Europe 2016: Granada, Spain

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Granada, though in the same region as Sevilla is a completely different city. It’s in the Sierra Nevada Mountains making it very hilly. It has a long and storied history from the time of the Moors and no where is this more visible than the Alhambra, the Moorish palace that overlooks the city. Granada also has a thriving tapas scene and a unique way of serving them – if you order a drink at a tapas bar/restaurant, you get a tapa for free. A second drink will get you a different tapa, and so on. It’s a unique and fun experience. 

Needless to say, we were excited to be in this beautiful and historic city. Continue reading →

Easy Hummus Recipe

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I remember my very first time eating hummus. I was 13 years old and my mom had taken us to a Mediterranean restaurant called Aladdin’s. I remember loving to dip the soft, warm pita into the thick chickpea dip. 

Hummus has been a consistent snack in my life since then but up until recently, I always purchased it pre-made from the grocery store. As it grew in popularity, it became more expensive and I found myself wanting to make my own to save money and also experiment with flavors.

After a couple of tries at roasted red pepper and jalapeno-cilantro, I realized I needed to master a good “plain” recipe. I experimented a bit and the final result is great – smooth, slightly tangy and always satisfying.  Continue reading →

Europe 2016: Seville, Spain

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Spain. The most anticipated portion of our trip.

Being Americans with shitty vacation time, we had to prioritize where to spend our precious days. I’d been to Spain 3 times perviously and traveled to many parts of the country. I felt Andalusia was the best region to visit for many reasons – smaller cities, rich history, an amazing tapas culture and the Alhambra – being a few.  Continue reading →

Europe 2016: Paris for a Day

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Originally, our trip to Europe was going to be London, Seville and Granada. Somewhere along the way and partially due to high costs of airfare to get from London to Madrid, I had the crazy and fun idea to take the Eurostar to Paris, spend a day there and then fly from there to Madrid. In hindsight, I would not have done this. I’ve done Paris in a day from London 3 times before, but I was 19 and 20. I think my downfall with this trip in general was that because I’d been to all these places before and generally knew the areas and how to get around, I was so confident we could do a lot. And we did – I was an efficiency queen and we were jam-packed every day. But as a result we didn’t really give Paris a chance and for that, I feel badly because Sean deserved to experience it in a better way. 

But, as the French say, c’est la vie. We went, we saw what we could, we exhausted ourselves and if we ever go back, we will stay longer. Continue reading →

Europe 2016: London

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Twelve years ago, I embarked on a journey that set my life on its present course. My first time in London was filled with wonder, learning, curiosity and a desire to see more of the world. It’s truly the greatest city in the world and was the perfect jumping-off-point for my formative college years. I went back 5 years ago and felt a contentment with my current life that made me love my memories that much more. 

I’ve wanted to show Sean this special place for a number of years and this trip was finally it. I showed him the city through my eyes and I think it actually was a disservice to him as he didn’t necessarily get to have his own unique experience. But 4 days isn’t much time and in the end we did a lot, saw a lot and made some great memories.  Continue reading →

Out and About: Tea Tastings at Zen Tea

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Sean and I try to go on a “date night” 3-4 times per month. It’s more than a quick dinner on Buford Highway – it’s planned out with reservations and is generally somewhere we have not been or something we haven’t done previously. This works great for us as a way to keep exploring Atlanta beyond our own favorites on Buford Highway.

One site I always check for fun and interesting date night ideas is Scoutmob and their “Hand-Picked” series. It goes beyond food to include activities, massages, music, museums, etc. and all for great prices. When I saw the Hand-Picked promotion for tea tastings at Zen Tea in downtown Chamblee, I knew it was perfect for date night. Continue reading →

Why I Won’t Be Flocking to Aldi to Buy Their New Organic Produce

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aldiIt’s been a long time since I’ve done a serious, non-lifestyle themed post.

But after reading the news of Aldi’s foray into organic foods, the $3 billion/500 stores growth plan and the many ways in which they keep their items cheap, I felt the need to highlight what those rock-bottom prices actually cost us – lest we forget. We’ve got to remember that fundamental Economics 101 fact – “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”  Continue reading →