Dear Tequilla:

At one time we were best friends. Then you hurt me and I had to end our friendship. I tried to reconnect with you several times, but you again and again were not a good influence and would cause me pain that sometimes took days for me to get over. I'm a forgiver, so after 10 years I'd like to try and reconnect and have you back in my life again. I hope we can both be smart about our friendship this time and stay together. Let's take it slow though and maybe start with this:

Martha Stewart says to give you another chance, so I will. Please note that watermelon and I are not bffs either, but I am willing to make a sacrafice if it helps end our complicated love/hate relationship.
TEQUILA SOAKED WATERMELON (for Salt Lovers)
1 Baby Seedless Watermelon sliced
1/2 cup good tequila ( I use Hornitos for our Ritas, it is not crazy expensive but it is good)
1-2 limes juiced
2 tablespoons agave Nectar
Coarse Salt
Layer the Watermelon in baking dish. Mix next three ingredients and pour over Watermelon. Let sit in fridge at least 45 minutes or longer. Sprinkle with Coarse Salt when ready to serve.
TEQUILA SOAKED WATERMELON (for Sugar Lovers)

1 small seedless watermelon, red or yellow, quartered and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup Triple Sec
2 limes, halved or cut into wedges
Flaked sea salt or coarse salt
Arrange watermelon in a single layer in two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes. Bring sugar, water, tequila, and Triple Sec to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Pour syrup over watermelon wedges, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Remove watermelon from syrup, and arrange on a platter. Squeeze limes over melon, and season with salt.

REK

I missed my boys like crazy in Houston and was excited to see them when I got back. I guess my timing was perfect because Mark came down with the flu on Monday night and needed a little TLC. Mark never misses work, so when he called in sick on Tuesday I knew it was bad. Luckily, he made a full recovery just in time for the Robert Earl Keen concert on Wednesday night. REK plays once a year in Augusta (his lead guitarist is from Augusta) and it's a concert we never miss. Luckily, Stephen and his fiance were also off call and got to join us. What a great way to break up the midweek and celebrate being over the flu!

This is the pic from the chronicle, unfortunately they failed to capture my side pony tail and boots I was rocking (must remember to get my good side with the pony:) Don't worry friends the pony tail was very high fashion and not 80s at all. Also I rocked my jcrew/ebay necklace...again....have you gotten one yet (I'm obsessed with it)!?

Holy Moly: Starting the Last Year of Residency

Brad, Emory, Alex, & Mark

I know you were all probably worried about my boys with me jetsetting to Houston for the wedding. Luckily, we called in backup and Nana & Pops came to see the boys and help Mark since it was graduation weekend. I hated Mark missed the wedding and equally hated missing all the past residents who came in for Graduation weekend. We are going to miss the residents above us who are heading to New York and Michigan for fellowships, but hopefully we will see them  again next year at Mark's Graduation.

Lulu's Wedding

Last weekend I left the boys at home and headed to Houston for Lulu's wedding. Lulu and I met at Texas and were sorority sisters. She and I instantly hit it off and she was one of the side kicks that helped get me through Mark's medical school in Houston. What a fun weekend and I look forward to many fun memories to come with her and Carson.

The bridesmaid luncheon at Backstreet cafe! The short ribs were amazing and the berry mimosas were even better. Ring Ching- Me and Will's Angel Aunts

Lala, me and Syd in our yellow. I loved getting to meet FJ (Syd's one month old baby! I hope I look that good after one month.)

The rehearsal dinner was at Brennans (my fav!) Plus I got to see some of the Tri Delt girls who I love and of course the pi phi's husbands club (I know Mark missed seeing them all.)

The flowers were beautiful, I have never seen peonies so big!

Turtle soup and banan foster (I die!)

Beams, me, G, Lala, & Syd

The beautiful bride

More beautiful flowers...maybe I should get into Garden Club.

The beautiful reception was at the River Oaks Country Club. I loved the food (quail, mexican bar, grits bar, mini sliders, and of course late night was sweet potato fries and brandy alexanders!) Did I mention late night also involved mustaches, blinking ice cube, glow in the dark sun glasses and necklaces! Unfortunately since they came out late night most of those pics were not blog appropriate:)

The parents of the bride

and of course my padres who looked stunning!

A special treat too was having Jenny there who was off call and my potluck freshman roomate from college who taught me more about life than my four years inside the classroom at UT. I loved catching up with her and if you haven't visited the Ft. Worth Food Park, you should...her and her husband are the masterminds behind it!

Happy Birthday Brother

Happy Birthday Kristopher Scott!

