The Final Countdown

If there's one thing that will gather 93,000 people into one condensed, hot, phenomenal stadium, it's the UGA football team. Sure, our new coach, Kirby Smart, might have something to do with it too. Our new quarterback, Jacob Eason, might also be potential swaying factor (I mean, look at him).  Oh, and don't forget about Ludacris. He might have made a mild impact as well. 

In all seriousness, what better to captivate the Athens community then a live music performance, the introduction of a new football coach and top quarterback player, and some good ole' American football. Did I mention the price? $0. 

G-Day was previously an event that I never truly bothered to pay attention to or attend. This year, however, the hype got to me. As I sifted over my available Saturday plans, counting the mere few that remain as a second semester senior, I chose to go to the G-Day game with a group of friends. 

Between the emails, Instagrams, hype videos and so on, this year's game had developed a wide-eyed, eager audience. For many of us seniors, this game could very well have been the last UGA game any of us ever attend. 

Sanford Stadium hosts many of my fondest UGA memories, as I'm sure it does for so many of the people of Athens. For me, the stadium holds memories of my first college football game, first college crush, first seriously scary sunglass tan, and so much more. We laughed, we cried, and we ate a lot of hot dogs. 

As I entered the stadium, my eyes only grew wider. A sea of red appeared before me, with each person's smile shining brighter than the next. The happiness and love for football truly radiated from the stands. This Saturday qualified as one last hot dogs, one last sunburn, and one last time losing my voice to the dogs.

As I make the final preparations for leaving the town of Athens, the G-day game only reminds me further of all of the activities and hidden treasures that lie right before us. In these final weeks, what better is there to do with my time than complete as many Athens-tivities that I can? A long bucket list sits on my refrigerator as of Sunday, serving as a daily reminder to live up my final days in the classic city. 

So, I leave you with this: My bucket list. Complete it, as best you can, before it's too late and you realize you only have two weeks left of school. 

1.     Serve on the executive board of an organization

2.     Go out in a t-shirt

3.     Attend an event in the chapel

4.     Visit the UGA Creamery

5.     Picture with UGA

6.     Picture with Hairy Dawg

7.     Take a picture on the Arch logo tile in Tate

8.     Attend the Dawg Walk

9.     Georgia-Florida Game

10. Frat Beach

11. Sit with the Bernard Ramsey statue

12. Late night at Snelling

13. Eat in a dining hall as an upperclassman

14. Attend an event at:
 a. The Georgia Theatre
b.     The Morton Theatre
c.      Hendershots
 d.     The Melting Point
e.     40 Watt
f.      Memorial Hall
g.     The Classic Center
 f. Flikr
 g. The Melting Point

15. Visit the Georgia Museum of Art

16. Picture with Grady College (or your respective college)

17. Attend the Athens Rodeo

18. Walk the trails at the State Botanical Gardens

19. Tailgate on Myers Quad

20. See a movie at the Tate Theater

21. Start the Georgia cheer

22. Tour Terrapin

23. Attend Swing Dancing Nights on the IM Deck

24. Get in the North Fountain

25. Ring the Chapel Bell 

26. Attend Salsa Night at Jerzees

27. Attend Athens Twilight

28. Eat Roman Noodles

29. Eat, eat and eat some more
a.     The Last Resort
b.     5&10
c.      Transmetropolitan
 d.     White Tiger Gourmet
e.     Mama’s Boy

 f.      Big City Bread

 g.     The Grit

h.     Harry’s BBQ

 i.       Clocked

 j.       Ted’s Most Best

 k.     Pauley’s

l.       Amici

m.   The Mayflower

n.     Heirloom Cafe

 o.     Blind Pig Tavern

 p.    LaFonda hot dog

q.     The Grill

 r.      Shokitini (and rent a room for karaoke)

 s.    Weaver D’s

 t.      Ike & Janes

 u.    Marty’s at Midday
 v.      Thai Spoon

 w.    Copper Creek (get the sweet potato fries)

 x.      Square One Fish Co.

