Dining Delights | Peaches Prattlings

{December 25, 2016} Another Christmas and another and an overdue visit

Merry Christmas one and all! Mele Kalikimaka as they say in Hawaii!

The morning started nicely with breakfast at JT’s parents house, luckily, next door, so you can go barefoot. His dad, JT, go figure…cooked, it was nice, eggs, potatoes and bagels, yum.

They opened presents, we got a kick out of watching and enjoying with them, then it was time to head out to our Christmas celebration, with SDL’S, her sister, DL, and of course, Miss A!

It’s really been wonderful introducing PSM to my family of friends. We hung out, opened fabulous presents, oohed and ahhed…someone…not saying who…but she’s small and fabulous and had so many presents, we were all opening them for her! It was a lot of fun and of course, my homemade ornament with her photo was my favorite! Along with her calendar!

After presents, a snack and then off to a friend of SDL’s for dinner, her former roommate and I’ve known her for quite a while. We ate, drank, made merry.

Then, off to the hotel to check in and meet friends of PSM who were driving through from Valdosta to North Carolina. We had drinks, then went to get their puppy and all made it up to the room, they crashed with us for the night. I had gotten a junior suite, bed and pull out sofa, worked out perfectly!

Repacked my bags, talk to you and I gotta crash, flight is in a few hours! Going home for a week, I cannot wait!

I hope whatever you celebrate its happy and merry brings you joy!

{December 24, 2016} Happy Christmaskah…family, family, family…what a day!

What a treat! Chanukah and Christmas at the same time!

The day started with a trip to…wait for it…Waffle House! I was introducing PSM to more of my GA family! We met KAB, CS, LB and Princess L for breakfast. It was a great visit, too short, but I got to see some of the grandbabies and introduce PSM to more of my family!

Back to JT’s house, the guys went to his patents house to watch football and I hung out, watched holiday movies and did my time and expenses, exciting, I know!

About 4pm, PSM came over to help me bring our gifts to JT’s parents house next door. I helped his mom, ST, finish cooking and set up, not much to do really, cooked some pasta for myself and got ready for the craziness to begin! And it came in a flash!

There were 16 of us eating, drinkng and making merry. There was an Italian feast! Pasta, baked ziti, meatballs, sausage, bread, salad, potato latkes with applesauce, we had all the bases covered! Cookies, cakes and pies, yum!

Then it was time to draw names to open gifts, oh boy do we spoil each other! It’s so much fun!

After gifts, it was winding down and everyone started going home. PSM, JT and I headed over to his house to catch up, and quick chat with you and then crash.

My dad sent a picture of the menorah, it was made by a good friend of his, HT, and the menorah we lit every year growing up. Isn’t it fabulous!

Tomorrow…Christmas with the pickle and company!

Whatever you celebrate, may it be happy, festive and fulfilling.

Happy EVERYTHING! I love you all!

{December 23, 2016} A visit…a lunch…a dinner…more visits

Poor PSM…he’s seen more of the highways in Atlanta than anything else.

We started our morning going to see TS, we had a short window, but it was a quality visit. I love spending time with her and it was great to introduce her to PSM.

Next was lunch with JCT, they tired to out hot sauce each other! They enjoyed having someone who understands what that means!

After a nice bowl of spicy pho for them and crispy noodles for me. We went to Kung Fu Tea for milk tea, it was a new and tasty experience. But wait, there’s more! We went to Sweet Hut for some tasty pastries. I might need something salty!

Then it was a tour of my old neighborhood and house, then on to JT’s for the night.

Hanging out, finish wrapping, talk to you, then crash. We’re seeing the grandkids in the morning!

Goodnight!

{December 22, 2016} A honey…a lunch…a diner…a movie…sleep

What a day!

I got three hours and 15 minutes of sleep, I was ready to go this morning! When I got up this morning, JCT’s pugs, Yogi and Booboo got on my lap and snuggled with me, so sweet.

I got up, headed to the airport to pick up…my honey, PSM! He was finally coming to Atlanta to meet my friends and celebrate Christmas with my family, maybe he’ll even get to see some of Atlanta!

From the airport we drove to Marietta to have lunch with DL, JC, CC and their new Baby LC, so cute! We all used to work together with ST once upon a time. It was great getting to see them, catch up and put a face to the name for them and PSM.

