Craft Beer

Getting Fit with a fitbook

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Long ago (March 2010, to be more specific), I started Weight Watchers with the help of my mom, aunts, and cousins. I’m the only one of us that really stuck to it, long term (I know that they gradually dropped off the plan one by one), with busy things like children, jobs, running households, etc. I was lucky enough to have a fairly empty plate, though (not literally!) which allowed me plenty of time to focus on meal planning and the like.  It was a fantastic method, for me.  However, after about 6 months, with a weight loss of about 40 lbs, I was working out 3-5 times a week and was much more active in my life. Ryan and I were living together, I started playing volleyball, I met new friends, and started getting interested in craft beer.  The idea of tracking my points was getting a little boring, and there were too many things I wanted to try without adding up points and doing math all the time. Plus, tracking all the craft beers I was drinking was getting a little shameful.

450 calories for 12 oz? I'll take two!

Well, new year, new you, all that jazz. Only it took me a week or two of the new year to really kick into high gear.  After a busy first weekend with all sorts of St. Anthony Hall fun times followed by a crippling sickness (ok, I’m being a baby, it was just a nasty flu), Martin Luther King Day was the start of my new year.  And, since I fare better with a plan, I had a handy tool to help me out.

Presenting the FITBOOK!

My fitbook was sent to me after participating in a little Twitter chat, and it’s been waiting for me to open it up for quite some time, now. When I opened it, there was a WEALTH of information to fill out including weekly goals, daily logs, and spots for inspiration!

Week 1 Wrap Up

The fitbook has room for 12 weeks of recording and normally costs $22.95, with a 4 pack going for $79.95.  The focus is both on nutrition AND fitness, which I like (instead of just tracking my food). There’s not a specific focus on calories, but a more general attitude relative to food (and SMILEY FACES!)

Easy peasy

The left side is for fitness.

Shakey arms are the sign of a good workout, right?

I think this section would probably make more sense if most of my workouts weren’t group fitness classes, but would be great to record weight-lifting sessions.  It’s nice to have somewhere to record my fitness workouts other than just on Garmin Connect, though.

Can't really tote this JPEG along with me

Anyway, I think I just needed a handy, portable way to track my eating and exercise in one location. And, since I can basically palm the fitbook, it works out perfectly.

Note of progress?

At my doctor’s appointment a little less than 2 weeks ago, I weighed in at 178 lbs.  Today’s weigh in? 173 lbs!!  I also tested my body fat percentage, and am happy to report 24.8%.  Making progress, folks.

And, don’t worry, calories or not, there’ll always be room for craft beer…

 

Freebies, Flights, and Frites

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

It’s been a long time, but nothing TOO eventful happened this weekend other than a romantic lovenest weekend with Ryan. Lots of football was watched, zero soda was consumed (yay!!), and snuggling was had.  It was top notch.

However, as of 8:25 a.m. Tuesday morning, I was back in the RDU airport, and back to reality.  It’s okay though, because I had amazing goodies waiting for me in my mailbox.  It may have been the best mail haul I’ve ever had, at least in this apartment.

The good stuff

Free Wings, Free Pizza, AND my new Garmin FR60 HRM!! I know I mentioned before that I changed the batteries on my oldy and was ready to get back into action but, as I was making the change, I realized that the back of the watch was pulling apart from the plate that holds it all together.  It was time to get a new one, and since I already had a ANT stick, I got a great deal on a watch and heart band.  And, though it took me a bit to get the new one set up and figured out (that “bit” was about 10 minutes in the middle of my Zumba class yesterday) it paid off.  Check it out!

Killing it!

Average Heart Rate, 173 bpm and 627 calories burned, and that wasn’t even counting the first few minutes that I couldn’t get the dang thing working…

Also in the mailbox? 6 free wings from Buffalo Wild Wings when they open the new location right down the street, and a free Brixx pizza “just because.”  Seriously, if you like free foods, sign up for EVERYTHING!

On a less free note (but just as delicious), I headed back to Bull City Burger and Brewery (after a successful first visit) with a number of my brothers and sisters from my fraternity to celebrate the 165th anniversary of the founding of St. Anthony Hall.  The menu was just as delicious as I remembered….

