Six Pack Sunday: Boozy Brunch and Subpar Sapphire

February 11, 2013February 11, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

(Written on Sunday, I promise.)

Whether it’s Megabus, Bolt Bus, plane, train, or automobile, I will always find a way to get to the ones I love. And now, living in Philly, those trips just so happen to be a little shorter. Which is great, because I love nothing more than weekend jaunts to my dear buddies in New York. So, in a throwback fashion, and since I haven’t even thought about Six Pack Sunday in forever, let’s bring it back to my roots.

1. Year of Cheese

In case you missed it, 2013 is all about cheese. I became every fellow bus-riders worst nightmare by toting along a rather fragrant Morbier in my purse. Luckily, I didn’t have a seat-mate, until I joined my cheese-loving partner for the weekend.

Food, Claire, and Beers

Not only was Claire my incredible hostess, she also makes a mean cheese plate complete with gourmet pickles and flax seed chips.

Jealous? Should be.

2. Found Nemo

This wasn’t a highlight as much as it was…. the bane of my existence.

Ew.

Snow is disgusting. Snow in a city immediately turns into salty slush, and is disgusting on every possible level. When does Summer start?

3. No, Diggity.

Anyone else confused by that commercial during the Superbowl where Beck’s decided to transform Blackstreet into a beta fish who sings to a bottle of Beck’s Sapphire (which ironically has a ruby on it)? No? Just me?

Yeah, thought so.

Anyway, I had to figure out what the fuss was all about.

The first taste.

The verdict?

Um….

I’ll leave it to the beta fish.

4. Boozy Brunch at The Sunburnt Calf

The Sunburnt Calf is a delightful little slice of Australia nestled in Brooklyn. And, since Claire’s got a particular affinity for Australia, obviously that was our only choice for brunch.

Oh, hello there.

The $20 endless mimosa brunch + coconute pineapple french toast didn’t hurt, either.

Come to mama.

Since I basically ALWAYS put coconut in my french toast, I couldn’t resist this dish. And, though the portion was a little smaller than I expected for $10, the bread was soft like a pillow, the roasted pineapple was sweet, and the toasted coconut tasted a lot like what you imagine when you rub your body down with coconut body lotion. Not lotiony. Just delicious and tropical and made me forget the nasty weather just waiting outside.

5. Kindred Spirits

I realized, on the snowy Friday night of my arrival, that the reason Claire and I probably get along so well is because we get dolled up, do our hair real pretty, wear some sexy boots, and head to a bier garten. And we order beer by the liter and then we are perfectly content to beep boop bop as we occasionally talk to each other but ~~sometimes~~ a lot of times we happily tap away at our phones and show each other pictures and funny tweets.

Scenes from Friday

We both commented that we wished someone was there with ANOTHER iPhone to instagram our overactive iPhones and our ridiculousness.

Whatever, don’t blame me for my generation’s pastimes.

6. Did I develop a lazy eye on the bus ride up?

(My fraternity-based “Little Brother”‘s ACTUAL little brother, who is also in the fraternity. It’s complicated.)

What’s wrong, righty? Didn’t wanna come to the party?

I don’t even know what’s going on, y’all.

Favorite boozy brunch beverage?

Had any good cheese, lately? If yes, which one? If no, you better hurry! It’s almost mid-February!!

2013: The Year of Cheese

February 7, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

It’s no secret, I’m a bit of a cheese head. Not this kind of a cheese head. But, maybe, this kind of cheese head:

Ha, get it? Cheese head. (Don’t worry, that’s not me. Almost had you, didn’t I?)

I can’t get enough of the curdy, creamy, smelly, salty stuff. And, this year, I decided to legitimize my love in some fashion. I claim 2013 to be Jordan’s Year of Cheese. Feel free to celebrate along if you’d like, you have all year.

Last year was all about abstaining from something. Soda. No soda for one year. And what did I get from that? An appreciation of soda, to be honest. But, also, the realization that I don’t NEED a Coke with every sandwich, I don’t need soda for energy or as a mixer. It can be an occasional treat that is savored, and not a stable of my fridge or lunch. Great job, Jordan. But I wanted 2013 to be about something else.

