Balsamic Grilled Pears and Figs

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I don't know if I should call this breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. It's warm enough and delicious enough for a cold Fall breakfast. It's the perfect side for a lunch or dinner side. And, man, this is easily sweet enough on its own to suffice for a sugary dessert.

Balsamic Grilled Pears and Figs
Ingredients:

• 1/2 pear, sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
• 4 figs, cut in halves
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. On an oil-sprayed grill pan, grill figs for 3-5 minutes, turning regularly.
2. Once the figs begin to brown, add pears. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and grill for 2 minutes, then turn and grill on the other side for 2 minutes. 
3. Transfer figs and pear slices to a bowl, layering figs on the bottom and pears on top. Drizzle again with balsamic vinegar and eat!

Atlanta

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I spent the last few days in Atlanta, celebrating the wedding of one of my husband's best friends. I had been into the city briefly before, but was never given carte blanche to explore at my leisure and whim.

This time, I got exactly that.

We stayed at the Highland Inn, a 1920s boutique hotel in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. The wedding reception was held here, and we were surprised by how interesting the hotel was. Every room was different, and the basement contained an old school bar and a quaint ballroom.

The neighborhood we stayed in reminded me of Chicago's old Wicker Park (you know, before it became a bunch of stroller-pushing yoga moms), as it is very eccentric and offers a lot of creativity. 

One of my favorite stops we stumbled upon was Paris on Ponce, a collection of chic boutiques all housed in an old warehouse. I was intrigued based on the exterior (above), and the moment we walked inside, I was sold.

The interior contained everything from vintage industrial to mid century furniture, tiny trinkets to large artwork, etc. I can't leave out this well-dressed woman, who quite literally "lost her head."

Paris on Ponce also contains a gorgeous, red-bathed event space, which reminds me of Delphine's Club from 1920s London (I first saw this on the show Mr. Selfridge, but here's a fun article about the fabulous woman and her club). 

Can I get married all over again and do it here? Pretty please with a red cherry on top?

We also enjoyed walking on the BeltLine, a running/walking trail that will eventually connect the parks in Atlanta, forming a visual 'beltline' around the city. I love the concept, but it was also plain old easy to get around on foot and catch some great sights using this walkway.

The wedding reception, itself, fit in with its surroundings. In case you need proof...

Another exciting stop was Stone Mountain. We hadn't heard of it until my husband's friend mentioned it the day we were leaving, so we decided to fit it in. It featured the world's largest baas relief, and a huge, granite mountain that took 30+ minutes, some serious shoes, and a bit of sweat to summit.

Oh, and skyline views of Atlanta.

After Stone Mountain, we headed to an area called "Little 5 Points," which reminded me of Chicago's 6 corners, but again, without the pugs and yoga pants (I'm not judging - I love both of those things).

The center of the area was filled with artists, musicians, and competing drum circles. After walking around a bit, we ducked into The Porter Beer Bar, which came highly recommended by our tablemates at the wedding reception the prior night.

The ambiance was wonderful but the food was to die for. 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Have you been to Atlanta? What did I miss?
What's your favorite restaurant in your city?

Labor Day Weekend

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Labor Day Weekend kicked off with a fun run. I headed downtown with my running partner (the prettiest black dog eva) and we explored a bit on the paths by the river.

On my way back, I passed One Trick Pony. It's a local dinner spot that is downtown but slightly off the main drags, and I have always been curious about it. I immediately texted my husband and asked if he wanted to try it. 

So, I got home, answered the remaining emails from the day, and then got ready for dinner. I had just unboxed this Zara Peplum Jacket, so despite it still technically being August, I wore it with black pants. It was actually a bit chilly that night, so it worked out for me!

Any excuse to wear Zara...

Dinner was decent, and we headed home to relax a bit. It had been a pretty long and demanding week at our house, so we wanted to totally veg. After a few hours, we decided to head back out for a little treat, and we went to Furniture City Creamery. 

Bow down to Queen B.

You're looking at the Dutchess of that little establishment. I think I may have squealed in excitement...

The next morning, we headed over to San Chez, which is fast becoming one of our joints for breaking the fast. I had an egg white scramble with mojo onions, feta, and chorizo, with a side of fruit.

Afterward, we did a bit more relaxing and took a nice, long walk. By the time the afternoon rolled around, it was time for us to start getting ready for the bachelor and bachelorette parties we were goin to that evening.

I popped open the cold brew I snatched up the night before, and it did not disappoint.

A swift kick is good as long as it's not to the face!

