Lah Lah Land

Let's Try this Again!

2012-02-02T15:09:00.007-05:00

Well, well…here we are! Has it been a year and a half already? Whoops! I guess I’ve just so busy jet-setting around the world, being invited to very important and very fancy parties, and giving significant speeches that I haven’t found the time to sit down and update you! Apologies! I promise it’s not just that I’m lazy and never in the mood to write…not at all!

So let’s start fresh. It’s the beginning of February and about 70 degrees here in Atlanta, and it just feels like a great time to restart this blog and update you on the craziness in the Barbour household.

Oh, did you hear? I’m 475 weeks pregnant with identical twin girls. I told you we’ve been busy!

Yes, the girls are due any day now, and I’m a combination of extremely excited, a little nervous, and totally in denial. It’s hard to believe that at any moment, Nathan and I will be the parents of two little girls…a family of four in the blink of an eye! We already love them so much, and can only imagine what they are going to be like…it cracks me up to even imagine two miniature combinations of me and Nathan! One thing I know for sure: they will have some fierce eyebrows. Just wait.

Let me clarify one thing, though! I am not becoming a “mommy blogger”. No Ma’am. I want to have a place to post pictures and brag about my children (naturally), but I’m not going to fall into that habit of ONLY talking about babies and feeding schedules and the debate over pacifiers. If I do start sounding like that, will one of you please come over, kidnap me, and take me out for a glass of wine? Because in my mind, that is a cry for help that I need to get out of the house!

Here I am a few weeks ago, about to tip over. More updates to come!

Bring. It. On.

2010-07-25T17:01:00.003-04:00

Bee-doop-bee-doop, Bee-doop-bee-doop, Bee-doop-bee-doop, Bee-doop-bee-doop-beeeeee.

Chicki-bow-dow, Chicki-bow-dow, Chicki-bow-dow, Chicki-bow-dow, bee-doop-beeeeeeeee.

Baby in a Bucket

2010-07-25T16:43:00.007-04:00

I mean, really. Look at this child! They don't come much cuter than this, do they? Nathan's parents, my sister-in-law Melissa and her husband Al, and our adorable, squeezable, happy little nephew, Jackson, visited us in Atlanta this past June.

I of course took a million pictures of Jackson, and yes, I just had to put him in our UNC beer bucket for a photo shoot. That is just what you do!

When I wasn't chasing Jackson around the house with my camera, we went to the Atlanta Zoo, where I continued to obsessively take pictures of him. Please note again the expert camera work:He did so well on his first big trip out of town, until...he got sick. Poor baby. He caught a virus that was going around, and had to take it easy for the rest of the trip. Also, Poor Melissa, Al, and Phyllis, who stayed up ALL NIGHT with him since he couldn't fall asleep.

Hopefully the trip wasn't too much of a nightmare for them, and that they will be back to visit soon (although it's definitely our turn to head up to NC). We will see you soon!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this gem:

Warning: May Disturb Sensitive Viewers

2010-07-22T22:13:00.010-04:00

I am the worst "blogger" in the world. I shouldn't even be called a blogger...what do you call someone who blogs only 4 or 5 times a year?

A BLAH-ger. (So says Nathan).

I'm going to record (because it's not really an update when it's months old and everyone who might read this already knows) what we've been up to. It's going to take a few posts, but that's good! It forces me to take some time to get it all down.So, first up, the Sprint Triathlon.

Yes, that's right, Nathan and I are Triathletes.

Now I know that when you visualize a triathlete, you probably picture someone a bit like Lance Armstrong. I'm not saying we were the MOST graceful people racing, but we finished! It was a pretty amazing day:

Nathan before the race, in the transition area. Looking excited! 172 is the number of people who will eventually pass him...
This is Nathan about 2 minutes after crossing the finish line. He survived! This is what he looks like after working out for two hours straight.
These are the arms that dominated Nathan in the swim.

We did it! It was a great experience, but if you want to know the REAL story, you'll have to have Nathan tell it to you in person. It's that good.

More April Fleurs

2010-04-30T15:30:00.005-04:00

I spent last weekend at Joanna's lovely family home in CT, as part of a girls weekend get together. It was so nice to see my UVA ladies and do nothing but relax, walk around town, and catch up. I love that we still get together every six months or so, and I'm hoping that one of the next weekends will be here in Atlanta.

It's gorgeous here right now. Our garden is amazing, and every day a new flower starts to bloom. Tonight, Nathan and I plan to borrow our neighbor's outdoor furniture (she's out of town!), and eat dinner outside amongst all of our flowers. We definitely need some permanent patio furniture at some point.

Also, Nathan and I have been busy training for our sprint triathlon, which is now just about a month away! We've been good about doing a little running or biking or swimming every day, and I think (hope) that we are going to be fine. We just need to get Nathan comfortable enough with the swim portion so that he doesn't drown. Let's just say we have a little bit of work to do!

Miami (Mee YAH Mee)!

2010-04-18T13:01:00.008-04:00

We spent Easter weekend in Miami with Mahbod, and it was wonderful. I was desperately in need of some time near the ocean, so this was just what the doctor-and my ghostly pallor- ordered.

Corona Advertisement!

The view from my Uncle's balcony...literally on top of the ocean!

I believe a twice yearly trip to Miami is in order.

A Little Bit of Style

2010-03-29T16:08:00.012-04:00

It's starting to warm up here in Atlanta, and the anticipation of warmer weather and sunshine suddenly has me craving lots of color. While we are directing most of our extra money right now to the house (we are in serious decorating mode), what does it hurt to compile a little wish list? Just looking at this stuff makes me happy!

Trina Turk dress...how perfect would this be for any summer weddings we attend?:

Webster's Pictorial Dictionary. The pictures look gorgeous, and I can just imagine looking through this with Nathan, who loves learning new facts. About anything and everything:

Aquamarine and Turquoise earrings from Bounkit. My favorite colors. I imagine wearing these to some lovely summer party in a grand house overlooking the ocean. and I will be tan when wearing them. Just waiting for the invitation...
The Lemon Book! I don't know what this book is all about, but if it involves any Old Wives Tales (which I am a big fan of) then I'm on board:

Stella McCartney Sunglasses. I like these because they are not all white, which was a recent trend that I didn't think I could pull off...I think the black details keep it feeling classic. Plus, I think these might be JUST big enough to cover my eyes and my eyebrows, which is a feat:

This Elva Fields necklace is wonderful, and it reminds me of something my mom would wear...orange and happy!:

This was so fun.

(btw, all pics come from Mrs. Lilien Styling House, which is one of the most fun blogs to spend time on: http://blog.mrslilien.com/

Snapshots from the Garden - March: It's ALIVE!