y.     Sunday brunch at Porterhouse

 z.      Dondero's Kitchen

aa.  The Capital Room
 ab. Agua Linda

ac. The World Famous ("This is it" sign outside) - get the pork steamed buns

ad. Viva (by The Grit)

ae.  La Dolce Vita

30. Then drink… a lot

 a.  Open a Pauley’s beer card (& try finish it)

b.  Buy a glass and drink all 8 pours at Terrapin

 c.  Attend $2 Tuesdays at Copper Creek

 d.  Creature Comforts Brewery

e. Kill Bill at Budda Bar

f. Cutter's on a Thursday for $1 Yuenglings

 g. Dance on the tables at Bourbon

 h. Sangria at The Manhattan (hipster bar on Hull St.) 

31. Kayak down the Broad

32. Go dancing at 9d’s (if you're there before 1a.m., you're doing something wrong)

33. Jump off the high dive at Ramsey

34. Do the corn maze (& strawberry picking) at Washington Farms

35. See a movie at Cine

36. Visit the Iron Horse

37. Find the Tree That Owns Itself

38. Drive down Finley St. (the cobblestone street in Athens)

39. Have ice cream from Hodgson’s Pharmacy

40. Attend at least one Dawgs After Dark event

41. See a movie at the dollar theater

42. Climb the rock wall at Ramsey

43. Hang out on North Campus

44. Achieve the Trifecta (at your own risk)

45. Find all of the Athens Bulldog Statues

46. Attend Athfest

47. Ride the full orbit of the Orbit bus route

48. Go for a walk on the Greenway

49. Watch the sunset from the top of the North Campus parking deck

50. Spend a summer in Athens

51. Go out in bad weather (rain, sleet, snow)

52. Pull an all-nighter (or two or three) in the SLC

53. Get all the stamps on a Jittery Joes frequent buyer card and buy the most expensive drink on the menu (Suggestion: Frosty Joe)

54. Road trip to an away football game.

55. See the Constitution of the Confederate States (displayed once a year in late April)

56. Swim in the river at the Botanical Gardens

57. See the giant globe in the Geography building (but, actually, it’s cool!)

58. Look through the telescope in the Physics Building

59. Dress up for Cow Day at Chick-fil-A

60. Hang out in the Founder’s Garden

61. Don’t go into the main library (just to see if you can do it--still haven't been inside)

62. Study abroad (or at least go abroad)

63. Star gaze at the IM Fields

64. Spend time on Herty Field

65. Study on the Two Story back porch

66. Go to the Athens Farmer’s Market (& buy fresh veggies!)

67. Walk through J.J.’s Flea Market

68. Take a cooking class at Earthfare

69. Play the arcade games at Wonderbar

70. Walk through the Elder Mill wooden bridge

71. Tee it up at the UGA Golf Course

72. Get an Ice Cream Float/Lunch from Add Drug

73. Never pass up a home game/Saturday in Athens

74. Walk under the Arch on Graduation Day!! 

Note: This list has been adapted from a list 

Veggie Tales of a Farmer's Market

One of my favorite activities growing up was gardening with my grandfather. He had this amazing garden, filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Some seeds we're brought over from his hometown, in Greece, and others came straight from the fruits and vegetables we ate. He grew tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and so much more. Summers at his house on long island were always full of fresh salads and veggies. This is one of the many ways I remember my grandfather; His delectable fruits and vegetables, and the quality time we spent together in his garden. 

When I was old enough to look after my own fruits and vegetables, my grandfather let my brother and I pick a fruit, any fruit we wanted, and told us he would help me plant it at my family's home in Atlanta. Strawberries we're my fruit of choice, and honeydew melon was my brother's. There must have been something in the soil that summer, because I have never seen so many melons and berries. The following summers grew plentiful with melons and berries, almost to the point that it became an issue. The melons we're especially difficult to deal with. They started to take over the entire garden, crushing everything else in it's path (those poor little flowers....). The strawberries grew larger and more plentiful with each passing year. 

