A New Year and Some Resolutions

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a great time ringing in 2012!  I typically never make New Year's resolutions because I have a hard time following them. This year, I've decided to make a few and post them on my blog hoping that I'll be better about sticking to them if I've got others to hold me accountable.  So without further ado, here they are:

1. Start Blogging Again
Over the past three months I've completely given up on blogging, and it's something that I really miss.  I loved the creative outlet it gave me.  I've been really busy with work recently and I've let that be my excuse, but NO MORE.  My goal is to take time out once a week to make a post.

2. Feel Comfortable Shooting A Handgun
I'm still trying to figure out where I stand on guns, but to make an educated decision I need to feel comfortable shooting one.  Right now I'm absolutely terrified of them.  The thought that something so little and easy to shoot can end a life scares the dickens out of me.  But, I'm going to face my fears and attempt to learn proper gun etiquette, safe shooting measures, and hopefully develop a sure-shot while I'm at it.

3. Become More Active
It's completely unrealistic for me to even attempt to go to the gym on a weekly basis.  I hate working out, and I'm probably never going to love it.  Rather than set a goal for myself that is completely out of the realm of possibility,  I'm setting a guideline that is much more realistic for my lifestyle.  I want to take the stairs whenever possible, park further away from stores so I can get a few more steps in, and make any other little moves I can to be more active.  One major thing I want to start doing is walking downtown with Mr. T.  We live right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and it's about a 30-minute walk to some of our favorite restaurants and bars downtown. We love going out for afternoon beers and I'd love to start walking there.  

4. Eat Healthier, Fresher, and More Local Foods
Like I said above, I live right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and just a hop skip and jump away from the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery.  The Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery is a locally owned store that offers grocery items and tasty baked goods. They have a great produce section and offer lots of local dairy products and meats. Their goal is to source at least half of their goods from within 150 miles of Greenville.  Prices are very reasonable and it's a great feeling knowing your money is staying local.  Frequenting this store is an easy way to attain this goal. 

So there you have it.  Those are my resolutions for the year.  I'll be posting throughout the year to update you on my progress, and hopefully I'll have some great moments to share while I've been working on my goals!  Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year?

What A Weekend

Mr. T and I had a great weekend.  Yesterday we went to the Clemson game and tailgated all day.  I made sausage biscuits for our tailgate this week.  They were a big hit, too.  In years past, I've always outdone myself with what I brought to the tailgates but this year I've kept it simple.  I've realized that people are more likely to grab a biscuit or chip to dip rather than a slice of muffaleta or homemade truffle (two things I've made in the past). So, I guess I'll be going more simple from now on. 

The biscuits were so simple.  Mr. T got a box of 30 frozen sausage patties for 5 bucks.  All I had to do was fry them up and bake 30 flaky biscuits.  Then just assemble and serve with a squirt bottle of mustard.  Not one was left by game time. 

Some of our tailgating group

Mr. T and I in our gameday attire

We had such a great time with our friends, and loved to celebrate yet another Tiger victory.  We're 6-0 now! Not only did we get to celebrate the Tiger's victory, we also got to celebrate an engagement!  My friend Jenny is getting married, and I loved getting to spend time with her.  It's so fun to have yet another friend to discuss wedding details with.  So happy for you and Andrew, Jenny!

Me, Jenny, and Kate

Hope you had a great weekend, too!  Have a great week, y'all!

So, coincidentally Living Social came out with a deal for The Velo Fellow today!  The deal is $10 for $20 to spend on food and drink.  I love deals that let you use the money off on alcohol.  I've provided the link for you below. Hurry, the deal ends at 5:00 am tomorrow morning so you don't have long!

Living Social Velo Fellow Deal

Edison-style light bulbs hanging from their ceiling

Yum Yum Yum

 

And they even have shuffleboard tables!

Enjoy!