2010-03-25T17:32:00.006-04:00

After a full winter of Nathan complaining that I killed every single thing in the garden (seriously, it did look especially brown and pathetic this winter), I am thrilled to report that we have signs of life! Actually, in the past week, parts of the garden have exploded in bloom and it's just so pretty.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of vine/climber we have over our fence. It's leaves are green year round, and suddenly last week it started blooming hundreds of little white flowers. It's gorgeous:

Here's a close-up of the flower:

The trees surrounding the back of the house are also in bloom. Here's a picture of my next door neighbor's guest house (ha! sounds fancy!) with some flowering tree branches:

We also have some daffodils that are in bloom, which are pretty. The rest of the garden looks like it's starting to emerge, and I'm excited to see how it all turns out. I will keep you updated!

Eideh Shoma Mobarak!

2010-03-25T17:21:00.006-04:00

Happy Noruz!

I spent the Iranian New Year in Boston with my cousin Gigi and the rest of my family, including Arya, who came up from DC. What a wonderful weekend! Not only was the weather in Boston freakishly nice, (70 degrees in March? Unbelievable.) but I somehow mustered up the energy to do nothing but celebrate for three straight days.

Staying with my family in Wellesley is always so nice...we just like being around each other, telling stories, eating (and drinking) well, and DANCING.

Here are some pictures of the Haft Seen (the traditional table you decorate for the new year, each item represents a hope for the next year: Health, Prosperity, Happiness, Beauty, etc.)

Here's a picture of the cousins outside...it was the first really beautiful day in Boston in awhile, and you can tell just by looking at us. Doesn't it look like this is the first time any of us has been in the sun in AWHILE? Who knew Iranians could get so pale?

Holidays 'N Such

2010-01-13T20:36:00.007-05:00

I want to finally add a few pictures from Christmas in Smithfield and New Years in DC. And OF COURSE, I have to show you pictures of our nephew, Jackson. Is it possible for this child to get any cuter? No. It is not.

I miss him already.

Thank you to the Barbours and Andersons for being so generous and getting me so many wonderful gifts! I truly am so lucky.

Now, on to New Years in DC. The Blackleys and Bacigalupos hosted an amazing black tie event to benefit Friends of Penyem, and it was such a lovely time. Joanna came down from Hopkins, and Arya and his cute girlfriend joined us for the festivities. Honestly, to have a fancy party with an open bar, great food, a DJ and your friends on NYE...what more could you ask for?

Oh, yeah. And there were masks!

My handsome men:

It's been a nice couple of weeks back in Atlanta. Work is busy, but it's good to be back on a schedule. Oh, and our living room remodel has begun! Stories and pictures to come...

2010

2010-01-04T10:24:00.002-05:00

I am back in Atlanta today after Christmas in North Carolina and New Years in DC. It was a lovely Christmas, but I unfortunately got some very sad news on the 28th of December from my dear friend Alexandra (whom I've known since we were 12!). Her two sisters, Victoria and Elizabeth, were killed in a car accident in Fairfax on the 28th. So, it's been a week full of ups and downs. A fun New Years with Arya and a bunch of business school friends, followed by several very sad days with Alexandra and her Family.

I will update on the Holidays soon, but in the meanwhile, here is the news coverage:

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1209/691282.html

Restaurant Review: Woodfire Grill

2009-12-20T18:26:00.006-05:00

Have any of you watched the most recent season of Top Chef on Bravo? Top Chef is one of my favorite shows, which I have watched since pretty much the first season (years and years ago). This season was completely out of control. There were so many talented chefs, most of whom already own and operate their own restaurants. Some of them have worked with pretty big names in the culinary world, already proven, in a way. I was especially into this season, as it had THREE contestants from Atlanta competing for the title. One of them, Kevin Gillespie (Beardo), is the executive chef and owner of Woodfire Grill, which is just a 5 minute drive from our place.

Anyone who watched the show will agree with me that Kevin was THE BEST (except my friend Asheley, who has a thing for the Volt Brothers). Kevin consistently won challenges and had such a great personality, it's no wonder he won fan favorite over and over again. It makes me so MAD that he didn't win the whole thing. As Nathan would say, It was a TRAVISHAMOCKERY. Aw, Kevin. You are so great. Let's be friends.

Now, I'd been to Kevin's restaurant, Woodfire Grill, with the girls several months before the season started, and really enjoyed it (we all got the tasting menu), but after watching him throughout the season, I knew I had to go back and try it again (and this time pay more attention). The restaurant is obviously completely packed at all times now. We got a reservation for last night (Saturday, at 8:30pm) THREE WEEKS ago, and I think we got it because someone canceled right before we called. For those of you not in Atlanta, it's RARE to need to make a reservation for a restaurant more than a day in advance, so, let's just say that a reservation at his restaurant is a hot ticket these days. Reservation. Restaurant. I can't stop typing these words.

We got to the restaurant slightly hungover after our super late night on friday (ugly holiday sweater party!), but super excited. I had a fantastic glass of sauvignon blanc in the bar area and Nathan had a Dogfish Head beer, while we waited for our table to open up. By the time we sat down for dinner, we were feeling less hungover and more hungry.

The menu overall was fantastic. I got the three course tasting menu, and Nathan ordered one item from each course: The arugula and walnut salad, The Diver Scallop and mushroom second course, and the Berkshire Pork Loin.

The salad was fantastic, it had a yogurt dressing that we are going to try and recreate at home. The Berkshire Pork Loin was great (and you have to have pork at Kevin's restaurant, for goodness sakes!), but let me take a moment to talk about the scallops.

THE SCALLOPS WERE THE BEST THING EVER. Nathan nailed it when he said "This is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth." Everyone in Atlanta, get yourselves to Woodfire and try the diver scallops. First, they were cooked perfectly. Seared on the top, and not rubbery at all. Second, here's the description of the rest of the dish (from the menu online):

hedgehog mushrooms. sweet corn. roasted garlic. scallion. foie gras jus.

Doesn't that sound amazing? The combination was unreal. I'm going to dream about this dish. If he had cooked this dish in the finals, he would have won it all. Do you hear me, Tom Colicchio? YOU MADE THE WRONG CHOICE.

Okay, this is quickly turning into the longest post I have ever written. God, I love good food.

Next, on to my tasting menu. First, they brought me a scallop over arugula pistou and cauliflower, and I loved it. The flavors were all mild, but went together well and I sopped every last bit of it up with bread. My main course was a piece of pork belly and a half a quail, with a garlicky sauce and a mixture of collard greens and other greens, in vinegar. I'm not a huge quail fan, but it was cooked really well and the pork was divine.

The only thing we didn't like were the veggies accompanying Nathan's pork loin. They were SO SALTY, and it definitely seemed like a mistake. But that was it.

For dessert, they brought me a chocolate crepe filled with cake batter, on top of a latte pool, with creme. Nathan got the pumpkin flan, which was terrific (better than mine, but I'm just not a huge crepe-for-dessert fan.)

The only bummer of the night was that Kevin was not there himself and cooking in person. Our waiter said he was home with Pneumonia, but we'll be back to see him.

