it's game day y'all

GO HOOS! chant chant chant something wa-hooos!
"We", UVA, lost the game against UCLA (not a surprise) but only by a couple points so, that's better than nothing! I have never in my life had as much spirit about anything as people in Charlottesville do about UVA sports. Last night we went to Fridays after 5, see pictures below, last night and there was a giant pep rally in the streets and I almost died from claustrophobia, so many people showed up to see the cheerleaders, marching band, and baton twirlers. While I did like the baton moves, I ditched Keegan ASAP and revived myself with some Sweet Frog Froyo, voted best frozen yogurt in Charlottesville. (see food news for my review).

Fridays after 5 take place on Fridays (duh) from 5.30-8 ish at the Pavilion in the Downtown Mall, an open air mall a lot like Mashpee Commons.

Keegan finishing my supper at Zazus

sitting on the lawn for the music! There were tons of cute babies to wave at.

trying to take a picture

obvi needed a DONUT! it was so hot and fresh, mmmmmmmm

I didn't get any photos of the pep rally because I was too busy fighting for my life. I have a source that tells me people from this area "bleed orange" and I would not be surprised.

Today was the first UVA football game against UCLA (we lost as noted above). Keegan and I were going to go but then decided against it. We went to the farmers market and the library in the morning, rested at home for a while, and then just went on a late afternoon bike ride.

practicing new braids! It's so freaking hot here that I need to keep it up at all times.

If anyone is looking for new sandals I recommend Saltwaters. I got mine from Nordstroms online but Zappos also has them. They are so comfortable and are water shoes! I've worn them almost every day since May and they're holding up great.

Taking a picture of us in a mirror from outside Christian's Pizza. 

Seen at the farmers market: beat down flat wear to use as plant markers! 

beautiful flowers

more donuts

Keegan gave me a bite of his spiced donut, deeelish

bought us some flowers and a peach and ginger iced tea!

after the library

cute dog postcard! "Dogs of the Downtown Mall"

Looking at you mother.

bought myself some fresh peaches at the market! Keegan can't eat fruit so I get them alllll mwahahahhahaa

our flowers!

For game day we made some snacks:

And watched from the comfort of the AC! Bean dip and guac for everrrrrrr

After that meal and a little rest, we went for a bike ride on the Riavanna Bike Path, a short little bike/walking trail that is so beautiful and goes right along the river.

they have a bike pump and bike tools right there for you to use!

I love my Bobble, everyone should go get one at the grocery store. It filters your water for you! Thanks mom!

What else is going on…I miss you mom and dad! And other family members who read this!!!

In Food News……

As I mentioned at the beginning, Sweet Frog (http://sweetfrogyogurt.com) was listed the best Froyo in Charlotteville. It was good, but not impressing. Basically the same as any commercial frozen yogurt store - you pour your own super sweet soft serve froyo, put on your toppings, and pay by weight. What I am really craving is GoBerry (http://www.go-berry.com) from Western Mass. I just drooled over their website, they tell you what they're serving in each location. Anyone in Northampton go try the cookies and cream and tell me how it is please.

I'm feeling kind of weird here, I've been getting nauseous a lot on and off (not pregnant, that was a great joke dad). My mom suggested I cut down on gluten (NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo) so this morning I made pancakes that were gluten free!

I took two ripe bananas

added three eggs and a little bit of baking powder and blended in my little Ninja food processor until smooth

I coated a pan in coconut oil

and made little baby pancakes!

They were really good, as long as you like bananas. Keegan and I ate them with syrup. You need to make sure that you don't cut down on the egg to banana basic ratio because otherwise it ends up being kind of like a banana omelet apparently. I tried to make a few large pancakes and they fell apart a bit (still delectable).

I'm experimenting with cooking with coconut oil. I found that I needed three times as much as I thought I would to make the pancakes. Because it is so much lighter than butter, it evaporated when cooked, so I had to reapply after each batch and sometimes add more when they were sticking. Tasted awesome though!!

I love you all, someone come visit me!

Here's my mailing address for care packages, letters, and ben&bills chocolate:

157 Yellowstone Drive, Appt #006

Charlottesville, VA

22903

xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxxoxoxooooooooooooooo

happy friday!

Hello all,
I am employed! I got that job at Para on the spot, they loved me so much :)
Actually I think they were under-staffed, but that's also fine. Here's my new work:

we sell cupcakes from sweethaus! This goes in food news too:

http://www.sweethaus.com

They're a cupcake cafe, really good and interesting flavors. This one is pistachio, today we were selling chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes.

We make our own nut milk: almond, pecan, and walnut.

I'll get the recipe and post it (looking at you Nora)

hanging out in the storage room

the cafe!

I'm at home watching the Following on Netflix, it's set in Virginia, so extra creeeeeepy. Keegan's in class but after he gets out we are going to this thing called Fridays after 5. There is music in the big amphitheater in the downtown mall and we're going to listen for free on the lawn. I got some cookies for yummy snacks! 

Tomorrow is the first big football game against UCLA I think. Maybe I can learn to be interested in sports??

I am certainly loving the terrain and free outdoor things to do. I went "hiking" (walking on some paths through the woods) the other day for a few hours. 

so beautiful this time of year

whoops ended up at Monticello

trespassing….

loving it!!

There's also a really nice skating rink which has been fun to use, it's only 10$ and skates are free. They have a ton of public skate hours, unlike falmouth - so great.

And the best part of the blog:

FOOD!