Mouthwatering…

Since I’d already had an egg and Morningstar sausage before I left, I just stuck with fries and a beer (if it’s four tiny beers but served on one paddle, it’s still just one beer, right?)

The duck frites were glorious: Skinny, French cut, finished in duck fat with fresh rosemary and Fleur de Sel

For $3 I got a whopping serving and the rosemary totally made them worthy of me gobbling them in a reckless manner *wipes fleur de sel from her face…*

And, for $4, I received a flight of four of BCBB’s own beers!  On my paddle included: Littlen Horny, Clay St. British Style Ale, Snow Hill Winter Warmer, and Youngen Horny Barley Wine (hee hee Youngen Horny… I get it.)

The first three, while tasty, were sort of what I expected. Good, quality beers that were clearly made well and tasted wonderful.

It was the Youngen Horny that really excited me.  It’s their Barley Wine, but it’s not made with any grapes, just grain (sorry, gluten free drinkers!) At 9.5% ABV beer with “fruity fig and caramel aromas”, this beer had by far the best and longest lasting mouthfeel of the bunch. It was smooth and delicious, good to the last drop.  What I really liked about the beer, though, relative to the rest of the BCBB brews, was that it tasted like they’d gone out on a limb and done something a little riskier.  Like they fully committed to a flavor, and just went balls deep (I’m certain that was their exact thought process when brewing…)  They owned the fact that it was a “different” flavored beer, and they took barleywine, to me, to a different level with big and bold taste without being too cloying or overly sweet.  Admittedly, I haven’t enjoyed (or even tried) many barleywines in the past, but I think I’ll approach them with a more open mind in the future.

Ah, my bounty!

Thanks to BCBB for not being annoyed when we brought in a giant late night crew and for having a table big enough for the whole group!!

 

Founders Breakfast Stout

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Think about breakfast.  It’s night-time as I write this, and I just enjoyed dinner, so that’s a little tough for me.  But I’m asking you to do me a solid and think about it anyway.

Golden orbs of yummy.

Mmmm. Doesn’t that look good?

When I think about breakfast, I think about the standards. French toast smothered in syrup, breakfast sandwiches piled high on everything bagels, omelets full of spinach and tomatoes, gooey with cheese.  It’s time to think about something else for breakfast.

Liquid Meal

Founders Breakfast Stout is a super hyped imperial stout that I’d heard touted by beer snobs and infrequent drinkers alike. When I saw it for $10/4-pack at Whole Foods (and had a gift card) I couldn’t say no.  So I didn’t.

I saved the bottles for a rainy day, which actually just meant a visit from the beau. I really think that I should have waited for this very cold, skin-biting weather that hit North Carolina the moment I returned from my long holiday break.  I think it’d be the perfect beer for a cold night by a fire (a tiny one inside of a Yankee Candle glass.)

The beer is described by Founders Brewing Company as:

The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever. 8.3% ABV

It’s interesting thing about this beer… I don’t like coffee. In fact, I don’t drink it at all, never have, never will. But, for whatever reason, coffee beer just fills my heart (and mouth) with joy. Founders Breakfast Stout poured a dark brown, basically opaque glass of beer. The smell is rich, intense, and reminds me of a romance between a brewery and a coffee house.

Are there any hybrid brewpubs and coffee spots around?  I bet there’d be a number of intriguing regular customers frequenting that joint.

ANYWAY, the aroma was intoxicating, like a sweeter version of the bitter coffee of which I’m not a fan.

I can’t say anything about a Kona or Sumatra coffee and what that might taste like, but the sensations that hit my tongue were heavy, creamy, and VERY coffee-like (says the non-coffee drinker, basing that opinion on nothing but imagination). It was also pretty sweet and, frankly, a little too rich for my tastes.  It didn’t beat out my very favorite coffee brew, Big Boss’ Aces & Ates, but for a one-beer drink with a loved one, not too shabby. I wouldn’t say it lived up to the almost fanatical hype I’d heard about it, but I’d totally enjoy it again.

What’s your favorite pairing with a coffee flavor? 

Mine’s definitely the beer + coffee combo.

Once, I tried a coffee frozen yogurt, and hated it more than I’ve ever hated any frozen yogurt flavor. That’s just depressing.

Faux Pas? No, Pas.

