Starting Off 2012 Right

January 2, 2012 By Laura

Notice anything new?

Look up… there’s gullible written on the ceiling.

I kid. Look at the top of the screen. I have a new HEADER!!!

The amazing, talented, and hilarious Holly @ The Healthy Everythingtarian designed it for me. If you don’t already read her blog, then you should start. She is a great writer and makes some of the most yummy-looking food on the web.

In addition to the new header starting my 2012 off right, I did a couple of other things to kick off the New Year:

Dinner with some of my best friends

An awesome drink

(ok, a few awesome drinks…)

Blind Eye - mezcal, raspberry syrup, cynar, lemon, and cava

Pumpkin Zucchini Muffin with Peanut Butter “Icing” for Breakfast

(click here for recipe)

Peanut Butter Icing

1 T peanut four
Splash unsweetened almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

12K run for 2012

Green Smoothie

Banana Avocado Smoothie

1/4 avocado
1/2 banana
1 C spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp Maca
1 C unsweetened almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp almond extract
4-5 drops liquid stevia
Ice + Water, to taste

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Remember when I said I’m not a Resolution-maker?

I lied a little… I set 5 goals for 2011:

Run another Half Marathon – Check!
Work on my fitness, focusing on nutrition and building muscle – Check-ish. There was a little holiday indulgence and I only made it to a 2 pack.
Develop more original recipes – Check!
Surround myself with good people – Check! I have the best friends. 🙂
Advance at work – Check! I was accepted into a leadership program and exceed my goals for 2011.

Writing down goals DOES work – I hit all 5 (with those small exceptions).

In 2012 I just want to start off with this in mind:

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Last week was a little crazy with the unexpected travel, but I managed to squeeze in 6 days of workouts. I started 2012 with a 12K run. Doing it in kilometers was a little cheat… but I can’t just bust out 12 miles like Matt. 😉 I was pleasantly surprised at how good it felt since I haven’t been running. My pace was even good at a 7:37 min/mile average.

Workout Recap (12/26 – 1/1)

Monday – TRX suspension class, 100 push-ups
Tuesday – This BodyRock, Elliptical – 45 mins, 100 push-ups
Wednesday – Rest, 100 push-ups
Thursday – Kickboxing, TRX
Friday – Tris/Chest
Saturday – Kickboxing, 100 push-ups
Sunday – 12K run (in honor of 2012), 100 push-ups

***

I’m looking forward to a kick ass 2012!

How did you start off the new year?

What are you most looking forward to this month?

Indulging in 2012

December 31, 2011 By Laura

Happy New Years Eve!!!

In case you do get a little over-zealous while welcoming 2012…

Top 5 Hangover Helpers:

Sleep – roll over and pray it goes away
Hydrate – before you roll over and go back to sleep, chug a big glass of water or Gatorade (taking a Motrin or Excedrin Migraine with it may not be a bad idea either)
Exercise – nothing works better than to sweat out all those toxins (not that I would know)
Hair of the Dog – there’s a reason bloody’s and mimosas are breakfast drinks. They work. Just watch out or you’ll only have a worse hang over the following day!
Kombucha – It may be in my head, but I swear this stuff lessens a hangover. Is it the tummy-pleasing enzymes? The fermentation? The carbonation? Who cares. It works.

Other ideas include: Waffle House, coffee, (caffeine), Pedialyte. Mom says orange juice. Baby sis says Emergen-C before going out and pickles the next day.

You can thank us later (when your head stops pounding).

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In all the excitement I almost forgot to post about my December Foodie Penpal treats!

The amazing Rachael @ The Avid Appetite sent me a package not to be forgotten!

In it was homemade marshmallows (which were gone in about 30 minutes!), a fantastic loaf of banana bread, KIND bars, and a couple of holiday teas. Sometimes I think bloggers have ESP – how did she know that banana bread is my favorite loaf and that KIND bars have been on my “to try” list for literally a year? Thanks, Rachel!!! And thank you for organizing, Lindsay!

Want a Foodie Penpal of your own?

Please send an email to Lindsay @ theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:

-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)

She will need to hear from you by January 4th – penpals will be notified on January 5th!

***

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments yesterday AND for the votes to land me in the FoodBuzz Top 9 today (check it out here) – you guys made my 2011!

