Return to the South!

Two weeks ago we had a lil party at 9A.

We affectionately named it -- Return to the South! -- because as of March, all 4 roommates at 9A are born and bred southern gals. Reason enough for celebration!

Roommate Lindsay Ann is from Alabama, and she went to school at Alabama. Hannah is from Dallas, she went to Auburn. And new roommate Bethany is also from Alabama, and went school in North Carolina. 2 Alabama girls, 2 Dallas girls. Party necessary! (And I know what you're thinking, and no, we don't discuss college football around here. The fall is a tense tense time at 9A.)

Like any true southern-themed soiree, we had an assortment of our favorite southern treats, including, but not limited to, the following -- Sweet Tea Vodka & Lemonade, several different kinds of "Coke" (because all soda = Coke in the south, duh), Queso, Southern Caviar (I first got the recipe from Jamie and it's ALWAYS a crowd pleaser!), Deviled Eggs, personal servings of baked Mac & Cheese, Krispy Kreme, Oatmeal Creme Pies, and you better believe we had some Fried Chicken! All the way from Obama Fried Chicken in Harlem.

In a word -- Awesome.

It also happened to MONSOON that Saturday night. Not just rain, but torrential downpour, impossible to stay dry, difficult to persuade yourself to leave your apartment kind of rain. Ohsoinconvenient.

Despite the best efforts of the weather, we hosted a full apartment of friends. Quite successfully I might add!

The gals of 9A!
Lindsay Ann, Bethany, Me and Hannah

Sam and Shannon and Marc came ALLLLL the way uptown to visit! Yay!

Me and Caroline -- Why does it feel like an eternity since she was my roomie?!?

And last, but not least, Michelle was in town!

My friend Michelle -- Current Little Rock resident, former New Yorker, Columbia graduate, 3x New York Marathon runner -- was in town for a long weekend visit. It worked out that she was able to come to our party. And then she got up and ran a 4 mile race on Sunday morning. Because she's crazy. Sigh. Some things never change.

At the end of the night, all our country music had been played, there was very little food left, a fridge full of beer, a sink of melty ice and some tired cowboy boots.

A Southern Success!