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

The countdown is so fully ON.  Two days left of work, and I’m headed up North for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and all the fun in between. I’d like a Philly cheesesteak, a Capriotti’s Bobbie, and a TON of time with my family and beau. Until then, my mission to empty the fridge continues.  Today’s project?

Fully loaded omelet.

Slathered in goodness

Today’s omelet got rid of a lot of bits and pieces from the produce drawer!

  • 2 egg whites, one yolk (only one egg left!)
  • Red onion (sauteed in EVOO)
  • The last of a bag of spinach
  • The last of a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Some Boar’s Head Pepperoni (my VERY favorite kind of pepperoni)
  • All sorts of Frank’s Red Hot

It was delicious, and the fridge is looking emptier by the second. I also gifted two of the fancy beers I’ve been saving for my hop-head coworker.  The gift of choice was the Thomas Creek Brewery’s “Up the Creek Extreme IPA”. I’ve actually tried this beer once before and, though I don’t have a picture, I do remember being surprised at how much I didn’t like it.  It’s 12.5% ABV, and (though the site claims otherwise), I couldn’t help but taste the booze, and be turned off by the overly-sweet taste. Someone online compared it to a barley wine and, though I wouldn’t ever confuse the two (it’s still too “beery”), I can definitely recognize the similarity.  I’d bought this beer for my coworker a few months ago, and was saving it for a special occasion. Thank goodness for the IPA-fiends in our lives….

In other news, as I mentioned via Twitter, today’s outfit was one of those times where I’m fully aware that I’m not a “fashion blogger.”  I feel like I’d heard that navy and black together are a big “no-no” in the fashion world. But, when I tried on today’s outfit, I felt adorable and twirly, so I just ran with it.

Minus the belt-slippage, cute, right?

I’ve been spinning around all day, and feel certain that, faux pas or not, it’s comfortable and cute.  Big thanks to my NYC correspondent, Lee, for confirming that it is not the biggest fashion mistake I could make.  And the slouchy boots are consistently the coolest accessory I own.

On today’s agenda:

  • Get accustomed to my new computer at work (Christmas came early at the office!)
  • Facilitate a support group
  • HOPEFULLY grab a drink with the infamous Sierra from Posh Meets Pavement, my IRL college buddy who blogs about her jet-setting lifestyle and staying fit in South Africa!
  • Wrap presents/pack like a maniac

Luckily, I heard the latter two are always better after a drink…

Do you disobey any “fashion rules”?

I’m notorious for giant flip flops all the time (especially the least appropriate times…. like weddings.)  The burden of my massive feet.

Bruisin’ Ales: A Place for Beer People

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

You folks like Third Eye Blind? I love Third Eye Blind. And the lyrics from one of their songs, “Misfits”, always fill my heart with joy.

My people are the misfits
The ones that don’t fit in
With the smile I know it comes within
I can feel you in the corners laughing when the lighting’s low.

This song speaks of that feeling you get, that warmth that glows and grows inside of you when you’re surrounded by a community of people that, while unlike many, are so like you that it just fits.

That’s how I feel about Beer People, and that’s how I felt at Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville, NC this weekend.

Put up your dukes!

In the Triangle, there’s Sam’s Quik Shop in Durham, Bottle Revolution and Tasty Beverage Co. in Raleigh, and TJ’s Beverage & Tobacco  in Carrboro. But I wasn’t in the Triangle, I was in Asheville, and after a day of shopping in the Biltmore Village, I needed less artisanal soaps and more craft suds of the boozy nature. Bruisin’ Ales delivered on that, and so much more.

Tasty Asheville beers!

There’s was a special treat waiting behind the bar, though, as Sierra Nevada’s Head Brewer Terrence Sullivan and Harry Wannemacher, NC Brand Rep/Distributor Extraordinaire, were in town serving up some tasting action of Sierra Nevada’s beers as well as their newest collaboration Abbey Ales.

So many options!!

I even convinced my beer-hating mom to try Sierra Nevada’s flagship Pale Ale (though after that, she booked it for more shopping.)

(Thanks to a less than professional photographer, you can't see too much of us.)

