BRUSSELS POUTS

I’ve been treated like a queen in the past couple of weeks in the food department. Abbie’s parents came in town last weekend, and yes they’re THOSE parents. The fun kind that take out their kid’s friends to dinner with a side of dirty martinis (at Buckhead Diner — taking out my phone to take photos seemed a little risque) when they come to town. I was introduced to many Schmid inside jokes and mannerisms, including the passing of each other’s plates.

We paid a visit to Vortex, an Atlanta staple for good burgers and a laid back atmosphere (also featured on Man v. Food — sidenote: we didn’t brave the Triple Bypass Burger). Maybe too laid back. Hello, biker night.

The whole “biker” thing goes with the decorations I suppose.

That weekend I braved my first Braves game (…get it?).
I should preface this. I attended tennis camp in the middle of Kansas summer multiple times in my teen years. And I’ve never, ever sweat so much in my entire life. Let’s just say that wearing white shorts was a mistake I won’t be making again.

Sweatiest, hottest day of my entire life, as witnessed by this gentleman’s neck. Great seats though, right?

Fast-forward through my evenings of watching (by watching I mean screaming at the TV) The Bachelorette (ASHLEY WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?!) and The Office, as well as almost burning down my apartment with the amount of smoke that comes out of my pans while sauteing vegetables. Hello WEEKEND. Abbie and I took the MARTA (bus then train) at 8 pm through pouring rain as I donned a sweatshirt over my head to meet another girl I work with, Egan, at a train station in Buckhead. Let’s just say we’re uber-glad the train and bus chose to run right on time.
After discussing Mexican food in length with Abbie on a very hot Sunday afternoon, we decided to brave (ha there it is again) the heat and get food at Tijuana Garage at Little Five points (thank god for roommates with cars).
Enter: hipster waiter.
Abbie: “What’s your favorite thing here? What’s good?”

Hipster: “Well, I try not to eat here much. I just started two months ago.”

Okay, that’s encouraging.

I ate my tilapia and bean/feta tacos too fast to savor the taste Mr. Hipster clearly didn’t have a liking for.
 

Get ready for some food photos.

In a whirlwind week of work, public transportation, and early bed times, I have finally completed my first week of work at CNN. I keep gushing to everyone I know how incredibly lucky I feel to have gotten an internship that I truly enjoy. It’s nice to see the last three years of j-school pay off and feel confident that I have in fact chosen one of those jobs where going to “work” doesn’t really feel like WORK (although transcribing can get a little mundane).

Friday night, my roommate, a couple of girls I intern with and Miss Abbie Schmid (so nice to have someone who I’ve known for longer than a week here with me) went out to Buckhead, a super-ritzy area of Atlanta (hello, W Hotel) to a “country-rock” bar called Peachtree Tavern, where I more than voluntarily offered up Hannah’s dance moves, circa Sensation White. Woof. Not sure the ATL was ready for that yet.

Saturday evening Abbie, myself and her roommate Nicki went to dinner at an amaaazing Thai/Sushi place (Harry & Sons) in Virginia Highlands, another artsy neighborhood of Atlanta, comparable to New York City’s Greenwich Villiage.

My dinner, half of which is still in my fridge… the plate was the size of Tejas.

Downtown Highlands right at sunset, sorry for the awful quality.

Sunday morning started more productively than imagined. Abbie and I trekked through downtown Atlanta to find her office building, and passed by some quality hip hop clothing stores blasting rap music. Got back on the train (which we waited way too long for and got to meet a friendly fellow named “Brandon” carrying a to-go box from a restaurant, donning an all-white outfit) on the way to Midtown. I fell in love with this neighborhood as well, although it might have been the food high I experienced at Flying Biscuit Cafe with a fried green tomato with goat cheese and crushed peanut sandwich:

Hello, lover.

THEN Abbie and I trekked a mile-and-a-half to the Midtown Trader Joe’s, only to come back empty-handed. Now it’s time for an evening of CNN documentaries, followed by some E! shows, and another early lights out. Being a working girl really takes it out of you!

So I’ve been here for 24 hours exactly, and the arrival to my apartment is worthy enough of a short blog post. I took a flight from KC to Denver to Atlanta (no the direction didn’t make much sense to me either, and neither did Frontier’s no-free-snack policy, paired with Pepsi products). 

Started my power walk to baggage claim, unbeknownst to me, from one end of the airport to the other. Get baggage (one huge red bag and one small carry-on, as well as my huge purse). March my way to the MARTA metro stop and head downtown. Get off train. Helplessly roll my luggage to the street. In the nicest way possible, ask a group of about 50 people waiting for the bus to scoot over for me (this went over really well). See taxi. Remember taxi license plate and badge number and store them in my phone. Tell cab driver I’m “originally from Atlanta” so as he doesn’t screw me over. Too bad he didn’t even know where he was going, adding another $6 to my meter. 

Drag said luggage around Emory campus in what feels like upwards of 100 degrees (why did I wear a sweater?). Check in, get keys, wander a little more because no, maps don’t help me get around at all. Bust into apartment after picking the lock for about 5 minutes to find two unsuspecting roommates look at me in shock - they had no heads up that I was coming so that made for easy introductions and small talk.

Set up my room, sans hangers, posters, or decorations. I guess I’ll have to settle for magazine cut-outs and ads as wall decor. 

Spot the Europe artifacts (hint: Eiffel tower and Hema). I spent the rest of my evening watching How I Met Your Mother and Inception.

Today’s pool time was heavily tainted thanks to a child who decided to take a #2 in the huge pool, so I spent the remainder of my afternoon taking quick dips in the baby pool among the very young and the very old.

I’m feeling somewhat content with everything. I think not having a car may cause some issues in the near future, but the public transportation should be enough to at least get me to work and back.