I don’t take resolutions lightly, and normally don’t even make them unless I have something I’m really feeling serious about. Well, this year, at this point in my life, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more serious about cheese. And so, with the help of Steven Jenkins and his Cheese Primer, Fromage (the ultimate cheese app for the iPhone, apparently), and the cheese mongers of Philadelphia (and beyond), I’ll be making my way through a self-taught cheese education.

What I’ve learned so far: These ones are smelly.

Luckily, Philadelphia has an abundance of cheese mongers just itching for a guinea pig to feed cheese to. And I’m more than happy to oblige.

Also luckily, my friends (whether they intended to or not) have been enthusiastic enablers for this education.

A massive cheese party for me? You shouldn’t have. [Side note: they didn’t, but it felt like it.]

Though, I’ll admit, after a few too many tiny cups of wine, the cheese was less of an edible education and more like a sponge for vino. But don’t worry, I had plenty of time earlier in the night to enjoy a few specifics.

Primarily: Adelegger, an alpine cow’s milk cheese that is nutty and sharp, washed in white wine (and dusted with angel tears, I think). I originally was looking for Tete de Moine, and Amanda, my very favorite cheese monger at DiBruno Brothers, suggested this gem instead. It had more bite than the TdM, and a lot of body. She implied a nutty flavor, I said it almost tasted meaty in heartiness. And the best thing? We’re both right. Cheese, like beer, is a subjective delight to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone (except lactose intolerant people, whom I pity during The Year of Cheese). Speaking of beer, I paired it with a Belgian Quad, which cut right through that meatiness and made a spicy beer shaped imprint on my heart.

Cheese on Cheese

I’ve got a few dream cheeses that I’ll be seeking out in the city, and have already found that Reading Terminal Market alone hosts something like 4-5 excellent cheese shops featuring international and domestic cheese options galore. And, since I’m apparently some sort of grownup, people are always suggesting to get together and drink wine. And nothing goes better with wine than cheese. (And sometimes beer, when you refuse to bring wine to a Wine and Cheese party. [cough ME cough cough]).

I’m ready for you, 2013.

Give me your Gouda, your Morbier, your Chevre. I’m looking at you, Shropshire blue, you chameleon of curds. Wensleydale mixed with ANYTHING, and Ossau Iraty, you sexy beast. I’ve got a cheese plate, a set of cheese knifes, and enough lactase in my small intestine to be cheese tolerant for a woman five times my size (which would be over 30 feet tall….)

Come at me, brah.

You trying to try some new cheeses? Just let me know. I’ll be there, cheese in hand.

It’s going to be a good year.

Any recommendations for must-try cheeses?

What’s your favorite cheese pairing (food or drink included)?

Harpoon Brewery Tasting: Drink Up, and Welcome to Boston

January 29, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Yes, the main reason I went to Boston was to be with my fraternity. But, when in Rome, right?

Harpoon Me.

While I didn’t get a chance to visit Sam Adams or Night Shift, I did manage to worm my way over to Harpoon Brewery for their legendary 2pm tasting. Basically, folks show up to the bar, they describe the beers and, for one hour, carte blanche to drink all you ~~can drink~~ care to drink. And, with so many options, it was hard to resist….

Taps a Plenty!

Ciders, Rye IPAs, UFOs… Oh baby.

Highlights for me?

Don’t mind the lack of makeup. This was the first thing I did after a 7 hour bus ride.

100 Barrel #44 El Triunfo Coffee Porter – I can’t get enough of coffee porters lately.

Rich & Dan’s Rye IPA – Wow. Never expected to like this. What a great surprise.

Chocolate Stout (Though I can’t imagine drinking more than a little bit of that sweet stuff!)

Their Bourbon Barrel Aged Fig Porter was a little bit less flavorful than I expected, but I loved the concept. Maybe they’ll give it another try sometime.

