High Tea

On our way back to Athens, we stopped in Historic Roswell, Georgia at the local tea-house for an afternoon of the British-style high tea. When living in Oxford "cream tea" (similar to high tea) became a favorite outing when family and friends would visit. So, when I saw the coupon on Groupon for high tea in Roswell, I jumped on it and bought two coupons for $20 bucks (saving $28...yes high tea is expensive, normally $24/per person). This was the first time Charlie had ever experienced high tea and I must say he was a good sport, despite the fact that he was the only male in the tea-house. The experience included an unlimited number of teas. I think we each had three different pots of tea including such flavors as the smoky lapsang (Charlie's favorite), anti-aging house blend (we are both approaching 40 years), creme au caramel rooibos, Moroccan mint green tea, house chai blend, and evening in Paris. The soups came out first, a beautiful and creamy carrot ginger soup and smooth tomato basil soup. Then, the culminating event...the three-tiered myriad of beautiful sandwiches, desserts, and scones. Of course we went home with a doggy bag and had to stop for a bathroom break as we floated away after drinking all of that delicious tea.

First tier: tea sandwiches, such as Cucumber, Organic Chicken Curry, Mushroom Spread and Smoked Salmon Sandwich.

Second tier: desserts, such as Homemade Apple Strudel, Creampuffs dipped in Belgian Chocolate, Homemade Seasonal Cake and Fruit.

Third tier: fresh made Scones with homemade Lemon Curd.

Thanksgiving, Atlanta Style, Sans Turkey!

Since Charlie traveled to both Colorado and Ohio in the last few weeks and I went to Colorado in October, we decided our time and money would be better spent enjoying a "stay-cation" in Atlanta. Instead of fighting with one of the busiest airport travel days, we packed up the car and drove 1.5 hours for a 3-day Thanksgiving extravaganza in the big city. Thanksgiving day was absolutely gorgeous, 72 degrees, with a cool breeze in the air and lots of sunshine. We packed a picnic and headed to Atlanta's big metropolitan park, Piedmont Park, with a Frisbee and our books in tow. No turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, or cranberries this year. Rather, we decided to make one of the biggest, most gluttonous, eating days in the USA something healthy. Cheeses, crackers, fruit, hummus, and veggies filled our belly.

The other exciting news is that I came away with a Thanksgiving war wound: a fat lip. Despite Charlie's intense craving for turkey and gravy, no he did not backhand me (okay, that was a bad joke!) The enlarged, bloody upper lip occurred during a mad game of Frisbee. As I attempted to catch the Frisbee my lip decided to get in the way of the spinning wheel...

To end the evening we ate tapas, drank wine, and gazed at the beautiful skyline at the Sun Dial Bar which sits (and revolves) on the 73rd floor of the Westin in downtown Atlanta.

I Love Athens in the Fall!

Many of my blog followers are well aware that Athens, GA is a temporary place of residence for me. Sometimes I get swallowed by all of the reasons I really could never live here permanently (lack of nature, conservative vibe, no bike lanes, HOT summers and bugs...just to name a few). But, this blog post is all about the silver lining, so prepare yourself. The one thing I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE about Athens is the fall. In my opinion, this is the best season Athens has to offer. The temperature hovers in the 70s and the beautiful fall colors dance on the blue sky canvas. The botanical gardens are one of my favorite places to spend time during the fall, especially when the Japanese Maple don deep rich shades of red. As you walk through the gardens the sound of leaves crunching under your shoes, and the sound of birds singing make the perfect background noise to snap a few photos (displayed here).

From October to November...

As the leaves change colors and old man winter beckons...it is time for a blog update on life. Life has a way of turning on a dime...with lots of surprises and roller-coaster rides along the way. I am, of course, attempting to throw my arms up and enjoy the ride with grace. Here is the latest...

1.) One of my dear UGA professors battles cancer and he has asked me to take on a few administrative duties including managing and being a "presence" for a residential college on campus as well as coordinating a few study abroad programs. It is bittersweet, I suppose. Sweet because of the chance to continue something that my professor has put a lot of love into, not mention an opportunity to contribute to the undergraduate population at UGA. Bitter, because there is a lot of heartache for my professor and his family and it has brought up a lot of contemplation of death.

2.) Grant-a-liscious! I would like to conduct international research, thus I need to somehow find a way to fund my thirst for travel and international curiosity. Which means I get to enter the wonderful world of applying for grants. For the past two months I have been writing grants, personal statements, research proposals, and compiling transcripts, letters of recommendation, affiliation letters, and filling out applications. Woo! This was no small task. The deadlines: first week in November (ahhhhh, DONE!) Thanksgiving break never looked so good!

3.) Yoga Adventure Club! To deepen my personal yoga practice, I am participating in the Rubbersoul Adventure Club which meets every Saturday (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Tuesday nights. The Club is hosted by the local donations-based yoga studio where I teach yoga. While I was hoping to immerse myself in the more spiritual side of yoga, the club has surprisingly made me think deeply about living a more conscious existence. Not only do we practice yoga, but we also read books and watch documentaries on healthy eating, vegetarianism, factory farming, and living sustainably. My mind has been spinning from the information, but it has been a wonderful addition to the very academic life I lead in Athens.

4.) Statistics...suckistics! My LAST mandatory PhD class. Thank goodness I have an amazing tutor (Stats Guru, Charlie). I am averaging about 15 hours per graded assignment. It just takes a lot of time (and energy) to pay attention to all of the intricacies of quantitative manipulation. Pure joy in two weeks...no more PhD coursework!

