way port side to the comedy show. although the comedian was a bit inappropriate, we were laughing the whole half hour he was up there. sometimes things are funny because they’re true, and sometimes they’re even funnier when we call them out and make fun of them. at least the crowd had a good sense of humor for him!
we cousins weren’t ready for the night to end just yet, for that meant the vacation was coming to an end soon, too. it just so happened that some of the crew members were hosting an 80’s throwback concert onboard, the perfect distraction for us. sara, ali, kate, brian, and i danced and sang along to michael jackson and eddie money and many other fabulous bands. although i was right on the verge of all-night raging, we all silently consented that it was time for the night to end as the band began to pack up. it is always too soon, yes? well, that is what they say when you are having fun.
sleeping in was an obvious choice friday morning, so much so that my dad and i missed breakfast! cousin ali was parading up and down the corridor shouting our names. “uncle milo! kels!”
“here we are!” dad shouted. everyone piled into the room, demanding we get ourselves ready, for ensenada awaited! it was our one and only stop aboard the carnival imagination, and the time had come.
across the walkway we trooped to my first steps on foreign soil. fireworks went off, and crowds cheered upon my arrival! okay, that is not at all true. it was much less of a production, but it was still exciting. and i didn’t even have to awkwardly avoid the photographers, for they were swarming the families around us.
a quick pit stop and then we were aboard the bus and headed for town. the tour guide dazzled us with tales of local shopping, horseback riding, sightseeing, and delicious eating. our group, though? we were headed straight to hussong’s for drinks.
around since 1892, hussong’s once was, and still is, the watering hole of choice when my father and his friends come down here. we showed ourselves in, and i think milo was a bit taken aback. hussong’s had seen better crowds in its hey day, but that didn’t deter us from staying. i think their bartenders were glad to have our company!
several dos equis came our way with limes and salt, and we cheered our first drinks in mexico. as we worked through beers two and three, i took in this local establishment. very local, very mom and pop. famous faces lined the walls, and you could tell this place is where people once flocked.
right as we were leaving an hour or so later, i noticed the place was actually starting to fill up with more patrons. look at this trend we started!
we figured we had just enough time left in the afternoon to visit one more spot. we turned right out of hussong’s and walked the grueling 100 feet to pull together some tables on the patio at papas & beer. we had passed this place along our stroll into town, and it was already rowdy. rowdy is what it still was, too! the music was blasting, folks were being pulled up on stage for shots of jose cuervo, and people were just everywhere.
although the scene did not look much like one we would normally keep, we decided we could join in the fun. buckets of dos equis (yes, more dos equis!) were ordered for the group, and then uncle craig grabbed the attention of a local street chef. uncle craig had raved about his guacamole, and whenever something is made tableside just for you, you know you cannot go wrong.
the avocados were ripe, the lime gave it a lovely and citrusy zest, and the little bit of spice was the perfect kick. two orders for the tables, please!
as the beer flowed, our dancing feet could not sit still. it wasn’t long before we were all up out of our chairs, grooving along to the music. they thankfully had a decent mix between new stuff and old, so even milo and uncle craig joined in on the fun. we were posted up at papas & beer for a couple of hours and then made our way back through town to the ship. thanks, ensenada, for an afternoon of fun!
we boarded the ship again, and although we had done nothing strenuous that day, we all decided that a quick rest before dinner would be just fine. after checking out the exclusive adult deck at the stern of the ship, milo and i freshened up and headed upstairs to the bar for some pre-dinner drinks. the theme for the evening was golden oldies night. now, none of us may have really been in gold, and our outfits were not exactly “oldies” inspired, but you know, we cleaned up quite nicely that night! everyone looked sharp and polished, and i was proud to be seen with these fine-looking folks.
dinner that night was highly anticipated because our waiter alex had told us the evening before that lobster tails and lamb shank were on the menu tonight. how fabulous! it should come as no surprise to anyone that we all ordered at least one lobster tail that night, some of us even two. a couple diners commented that the tails were a little on the small side, but considering the amounts of food we were getting with the appetizers and desserts, i was fine with a more modest portion.
was it the best lobster tail i’d ever eaten? no, but i do not eat lobster frequently at all, so i savored that rich and buttery dish as much as i could. we were all a bit more lively this evening since we’d been relaxing all day, and some of us decided to keep the party going afterwards. brian was ready to check out the poker scene, so we headed over to the casino.
i’m not much of a gambler, except when i’m playing craps with my dad, so i was the perfect onlooker that evening. i cheered shawn on as he played the dollar slots and then applauded as brian did some work at the texas hold ’em table. watching people gamble is entertaining for only so long, though, so kate and i retired for the day around midnight. goodnight, to all!
The Atypical Journey of your Typical Family of Six
@thelondonfoxx
kelsey v 