After she left, though, that’s when the recognition of my fellow Beer People came into play. I love to be surrounded by folks who get as fired up over things like Collaboration Ales and Randalization as I do. Bruisin’ Ales was chock full of them. I watched one man fill up two baskets with different beers, dropping over $150 on craft beer. He mentioned he stopped by every time he drove through Asheville, and lived about 800 miles away!  Other folks were scanning through the aisles, trying to find that elusive rare brew that they knew they could only find on one of Bruisin’ Ales’ numerous shelves.

I spent most of my time by the tasting, chatting up the fellows of Sierra Nevada. We swapped stories of our first sip of a sour ale, I explained the glory of Girls’ Pint Out to them, and they were more than impressed with the tale of Fullsteam’s Sean Wilson chugging a 4-year old Miller Chill (by “impressed”, I think I mean disgusted. To-may-toe, to-mah-toe.)

Harry and Terrence called this a Jordan Sandwich

The beers were delicious (my favorite was probably the rich, dark Ovila Quad), but the company was even more delightful. I laughed with strangers, I toasted the possibility of Sierra Nevada setting up an East coast Headquarters in Asheville (YAY!! NC is Beer Country, baby!) and relished in my new-found Beer People buddies.

I love the vibe of Bruisin’ Ales. I love the fact that you can get a beer to drink while you shop the store, and I love their festive decorations.

Merry merry

If you’re in the Asheville area and you’re a fellow Beer Person, get yourself to Bruisin’ Ales.

And if you’re Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, get yourself to Asheville, NC.

And if you’re a jolly monk, get yourself to my apartment, because we complement each other quite nicely.

Monks of a feather flock together.

Who are your “beer people”?

 

 

 

Six Pack Sunday: Treat Yo’ Self

/ foodsweatandbeers / 10 Comments

My goodness. A Sunday where I’m not headed to the airport, or saying goodbye to someone I love as they head out?!  I forgot what this kind of day felt like.  It’s been a busy weekend, but definitely not quite the chaos of jet-setting that I’ve become accustomed to.  It’s like a breath of fresh air to not be skittering around trying to cram as much as I can into a weekend.

That being said, it didn’t stop me from cramming a lot in there (I think there is a that’s what she said joke to be found somewhere in there, but I’m not in that kind of mood.)

This week’s Six Pack Sunday seems to revolve around beers (duh), buddies, and bells. Jingle bells (read: Holiday cheer.)

1. A Partridge Brewski in a Pear Beer Tree

Tastes like holiday fun!

On Thursday night at Rockfish, I enjoyed my first official Christmas beer on tap!  The dubious honor went to the Anchor Steam 37th Annual Christmas Ale . Anchor Steam, a brewery that Caitlin introduced me to after her hubby ventured to San Francisco for work, doesn’t always produce my favorite beers. My opinion was rocked, though, with this Christmas Ale! It tasted like mulled wine, done with beer. Cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe even a little fir tree? Either way. The taste was on point, and the complimentary glass, rimmed in gold, makes me feel like a fancy pants. Or a Santa pants.

2. Treat Yo’ Self

Don't mind if I do...

In case you don’t watch Parks and Recreation (I don’t), or you don’t use the internet (I hope someone printed this post out for you, weirdo), you might not be familiar with “Treat Yo’ Self”. Well, please observe the following video, summarizing the concept:

Well, I figured that Saturday morning, I’d do just that. After getting nearly all my Christmas shopping done before 10 a.m., I decided to treat myself with a pair of new tall black leather boots AND some homemade pumpkin French toast.

I’ll clue you in on a little secret: for me, pumpkin French toast just means that I mix pumpkin and pumpkin spice into the egg dip. It worked, it was delicious and decadent, and I felt like a little princess.

3. Applications: NO BREATHING!

Sweet set up

Yesterday, the only true goal of my afternoon was to finish up my personal statement. After working on it for several hours (who would’ve ever thought it’d be so hard to state my purpose?), I completed it at the Nordstrom eCafe!  In case you’re not aware, the Nordstrom at Southpoint has free wireless which is reliable enough to stream Pandora! And, after dropping some SERIOUS change there earlier in the day, I figured I should finish my work where I started my morning. My romance with Nordstrom knows no bounds. None.

PS: Contrary to popular belief, my purpose is not just “Drink awesome beers, sweat up a storm while I dance, and dress up in wacky outfits because theme parties are the defining occurrences of my life.”

