Be Still My Beating Heart

My boyfriend, Jack White with the Raconteurs. Ryman Auditorium, September 15.

Openers were Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. The harp player reminded me of Frank Zappa, in the face.

 Intermission I. (You can see some of the old church windows at the top.)

 

Then brothers' Jake and Jamin, aka Jeff the Brotherhood  hit the stage. I think Nancy and I met these two hanging with my new bf, lil' Jack (Lawrence from the Racs). A friend with us spotted the three coming out of a restaurant as we headed to the Ryman. Of course, Nancy and I had to go back and wish 'em good luck for the night. Lil' Jack Lawrence was so adorable in his large-framed glasses. What a cutie. (I'm getting old when I say the boys in the band are adorable. Ha!) Ouch.

 

 They did a great job winding us up for the Raconteurs.

 

 And then . . . my two Jacks. heart

I like his curly do much better than the straight look.

 "I heart you lil' Jack!" Wave!

 

 Scrumptious.

Shades of Autumn

Yesterday was the most gorgeous day. It started out a tad rainy but then the sun came out and it became the loveliest of afternoons. A perfect 70 something degrees. Bring on the fall! Please note the UT orange. The kid is thinking about attending UT next year. One graduating, one applying! What a wonderful time in our lives. Looks like we may be staying in Nashville a couple more years! (But don't tell the mental note in my brain that has me on a mission to get the house in order to sell! Shhhhhhhh.)

We've had this old collapsible top hat in the family for as long as I can remember. Looks like I'll be decorating it for Halloween. Obviously, I've already started.

Here I am chasing shadows again. Love.

Project Work

Here's my latest fiasco. Ugh. The pit, rag, bonus room; call it what you will. It's a mess. Time to get it cleaned up. "Must keep this 'moving soon' mental note in my head." Front and center.

The teenager moved into a new apartment this year at UT. The last three years, his places came furnished. So, I had told him, and his roommates, they could have our old furniture, the grey stuff. Now, mind you, this is my first set of furniture I bought when I moved into my first apartment. So, we're talking, um, 25 year-old furniture. It's still in pretty good shape, considering. A queen sleep sofa (have to ask Raphi how comfortable that is, though), love seat and chair? Free. Ok, so long-story-shorter, they changed their minds after the hub and I had prepared for them to pick it up.

And so started the ball rolling in this room.

The table on the right, I had set up many years ago. I got all the kids' photos out and started their scrapbooks, again. Well, I think I may have done ONE page. One. Period. Time to sort and move all of it again. Like in storage. ha.

The hub (as all men do) wants to buy a pit for in here. I don't know 'bout that. But, I do know that once I start painting, changing the carpet, etc. new furniture will be at the top of the list. Sigh.

A Really Good "Shew"

A really big shout out to Steven for getting the most excellent seats at The Ryman for John Hiatt and Big Head Todd. Front and center, baby.

Todd singing "America, the Beautiful." 

9.10.11

The Monsters.

After the show? Only a block to honky-tonk heaven.

Tropical Storm Lee

TS Lee followed us back through the Smokies from Atlanta; but thank goodness, it was an intermittent rain. Those hills can be treacherous in the best of weather!

So happy we left on Sunday. There was flooding in both Atlanta and Chattanooga. We dodged that bullet! Wish Lee could have turned west and hit Texas with some well-needed rain. Crazy weather patterns these days.

So happy to be home where we can sit back and enjoy the rain from inside. Cooler weather has settled in for a couple of days too. We'll always take that!

 Perfect weather for hot bialys in the morning. YUM!

Southern Haute

 We love "haute'lanta!" So we continued on our journey after Chatanooga.

Our first dinner was at Empire State South. 

(Chef Hugh Acheson for you foodies)

 

House charcuterie, mustards and pickles; oysters of three varieties to begin.

 Sole for the kid with flash-fried mushrooms--mmmmmm. 

The hub had duck breast with hominy. I don't know that the hub had tried this southern staple before and asked me to tell him what it was. (grin) Hominy reminds me of my childhood. Mom would sauté a pan full every once in a while. It was always a treat for me--Ms. starch junky! 

 And, speaking of which, field peas for Ms. starch junky herself! 

 Didn't try it, but sounds delightful.

 No Phatty Cakes? Pffffft! We'll pass, then.

And save it for breakfast the next day at Rosebud in Virginia Highlands. (We had a Virginia Highlands growing up in Arlington; so it's a special neighborhood for me.) There are even more great places to shop and eat since I was last here several years' back.

Of course, we had to get rainbow cookies and bialys (stay tuned). Always have to make that stop at our favorite Atlanta deli Goldberg's.

Popcorn at The Spice Market with drinks. (Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten) (My brother Jim knew of him which is all I ever need to know.)

Our last night's dinner was at ONE. Midtown South, another highly recommended restaurant. 

(I preferred Empire State, truthfully.)

The dessert was good, of course

UT-Chatanooga

Although this looks quite Autumnesque, don't believe it. It was almost, if not, 100˚! Ugh. Frankie and I stayed in the shade.

And then we sniffed out Bluff View Bakery. Just what I need, my friends. Of course, we had to stop. What a beautiful, old building.

And, of course, we had to go in. Well, Frank stayed in the car. I found delightful soft pretzels and a small loaf of chocolate bread.  Ya think anyone is eating any of it except Frankie and I? Nope. Just us. Figures.

Can you believe the kid, THE KID!, is looking at colleges? Sniffle. My baby is almost grown.

Yummy

I have been looking for a vintage typewriter since, like, forever; and looky at what I finally found. Isn't she bee-yoo--tee-ful?

After playing with her all afternoon, I relocated her to the hall upstairs on the old school desk. Perfect! 

Love, love, love!

Speaking of love, love, love a-n-d yummy, here's a few shots from last Sunday. We had a wonderful brunch with friends at Fish & Co.  Of course, I am back on a diet trying to take off the unwanted pounds I've gained over the past two years. But ya know, I wasn't wanting for anything after this salad. It was just so fresh and summery. (Still so hot down here.)

The hub had the omelet, which I believe was spicy. Yes, I tried the taters. And yes, they were as good as they look.

Ok, I'm officially hungry, again. I should have waited until after dinner to write this!