We're back! We spent last week being lazy at Folly Beach (near Charleston, SC). It was a glorious vacation with my parents and brother. Despite the heat, bugs and mugginess, we had a great time on the beach, in downtown Charleston, at Ft. Sumter and just hanging around the sweet townhouse we rented (playing the Wii no less).
I've got loads of pictures and stories to tell... but not time to share now! I promise to update again soon with our vacation fun :)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Congratulations Kevin & Becky!
I wanted to do a quick post before the evening festivities continue celebrating the marriage of Kevin and Becky. They were married this afternoon in a beautiful, emotion-filled ceremony in the mountains of North Carolina. It just doesn't get any sweeter than this!
To the newly married couple - may the joy and love you feel today never leave you - congratulations and best wishes!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
In the news...
As someone who finds State spending interesting (comical, deplorable, you choose), I had to share this piece from the Winston-Salem Journal. This story is about the infamous "poster child of pork [barrel] spending," the NC Teapot Museum:
(version taken from the News & Observer.com)
SPARTA, N.C. - Organizers of a teapot museum in the North Carolina mountains to house a Los Angeles millionaire's unusual collection are scaling back their plans because of financial concerns.
The Sparta Teapot Museum was intended to bring tourism money to this small town near the Blue Ridge Parkway. But its board of directors cut the project from $14 million to about $6 million, which the town manager said could jeopardize an agreement to display more than 7,000 eclectic teapots collected by Sonny Kamm.
Bryan Edwards, town manager and a member of the museum board, said scaling back the museum would mean fewer teapots on display and "it is unclear at this time what level of involvement we will have from Mr. Kamm."
Museum officials had raised $4.2 million by summer, including private donations and $1.1 million in public money, but couldn't raise enough private money to pay for a proposed 30,000-square-foot museum. Officials said they plan to display regional crafts if they lose the teapot collection.
"Of course, our first plan was a wonderful dream. It was an absolute dream museum. The problem was we just couldn't afford our dream," said Sandy Carter Herndon, a member of the museum's board of directors.
Some local and state officials said the museum - scheduled to open in spring 2008 - would create spending and jobs in an area hit by plant closings and layoffs.
The project received $500,000 in federal money and was cited as an example of pork barrel spending. The Citizens Against Government Waste included it in an annual list, calling it a "poster child for pork" in 2006.
(Full story here)
Booo hooo!
(version taken from the News & Observer.com)
SPARTA, N.C. - Organizers of a teapot museum in the North Carolina mountains to house a Los Angeles millionaire's unusual collection are scaling back their plans because of financial concerns.
The Sparta Teapot Museum was intended to bring tourism money to this small town near the Blue Ridge Parkway. But its board of directors cut the project from $14 million to about $6 million, which the town manager said could jeopardize an agreement to display more than 7,000 eclectic teapots collected by Sonny Kamm.
Bryan Edwards, town manager and a member of the museum board, said scaling back the museum would mean fewer teapots on display and "it is unclear at this time what level of involvement we will have from Mr. Kamm."
Museum officials had raised $4.2 million by summer, including private donations and $1.1 million in public money, but couldn't raise enough private money to pay for a proposed 30,000-square-foot museum. Officials said they plan to display regional crafts if they lose the teapot collection.
"Of course, our first plan was a wonderful dream. It was an absolute dream museum. The problem was we just couldn't afford our dream," said Sandy Carter Herndon, a member of the museum's board of directors.
Some local and state officials said the museum - scheduled to open in spring 2008 - would create spending and jobs in an area hit by plant closings and layoffs.
The project received $500,000 in federal money and was cited as an example of pork barrel spending. The Citizens Against Government Waste included it in an annual list, calling it a "poster child for pork" in 2006.
(Full story here)
Booo hooo!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Weekend chow review
We had a very tasty weekend and even though it's already Tuesday, I have to share our GOOD EATS from last weekend.
Friday night - Mizu (sushi)
Oh how I crave sushi but hate having to drive into Raleigh (way into Raleigh) for good sushi (Harris Teeter sushi doesn't always cut it!). We've tried to dine here previously, but decided that it was a bit more expensive and had a longer wait time that we desired. Thankfully, we had time and were prepared to lay down the cash for a tasty dinner.
What we ate: the menu is not all sushi; they also offer chicken, steak and even lamb entrees, but we came to eat sushi! We sat at the 'sushi bar' - a u-shaped arrangement that took up most of the restaurant. It was a great choice as we were entertained by the sushi chefs, the case of various seafood awaiting its chance to become sushi and watching the 'sushi train' go 'round and around. We ordered "sushi for 2" and enjoyed every bite! Amongst the 14 pieces and 3 rolls,the plate came with a 'spider roll' (Soft shell crab, kani, masago, cucumber & avocado, served with eel sauce). Once again I came face to face with soft shell crab. I didn't enjoy my previous encounter with this crustacean (at our first anniversary dinner at the Fearrington), but this roll was DELICIOUS! The sake wasn't bad either ;) We'll definitely be back!