Hmmm, better luck next time.

Even more of a treat? Hanging with not one but TWO of my buddies from UNC!! Fiona (the tiny one on the right) was my roomie all weekend and Patty (the tinier one on the left) JUST SO HAPPENED to be visiting Boston for the weekend. Fancy meeting y’all here!

BUDDY SYSTEM!!

And, once we got a little silly off of tasty brews, the most essential part of the day happened. My ONLY real meal of the day, from the most-delicious Yankee Lobster for an infamous Lobster Roll.

I could eat seven of these. Easy peasy.

The verdict?

Such a harsh judge

Couldn’t get enough. The fries were crisp and well seasoned, but the lobster roll…. So meaty, still light (not too heavy on the mayo/sauce, which I can support), and the side of coleslaw was top notch.

If these lobster rolls weren’t a little steep in price (read: $18), I think I would’ve ONLY eaten them all weekend.

Alas, we had to get back to Cambridge and start partying….. Free tasting, insane lobster roll, cocktail parties…. tough life, right?

If you’re in Bean Town on a weekday, get thee to a tasting (2pm or 4pm). AND, if you’re there on a weekend, check out one of the tours! I didn’t have a chance to check it out, but I’ve heard only good things.

Also, if you’re trying to have a lobster roll party, please don’t hesitate to invite me.

One Last Chicago Post

January 15, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 17 Comments

I promise.

I feel like I’ve been dragging this out forever, but mostly it’s because I’ve been swamped with welcome-back-to-school hullabaloo (which included 45 minutes of class in which the professor never showed up. WELCOME BACK, am I right?!)

Since there was a Chicago Food post and a Chicago Beer post, I figured this one could pick up all the leftover bits and pieces. So, sorry if it’s long. But there are some pretty pictures!

Sweat. I know I’ve been less focused on this in my blog, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten it in my life. And, since no trip would be complete without breaking a bit of a sweat (whether in the gym or on the dance floor), my buddy Caitlin and I hit up a Werq dance fitness class. I didn’t take any pictures of the class, but I can describe it as a super-hyped Zumba without a focus on any type of Latino music really. It’s some of the most current music I’ve ever had in a fitness class, and in addition to knowing all the words to all the songs, I couldn’t stop shaking it the entire time. Great moves, high energy, if you’re into that kinda thing (and you find a class near you, I found that they might not have trickled heavily over to the East coast yet), I’d totally suggest you hit it up.

For the Vegans, look no further than Native Foods. With locations in Boulder, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Chicago, this vegan sensation makes some fantastic dishes that make you say “Lacto-Ovo WHO?! Meat WHAT?”

Fountain Drinks!

Instead of soda, they offer these tasty fountain options. Katie preferred her tea-lavender-lemonade combo with a bit of slapped mint.

Gotta slap it for flavor.

In addition to the INCREDIBLE sweet potato fries that I split with Katie, I went with the Ensalada Azteca.

Si, Papi.

Fresh avocado, cucumber, and jicama salsa with romaine, currants, toasted pumpkin seeds, and cilantro atop quinoa and served with Mango-Lime vinaigrette. So good. So, so good.

We later hit up Piece Brewery and Pizzeria for a little bit of the two things they do best.

Ben, going in for the kill.

Cheers!

We went with Plain: traditional New Haven pizza, a generous amount of red sauce topped with garlic, extra parmesan, and EVOO. This mozzarella-less pizza was fresh to death, and the two of us demolished it. Katie went with something a little different. White with CLAMS! I tried a bite, but it was not my cup of tea. Or my shell of clam.

Served with lemon wedges! She said it tasted like Clam linguini.

The beers from Piece were solid, not great.

After Piece, we moved onto my favorite part of the night. Emporium Arcade Bar. Two words.

X-Men (that’s one word, right?) Pinball.

Pinball Wizard

I basically love this concept, and will be hastening to Philly’s own barcade stat to enjoy beer and arcade games STAT.

