07/17/10: Potatoes, Onions, and Pumpkins!
This year we decided to try onions and potatoes in the vegetable garden. In previous years we did tomatoes and bell peppers, but we were always battling blight with the tomatoes. We also don't use that many tomatoes in the kitchen, so we picked crops that seemed more useful.
We ordered our potatoes from Ronniger Potato Farm (www.ronnigers.com). They carry a wide variety, so we chose a couple that sounded good. Carola was our first selection. These are a very typical German yellow potato. Our second selection was Red Pontiac. This one we selected because it was supposed to do well in the south. We also decided to test some regular Russets we bought at the grocery store.
The potatoes popped right up and grew really well during the spring. Our hot summer however caused them to die a little early, but I think we got a nice little crop for our first attempt. We still have some in the raised bed along the side of the house. We'll see how long they can hold on.
For the onions we just grabbed a bundle of Texas sweet onions from Lowes. They should have gone in the ground earlier, but we still got to enjoy some tasty onions from the garden.
The big bed has been replanted with pumpkin plants we grew from seeds. They seem to be really healthy, so hopefully come October we'll have some nice fall decorations. We grew the plants from a pumpkin we bought last year at Jaemor Farms (www.jamsjellies.com) in North Georgia.
We ordered our potatoes from Ronniger Potato Farm (www.ronnigers.com). They carry a wide variety, so we chose a couple that sounded good. Carola was our first selection. These are a very typical German yellow potato. Our second selection was Red Pontiac. This one we selected because it was supposed to do well in the south. We also decided to test some regular Russets we bought at the grocery store.
The potatoes popped right up and grew really well during the spring. Our hot summer however caused them to die a little early, but I think we got a nice little crop for our first attempt. We still have some in the raised bed along the side of the house. We'll see how long they can hold on.
For the onions we just grabbed a bundle of Texas sweet onions from Lowes. They should have gone in the ground earlier, but we still got to enjoy some tasty onions from the garden.
The big bed has been replanted with pumpkin plants we grew from seeds. They seem to be really healthy, so hopefully come October we'll have some nice fall decorations. We grew the plants from a pumpkin we bought last year at Jaemor Farms (www.jamsjellies.com) in North Georgia.
07/08/10: Our House - Now and Then
Most of the time it's annoying when a government agency doesn't update their files regularly, but occasionally it can be a blessing. The local tax assessor is still using photos from the 80s as their "current" house photo database. Since we don't really have any historic photos of our home we're clinging onto this 1988 tax assessor photo as our "historic" photo.
It's crazy to see that the oak tree in the front yard was nothing more than a little stick, and the hedge facing the sidewalk does not exist yet. However, the bush next to the driveway and the holly bushes next to the steps are already there! The screened in porch had already been removed when we bought the house.
Our house, 1988:
Our house, 2010:
It's crazy to see that the oak tree in the front yard was nothing more than a little stick, and the hedge facing the sidewalk does not exist yet. However, the bush next to the driveway and the holly bushes next to the steps are already there! The screened in porch had already been removed when we bought the house.
Our house, 1988:
Our house, 2010:
06/22/10: Westview Centennial Celebration
Patrick and I are really excited about the upcoming "Westview Centennial Celebration" event! If you're in the Atlanta area we'd love to have you stop by this Saturday!
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Westview is excited to be celebrating our centennial on Saturday, June 26th! 100 years ago William J. Davis purchased the Westwood Park property from the Ontario Land Company for $100,000. He renamed the property "West End Park", and hired Solon Zachery Ruff, the civil engineer and landscape expert responsible for Ansley Park, to lay out the plans for his new residence park neighborhood.
Today Westview is a vibrant (and affordable) intown Atlanta neighborhood! Come spend a day with us and get to know one of Atlanta's last hidden gems.
Information about the days events:
Location
Join the Westview Community Organization at KIPP STRIVE Academy for music, art, and food as part of Westview's Centennial Celebration! KIPP STRIVE is located in the historic J.C. Harris school building at 1444 Lucile Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30310.
Please note: The BeltLine 5K run starts at Rose Circle Park and ends at KIPP STRIVE Academy.
Time
9:30 - 11:00: BeltLine 5K
10:30 - 11:00: Ribbon-cutting
11:00 - 11:30: Ceremonies
11:30 - 4:00: Grill-Off, Artist Market, Music, and More...
BeltLine 5K and Trail Grand Opening
Celebrate the opening of the new BeltLine trail in Southwest Atlanta as we run, jog and walk through Historic West End and Westview. This is a free race sponsored by the BeltLine! There is no cost to register!
Complete your free registration online by visiting www.active.com (search for "BeltLine" to find the race) and selecting the "No T-Shirt" option.
OPTIONAL DONATION: Those who wish to make the optional $20 donation as part of their registration will receive an event t-shirt on race day!