I need to give him a high five. Go Beardo!

Our First Christmas Tree: Part Two- Decking the Halls

2009-12-10T15:00:00.006-05:00

Last night Nathan and I decked the halls while rocking out to the Charlie Brown Christmas CD (which reminds me of when I lived with Ris in NYC, Hi Ris!). I'm quite impressed with our decorating skills. My mother in law was so sweet to send us home with tons of Christmas decorations last time we were in Smithfield, and I think she'll be impressed that we put them all to good use!

What do you think?

Our First Christmas Tree: Part One

2009-12-08T15:47:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving was so wonderful! We did nothing but hang out with the family, eat, and drink. It was the first time Nathan and I stayed with Arya in his new apartment, and it was great...Arya did such an awesome job of furnishing and decorating. And how many 22 year olds have a nice apartment with a fireplace? I was impressed.

I've been unusually spirited this Holiday season. I think it must have something to do with the fact that this is our first Christmas in the new house, but I've been irrationally excited about getting a Christmas tree, decorating the house as much as possible, baking holiday cookies. I'm out of control.

Our neighborhood's elementary school has a Christmas Tree sale every year to raise money for the PTA, and we swung by last Friday to buy our FIRST TREE.

My camera is horrible, and the battery was about to die, but here is a picture from our tree buying adventure. We offered to pick up our next door neighbor, Susan's, tree as well. Two big trees on Nathan's poor car!

A Few Things Before Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T13:50:00.004-05:00

Did you all enjoy Nathan's rant? I'm giving him an assignment to recap his thoughts on the season finale of Mad Men, because I thought it was incredible, but I'm sure he'll find something to rant about regardless.

We're heading up to DC for Thanksgiving next week, which makes me so happy, since I've already started craving my Aunt Lis' Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing, and the entire family will be there, including Gigi and the gang from Boston. So fun.

Last night Patricia and The Payne's, minus Carson, decided to have a BIG NIGHT. We started with Pizza and cocktails at the house while the Tar Heels played (and lost). Then we headed out to the bar at JCT kitchen, then back to the house for more drinks and some Cranium.

And guess what? The LADIES WON, suckas! Da Da-Da, de doo, De Da Da DA DAA! (That's me singing while doing a victory dance).

Need a visual? BOOYAH.

Mad Men Rant - Volume 1: Draper's Anatomy

2009-10-18T15:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the first installment of the Mad Men Rant...brought to you in stunning High Definition by the fine folks at Maidenform. This feels right! This is Leila's charming, witty, handsome (and humble) husband, Nathan, and I'll be your guest columnist for periodic musings on Leila's favorite show. I know that Leila's faithful blog reader(s?) signed up for her, not me...but that's tough. Given that Leila's blog output has crawled to about one post a month, it is obvious that she is starving for some content. Plus, she's not allowed anywhere near the laptop after a Sunday evening session with Jon Hamm -- drool tends to muck up the keyboard, you know?

On to Mad Men.

I'm pissed. The first few seasons were so great because of the wonderful dialogue, in depth character development, and - especially - Don Draper doing his thing in the conference room and the bedroom. I swear the man had me craving some Lucky Strikes and a slide projector. In Season 3, the writers have turned a wonderful dialogue-driven show into nothing but a glorified soap opera that relies on cheap surprises and cheesy hook-ups for "excitement." Child, please. Peggy and Duck? Barf. That State Government douchebag that Betty digs? Groan. If I wanted this garbage, I'd watch Gossip Girl or The Hills or some of the other tripe that's on TV these days. I have almost given up on the show. I literally stopped watching about 15 minutes into the show two episodes ago and went to bed. I would have been done for good if Leila didn't convince me to give it another go. "That guy Betty's in love with is gone," I heard. Well, last Sunday night I watched the rest of the episode I walked out on and caught the new episode. Garbage, soap opera bulls***. I averaged about one eye roll per scene. It would have been more, but I didn't want to upset Leila while she was watching her "stories."

I think entertainment awards are irrelevant. Most movies that win Oscars suck. The musicians that win Grammys are usually no-talent ass-clowns. The Emmys are no different, but they get things right a little more often than others (gotta put a plug in here for the best show in the history of television...The Wire). The Emmys got it right early on with Mad Men, but I don't care what the award folks say now...Mad Men just isn't good anymore. Sure, the costumes and sets are still spot on, but the writers are pissing me off. From now on, before the writers submit any new ideas, they need to RUN IT BY ME. Here are four simple steps to make Mad Men worth watching again:

1) More time in the office. Seriously, 90% of the time should be spent at Sterling Cooper. I'm not interested in living in the 'burbs in real life...I'm sure as hell not interested in seeing it on TV.

2) Once we bring the action back to Sterling Cooper, how about a little...uh...you know...ADVERTISING talk. More Don Draper ad pitches. More Peggy Olson in the office. More Ken Freakin' Cosgrove. More Roger Sterling. More, more, more, more.

3) Less Betty. January Jones is hot, but Betty's a bore. Less Peggy outside of the office. Less douchebag Henry. Less Connie Hilton (he's the infuriatingly irrational male version of Betty). Finally, take Duck's air time and cut it in half. Then take that half and flush it down the toilet.

4) To whoever wrote Joan out of a regular role: screw you. Seriously, I hope you get H1N1 or something. I don't want you to die, I just want you to suffer. Bring her back. For reals.

It's that easy. I'm going to give it a shot tonight, but I'm not getting my hopes up. PLEASE no more cheesy soap opera drama. I'm half expecting a character to get amnesia or to "die" only to find out it was a dream. Stop the laziness, writers! Get back to the snappy office dialogue. NO MORE DRAPER'S ANATOMY!

Rant over.

September

2009-10-11T21:10:00.008-04:00

September was a busy month. Not only did I have a fun little birthday, I spent 4 days in NYC for some work, and a lot of play. I stayed with Margot and Ziggy at their FAB new apartment on Wall Street, and shared a bathroom with their toilet trained cats, Keggy and Klaus. You heard me. They use the toilet...or rather, are being trained to use the toilet. It was adventure, but they are so so cute and so so funny. (Margot, Ziggy, and the Kitties.)

When I came home to Atlanta, it was raining. I didn't think much of it, even though it had been raining for the past few weeks pretty much non-stop. Turns out, a normal rainstorm had turned evil and freakish and literally would not pass over the City. It stayed in one spot and rained and rained and rained...more than it's rained at one time in Atlanta in over 100 years.

The city flooded, and so many people lost their homes. The Chattahoochee flooded, all the little creeks nearby flooded. It was a big, soggy, mess.

We were lucky to only get a few inches in our basement, and we're thankful it wasn't worse, but it was still a big pain in the butt. Observe:

Before (regular finished basement carpet):

And where we are now:

Oh, and you aren't mistaken. That IS a Cowboy themed room in our basement. Unfortunately, we don't think it's going to make it through the renovation. I know, it's so so sad.