Three Aces was how we spent Saturday brunch. Burger and Soup to keep us warm. But not just any burger.

Come to me!

I present the Ace Burger: aged cheddar, trimmings, bacon jam, aioli, fries, garlic and hops pickle (which we mostly avoided). The fries were incredible, the burger…. NEXT LEVEL. PRETZEL ROLL, PEOPLE!

And, though I enjoyed the HELL out of some sushi from Coast on Friday night with my buddies Caitlin and Sierra, the lighting was not amenable to blog pics.

Just enjoy this tipsy pic of us all, and know that Chicago is a glorious place to be, whether you’re eating, drinking, dancing your face off, or visiting lady (or gentlemen) friends!

I surround myself with total babes all the time.

Next stop: Boston. My bus leaves on Thursday night, I’ve gotta whip up an itinerary!!

Any recommendations?

Tasting Chicago

January 13, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 18 Comments

True Life: Of the past 44 hours, 18 have been spent Living Socially. My job is the most fun. But now that I’m home, cozied up in sweats and slippers, I am fully ready to live anti-socially for a bit. And what’s more anti-social than blogging about myself?

Don’t answer that.

When we last me, I regaled you with tales of my trip to Chicago but, more specifically, to the Goose Island Brewpub. And, don’t get me wrong, that was delicious. But, let’s be honest, no trip to Chi-town would be complete without a solid amount of edible adventures, in addition to the boozier ones. And thus, with empty bellies and a full itinerary, my buddy, Katie, and I hit the ground running in hopes to eat our way through some Chicago specialities on our very own self-guided food tour of Wicker Park and the Loop.

First up: The Bristol for some brunch…

We have arrived.

Or really, for some duck fat fries.

A bright start to the day

Katie, a fanatic for all things duck fat (or really, duck-related), has been eyeing these puppies for a bit. And, when the opportunity to dip crispy fries into mayo-disguised-as-aioli, who am I to say no?

For $5, this portion was generous, and came served with a side of housemade ketchup (which was a little thick for my liking) and tossed with herbs (which were right up my alley). But, honestly, these were the type of fries that would’ve been a-okay even without dipping sauce, the kind that have you licking your fingers and contemplating licking the plate clean of any niblets.

I couldn’t resist the Moscow Mule on the menu, so I guess this day wasn’t entirely booze free.

That’s so Jordan.

This Mule was made with American Harvest Vodka, fresh lime juice, and Barritt’s Ginger Beer, and served in what looked like an adorable tin or copper mug, this cocktail was refreshing, light, and chock-full of ginger taste. I’m into that. I’m real into that.

Our tongues coated in salt and savory taters, we decided our next stop should be something sweet. And what’s sweeter than hot chocolate on a freezing cold day?

Mindy’s Hot Chocolate might be my favorite concept for a brunch ever. Many tables were loaded with mimosas and bellinis and, I’ll admit, it was tough not to blow my load and eat everything on the menu. But I only had eyes for their hot chocolate. Each mug is served with a house-made marshmallow. And I went for the Mexican hot chocolate.

2/3 dark chocolate, 1/3 milk chocolate, fresh cinnamon and cayenne?

Please and thank you.

Spicy and sweet is one of my favorite flavor combinations, and this had the bonus of being creamy and piping hot. The marshmallow was a total game changer, and tasted phenomenal even without the hot chocolate (but definitely better with it…)

Katie went for something even more indulgent. The Black & Tan is 1/3 hot fudge and 2/3 medium hot chocolate.

I know, right?

Yes.

I tasted a sip or two, and felt as though it was meant to be poured over ice cream. That, or directly into my gullet.

We took a little breather over at Casa de Sierra, author of Posh Meets Pavement AND former classmate from UNC , and I irresponsibly didn’t take any pictures. But check her out, she’s living locally in Chicago and, in her free time, travels the world and runs half-marathons. Crazy person.

Four hours later (ish. Felt like no time at all, the beauty of bonding with college friends), we were ready to revisit the world of treats. And, as I’d Yelped my way through the entirety of Chicago earlier (maybe a little less, but that’s what it felt like), I knew where we were headed next.