You can also download the 5K registration form and mail it to:
The BeltLine Partnership
50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 910
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
The race starts at Rose Circle Park (765 Peeples Street, 30310) and finishes at KIPP STRIVE Academy (1444 Lucile Ave, 30310). Registration begins at 8:30am. The race ends about a mile from start. There are periodic shuttles for transportation back to the race start.
Music
In The Pocket will perform old school RnB immediately following the BeltLine ceremony. Then come boogie down to the best in deep house and soul on the lawn at KIPP STRIVE with DJs Ramon Rawsoul (House in the Park - www.ramonrawsoul.com), Ryze (Imported Underground), and Drew (Drew's House)!
Art/Vendors
Attendees: Between eating and dancing browse our artist/vendor market! There will be face painting by Stephanie Anderson, and Atlanta Printmakers Studio will demonstrate various printmaking techniques. In addition you can shop for original artwork, candles, prints, organic soap, and more.
Vendors: If you are interested in participating in our artist/vendor market please download our vendor form and email us at info@westviewatlanta.com. This is our first year hosting the market so the application fee is only $10! We'll supply you with a 10x10 space. You bring the tent, table, and other displays. Space is limited, so don't wait!
Grill-Off
Attendees: Are you ready to sample a taste of Westview? Get your "passport" and taste what our grill masters have created! The "passport" will allow you to sample the different foods. Once you have tasted all the different categories submit your vote for "the best of...".
The suggested donation to participate in the Grill-Off taste is $5, although you are always welcome to donate more! You can go ahead and reserve your "passport" via PayPal on www.westviewatlanta.com/centennial and pick it up at will-call on the day of the event. (This is an ideal solution for BeltLine 5k runners/walkers who don't want to carry cash!)
Grill Masters: Are you the master of the grill? Come out and prove it in the Westview Grill-Off! Entries in the Grill-Off are free! Individuals, organizations, and restaurants are all allowed to participate. Please download our Grill-Off form and email us at info@westviewatlanta.com.
Fun
There will be fun games (with prizes) for the kids!
As part of Art on the BeltLine Akbar Imhotep, The Story Messenger, will be performing.
Sponsors/Partners
The Westview Centennial Celebration could not happen without the generous donations from:
- Westview Community Organization
- Atlanta BeltLine
- KIPP STRIVE Academy
- Rashad Taylor (State Representative, House District 55)
- House In The Park
- Kroger
- Cleta Winslow (Atlanta City Council, District 4)
- C.T. Martin (Atlanta City Council, District 10)
Information:
www.westviewatlanta.com/centennial
--------------------
Westview is excited to be celebrating our centennial on Saturday, June 26th! 100 years ago William J. Davis purchased the Westwood Park property from the Ontario Land Company for $100,000. He renamed the property "West End Park", and hired Solon Zachery Ruff, the civil engineer and landscape expert responsible for Ansley Park, to lay out the plans for his new residence park neighborhood.
Today Westview is a vibrant (and affordable) intown Atlanta neighborhood! Come spend a day with us and get to know one of Atlanta's last hidden gems.
Information about the days events:
Location
Join the Westview Community Organization at KIPP STRIVE Academy for music, art, and food as part of Westview's Centennial Celebration! KIPP STRIVE is located in the historic J.C. Harris school building at 1444 Lucile Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30310.
Please note: The BeltLine 5K run starts at Rose Circle Park and ends at KIPP STRIVE Academy.
Time
9:30 - 11:00: BeltLine 5K
10:30 - 11:00: Ribbon-cutting
11:00 - 11:30: Ceremonies
11:30 - 4:00: Grill-Off, Artist Market, Music, and More...
BeltLine 5K and Trail Grand Opening
Celebrate the opening of the new BeltLine trail in Southwest Atlanta as we run, jog and walk through Historic West End and Westview. This is a free race sponsored by the BeltLine! There is no cost to register!
Complete your free registration online by visiting www.active.com (search for "BeltLine" to find the race) and selecting the "No T-Shirt" option.
OPTIONAL DONATION: Those who wish to make the optional $20 donation as part of their registration will receive an event t-shirt on race day!
You can also download the 5K registration form and mail it to:
The BeltLine Partnership
50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 910
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
The race starts at Rose Circle Park (765 Peeples Street, 30310) and finishes at KIPP STRIVE Academy (1444 Lucile Ave, 30310). Registration begins at 8:30am. The race ends about a mile from start. There are periodic shuttles for transportation back to the race start.
Music
In The Pocket will perform old school RnB immediately following the BeltLine ceremony. Then come boogie down to the best in deep house and soul on the lawn at KIPP STRIVE with DJs Ramon Rawsoul (House in the Park - www.ramonrawsoul.com), Ryze (Imported Underground), and Drew (Drew's House)!
Art/Vendors
Attendees: Between eating and dancing browse our artist/vendor market! There will be face painting by Stephanie Anderson, and Atlanta Printmakers Studio will demonstrate various printmaking techniques. In addition you can shop for original artwork, candles, prints, organic soap, and more.