That would’ve been a much easier essay to write.

4. Speaking of Wacky Outfits…

Fashion is my middle name.

Leggings, boots, Santa suit, undies on my head, and PBR suspenders aren’t what you wear when you go out on a Friday night?

Well, maybe you should try it.

North Carolina Girls’ Pint Out’s First Annual Festival of Beermas was a HUGE success, but I’ll write a full post on that later.  In the meantime, just go crazy and Polyvore my whole outfit.

5. Classy Broads Drink Classy Drinks

Oh, you fancy, huh?

My new friend, Amanda, and I went to celebrate the completion of my essay with some big girl drinks at Fox Liquor Bar.  This Raleigh establishment reminded me a lot of the Crunkleton in Chapel Hill where the focus is on well crafted cocktails made with care and love.  And giant ice cubes.

My drink of choice was the Late Night Reviver: Beefeater gin, Fernet Branca, ginger, lime juice, soda water. Shake and served long with a garnish of candied ginger.  Amanda went with the classic Old Fashioned.

The best looking pair at the bar, other than us, of course

Hopefully, the classiness of our cocktails out offset the magnum of Arbor Mist we consumed in a Rugrats drinking game earlier in the night.

It’s all about balance, right?

6. Rap Battle in the Basement

I could be hallucinating but, if the sounds I hear are correct, this is what’s going on in the apartment below me:

Is this 8 Mile? (click for source)

There’s a lot of loud, angry rap music going on and I think my floor is vibrating.

If I’m missing Eminem rhyme birthday with first place, I’m gonna be super ticked.

If he’s shirtless, the ticked is going to be on a whole new level (woops. Confession of attraction to shirtless white rapper for the day? Check.)

Jeez, I think I need a nap.

How would you “Treat Yo’ Self”?  Fine leather goods?

 

 

Victory Dark Intrigue: A Family Affair

/ foodsweatandbeers / 3 Comments

Let me start off by saying I am a marketer’s wet dream.

Make me laugh in a commercial? I’ll take a dozen.  Tell me something’s limited, I’ll hand my credit card over.   I over-commit to hype, and you bet that I was crazy about all sorts of 90s trends: Beanie Babies, Tamagotchi, Zwibble Dibbles, Pokemon cards, Crazy Bones, Yu Gi Oh stuff, Cabbage Patch Kids…. You name it, I had them all.

Well, when Victory Brewing Company, a brewery near and dear to my heart/home in Pennsylvania, mentioned via Twitter and their website that their infamous Dark Intrigue was going to be released the day before Thanksgiving (affectionately known as Dark Wednesday), about 12 hours before I was going to be flying into Philly, and it could be their last time brewing the particular beer, I knew I had to obtain some.  I also knew the right man for the job.

The Man with the Plan!

The beer sold out 3 hours after they opened their doors, and my brother, Connor, waited for 5 hours with his dear friend, Gilly. If there’s one person who is at least as intense as I am, if not more, when it comes to dedication to a cause, whether it’s a Black Friday sale or crushing some child’s spirit as he out-trades Pokemon cards (we’re a mean family), it’s Connor. And he nailed it, picking up two bombers for his big sister.

The beer was $15 a bottle and, while that’s steep, I couldn’t say no to the opportunity.  As I’ve said before, what money I save when I refuse to use heat and air conditioning, I just spend on Craft Beer. Such is life.

Delicious!

Since pint glasses are in high demand in my household (read: there are none because everyone either drinks canned beer or cocktails), Connor enjoyed his from a classic Coca Cola glass.

Described by the brewery:

Our Storm King Stout spent the summer in bourbon barrels from Jim Beam and Heaven Hill Distilleries, and has finally emerged as Dark Intrigue. (It’s like Clark Kent going into a phone booth and coming out as Superman, only more delicious and less crime-fighty.)

This beer poured such a dark, opaque brown-black that even the head was a rich brown color. It smelled boozy to say the least, of bourbon and maybe some vanilla.

We refused to wait for the beer to warm at all for the first sip which, I’ll admit, was a little heavy on the bourbon taste for my liking. However, as my good from Michael from Rockfish taught me, sometimes you just have to let certain beers warm up for all the flavors to come out right.