Magnolia Bakery for their infamous banana pudding. Katie went for a B&W cupcake.

I won this game.

Full disclosure: The cupcake was meh. Nothing to write home about, in my humble opinion, but that didn’t bother me. I’ll tell you why.

This banana pudding was about as life-changing as I think banana pudding can be. I feel like, despite having many experiences with banana pudding before, I have never truly tasted it before this banana pudding.

You might think I’m exaggerating.

I am not.

This is the banana pudding by which all future banana puddings will be judged. The bar has been set, banana pudding. I’m calling you out, and you must be pillowy, flavorful, full of bananas, fluffy, and also made with love.

That’s all.

Road pudding

And, I know it was a little out of order, all that dessert before dinner, but that’s the reason we became grown-ups, right?

We knew what we needed to eat for dinner. It was meaty, it was cheesy, and, of course, held in a deep dish.

Pizano’s Pizza was, quite simply, the closest spot with solid deep dish pizza reviews. But we were SO pleased.

The crust tasted almost like a savory pie dough. The sauce was super-flavorful. But I think my FAVORITE part was the cheese. It was like…. cartoon cheese.

Let me elaborate. You know in cartoons you watched as a kid (or yesterday), when they’d order a giant cheesy pizza and, when the characters grabbed a slice, the cheese would go on forever?

Cheese me.

It was that kind of cheese. And it was PERFECT.

After we waddled our way back to Katie’s home and sat back in full-belly bliss, I appreciated Chicago cuisine utterly and completely.

And then, I shamelessly grabbed another spoonful of banana pudding.

Chicago, you did me dirty. I loved every bite, and I can’t wait to come back.

What cartoon food would you LOVE to taste in real life?

Ever had a dessert that rocked your world quite like that banana pudding?

So Two Thousand and Late

December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

2012 was an epic year. Epic like an epic poem. And, for those of you not in a 10th grade English class right now, that means 2012 was lengthy and narrative (since I did blog about it), and was mostly concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation (well…. we may be stretching on that last part, but I’m pretty sure my post on the joy of drinking a Shower Beer was one of the more significant pieces of literature in our modern culture.) And, despite the fact that 2012 was jam-packed, it’s funny how it can be summed up with a lot less words than the 133 posts that my 2012 WordPress Report tells me I wrote (Jokes on you, WordPress! Here’s #134.)

So many drinks to choose from…

I drank a lot of beers. BUT I also branched out. A little bit. Mixology. Wine. And then wine again. Luckily, I mostly got that out of my system early in the year. Beers are still the key to my heart.

I ran my first race. It involved eating a vegan tako. So just call me a Dough(wo)man.

Yummy.

I went Pescatarian for Lent. It was surprisingly easy and, since then, The best part of that experience was that, after Lent was over, I never really went back to eating meat at every meal. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat it. But simply pulling it from the menu for a while led to no longer depending on it as the base for my food intake. I like that a lot.

I moved out of my North Carolina apartment. It was one of the most stressful days of my life. And, despite the fact that I was moving to a place I love more than anything, I was also moving away from my former home for seven years. I was leaving my friends who had become my family, and it was tough. I miss them like hell every day.

I fell in love. With a city. Namely, the City of Brotherly Love. I’ve never wanted to explore a place, soak it up, and breathe it in more (though sometimes this means breathing in some less than appealing aromas). I’m so happy to be where I am.

True true true

I also fell out of love. That was one of the hardest parts of the year. But guess what? Ending a long relationship, despite what you might feel at the time, isn’t the end of the world. It’s not even the end of the year. If you’ve gone through something similar, you know what I mean. If you are currently going through something similar, stay strong, find all those other things that make you happy, follow them with passion, and I’ll see you on the other side with a beer.

And, if you’re REALLY lucky, you already have a friend waiting (in Denver) with ALL THE BEERS… And a Great American Beer Festival. I firmly believe there is no better way to recover from heartbreak than surrounding yourself with great beers and the gorgeous bearded men that brew it.