My grandfather passed a little over a year ago, and as I now look at our garden, I'm reminded of him. I remember the hours he spent tending to the garden, his soil-covered hands, and his love that helped our garden grow. In a way, he gave me a greater appreciation of fresh fruits and vegetables. I've realized how much work and effort goes into growing these things, and how much better they taste when you've put a little hard work into it. 

Last week, the Creature Comforts Athens Farmers Market re-opened for the spring, and I immediately couldn't resist. My first thoughts jumped to the wonderful produce my family grew together, and I decided I had to check it out. Open on Wednesdays from 4-7 at Creature Comforts in downtown Athens, the farmers market is hosted outside the brewery. Let me tell you, if you grocery shop for produce, stop. The produce and the people you will meet at the farmer's market are ten times more worth it than your average trip to Kroger. 

Not only is the farmer's market a great place to find great food and meet even better people, but it's totally insta-worthy. Given good weather and a little good luck, you can find quality photo-friendly fruit, like these strawbs.

The Athens Farmers Market also has an amazing instagram account that puts faces to produce and provides an awesome story to tell. While they aren't solely located at the Creature Comforts location, I find that it is, however, my favorite location. What's better than a little bit of shopping with a side of beer tasting? Not a whole lot. 

While my childhood memories lead me to finding my next cheap thrill, this thrill is not so cheap to me. The art of growing and tending to a garden, and creating something of your own to put on your table, is one of the greater pleasures in life. Some might call it "granola" or "towny" of me to go, but I just call it freaking awesome. 

Peace, Love, Cheap Thrills & Veggies. 

Cake Cake Cake Cake

Sometimes, the finer things in life are quite simple. Take, for example, a nice stroll in sunny weather, a friendly smile, puppies, and so on. All of these things are generally simple, and we see them happening day to day, sometimes going unnoticed. 

As a senior in college, I have reached the point of appreciating each day more and more as they pass by. So, on Wednesday, I decided to take someone of a "personal day." The weather was excellent, a beautiful sunny day in the high 60s, and after class, I decided to strictly do "fun."

What's more fun and enjoyable than sitting outside and eating cake? 

Nothing. 

So, I gathered up the roomies, and we came up with a plan. 

Last Resort Grill, a local restaurant located downtown, is extremely well known for it's variety of cakes and cheesecakes (among countless other menu items). Famous for their colorful mural on the outside wall of the restaurant, they have become an Athens classic. They are located on Clayton Street, and are almost always bumpin' with plenty of customers, and happy full tummies.

I mean, look at this stuff. 

I'm probably one of the biggest #foodporn Instagram junkies that you will ever meet (or read?). So, you can imagine how disappointed I felt when I learned that they do not have their own instagram account.  However, they do have a geolocation that is frequently used and provides me with plenty of instal-worthy pictures (praise!). 

The Last Resort website also features many great photos and a fabulous up-to-date website, and they also post their weekly/daily specials on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Their Twitter account seems to be currently inactive, or has been abducted by alien-creatures. 

My friends and I skipped our happy selves all the way to Last Resort in a glorious attempt to sit on the patio and enjoy a nice slice of cake.

$4.95. 

Best money I've spent in a long time. 

Chill, bro.

So, I've talked about the weather before. I spoke about my past struggles with the cold weather, and the cave-like characteristics that it brings out in me. Now, only a mere three weeks later, we're dealing with highs of 84 and lows in the 60s. Did we skip straight to summer? I was excited about early spring, but sweating bullets when I walk into class was not a part of my game plan. 

That being said, I have the perfect guide to keeping cool in this heated city. 

The first key to keeping cool is finding a pool. Most pools in Athens are gated, closed, or private. How do you get around this? Here's a wild thought: sneak in. I'm not usually one to live on the edge, but let me tell you... I get a rush from sneaking into pools. 

Kidding. Kind of. 

There are two main pools that I've found to be extremely easy to sneak into. The first pool is the Towne Club pool. This pool is part of the Towne Club condominium complex, located off of Milledge Avenue, on Springdale. I found out about this pool during my sophomore year, when I lived in my sorority house on Milledge. It was walkable distance, and had ample parking room. They also have an Instagram account that posts about their condominiums and benefits, which also shows off their pool.

