mattmehaffey

Basey's Downtown

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog post ... I am ready for football season to kickoff this Thursday night.  Even though I just moved to Miami and I have become a Dolphins fan (1-15 last year, ouch) I am originally from Indianapolis. I'm a Colts fan first.  I am trying to figure out when I can get to up north to watch a game at the new Lucas Oil Stadium. I've heard it's very impressive. 

Directly across the street from the new stadium is Basey's Downtown. Greg Basey, the owner, is a personal friend of mine and I am seriously craving a tenderloin sandwich from Basey's.  It's the best tenderloin in Indy.  Hands down.  There's no better place to grab some great food before a Colts game. 

Do me a favor, if you go to a Colts game this year stop by Basey's, get some great food and tell Greg, "Matt's blog sent ya."  You will not regret it.

You Are What You Eat

Janie made fresh scones.  They're delicious.  But to be honest, the words "Lemon Curd" make me want to hurl.

Party People

Friday night, Janie and I, threw a party at our house and invited several families we've met in the year's time we've been in South Florida. Some were from The Pursuit and others we met in other social circles. Our friend Sheri Dupuy, from Indianapolis was staying with us for the weekend too. Good thing, cause we put her to work! But, that's what she gets for being a Red Sux fan.

Janie themed the party based on our multicultural makeup and everyone brought food from whatever part of the world they were from. As you can tell from the map, we had food from places like Cuba, Malta, Peru, Spain, and Kentucky (yes, there was chicken).

We also borrowed Alex and Erin Diaz's Wii which turned some party-goers into fierce competitors (cough, Janie, cough). Check the picture out below and see my record setting score, as I dramatically came back after starting off rather poorly against Janie. By the way, those are Alex and Erin's virtual versions of themselves (I played as Erin and Janie played as Alex). Victory!

Here are some other pictures from the party through my flickr account.

Barista Wanna-Be

Every time I am at my friend, Hiram Rios', house he makes his famous cafe con leche. It is the best way to feed my caffeine addiction. Not sure it's a good thing Janie went out and bought our very own aerolatte. I took my first shot at it tonight and I must admit it was really good. Not as good as yours, Hiram, so you still have to make mine when I come over next time!

Memorial Day is for Grillers

Cooking is so much more fun when it's a family endeavor. Janie and I saw an article in the latest GQ on proper grilling techniques and it fired us up ... fired, get it ... (ugh) to try grilling ribs on our Weber charcoal grill. We had already decided Memorial Day would be a day we would just spend together so this was the perfect occasion to try it.

While Janie worked on all the sides, I prepared the ribs. This meal has gone down as one of the top three of my entire life. The whole experience: the food, the perfect weather, the beautiful girl (not in that order). It was a great day.

The only bad decision was to cap off the day with the movie, "No Country for Old Men." I have no idea how this movie won so many awards. It had potential but the last 1/2 of the movie was unwatchable. The only part of Memorial Day I'd like to forget.

What's Your Favorite Dessert?

I think many people anticipate reading the Bible as much as they anticipate eating a bowl full of lima beans. However, God intended His Word to be craved for much like we crave our favorite desserts! (Check out Psalm 119:103)

That being said, "What's your favorite dessert?" Post your answer by clicking on "comments" below.

Mine ... Portillo's Chocolate Cake Shake. OMG. Bad news is I live in SoFlo and they are only in Chicago. Good news is I don't weigh 500 lbs., which I am sure I would if I lived in Chicago.

Next time you are in the Chicagoland area you've got to have one.

Stir Crazy Friday

Last night, Janie and I checked out a sneak peek of the new Stir Crazy restaurant at Pembroke Gardens (a new outdoor mall down the street from us). It officially opens on the 21.

We had a great dining experience especially since the meal was free! They were using this weekend as a training opportunity for their staff. We were happy to be used as guinea pigs. You cannot leave without ordering the banana wontons for dessert.

New New Years Tradition

How did we ring in 2008? Clubbing in SoBe? Nope.

We headed over to Century Village (a 55+ gated community in Pembroke Pines) and played cards with Bob and Linda Smith. Yeah, the Mehaffey's know how to party hard. Actually it was a lot of fun. The Smith's served up Skyline Chili, which is the nectar of all that is good in life. The picture is one I took and sent to the Diaz (who were in Indy) to let them know we missed them and wished them a happy new year.

2008. I can't wait to see what this year has in store for our lives and the new life of The Pursuit Christian Church. With God, I know for sure it won't be boring!

Meet the Parents

Janie and I had a great time visiting my mom and dad over our break. They are two of the most comfortable and generous people we know.

We got in late on Sunday, Dec. 23, feeling the beginning of our colds. When we got up the next morning my dad had two medicine bottles filled will amoxicillin for Janie and me. No, he's not a pharmacist.

I have never met two people who love movies more than my mom and dad. We saw both I am Legend (IMAX) and National Treasure 2. Both were really good. The 6-minute preview to The Dark Knight was sick!

They also know how to eat. We had a late Christmas Eve meal at Olive Garden, a lunch at McAlister's and then on the way to the airport we stopped for some White Castles! I'd like to apologize to everyone who flew on the plane with us that night.

We are excited because mom and dad are our house guests the week of launch so we will see them again in less than a month.

We Have a Skyline Chili!

God knew what He was doing when He called Janie and me to South Florida! I was just telling her the other day, one of the only things I miss is our proximity to Skyline Chili. I knew there were a couple on the Gulf Coast but I about had a heart attack (you'll get one if you eat there too much) when I saw two locations in Ft. Lauderdale. That's about a half an hour drive north.

We were having a downer of a day last week, so I told Janie, "Get in the Jeep. We are going out for dinner!" Janie got a three way and a coney and I got a four way with a coney. The whole place is decked out with pictures of Cincinnati and merchandise from the Bengals and the Reds. I have to admit I had my first nostalgic moment since moving down here. I absolutely love Cincy. Four of the best years of my life were spent at Cincinnati Bible College (now CCU) and some of my lifelong best friends came out of that time. (Quick shout out to two friends who are attending there now, Carl Wittrig and Hannah Draper!)

It's good to know we don't have to go too far to get a taste of home.