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Top 5 Final Ballot

Click to enlarge.

Pictured above are the five finalists from a recent state pageant.

Can you correctly identify the winner and rank the four runners-up?

Give it a try and see if you have what it takes to be a judge.

Hen of the Wood, Part Four

As Max has already realized, exactly one year ago last night, we dined at Hen of the Wood in Waterbury, Vermont, for the first time.  And, now, exactly one calendar year later, we have dined there four times -- a bit hard to believe since we live about 1200 miles away (and, trust me, it's not an easy commute from Atlanta to Vermont).

We loved the restaurant from the beginning, and each subsequent visit has both confirmed our original love and deepened it.  It doesn't hurt that we've also cultivated a (mostly e-mail) relationship with William, the Dining Room Manager -- this translates into great seats and complimentary champagne as well as a friendly, smiling face each time we enter.

Last night was no exception.

William greeted us warmly, explained that our table was still occupied by some folks who were lingering longer than expected, and offered us two options -- wait for the table we've used in the past or ... sit at the relatively private bar-like table, isolated from other diners and overlooking the rapid waters of the Winooski River.  (Though we had never talked about it, Max and I had both secretly coveted this table and were always jealous of the folks who were dining there on our previous visits, so we jumped at the chance.)

After being seated -- and spending a few moments basking in our good fortune to have one of the prime seats in the dining room -- we were treated to a surprise ("compliments of William"), a half-bottle of Gruet Brut champagne!  This particular champagne is especially pleasing -- fruity and dry and refreshing all at the same time -- and it's bottled in New Mexico, another place that is near-and-dear to Max's heart.

After much debate, we settled on our starters.  For Max, the Curly Endive and Slow-Cooked Rabbit Salad (with Toasted Hazelnuts and Buttermilk Vinaigrette) and for me, a deep, wide, and full bowl of Roasted Sweet Onion Soup (topped with a piece of buttery toast and chanterelles).  Max's salad -- crunchy endive and tender rabbit tossed with the hazelnuts and the buttermilk dressing -- was quite satisfying (the right combinations of flavors and textures).  We agreed, however, that the warm, rich creaminess of the onion soup was the prize winner -- every bite a spoonful of buttery, garlicky comfort.

For our mains, we selected polar opposites, Max opting for the Veal Breast with Potato Gnocchi and Zucchini while I was tempted by the Seared Divers Scallops with Braised Cabbage and Whole-Grain Mustard.  (With the help of our server, we were able to find the perfect wine to suit both dishes -- an Alexandria Nicole Rhone Blend, a white wine with a pleasant floral-and-fruit bouquet and a finish as strong as a bold red.)  My scallops -- giant, buttery, and tender with a nice crunchy sear on top -- contrasted perfectly with the strong mustard and cabbage concoction that accompanied them.  Max's veal -- equally tender and melty -- was divine, especially when enjoyed in a giant spoonful along with the potato balls, the zucchini bits, and the warm broth.

After a glass of dessert wine (we went out on a limb here and blindly chose a Napa Valley Muscato), we enjoyed our final dishes -- a Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding with Strawberries and Almonds (and accompanied by a single candle in honor of Max's upcoming birthday) and a Milk Chocolate Pot-de-Creme, topped with Creme Fraiche and served with two tiny Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Max made a wish and blew out his candle and then we dove into the two sweet treats.  The bread pudding was fine, definitely enlivened by the strawberries and the candied almonds, but the fancy chocolate pudding was beyond delicious, with flavor and brightness provided by the addition of the creme fraiche.  Honestly, I would have been willing to bathe in a vat of the stuff!

And there you have it!  Another wonderful night at the most wonderful restaurant you could imagine.  And we've already secured our table -- the isolated one overlooking the river -- for New Year's Eve!  We know we'll be back then and we're pretty sure that we won't be back before then, but you never know... 