Our housewarming party is coming up on Saturday!

Summer Roundup

2009-09-09T21:18:00.025-04:00

I found the cord to my computer (yay!) and realized that I have a million pictures of things we did and people we saw this summer, and there is just no way I'm going to get around to posting separately about each and every thing. So, I bring you the summer roundup!

Part of my birthday resolution is to be more diligent about updating this blog. I mean, there are 3 or maybe even 4 people who read this thing! You four are demanding updates, and I could never deny you!

So here are the highlights:

First, we bought a house, and we love it.

We went to Charlottesville for Sahar and Sam's amazing wedding at Keswick. Rocking chairs on the lawn...so cool.

The next weekend, we flew to NYC for Libby and Chris' wedding. It was a great time, and we clearly love hanging out with our business school friends. Here's Brian, Danny, and Nathan. Aww...THEY'RE BEST FRIENDS!

Our nephew, Jackson, was born in July, and we visited him when he was 11 days old, and then again last weekend. He looks like Nathan and Melissa, which is just the cutest thing.

On July 26th, we celebrated our first anniversary.

We were invited to the Beach on the Gulf Coast for a few days in August, and it was just lovely!

Brent flew down from NYC to spend a weekend with us in Atlanta. He is the best. We went furniture hunting, drank a ton of wine, hit up the High Museum, and made a kick ass Greek Feast for dinner on Saturday night. There was no way that weekend could be anything but fun.

UNC FOOTBALL IS BACK! Hide the kids!!

And that brings us to now. I have a few busy weeks ahead of me, as I'm turning 29 (yowza) and have a bunch of celebrating to do. But I promise to keep pictures and updates coming. See you later!

Oh, and today is 9.09.09. As Nathan told me earlier:

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!

No New Pictures

2009-08-30T16:24:00.003-04:00

So, I can't find the cord that transfers pictures from my camera to my computer. I have a million pictures from all of our recent adventures, and I want to show you, but...I'm having problems.

It's been a crazy summer, filled with weddings and babies and visiting friends. Oh, and house stuff. I can't wait to show you what we've done with the place. I'm impressed with our work! We are at a place where I feel comfortable just letting things be for awhile, which is nice.

Pictures to hopefully come, but for now, here's another (older picture) of our nephew, Jackson.

Baby Jackson has Arrived

2009-07-27T17:25:00.009-04:00

We went to North Carolina over the weekend to see our amazing new nephew, and we fell completely head over heels in love with him. He looks just like Nathan and Melissa did as babies (who looked identical to each other), and it's just so funny to see a little Nathan look alike, especially when he makes faces like the one above. We all could not stop laughing about that one.

Here's Nathan holding Jackson for the first time, and a few more darling pictures:

Melissa and Al are amazing parents, which comes as no surprise. It was great to see them, and of course we can't wait to see everyone again soon...Love you guys.

Our New Home

2009-07-07T10:56:00.005-04:00

Of course there's a REASON I haven't written in weeks. After months of negotiating, we finally closed on, and moved into, our first house. Nathan and I OWN a HOUSE. Can you believe it? We've been living in our new place for a week, and I still experience these sudden moments where I can't quite comprehend that this house we are sitting in BELONGS to us. Unreal!

So, the next several months of posts are probably going to include tons of pictures/stories of me and Nathan trying to figure out what the heck home ownership is all about. We've started painting, and Nathan mowed our front yard for the first time last week, but there is so, so, so much still left to do. This is going to be a totally overwhelming, totally satisfying project.

Happy Birthday, My Love.

2009-06-16T15:18:00.006-04:00

You are the best.

Smithfield, NC: Day Two

2009-06-12T22:04:00.006-04:00

Another busy week, with many updates for you, but first I have to post all about the reason we went to North Carolina last weekend in the first place.

My beautiful sister-in-law's baby shower.

Now, there are pregnant people everywhere, and I think most pregnant ladies look great, but Melissa just looked GORGEOUS. And I'm not just saying that because she's one of the only people who reads this thing. She just looked so comfortable and chic. I mean, see for yourself:

My job at the shower was to sit by Melissa as she opened up approximately 1 million gifts and take down who gave her what. I've never seen so many onesies in one room in my life. It takes a lot of STUFF to have a baby, apparently.

There were some really cute details at the shower:

Just another month before Jackson arrives. We are so excited.

Smithfield, North Carolina: Day One

2009-06-08T14:26:00.008-04:00

Just got back late last night from our weekend in North Carolina. Melissa (my lovely sister in law) had a baby shower that we just couldn't miss (more on that to come). Our first day in Smithfield, we hit up one of Nathan's favorite hometown spots:

Hills of Snow!

Hills of snow is an adorable stand where you can get snow-cones in any flavor you can imagine. Really, they had about 50 different flavors. I got Mango and Orange-Pineapple...nom nom nom.

Be prepared! They stain your tongue.

PISSED OFF!

2009-05-29T12:02:00.007-04:00

I'm starting the weekend off in a very bad mood.

Last night I had a book club meeting. My friend Katie and I usually take turns driving to book club, since we live close to each other and book club meetings are usually far away from us girls who live in the city. Last night it was my turn to drive, and by the time I got back home at 1am, all the parking spots that I'm allowed to park in were taken. I was too scared to leave our building's lot and look on the street for parking...I don't feel safe walking around Atlanta by myself at 1am, so I found an empty spot near Nathan's spot (where I'm not supposed to park) and figured that if nobody had parked by 1am, I'd be safe until the morning when I left for work.

WRONG.

My poor baby car was towed at 2:30am. Forget about the fact that I left a note on the car saying that I would move it ASAP and included my phone number. I'm so pissed off.

And now I need to go downtown to some sketchy lot to pick my car up, and give them $125 for their services. I want to scream.

Wouldn't you at least call before towing someone's car? Isn't that less effort than calling and waiting for a tow truck at 2 in the morning? Some people are just assholes.

I am so grumpy right now.

Blogging at Work

2009-05-27T16:14:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting at work, kind of stalled and waiting for an email to arrive with an answer I need before I can get back to work again. I feel like I'm doing something bad, blogging at work!

Here's what I'm excited about right now:

1. Leaving work soon, and knowing that Nathan should be home early today after working until 11pm last night.

2. Getting off from work early means we have time for my newest obsession: MAD MEN. Oh, that show is so good, and we have a new disc from Netflix waiting for us.

3. Arya got a new car! I'm still waiting to see a picture of it...another Jetta joins the family.

4. Dinner tonight. Soup and grilled cheese.

Just a basic Wednesday night, I guess. Updates to come soon on our NEW HOUSE. Yes, we may be moving in just a few weeks!

...Now I'm back to work.

Baba

2009-05-25T22:18:00.003-04:00

As I write this, Baba is on a flight back to Iran. His trips to the US are always too short, and Arya and I get so sad when he leaves. We are trying to convince him to come back for Christmas...hopefully it won't be a full year before we see him again.