 There is a gate with a code, but there are ways around it. First, you could probably hop the fence, if you were really desperate. But, I have a simpler method. I have the gate code. I am the answer you have been looking for! It's #8696. 

Fingers crossed that it hasn't changed. 

The next step for keeping cool is quite crucial. Everyone knows the best way to cool off in the spring or summer is ice cream. Well, I honestly don't really like eating ice cream in the summer. I much prefer popsicles and frozen lemonade. Everyone needs that thirst quencher to satisfy your palette. 

Now, I present you with the holy grail of thirst quenchers. 

Behold, the Sonic Slush.

 

But wait, there's more. What's better than the slush? Well nothing, except for Sonic's HAPPY HOUR.

!!!!

Sonic now offers a happy hour special from 2-4PM every day with 50% off drinks. You can also check out http://secretmenus.com/sonic/happy-hour/ to see more great happy hour food options that change daily. That's right, there's a website called secretmenus.com. Pure genius. 

So, grab your sunscreen, towel, and Sonic slush, and head to that pool. Enjoy this bipolar weather and make sure to keep cool. All for the lovely price of about $1.50. 

You're welcome. 

Boom. Bang. Pow. Hello Spring Break.

Want to hear the best motivation to get in shape? I have two right here. Spring. Break. Cue the music: Dun dun duuuunnnnn. Not only does the idea of getting into a bathing suit after 3 months of winterful bliss terrify me, but it also really instigates this whole self-evaluation. Every college girl around this time of year starts to exercise daily, if they don't already. Some people do two-a-days, and others try juice cleanses and eat celery. I am not one of the juice and celery people. 

Disclaimer: I'm not one of those people who likes to diet. I don't really believe in it. 

I have always been a firm believer in eating everything in moderation. So you want to binge and eat half a pint of ice cream? Do it. Just not every day. Everyone should do this at least once (a month..). Here's my theory though. If you're going to eat the pint, just promise yourself you'll work it off. It's all about the balance. Set standards for yourself. Half of the pint = an extra 30 minutes on the treadmill, jumping jacks at every commercial break, push-ups, whatever. 

I genuinely like to exercise. I work out often, and eat what I want. It works for me. I kick box every morning at a studio called 9Round. I started doing this in October of 2015. People had recently been talking about how great kick-boxing is for toning your body without bulking up. Then of course I found out that the VS supermodels kick-box, so naturally I had to try it. 

(I mean same. I look like that, right?)

9Round isn't your ordinary kickboxing work out. The entire workout lasts only 30 minutes, and there are no class times, so you're free to go in whenever you want (and they're open). There are nine different rounds with different types of punching backs and stations set up. Each round lasts only 3 minutes, and there are 30 seconds in between each round. I will say this, it's nonstop. You literally don't stop moving for the entire 30 minutes. Even in the 30 seconds that they give you in between rounds, you are doing exercises like high-knees, jumping jacks, skater hops, etc. 

Little did I know that when I joined this gym, that it would be so fun. I've always been mildly athletic. I played sports all throughout high school and maintained some form of athleticism throughout college thus far. But, for the first time in a while, I actually look forward to going to the gym. If I'm angry, I punch it out. If I'm excited, I go to the speed bag. Sometimes, I picture peoples faces on the bags (violent, I know, but it helps). It's like therapy. 

The other great thing about 9Round is how fast it is. You're in and out in 30 minutes, and you don't have to sign up in advance to squeeze in to a class. Wanna know a secret? I paid 200 dollars for a 4-month membership. Talk to any girl that takes classes regularly at any gym in Athens, and their jaw will drop to the floor. Fifty dollars a month for kick box training with trainers helping you, unlimited access (you can go as many times a day as you want), and it's actually fun? Blasphemy. 