Fall Break on Sapelo Island

31 undergraduate college students + 3 vans + 10 pounds of beef + 3 "adults" (Adam, Charlie & Leasa)+ 4 dozen ears of corn + 50 million mosquitoes + 2 golf carts + 2 ferry rides + 1 bonfire by the beach + 1 low-country boil=the annual Franklin Residential College (FRC) trip to Sapelo Island. (Yes, this is one of the duties of my role as Graduate Fellow to FRC...tough gig ;-))

I can now say that I have slept in four of the University of Georgia's campuses. UGA has a Marine Institute on this beautiful and serene island, reachable only by boat. If you have seen my photos of the Oxford and Costa Rica campuses you know that UGA does not skimp when funneling money to these campuses. Okay, the single-wide trailer that the "adults" stayed in was not the most luxurious, but the scenery was and the dorm where the students stayed, while simple in decor, was beautiful in design.

Our days were spent exploring the island via nature trails (ahhhh...it felt so good to be in nature), walks on the beach, and cute little red golf carts. Our evenings were spent cooking dinner with the students, one of which was a low-country boil (potatoes, shrimp, sausage, corn, garlic, onions, carrots, and HOT spices). Delicious and well done, Chef Charlie!

We asked the students to gather wood for a bonfire on the beach...and surprise, it was one of the biggest bonfires I have experienced. S'mores, gazing at the stars, and campfire songs occupied our time as the fire was eventually buried with sand.

A great trip...thanks, Adam & Charlie!

Watkinsville Fall Wine Fest

My favorite fall event: the annual fall wine fest at the quaint Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast. Imagine 50 local restaurants serving up samples of their food and local wineries and wine shops pouring healthy glasses of wine. Combine that with a beautiful fall day in Georgia (70 degrees and sunny) in the lush colorful gardens of the Ashford Manor and you have yourself a lovely afternoon. This was a great way to celebrate Charlie's race.

Minor Post-Race Pain

7 a.m. on Sunday, with tea in one hand and a sign, "Run, Go Charlie" in the other hand...I found myself yelling, "You are almost to the top of the hill. Only 12 more miles. We are the slackers and you runners are the rock-stars." (I would get a few laughs and even some heckling after shouting that one.) Charlie trained for his first half-marathon, Athens, GA's half-marathon. This was not an easy flat road race, if you know Athens at all you know that it is rather hilly (lots of hills). Mile 12 was perhaps the hardest uphill battle (so cruel of race directors). My friend, Sarah, and I cheered him along at the 1, 5, and 11 mile marker and screamed especially loud as we saw him run into the finish line with a crooked smile on his face. Charlie was well trained and experienced minor post-race pain.

Goodbye Colorado, back to Georgia!

Ah, whenever I go back to Colorado it is a breath of fresh air and I feel rejuvenated. Here are a few more photos from my trip. Hangin' with the family in Boulder...and the infamous little Terrier, Stewie (my sister's dog), sucking on Charlie's Ohio hat that was sweaty (and dog-licking delicious) from training for a half-marathon.


I know that someday in the future my life adventure will take me back to Colorado...but until then it is a great place to visit while on vacation.

Oscar Blues Brew

Our last day in Colorado we stopped in at the Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont. For some reason Colorado tends to be a mecca for micro breweries:

• In all, there are roughly 100 breweries statewide, the majority of which are found in Denver.
• In 2007, Colorado was named the nation's top beer-producing state, surpassing California.

As a beer connoisseur and home brew master, Charlie was in heaven. We tasted many of the creatively named brews: Dale's Pale Ale, Old Chubb, Ten Fidy, and Mama's Little Yella Pils. After a few tasters and a bucket full of peanuts, one of the bartenders took us on a personal tour of the brewery. In 2002, a dude, Dale Katechis, living in Lyons, Colorado (population 1,500) began brewing up his first beers in a CAN. Yes, a micro-brew in a can. Why cans? “We thought the idea of our big, luscious pale ale in a can was hilarious,” recalls founder Dale. This little home grown "canned beer apocalypse" has won many accolades and business continues to grow. These days we can even buy Dale's Pale Ale in the local liquor store in Athens, GA. But, the alcohol has a bigger impact when at altitude...ask Charlie.

A Colorado Wedding with Hats!

Blue skies, sunshine, a brisk fall breeze in the air, pine trees, and a vista overlooking the city of Boulder accompanied a beautiful wedding ceremony on top of Flagstaff mountain at 6,850 feet. The beautiful bride and her hunk-a-hunk-a-burning love were serenaded with bagpipes and birds singing as they walked down the dirt aisle. The officiator, our dear friend Brent, eloquently led the ceremony and before we knew it the bagpipes played as the couple kissed.









The reception was held at the swank and historic Boulderado hotel. A delicious dinner with sea-bass and eggplant Parmesan, followed by a to-die-for chocolate wedding cake accompanied bottomless glasses of wine. So, yeah...the fun began! In true Liz & Aaron style, buckets of hats, wigs, beads, and masks were set out by the dance floor and before you knew it pirates, pimps, buffaloes, and even the Pope were dancing up a storm. At one point I overhead the bride talk with her father about the time, he was having such a great time he said, "Let's extend it by a half-and-hour." The dancing went on and then the party train moved downstairs to the Catacombs bar, our old stomping grounds.