Cookies, Cowboys, and Coupons

As mentioned in my last post, my friend Leslie and I were each other's Valentines.  We had a whole day of fun and treats for ourselves.  One of the things to do on my list is try new restaurants in Jackson.  Not only do I want to try new restaurants but unique places around town as well.  So for Valentine's Day Leslie and I got out at lunch and treated ourselves to cookies and coffee.  
We went to Campbell's Bakery, a wonderful little bakery in the Fondren District.  Fondren is Jackson's historic art district. It's a neat little strip with unique shops, restaurants and urban living.  There is always something going on in Fondren, and I do not go near enough.  I have never been to Campbell's Bakery before but it was definitely on the list of places to go to this year.  Campbell's was also recently named Best of Jackson's Best Bakery.  

I hear tons about it from people all over town, whether it's an afternoon treat or a catered wedding, people love Campbell's Bakery.  This place is unique and cozy and the staff is super friendly.  We walked in, and though I live here, I felt and acted like a tourist.  I had my camera in hand and asked the baker what I should get as a first timer.  He gave me a free cookie to sample which is their iced teacake cookie, what they are known for and have been making for years.  And there is a good reason they are known for them because it was delicious.  So delicious in fact that I bought two more!

 After our bakery adventure we walked down the street to Sneaky Beans Coffee Shop.  I know, it's just a coffee shop right, but it's a coffee shop I have never been too.  Let me just go ahead and say, this coffee was wonderful.  I got the white chocolate mocha and it was the perfect blend, temperature and taste.  I loved it.  Happy Valentines to us!

Sneaky Beans

Good thing I was getting coffee
because I look really tired

After our sweet lunch outing we of course went back to work but had a lot to look forward to that evening.  We were headed to the Dixie National Rodeo!  Before the rodeo we went to eat at La Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant.  Mexican food is of course good any time.  Then off to the rodeo with our cowboy boots on!  
Our seats were right over the chutes where the cowboys came out.  Great seats with a perfect view ;).  We had so much fun at the rodeo.  I really think there isn't anything more American.  I still get nervous every time the bull riding takes place but it is very entertaining.  The Eli Young Band was the musical entertainment that night and they did a great job.  So our                                                                                    Valentines Day was a huge 
                                                                 success and so much fun.

 A recent addition to the list was to start using coupons.  I would like to become a couponer but not sure I want to get that crazy about it.  The goal is really to just start paying attention to what I am buying and take advantage of all the free coupons I get in the mail or paper.  So I took some time and clipped coupons.  I have them organized into envelopes.  Not sure I'm going to get crazy and have a whole binder, but right now it's fun to find a coupon, clip it, and add it to the appropriate envelop.  Now I just need to remember to use them when I go to the store!  This will take some extra work on my part.  I will have to make my list of needed items and go through my coupons, but hopefully this will save me a little money through the year.  That is the goal anyway.  

There is a lot more to do throughout the year, and I am really looking forward to crossing items off my list.  Now I just need to convince my friends to actually do some of these things with me.  I am all ready to go sky diving but I have a couple of friends who have to "think about if they want to die or not."  I mean, isn't my birthday worth it, come on!  Just kidding....but really.


I am also in the very beginning stage of remodeling my bedroom (Do It Yourself style) so I will soon be posting photos of the new look.  It may be a slower process than I am anticipating, but I am looking forward to making some updates around the house...and of course marking that off my list as well.

The Foxtrot, Rodeo, and Sushi

I am happy to say January isn't over yet and I have accomplished some, or parts, of things on my list.  One idea I had was to take an adult dance class.  It just so happened that the Baptist Healthplex in Clinton was offering Ballroom Dancing classes.  I jumped right on top of that.  Yes, a hip hop dance class or ballet class might seem a bit cooler, however, this was free and convenient....seeing as how I work at the gym part time and it's a few minutes from my house.  

Some how I convinced my friend Jason, aka Dizz, to be my partner at ballroom dancing.  The schedule was supposed to be for 4 Friday nights, however, we only made it to two.  But hey, that is two more classes that we didn't have before so I am happy with that!  There are no pictures from the first night of dancing, which is probably good seeing as how I was absolutely terrible.  Now I will go ahead and say if I am just dancing for fun, dropping it like it's hot, or shaking that groove thing, then I am not THAT bad of a dancer.  But put me in a choreographed dance, a step aerobics class, or ballroom dancing, then we may have some problems.  For some reason, I am just not that coordinated.  So the first night of learning the Foxtrot, The Waltz, and the Samba were not all that great.  We did redeem ourselves the second night though.  Good thing we had our friends Michael and Jessica there (newbies) to make us look better.  Ha, just kidding guys, so glad y'all were able to join in the fun!  We finally got the steps and turns, and I think we would almost be pros if we were able to finish those last two classes.  Oh well.  Maybe one day.  We had fun and crossed something off my list which was the goal.  I said I just had to do these things, not do them well, right?

Ballroom Dancing:

Michael and Jess

Dizz and me....we may not look like pros, but trust me,
we were getting there!

