Hello My Friends;
I apologize for being absent from the blogging world recently.
The picture is taken in Savannah, Georgia at this enormous candy store. Evan was in Heaven, I was sure I was in Hell!
I'm down here in the sunny (but chilly) south and thought I would share with you some of my thoughts on southern food. Well I don't have many thoughts, really. Just this one....IT"S TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been complaining about the food down here since David and I started spending time here two years ago. If it's not fried it's so loaded with salt you need to drink a gallon of water after your meal. I remember going to this one restaurant and when the waitress told me that the veg of the day was green beans and I asked her how they were prepared she looked at me like I had just spoken a language foreign to her. She told me they were boiled. What she didn't tell me that they were out of a can and boiled until they were not green anymore but some shade of gray and as mushy as your mind will let you imagine.
Then there's the grits. Can any of my southern friends (I'm sure I have a few out there) tell me exactly what are grits???? Planning on taking my Dad out for breakfast one morning so he can at least say he had grits.
Now don't get me wrong. Not all places that we have tried are bad. We have our favorite sushi restaurant (so far) called The Sushi House just up the street from us and then there is Pompeo's. The most authentic Italian restaurant I have experienced. We love it when Mario, the owner/chef comes to our table to check in with us and talks in his think Italian accent. Just look out when you decide to order your meal without pasta! David has tried this in the past only to have Mario come to the table with a steaming bowl of pasta and say "You musta eata the pasta" When David tries to explain that he is watching his carb intake Mario responds by telling him he is also watching his carb intake. He says this while he rubs in very round belly and says, " Butta you musta hava the pasta, justa little bit." How can you say no to that! We are planning to go to Pompeo's this Sunday and I'm already trying to figure out how I am going to order my meal without the pasta. Mario's son, Mario Jr. is the waiter and I'm hoping that between the two of us we can come up with a plan. Mario Jr. is not quite as "old school" as his father.
It is here in the south that I have seen some of the most obese people that I have ever laid eyes on. I want so badly to go to these men and women and talk to them. I want them to know that I see them and that I see their beauty in spite of their size. I watch them and I watch how other people avoid making eye contact with them. I make eye contact when appropriate and say hello. I want to tell them that they can make a different choice but if they are southern and the southern style of eating has been ingrained in them, that change will be difficult.
As for my six pack abs, I knew being here would be a challenge. I have been eating more carbs and more salt than I normally do but fortunately I have also been working out a fair amount. My Dad keeps telling people that he's at Ally's Bootcamp because I've been dragging him, willingly, to the gym with me. He's learning all about the Body Weight Workout and I'm am learning that my Dad is a pretty tough, stubborn guy. I'm pretty sure that he thought I was going to kill him on day one but he keeps asking for more!
So, to conclude, I'm still on my six pack journey. I'm not there yet, and maybe it will be a long time before I get there but I'm not giving up. NEVER GIVE UP!
I hope you all have a healthy and happy New Year!