Just what the doctor ordered!

I started (and finished!!) my first semester of grad school. And I think I killed it. We’ll see when the final grade trickles in… but it’s looking good.

I Live Socially now. It’s incredible.

I haven’t drank soda during 2012. I think one time I had an LIT with a splash of Coke, and once, when I was sick to the point of unable to move, I was nursed back to health with some ginger ale. I don’t think I’ve missed it. But, I’ll be honest, though I haven’t missed it, I think that I’ll ring in 2013 with a fountain soda. And some sort of sandwich from Wawa. And one of my best friends in the world who’s coming to Philly for a glorious fiesta. And, let’s be honest, if this year’s any indicator of what’s to come, I might need the extra boost of energy.

Bring it on.

If you’re reading this, thanks for being a part of my life.

Happy New Year, y’all.

Bacon, Bacon Everywhere (And not a drop to drink)

December 19, 2012December 19, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 9 Comments

Even though we can’t actually drink while working our Living Social Adventures, we CAN eat. And tonight…. we ate bacon.

We ate SO MUCH BACON.

Touring Queen Village with bacon and beer as our goals, we were living socially all night. We started the night at Ela with some of the most delicious “noodles” of my life. Diver Scallop “noodles” (so inventive, carved from scallops) with bacon cream, wild mushrooms, and shaved bacon with a little rye toast bite. HELLO LOVAH!

Not the most gorgeous picture. But hello lover is right.

Creamy and rich, the bacon cream was savory and cut nicely (I assume) by some Ommegang Hennepin. The presentation was adorable in little tin cans, and this was an ideal way to start the night. After a little stroll down a ways, we hit up Village Belle for what was absolutely my favorite dish of the night.

Let me go back a bit. Remember that time that I went Pescatarian for Lent last year? Of course you do.

My “last meal” as a meat-eater before 40 days of boycotting pork, steak, chicken, lamb, deer, etc. was a DELICIOUS pork belly sandwich from Tyler’s in Durham. And that might’ve been the last time I had pork belly. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

Don’t worry, that beer isn’t mine.

Maple glazed pork belly with a parsnip puree and a parsnip chip. And, lucky for me, a young lady at the table was a vegetarian (not lucky for her, especially considering there wasn’t a veggie friendly dish in sight). So guess who got TWO SERVINGS OF PORK BELLY?!

This lady. All the pork belonged to me. And paired with the parsnip puree, which was just as smooth as any mashed taters, and SO HEALTHY! I mean, the double portion of pork belly probably wasn’t the healthiest. But moderation and balance is key. Like how that parsnip chip balanced proudly in the puree.

Our next dish was wolfed down too fast to snap a shot. But it was from a very very secret place…

TOP SECRET COOKIES!!

A bacon chocolate chip cookie. YUP.

Cookie Confidential was SO generous giving us not only bacon chocolate chip sweets BUT tiny, perfect little cupcakes. Beer Cakes to be specific.

Philadelphia Pale Ale cupcake!!

Craft beer cupcakes is not a totally unique concept, but these mini cupcakes were next level tasty. The beer isn’t only in the cake itself BUT ALSO the frosting. And they’re all locally brewed beers, so you know they’re fresh. I almost went back for seconds, but there was something else waiting for me.

They all want that sausage game.

Sausage, sauerkraut, and beer mustard from Brauhaus Schmitz. Also, a DELICIOUS-looking beer that I yearned for…. if only my professional moral standard weren’t so high!

If you’re into this kind of thing, it’s a Living Social Adventure in Philly, and I know that I’ll personally be working a few more after the winter break.

If you’re a vegetarian, I also encourage you to come. And then I will eat your pork belly. You can drink the beer, though. Fair’s fair.