What are your big plans tonight?

Any hangover cures to share? 🙂

The Christmas Spirit

December 15, 2011 By Laura

I worked until 11:30p last night.

And I went to the dentist for a filling. And I didn’t get the prep done that I had planned for the catering gig this weekend.

This was well-deserved:

What had happened was…

I was wrapping up my work when I saw Rufus’ blog post titled “Christmas in a Glass.” My curiosity was piqued and 5 minutes later I was making myself a reward-in-a-glass. The only change I made was to use unsweetened almond milk rather than heavy cream.

Next time you need a little something to take the edge off of the holidays, I do recommend this deliciousness commonly known as a Brandy Alexander. Don’t skip the nutmeg.

An additional recommendation is making a midnight snack of cereal in the same glass. Without rinsing it.

Raise your hand if you think I’m ~~even more~~ weird now!

One thing I did get done was a MASSIVE trip to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. Cooking will begin in earnest tomorrow. In the meantime, check out my ~~weaponry~~ groceries:

This isn’t everything I need for a party of 40, but it is a big portion.

On the menu:

White Bean Rosemary Dip
Baked Brie with a Pecan-Bourbon Glaze
Grape and Blue Cheese Truffles
Rosemary Bread
Endive Boats with Pomegranate, Pumpkin, and Champagne Vinaigrette
Apple Sausage Chestnut Stuffing in Phyllo
Pesto Chicken Wraps
Pumpkin Fudge
These Champagne and these Red Wine Balls

Can I pull it off? You’ll have to keep reading to see. Don’t you love a cliff-hanger?

***

I fell victim to the craziness and missed a workout for the first time in I don’t know how long. It was a good steak.

Are you staying on track this holiday season?

What is your favorite holiday drink? (Other than eggnog ’cause I don’t like it 🙂 )

Going Underground Like a Costa Rican

December 9, 2011 By Laura

The only thing that would have made this dinner better is if it had actually been in Costa Rica.

Last week I attended my 3rd Push Start Kitchen dinner. In case you missed my previous write-ups, Push Start Kitchen is an Underground Supper run by Atlanta native Zach Meloy and his wife, Christina. This supper club is their way to generate buzz in hopes of pushing a restaurant start here in Atlanta.

I’m pretty sure Zach is going to quit letting me come after a while, but I now have a nickname… that must be worth something.

Why I Keep Coming Back:

Flavors: they are thoughtful and unique – the combinations are not seen anywhere else in Atlanta
Freshness: All of the ingredients are purchased locally the week of the dinner
Environment: dinner is laid back – no need to get glammed up or make a production over it
New friends: I love the opportunity to share a meal with 10 people I don’t know

Preachin’ and Pourin’

As Zach so eloquently put it:

You shouldn’t have to deal with assholes to have a really good meal.

Zach and his wife just returned from a trip to Chris’ hometown of Alajuela, Costa Rica. This particular feast was inspired by their travels.

As usual, we began with an amuse. This time it was a cream cheese spread topped with pepper jelly and black sea salt. Sweet and spicy is my favorite flavor combo, so I was thrilled with this dip. The slight crunch from the salt flakes on top was a nice touch as well.

This was served along with a cocktail worthy of the chilly evening – hot cider with rum, ginger liquor, and a lemon wedge.

I’ll be making this one at home!

The appetizer was good, but I was particularly fascinated by the dish it was served in.

Zack brought these mini tins back from his recent trip to Costa Rica.

Caution: don’t open your lid until it’s time. Otherwise, you run the risk of a ninja chop to your exposed, defenseless neck.

The tins held a sort of deconstructed salad he called “Ensalada de Palmito.” The salad consisted of hearts of palm, charred onion, cucumber, shaved manchego, puffed rice with Indian spices, and a lemon mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise isn’t my favorite, but overall the textures were fun together. I particularly enjoyed the charred onions; they were slightly pureed and went really well with the manchego.

All day long I looked forward to the main dish. Zach (@PushStartCook) spend the afternoon taunting his Twitter followers with messages like:

Beef cheek “olla de carne” has already been going for an hour and boy, does the house smell good. Can’t wait to share.

The dish was titled “Ollo de Carne.” It was a slow-cooked beef cheek, heirloom carrots, chayote squash, green plantain, blue potato, and cilantro emulsion.

