People in St. Pete are nothing if not inventive!!
CK and I were invited to the 4th Annual 4th Avenue Olympics last weekend, yo! Behold:
Well, CK’s been to this awesome event before. But, me? My first time. And let me tell you, it was impressive. Our friends Katie and Chad host the event, and it involves a number of their neighbors (luckily, since we were traipsing through their yards most of the afternoon) and friends getting together for some good, old-fashioned, kick-you-in-the-pants, country-tastic fun. With costumes. And shots!
When we first got there, we all gathered around for the Opening Ceremonies, with each country’s song loaded up on the ipod. Seriously. It was fantastic.
I was representing New Zealand……really for no good reason. (People kept asking me if it was because of that show “Flight of the Conchords.” But, sadly, I’m not that cool. We don’t even get HBO). Most of the big countries were there: USA, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Somalia (I’ll let you imagine what the costume might have consisted of there), and Chad was representing…well, Chad. Hilarious.
The events were: Frisbee Golf (totally awesome and harder than it sounds!), Darts, Egg Races, Baggos (kind of like horseshoes, but with boards and bean bags), and Ring Toss (just like at the amusement park).
Here were this year’s medalists in Frisbee Golf (each on his or her respective podium, of course). I was, naturally, not a part of it. My attempt at a curve on the dogleg of #9? Let’s just say it didn’t get me anywhere good. Or anywhere near the hole.
It was such an awesome time. And, CK took home the bronze!
I didn’t have a whole lot to show for my day of competition… I mean, really, it all fell apart for me after my first jello shot on the back nine of frisbee golf, but what are you going to do? Kiwis do love their tropical fruit gelatin-flavored alcohol. Am I right?
Let me count the ” ‘n’ats. ”
CK and I went to the Pens-Lightning game the other night. He’s a HUGE Pens fan and had stumbled upon some great tickets for Tuesday night’s game.
Word.
I like hockey. I mean, it’s no football or anything (Six-Time World Champs, BABY!), but I do like it. I’m sure if I understood it as much as I understand football, it’d be, well, a totally different ballgame! (Sorry).
So, in a parking lot right by the Forum, CK and I get out of the car as two guys were getting out of their car right behind us. I guess they spotted our Penguins attire (or, in my case, black and gold clothing with no logos whatsoever because I don’t own any Pens stuff and CK wouldn’t let me wear my Farrior jersey, but that’s a totally different story…) because the guy yelled, “HEY! WHAT PART-A PIXBURGH Y’INS GUYS FROHM??” Hilarious. God, I love the ‘Burgh. It just never stops amazing me how Pittsburgh is seriously everywhere. I moved, literally, one thousand miles from home, and I keep running into the neighbors I left behind. And, we’re just one big, heavily-accented happy family.
Of course, we got to talking to them, and Andrew - didn’t catch what part of town he grew up in - lives and works down on Captiva Island, otherwise known as heaven, about three hours south of here. His friend was visiting from the North Hills. Great guys. Andrew told us that if we ever wanted to have a destination wedding, he’d totally hook us up (yes, the four of us became very close in a very short period of time). Wedding, schmedding. But, dudes! Does that place not look awesome?? They have these million dollar homes that you can rent by the week. And, at off-peak times, with the right group of people, they’re not even expensive!!
Ah, to have more vacation days…
Anyway, I’m getting totally off track here.
Let’s go Pens!
Oh, and if anybody has advice on how to fall OUT of love with this guy, look me up.
I heart Paula Deen. She’s just one of the bazillion reasons I heart the Food Network. Her southern drawl, her unbelievably amazing kitchen that I’d actually kind of like to live in (please, thank you), her down-home raunchiness… it’s all part of the (as my friend Hitch would say, “GLORIOUS!!”) Savannah-wrapped package.
I don’t know why I’ve never made this recipe before. I’ve watched her make this at least a handful of times on TV. And, it must be one of her favorite recipes, too, because I see it around all the time: in her magazine, on Food Network’s website…
That’s right, friends. It was finally time for the Fresh Fruit Tart.
And, as per (my) usual, I morphed two recipes together. I used Paula’s recipe for the crust and filling. Hers suggests using various kinds of fresh fruit, which I’m sure would make it both delicious and pretty. But, my friendly neighborhood SweetBay had limited items to offer. So, I opted for strawberries only. The strawberries down here are amazing right now, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong (and, I didn’t).
As far as the glaze, though, I used the one from Ina’s Strawberry Tart recipe. It was just apricot jelly and water, and it made a lot less (it doesn’t take much to glaze this tart), so I went that way instead.
And, BEHOLD!
