i never met free food i didn't want to eat

First things first -- I invested in a little Canon point-and-shoot recently, so the images you'll be seeing on here from now on will most likely be digital. Why? Because it costs TWICE (!!) as much now to develop a roll of film than it did in the good old days ("the good old days" being about a month ago -- gah! I miss those days). The quality is naturally not nearly as good but not quite subpar either. Well, at least I can update this bitty blog a lot more now. So all's well that ends well.

Now, on to business. My friends have been feeding and watering me quite a bit lately, which if you know me at all you would know just how perfectly this arrangement jibes with me -- I never met free food I didn't want to eat.

Exhibit A is an Amish casserole called Yumsetta (I'm assuming they call it such due to the yumminess inherent in the dish, but don't quote me on that). When done right (which I assure you Sarah's was) Yumsetta incorporates chiefly ground beef, egg noodles, cheese, and brown sugar into a fare that is savory yet delicately sweet. I had two heaping helpings of it last night and again for lunch this afternoon, and would probably have had it for dinner as well if Selene hadn't invited me over for dinner and a movie.

Enter  in exhibit B...

... deconstructed homemade Heavy D tacos. Oh, but it was good! I meant to bring some back to my apartment with me, but between the three of us (one of Selene's roommates joined us) there was barely any left by the end of the night to allow for the requisite take-home leftovers.

We watched this movie (which was wonderfully funny). Played with these cats:

Sir Oliver

Lord Colin

And I played and sang this song my whole way home. Definitely a fantastic albeit intensely hot weekend. I would totally do it over again!

easter sunday shenanigans

Caution: the post you are about to view is heavily riddled with photos. Proceed accordingly.

riding in pink cars. death by shadow play. Wham!. imaginary convos via decommissioned pay phones. trolling downtown Athens. stealing photos of street crooners. yummy Five Guys burgers. brilliant sunsets. taking photos for strangers. taking photos of cute strangers (the operative word being "cute"). not-so-secret secret gardens. studies in floral arrangement 101. awkward poses by fountains. more trolling: library edition. lessons in lens focusing. obligatory reflection photos. all in a day's work.

22

Literally, I've been celebrating my birthday for the past 3 weeks! My actual birthday was on March 10, but the weekend before, my out-of-town friends surprised me with a sweet birthday celebration. I took pictures from that night, but the only decent shot is the one above (sorry, guys -- the pains of shooting film). 

I spent my actual birthday at home with my family. My dad cooked (I love it when my dad cooks; he has a rare talent for it). We rented a bunch of movies, and stayed put on the couch watching them. Overall, an unusually sedentary birthday, but a lovely one nonetheless. (Psst: Super 8 is an engrossing watch; I recommend it).

The week following my birthday was Spring Break, which I spent in Athens because I'm newly a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care, and part of my training requires me to sit in on 10 hours of juvenile court proceedings. 

This past week, though, I celebrated with my in-town friends. We made plans to get together and watch the finale of Walking Dead (zombie flicks are second only to my obsession with bearded and mustachioed men -- chai lattes are a close third). We had pasta for dinner. And as is our MO, (surprise) cupcakes and wine put in an appearance as well. 22 is shaping up to be a good year!

Now Playing: Get It Daddy by Sleeper Agent

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

eats: no. 1

The last time I was here, I ordered the beer and cheddar soup with a roasted tomato sandwich half. It tasted alright.

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

where's morton?

I've been meaning to blog about last saturday all week, but school's been relentless lately. Still, better late than never, right?! Anyway, Bennie, Sarah, and I made plans to hang out last saturday and bake cupcakes while watching Night of the Living Dead (we're obsessed with zombie flicks; heck! it's how we all became friends in the first place -- bonding over Walking Dead while at work). We bought a bottle of bubbly and some plastic martini glasses (tipsy at 3 pm -- real classy), and went to work on those cupcakes. In the middle of mixing up the batter we realized we didn't have any salt. And that's when the search for Morton begun.

We went around Bennie's cul de sac looking for salt. It was very funny, actually. 'Cause pretty much everyone Bennie and Sarah knew in the neighborhood either didn't have salt (who ever heard of such a thing?!) or wasn't at home.

We finally moseyed on over to the house of Bennie's roommate from freshman year. She wasn't there, but her friend was, and thankfully she had some sea salt that she didn't mind loaning to us.

Here's Sarah and Bennie looking mighty pleased for having finally located Morton.

The cupcakes fresh out of the oven. Once they were frosted (with cream cheese), I was too busy eating to remember to photograph them.

Bennie and Sarah enjoying the cupcakes, which were delicious by the way. I have a gift for such things (I'm also very modest).

We stopped eating long enough to bring back Morton and a gratitude cupcake for Bennie's old roommate's friend.

Then returned to our zombie movie viewing (isn't Duane Jones about the manliest man ever!).

Night of the Living Dead is hysterical...

... and awful? horrifying? silly? all of these things? I don't know. It's something, though.

We didn't even finish watching the movie, because we were all so hungry and the champagne high had significantly worn off. I coaxed Bennie and Sarah into having dinner at Big City Bread, 'cause there's this really cute waiter there who I really wanted to see again, plus they have really good soups. But we had to duck out within minutes of being seated, because their dinner menu was a bit too pricey for our poor-college-student pockets. It was super embarrassing. 

We ended up at Trappeze instead, and although it wasn't nearly as great, it was definitely more affordable. Thriftiness is the move, y'all!

We went for some chai latte after dinner (well, I got chai; the others got other things), and decided on impulse to have a party. It was such a blast (that's an understatement)! And I was out of film so I couldn't document it via photographs. But take my word for it -- we know how to throw down! Very classy and respectful-like too.

Now Playing: Brothersport by Animal Collective

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra

teascapades: no. 1

So I drink quite a lot of tea. Like a whole lot. I especially like chai. A whole lot. And I was at a coffee shop recently with Bennie (pictured above; I really should just label this post "gratuitous photos of Bennie") when a brilliant thought occurred to me: what if I went to every coffee spot in Athens specifically to try their chai tea and to document my experience -- I could call the whole venture "Teascapades" (very inspired, I know), and it would be a right proper homage to my obsession with chai. I'm so full of surprises!

Anyway, I thought it would be fitting to start the series with the place that gave birth to and fostered my chai fixation -- Two Story Coffeehouse. I wasn't truly living until I tried the chai latte at Two Story (no joke you guys; I'm deadpan right now). It's so good -- no, it's divine! I don't know what they put in there, but oh-my-goodness it's so good! If you're ever in Athens, Georgia, do yourself a favor and get a chai latte from Two Story. Thank me later.

Now Playing: History's Door by Husky

pentax k1000 // fujifilm superia x-tra