Shifting Focus

I find that my focus bounces from topic to topic every few weeks. For instances, only a couple weeks ago I was uber obsessed with restocking my closet with a few new pieces, getting rid of the old and evaluating what still needs a match. This stretched over a two week period, and then – Boom! – that’s it. I am satisfied and on to the next.

My new focus is our housing crisis. Our home in Georgia has yet to sell, and our lease is up on our rental in Minneapolis. So my mind whirls and whirls until I find a solution. And then I want instant gratification. My solution is for us to buy a “starter home”  at a lower price using a FHA loan (to not tie up our cash since we will now have two homes). Here are the advantages I see: 1) our mortgage payment would be equivalent to monthly rent; 2) the property can become rental property when we purchase a larger home; 3) this gives us some time to continue to research where we want to live permanently; and 4) if we need to sell it, homes are more likely to move at this price point.

I formulate this plan on Friday, and then spent the weekend trolling neighborhoods and looking for homes. My conculsion after two days on the hunt and numerous open houses is to stay in Northeast since it is the area of Minneapolis we know best.  And the last open house on Sunday afternoon proved to be my favorite. http://msp.themlsonline.com/search/3676412.html

It has great bones and is immaculate inside.  With a few modern touches, I think it could be a great home for us … considering the circumstances.

And since this is where my mind is, I spent a little time on HGTV online tonight. Here is a link to some inspirational interior design videos. http://www.hgtv.com/100-half-day-designs/package/index.html

I’ll keep you posted.

20 Dates Under $20

20 Dates Under $20

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Citypages Best of Link

Jeff found this link tonight. Love the categories and thought I’d share …

http://www.citypages.com/bestof/2009/section/the-city-gritty-21/

Seattle, Whistler and the BIG 30 … Here I come!

On Wednesday, Jeff and I will set out for Seattle and Whistler for a nice, extra long weekend. And the trip is all because I turn 30 next weekend …

As for 30, I really don’t have an opinion about it (but it makes me wonder how many other blog posts are out there about turning 30 – humm.) And since I never get to the end of long emotional posts (no offense meant to anyone; it’s just my need for short and quick), there will be no post about turn 30 and what it means to me or how I feel.

Instead, I am super pumped about making the trip to Seattle and then driving to Whistler. We arrive in Seattle late on June 3 and then drive to Whistler on June 4. To be honest, I only know a little about Seattle … Pikes Place Market, Space Needle, Seattle Grace Hospital (fictional – I know – from Grey’s Anatomy), and I once read in Runner’s World about its great running trails. And, I want to make sure we take in Seattle’s best on Thursday.

So, my task this weekend is to be an Internet junkie searching for the best of the best for our trip and looking for tips on where the locals go.

My search has only just begun, but it began on the Pikes Place Fish Market Web site. On it, there is a slideshow of the city. Picking up a few clues from it, my next step is to look into the following:

• Dick’s Drive-in
• City Market
• Post Alley

And my questions are …

1. Is it worth seeing the Space Needle if we only have 6 hours of daylight in the city?
2. If you were going to have only three meals in the city – late dinner, breakfast and lunch - where do we go?

This weekend, Jeff and I are also going to buy a little pocket camcorder to capture our trip. Video will be a new adventure for me.

I am pushing my max length on what I am comfortable reading … I’ll keep you posted.

Green Street is Grrrreat & Quick Cooking Tip

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Jeff and I made a trip to Green Street in Roswell to try Swallow at the Hollow for ourselves. It is as good as everyone says, maybe better, and we didn’t even stay for the live music! It was probably the best BBQ pork I’ve ever had.  And since Swallow at the Hollow was so good on Friday night, we went to Greenwood’s the next day for lunch! (Same owners.)

Greenwood’s was also wonderful, but probably a little heavy for lunch. Jeff had meatloaf, and I had a chicken pot pie. I couldn’t eat another bite when I was done, which is always a good sign! We have a date to go back and try the fried chicken and homemade pie! We sat on the porch. The whole experience was very Southern and really calming and peaceful.

(I can’t find a Web site for Greenwood’s. Odd. Just Google it to find reviews and such. Or, it’s right across the street from Swallow at the Hollow.)

So, I found a quick cooking tip in a the Publix (grocery store) monthly magazine that is worth sharing. It is a list of substitutes for alcoholic beverages found in recipes.

• 1 T bourbon or sherry = 1 T apple or orange juice
• 1 T coffee liqueur or chocolate liqueur = .5 t chocolate extract or .5 t instant coffee in 2.5 t water
• 1 T Grand Marnier or citrus liqueur = 2.5 t orange juice plus .5 t orange extract
• .25 C white wine = .25 C chicken broth in savory recipes OR .25 C apple or white grape juice in dessert recipes
• .25 C red wine = .25 C beef broth in savory recipes OR .25 C cranberry juice in desserts

Happy eating and cooking!