Wahoo!

Wahoo! Grill is a Decatur staple. It has been four years since I moved to Decatur, and I just made my first trip to this Zagat-rated restaurant. Tisk, tisk.

From the front, I imagined this historic-looking buiding to hold a small restaurant in it's four walls. My imagination was not large enough to hold the expanse of Wahoo!. Our birthday party of ten was set up on the patio. The restuarant interior opens out into a charming patio, and ends in a lovely garden.

When I called ahead to find out about GF accomodations, I learned they would accomodate with whatever I wanted- making an item on the menu GF or allowing me invent a GF plate of my own. My fellow GF friend and I both ordered the Wahoo!, with two sides of veggies. It seemed like the only dish that was inherently GF. I was not familiar with wahoo, a fish. To me, the fish looked like, tasted like, and had the texture of chicken. Overall, I thought the dish was average.

I would go back with friends who love this restaurant for a second shot, since I've heard rave reviews about Wahoo!. Going to Wahoo! for just a drink would be very enjoyable- their drink menu is extensive and their mixed drinks very interesting and delicious.

56 Hours and Counting

Where have I been?

I started my 120 clinical hours for my post-baccalaureate certification in wound, ostomy, and continence care nursing (CWOCN). Although some people think my job as the "poop, pee, and pus" nurse is revolting, I quite like it. It will have taken me a year from start to finish to complete the program at Emory. Right now I am in the last "semester" (this program is self-study). I have a few projects to complete along with my clinical hours. This translates into my life as a 56-hour nursing work week. Mondays and Thursdays I do 8 hour shifts for clinical, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Friday I do 12 hour shifts for work.

Some of you reading this might scoff at a 56 hour work week. Nursing work is a bit different from other jobs. Imagine doing your office job while walking non-stop around the office. Do that for 56 hours. Don't forget that you'll also have to slide and roll your physically impacitated co-workers aross flat surfaces, keep a caring attitude, continually problem-solve, and remain focused while doing multiple tastks at once.

All the work I've been doing has left me quite exhausted. I sympathize with all the other over-worked people of the world. The "summer cold" has been circulating around a few of the docs and PA's I work with. Lack of sleep and stress impairs any immune system, so I've been trying my best to stay healthy. For breakfast I've been getting my fruit/vitamin C intake by drinking a fruit smoothie. I've made sure my protein intake is adequate, and I have been including garlic in my meals to promote my overall well-being.
Morning Smoothies
Add into the blender:
* One banana
* 1 small handful, or about 1/2 cup forzen fruit- pick your inidivual favorites in bags at the grocery store, a bag of mixed frozen fruit, or make your own mix of fresh fruits thrown into a freezer bag
* Protein powder (I chose rice bran powder)
* Fruit juice- enough to cover about 1/4 of the blender mix or about 1/2 cup

Dill & Garlic Tilapia Sandwich
* 1-2 pieces toasted GF bread
* GF mayonaise
* Dill
* 1 tilapia filet (I bought a bag at the grocery store and I've been defrosting 1 filet at a time.)
* 1-2 cloves of garlic, to taste minced or squished through a press
* EVOO

1. Season tilapia with salt and pepper.

2. Warm EVOO in a pan on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, start toasting the bread.

3. Start sauteeing the tilapia. When the bottom appears opaque, flip the fish (about 3 minutes). Add springs of dill to lightly cover the fish. Cook for a few more minutes, until the fish easily flakes with a fork.

4. While the fish is cooking, spread mayo on the bread. Add the garlic, evenly coating the bread.

5. Add the fish to the slice of bread and enjoy! Serve with a salad, possibly fresh out of the bag.

Gluten Free All-Around

My boyfriend's cousin (Josh) got married (to Tami) last week in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The Mazzolini clan first descended on Mr. & Mrs. Mazz's house in Cleveland before making the drive up to Michigan.

Momma Mazz had a few GF treats for me at home, bought at Heinen's. Thursday Nick and I hit up the zoo, before his brothers and their spouses arrived. Although Nick and I had the best intentions of trying a Cleveland restaurant or two after visitng the zoo, the rain (and consequently our wet clothes) drove us back home. All of the food we ate in Cleveland was cooked at home- 98% of the produce being plucked from the Mazzolini's garden.

We arrived in Mount Pleasant on Friday with just enough time to check into our hotel, say a few hellos to some of the other family members, and get ready for the rehersal dinner. We ate at the POHLCAT. The food was brought in. Although they made sure my meal was GF, they lacked GF dressing and EVOO for the salad. I had no complaints, though. Spending time getting to know Nick's extending family was wonderful.

Saturday we bummed around before the 2pm ceremony. The wedding guests filled up a church- all 340 people. Nick and I snuck a nap in after church and before the reception, held at the hotel. Josh and Tami's reception was beautiful- a very classily decorated room filled with love and support from family and friends. Instead of a buffet or a sit-down dinner, they kept things flowing by having food stations- Mexican, a meat carving station with veggies, an icecream bar, a kid's table, and a 10:30pm hot dog station. The chef came out to talk to me about my food needs, and made me a GF plate of roast, chicken, and grilled red peppers and onions. Since I could eat the roast and the potatoes, I was really not expecting to have any additional accomodations. After Nick and I filled our bellies, we made sure to hit the photo booth and the dance floor. Josh and Tami's wedding was great because of the way everything was freely moving- it kept the reception spontaneous and fun.

Yes, we enjoyed every quick-moving minute. By the time I was back home in the ATL, I realized we'll (oh darn) just have to go back to enjoy some of the GFness Cleveland has to offer.

The best part of the trip through the Midwest: Time with the Mazz Clan
The second-best parts: feeding fish to a Sea Lion; ballroom dancing (i.e., waltzing) to Journey
The worst part of the trip through the Midwest: Rain! Wind!