Dinner with Friends

 

A few Fridays ago, Max and I had dinner with one of his friend's from high school -- Julie, who lives in Massachusetts with her husband and children and who, as it happens, has a vacation home in Vermont.  As dinner progressed, the conversation turned to New England and then Vermont and finally to our ever-increasing love for the Green Mountain State.

Then Julie reached into her purse, produced a key, and said, "Here's the key to our house in Vermont.  It's empty.  Go."

And here we are!

We took two days and drove up -- avoiding the urban congestion of I-95 and instead concentrating on the rural loveliness of Pennsylvania and New York.  Our "home away from home" for the week is nestled in the woodsy confines of the Quechee Club, a golf-swim-tennis community near the town of Woodstock.  Last night, we drove to the nearest grocery store -- in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, about 20 minutes away -- to stock the pantry for the week.  Then we slept like rocks in the peaceful and silent Vermont countryside.

Right now, Max is fixing breakfast (I can smell the thick-sliced Vermont bacon as I type) and I'm enjoying a second cup of strong coffee and we're both looking out onto the wooded back deck and feeling absolutely relaxed.

On the agenda today -- other than straightforward relaxing -- are the Village of Woodstock, the Vermont Farmer's Market, the Quechee Gorge, Dartmouth College, the King Arthur Bakery, and drinks with a friend who happens to be working in nearby Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Holiday Ramblings

Happy 4th of July!  You know, nothing says patriotism, independence, and freedom quite like booze and fireworks, does it?  We've made several holiday weekend observations:  there seemed to be fewer cars in the neighborhood and on the roads, yet our gym yesterday (and again today!) was filled to maximum capacity.  I like the idea of an empty and quiet city and today's New York Times has a fascinating set of photos today of a ghost-town-esque Big Apple on the day before the holiday.

The rest of this post has very little to do with this holiday -- just a series of observations on assorted topics.  I've divided my list into things that I like (Yep!) and things that I don't like (Nope!).  Enjoy!

Yep!

• This is an old "yep" that's been on my mind for months.  I know lots of folks in this world wide web of information don't care for Gwyneth Paltrow, but ... I love her in the print ads for Tod's.  I also like Charlize Theron in the ads for J'Adore.
• I like Taqueria del Sol.  I'd been reading great things about this restaurant for awhile, but I had never visited until a few days ago when Max and I stopped by the Cheshire Bridge Road location for a quick lunch.  The verdict:  delicious and cheap.  We each ordered three tasty tacos (@ $2.19 per soft flour tortilla wrapped taco) and were quite satisfied with the flavor, quality, and price.  Give it a try -- there are four locations, including a relatively new one in Athens.
• I really enjoy watching tennis -- especially competitive matches and especially Wimbledon.  (I think I've realized this summer that, after football, tennis is my second favorite sport to watch.)
• I like sprucing up the house.  We've added a new A/C and furnace (the new system is gigantic compared to the old one that got hauled away, but it's keeping us quite cool and it's going to lower our monthly power bill AND we can use our energy efficiency to get a tax break).  We are also considering bringing our laundry closet into the 21st century, adding some gas logs in the fireplace, and getting some granite or quartz counter tops for the kitchen.  We're also shopping for curtains, but so far we haven't found anything that completely works.
• Finally, I'm a huge fan of unexpected road trips -- like the one that we are going to take tomorrow.  Thanks to Max's friend Julie, we are driving up to Vermont to enjoy a few days of relaxation in her vacation house in Quechee, Vermont!

Nope!

• I don't like self-centered, completely oblivious, Lexus SUV-driving women-of-a-certain-age.  (I also don't care for their equally obnoxious husbands.)  (Or their bratty, entitled children who will probably be in my classroom one day.)
• I am an unapologetic liberal and I believe in personal freedoms of all sorts and I even refer to Summer 2003 as the time that I "embraced hip-hop culture," but...I don't think it's appropriate to blast profane rap songs in public places.  Today while pumping gas I got to hear all about a "bouncing b***h" with an "open p***y" from the car next to me.  Not cool.
• I don't like old, fat, naked men at the gym.  Wait.  I don't even like young, fit, naked men at the gym.  There are plenty of free towels!  Use them!  (I'm relatively new to locker rooms; I understand that this is something that I'll just have to learn to accept.)
• This last one is really something I don't understand more than it is something that I don't like.  I don't understand the recent spate of sexually suggestive fast food ads.  There's the Quizno's Torpedo ad, the Burger King "Seven Incher" ad (see above), and, the new ads for Hardee's Biscuit Holes (check it out below).  Your ads are not as funny as you think they are.