 Pictures circa 2007: Texas v. TCU

Monday Musings

I am a huge movie girl. When Mark was in med school if you couldn't find me with my friends or family you could usually find me at the movie theater. I love a good romcom/shoot'em up movie. Oddly, since we moved to Augusta we have been to the movies three times (an average of once a year: It's Complicated, Kings Speech, Hunger Games). Sunday we debated going to the theater while Nana & Tony were still here, but ended up passing as we were both exhausted and wanted to spend time with the fam.

Just a few movies I want to see...

On the top of Mark's list...

What we actually will probably end up seeing before the others....

Tasty Tuesday

Southern Living June 2012 A

Now that we have a lot of peaches we are trying to eat them before they go bad. We tried this recipe which was in the last Southern Living Magazine and it turned out great: Basil Peach Chicken.

This is on my menu for next week, a Texadelphia copy cat chicken cheesesteak courtesy of my friend Tessa. Find the Recipe at The Hub

When I became pregnant with Will I developed an aversion to meat. Unfortunately my love affair with lamb took a three year hiatus and just recently returned. In the past three weeks we have had lamb twice (a dinner party and our anniversary.) Each time we used this great rub from Fresh Market and the lamb turned out amazing!

Lastly, this is the cookbook from the chef who use to work at Jeffreys in Austin. Last month we made the eggs in hell recipe which can be found here. Basically, it's a modified huevos rancheros but I loved how you poached the egg in the recipe. Ours didn't turn out as good as we would have liked, but it still hit the spot on a Saturday morning. Also, if you are going to look through this cookbook, please try Mark's favorite recipe in it from Jeffreys: the oyster nachos.

HAPPY COOKING!

Trenton, SC Peach Festival

Saturday we headed to Trenton, SC for the annual Peach festival. I always thought Georgia was the peach state, but be careful what you say because you can start a whole debate with South Caroliners on who has the best and most peaches.

Will & Wynn getting ready for the parade.

Smokey the bear came though in the parade and Will has not stopped talking about him, he left quite an impression.

 The festival food was great: fried corn dogs, funnel cakes, fried shrimp, bbq, gyros, turkey legs...Yum! I was hoping for homemade peaches and cream ice cream and was a bit sad to see it was Mayfields, but it still was tasty (of course not as good as bluebell!)

 And there were planes....

Will & West (aka Maverick & Goose)

 We also found the inflatables. Will dominated them and Mark was so proud.

 We also hit up the craft booths and picked up this goody! If I would have more time I would have bought one of these for everyone I knew and for myself.

Oddly, you would think at a peach festival there would be peaches everywhere you turned. Unfortunately this was not the case so we stopped at Sara's on highway 25 and stocked up on peaches, peach picante and pickled peaches.

We also, finally drove by they Gypsy houses to get home. Not sure if any of you saw My Big Fat Gypsy wedding on tv, but it was taped right outside of Augusta. The Gypsies deserve their own post, and Mark is probably the best one to tell you about them so I'll leave it to him.

Happy Fathers Day

First a special shoutout to all the papas out there (especially ours Popo & Grandpa Doc!)

We wanted to make it a special weekend for Mark. So we tried to cram all his favorites into two days. 1st Breakfast at the waffle house (Is it bad they all know Will's name when we walk in the door?) Anywho, I know Will loves Daddy more than all the waffle houses, which if you have been to Georgia or Lousisanna that is a lot! This is probably more Will's favorite, but it's our favorite seeing him so excited about going every weekend.

 A little float down the canal with Dr. Snead for some "Mark time"

We may have started the weekend with a few Bourbon smashes at Sim's going away party.

The recipe:

2 oz. Maker's Mark bourbon whiskey

½ oz. simple syrup

2 lemon quarters

1 sprig mint

How to make it:

Muddle the lemon, mint and simple syrup in a large metal shaker. Add ice and bourbon. Shake well and pour into a large glass. Spend the day watching horse racing and talking with a Southern drawl.

Since we ate at midnight last night we started the day off in style with homemade cochinita pabil:

You can find the recipe here:

And we got in a little yard work and power washing.

All in all a weekend made for Mark!

Mudbugs

Three weekends a go we were excited to hear Augusta would be having a crawfish festival. We have fond memories of crawfish (the Nagy's backyard, Roundup, Spring Crawfish Festival, Pappadaux, RajinCajun, etc.) We asked everyone we could think of to join us, and were quick to realize that Augustans don't love crawfish as much as we do. Now, don't get me wrong if you mention Oyster roast you would have everyone lined up around a corner here. So we ventured out to the festival with a few brave friends. Note to Augusta: If you are going to have a crawfish festival don't run out of crawfish, crawfish etoufee, and mufalates in the first two hours. For adults who have kids that nap and show up late it's very disapointing!

 Luckily, the festival wasn't a complete loss....the boys had fun and we got to have some RJ Rockers Son of a Peach beer which was quite tasty on the hot day.