The week wind down.

1. On Thursday night I was swimming in a sea of suits at THAT party thrown by Greenville CVB. This marvelous city of ours is changing it's tourism brand to include a happy little g as a logo and the tagline "Yeah, that Greenville" to set us apart from the other Greenvilles in the big ole US.  A new visitgreenvillesc.com website is launching in June that looks WAY cool. The folks at Brains on Fire handled the makeover so you you know it's gonna be off the chain.   At any rate, I think they invited me to check out the food. (Smiles.) There were little fried green tomatoes piled high with pimento cheese, bite size portobello pizzas, and pieces of fried chicken on tiny biscuits. I tried a one bite deconstructed bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich that was a tiny bit greasy but sweet and tasty.  And I snagged one of these awesome cookies. My favorite kind! And being the horrible parent that I am, I didn't take one home to my child as everyone else seemed to be doing.  I gobbled it up right then with my Chardonnay.  Women were smuggling cookies in napkins out of that place in their purses like a bunch of grannies.  It tickled me.

2. Afterward, my buddies and I went to check out Roost at Noma Square on North Main Street.  I hadn't heard good things, so far so I was wary, but vowed to give it a fair shake.  There was much anticipation around town for the place that boasts fare sourced within 300 miles of Greenville... very farm to table focused.  The inside of the place was very cool.  Huge tables, beautiful pottery-like table ware, a huge open kitchen where you can watch the bustle...

Prepare yourself. Let me say that rarely have I sat down to a restaurant and NOT found something inspiring on the menu, but I seriously had that problem.  Nothing looked good.  The food passing our table looked okay, but nothing looked fantastic. I settled for a Garden Flat Bread with blue cheese and candied walnuts just to satiate the hunger.  It came out greasy and just..well, there.  There was nothing awesome about any of the food at our table.  I didn't even bother with pictures.  I think the restaurant payed a little more attention to concept than actual execution.  It might be an okay place for drinks, but I won't be going back for food anytime soon. Sorry guys.

3. Don't judge me, but I am obsessed with these Healthy Choice Top Chef meals.  Seriously.  On Friday I had Honey Glazed Turkey and Sweet Potatoes.  It was terrifically yum and quite frankly, kept me from raiding the kitchen for a PB and J at lunch time.  I'm so uninspired at noon, and on writing days can't bother with an hour round trip for any sort of food out, so it's cool to be able to reach into the freezer for something that actually somewhat looks like restaurant food.

Speaking of Top Chef, Kristen won.  How do I feel about this?  Um, well, she was kicked off. And came back via Last Chance Kitchen to push out my girl, Brooke.  I was so bummed.

Did anyone see this article on The Braiser of the 11 Winningest Top Chef Contestants?

4. I am in serious House of Cards withdrawal.  I blew through all 13 episodes on Netflix and now have to wait for the next season.  Rationing might have been a good plan.  I got my husband hooked during our beach vacation, but because our internet is crap, we can't watch at home. (Down side of living in the sticks.) I guess we'll have to wait until we are on vaca again for him to catch up.  I've resorted to watching Downton Abbey while walking. There's been a crazy amount of hype over that TV show, but for me, the jury is still out.

5. I am seriously addicted to scrapbooking again.  I haven't been this into it since I was in the last leg of my pregnancy with my daughter.  My husband would leave for work and I'd be at the table scrapbooking and when he got home I would be in the same spot, only to have moved for nourishment and bathroom breaks.  I was a crazy woman, and too uncomfortable to really do anything else.  I haven't reached that level of production yet, but I do love to sneak away to my table for a little glue stick therapy. I'm slowly scrapbooking my foodie adventures.

6. A new song for ya. I love this group.

7. One last thing.  "Is Greenville the next big food city of the South?"  A nod to Greenville in Esquire.  Check it out. I love this city.

Trader Joes holiday goodie bliss, eggnog and the end of Audrey

Back in the saddle again... (Tis the season for the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack, right?).  Okay, so I'm not really back in a saddle, just back in the swing of things somewhat after a week of hibernation. It's about time!  I can't afford to take the week of Thanksgiving off, now, can I?   There are pumpkin rolls and cheesecakes to be made, Turkeys to be purchased for brining, cranberry sauce to be purchased from the Fresh Market. Then next week it's TREE TIME!!!! (She squeals like a little kid.)

Yesterday while I was out running errands, my mother-in-law dropped these fried apple donuts from Skytop Orchard off on my back porch.  What a very cool surprise.  They are quite possibly the best fried donuts in the world. 

I spent the day running all over town for Christmas craft supplies.  I'm making these little guys thanks to a little Pinterest inspiration.  I'm putting my own spin on them, of course, but aren't they cute little boogers?

And I squeezed in a trip to Trader Joe's amid the fa-la-la for a little holiday goody bliss.  My aunt used to send these to me way before we had a Traders.  

The Dark Chocolate Minty Mallows are melt in your mouth holy-moly goodness. Your eyes will roll back into your head at first bite.  It's a promise.

It's also eggnog season. Every year I try to hold out til after Thanksgiving for the first sip but fail miserably. I caved and got an Eggnog milkshake from Jack in the Box.  

I love these things.  Hell, I love eggnog period: eggnog cookies, ice cream, cakes, cheesecakes... big fan.  I even love it in my morning coffee.  I can't even begin to guess what kind of horribleness it contains. 

So last night was the last episode of the little YouTube miniseries I've been watching called Audrey.  It's like Sex and the City meets foodie world.  I was hooked after the first couple of minutes and then six episodes later, I was holding my head in my hands moaning in sadness that it had to end. What a tease. I hate miniseries.  

Speaking of Television, some genius posted the 2012 Holiday TV Schedule on their blog which in turn was posted on Pinterest.  I think I love this person. Okay, so it's not comprehensive.  I mean, where is Die Hard? But it's a good start and I definitely  wrote a few of these on my calendar for family time.

Have a good Saturday folks.  Until next week...