Hey all! sorry about that extended absence, I really didn't plan on taking the month of March off from blogging, it just kinda happened. Hopefully more people than just my mother in law missed my posts.
It's been a crazy month. I spent the last 2-3 weeks not feeling very well and that culminated in an outpatient procedure last Tuesday. I'm definitely on the mend and will be fine. It definitely put a kink in my workouts, Whole30 plan and blogging. Add that to hiring 6 new people in the last month and sneak blogging at work wasn't happening,... Not that it ever did, really, just in case someone I work with stumbles across this blog, Really, NEVER blog in the mornings before people come in and want me to pay attention to them. Neeeeeevvvvver.
Oh and March is a crazy KD report month. Budgets, Monthly reports, annual reports and CAB reports all due so grades can be calculated for Convention. At least THOSE are done.
Enough about all of that, let's chat about this past weekend. On Friday I left work and met Kev at the Angus Barn for some meat and boozy goodness. As usual we split the giant prime rib, Kev had a potato, steamed veggies for me, a Cosmo and the house Cab. It had been a long week, between me being out on Monday and Tuesday and going at full speed Wed - Friday, I needed to relax.
As usual, everything was fantastic, we left plenty full and all was right in the world. We needed to eat a little earlier than normal to give ourselves time to digest and get extra hungry for Saturday's festivities, the Beer and Bacon Festival!
Several months ago Kev bought us VIP tickets to the Beer and Bacon festival. For about 6 hours on the website, the VIP tickets were the same price as the regular ones, which was about a $30 savings. For $39 you got to enter the festival 2 hours earlier than the rest of the people and were treated to unlimited speciality bacon dishes from local restaurants. Shorter crowds and unlimited bacon? Why yes! Our beer and bacon loving friends Lacey and Rob joined us.
It was unseasonably cold on Saturday in Raleigh. 40 some degrees in NC at the end of March just isn't right. That's Pittsburgh weather and part of the reason why I left, End of March should be sandal weather, instead I'm still in flannel, jeans and boots. Not bitter though. Funny story, Lacey and I were surprise twinsies with our red flannels, jeans and boots.
When you go to these festivals you get a glass to sample the all the delicious booze, I get it, you just need a taste, not an entire glass....
It was held over at the Koko Booth Amphitheater in Cary and as soon as we walked in Kev found some fellow bacon-loving folks. I think he was a Bacon pimp and these lovely ladies were his stable of bacon ladies. Kev was thrilled.
Like the beard? I LOVE the beard. We'll see if it makes it through the summer but I;m a big fan. #BeardLife
We immediately got to work eating the bacon. First up was bacon pizza. It was pretty good. Bacon, cheese, red onions, Yum.
As we worked our way though that line, we also just got some bacon on a napkin.
It was literally, bacon off the griddle. There were 2 different bacon stations and Kev hit both up more than once. That man loves him some bacon.
We sampled some beer and booze and then saw a line for bacon, cheese and potato soup. Now, I HATE cream based soups, really, really, hate them. Bleck. Then again, I only like 4 soups. Not a soup gal. But THIS, THIS soup was AMAZING! I couldn't ever eat an entire bowl but this with some crusty bread thing, I could die happy.
Then again, it was as cold as a witches titty and anything that gave off the slightest bit of warmth was a winner in my book.
I don't have a picture but my very most favorite moonshine dealer was there,
Sugarlands Distllery. Their butterscotch moonshine rocks my world. If you can find it, buy it and thank me later.
We also found this station.
How could you not?
The best way I can describe the Bacon Explosion is a sausage bacon meatloaf with bacon inside and out.
Not my favorite, I took a bite and gave the rest to Kev. He LOVED it.
We also had a bacon potato casserole which was mashed potatoes with cheese, bacon bits and scallions. I've never really liked mashed potatoes so this was a big meh for me.
More beer and booze... Then there was a pulled pork slider with jalapeno bacon and slaw. I don't really care for jalapeno bacon but it was a quality slider.
Missing pictures of the BLT (ehhh), Fondue with bacon jam and focaccia (YUM), Creamed Spinach with bacon (needed a pita chip but surprisingly tasty), Bacon wrapped cheesy tater tot with a random jalapeno (didn't need the rando pepper). Then there were 2 fails, the bacon mac and cheese ran out and we never found the bacon potato wedges. We were supposed to choose our favorite and put out ballots in the box by 2pm. Sadly, no one had a pen and there weren't any pens at the table.
As soon as the general admission opened at 2pm the place got super crowded and getting booze became next to impossible, By 3pm we called it a day and headed over to Bad Daddy's Burger Bar to split a burger and some tots. Let's be honest, Kev ate the burger and I ate his tots because I have zero self control when it comes to tater tots. It's one of the main reasons I love the Whole Foods breakfast bar, the tots. Heck, full disclosure, I had tots for breakfast and lunch on Saturday,
Thoughts on the festival? I didn't get as much booze as I did at the Beer and Bourbon festival because we spent a lot of time waiting in line for food. However, the VIP was SOOOOO worth it. Fewer people and free bacon samples was absolutely worth it, The people who came after 2 had to pay for their food and most of the samples were gone. We'd definitely go again an would get the VIP in a heartbeat. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Then we went home and napped. The End.
Alright, time to get ready for my FINAL 2 new hires! I have two contract employees starting today, Liam Khaki Pants and Joe Four First Names. I'll tell them they already have nicknames in a day or 2.
Back to the linking up!
BLovedBoston