After lunch, back into the traffic to head to Northpoint Mall area to meet CKM, BG and his girlfriend D and JT, we were early, hung out at Barnes & Nobel, Chen out the trees they made! Then we met everyone at Northpoint Diner for food, goofiness and the usual. Then we went to see Star Wars: Rogue One. BG and JT had already seen it, it was a first for the rest of us.

I liked it, it was styled like the originals, 4, 5 and 6, a good back story. I understand why people wanted to go home and watch Star Wars IV: A New a Hope. I’ll tell you more in another post.

Then we hung out a little talking about the movie, then we parted ways and PSM and I went to ST’s house to crash for the night. He had a few people over and we talked, goofed around and by midnight, we were all toast!

Here I am, talking to you, then set the alarm, then sleep, another adventure awaits!

{December 21, 2016} A waffle…a visit…a movie…a waffle

So…there are no Waffle Houses where I am, I have to get my fill!

I left ST’s house and went to Waffle House for breakfast. Then I toured my old neighborhood and took a look at my house, tried to visit my neighbors, unfortunately, they weren’t home, bummer. I went to Starbucks for a bit, trying to coordinate with a friend in the area.

Eventually, I went to where she was and wet caught up for about an hour, so great! Happy anniversary KC!

By now, it was about 5pm and I headed to JCT’s house. When I got there is got to see her mom who hadn’t been home when I first got here. She fed me, as she always does, one of the reasons I call her mom. It was red bean soup with these little dumpling things filled with peanut butter, odd but tasty!

JCT, her daughter, SAT and I went to the movies, we saw Miss Peregrine’s, it was good, scary, fun…all at the same time.

After, since we promised SAT, a trip to Waffle House, crazy that I started and ended my day at the same place! Like I said, no Waffle House in Hawaii or Illinois, gotta get it while I can!

Then it was back to the house to hang out, talk to you and then hopefully crash. I’m picking someone special up at the airport! Wink wink

I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

{December 19, 2016} Day 3…Shopping and lanterns

What a day!

I left LBK’s house and headed to meet JT for our annual tradition…Christmas shopping for his family.

I got there a little early, Old Navy is having a sale…win-win, wouldn’t you say? JT got there shortly and we began our adventure.

We’ve been doing this for about eight or more years. A few years ago, I got smart and stated bringing a rolling crate to put all of our purchases in, much easier on the hands, arms and back.

After lunch and shopping, we parted company, I headed to meet CKM at the train station and we headed downtown for dinner and to see the Chinese Lanterns.

Dinner was at Alma Cocina for a salsa and guacamole tasting and soup for me and salad for CKM. We admired the tree in the lobby of the building, turns out it was the Deloitte building, very pretty. Then headed out to Centennial Olympic Park for the lanterns.

The It was amazing! 25 decorated lanterns, made with wire, fabric and lights. The colors were amazing, the lanterns breathtaking, the different themes, the pageantry, fabulous!

After we toured, there was a show, with traditional dancing. One dance was with lanterns, another with face changing and then a Chinese violin. [Sorry, video won’t load]

The last fun event was a few go rounds on the wonder wheel. It was great to be above the city to see the lanterns

If you have the opportunity, go see the lanterns, on the website, you can get a combo deal for the lanterns and the ferris wheel. http://www.accessatlanta.com/entertainment/attractions/centennial-olympic-park-host-atlanta-1st-chinese-lantern-festival/rO8AxfmOCOkXdL7hgArcII/

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

{December 17, 2016} Day two…what’s next?

Day two started by sleeping in! What? That almost never happens!

I slept until about 930am, it was fabulous! Maybe it was because I was sleeping in LaLa’s bed. I usually sleep in the guest room or on one of the recliners in the living room, but JCT and JT had fallen asleep down there and that meant the pugs, Yogi and Booboo were sleeping there too. The pugs over snore! Weird dog like noises that I couldn’t fall asleep to, so up I went.

I woke up to the sounds and smells of breakfast. I’m pretty sure JCT thinks I’m a goose and she’s trying to fatten me up! Eggs, grits, waffles, hash browns, toast and bacon, well, no bacon for me. SAT, her daughter said that I should come over more often so she can have breakfasts like this! Sounds good to me!

Then it was off to the races, well, after I wrapped some gifts that I brought with me. SAT got a haircut, JCT and I did some shopping next door, then we got some lunch and then more shopping, I’m running out of room in the car. Back to the house, hung out for a bit and I headed out. Before I left, I was given a key to the kingdom, so nice! And, of course, a golf ball key!

