Stay-cation

At least, that's what I keep hearing on radio/news/www that we can be taking since gas is so expensive. So, that's kind of what we did this weekend. Wes came across two Atlanta City Passes for a couple of things because one of his classmates wasn't able to use it all. I've used a City Pass in San Francisco when Landis and I were there but I havne't used one here in ATL.

Saturday: Took MARTA down to Midtown and walked around there. I always love walking around in the city because the buildings are just amazing to me...especially at night but we didn't stick around that late.


We ate lunch at the Vortex because they are supposed to have Atlanta's best burgers...they do! After that, we walked up to the High Museum of Art (click here) and had a blast. We've been to the High before but it was free family day and there were about 1,000 kids walking around so this was a little nicer. We didn't even know but there was a MLK exhibit that was incredible. It was a photo-journalism walk through the Civil Rights Act and the Freedom Walk. If you get a chance to visit, I highly recommend it.




Sunday: Of course, we started the day with reChurch. Following that, we headed over to Decatur with Shelly & Josh Woodruff, Abby Griggs and Matt Rich to eat at Brick Store Pub (love that place!) Wes and I were so excited to go to Fernbank because it is a natural history museum. We've been there once for IMAX and we hear that Martini's & IMAX on Friday nights is awesome so we set our expectations high. Too high. It was lamazoid (yes, I made up that word). I think it is more for kids than adults. I felt like I was at a taxidermy or something.




I wanted to see dinosaurs and this is all they had:




When we use to take family vacations as a child, sometimes we would go on "educational vacations" and my Mom would ask us what we learned. Here you go:
-It's remarkable how much different our world is today than just 40-50 years ago. It was somewhat painful to look at the photos of segregation in the very city in which I live just because of the color of skin. I wonder what will be so socially different 40 years from now?
-I can learn more about polar bears and penguins from the Discovery and National Geographic channels and March of the Penguins than a museum.
-T-Rex's did not live in Georgia, it was too swampy for them. They lived on the West Coast. Smaller dinos and flying ones lived 'round these parts.
-It's too hot in Atlanta to be walking around exploring during the last week of July.

Job Security...I think

I've been a little worried lately because my boss is leaving our division of Honeywell. Also because many parts of our company are moving to India...don't get me started. Basically, since our merger, my boss's position is no longer needed. As of today, I am his executive assistant and report to him for approvals, goals, etc but also support everyone else in my office and six outside sales people. Everyone around here knows that my boss is going to be out of here soon but everyone has been walking around on eggshells for me because we didn't really know what that would entail for me. Today, the US Sales Director for an entire division of Honeywell called my direct line and asked me to do a few things for him. We chatted a while and he also basically asked me if I have everything I need to support the people I support. A call from higher up than my boss is a good thing, right?

Here's to keeping a job!

A long week for Baseball fans

If any of you knew me before Wes and I moved to Atlanta, you know that I didn't like baseball. OK, I hated it, despised it, even loathed it. I won't go into details other than say, it was for personal reasons. In fairness, I had never been to a real baseball game. I mean, I went to high school games that my friends played in, American Legion games and even some NC State games only because one of my friends dated the catcher. But I would never commit to enjoying the experience. Then, we moved here and everything changed. Before we moved last summer, Wes and I decided that we didn't necessarily have to love baseball but we should at least give the Braves a chance. We started watching games (there really is nothing else to watch on summer nights and when it's 100 degrees at sundown, why be outside?). We got to know the players and kinda liked the announcer guys but the games were still on TBS so they came on every night even in Wilmington but we only watched a couple of games a week and still didn't really think that we would like being baseball fans. One of the times that we came to visit for interviews, we stayed with the Tutterows and asked them, well, here's the conversation:

Me: So, will y'all be watching/going to a Braves game this week?

Vicki: Um, it's the All-Star break...

Me: Oh, yea, I knew that...

Of course I didn't know that. They get a break??? Then, we moved to Atlanta on August 3 and went to our first live Braves game shortly after...