It's true, really. Every morning I'm greeted by awesome trainers who are ready to make me work hard. If I even hint at the fact that I could be trying harder, or that the workout isn't hard enough, they change it on the spot. The staff actually cares about each client. They know everyone on a first name basis, and know to help you get the results you're looking for.  Be careful what you wish for... 

 They appreciate each and every customer so much. Just this morning, Torri (a fellow 9rounder), completed two full cycles today in celebration of her one year anniversary with the gym. Tony, the owner, got so excited that they instagrammed it. They love to inspire and motivate people to kick butt and get in shape through all of their social media accounts. Who doesn't love and need that morning instagram motivation? Those "fitstagrams" literally get me out of bed in the morning. 

So, instead of my normal spring break panic, I just upped the anti by going to 9Round. From October until now, I have been legitimately addicted. No diet necessary. No draining my wallet. I even dropped my normal gym membership to save money. Who needs a treadmill when you get to punch the shit out of things? 

If you're reading this two days before you leave for the beach, I'm sorry, but it's probably too late. But hey, swimsuit season is almost here so get on it and go visit my friends over at 9Round on Timothy Rd. It's worth it. 

Peace, luv, & thrillz.

Chillin' Out Max and Relaxin' All Cool

School really hit the fan this week. Really. You know what I'm talking about, right? There are those weeks when someway, somehow, at least four out of your five classes have exams in them, papers are due, and group projects are wrapping up. First of all, this is just rude. Who coordinates that? I'm not a last-minute crammer, so you would think that I wouldn't get too stressed out about the pile of projects, tests, and papers... but this week really got me.

Well, I have reached my limit. 

Sleepless nights, studying, taking care of a dog, and being sick (again), do not mix very well. 

Sometimes, when I get too stressed, I like to take a drive. Driving around the streets of Athens can be oddly soothing. We have had some beautiful weather, especially this past week, so cruising with some tunes seemed like just the cure. 

The music really is the key to success when going for a good drive. But which source do you use? If you're anything like me, you haven't listened to the radio in years. Commercials genuinely get under my skin. If I hear one more "Shane Co" ad, I will rip my sound system out of my car. 

But which is the way to go? So many music platforms are either too expensive to use, or require you to listen to the boring commercials. Personally I enjoy SoundCloud and iTunes, but let's be real here. Spotify has been dominating this part of the music industry. 

You might be thinking, "Spotify is way too expensive for me." Well, it can be kind of expensive. Have no fear, cheap thrills are here!! 

Being a student, I love to find the student hacks to life. Most stores nowadays have some kind of a student discount with a student ID present. No kidding! Stores like Madewell and Topshop almost always offer at least a ten percept discount for students, and even local places in Athens (aka my nail salon- Express Nails) have discounts quite frequently. 

Well, the music industry is catching on. Spotify Premium has a special for Students (upon registration  with a student email) offers a discounted $4.99 account option. Normally, a Premium account is $9.99/month, but not for me (or any of you students)! 

With current music-industry related updates, constant new and improved playlists, and follower aspect, Spotify has been all the rage. Their Instagram account features artists, updates on the application, and current knowledge on music-related events, such as the Grammys. They even featured a specific Instagram post with a Snapchat account, linked to all of the inside red carpet features. 

While some companies struggle with the upkeep of a wide variety of social media accounts, Spotify seems to be doing pretty well. Providing insight, updates, and trends through their media accounts creates a desire to keep up with them as a company.  Along with their media accounts, the features that they've embedded within their application are amazing. They have even developed amazing playlists to cater to your current mood. As you can imagine, that worked out quite well for me. 

Some Green Day and Fall Out Boy might have been played. I highly recommend it when the coffee doesn't work and the dog won't stop crying.  Spotify also somehow read my mind while I was shuffling my way through various playlists, and somehow this came up: 

Talk about a real-life sign. 

Hopefully you can all now go off and be merry and free and listen to great music without breaking your wallet. I wish you all good luck, and I wish myself good sleep. 