Photos Courtesy thevellofellow.com

Hello, Velo

Well, it's official.  I have a new favorite restaurant in Greenville.  It takes a lot to win me over when I'm trying a restaurant for the first time.  I'm quite critical, I do admit.  The ambiance, menu selections, service, drink menu, and prices all have to be right to really get me excited about a new place.  The Velo Fellow in the West End District exceeded my expectations in all of these categories.
The Ambiance
This cozy yet quirky space is adorned with bare Edison-style light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, mis-matched chairs, worn church pews, and a giant "grand-bi" hanging on the exposed brick wall.  (A grand-bi is one of those funny looking old bikes with the giant front wheel and the little bitty back one)
The Menu
From the classic publick house creations like chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, and fish and chips to the  more innovative culinary creations like the Falafel Po' Boy and and Tofu Marsala, everything the Velo Fellow offers is the epitome of comfort food.  They even offer a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich for 3 bucks.  Nothing says comfort food like a good 'ole PB and J. 

My Falafel Po' Boy

The Service
Our waiter was awesome.  Super friendly and his persona and attire matched and even added to the vibe of the restaurant.   His worn Levi's, plaid shirt, trucker hat, vintage square-rimmed glasses and mustache just oozed hipster.  
The Drink Menu 
They've got a great selection of wines by the glass and bottle and microbrews on draught.  The beer selections switch up every week.
This week on draught:
Highland's St. Terese's, Murphy's Irish Stout, Warsteiner Konig Ludwig Weiss, Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner,  Ommegang Rare Vos, and Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
The Prices
$2 Session's all day, every day.  Need I say more?

 

If you're interested in giving the Velo Fellow a try, they're located at 1 Augusta St. Suite 126, below the Mellow Mushroom.  Open Monday-Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday 11am-12pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-2am, and Sunday 11am-9pm.

Greenville Welcomes Groucho's Deli

Born and raised in Columbia, SC, nothing tickles my taste buds like one of Groucho's signature sandwiches. Founded in 1941 by Harold "Groucho" Miller, Groucho's Deli offers great deli-style sandwiches adorned with high quality meats and cheeses and their famous Formula 45 Sauce. Groucho's Deli originated in Five Points just minutes away from the University of South Carolina's campus in Columbia, SC.  Seventy years later Groucho's now has 25 locations in three states.  Their newest venture is the location in Greenville, SC.  Located at 20 E. Coffee St. (the previous location of Hoops and Hops). Greenville's new deli is just paces away from the well-known Main Street area.
On Sunday Mr. T and I decided to give it a shot, and boy was it tasty!  I had the classic STP (I opted for the all turkey version) and Mr. T had his favorite, the Pink Moose.  Most sandwiches come with their Formula 45 sauce, a spiced and tangy variation of Russian dressing.  The sandwiches come with a bag of chips and kosher dill spear, which are all great dipped in the 45 sauce. 

 

And, as if it wasn't good enough, I washed it all down with one of their Dr. Brown's diet cream sodas.

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Soup

I'm not a big fan of cold weather, and I'm dreading it as the summer is coming to an end.  Although I don't like those few chilly months that we have in South Carolina, there is one thing that I do like about them: soup.  I love making it and I love eating it.  I made my first soup of the season this week and it's one of my absolute favorites, Creamy Tomato Soup.  Once you try it you'll never go back to Campbell's. Its simple to make, pretty inexpensive, and it tastes phenomenal.

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 small onion, diced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 (28-oz.) cans chopped tomatoes

1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth

1 (5-oz.) package Brie without rind, cut into pieces

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresly ground pepper

Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Saute diced onion in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat 8 minutes or until tender; add minced garlic, and saute 1 minute.  Increase heat to medium high; stir in chopped tomatoes and chicken broth, and bring mixture to a boil.  Simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  Allow tomato mixture to cool 10 minutes; stir in Brie pieces until melted.

Process soup with immersion blender until smooth.

Cook soup over medium low heat until thoroughly heated.  Stir in salt, pepper, and if desired, garnish with a fresh basil chiffonade. I made grilled cheeses with bacon to go along with our soup.  Perfect for dipping.

Do you have any soup recipes you'd like to share?  I'd love to add more recipes to my collection!

Recipe: Sparkling Lemon Elderflower and Cranberry Cocktail

I just made the best end of summer drink and wanted to share the recipe with you.  It's so simple:

1 part St. Germain
1 part lemoncello
1 part Ocean Spray Diet Sparkling Cranberry Juice

Mix all three ingredients with ice in a martini shaker and enjoy!  It would also be great with a sugared rim or sprig of mint to garnish.  Hope y'all have a great holiday weekend!