Bahama Breeze Introduces New Rice Bowls!

Bahama Breeze Island Grille, has announced that it has rolled out a new line of Rice Bowls. The new
Rice Bowls feature fresh island flavors ranging from savory to sweet to spicy, are available on both the lunch and dinner menu, and can be ordered in advance as part of the restaurant’s “To-Go” menu.

“We developed our new Rice Bowls to be very approachable while also appealing to our guests' diverse dining preferences and tastes,” said Peter Olsacher, Bahama Breeze Executive Chef. “From Caribbean Creole to an Asian-island inspired sweet chili and ginger sauce, each bowl brings a distinct international island flavor to the table.”

At Bahama Breeze guests can choose from one of six Rice Bowl creations:

•  Shrimp Creole - Tender shrimp sautéed in a Caribbean Creole sauce, chorizo sausage, sweet peppers, olives and tomatoes served over basmati rice.
• Carnitas - Slow roasted pork, sautéed with chorizo sausage, fresh corn, sweet plantains and garbanzo beans in a cumin-citrus sauce served over yellow rice.
• West Indies Chicken Curry - Sautéed chicken, chickpeas and tomatoes simmered in a traditional West Indies curry sauce with coconut milk. Served over basmati rice with warm Naan bread and roasted pineapple chutney.
• Chipotle Beef - Sautéed beef sirloin, fresh corn and black beans in chipotle sauce served over basmati rice and cheese; topped with sour cream, fresh salsa and ripe avocado.
• Vegetarian Asian Tofu - Sautéed tofu, Shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in a sweet chili and ginger sauce; served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.
• Asian Chicken & Vegetable - Sautéed chicken, Shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in a sweet chili and ginger sauce; served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.

I had the exciting chance to go an check out the new Rice Bowls this week and let me tell you, I was really impressed. I wasn't sure what to expect really, but the flavors in the rice bowls were lively and delicious  I tried the West Indies Chicken Curry and it was absolutely spot on. the sweet curry mixed with the perfectly cooked chicken and pineapple chutney was just right and actually spot on for a chain curry, something that seems to be hard to achieve. The Naan was a fresh and tasty addition too!

The addition of the new Rice Bowls to the menu is just one way that Bahama Breeze is continuing to feed guests’ island spirits. The restaurant recently introduced a new Late Night Happy Hour offering half-price appetizers Sunday through Thursday, from 9 p.m. to close (availability, times and specific offerings may vary by location). To find details about a specific restaurant’s Late Night Happy Hour, or the new Rice Bowls, please visit www.bahamabreeze.com.

WIN $120 Amazon gift card {Mother’s Day giveaway}

I am super-excited to be hosting this Mother's Day giveaway!  With the distinct pleasure of working alongside a dozen other fantastic bloggers, we are thrilled to be giving away a $120 Amazon gift card!  Yep, that's right $120 -- this will be the Mother of all giveaways!  (Har-dee-har!)

An Amazon giftcard will make the perfect Mother's Day gift for any mother (or heck, for yourself!) -- just imagine all the possibilities $120 can get you on Amazon!  And with perks from Amazon Prime and Amazon Mom, it's a gift you could easily stretch out! To enter for your chance to win, simply fill out the form below.  Make sure you leave a comment on the blog, in order to qualify. Good luck, y'all!!

Entry-Form

The 2013 Atlanta Baby and Child Expo

THE premier event for expecting and new parents in the Southeast is gearing up for this year's expo!
Bringing in the ultimate in parenting and baby products and professionals, it’s an elite experience presented to you in an intimate setting.  It’s a party for you, the expectant, the new parent, the grandparent and the supporting cast of family and friends.

This yearly extravaganza is presented and organized by an experienced veteran of the event planning industry who also happens to be deeply entrenched in the baby business. Desiree Miller is founder of Bottles to Britches Premier Baby Planners, a company that helps connect expectant parents to the people and products they will rely on most in their new role. She teaches the exclusive Baby Dream Gear class and also is certified in Home Safety Hazards with the International Association for Child Safety.