One adjective I’d use to describe the  flavor would be burnt, kind of the way crème brûlée tastes a little burnt. As it warmed, it sort of just tasted softer. Malty and sweet, it was definitely easier to drink as the night progressed.

Now, I have been to several classes or events that described how we should taste beer. What we should say about it, how we should use our retronasal tasting, etc.  But I’m going off that formula for a second.

Maybe it was the post-Thanksgiving glow of a late night on Black Friday. Maybe it was enjoying a fantastic beer with my brother. Perhaps it was just the 9.1% ABV. Most likely, it was a combination of all three.  But both of us agreed that this beer just made us feel really wonderful. As we sipped, the stressful bits of the day, the looming deadlines just slipped away. Smiling was easier, laughter came quicker, and even though we each only enjoyed one glass, I’d say that beer was worth every penny of the $15. It warms the body, and it warmed the soul.

The family that drinks craft beer together stays together.

Huge thanks to my brother and his partner in crime, Gilly, for supporting my craft beer crazy, and to Victory Brewing Company, for bringing me even closer to my brother!

Word-short (Dark) Wednesday

/ foodsweatandbeers / 3 Comments

Hey folks!! Glad you enjoyed my Thanksgiving DOs and DON’Ts from yesterday, I’m so hyped for Thanksgiving but, with packing and working and traveling, I only have a bit of time to blog.  Here are some of the best things on my Pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday.

Stormy Day for Beer Lovers

Since I’m not in Pennsylvania yet, my baby brother, Connor, is doing me a HUGE favor and picking up some of Victory Brewing Company’s Dark Intrigue, a bourbon aged Russian Imperial Stout, which has been hyped up for the past month or so. It’s pouring rain there, and he’ll eventually be out there for over an hour for Dark Wednesday, the epic release of the beer!

That’s love, right there.

Ch-Ch-Ch-CHIA!

Since I’m traveling tonight on one of the (or is it THE) busiest travel days of the year, I knew I wouldn’t have time after work for fitness. So I woke up bright and early this morning and head over to crank out a quick half hour on the elliptical.  Early morning workouts, while leaving me sweaty and out of breath in the AM, are the BEST because you start the day off in such good spirits!!

Also, when you have a recovery drink of Drink Chia, it’s that much better. The folks at Drink Chia (who I actually met during the Healthy Living Summit Cocktail Party ) were kind enough to send me some of their new Mango Tangerine Drink Chia (along with their classic other flavors) and, I must admit, the new flavor is definitely my favorite. With only 40 calories and 4 grams of sugar, it’s like a dessert smoothie with the benefits of antioxidants, omega-3, and all that good stuff.

First class, baby!

Just in time for Thanksgiving weekend, I received my A-List card from Southwest in the mail today!

No lengthy lines for this girl (MUCH more important in Philly than in Raleigh Durham airport).

I feel like a baller.

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving?

What would you wait in a rainy line for?

Six Pack Sunday: Laughter, Lager, and Luchadoras

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Good afternoon, campers!!

It’s Sunday and, though I spent last night relaxing, my neck and booty are incredibly sore.  More on that in a moment.

This weekend was particularly special because my beau, Ryan, decided to semi-surprise me by visiting!!  It was such a treat to have him back in our little nest and we managed to have a stellar weekend so far.  The major points of this weekend that will be featured in the Six Pack Sunday for the week? Laughter, lager, and luchadoras.

1. Yeti: It’s what’s for dinner?

Gotta keep that yeti from spoiling

We spotted this little gem outside of the local grocery store. And I couldn’t help but snap a shot, probably because of the mental picture that I got after seeing it. Imagine a young hunter killing her first Yeti. She wanted to bring it home, and was nervous it would spoil before she could tote it back for Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Thank goodness she picked up the specialized Yeti Cooler: Now, with more space for chunks of yeti than EVER BEFORE.

Hilarious to me. Ryan was less amused.

2.  Toast King Queen

Cheers to the freaking weekend?

I’m a pretty generous lady with my toasts, apparently, as identified by my newest badge on Untappd  (friend me!) I have to wonder, though, if there’s any way that Untappd could make gender specific badges. It’d probably be a little extra work on the front end, but I’ll admit, I wish that I was badged the “Toast Queen” badge instead of the Toast King.