XOXO, 

Cheap Thrills

The Ruff Days Are Over

I have grown up in Atlanta all my life, but let me tell you something. The weather never ceases to surprise me. I’ve seen one to two-inch snow keep me out of school for over a week. I’ve seen rain for months on end. I’ve seen 75 degree weather at Christmas time. Hell, I’ve probably laid out a time or two on Christmas Eve (don’t hate, you would too if you we’re bored in 76 degree weather).

Despite my experience with the cold weather, I’ve never been particularly fond of the cold. Don’t get me wrong; I love wintertime, just not getting frost bitten walking a mile to class. My thoughts: If it’s going to be 19 degrees outside, it might as well snow. Snow is happy. Snow makes school/work be cancelled. What’s not to love?

Meanwhile, the weather in Athens has bounced back and forth, up and down, and all around for weeks. One day, it’s 65 and sunny, the next, its 30. Yikes. 

The bipolar weather can tend to get in the way of things for me. Example A: My body does not know what the heck is going on. I’m not kidding! I have been sick on and off for about 3 weeks. When the temperature drops, sickness just travels through the school. I have the immune system of a kumquat, so naturally I’m the first to get sick. Example B: I get seasonal depression (it’s a thing, I promise). You know what I’m talking about here. The temperature drops, it’s cold and dreary outside, you don’t leave the house, for days.

I was experiencing a particularly harsh case of both of these examples this week. It was freezing outside, I was sick, tired, and glued to my bed. I was down to the last can of soup in the pantry, the fridge was empty, and I had not seen broad daylight for at least 36 hours. I felt like the wicked witch of the west, except with sun. Show me sun, I will melt.

Here’s the catch to this situation. I have a dog. Actually, it’s a puppy. His name is Simba, and he is a thirteen-week old cavapoo (cavalier king Charles spaniel - poodle mix). I bought him on somewhat of a whim (**Disclosure: I do not recommend this for any future dog owners; do your research**). For anyone that doesn’t know this already, puppies are a lot of work. They wake up at 5 AM crying, only to give you the realest puppy dog eyes you’ve ever seen, begging to get out of that crate. Wham. Stabs you right in the heart.

Want to know what’s really hard? Taking care of a puppy when you are sick, fatigued, have piles of work for your classes, and it’s absolutely miserable outside. But, one look into those eyes, and I realized I had to do something. Simba had been cooped up for hours, maybe even days, and I realized I needed to go wear him out. I’m not talking about your every day walk (we do that regularly), I’m talking big time here. I needed an activity that would knock him out from the moment we got home, to the next morning when I would wake up.

There it is, my next cheap thrill. What’s better than quality time with a puppy? Especially when you already have one. The weather actually opened up on Superbowl Sunday, and I saw the golden ticket.

Naturally, Google was the next move. I looked up “how to wear out a puppy”, “large fields in Athens, GA”, and “Do puppy sedatives exist?” (Kidding! Kind of…). Google to the rescue! The answer: The UGA Intramural Fields.

I went to Instagram and searched "UGA Intramural Fields", I found the location and was sold. With pictures like those, what dog-loving person wouldn't want to go. I also checked out the UGA recreational sports website and twitter account, and found a ton of random fun activities that are hosted through UGA  (*hint hint* coming soon). 

So, my roommate Caroline and I decided to take him out to the fields. Had I been able to breathe through my nose, I might have even tried to walk the trails with him. But alas, the Superbowl was an hour and a half away and I was practically a zombie. We brought a volleyball, for us, and Simba’s favorite squishy ball for him to chase after. Let me tell you, I think he was in utter doggy bliss.

First off, he had never been in a field so big (one of their many fields accessible). Moreover, he loves people. I mean everyone. He must have stopped every, runner, biker, and athlete within a visible radius, just to say hello. Walking with him downtown has become quite the struggle, as you can imagine. While we thought we were wearing him out, we wound up chasing after him for over an hour. I couldn’t move by the end of it, and there he was, tail wagging and ready for more play time.

Luckily, Super Bowl game time came around, and Simba was one happy, tired pup. I gave him a bone and a blanket and he did not budge until 8AM the next morning.  I had gotten a full night's sleep, and so had my dog. Mission accomplished.