Once everyone had received a plate (ladies first – a very nice touch), Zach circled the table to pour Caldo de res (beef broth) over the veggies in each person’s bowl.

Again, the flavor combination was spot-on. That beef cheek was so tender you didn’t even need a knife. The cilantro emulsion swirled up in the broth; the herb-y flavor was just what was needed to bring the dish together. Can you believe how BLUE that potato was?

As delicious as everything was, dessert stole the show. Tres Leches. In case you aren’t familiar with this dish it a Latin dessert consisting of a sponge cake soaked in 3 milks – evaporated, condensed, and heavy cream (yeah… it’s a health food). It is often served with rum poured over the top.

Zach served a shot of rum on the side, giving us the option to pour it over or ~~shoot~~ sip it. Also on the dish were black tapioca balls in a coffee syrup.

This was literally the best Tres Leches I have ever had. I’m picky about dessert and I don’t give credit where it isn’t due. This was even better than the one from Tierra cited in Creative Loafing’s 100 Dishes to Eat in Atlanta Before You Die. (Note: sadly, Tierra has since closed.)

In talking to Zach about this dish, he casually mentioned it was the first time he’s ever made Tres Leches. I’m thinking he must have been a pastry chef in his last life.

We finished the meal with the traditional almond-coated candy and ~~cordial~~ moonshine.

In case you missed my other Push Start Write-Ups:

Push Start #1 – the one with my favorite entrée
Push Start #2 – the one with my favorite appetizer

***

Betcha can’t guess where I was again last night… yep, another dinner.

Is there a restaurant you go to so much they know you when you walk in?

If you could quit you and do anything – money no object – what would you do? I’d own a restaurant!

Game Day Inspired Dinner

November 19, 2011 By Laura

Underground dinners are my favorite.

The “secret” suppers have exploded in Atlanta and – from what I hear – across the country. They are meals prepared by local (mostly) aspiring chefs for a small group of people lucky enough to catch wind of the event. I’ve been to quite a few and always come away inspired and with several new friends.

Push Start Kitchen has been my favorite so far. I’ve only been to two (click here for the details of that event), but hope to have the opportunity to attend more. Atlanta local Zach Meloy and his Costa Rican wife Christina prepare a thoughtful menu full of unique flavor combinations. (Think Southern meets Latin).

When I received the email about Zach’s November dinner, I knew I had to go. He was preparing a menu inspired by stadium traditions! You guys know I love my football.

It happened to be held on my friend Jessica’s birthday (check out the gluten-free meatball guest post she wrote for me here), and I was excited to share the experience with my friend.

The evening began with a delicious tequila and pear cocktail, accompanied by Zach’s take on corn nuts. These were tossed in an addicting sweet-spicy sauce. ~~I may have eaten more than my share.~~

Next up was the soup course. We were given bowls with granola (he uses Trader Joe’s), pickled carrot, buttermilk panna cotta, and chipotle molasses. That alone was a gorgeous showing!

Zach then circled the table, pouring celery root soup atop each plating. It was a perfect combination of textures and flavors – crunchy granola, vinegar-laced carrots, subtle sweetness of the panna cotta, and the fantastic smoky heat from the chipotle molasses were all tied together with the earthy, rich celery soup. He needs to start serving seconds!

I could have died happy after this, but we still had the main course to come!

Slow cooked chicken, with crispy onion, grain mustard panade, roasted red cabbage, and pretzel puree. Yes it was as good as it sounds.

Zach’s chicken was the most perfectly cooked meat I’ve ever put in my mouth. That’s no small feat. The grain mustard had just the right amount of tang with the ballpark-salty pretzel puree.

Some people turn up their noses at the idea of ordering chicken in restaurants because it’s so “pedestrian.” I always argue that – like eggs – if a chef can prepare it perfectly, it’s the sign of real talent.

You know when you don’t want to finish a dish or drink because it’s so good you don’t want it to end? Our stadium meal was one I was sad to see end. Alas, it was time for dessert.

Mexican hot chocolate cake with malt ice cream, dulce de leche with black salt, and kettle corn.