Meet the New Miss Georgia, Emily Cook!

After making it almost all the way home to Cobb County, Emily Cook had to turn around and return to Columbus yesterday in order to be "crowned" Miss Georgia 2009, a U-Turn that she indicates she was very happy to make! 

Click the link if you'd like to read the rest of Emily's interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.  And here's an even more detailed interview -- that includes quotes from Joanne Feldman who resigned from her position as Miss Georgia back in 1994 -- from Emily's hometown newspaper, the Marietta Daily Journal.

The new Miss Georgia also sat down and spoke with WRBL-TV3 in Columbus and I've attached that video as well.



UPDATE: Cobb County is a pageant powerhouse! The new Miss Georgia, Emily Cook, is from Cobb. The new Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Brianna Godshalk, is from Cobb. The (new) 1st Runner-Up to Miss Georgia, Briana Jewett, is from Cobb. And now comes the news that THE NEWLY CROWNED MISS NEW YORK, Alyse Zwick, is also from Cobb!

UPDATE #2: Here's a 2nd video interview, this one from WTVM Channel 9 in Columbus. I like Emily's look in this interview with her hair pulled back. (I don't like that they waste so much time showing video of the erroneous crowning moment.)

And the new Miss Georgia is ...

...not who we thought it was going to be!

Only a few hours after being crowned, Kristina Higgins decided that she really didn't want to be Miss Georgia, so...

...the new new Miss Georgia is the gorgeous, smart, and talented Emily Cook from Cobb County.  Emily is a recent graduate of the University of Miami who is (was?) about to start Law School at the University of Georgia.  She received a preliminary Evening Gown award as well as the David Laney Scholarship for Legal Studies.  Emily played the oboe for her talent and her platform issue is Breast Cancer Awareness.  My understanding from folks who have spoken with Emily is that, despite the circumstances, she is excited about the opportunity to serve as Miss Georgia.  I know that the entire Georgia pageant community will be ready to support Emily as she travels the state and eventually goes on to compete at Miss America in Las Vegas in January.

(Interestingly, this is not the first time this has happened here in Georgia.  Way back in 1994, Joanne Grogan -- now Joanne Feldman of Fox5 in Atlanta -- was named Miss Georgia only to resign several days later.  Her first runner-up, Andrea Krahn, assumed the title and went on to be named 3rd Runner-Up at the Miss America Pageant -- finishing a few places behind one of the most famous Miss Americas of all time, Alabama's Heather Whitestone.)

Meanwhile...we also have a new Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen -- and she is also from Cobb County!  The new OT is Brianna Godshalk, an articulate and talented young lady who plays the violin for talent.  She will go on to represent Georgia at the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando in August.

Preliminary Winners, Night #3

The Swimsuit winner last night was Miss Capital City, Kristina Higgins.  With the swimsuit win, Kristina becomes the only "double" preliminary winner this year (she also won the Talent competition on Wednesday night).  Kristina was 2nd Runner-Up last year and Top Ten in 2007.  The Talent winner last night (center in the picture) was Miss Southeast Georgia, Carly Floyd, who performed a high-energy clogging routine to Michael Jackson's "Bad."  Carly was in the Top 15 last year.  Finally, last night's Evening Wear winner was Miss University of Georgia, Briana Jewett.  Briana was also Top 15 last year.

