Date Weekend

So, Michael and I took our nearly annual pilgrimage to the UGA vs. Vanderbilt (since he's a Vandy alum) game this weekend, with this year's game being in Nashville!  So often the game is ANYTHING but boring, and it's also often Homecoming when it's played at UGA, so it's just usually a fun one to attend (and those of us without season tickets, can actually buy them without paying an arm and a leg).

And while we did see many babies and kids at the game and someday look forward to bringing Libby to this game IN Nashville, we knew this wasn't the year to try it.  So, GiGi took Libby home for a little weekend vacation at their house while Michael and I had a weekend-long date!

He's been working a lot this fall, and a lot of it has been out of town, so it was really nice to just relax together.

We started at dinner on Friday night in downtown Roswell, where we rarely to never go, despite its' proximity to our house.  Nine Street Kitchen was where we settled, with a lovely al fresco dining situation on a really nice, slightly chilly, night.  We did some great people-watching and caught up and came home to veg out with TV missed from the previous week and prep and rest for Saturday's excursion.

On Saturday, Michael booked it to Nashville, with me in the car reading my book club selection almost the entire trip.  (Book club is Tuesday night, so I was on deadline!)

Since we dated in college, we do have our Nashville traditions (none of which include the Grand Ole Opry - unless you include "Grand Ole Golf" miniature golf course.)  Someday I want to actually go to a show.  However, a trip to the Parthenon and its' environs is a MUST.  Michael obviously is pretty clued in to my food obsession, and while I don't comprehend this in any way, he doesn't have a lot of spots that he's truly loyal to food-wise.  (Schroeder's New Deli in Rome, Ga. is a rare exception to this rule.)  However, it goes allow us to be more adventurous and try new places instead of the "same old, same old" when we're visiting a beloved location that we don't often get to visit.

So, he did some scoping out on his end for a great spot for a late lunch.  What luck!  He found a BBQ joint featured on Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "Best Street Vendors" that's been around since '86 and somehow he never knew about when he was in college?! AND it's right next to the Parthenon in Centennial Park: Hog Heaven BBQ.  We both enjoyed a pulled pork BBQ plate with mild sauce that was quite delicious, along with a cornbread "pancake," mac & cheese and green beans.  All dishes got a thumbs up (even though my family's mac & cheese would still win that fight in a taste-off.)

And since it was a beautiful day, we walked right over to the park and enjoyed the featured musicians for that Saturday!  Lunch and entertainment!  Rachael Ray and her "$40 a Day" would be proud!

Thank goodness that we'd gone for a light hike before lunch to burn some of the feast off!  We had a nice walk at Radnor Lake State Park and mostly talked about Libby, of course.  Especially when we saw various wildlife, like these friends below.

We also saw a cute cupcake van at the park and I went to get one at one point.  As tempting as they were, I passed (and regretted it later when I wound up with a pretzel at the stadium - but it was probably the best stadium pretzel I've ever had- really QUITE good.)  Anyway, they looked good, so if you come across them in Nashville, check out Dixie Belles Cupcakes!  And really, if I'd known the owner's name was Tammy, I never would have passed!

We crisscrossed through campus a few times and while the SAE house had a good party going on, Sigma Chi was THE place to be.  This photo's for you, Uncle John!

...and a stroll around our favorite park!

And me, pretending to hold Miss B!

We even saw a wedding (or at least the photos following it!)

We enjoyed a very exciting game, punctuated by the student sitting behind us with his parents visiting, who apparently knew nothing about football, because in addition to updating them on the types of girls he would or wouldn't want to date, he had to explain some pretty basic elements of the game (like what a first down was).

After the game, we zipped out to Chattanooga to cut the trip shorter today.  And this morning, we stopped for breakfast at Food Works there in a redesigned, repurposed an old mill.  Michael had the Chicken and Waffles and I had the Crab Cakes Benedict (with cheddar grit cake!).  Delish!  And.... as usual, I forgot to get the photo before diving in, but here's a glimpse:

Can you tell he's a bit tired from the LATE drive to Chattanooga?

Then we got to run to pick up our B!  She, of course, had a ball this weekend with GiGi and Papa and Commissioner in Cedartown.

And tonight, I baked some chocolate chip cookies for her to enjoy after her bath!

Glad to have her back home.