Featuring hundreds of hot local and national vendors, the Atlanta Baby and Child Expo is the place to get hands on information, samples, and a little bit of pampering. This event features a Maternity Fashion Show, Red Carpet Photos of attendees as they enter, a Stroller Trial Track, Cravings Corner and so much more!

This year's expo will be taking place May 11th from 11am-3pm (VIP ticket holders get early entry, starting at 10:30am) in the Fox Theatre Ballrooms! Which, if you have never had the pleasure, The Fox ballrooms themselves are a sight! You can pick up your tickets and more details on the Atlanta Baby and Child Expo website. 

You can also enter to win two tickets below! Super easy way to get in on the action without breaking the piggy bank! 

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Alive! Expo is Coming in Atlanta for All your Green Living Needs!

Alive! Expo, the Southeast’s only and longest-running natural products, green living & total wellness

event will return to the Georgia World Congress Center on May 4th and 5th.  My father and I attended this expo last year and got some great information on all the things that Atlanta and beyond has to offer in the health, wellness, and green living arena. The Alive! expo features health & wellness industry experts, eco companies and natural product manufacturers, fitness and cooking demonstrations, kids’ fitness stations, live health lectures and over 100 vendors so there is definitely something for every one.

“In the nine years that we’ve been producing Alive! Expo, we’ve seen Atlanta become increasingly interested in seeking wellness through a natural and organic approach to a healthy lifestyle,” says Alive! Expo founder and owner Patrycja Siewert Towns. “This means people are seeking out more 'whole foods' from local farmers and product manufacturers but also seeking preventative measures and natural alternatives for health issues; this excitement and interest is palpable at each Alive! Expo and this year will be more engaging than ever.”

At the event, natural and eco product companies will interact with consumers and buyers for local natural food stores; give the latest advice, product samples and information directly to the event attendees. Additionally, there will be wellness lectures, cooking classes, massage stations and fitness demonstrations all weekend long.  Ex Atlanta Falcons fullback, Ovie Mughelli, will once again join Alive! Expo with the “Ovie Mughelli Foundation’s “Recycle on the Run” exhibit, where kids run drills and learn about the importance of fitness, wellness and recycling and being eco friendly.

This year also, a portion of ticket proceeds from Alive! Expo will benefit Project Green, a non-profit founded by Patrycja Siewert Towns, and other non-profits soon to be announced. Project Green is a 501c3 whose mission is to protect green space for future generations and invest in “A Green Tomorrow”. Project Green will develop “Back to Basic” Summer Camps for under-served children and teens. These eco-camps will focus on building self-esteem and awareness of the environment by incorporating challenging and fun activities.

Attendees are encouraged to bring canned food items to the Alive! Expo which will be donated to the Atlanta Food Bank and Hosea Feed the Hungry; the organizations for which Alive! Expo collected over 2,000 pounds of food at last year’s event and over 10,000 pounds of food over the past years.

Event Information

Date/ Times:

Saturday, May 4, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m

Address:

Georgia World Congress Center, Hall A2 (across from Philips Arena) 285 Andrew Young Intl Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30313

Ticket Information:

Available at www.AliveExpo.com, One-day General Admission is $10 at the door or $5 in advance online. Active Military and Kids (ages 16 and under) are invited to attend for free. A discounted parking coupon is also available through www.AliveExpo.com

Dirty Girl Fun

I did it! I got my dirty girl on! Let me tell you, I definitely got dirty.

I started out clean.

I did not, however end it clean. 

Yep, there is Georgia red mud on me from head to toe. It was glorious! 

I'm in Organization Hades

Well, one of the things I set out to accomplish this year is kicking my rear. Getting organized is usually my thing. I like things to have a place. The problem is that since T left, our lives have been such a whirlwind of crazy that everything got all jumbled up and out of control. I mean, we moved twice within three months last year among all the other craziness. If that doesn't set your world askew, nothing will.