Besides Sweethaus…

Keegan made me some awesome pasta and sauce! I did not take a picture because I was too busy eating but it had a lot of carrots and basil in it…mmmmm…. His mom bought us whole wheat pasta so I am trying to get used to a healthy lifestyle.

Nowhere in the South sells frozen fruit, so I had to drive all the way to Trader Joe's and pay through the nose for some strawberries but now I can make smoothies!! While I was there I picked up some green chilies and made a Mexican vegetable soup to save for a lazy night.

bad quality because of the steam but it smells great

an onion, garlic, a little olive oil, salt, 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 tomatoes, 3 carrots, a pile of green chilies, a little oregano

I'll boil up some quinoa and chicken for when we are ready to eat!!

And this is basically my staple salad:

red cabbage, carrots, and french salad dressing

Bodo's Bagels are growing on me too.

xoxo!

week one down

I'm sitting here in my pajamas even though I've been up for two hours because although it is 60 something degrees out right now, there's a high of 88 today… So stressful deciding how to layer accordingly. Also, I am waiting for this man to email me back about coming into a coffee shop to have an interview! I am really into this place, they have delicious coffee and awesome buns and cookies. It's call Para Coffee (http://www.paracoffee.com) and is right on the Corner across from UVA. It would be so great to get the job because there's a little bus from our apartment that drops me at UVA and I could just walk over.

and they have cute mugs!

Speaking of walking, I have done so much of it. This is in part because it's easier to know my way around once I've walked through, but mainly because both my GPS apps broke so I am afraid to drive. And I lost all my parallel parking skills because I always parked at the Woods Hole Library. 

And speaking of library's I got a library card! Whoo whoo!

I will unfortunetly have to remember to bring my card with me, unlike at home.

While at the library I signed up for a book club online. Their next meeting is on September 16th and they're reading The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. I ordered it from the library so hopefully I get it in time. I think it will be mainly older women, but that's okay! It'll be good to have some incentive to read real books because Keegan and I are slacking on that front:

please don't judge us

Right now he's reading I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max (he borrowed it from me) and I just finished White Girl Problems by Babe Walker. I do not suggest reading either of these books if you are easily disgusted. I am choosing to look at them as satire and a sideways commentary on the state of youth in America. Probably they're both just jerks, but I'm ignoring it. 

But now that I'm done with that dredge, I'm reading American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett! It's kind of scary but also awesome. It's definitely fantasy but not with wands and wizards. It takes place in a town that was created by the government to house their scientists working on a top secret meta-physics project (or something like that). I have to keep the bathroom and closet doors shut at night now.

In food news….

Because Keegan's mom left we haven't been eating out. I made a great supper the other night though!

chopping veggies

Keegan "helping"

finished product!

There's no real recipe to this. The base is mixed greens with some chopped basil mixed in, and then on top I put tomatoes, boiled chicken, cucumbers, quinoa, and some left over tabouli. There's also garlic, but because we don't have a garlic press I tried to chop it and it didn't work so well. Looks like I have to go back to target!

xoxo

It's only summer outside.

Rule #1 that I have learned about living in the south: always bring a sweater. It may be 95 degrees with  95% humidity, but inside all those restaurants and stores it feels like the Arctic circle.

Rule #2 there are huge bugs that will try to sneak into your home, avoid them at all costs.

giant cicada outside my door, luckily it had perished already

The apartment is coming together well! There are still some boxes around and not a lot of art on the walls, but probably by the end of this week it'll come together. Keegan starts school on Tuesday, so I am sure I will be doing all the work.

bedroom with lounging boyfriend

notice that there are two twin comforters on the queen bed so that we never have to share

we have a tiny patio where I can store my bike! 

In food news, 

Charlottesville has an awesome farmers market! It's pretty big, a lot like the Burlington one and at least three times bigger than the one in Amherst. It takes place at the downtown mall from 7-12 on Saturdays and then I hear there is another one on Wednesdays, I'll have to investigate. http://www.charlottesvillecitymarket.com

 maybe I'll expand my tastes and eat some eggplants

FRESH DONUTS! We got cinnamon, but they also had spiced, glazed, and chocolate. They make them right there in front of you.

cool little drum circle outside this coffee shop

Carter Mountain Orchard: http://www.cartermountainorchard.com

Right outside Charlottesville, by Monticello, is Carter Mountain. You can drive, or walk, all the way up the steep mountain and at the top there are acres of peaches, apples, and grapes! You can pay to pick your own or go into the store and buy some pre-picked. They also make their own wine. 

obviously had to have a second donut, apple cider this time

what else have I eaten….

Sultan Kebab

I won't tell you where this place is a) because I'm not sure I could find it again and b) because it's tiny and I don't want to share. I think this was my first foray into Turkish food and I love it! Lots of tabouli and yogurt sauce.

donner kebab, white bean salad, and tabouli 

when I was in France, they sell these sandwiches on the streets like fast food, this one was so amazing

Vita Nova: http://www.vitanovapizzapasta.com

Right in the downtown mall! It was raining pretty hard so we stopped into the first place that wasn't super crowded and we were not disappointed. You can order a pizza or just get a gigantic slice in one of their many flavors. I had a large piece of margarita pizza and then split a small pepperoni calzone with Keegan and his sister. deeeelicious

and finally Chaps Ice cream: http://www.chapsicecream.com
It's nice to find a homemade ice cream store here, but I still like Ben and Bills and Smitty's better overall. However, Chaps makes the best coffee ice cream that I have ever had because it has actual coffee grounds in it!!

that's coffee in the back center, yummmm

Keegan starts orientation and school things today so hopefully I'll have some insight into UVA soon!

xoxoxooooo love you all