I left their house and headed to SDL, she and Miss A had just gotten in from their marathon shopping day. We caught up, then went to our favorite Mexican restaurant where they adore her, especially Miss Veronica. We ate, caught up, laughed, danced, rocked, bounced, ran around and then it was finally time to go home for bath and bed, that was for Miss A. SDL and I sat and talked for a while until Miss A decided she might try to come downstairs.

When I went back upstairs a few minutes later, the picture of them snuggling and asleep would have been precious!

I got settled in, time to talk to you then crash. More fun tomorrow!

{December 14, 2016} Holiday dinner…fun!

We had our team holiday dinner last night and it was great fun!

We went to The Publican,”a homage to oysters, pork and beer”, just what a vegan ordered!

It was great, aside from the pork rinds, ha ha, I’m glad they told me what was in the paper cone! The menu was meat focused, but when I said I was vegan, they accommodated me quite nicely, don’t you think?

It was a lot of fun to be together because I don’t see most of them very often some I’m in the field almost every week.

We talked, drank, laughed, shared, ate, told stories, had a great time. At the end of dinner we had a ‘white elephant’ gift exchange.

A white elephant is where you purchase or bring a gift you have in the house, that cost, for us, $10 or less. Everyone draws numbers and then the first person pics a gift. The next person pics a gift then decides if they want to keep it or swap with someone else. Spot #2 apparently is the worst because you can only swap with #1, #1 gets to choose after everyone else goes. So stressful!

I brought a Shaper Image bank that counts your money and a Santa hat that says Naughty on one side and Nice on the other, #2 kept it and protected it! I swapped after I opened mine for a portable speaker!

A lot of good times and laughs. I’m glad I fought the traffic and went, I had a really good time and…everyone enjoyed the bags of chocolate coal I gave them.

How was your holiday party?

{December 5, 2016} I’m done traveling…

For a few days!

With all the delays and layovers, I was on the road/in the air, so to speak for about 26 hours. I left my house in Hawaii at 2pm and I checked into my hotel about 430pm.

I’d say that is enough for one day!

I’m staying at the Hilton St Louis Downtown at the Arch, it looks like the lobby is a converted bank and my room is very nice with a cool sitting area.

I’m checked in, got a some work done, prepped for tomorrow, got some decent food across the street from the hotel, I’m in my jammies and hoping to see the backs of my eyelids by 10pm.

Tomorrow is a new day and I only have to travel 8 minutes to my training site, I’m good with that!

Happy Monday!

{December 4, 2016} Our first party!

We hosted our first official party! As a couple and it was awesome!

I’ve met some of PSM’s coworkers at work functions or just when I’d visited, but it was brief or a long time ago. Now, when i was home last month one of his coworkers had us over for dinner and I met two families, which helped because they were beginning to think I was a figment of his imagination!

I thought it was time to meet more people and christen the house, so I reached out to the two people I’m friends with on Facebook and I got a list of emails and invite I did.

So…PSM just got a taste of a JJ weekend! We happened to get up early, par for the course here, went to breakfast at one of our favorite places, then it was back to the house, clean, two appointments, run to the grocery store, back to the house with literally 20 minutes to spare. That meant set up for the cookout and a very quick shower.

The first family arrived with their kids and I was informed that they have a brand new puppy. Where is the puppy? We were going to bring her, we weren’t sure…we insisted and away went dad to get the puppy! Oh my but she is precious! Am 8 week old Australian Shepherd, is she not the cutest thing! She was such a huge hit at the party! We wondered if they would actually get to take her home, we were all in love or, with everyone holding her, she’d ever learn to walk!

People kept coming and it was fabulous, kids upstairs playing, running up and down, people inside and out enjoying good food, drink, friends, conversation, just having a really good time.

At one point we went upstairs and it looked like it has snowed in the loft! I made popcorn for the kids to watch movies and…the adults felt bad, I didn’t care, it was funny. The best was they were cleaning up, “put it under the sofa, they won’t see it!”

At one point I looked down and realized, I’m really in Hawaii hosting a party! I say that because everyone was barefoot! In Hawaii, it’s customary to take your shoes or slippers [pronounced slippahs] off when you walk into someone’s house. There is always a pile of shoes outside the front door!

A few hours later, people started to say their goodbyes. There were promises of a next time, getting together for new years eve, other gatherings.

Good friends, food, conversation, it felt like we were home.

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