The cake was good, but he could have made the dessert entirely of the homemade ice cream, popcorn, and the smoky black salted caramel. Lately I’ve posted a lot about my love of sweet-salty or savory combos and this hit the spot! I swear I didn’t make special requests.

Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of Jessica’s dessert. She is gluten-free, so Zach prepared a caramelized banana dish for her that looked fabulous. She didn’t offer to share. He even put a candle in it!

The meal ended with a thick berry cordial and a sweet Latin candy rolled in crushed almonds, dipped and coated on the spot. Two desserts = just my style.

The night didn’t end there, but this post does!

***

Thanks to all for a second Top 9 this week! Check out my Sparkling Cake Balls on FoodBuzz by clicking here.

What is your favorite stadium food?

What chef would prepare the meal at your dream supper club?

A Taste of Everything

November 8, 2011 By Laura

Saturday was one of those days where I feel like I never stopped eating.

In other words, it was a perfect day.

After the panels, we made our way to the Tasting Pavilion. There was definitely a buzz in the air as the bloggers lined up to be let in.

Inside there were companies offering samples of everything from coffee to wine, chocolates to endive, vegan meal bars to lamb-filled phyllo.

I left no corner undiscovered as I bounced from table to table in a state of foodie euphoria.

Some favorites:

Oren's Nuts

Espolon tequila drink made with COCOA bitters (recipe at the end!!!)

Decadent, thick balsamic (aged 8 years) from House of Balsamic

Mission Minis Cupcakes – the chocolate PB (eaten, thus not pictured) was the best

21st Amendment's craft brews - loved them all, but Allies Win the War took the prize

The Girl & The Fig’s Black Mission Fig Jam

The best part was yet to come…

at 2pm a crowd formed around the Alexia display. None other than Tyler Florence had arrived.

Everything was fine until someone shouted and a mob formed! Tyler was surrounded and security couldn’t restrain the hysterical group of women (and a few men).

The police arrived with tear gas and mob shields. It was like a scene from a movie!

I’m kidding.

It was a very calm line. I waited patiently, along with the other bloggers and received an autograph photo. Tyler and I chatted for a moment about the demo he would be giving at the banquet later that night, and I got a pic with him.

Why doesn't Picnik have an "add lipstick" feature?

Tyler’s demo that evening was also mob-free. Pre-demo/dinner there was a cocktail hour where we snacked on the 4 finalist recipes for the new Alexia flavor.

No surprise, my favorite was the Thai-Spiced Sweet Potato

The reception was a great experience because I was able to meet even more bloggers – including Mamma Pea (who told me she thought I would be taller in person… I thought she’d be shorter 🙂 ).

I also got to hang with some of the same people we met the night before. Our table was a fun one!

Pictured: Karen, Lauren, Maissa, Christin, Me, Sarah, and Lori. (Thanks to Sarah for sharing this pic!)

Last but certainly not least – I spent some QT goofing off with my new favorite person – Andy (a.k.a. orange pants).

Andy and Me

Andy's pants

For his demo, T-Flo (his new nickname, pass it on) made a fantastic-smelling sage pork chop with sautéed cabbage.

T Flo's meat

Gentle hands to saute the cabbage

TV screen shot of the plated dish

"My name is T Flo, and my pork is fantastic."

Unfortunately that was NOT what we had for dinner. It was kind of a cruel tease because Tyler’s sage and seared pork smelled incredible.

What we had:

Banquet menu

Even FoodBuzz couldn’t make hotel banquet food taste good…

I requested the vegetarian meal, which consisted of wheatberries, leek, tomatoes, and carrots. Sounds ok, but in reality it was overall greasy and tough. Ho hum.

Looking on the bright side, I did get to practice my iPhone photography on Karen’s surf n’ turf main! The lighting was terrible, but one of these was shot with a point-and-shoot and the other with my iPhone.

Can you tell which is which?

I like to call these “I’m still learning.”

Until next year, my friends! P.S. Come to Atlanta!!!

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Here’s the tequila-cocoa bitters recipe, as promised. If you serve this at your next party, please invite me. So. Good. 🙂

La Bandita

2 oz Espolon tequila
3/4 oz Wild Turkey American Honey
1/4 oz Frangelico
2 dashes Angostura cocoa bitters

Shake and serve chilled!

***

If Thomas Keller had been there, I probably would have started a mob.