Just saying, Untappd, as noted by all those Girls’ Pint Out chapters popping up, ladies are drinking (and toasting) a lot, too!! Show us some love?

3. Luchadoras Lovin’

Hard Earned Mask? Get on my level.

I’ll save most of the gory details from this event for another post…. but I fought 3 women in a ring to earn my own luchadoras mask. And I haven’t ever been so sore from a 2 minute event in my life. Even though none of the other women were more than 5’6″ (I’m estimating), they fought like little ankle-biters. It was a rough battle, but Jordan came out on top.

I also may have mooned the entire crowd.

Note to self: Low-rise jeans are NOT the best attire for a wrestling match.

4. Sam Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock!

Smooth and delightful!

Rockfish’s Rare Beer Fridays are managing to make me a twice-a-week regular at the bar.  And this week’s tapping was Sam Adams’ Chocolate Cherry Bock!  I’ve never actually even tried their Chocolate Bock  before, but this beer (as my friend, Michael pointed out) tasted just like a chocolate covered cherry. And, while that may not be up some beer drinkers’ alleys, it was like a decadent dessert for me.  Loved it, though I probably couldn’t drink many more than the one!!

5. Draft & Dogs!

Chorizo Dog for m'lady?

If you live in the Triangle area, GET TO DRAFT! Located in Raleigh, this spot is known for it’s burgers and beers. But I went for cheers and chorizo.  This dog was only $6, and was made of chorizo with chimichurri & grilled peppers.  Also, on Wednesday, their giant pilsner glasses are only $5!  Since I live pretty far away, I only enjoyed the one beer and the dog, but it was a delight on my palate!

Mmmm beer.

6. True Love

 

Did I mention that Ryan offered to be my trainer for all future wrestling matches?

Nothing says love quite like a grapple rope shoulder slam combo.

 

 

Six Pack Sunday: Chi Town, Get Down!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Hi friends!!

It’s after midnight so, technically, I’m doing Six Pack Sunday a little off (by minutes.) But I wanted to share a few tidbits of my trip before I went to sleep (as the effects of my in-flight soda wear off).

Six Pack Sunday: Chi Town, Get Down!

1. 11:11 11/11/11

How’d you spend your eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of Veteran’s Day?

Perfect timing

If it was with a cold glass of 3Floyds Alpha King, then… jinx.

You owe me a soda. Or a beer.

We may have sped to get to a bar before 11:05… good hustle, us.

2. I’m on a Boat

On Saturday afternoon, we got a chance to putz around on this beauty.

Yacht PARTAY

Well, not really. We did SEE this yacht. But my fellow Tar Heels WERE on a boat. And tore up some hardwood.  The USS Carl Vinson was the stage of the Carrier Classic, where UNC beat MSU! And, in a bar full of MSU fans, I proudly screamed for Roy’s Boys.

Love those boys in blue (blue camoflage… I’m sure they blended into all the blue foliage on the boat.)

3. Subjective Scales of Spiciness

Hot Cha CHAAAAAAAAAAA!

Sometimes, you think you’re a tough gal who can handle spice . So you arrogantly tell your waitress at the funky Thai restaurant you want medium-hot spicy. Like a 6-7 on spice.

Then you realize that you were a cocky fool and actively sweat at the table, decked out in your night-time finery.

Sweat goes so well with party dresses.

4. You Tryna See That Party Dress?

Max And Cleo, Jojo and Kiki!

I knew I couldn’t mention that dress without you all clamoring to see it. It’s new, it’s lovely, and I can’t wait to wear it more often.

5. Deep Dish Pizza. That’s all.

Dream Come True

All I wanted all weekend was a deep dish pizza. And, on Sunday, I got just that. A six-inch personal Chicago deep dish pizza. It was perfect. And as tiny as it looked, it was filling and delicious.  Perfect.

6. I am the MASTER!!

WAHOO!!

This weekend, I earned my Master badge on Untappd (friend me if you’re on it!!)

I didn’t even know it was coming, which is unfortunate because the beer I earned it on (Dortmunder Gold) was absolutely my least favorite beer I tried over the weekend.

Oh well, it takes all kinds, right?

What was the best food or drink that you enjoyed this weekend?

HUGE thanks to Caitlin for hosting me all weekend!!