Up in Smoke

August in Atlanta is a beast. Humidity hangs in the air, making frequent showers a necessity. Cicadas rattle through the trees in the hot sun, and storms breeze in and out in mere minutes. It's the last screams of summer, before the whole city starts to cool in September.

This summer back home has been great. I have finally begun to strike a solid work- social life balance. Granted, I'm still hanging out with cooks, but who else would I ever want to hang out with? I had the pleasure of introducing a friend of mine from California to a group of motley industry folk a few nights ago, at a proper southern pig roast! Twenty or thirty of us cycled in and out of this party throughout the night, and it was such a perfect example of southern hospitality.

For starters, we had SO. MUCH. FOOD. Our menu consisted of a 45lb pig, at least a dozen steaks, 2 whole chickens, corn on the cob, smoked potatoes, massive zucchini, oysters, and charcuterie out the wazoo. Someone brought salad, but the poor thing lay neglected on the table the entire night. Beer and conversation flowed, and paper plates were ignored in favor of just ripping the feast apart by hand like Vikings. Smoke perfumed the air, and strangers bonded over the picnic tables. Stories were shared, and true to the climate, the skies opened up for a brief downpour (Thank god for covered pavilions!). It was really energizing to be around such positive people just having a great time. It was the perfect end to my summer.

Now I'm getting ready to start working at a new place- a restaurant I have revered for years, and can honestly say I'm proud to work for. I'll be serving tables, but this won't be like other restaurants I've waited at: this is one of the greatest restaurants in the southeast (if not the country). This is my food nerd dream career step! So cheers to perfect closures and new beginnings! This fall is going to be fantastic.

Autumn Morning

I've just gotten off work, and it feels like fall this morning. There's a chill in the air, and the smell of leaves dead and dying haunts the air like a schoolyard memory. I had to wear a sweater all night. I am simultaneously estatic and pissed off, all at the same time.
Much like any othed human being with a pulse, I love Autumn- there's gorgeous weather, pretty scenery, pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING, and the promise of holidays devoted to sheer maddening gluttony. Fall means I can go to the mall in the middle of the day in the middle of the week, and it will be a ghost town. I can load up on random costuming shit I may only wear a few hours, but hoard for a lifetime. Oktoberfest. Fall-seasonal beers. Fall fucking roooocks.
At the same time, I fucking hate it. Because that chill in the air? That dick chill is a threat of the cold that has yet to get here. The promise that I have to stock up on sweaters and coats, because SOMETHING got mothed/molded/generally just became awful in my closet over the summer. The incessant nag that I probably ought to drop money I don't want to spend on stupid winter boots that also mysteriously disappear into my closet. It's a massive pain in my ass.
I know, it's unavoidable where I'm living at the moment.  And it will continue to be so for a while. I will enjoy the season while I can, but at the end of the day, it's my mom's favorite reason I'm out of the house- she no longer has to listen to me bitch about the cold!
This year might skew on the more fun side, though. I recently started a garden! It's a fairly good-sized square in my back yard, I would say 5'x5'ish. I already planted some tomatoes, thyme, basil, and oregano;  and I'm attempting to start some bell pepper and string bean sprouts in the house. I've also started a potato.  I have no idea if I have anything resembling a green thumb, but I'm excited to find out!  I'm spending some time tomorrow figuring out what else I want to put in it- spring is going to be far more interesting next year, that's for sure!