I have been trying to slowly chip away at the clutter and the mess though and get everything all sorted and into its place. Last week I tackled the garage and got it to where I can at least access everything. I may still have to search for it for awhile but I can at lest see where things are and what box they are in. Of course with that mess came the clearing out of the junk that was in the garage too. I took two full carloads to Goodwill and have a van packed full of items for a garage sale. Now I have to make time for the garage sale to actually happen.

Then, over the weekend, I tackled the papers. Oh, the papers. It seems like I have kept every paper, bill, or statement I have been given for the entirety of my life. I also found manuals for things I haven't had in years. I still had the owners manual for the Volvo I drove in high school! I haven't owned that car in twelve years.

Needless to say, there was quite a bit of paper trash that went into the shredder this week as well. I was careful to look up exactly what I needed to keep and what needed to get trashed so I wouldn't run into any problems in the future but good lord there was a lot that was totally unnecessary.

Next up is the mounds of clothes that seem to have accumulated over the years. I got rid of some stuff last year but there is still bags upon bags of tiny boy clothes that need to go somewhere. Especially since D and K are now wearing the same size clothes (?!?). Add to that the fact that a lot of my clothes don't fit because of my weight loss and we might could clothe an entire orphan family. So, time to clear out and organize what we have so we aren't searching through them anymore.

After that I will have to tackle the photos I have. I would love to be able to get some of the best ones printed and into an album by year but that may take a little longer than I would like. Digital pictures are great but sometimes its nice to just be able to sit and browse through the pictures and tell the stories associated with them. A lost art.

So, needless to say, I am still knee deep in organization issues. This doesn't even include the smaller projects like drawers and cabinet space. Those are slowly getting done though. Little by little I am spending more time trying to get it all in its place. Hopefully by the time we move again it will all be settled. Of course, I refuse to move again. Ever. No matter what my landlord says. Ok, maybe not ever but not for as long as I can manage.

Do you have any tips on getting organized? Posts you love with tips? Help!

On the Boston Tragedy

I have never been to Boston. In fact, the closest I have ever been is probably Connecticut. Still, I can't help but just feel completely devastated by what happened at the marathon yesterday. At what point did the human race decide that killing other humans was the way to prove anything?

People say it was a form of pure evil but I have a hard time accepting that. I guess evil is a hard word in general. Show me a living person that has never done anything evil and I'll be amazed. People are inherently good but they are also inherently selfish.

I think the best way I have seen of putting my reaction was posted on Facebook yesterday:

I am angry. I am angry at the person who did this and determined that it should not do what it was meant to do. Inflict terror. Terror is a state of mind. Its a knee jerk reaction and something that has become such a stigma in our world. Its something that we need to fix but the way to fix it is to show these people that we won't be pushed around anymore.

Like the bravery shown by the teachers at Sandy Hook, that happened in Boston yesterday.  People ran into the smoke to help victims. Civilians were there with first responders tending the wounded as best they could with tourniquets and kind words. They showed that side of us that needs to be more prevalent. They showed that there is hope for us yet. 

So, while you are praying for the victims and their families, don't forget to send one out for the people that put themselves in danger to help. The good Samaritans, the police officers and EMTs, the nurses and the doctors who were confronted with horrors that no one could ever forget. 

Pollen- Palooza

Its official. Spring has hit Georgia in the most disgusting way it knows how. See, every year, around this time, when it starts to really get nice out, we get hit with the yellow pollen of death. It coats everything and every one with a thick yellow sheen of yellow powder that is impossible to get rid of. You can literally see it wafting in clouds around parking lots and if you dare step out side, you are immediately marked with it. We are talking the normal "high" pollen count is about 120 last week it hit just almost 5800. The record is 6,013.

Image via Weather.com

Now, granted it only usually lasts about a week out of the year but it can wreak havoc on people with allergies. People like my boys. K definitely has it worse than D but it has been a snotty, cranky mess around my house for the last week even though we have all been hiding in the house to try to avoid it being really bad. It doesn't bother me as much but I still get the headaches that come with the slight allergy.

Image via WSB-TV

Of course then, once it has coated everything, it has to be washed away. All at once. By a torrential downpour. Which we almost never have. So, needless to say we all stay mostly yellow of sorts for sometimes a month. We did have the good fortune of having a good rain last week but it seemed to only make it worse. So, now we have to wait it out to the next random storm to come along and clean us all off.