I also ran a few errands -- literally. Donning neon clothes and aviators, I ran around like sorority-girl-barbie and grabbed a few things to bring to the party.

Then, it was time to take a shower and get gussied up in all black for a night of shenanigans.

With a black bottle of cava and a tupperware full of vodka soaked gummies, I hopped in my cab and headed downtown to the hotel.

As usual, what happens at a bachelorette party stays at a bachelorette party... but we did have plenty of fun times. I'll leave you with this...

Flash to the next morning, when I was hurting a little bit. Not awful, but enough to warrant heading to Terra for a huge chorizo fritatta and some hair of the dog bloody mary. It did the job, and I chilled out the rest of the day.

A big breakfast held us over until dinner, so we were pretty starving by the time 5pm rolled around. We headed to Harmony Brewing Company for some pizza.

Even the 45 minute wait and poor service could not have made me upset about this pizza. It is just that good.

Monday morning, we woke up prepared for a super productive day. We started by going to the gym bright and early for Body By Science.

Then, I spent an hour in the kitchen preparing and cleaning up after a wonderful brunch feast. 

Afterward, we did a lot of errands, went on a few long walks, tended to the garden, and sat on our front porch watching the rain storm. It wasn't the sunniest, but it was definitely the most relaxing Labor Day.

Oh, yeah. And we got more ice cream. No wonder I'm feeling a little sluggish this week... No regrets!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• How was your labor day?
• Do you like ice cream or fro yo?

Easy Paleo Grilled Carrots

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First off, can I get an amen for spring? I feel like I have been holed up inside for months - oh wait, that's because I have. Now that spring has... well, sprung... I can't get enough of it. Running. Walking. Grilling. Check, check, check.

When it comes to grilling, we are going crazy with the filets over here. My husband is a grillmaster, so we are in pretty good hands with the meat. But then come the sides. We're doing paleo over here, so that means fruit or veggies. When it comes to veggies, I don't feel like standing at the stove while it's gorgeous outside, just because I'm trying to throw together some veggies to serve with said filet. Know what I'm sayin'?

So we just figured... hey... two birds, one grill. Maybe that was a bad analogy... Okay, on to the food!

Easy Grilled Carrots

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch carrots, washed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Start your grill!
2. Cut some of the greens off of the carrots. I like to leave about half an inch, just because I think they look really cute and authentic on the plate with a smidge of green left, but you can feel free to chop it all off if you don't dig that idea.
3. Place carrots on a large plate and lightly drizzle olive oil, then turn them around with your fingers until they are evenly coated. 
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn around again, and sprinkle again.
5. Grill on low heat for 20 minutes, turning two to three times in between. Remove when soft. 

Notes: 

• Leave them on a little longer if you like them burnt! I do :)

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

What are your favorite spring time recipes?

What do you make most on the grill?

Relished Food - Gourmet Food Delivery

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Blood Orange Topped Mahi-Mahi with Saffron Rice and Cilantro and Radish Salad... I know, drool.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Relished Foods and offered a delivery of three ready-to-make meals in exchange for a review. I figured, hey, why not? Free food in exchange for my opinion (which I obviously share for nothing at all as well)? I'm game. Little did I know how delicious it would be.

I have tried ingredient-delivery-to-your-door services before and have enjoyed them for the most part. But, this one took the cake. Every single meal was delicious, easy to prepare, and totally husband approved. In addition, it was all fresh as heck and super healthy.

Anyway, back to the food. I received three recipes, with all of the necessary ingredients (pre-measured! amen!) inside. Here's what they sent me. Each meal can include two, four, or six servings, depending on your settings, but since it's just me and Mr. G, ours included two.

• Blood Orange Topped Mahi-Mahi with Saffron Rice and Cilantro and Radish Salad
• Peppercorn Crusted Flat Iron Steak with Tangy Bell Pepper Relish and Roasted Green Beans
• Vegetable Ramen with Udon Noodles, Radish Sprouts, Oyster Mushrooms and Sambal

Each meal includes a recipe card with images and instructions, and all of the necessary ingredients (except for olive oil, salt, and pepper... but let's be real, if you don't have that, you're due for a trip to the store anyway).

The instructions take you through a well explained, step-by-step process that was easy to follow. Because they include images of every step, it is pretty fool proof and you know exactly what things are supposed to look like at that stage. If you don't know the difference between mincing, dicing, and chopping, you can just look at the picture. Brilliant.

Also brilliant? They suggest a few drink pairings so that you can complete the experience!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Have you tried any food delivery services?
Do you like pre-measured ingredients? How could you not? :)