Vendors: If you are interested in participating in our artist/vendor market please download our vendor form and email us at info@westviewatlanta.com. This is our first year hosting the market so the application fee is only $10! We'll supply you with a 10x10 space. You bring the tent, table, and other displays. Space is limited, so don't wait!
Grill-Off
Attendees: Are you ready to sample a taste of Westview? Get your "passport" and taste what our grill masters have created! The "passport" will allow you to sample the different foods. Once you have tasted all the different categories submit your vote for "the best of...".
The suggested donation to participate in the Grill-Off taste is $5, although you are always welcome to donate more! You can go ahead and reserve your "passport" via PayPal on www.westviewatlanta.com/centennial and pick it up at will-call on the day of the event. (This is an ideal solution for BeltLine 5k runners/walkers who don't want to carry cash!)
Grill Masters: Are you the master of the grill? Come out and prove it in the Westview Grill-Off! Entries in the Grill-Off are free! Individuals, organizations, and restaurants are all allowed to participate. Please download our Grill-Off form and email us at info@westviewatlanta.com.
Fun
There will be fun games (with prizes) for the kids!
As part of Art on the BeltLine Akbar Imhotep, The Story Messenger, will be performing.
Sponsors/Partners
The Westview Centennial Celebration could not happen without the generous donations from:
- Westview Community Organization
- Atlanta BeltLine
- KIPP STRIVE Academy
- Rashad Taylor (State Representative, House District 55)
- House In The Park
- Kroger
- Cleta Winslow (Atlanta City Council, District 4)
- C.T. Martin (Atlanta City Council, District 10)
Information:
www.westviewatlanta.com/centennial
06/11/10: Cooking: Making French Fries at Home
We're expanding from home renovation and gardening to include cooking! Now you can think of our blog as a lifestyle blog instead of just a home renovation blog. But don't worry - we're not even close to being done with the renovation, so there will still be plenty of updates on that front.
Here is a simple recipe for making homemade French fries. This is something really worth trying. Finding fries that haven't been prepared in a factory and frozen is tough to find. Even at restaurants fries come in giant frozen bags, so you can't get the real authentic French fry experience.
List of things you'll need from the grocery store:
- Russet potatoes. Get the five pound bag.
- Canola oil. Canola oil has a high temperature point and works good for frying.
- Salt or Tony's Seasoning.
That's all you need. It is really simple.
Start off by peeling the potatoes and slicing them up in to French fry sized pieces. Put the pieces in a bowl under the faucet (use cold water). When the water runs clear you are good to go.
Get yourself a large pot and fill it with canola oil. A couple inches of oil is enough, and you can adjust the depth depending how many fries you are making.
Turn on the heat. You want to wait until the oil is hot before dropping in the fries. I usually turn the knob on my gas stove up a little over half way. You're going to turn the heat up later in the recipe.
The goal of this first round is to get the potatoes to be soggy. When you pick one up it should be floppy. If it isn't floppy you need more time. Stir them around occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Pull the fries out of the oil and set them aside in a bowl lined with a paper towel. This will help absorb some of the oil.
Crank up the heat on the stove. You want the oil to get HOT! If the oil starts to smoke it is too hot. Here comes the secret to great homemade fries - you are going to double fry them. The first round of frying softened them up. This second round is going to crisp up the outside.
Drop the fries in and when they start to look golden brown they are ready! Again, stick them in a bowl with a paper towel to absorb some of the oil, and then transfer them to a clean bowl. Season them with Tony's Seasoning or just salt and ENJOY!
Here is a simple recipe for making homemade French fries. This is something really worth trying. Finding fries that haven't been prepared in a factory and frozen is tough to find. Even at restaurants fries come in giant frozen bags, so you can't get the real authentic French fry experience.
List of things you'll need from the grocery store:
- Russet potatoes. Get the five pound bag.
- Canola oil. Canola oil has a high temperature point and works good for frying.
- Salt or Tony's Seasoning.
That's all you need. It is really simple.
Start off by peeling the potatoes and slicing them up in to French fry sized pieces. Put the pieces in a bowl under the faucet (use cold water). When the water runs clear you are good to go.
Get yourself a large pot and fill it with canola oil. A couple inches of oil is enough, and you can adjust the depth depending how many fries you are making.
Turn on the heat. You want to wait until the oil is hot before dropping in the fries. I usually turn the knob on my gas stove up a little over half way. You're going to turn the heat up later in the recipe.
The goal of this first round is to get the potatoes to be soggy. When you pick one up it should be floppy. If it isn't floppy you need more time. Stir them around occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Pull the fries out of the oil and set them aside in a bowl lined with a paper towel. This will help absorb some of the oil.
Crank up the heat on the stove. You want the oil to get HOT! If the oil starts to smoke it is too hot. Here comes the secret to great homemade fries - you are going to double fry them. The first round of frying softened them up. This second round is going to crisp up the outside.
Drop the fries in and when they start to look golden brown they are ready! Again, stick them in a bowl with a paper towel to absorb some of the oil, and then transfer them to a clean bowl. Season them with Tony's Seasoning or just salt and ENJOY!