Have you ever had good banquet food?

Who is your favorite “celebrity” chef?

Skinny Girl Thai Greek Sauce

September 10, 2011 By Laura

Do you enjoy Skinnygirl Margaritas?

Apparently they are in hot water (as opposed to frosty boozy deliciousness). According to TMZ, there has been a class action lawsuit filed against the and Whole Foods has removed the products from the shelf.

The drink claims to be “all-natural” right on the bottle… yet it has a preservative called sodium benzoate in it. Alone it’s not so bad… but when combined vitamin C (absorbic acid) it forms a carcinogen. I couldn’t find an ingredient list online to determine if the Skinnygirl Margarita contains vitamin C.

Creator Bethenny Frankel released the following statement:

I wouldn’t sell anything that I don’t drink myself.

I don’t actually like these. What I do like is that they inspired restaurants to make their own “skinny” margaritas using agave and fresh lime juice. They are SO much better than the sour mix ickiness!

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I’m happy to report that my dinner was natural and had a generous helping of a skinny sauce.

It was intended to be a wrap… then I got carried away with the greens!

After a travel-heavy week I always crave fresh, raw food. I topped an Ezekial 4:9 Sprouted Grain Tortilla with plenty of it!

My pile of raw greens:

Spinach
French green beans
Sprouts
Zucchini
Cucumber
Broccoli

The secret’s in the sauce. Thai Greek Sauce. Thai because of the curry paste and peanut flavor. Greek thanks to the yogurt and lemon. With basil for good measure.

Tangy, spicy, and a little nutty. ~~Like your favorite aunt.~~

This tasty sauce made the perfect spread for my open-faced wrap. Is there such a thing as an open-faced wrap? There is now!

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Thai Greek Sauce

1/4 C Greek yogurt
Juice of 1/4 small lemon
5-6 basil leaves, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp peanut flour
1/8 tsp red curry paste
shake of cumin
S+P, to taste

Mix together in small bowl, spread on the nearest ~~victim~~ item, and devour!

***

I just realized there’s no point in unpacking from this week’s travels before I head out next week. Lovely.

Do you like Skinnygirl Margaritas? Do you care about the inclusion of a preservative?

What’s everyone getting into this weekend?

Rosebud Veggie Jam

June 16, 2011 By Laura

I woke up late. My post is delayed. I’m behind on my blog reading today. I should have already been in to work.

A sure sign of a successful night!

The 65 degree sunny morning did call my name for a run. It was the first since my Achilles began acting up last Saturday. Flat surfaces were ok, but hills were impossible. A few more days of rest and I’ll be good to go (I hope).

Stats:

Distance – 4 miles
Time – 32:40
Pace – 8:10

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Last night was my second Atlanta blogger meet up. In attendance:

Thanks to Lee for sharing the pic!

Left to right:

Lee @ In My Tummy
Stacy @ Stacy Eats
Corinne (my Food + Wine buddy)
Heather @ Girly Ever After
Me
Alanya @ Thyme Bombe

Somehow I managed to talk one of my favorite local chefs, Ron Eyester, into creating a vegetarian tasting menu for us at the meat-centric Rosebud.

That’s an exaggeration. Despite his scary Twitter persona, Ron is a great guy who agreed to take on the challenge almost immediately. (Sorry for outing you as a nice guy, Ron.)

Ron is known more for his meats. I eat meat and can vouch for the tastiness of his meat-centric dishes. After tonight, I can also vouch for his veggie-centric dishes.

He introduced the “Veggie Jam” by emphasizing the importance of using fresh, local ingredients and allowing them to shine without “cooking the shit out of them.” (<– direct quote)

***The details may be a bit off in some of these descriptions, but know that a lot of thought was put into using seasonal, fresh ingredients in each course.***

Like all good meals, this one began with a cocktail.

Our cocktail was made of tomato-infused vodka, cucumber shrub, and soda. It was garnished with mini-heirloom tomatoes. This drink was tasty, light and paired really well with the first couple of dishes.

1st Course

Pink-Eyed Pea Pate

This was Ron’s take on a vegetarian pate. It was made with pink-eyed peas and served atop a crusty toast with radishes. The radishes set off the pate flavor and the creamy pate was complimented by the crunch of the bread.