Baba, we miss you already!

The Graduate

2009-05-19T17:01:00.005-04:00

Arya graduated from college over the weekend, and the whole family was up in Boston to celebrate. We had so much fun, and are so so proud of Arya for all of the hard work he put into the last four years. He graduated cum laude! Hooray!

After graduation we went to dinner in the North End, at a cute little Italian restaurant. We all went around the table and told stories about Arya, and when it came to Uncle Bahram's turn, he told his usual round of dirty jokes, which Arya loves.

Yesterday we packed up Arya's stuff and made the 8 hour drive down to DC to help him start his post-college life down here. Though his plans for work are still up in the air as of now, we all know that whatever he ends up doing, he will be successful.

Here's to my little brother!!

Miami and more

2009-05-10T13:51:00.005-04:00

Last weekend I had a wonderful time celebrating Elizabeth's bachelorette weekend in South Beach. The weather was perfect, the ocean was beautiful, and we spent a lot of time relaxing, tanning, and catch up. It had been too long since I had some quality time with Elizabeth and Miss Margot, and I loved every minute of it!

It's been a busy week since then, working hard to bring home the bacon, and getting ready for our big trip to Boston for Arya's graduation this weekend. I'm going to see Baba!

Plus, there might be a little something in the works, house-wise. I don't want to get my hopes up, so I'll leave it at that, but my request to you: Cross your fingers for us. CROSS THEM!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T17:15:00.004-04:00

It's been a happy Easter, although we haven't left the house, and it doesn't look like we are going to. It's about 70 degrees and sunny out, but we're having a lazy day, reading the paper, watching the Masters on TV, and eating.

First, I made some seriously healthy juice. When I was little, my mom used to make fruit and vegetable juices at home every day. My chore was always to peel and cut carrots, and I remember feeling like it was the most tedious thing to do every single day, but I know now that I was SO lucky to have fresh pressed juices all the time. I think it's why I have perfect eyesight. Really.

Carrot, apples, and blood oranges, ready for the juicer:

And of course, my little Easter present to Nathan. His favorite homemade fruit tart:

Now, back to the couch.

UNC SPORTS!!

2009-04-08T20:29:00.004-04:00

The past few weeks have been filled with UNC basketball, and it's been fantastic. It's actually been so fun to have a reason to get together with the UNC kids a couple of times a week...they constantly crack me up, and their love of UNC is infectious.

UNC won the National Championship game Monday night, and the gang came over to our place to watch. I of course had to take pictures; everyone looked cute in their Carolina Blue clothes.

Okay, pics!

First Date

2009-04-01T09:11:00.004-04:00

Three years ago, tonight, Nathan took me out on our first date.

We went to Ole, a great little restaurant in Cambridge. Drank Margaritas and ate guacamole. I remember thinking that his accent was SO southern, and that he seemed a little nervous. I called him Nate at one point, and he corrected me. We grabbed a drink at a nearby bar afterward and I introduced him to The Postal Service. I wish I could better remember little nuances of that first date, but really, who thinks on a first date that they are sitting across the boy they are going to marry?

Happy First Date Anniversary, Love.

(not our first date)

New Year

2009-03-30T18:37:00.005-04:00

Happy Iranian New Year! I'm a few weeks late in wishing you a happy Noruz, but I've been busy working and house-hunting and watching basketball. Lots and lots of basketball.

I've decided that I adore Atlanta in the Spring. Charlottesville wins the award for best Fall, but Spring in Atlanta takes the cake. Everything- trees, flowers, people at outdoor patio bars- have just started to BLOOM. It's all very lovely.

Arya came to visit us this past weekend, and unfortunately, it rained pretty much the entire time. That didn't stop us from having fun, of course. Friday night we met up with the UNC gang and watched the UNC game. They won. Saturday was Alon's for breakfast (what else?), then a family workout at the gym, and homemade Sangria. For dinner we went to Two Urban Licks, which was fabulous. Wines on tap? I'm sold. The live band and great food didn't hurt, either.

Arya's big day was on Sunday, when he and I went to watch the Lakers play the Hawks at Philips Arena. We had amazing tickets, but unfortunately the Lakers lost. Still so fun.

A few more pics from the weekend. Arya, come back! Come live with us, and we promise to only charge you a LITTLE bit of rent.

Where the Heck have I been?

2009-03-06T18:44:00.007-05:00

Let's see. Here's what we've been up to for the past few weeks (besides work. Tons of work.)

Birthday Party for Patricia:

Which included a little dancing...

My love brought home some flowers...

We had snow in Atlanta...

And ate a lot of homemade birthday cake...

It's been a nice couple of weeks.

Baby Carson

2009-02-16T17:19:00.005-05:00

Yesterday Nathan and I finally met Brooke and Shaun's new baby, Carson. (Baba, you met Brooke and Shaun at my wedding, remember? Shaun said he wanted you to come visit Atlanta and that he'd have a bbq in your honor! Get down here!)

I mean, really, how cute can you get? He just LOVED Nathan, too. Every time I held him, he'd squirm and cry, but as soon as I'd pass him to Nathan, he'd relax and fall asleep!

He was so tiny, but had long long legs. You can tell he's going to be a tall boy, and I can't wait to watch him as he grows. And now I'm even more excited for my nephew to arrive this summer!

Charlottesville 2009

2009-02-16T17:14:00.003-05:00

Yikes! It's been too long since I've updated you on what I've been up to. Honestly, Nathan and I have been working a lot. But, I've made sure to have a little fun as well.

Getting together with the girls in Charlottesville was amazing. We had a bachelorette for Mel and a baby shower for Jenny, which was a fun-and funny-combination.

Unfortunately, my camera was dead for half the weekend, but here is a cute shot of Jenny with her new baby bag.

I want to go back!

House Hunters

2009-02-04T13:32:00.006-05:00

Nathan and I are starting the process of buying a home. By starting the process, I mean: Spending hours each night after work online, looking at houses we like, talking about houses non-stop, and for me, obsessively watching HGTV. We went to a few open houses last weekend, which was the first time we actually entered a property.

The whole thing is scary!

The good news for us is that there are a ton of houses for sale and we are in no rush at all. So, let's just see how it goes. Of course I will keep you updated!

6 Months

2009-01-26T21:31:00.004-05:00

Today, Nathan and I have been married for 6 months.

Half a year went by so quickly...and every moment of it has been WONDERFUL.

Gainfully Employed

2009-01-23T17:10:00.006-05:00

The economy is a mess, both here and abroad, and every week unemployment numbers keep getting higher and higher. As new negative reports come out, it's like a snowball effect-people get scared and things get worse. So today, I'm happy to report some good news on behalf of two dear friends. It's my little way of putting some optimism back out there. Start hiring again, people!

Brian just accepted a job offer as the Director of Corporate Development for a company in Milwaukee. He is going to RUN that place, you just see.

