Around Athens: Restaurants

We have several local Restaurants here in Athens that we love to go to. Our most favorite restaurant we go to all the time is Transmetropolitan (usually shortened to Transmet). It has the best pizza in town and it is relatively inexpensive. They sell pizza by the slice or whole pies. They also offer calzones, pasta, salads & sandwiches. We love this place! There is even a location 5 min from our house so I guess we eat here a little too much! The picture below is of the downtown location. So now you know where to go for the best slice in Athens.

Around Athens: Hot Corner

Well after being "snowed in" for 2 days and schools being closed for a week life is kind of getting back to normal. In lieu of not having something else to post about....Here are some more pictures from around Athens, taken a month or so ago.

This section of Around Athens is Hot Corner. Hot Corner is a historic place in Athens. "During the early 1900s, the corner of Washington and Lumpkin Streets, nicknamed "The Hot Corner," was the center of cultural life in the Black community." The first picture is of the Morton Theater which was the first ever African American Theater in the South. It is still used a lot as a theater for concerts, performances, and church services. Our church met here for a while before we out grew the space. The second picture is of Trapeeze Pub, it is a local favorite of ours. The Morton and Trapeeze are across the street from each other and the 3rd picture is of both of them.

Where are you.....

When you don't have to go to work or school for 3 days (or maybe more?) because of the weather? Where are you when roads are plowed by front loaders and bulldozers days after snow has fallen? You are in Georgia.

I have been going a little stir crazy here in Athens. I didn't think I would ever say that I am ready and willing to go back to work.....but I am now. Being stuck inside for the last two days has just been nuts. Eric and I decided to go out to dinner tonight and I am so glad we did! The roads were perfectly fine. The side streets/residential streets were slushy but not icy. Everything else is plowed and is perfectly safe to drive on. I know we are from MN and are "used to it" but this is just getting old.

I have not worked for 2 days and I am not being paid for these 2 days all because of 5 inches of snow. I understand that the state of Georgia is not equipped to handle snow but I just cant take it anymore. It is crazy that the whole state has been incapacitated because of this.

Sorry for the rant but I am tired of it....I am going to work tomorrow even if no one else is. I need to work because I am bored, I need to get out of the house, I need the money and because I am frustrated.

What does it mean......

When there is no bread or milk in the grocery store? When people are lined up at the gas stations? When schools announce they are closing for a day or two? When no one leaves their homes? It isn't the end of the world.....it means it is going to snow in the South! And it did!!! We got about 5 inches of snow here in Athens and everything is shut down. The schools and universities have closed and my boss told me not to come into work today. Woooohooooo! Today is a lazy day at home. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.....

Friends in MN!

While in MN over the holidays we got to spend a good amount of time with our old friends. It is always so great to see them! Our friends Tim & Sarah invited us all over for dinner one night at their new house. We just ate dinner and cached up with what has been going on in our lives.

Jason, Eric, Brian, Tim, Sarah, Jenessa, Me, DJ, Rachel, Tara & Tyler

The girls: Jenessa, Me, Sarah, Rachel, & Tara

We also spent New Years Eve with a few of our friends at a great place called The Chatterbox Pub. When we lived in Mn we went to this place all the time. Now it has expanded and there are 3 locations. The fun part of this place is they have board games, video games and any other games you can think of. We started out the night playing banana grams and then finished with a great game of Clue! It was a fun way to bring in the New Year with our old friends!

Eric, Jason & Jenessa

DJ, Rachel & Me

The pub, it has a funky feel

Eric, Jason, Jenessa, DJ, Rachel & Me

While in MN I was also able to catch up with two co-workers from my student worker days at Bethel. Erin & Kristen, unfortunately I didn't bring my camera but I wanted to say that I had a great time with you ladies catching up!

We truly have some great friends from College that we will always be close to, no matter how far we live apart! Happy New Years everyone!! I hope we all have a great 2011!!

Christmas in MN: Part 2

After spending some time with my parents we headed to Zimmerman, MN to see Eric's family. Eric's brother Justin and his girlfriend Lindsay drove up from Charleston to have Christmas with us in MN. We had a great time playing out in the snow, playing games, and opening our gifts!

 
Justin also brought his two dogs and they were a blast to have around. They had never been in snow before and you could tell they loved it!
 

So tired after a long day in the snow!

Like I said in my last post we saw a lot of wildlife on our trip. In Zimmerman we saw some wild turkeys. These guys are a lot bigger than they look in the picture....

While in Zimmerman we went snowshoeing, ice skating, sledding and we played broomball. It was great to spend a lot of time outside!

Eric's mom, Becky & Eric

Broomball team: Aunt Kathy, Lauren, Drew, Me, Eric, Rachel, Trevor, Lindsay & Justin

The family: (back row) Dan, Becky & Justin (front row) Me, Eric, Rachel & Lindsay

Over the years in Georgia we have realized how much we miss having snow! We really do enjoy a lot of winter activities and cant wait to be back in MN to do them more often!!

Christmas in MN: Part 1

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas & New Years! Our time in MN was wonderful as always! Eric was in MN 5 days before me and spent some time in his home town with old friends and family. I arrived the night before Christmas Eve and we spent the first few nights with my parents in Stillwater, MN. My parents and Eric's mom both live in the country and it is always fun to visit them because of all the wildlife that come to visit. My parents feed the deer in the neighborhood and have had this guy (below) visit often. Isn't he huge!?!

We had a great Christmas with my parents! It was nice and relaxing and we got a lot of great presents.

While in Stillwater Eric and I decided to drive out to a nice walking path for some exercise. All the snow was so beautiful! And there was a ton of it! At one point I walked out into the fresh snow and I sank in a little over 2 feet.

On Christmas night we always drive around to look at the lights that are put up around the town. This house has been dubbed the Griswold's because of how many lights they have at their house. I couldn't resist a picture this year.

Dad, Mom, Eric & Jillian

Thanks mom & dad for a great Christmas!!