...we left on MARTA changed forever... Thanks to Delta, we received our first Braves merchandise free on a hat giveaway night. This season, in April, we bought jerseys in Underground Atlanta (they're way cheaper there than anywhere else if you're looking). I don't really know how to explain our transformation other than being in a city with a team like the Braves is fun. Everyone talks about it at work the next day and everyone is a Braves fan. Everyone hates the Mets and Phillies. It's fun to be in a community like that...and it's actually cheaper for us to go to a game than a movie. That's right!

On Sunday, we were a little sad that we wouldn't be able to watch the Bravos for a week and since nothing else decent comes on TV anymore, we were forced into watching the Home Run Derby if we would watch anything. Fortunately for us, records were broken and it was actually entertaining. Until that guy that hit 28 home runs stopped, then it was boring until he came back on...but then he lost, weird.

I read this girl's blog often because it's about the Braves from a girl's perspective: http://braveslove.blogspot.com/
She kept up with the derby last night and I enjoyed these quotes:

8:12pm --

Chase Utley is a doll. I wish he wasn't a Phillie, so I could love him more.

8:15pm --

Erin Andrews' blouse is fit for a Disney Princess.

8:19pm --
I'm still not tired of "the most interesting man in the world". Love those Dos Equis commercials.

That Dos Equis guy really is amazing...

If you like Enchiladas (or just want something different)

...Then I have the recipe for you. Wes and I love this recipe and I made it last week for Andy and Samantha when we brought dinner over and got to see Madison for the first time. It's not hard to make, it just takes a little time and you pretty much have to get your hands dirty. I make my own tomatillo salsa because I like to, but you can buy the green salsa (salsa verde) in the store on the salsa isle. I definitely recommend this recipe from Tyler Florence; I really enjoy everything that I have made from his show.

Here is the link (but check out other recipes from him, they're all great):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35924,00.html

It looks long, but it's not really. The first time it seems tedious but I make them a lot now and it's really easy. These are seriously the most delicious Mexican food I make at home and we love them.
Here is the recipe with my amendments (in bold):

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos, husked (make sure you wash really good because they are sticky)
1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos (leave these in even if you don't like it hot...once you roast them they loose some of the kick. if you don't like spicy, take out the seeds)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos (toss a little oil on so it doesn't stick) for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, storebought
Chopped cilantro leaves
1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded (I usually use all but wings)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (if you like it extra spicy, use pepper jack)
2 cups sour cream (we don't use this because Wes is anti-sour cream)
Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, for garnish(this just makes it pretty)

Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes (Mine never takes this long but I have a super hot gas stove...just heat until golden). Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute (I don't know what that word means but basically, until it gets thick...like making mac-n-cheese). Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. (Don't fret if runny, the liquid will absorb)

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa (First spray with cooking spray...they can stick). Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove)(Or just throw the bag in the microwave for minute until soft). Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. (This is where it can get messy, I just put on a cookie sheet and keep turning). Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. (I get between 8-10) Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish, cilantro and tomato.

Enjoy!!

And now it's gone

Honeywell blocked Facebook :(.

So much for social networking...

Another one bites the dust

Well, I've done it, I've fallen for the biggest gimmick on the world wide web: Facebook.com
That's right, you can find me there with the millions of other like myself who have a strange obsession with finding people that I went to Elementary school with or played church league basketball with or those that I see on a daily basis but still crave to know what they're up to each hour. Fortunately (actually, unfortunately) for me, Honeywell stopped blocking Facebook and Myspace about a month ago...shhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell corporate!! Nobody really knows why around here but I think it's so they can look up job candidates' profiles. So, on days that I don't have a whole lot going on (which seem to be the majority since all of my employers travel 85% of the time and I'm extremely diligent ;)), I'm on Facebook. It's amazing how the wonder that is Facebook can find people that you may know. I wouldn't have thought to search for these people but FB thinks I should look at their profiles. I love it. I'm new to it so I don't have a whole lot in my profile of interests or anything like that, but that will come. I've only been on for a week and already I have 110 friends. I didn't know I knew that many people!! Anyway, if you're not on it, I recommend it.