A toast to Brian!

Next up: My dear Marisa, who just got a summer internship offer from Amex. Here's the deal with Ris. She wanted Amex from the beginning. Only applied to Amex. Only interviewed with Amex. Just found out she got the job. Talk about efficient!

(bad pic of me and Riss!)

Hooray all around!

Wintry Mix

2009-01-17T14:02:00.004-05:00

One of the benefits of living in Atlanta is that it never really gets THAT cold. Especially after living in the frozen tundra that is Boston in the wintertime, Atlanta feels positively balmy in comparison.

Not this week, though.

Okay, I know that the majority of the country right now is frozen into their homes, clinging to the radiator. It's not nearly as bad here as it is, say, in Chicago. But let me just post this picture of Nathan in front of a fountain in our courtyard and leave it at that.

Best kid in the Land

2009-01-13T18:47:00.004-05:00

My wonderful brother Arya spent a few days with us in Atlanta on the way back to Boston from Colombia. He traveled down there over his school winter break to visit Ana Maria, a friend from high school. He is now so tan and well rested, and spent most of today sitting on my balcony trying to absorb any last rays of sun before flying up to Boston (it's freezing and snowing up there, poor kid). I wish we lived closer together so that I could see him all the time!

Last night we all had dinner at JTC Kitchen.

Tan brother and pale sister:

He'll be back down in March...I can't wait. Miss him already.

My New Toy

2009-01-08T12:30:00.006-05:00

So, here is what I've been waiting to show you. It's been raining in Atlanta for the past 5 days, so I haven't been able to take a decent picture until now. My new Volkswagen Jetta! So cute!

And one from the back:

Wow, I'm really not good at taking pictures of cars, am I? You get the point, though...cute!

Back to Work

2009-01-06T18:43:00.003-05:00

This is my first week back at work since...November? December was incredibly slow for us, so David (my boss) basically told me to just enjoy the time off and be ready to start up again in January.

Surprisingly, I am ready to start up again!

My new years resolution is to actually make some decent money this year (fingers crossed), so I'm feeling pretty motivated to get going and start closing on some deals. Unfortunately, my clients are not so into that idea. Nobody is doing anything. Meanwhile, these student loans are not going to pay for themselves! Let's get going!

I also have a surprise new (BIG) purchase, but I'm waiting to take a picture of it before I tell.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-02T10:55:00.004-05:00

We had a great New Years Eve with Doug and Abbey. Nathan made his famous Shrimp and Grits for dinner, we played a little Cranium, and then it was off to Trois for the countdown. 2008 was such an amazing year for me...I got a new job, got married, went to Hawai'i and settled into my life with Nathan in Atlanta. 2008 was a crazy year in general, and I feel so lucky that Nathan and I came out of it with our jobs, good health, and so much to look forward to in 2009. We really are so lucky!

Christmas Thyme

2008-12-31T17:52:00.008-05:00

Christmas in North Carolina was so fun, even though I got sick. My in-laws are so sweet, and I had a great time just lounging around with them, playing games, watching TV, and taking it easy. PLUS!! My lovely sister in law, Melissa, is pregnant! She hit three months this week so I'm now finally allowed to talk about it. I'm so excited to have a niece or a nephew.

Okay, time for pics!

Nathan's granddad does an amazing Christmas display in his yard...it's literally covered with lights, santas, singing elves, reindeer, it's quite a sight. Notice that I'm in a jacket and Nathan is in short-sleeves? It was about 70 degrees but it didn't feel right to me to not bundle up a little:

Melissa and Al on Christmas morning (sorry, Al, I didn't have many good pics!):

Everyone got together at Nathan's granddad's place on Christmas day for lunch, where Nathan and his little cousin got into a silly string fight. Apparently, Nathan has no mercy for a 7 year old girl.

It was a very jolly Christmas! Tonight is New Years eve. The Flaum's are coming over for dinner and then we're off to Trois. Happy New Year!

Updates, Updates

2008-12-29T23:04:00.009-05:00

I have a million things to update you on, but I'll start from the beginning and work my way through the holidays.

First...Chicago!

We had an amazing time with Brian and Meghan in snowy Chicago. We got in relatively early on Friday night, went to a fun Mexican restaurant, then saw the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir at this very cool concert space. Brian is constantly sending us new music to check out- he is quite the music lover- and it's always fun to watch live music with him.

For some reason, we were all pretty hungover on Saturday. Hmm...I have no explanation for that.

But, there was more fun to be had: Carolina Basketball, of course. UNC was playing some random school that I've never heard of (Valparaiso?) and we just had to go, because really, when you get a chance to see UNC basketball, you do it!

Saturday night was a BLAST. Brian and Meghan had a joint birthday party, and Nathan and I must have earned some good karma because the party was at their home, meaning we didn't have to venture out into the SNOWY, ZERO degree weather.

Brian and Meghan's friends and family were all so nice, and we had a great time partying with everyone. What did we love the most? Finishing off the night playing Rock Band. I'm addicted. I'm also a very talented drummer, if you must know. My courageous, talented husband was the only one willing to do the singing, and did so happily until the wee hours of the morning. I fell asleep in the guest room listening to him sing in the other room: Baila bailaa la bamba!...

We love hanging out with the Dursts. We'll definitely be back to Chicago...in the summertime.

Chicago!

2008-12-19T13:50:00.004-05:00

It's 70 degrees today in Atlanta. We are taking off for Chicago in a few hours, where it has been snowing, with a projected high today of 32 degrees. Fun! Nathan is already starting to shiver, I just know it.

We have a packed weekend...concert tonight, Carolina basketball game tomorrow, Brian and Meghan's birthday party tomorrow night. It's going to be non-stop and I am so excited. I have my camera battery charged up and will post pics on Sunday!

Have a good weekend!

P.S. This picture is a reflection of my mood for this weekend, not of what I'm actually packing. Although, leg warmers might be a good idea?

Week Before Christmas

2008-12-17T13:13:00.002-05:00

I've been waiting to post until I got back some pictures from our weekend in NYC, but haven't received any yet. We had an amazing time...it was so nice to see the UVA girls at Elizabeth and Brett's engagement party, and then of course to catch up with the HBS crowd at Patty's party. We were out Saturday night until 4am, which is the craziest we've been in a long time. Pictures to come!

This last week of work before Christmas has been a bit frustrating, and slow. Mostly because I feel like I should be busy with work, but there isn't much to do. I sort of feel like a slacker.

So, to make up for that, I've decided to go through all of my home design magazines (collected for the past two years), and tear out what I love for my design book, and then throw the rest away. Like Spring cleaning, only earlier!

This weekend we are off to Chicago to see Brian and Meghan (and UNC basketball!), and then to North Carolina for Christmas. Exciting!