Now, I think I’ll slip comfortably into a salty pork coma…

Yelp Philly’s Freedom to Party

December 7, 2012December 7, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 16 Comments

Sickness, school, and sleep have really gotten in the way of me writing this post (doesn’t my life sound fabulous?), so it’s about a week late. But that comes with the territory, right? The grad school territory, the cold season territory, the winter in Philly territory… I feel like a hibernating bear. But I did manage to come out of my lady cave for a few choice hours last week to head over to Revolution House in Old City for Yelp Philly’s Freedom to Party!!

Yelp goes hard in the paint.

I brought my pal Martha after her demonstration of being an excellent +1 at the Confections and Cocktails party at Williams-Sonoma and, moments after we hopped off the El, we rolled into Revolution House. Once inside, we were treated like VIPs (VIY[elpers]?) as we enjoyed some of the finest food and drink that Revolution House had to offer.

Rev Dog – beef hot dog, guacamole
sweet & sour peppers, cheddar cheese, carmelized onions

Pizza and Beer – My kind of joint

Sexy Sangria

Other than just a-MAH-zing food and drink (seriously, those Rev Dog bites were decadent), this event had it all. Feats of strength (watching Chef Luca lift trays full of salmon), excitement (As the sandwich chalk-board tumbles towards us all, imminent doom looming, will we be saved?!), laughing, crying (don’t worry, it was just from laughing), chills (from icy cold beers), heat (from the dreamiest heat lamps known to mankind), and, of course, the gorgeous movers and shakers of Philadelphia’s chosen ones: The Yelp Elite. I’ll admit, before this event, I’d only ogled Revolution House as I walked to various bars in Old City, assuming it was just some restaurant. How wrong I was….

You know what you can’t see from walking past Revolution House? THE HEATED ROOF DECK!!

Is there anything better than a nice warm deck on a chilly Autumn night?

I submit that there is not.

Don’t mind the bushy brows, I’m channeling my inner Frida.

From a champagne toast to start the night to a decadent Winter warmer of boozy cider, Revolution House brought out the heavy hitters. The tiny ladies pouring the wines and beers downstairs were an ABSOLUTE JOY, and started my night off the right way. But, as things started dying down in the bottom of Revolution House, I wondered what mysteries awaited me upstairs. I followed a tray of crab canolis (the only dish that I tried which didn’t excite my palate and awaken all of my other senses like a rapturous alarm clock inviting everyone to the party) up the stairs and was excited to see even more treats.

Gimme that fishy!!

And, despite Martha spilling and making a GIANT MESS (tsk tsik), we both left full of the holiday spirit (or holiday spirits? Jeez, there were a lot of bevvies….) It was a glorious way to celebrate the end of my FIRST HALF of final projects. But don’t worry, there’s plenty more finals where those came from…. guess I’ll have to head back to Revolution House for their Mad Elf/Mad Dreams party next Friday. Shucks….

Tiniest tenders ever.

Thank you, Revolution House and Yelp Philly. You sure know how to show a girl a good time.

Off to study. Or nurse this cup of Theraflu…

What’s your favorite type of bar to hit up during those chilly winter nights?!

Six Pack Sunday: Gobble Wobble

November 25, 2012November 25, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

The Top 6 That Were Hilarious about this Thanksgiving Weekend :

1. Tapas for the Appetizers for the Hors D’oeuvres

Snack before the snack before the dinner

One Price Family tradition: the “preat” (pre-eat) before we even leave the house or set out appetizers. This little dish was Doritos with shredded sharp cheddar cheese melted on top. Feel free to ride that one.

2. “Salads”

Dinner is served.

I promise, these later turned into Wedge salads. But they were just chunks of iceberg lettuce for QUITE some time. Appetizing, yes?

3. The Turkey Flies at Midnight

Ok, well…. maybe not midnight. But, I’ll shoot you straight, dinner was served promptly at 9:30pm.

Thanks for taking your sweet time, friend.

We’re night owls. Or turkeys. Whatever you wanna call it.

4. Sibling Shenanigans

You know who loves my fancy camera?

selfies galore

Belly laughs should always take place on the carpet

I’ve gotta find some Philly friends that are more interested in Carpet Photoshoots….