2nd Course

Marinated mozzarella, tomato, cilantro, and apricot

This take on a caprese salad was a success. Rosebud makes their own mozzarella in-house. It’s more dense than a bufala, which worked well with the spicy-cilantro tomato sauce.

3rd Course

Heirloom tomatoes, pineapple, and sriracha sauce

Heirloom tomatoes are just beginning to appear and these are some of the first local varieties to come available this season. They were perfectly red (though you can’t tell from my iPhone photography!) and flavorful.

The pineapple topping was incredible – I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that combo before! It was drizzled with a srircha-olive oil mixture and topped with an impossibly fresh piece of parsley.

Course 4

Chilled potato and broccoli soup

Honestly, this wasn’t my favorite. It was a bit salty. The soup was a chilled potato with a scoop of broccoli soup in the middle.

My favorite part was the cheese powder and the local egg. It was the same cheese Ron uses at The Family Dog (his bar across the street) to make his “Cheetoes.” Do not miss these if you’re ever at the bar!

Course 5

Brussels with Red-Curry Peanut Sauce

This course was my favorite. Brussel sprouts tossed in a red curry-peanut sauce and roasted. It was mixed with fresh parsley and topped with crispy wontons. Served with a side of the saucy deliciousness. It was all I could do to keep myself from licking the plate.

Ron – please add this to the menu. Immediately. 🙂

Course 6

Mac ‘n Cheese

True to form, Ron cannot simply make a mac and cheese. This incorporated Midnight Moon aged goat’s cheese, a creamy cow’s milk goat cheese, dinosaur kale, and cauliflower.

It should be noted that at this point I am FULL. But I’m no quitter, y’all.

Course 7

Yellow filet beans and tempura eggplant

Yellow filet beans – according to Ron – are only in season for a few weeks in the spring. Now is the time. If you see them in your local market, I urge you to check them out. They’re similar to a pole bean, though a bit sweeter.

Ron tossed them with zucchini, fresh oregano (perfect herb compliment for these!), feta, kalamata olives, and a light vinaigrette. All of this was served over a tempura-battered eggplant and a red curry ketchup.

Course 8

Rice grits with oyster shrooms and baby leeks

Rice grits are similar to risotto, but they retain more crunch. In a good way. These were fantastic with the earthy oyster mushrooms and baby leeks. Ron told us there were 20 lbs of leeks in our 6 dishes! The charred leek on the top was my favorite.

Our server brought out a bottle of a California Cabernet that paired well with this dish. Often people don’t think to pair a “big” wine with a meat-less dish, but with an earth mushroom and a heavier grain it works really well!

Course 9

Blue Cheese + Blueberries

A wonderfully rich blue cheese topped with a balsamic-port reduction. This was served with simple, plump blueberries. Their sweetness was amazing and they definitely stole this show!

Course 10

Bruleed Peaches and Salted Caramel Ice Cream

We finished with a salted caramel ice cream from High Road Craft Ice Cream (now being sold locally at Whole Foods!). This was served with bruleed peaches – topped with brown sugar and cloves. Note to self: I under-utilize cloves.

Despite being stuffed, I somehow managed to finish my gigantic bowl. ~~Had I known the other ladies better, I might have asked to finish theirs too.~~

Ron brought over a very special treat from The Family Dog – locally-made bourbon! It was great with the peaches and salty ice cream. I am going to have dreams of it drizzled as a sauce and served over peach bread pudding.

Ron and the local moonshine… errr… whiskey

This a random, but I have to say that I appreciate a guy offering whiskey to a table of ladies (and me). Thanks for not discriminating – I ♥ whiskey.

Our server, Amber was incredible. Knowledgeable, the right amount of attentive, and incredibly nice. I’d have a drink with her anytime… and I like that in a server. If you are in the Atlanta area, check out Rosebud and ask for her! Tell her Laura sent you. 🙂

This post would be remiss without giving Rosebud a brunch shout-out – it’s one of my top 5 in Atlanta (and Atlanta has a LOT of brunches). Order the Big Nasty. Just trust me.

Ron – when will you be opening a vegetarian restaurant?!

***

Thanks to Ron, Amber, Rosebud, and some awesome bloggers for an evening to remember!

Do you have local blogger/common-interest group meet-ups?

What sorts of things do you do?