For now, we are all praying for rain. The kind of rain that will literally wash us clean. Us and our cars and our houses and our sinuses. This could take a while.

Two T Ball Boys

Last fall, D started playing tball. He loved it. It was the thing he looked forward to every week and every weekend. He took his time as an "Athletic" very seriously and got the "most improved" and "best team player" award at the end of the season. So, of course, it was natural that he play again this spring. What I wasn't expecting was to sign K up too.

I had originally signed K up to play soccer instead because it just seemed to be more his thing. More fast paced, more running, more falling over. The thing is though, after I signed him up, I got an email that he was going to be the youngest in the league by almost a full year. Thats a lot of age difference
when you are 3 (and hopelessly clumsy).

So, I decided to change him to tball too. He was actually more excited about the idea than I thought he would be and D was not so surprisingly gracious about accepting his little brother into "his" game. They play one the same team and the two are always little partners in crime on the field.

Its been so much fun to watch them play together. D is definitely the more athletic of the two. My slugger. K mostly likes to run and play in the dirt but some day he is going to make an awesome baseman. Other kids bounce off that little boy like a brick wall. He's solid.

This fall though, D will play coach pitch, while K stays in tball another year. I am making the most of it and enjoying every game and practice until then. My little duo.

Day Out with Thomas is Back in Chattanooga!

Its that time of year again! Day Out with Thomas is back in Chattanooga and we are prepared for a "Go- Go" good time again this year! This year's Day Out With Thomas: The Go Go Thomas Tour 2013, is presented by HIT Entertainment, a worldwide leader in children’s entertainment. This fun-filled event offers little engineers and their families the opportunity to take a ride with a 15-ton replica of Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the popular Thomas & Friends series.

This year at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Authority he boys will take a ride along with their favorite engine friend on his latest adventure and participate in Thomas-themed activities. The tour, now in its 18th year, will make stops in more than 45 US cities and is expected to welcome more than one million passengers in 2013.

Highlights of Day Out With Thomas:

• A 25-minute (approximate) ride with Thomas the Tank Engine
• Games and activities featuring a mystery element
• The opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway
• A Thomas & Friends Imagination Station; featuring stamps temporary tattoos, hands-on arts & crafts, train tables, and coloring sheets.
• Storytelling, video viewing and live music

Day Out with Thomas is a fun-filled and exciting way for children and adults to enter the world of Thomas & Friends.  Day Out With Thomas provides an opportunity for kids to take a ride with Thomas and have their pictures taken with Sir Topham Hatt, the controller of Thomas' railway. The tour provides a unique, interactive and memorable family experience at every station, offering a variety of entertaining activities that reflect the local flavor of each stop. Different forms of entertainment – from petting zoos, miniature golf, and bounce houses to face-painting and magic shows – make each Day Out With Thomas event special.  In addition, every location has a Thomas & Friends Imagination Station where you can Build with Mega Bloks® and participate in other Thomas-themed activities including stamps, temporary tattoos, hands-on arts & crafts, and a Thomas & Friends storytelling and video viewing area.  

Ready to get your tickets?? Check out TicketWeb to schedule your family visit with Thomas and let me know what your tot is most excited about on this year's tour!

Alpharetta's Annual Arts Streetfest This Weekend!

Its that season again! The artist's markets are firing up and its time to get out and explore! This weekend  on April 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., artists from all over the U.S. will fill the historic downtown streets of Alpharetta  to show off their masterpieces at Alpharetta’s annual Arts Streetfest. Best of all: admission and parking are free to the public.

The streets will be closed off so festival-lovers and art enthusiasts can enjoy two full days of strolling through outdoor galleries filled with fine paintings, mixed media, photography, pottery and jewelry and textile, glass, wood, metal and paper art. This colorful festival also features live jazz and acoustical music, cultural arts performances, children’s activities and festival cuisine.