Dixie National Rodeo!
Another thing that was recently added to the list is go to the Dixie National Rodeo.  I have been to the rodeo before but it's been years, so I thought, well it is coming in town, they have good music, and it's something I think I would enjoy.  Plus, seeing all those cowboys won't be such a bad thing.  And I do love me some country music.  So my partner in crime, and now my Valentine's date, and I went to buy tickets for the Dixie National Rodeo!  Our cowboy boots are ready to go!  We are going on Valentine's night and seeing the Eli Young Band.  Thanks, Leslie, you'll be a great Valentine, ha!  

Getting our tickets!

Yee-haw!  

    

Are you gonna eat that?

Finding 12 new restaurants to eat at throughout the year won't be any problem for me.  One because I don't go out to eat very often at lunch, maybe once a week, and two because if I go out to eat on the weekends, you can pretty much guarantee that you will find my friends and me at the local Mexican restaurant Margaritas, our fav.  Leslie, my co-worker, friend, and partner in crime, is helping me mark some things off my list.  Not too bad a gig if I do say so myself.  We will sacrifice one day of eating lunch at my desk watching "our shows" for our lunch break to branch out and try some new places.  We work in downtown Jackson so there is a good many places to walk and drive to that we can try out.  Our first new place to try  was Wasabi, a sushi/hibachi place.  I love that we have a great group of girls to go out to lunch with.  We laugh a lot during those lunches.  Gina's birthday weekend is Sunday so on Friday she picked the place to eat...Wasabi.  And just my luck, it was a new place which gave me a chance to add it to my blog.  The girls didn't know they were going to have a photo shoot for lunch but they were troopers.  Let's just say Wasabi is a nice change of pace from the usual downtown dining.  I can't think of any other sushi/hibachi place that close.  If you want my advice and you only have an hour for lunch, don't do it, even if it is in walking distance.  The food was good....once we got it all.  

They have a great lunch special where you can get a meal that includes tons of stuff: I got the teriyaki chicken which came with a salad, an appetizer, rice, california roll, and a dessert.  Wow.  And it was very reasonably priced.  

The hard part was actually getting all of the food at the same time.  You know how some restaurants like to make a pretty display and set everything on the plate and bring it out all at once?  Yeah, some do, and I think Wasabi's intention was to do that, it just didn't happen.  So our lunch hour was completed and Leslie and I still hadn't gotten our food.  Nor had a couple of the girls gotten their sushi.  I did feel bad for the poor waiter because as soon as he came to our table to bring my lunch (not Leslie's), I had to ask him to put it in a to go box.  He so nicely complied and put both Leslie and my lunch in a box and brought it to us.  But we were both missing our appetizer.  And we definitely weren't leaving without a portion of our meal!  

I took Kim's plate so I could at least get a picture with food,
yeah, I faked it, sorry

So after we told the waiter, I don't know four or five times, that we were missing our appetizer and the other girls still hadn't gotten their sushi, we finally got it.  Well, I don't really know if the other girls got their sushi because Leslie and I literally ran out of the restaurant, after an hour and fifteen minutes of lunch, with our to go boxes in hand.  The setting of the restaurant was nice, wish we would have actually gotten to enjoy our food there though.  Everything was good too...except maybe the dessert?  The lunch plan I was referring to earlier comes with chef's choice of the day's appetizer and dessert, so you don't really know what you are going to get.  And we sure did not know what we got.  It was orange and it was square.  That' pretty much what we know.  So after evaluating it we had to decide who was going to try it first.  Leslie took the challenge.  

Leslie being a dare devil

  Her face, priceless.  Of course the other girls had to try it too.  I love the expressions.  So our lunch adventure was fun.  Wasabi, despite the not so timely lunch, was good.  The poor waiter was new and the restaurant itself is pretty new too.  But every good manager should know training is key when it comes to your servers.  So if a customer ask a question about something on the menu or a sauce, he shouldn't have to go back to the kitchen three times to get the answer.  But the lunch was fun and I am looking forward to a lot more fun lunches with these girls at new places around Jackson. 

Kim loved it.

Fun times with all these ladies!

Bonus Round

New Year's Eve Eve, a few friends and myself went to try out a new hot spot in Ridgeland, Sombra Mexican Kitchen.  This new restaurant experience doesn't qualify to be on the list of the 12 new places for 2012 but I wanted to blog about it anyway.  This will help me get started with the restaurant/food blogging.  