The Post in Which I Inundate You With Pictures of Flowers

2008-12-12T11:03:00.007-05:00

Last night was Nathan's firm's Christmas Party. They always hold it at the Piedmont Driving Club, which is walking distance from our place, so Nathan invited all the younger guys over for drinks beforehand. Having guests is usually our motivation to gussy up our apartment, and for me to buy tons of flowers to decorate with. Here are a few pics of our masterpiece:

Still life with fruit and paper towels.

Lopsided Christmas Mini-tree with Clementines.

A little bit of Shabby Chic.

Danny gave us this gorgeous vase. I love the stark contrast between the white, the dark wood, and the bright flowers.

Tonight we are headed up to NYC for a fun weekend. Elizabeth and Brett are having an engagement party at a gallery, and then we are going to Patty's place for an HBS get together. I'm so excited (and a little overwhelmed) to catch up with everyone.

Love to all from Atlanta.

Bust a Move

2008-12-06T15:40:00.006-05:00

There is nothing more fun than an 80's party.

Last night we went to an 80's party to celebrate our friend Rhea's graduation, which was in a private club in the Virginia Highlands. We had way too much fun. The music was fantastic, the costumes were totally rad, and we stayed out dancing way too late. It was perfect!

Seriously, Everyone is Pregnant

2008-12-04T10:45:00.002-05:00

Don't worry, not me!

Yesterday I got a phone call from my friend Alexandra, whom I've known since the 8th grade. She's pregnant! She's engaged to a nice guy named James, and the wedding was supposed to be in May, but has been moved to December. So, I'm not sure I'm going to make it (December 26th is a hard day to work around), but I'm so excited for them.

But really, at this point, I feel like I'm getting weekly phone calls from friends telling me that they are pregnant. I guess we are at that age. Weddings, babies, weddings, babies.

We have a fun weekend ahead of us. A dress up 80's party tomorrow night in the VA Highlands, Handel's Messiah at the Atlanta Symphony on Saturday, and Brooke's baby shower on Sunday. I need to figure out something to bake for that.

Pictures to come...

Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-11-30T13:42:00.006-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend in DC...lots of food, lots of family, and lots of Wii. Wii is the most fun video game system I've ever played, and we spent a lot of time at Uncle Reza's place playing tennis, ski jump, yoga, baseball, bowling and more on the Wii. It really is addictive!

Now we are back in Atlanta relaxing and preparing for the long week ahead. Can't we stay on vacation a little longer?

Missing all of our friends and family that we didn't get to see this weekend. Can't wait to see you soon.

Here are a few pics from the weekend:

Almost Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T18:05:00.004-05:00

Arya told me that I haven't been updating my blog often enough. I am shocked...shocked! I didn't think he read it! Aw, I have the cutest little brother.

We are heading up to DC tomorrow afternoon, and staying at Uncle Reza's house until Saturday. I'm thrilled. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday, mostly because it's stress free (no, of course I'm not cooking, why do you ask?), we get to eat delicious food (my auntie Lis's famous stuffing), lounge around all day, and then go to a movie. This is Nathan's first Thanksgiving with the Heidari/Emami family, and I hope he enjoys it as much as I clearly will.

More updates from DC, and Thanksgiving pics, to come!

Yeah, Baby!

2008-11-24T14:27:00.006-05:00

On Saturday, Patricia and I spent most of the day (after a brunch at Food 101), shopping for cute items for Brooke's baby shower, which is in a few weeks. I have to say, that while looking at baby clothes and blankets and pacifiers was really adorable, it also emphasized to me that I'm not quite ready to embark on that big step just yet. I'm just thrilled to have friends who are having babies so that I can play with them instead.

How cute is the whale theme on this onesie?

Also, Carolyn just announced that she's pregnant with baby #2! So, little Hadley is going to have a younger brother or sister. I'm so excited to see her, as well as pregnant Jenny (and of course the other, not pregnant girls) in Charlottesville this February.

Short work week! I'm so excited for Thanksgiving.

Bonjour!

2008-11-19T18:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I got my hair cut and lowlighted at Dragonfly, a gorgeous new salon in west midtown. Holly has cut my hair once before, and I just think she is amazing.

I feel so French with my shorter, darker hair. I keep saying that, too. tres chic, oui oui, ca va, mon cherie, bonjour!

Now I just need some red lipstick.

Water, Water, Everywhere...

2008-11-18T17:22:00.007-05:00

I feel like I start every post with "we had such a busy week" but really, this past weekend was insane.

Friday Night: One Midtown Kitchen and the 'World Financial Crisis Party' at Patricia and Josh's place.

Saturday Morning: Brae and Seth were in town for Brae's Zooma Race (she developed this women's race series after quitting her law firm job). The race was on Sunday, and I volunteered to help out with packet pick-up on Saturday.

Saturday early afternoon: Call from Nathan. The apartment is partially flooded. My darling husband left a nalgene bottle to fill up on our fridge door, and quickly forgot about it. It overflowed for 45 minutes and left a huge wet patch in our dining room area.

Saturday afternoon-evening: UNC crowd over for Football AND basketball games.

Saturday night: Dinner at Trois.

Sunday, 5:45am: Wake up and head out to Volunteer at the Zooma race! Here's what it looked like when we first got there:

Not only dark, but cold too!

Here we are after the sun came out at the finish line. It was a great time, and Brae did an amazing job. Almost 2,000 people ran!

Sunday afternoon: To the mall to finish up wedding registry stuff

Sunday evening: I cooked Zereshk Polo for Seth, Brae, Erica Buxton, and her sister. And guess what? It was good! Maybe the best I've ever made it (I'm proud of myself!).

Today I took the series 53 exam (passed, thankfully), and got my haircut (and dyed dark!), and just want to pass out now. More to come tomorrow.

Red Shoes

2008-11-11T19:39:00.005-05:00

Despite having an extremely busy work day, I'm happy today, for several reasons (one of them is a secret, for now!). The other is my new red shoes. Really, I think patent leather red shoes were put on this earth to make you feel like a little girl again, or maybe a little girl's doll. Not to mention that I got them at J.Crew during some sort of freakish sale that allowed me to buy these $138 shoes for $40.

It was meant to be.

Sunday Morning

2008-11-09T12:18:00.006-05:00

Nathan went to UNC for Homecoming this weekend, so I've had a few days to myself to study for my upcoming series 53 exam, catch up on reading, and have a girls night. Last night I watched TWO Romantic Comedies plus Good Will Hunting. It was wonderful.

This morning I took a walk to get some coffee...it's such a pretty Fall day, I had to take a few pictures.

How gorgeous is this little apartment building?

I think Firefighters live in this house.

Voting

2008-11-04T13:07:00.005-05:00

What a big day!

The wait to vote was about an hour and a half, which wasn't too bad.

I am now a Georgia Voter...never thought I'd say that!

Arts and Crafts

2008-11-03T18:31:00.003-05:00

Nathan and I had a very busy Sunday. First, we had our usual breakfast trip to Alon's (our favorite bakery) for a gruyere scone and a poppyseed danish, and iced coffees. Delicious!