5. App Attack

Wait a minute.

Time out.

Does anyone else have Snap Chat?

Spooky, no?

PLEASE: can you all get it?! And then be my friend?

(Thank you SO MUCH siblings for suggesting this app. The best.)

6. Sweatsgiving

Anyone else start the night dolled up (like this):

All dressed up, with turkey in mouth.

And end up like this?

Sweatpants Selfie!!

Notice how most of my family is still dressed up… Not me. I make it a point to be the first one in the sweatshirt on all major holidays. Yes, I love dressing up.

I also love the extra space for stuffing those roomie pants give me.

Now, I’m exhausted and ready to nap off some of those late nights and early mornings. Crunch time’s coming in school this week…. gotta be well-rested, right?

Funniest family tradition?

Sharing is Caring: Philly Bottle Share

November 11, 2012November 12, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Wanna find ~~all~~ most of the cool beer people in your city at one event? Might I suggest throwing a bottle share event? Not only will everyone FLOCK to the opportunity to enjoy each others’ company, but I guarantee that they’ve all been holding onto something special. A bottle, big or small, that they’ve been itching to show off and share in the company of fellow beer geeks.

Let your Geek Flag fly, y’all!

And, in Philly, despite being tardy for the party (err…. the RSVP), I managed to secure a coveted spot to one of these events, Bottle Share #2 hosted by Philly Tap Finder and Philly Beer Scene. I grabbed my Prickly Passion Saison from my beloved New Belgium, which I’d been saving for something (though I didn’t know what until last Sunday) and was dropped off, bottle in hand, inches away from Soup Kitchen Cafe, our hosts for the afternoon/evening. And, shortly after the rare beauties hit the table, the bottles started popping.

Some of them were corked, so there were literal bottles popped.

There were some incredible brews brought to the table (literally). And I fell in love with a few. Highlights?

Cigar City’s Cucumber Saison
Terra Incognita, the collaboration that Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Boulevard Brewing Co (made specifically for the Savor beer and food festival, which I’d love to attend in 2013 when it moves to NYC! Fingers crossed things work out…)
Prickly Passion Saison
Beautiful bottle!
Flemish Primitive Wild Ale and Crooked Stave’s Pure Guava Petite Sour (the only other time I had Crooked Stave was at the Sour Beer Tasting Class!)
The Mac and Cheese helped

There were so many other beers that I tried/enjoyed, but I think I was itching for some sour brews. And, though that picture washes out the mac & cheese, I promise, it was creamy, cheesey, and heavenly.

To let my inner vegetarian out, I requested the veggie-friendly dish first (there were lots of meaty sammies too, I’ll get to them next).

Just beet it.

Goat cheese, arugula, beets!! Totally enamored. However, since it was a small portion and I needed something to soak up all that beer, I tried a few of the other offerings….

Sorry for the lousy framing of this picture, I was hungrier than I was interested in snapping the perfect shot

Meatloaf sammy, pulled pork on a perfect little roll (my favorite!), and short rib sloppy joe. True story: I tried them all. Just call me quality control….

The rare and exotic beers flowed freely, the conversation and geeking out was incredibly pleasant, and I felt like I was among my people. That also resulted in very few shots OF those people, as I was trying to chat and enjoy and not get drunk all at once. This inevitably resulted in a glass of water or a handshake occupying my hands much more than the camera. But man, we did some work.

Just a fraction of the bottles consumed.

Big thanks to Jared from PhillyTapFinder and Mat from Philly Beer Scene for putting it together AND for letting me know I snuck in off the wait-list. Because this was an event NOT to be missed.

What would you bring to a bottle share?

HOW ABOUT what would you bring to a potluck dinner with all of your classmates on a Friday night? (because I have one, but have to travel a bit with my dish… on public transportation….)

I wonder if I could host one of these of my own…. potluck bottle share at Chez Jordan? That sounds too cool…

Food, Sweat, and Beers

That's what this girl's made of…

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