Sombra Mexican Kitchen redefines Mississippi’s idea of a Mexican restaurant. From the fresh-squeezed limejuice and organic agave nectar in every margarita to the made-from-scratch corn and flour tortillas, Sombra focuses on the fresh, flavorful tastes that are at the core of our authentic food and drink. The rustic, colorful and casual environment will allow you to sit back, take your time, and enjoy Sombra’s modern take on traditional Mexican and Southwest dining.
The above description is from Sombra's website and I think they did a great job describing the food and environment.  The atmosphere is rustic-chic, definitely not your casual mexican dining decor.  The wait wasn't too bad and all the staff were friendly and helpful.  We spoke with both managers who made it a point to stop and speak to customers.  One even gave us free guacamole (thanks to Michael opening the door for other guest as we waited).  And it was definitely fresh.  We started the meal with salsa, cheese dip and chips.  All had great taste and they kept them coming.  
I am a lover of pretty much any Mexican food.  I can eat my weight in chips and dip but the flavor of the food is what I really enjoy...spices, veggies...pile it on!  Sombra has very natural flavors of the food and you can tell they take a lot of time letting the food speak for itself.  Dana and I shared the chicken and steak mixed fajitas.  I think the idea of Sombra is to let the food flavor itself with a natural, fresh taste and though it was good, I could have used more seasoning.  But don't worry, we didn't leave hungry.  I think all of our plates were cleaned.  So if you are a looking for Mexican food in a more upscale setting with fresh and natural foods, this is the place.  Check on some of the pictures of our table.  

Michael, Me, Kyle

Daniel aka Fragglerock and Me

Dana and Me..we shared the fajitas and there was plenty.

Can't go wrong with chips and dip!

I forgot to get a picture before we ate all the food, oops.

The Beginning

I am still waiting for good suggestions to add to my list of 30 things....I need 9 more!  Though my list isn't complete and technically I haven't started yet, I have made some advances.  
      1- I signed up for the Warrior Dash!  It's official and now I actually have to do it, ha.  Good thing I have two friends who signed up with me and who are assuring me I won't die. 
Thanks Leslie and Kristi!
This will be us on April 21!
      2- This Friday, I will begin taking Ballroom Dancing classes.  They are being offered at the Baptist Healthplex for the next 4 Friday nights.  It's free to members and lessons take place from 6:30-7:30.  So if anyone wants to join me or be my partner, feel free!
      3- My friend and co-worker Leslie has volunteered to help me eat at 12 restaurants I have never been to.  We are really excited about this and have already started a list.  This will definitely be a lunch time activity to go to some of the unique places around downtown Jackson.  Don't worry, I will make sure to take lots of pictures of the good food.

Run a half marathon is on the list and these wonderful people have inspired me.  In December they ran the St. Jude Half Marathon and said it's the best one they have ever done.  Not just because of the neat sights of Memphis or the cool Blues/Jazz music but because of all the children and families this race benefits.  Thanks for running and inspiring me to do the same.  Hopefully this will be a yearly tradition!


Anna, Kyle, Michael, Daniel, Millie

The List

On April, 28, 2012, I turn 30.  Surprisingly, I am not freaking out about this....yet.  However, the big 3-0 has inspired me to do more.  So I am starting this blog on the basis of creating a list of thirty things to do in the year I turn 30.  Most of the these things will be something I have never done before or maybe don't do enough of or even something that may challenge me.  
In starting this blog, my hope is to document each item on my list and then keep a "journal" on the experience of each activity.  Also, I want friends, family, maybe even strangers, to help me find more activities to add to the list.  Feel free to respond with things you think would be fun to do, challenging, silly, whatever!  I will definitely need some ideas!  I hope you enjoy going on this journey with me (if there is anyone out there actually reading this) and that you will encourage me through this, as well as keep me accountable!  Here is to the year of thirty!


And the list begins (which is subject to change)
1- Go on a mission trip to Africa (signed-up to go in September, yah!)
2- Run a half Marathon (St. Jude in December)
3- Finish the Warrior Dash (April)
4- Go sky diving
5- Audition for a role at the New Stage Theatre in Jackson (auditions in June)
6- Learn to play a song (well) on the piano
7- Make pottery
8- Read a book I would never choose to read on my own
9- Serve at We Will Go 
10- Take a dance class (any kind)
11- Go salsa dancing
12- Camp
13- Take tennis lessons
14- Eat at 12 restaurants I have never been to-the number changed to 12, inspired by Eat Jackson http://www.eatjackson.com/2012/01/04/16-things-to-try-in-2012/
15- Get dressed up and go to a fancy restaurant
16- Go to a shooting range (yes, I own a gun)
17- Read 12 books
18- Meet another's need (buy food, clothes, etc.)
19- Give up carbonated drinks for a month (shooting to do this in April)
20- Buy the person's order in line behind me
21- Visit a place in MS where I have never been
22- Make my own recipe book...not to publish or anything, just to take all my little pages of recipes and put them in an organized book for myself
23- Expand my vocabulary (signed up for Dictionary.com Word of the day and created word note cards!)
24- Eat a gyro at the gyro shack in Clinton
25- Make a craft off Pinterest....I do a lot of recipes from there but I need to challenge myself with a craft
26- Go to the Dixie National Rodeo (I have been to the rodeo but it's been year, so I thought, why not?!)
27- Get cupcakes from Muddy's in Memphis
28- Remodel areas of my house- DIY style (do it yourself)
29- Start using coupons!
30- Go to a midnight moving showing