Then, a slightly stressful trip to Macy's to return our entire wedding china set, which we found out was defective. I was so sad to return my Kate Spade pattern, and was not looking forward to picking out a new one. Of course, my wonderful husband convinced me to get over it, and our china search was underway. It only took a few hours to find a new china set, and I love it!

Our other big Sunday to-do was a little arts and crafts project. Our friends Abbey and Doug, with whom we went to the Halloween Party, accidentally left a part of Doug's costume at our place at the end of the night. So, rather than return the item to Doug (not fun), Nathan thought up the idea of creating a ransom note to slip under their door (Fun!).

The exchange is happening tonight. He'd better come alone, or the pants will get hurt!

Sick Week

2008-10-30T18:19:00.003-04:00

Nathan and I both caught a cold this week. Actually, Nathan caught a cold and gave it to me. We are both so sniffly and congested.

Nathan stayed home from work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Too bad I was too busy working to get to hang out with him on the couch.

Tonight we are out to dinner for Jase's birthday, and then tomorrow...Halloween!

Hopefully we'll feel good enough to go out and celebrate.

An Early Halloween

2008-10-27T23:07:00.009-04:00

On Saturday night, we went to a totally fun Halloween party at Park Tavern. I'm not sure why it was held a week before the real Halloween, though. Nathan and I went as 'Cougar' and 'attacked by a Cougar', but people thought he was a zombie and that I was a kitty. It was more obvious when we did the signature move, seen here:

And it's hard to believe, but that is my real hair. Rrawwrr.

For the real Halloween this Friday, we are thinking of doing something more low-key. Perhaps going to the Virginia Highlands to watch little kids trick or treat, and then a dinner date?

Long Week

2008-10-25T11:32:00.007-04:00

It's Saturday! Finally!

What a long week. I was in Birmingham, AL for work on Tuesday and Wednesday. Going to BHAM is always productive, but always exhausting. When I got home, Nathan surprised me with a newly cleaned apartment and flowers. He is the best.

On Wednesday night, we had dinner at Beleza with some new friends who were introduced to us by our friend Danny. Beleza is an amazing organic restaurant with the BEST drinks in Atlanta. We love Beleza.

Thursday night was my turn to host book club. I always enjoy catching up with the book club girls, and since this was my first time hosting, I put together quite a spread:

Only two girls showed up! BUT, it was actually very fun, as the more intimate group lent itself to a lot of great conversation (and more wine per person).

This is our first weekend in Atlanta in three weeks, and it's so nice to be home.

Happy Tears

2008-10-20T20:37:00.006-04:00

I think Charlottesville might be the most perfect place to visit in the Fall. It really is so beautiful.

I had not been back to UVA since the last time they played UNC two years ago- one of the first trips Nathan and I took together. Sadly for Nathan, the UNC losing streak to UVA continued this weekend, but it didn't prevent us from having a fabulous time regardless. I told Nathan that from the moment we arrived to town, I felt constantly on the verge of tears. That is how happyI was to be back.

We stayed at Jenny and Matthews lovely new home, they were so sweet to have us.

Saturday Morning always means a visit to the Farmer's Market. I think Charlottesville's Market is AMAZING. I found this flower stand, full of gorgeous Dahlias.

Followed by brunch with Melissa, but I was so excited to catch up, I forgot to take pictures!

Of course we took pics on the Lawn!

After the game, a delicious dinner at The Local...lots of wine and good conversation with the Sachs' and the future Barrys.

I feel so lucky to have gone to such a wonderful school.

Wedding Pictures

2008-10-15T16:15:00.006-04:00

I just received proofs for about 1,000 pictures from our wedding weekend.

I love them, but I have no idea where to start! Selecting pictures and organizing them into albums is going to be a HUGE project.

Also, it's about 85 degrees today in Atlanta...just crazy!

A Carolina Weekend

2008-10-13T10:47:00.005-04:00

This is how a Carolina weekend works:

A Long drive, Friday night dinner at Crooks Corner, then relaxing in preparation for Saturday. Saturday morning breakfast on Franklin Street, then tailgating with friends.

UNC v. Notre Dame. Carolina wins big...the crowd goes wild.

Drinks at the Franklin, off to bed, and then breakfast at Foster's Market, my favorite.

Another long drive. Home again.

Getting ready for Charlottesville next weekend!

Working from Home

2008-10-09T13:12:00.009-04:00

I have a love/hate relationship with my work setup. Some days I feel so lucky to be able to work from home, and here's why:

1. I don't have to wear a business suit, business casual, or any of that nonsense. My work from home 'uniform' usually involves jeans, a tank top, and a cardigan. More recently, I hate to admit that I have been wearing my juicy sweatpants for work. Don't worry, you will never see me in them outside of the house.

2. Eating at home. I actually love being able to drink my own coffee, in one of my gorgeous new coffee cups (with saucers, always), while I go over the morning news. I love being able to make healthy lunches at home, which is so much cheaper and more delicious than eating out.

3. No commuting! Atlanta is just the WORST when it comes to driving. Traffic, traffic, everywhere. I'm still stubbornly holding out on ever having to buy a car, and working from home makes that much easier.

Why working from home is not so fun:

1. Do you ever have one those days when you look at the clock and realize that half the work day is over and you haven't interacted with anyone at all? I have those often. Sometimes Nathan comes home and I realize that he's the first person I've spoken to all day...and that is a scary feeling.

2. Distractions, distractions. People wonder if working from home results in me just watching TV all day, but actually, I rarely watch TV. If the TV is on, its usually on CNBC for some background noise. One thing I learned pretty quickly in my new set up is that daytime television is the WORST. Ugh. It's just awful. Mostly, my distractions come in the form of little things to do around the house. Why not organize my closet? Why not go for a quick run outside? Why not throw in a quick load of laundry? Distracting!

Really, I can't complain. Working from home is great.

Rainy Day

2008-10-08T14:58:00.008-04:00

This is what it looks like outside today:

There is no sun, good thing we have Sunflowers inside!

Today, for me, it's all about staying cozy inside and getting a lot of work done.

So sad that Nathan has to work late every night this week.

Lazy Sunday

2008-10-05T12:12:00.011-04:00

Lazy Sunday started off in a very delicious way:

Nathan's homemade blueberry pancakes...yummy.

Last night the UNC crowd came over to watch their team demolish UConn...there was pizza and wine, and a lot of cheering.

Our friends David and Jenny brought us these lovely flowers, which reminded them of the color of our wedding flowers. So sweet of them to think of us!

How lucky am I to live in a home filled with flowers?

Farmer's Market

2008-10-04T13:41:00.010-04:00

I love the Farmer's Market on Saturday Mornings.

Today we bought: Tomatoes, Cilantro, Arugula, Blueberries, one Eggplant, and of course, Fleurs.

Now it's time for some college football...ah, Fall.