I'm headed to Columbus in a few hours to reunite with my Field Director friends and to attend tonight's exciting finals.  The preliminary winners are often a good indication of the contestants the judges have their collective eye on, but it is rarely indicative of the overall winner.  (For example, our wonderful current Miss Georgia, Chasity Hardman, did not win any preliminary awards last year at the state pageant.)

Remember ... if you are at home tonight with nothing else to do ... log on to WRBL-TV3 in Columbus starting at 7:30pm and watch the pageant LIVE on your computer.  The Top 10 for Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen and the Top 15 for Miss Georgia will be announced at the start of the show.  The first half of the show will be devoted mostly to the Teen competition.  After intermission, the Miss competition will kick in and by the end of the evening, there will be a new Miss Georgia and a new Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen!

Preliminary Winners, Night #2

Two newcomers and one veteran were singled out for the preliminary awards in the second night of competition at the RiverCenter in Columbus.

The Swimsuit competition was won by Miss Fulton County, Rhonda Allen.  This is her first year competing in Georgia, though she has competed previously in Arkansas.  Rhonda is pictured above with the other members of her swimsuit group -- she is the one in the white suit in the center of the picture.

The Evening Wear win also went to a Miss Georgia rookie -- Miss Cobb County, Emily Cook.  Like Rhonda, Emily, though new to the Miss Georgia stage, has previous experience competing in Florida.

The Talent winner was Miss Southern Heartland, Laura Stone.  Laura played "Toccata" on piano.  This is her second year competing at Miss Georgia, having finished in the Top Ten last year.

The preliminaries conclude tonight.  Don't forget that if you are so inclined, you can settle in front of your computer at 7:30pm to watch the live stream provided by WRBL-TV3 in Columbus.

Meanwhile in Nebraska and Indiana...

Last October I was invited to Omaha to judge the Miss Omaha/Douglas County Pageants.  I met some great folks from throughout the USA and we eventually selected Brittany Jeffers as Miss Omaha and Devin Howell as Miss Douglas County.  Well...just a few weeks ago, Brittany WON MISS NEBRASKA and Devin finished as her 1st Runner-Up!  (That's Brittany being crowned as Miss Nebraska at left.)

Last February, I took a quick trip to Indianapolis to judge the Miss Cosmopolitan Pageant.  Again, I met some great folks (all from Indiana this time) and we eventually selected Brittany Hagan as the Miss Cosmo winner (and Gabrielle Reed as her 1st Runner-Up).  Well...last night in the first round of preliminaries at Miss Indiana, Brittany WON THE SWIMSUIT COMPETITION and Gabrielle WON THE TALENT COMPETITION!  (Brittany and Gabrielle are pictured at left with current Miss America, Katie Stam, who hails from Indiana.) 

Keep your fingers crossed!  It's very possible that by Saturday evening I will have THREE contestants to pull for in Miss America -- Miss Nebraska, Miss Indiana, AND our new Miss Georgia!

Preliminary Winners, Night #1

The first night of Miss Georgia preliminary competition got underway last night in Columbus.  The Swimsuit competition was won by Miss Southern Empire, Christina McCauley.  Christina was third runner-up last year and fourth runner-up in 2007.  The winner of the Evening Wear competition was Miss Georgia State University, Kristen Little, a first-year competitor.  The Talent winner was Miss Capital City, Kristina Higgins, a pageant veteran who was second runner-up last year and in the Top Ten the year before.  She sang the Faith Hill song "There Will Come a Day."

The contestants are divided into three groups and during the preliminaries, each group competes in a different phase of competition each night.  At the end of each preliminary, group winners are announced for each phase of competition.  On Saturday night, the Top 15 contestants are announced and they re-compete in all phases of competition in order to determine who will be the new Miss Georgia.  That's our wonderful reigning Miss Georgia, Chasity Hardman, at left, bringing the crowd to their feet with her rendition of "I Believe I Can Fly."

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer has a great photoset from last night.  And don't forget to watch the prelims and the finals from the live stream provided by WRBL-TV3 in Columbus!