Saturday - we had some quick bites out, Chick-fil-a for breakfast (mmm, chicken biscuit) and a nice 'post mountain bike ride' snack from Backyard Burgers. I love, love, love their blackened chicken sandwiches! Eating one brings back great memories from Asheville.
Sunday - the afternoon plan was to catch Harry Potter at IMAX (with scenes in 3D no less) then try our luck with Spanish tapas. Amazingly, the afternoon and evening showings were SOLD OUT (just as we walked up) and even though they had one more showing at 9:30pm, we opted for an early dinner in lieu of an early Monday morning. Since our movie plans were out and an early dinner was in, we headed out to "Glenwood South" to eat at Red Room. The Red Room has an awesome outdoor seating area, but we opted for inside as it was quite breezy. The interior was sleek but comfortable and the service was outstanding (well, it didn't hurt to be the first, and only customers, as well as newbies!)
What we ate: we decided to go with their "Sunday special" and take their "tapas tour" with 8 courses. I also choose their wine tour of 4 Spanish reds (no worries, they were 1/2 glasses, shared with Paul no less). From the Spanish deviled eggs, to the oven roasted duck to the root beer float with a twist, it was delicious! We added onto our 8 courses (we're not pigs, tapas are small bites - even smaller in the 'tour'), Ceviche de Gambas (Shrimp ceviche with mango, avocado with yucca and plantain chips), Atun con Caponata y Banana , y Balsamico Blanco (Seared tuna with apple and banana caponata, and white balsamic syrup) and their chocolate espresso fondue. I can't wait to return and try their paella - hopefully we'll be back before too long.
Friday night - Mizu (sushi)
Oh how I crave sushi but hate having to drive into Raleigh (way into Raleigh) for good sushi (Harris Teeter sushi doesn't always cut it!). We've tried to dine here previously, but decided that it was a bit more expensive and had a longer wait time that we desired. Thankfully, we had time and were prepared to lay down the cash for a tasty dinner.
What we ate: the menu is not all sushi; they also offer chicken, steak and even lamb entrees, but we came to eat sushi! We sat at the 'sushi bar' - a u-shaped arrangement that took up most of the restaurant. It was a great choice as we were entertained by the sushi chefs, the case of various seafood awaiting its chance to become sushi and watching the 'sushi train' go 'round and around. We ordered "sushi for 2" and enjoyed every bite! Amongst the 14 pieces and 3 rolls,the plate came with a 'spider roll' (Soft shell crab, kani, masago, cucumber & avocado, served with eel sauce). Once again I came face to face with soft shell crab. I didn't enjoy my previous encounter with this crustacean (at our first anniversary dinner at the Fearrington), but this roll was DELICIOUS! The sake wasn't bad either ;) We'll definitely be back!
Saturday - we had some quick bites out, Chick-fil-a for breakfast (mmm, chicken biscuit) and a nice 'post mountain bike ride' snack from Backyard Burgers. I love, love, love their blackened chicken sandwiches! Eating one brings back great memories from Asheville.
Sunday - the afternoon plan was to catch Harry Potter at IMAX (with scenes in 3D no less) then try our luck with Spanish tapas. Amazingly, the afternoon and evening showings were SOLD OUT (just as we walked up) and even though they had one more showing at 9:30pm, we opted for an early dinner in lieu of an early Monday morning. Since our movie plans were out and an early dinner was in, we headed out to "Glenwood South" to eat at Red Room. The Red Room has an awesome outdoor seating area, but we opted for inside as it was quite breezy. The interior was sleek but comfortable and the service was outstanding (well, it didn't hurt to be the first, and only customers, as well as newbies!)
What we ate: we decided to go with their "Sunday special" and take their "tapas tour" with 8 courses. I also choose their wine tour of 4 Spanish reds (no worries, they were 1/2 glasses, shared with Paul no less). From the Spanish deviled eggs, to the oven roasted duck to the root beer float with a twist, it was delicious! We added onto our 8 courses (we're not pigs, tapas are small bites - even smaller in the 'tour'), Ceviche de Gambas (Shrimp ceviche with mango, avocado with yucca and plantain chips), Atun con Caponata y Banana , y Balsamico Blanco (Seared tuna with apple and banana caponata, and white balsamic syrup) and their chocolate espresso fondue. I can't wait to return and try their paella - hopefully we'll be back before too long.
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