Monthly Archives: January 2013

photography

Snap. Click. Enter.

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I entered my first photo contest tonight.

And I’m a little wigged out by that fact.

Motorcycle reflectionI usually find out about contests after the fact, so I’ve missed out on every possible contest for the last year. When my husband found this contest in a local news magazine, I vowed I’d enter. The parameters were pretty wide open, leaving 90% of my photos as potential entries. My biggest problem was knowing that this publication tends to walk on the quirky side. My favorite photos are much more straight forward, making me hesitate to even think I have a chance.

However, I stand behind my images. I really love the five photos I submitted, and I want so badly to at least make the top 30 (which would get me into the reader voting part of the contest).  Being my first contest, that alone would make me very excited. I want to win, of course! But I’d happily take making the top 30. I would.

Deadline to enter is February 1st, so I still have about a week until I know anything. I’m going to try really hard to ignore the submissions and pretend they aren’t out there at all. I’m going to try to avoid reloading the pages and my email the day the next round is announced.

Try, of course, being the operative word.

Ahhh!!! I can’t believe I really entered… fingers crossed, everyone!

drinkuplinkup

#DrinkUpLinkUp — Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale

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I am generally a wheat beer girl. My husband is a dark beer guy. However, we both mix it up occasionally and drift over to what the other likes. Last night, I went to the dark side.

075: Magnolia Brown AleWe went to eat at Big River Grille & Brewing Works in downtown Nashville last night. A friend works there, and we like to pop in and support her when we can. Plus, its a brewery… double points!

Big River has four locations — two in Chattanooga, TN, one in Nashville, TN, and one in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The Nashville location has six beers on top at all time, with a seasonal that rotates out with the… well… season. (Duh.)

Last night, we had their Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale. From the restaurant’s website:

“Award Winning”
Sweet Magnolia American Brown Ale

British Crystal and Chocolate malts give this ale a medium body and rich, sweet aroma. Mount Hood hops add a spicy and floral nose. This smooth, malty brew was a Gold Medal winner in the American Brown Ale category at the 1998 Great American Beer Festival.

Original gravity: 12.5° Plato
Alcohol by volume: 5.2%
Bitterness Units: 24

I liked it! It was a bit hoppier than I like in general, but somehow the malts helped off-set that to the point I didn’t mind. It was a smooth beer that went well with dinner. (And definitely worked for this not-usually-a-dark-beer-girl.)

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