Music and Cultural Arts Stage
Saturday, April 13

11am Rhythm n’ Shoes - Alpharetta Recreation and Park dance groups
12pm Naja and Joseph Reed - Acoustic Soul
2pm Cole Thannisch - Acoustic Guitar
4pm Jazz Jones Legacy - Contemporary Jazz Group

Sunday, April 14

10:30am RISPA - Performing Arts/ Dance
12:30pm Tortoise and Hair - Acoustic Rock Duo
2:30pm Sydney Rhames - Acoustic Pop/Rock
4:00pm Laura Monk and High Cotton - American/Folk Music Group

After browsing the amazing art, take a break to enjoy a variety of festival cuisine from Smokejack: A Southern Grill, Pacific Rim Noodles, ZPizza, Jilly's Cupcakery, The Bubble Tree Truck, Scoop-itz, and other street fare treats such as kettle corn, Italian Ice, lemonade and roasted almonds. The music and cultural stage will also be packed with performances by dance, music and performing arts groups.


The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau will have a booth at the event to showcase everything the city has to offer and to provide information about our complimentary planning services. Those who stop by will have the opportunity to enter to win an art themed gift basket.

For more information about the event visit www.awesomealpharetta.com or call 678.297.0102.

"Cocktails in the Garden" at Atlanta Botanical Garden

Looking for a great idea for to impress your date? Or even just an unforgettable night out with the girls? Explore the city’s most beautiful urban oasis during the cool of summer evenings at Cocktails in the Garden Thursdays during May through September. The Atlanta Botanical Garden’s weekly “social irrigation” party is the only opportunity to experience the fantasy of Imaginary Worlds: Plants Larger Than Life at night.

Guests enjoy specialty cocktails, live music from the city’s hottest deejays, and tantalizing cooking demonstrations by the Garden Chef every week from 6-10 p.m. While strolling the Garden’s gorgeous grounds they’ll encounter 19 gigantic living plant sculptures that make up the summer exhibition of Imaginary Worlds.

The pieces resemble giant topiaries but actually are works of mosaiculture - the centuries-old horticultural art of using thousands of tiny plants to cover steel forms in a mosaic-like carpet to create a living sculpture. Designed and built by International Mosaiculture of Montreal, the sculptures have never been shown in the United States and include fantasy-themed pieces, such as a grazing unicorn, towering cobras, a friendly ogre, and a giant 25-foot-tall earth goddess.



To keep it fresh, each month during Cocktails in the Garden, these fantasy sculptures are highlighted with themed drinks:

May: Social Butterflies
June: Snake Juice
July: Drink Like a Fish
August: Hair of the Dog
September: Magic Martinis

In addition, cash bars offer an array of other cocktails, beer and wine, and dinner may be purchased at MetroFresh in the Garden café. As the only opportunity to stroll the Garden at night - when romantic sunsets and fragrant blossoms cast an alluring spell - Cocktails in the Garden is both the perfect date night and a fun outing among friends as well. Admission is $18.95; Garden members free.

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The mission of the Atlanta Botanical Garden is to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment. The Garden is located at 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE in Midtown. Garden hours are Tuesday - Sunday, April-October from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Thursdays till 10 p.m.) and November-March from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $18.95 adults, $12.95 children 3-12, free to children under 3 and Garden members. For more information visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org or call 404.876.5859.

Awesome Savings on Last Minute Ski Vacations!

Still looking for some spectacular last minute spring skiing?  Look no further with over 225” of snowfall this season and more on its way we can help you with lodging in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Save 50%* on your Spring Break stay of 2 nights or more through April 30, 2013 when you  book with Colorado Rocky Mountain Resorts with Breckenridge, Frisco, Copper Mountain, and Keystone vacation rentals !  

Got the spring taken care of and looking on into Summer? Colorado is the place to go with moderate temperatures, plenty of sunshine, and recreational activities for all! Receive 30%* off stays May 1st through November 14, 2013 with nightly prices Colorado Rocky Mountain Resorts now at 800-635-3434 today for more information and mention Promo Code DCO! (*excludes taxes)
starting as low as $76* per night and weekly as low as $535*. Call