Blogiversary!

It's been two years today since I started this blog, and I'm gonna say the exact thing I said last year at this time – I can't believe I'm still writing this crap on this blog! But I thank each and every one of you who reads, and, possibly, enjoys what nonsense I have to say. It's a lot of fun, if not time consuming.

The only real downside of the blog, besides the occasional attack comment coming out of left field, is that I weigh ten pounds more than when I started the blog (like how I transfered the blame?), but there are most definitely upsides. I'll leave the best 'til the very end, because those who know me know that I'm a huge optimist (guffaw) and like to leave things on a perky, happy note.

Without further adieu, the year in review...
Favorite Posts From the Past Year
The longer posts on Waffle House, ING Cafe, and the Riverfront Market are my favorites. Surprisingly, none of these locations are in Philly.

Favorite Restaurants Reviewed
There are lots of restaurants visited in the last year that I'd go back to in a heart beat – Genelle's, Tiffin, Bar Ferdinand, Silk City, Chicks, The Ugly American, Talula's Table, and Giwa – but here are the ones on the list that I actually have gone back to (it's a big city, and it's hard to choose between a favorite and the unknown) – Meju, A Full Plate Cafe, Los Caballitos, and Royal Tavern. It looks like I prefer casual restaurants – with good food, of course!Best Thing from a Restaurant That I put In My Mouth
Vegetable curry at Genelle's!!! It's in Wilmington. I can't believe it, either.

Best Non-Dessert Recipes From This Year
Kick it homestyle with the easiest biscuit recipe ever.
It's still chilly out. Cooks Illustrated's white chili and Thai-style "chicken" soup.To Die For Ice Cream
I got an ice cream maker and went bezerk, and I know you did, too. I command you to make Banana Pudding Ice Cream, and Basil Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks.

Most Anticipated Dessert
I'm praying the grape vines don't get diseased, so I can make Green Grape Pie again.Vacation!
Went to a plush Jamaican resort in the spring to see my boyfriend's baby brother get married. No beer for me, but lots of girly drinks. Then went to Wichita, Kansas for the stateside wedding reception. Managed a peek at Botanica in Wichita. Fourth of July means lots of food, lots of drinks, fireworks, and driving cars in to ditches (not me!) at my sister's place in Charleston, SC. A weekend trip to DC is only two hours away. Don't miss the market at Du Pont Circle when in DC. A weekend at Delaware's beaches is also only a couple of hours away. I compulsively look for shells when on the beach. My boyfriend's granddad taught me a few things in Corpus Christi, TX. I also discovered paletas in Texas. A trip to Virginia for another wedding right at peek fall foliage. And, finially, Austin revisited.Philly Fun
How can you not hit up the Philly Italian Market Festival? The Mexican food at the fest is my fav, though. A bike tour of Philadelphia's urban farms was super sweet. I ended up meeting fellow blogger Jennie, who helped organize and lead the tour. Hit up Greenfest on South Street. Saw my friend Mark hawking his wares, Organic Mechanics Potting Soil. It's the shit, yo! You can get bags of his soil at Whole Foods and a bunch of other places. Participated in Center City's Restaurant Week and ended up with a reservation at Mantra. Research revealed that Restaurant Week is not a great bargain for vegetarians. They upped the price since then, and now it's like paying a hefty fine if you're a vegetarian.
New Projects
Did I hit you over the head with the urban gardening going on in the back yard? Let me do it again. I also decided to give Wilmington some love. Glad I did, or I wouldn't have found Genelle's.Brush With Foodie Fame
So, my Dad was featured on an episode of No Reservations! I had heard about the show, but didn't have access to The Travel Channel. When I got wind of my Dad's adventures with Tony, I ordered up some really expensive cable television to be sure not to miss it, and also read Kitchen Confidential. I'm a Bourdain fan now, like most of you out there. (Did you see the picture of Bourdain in My Last Supper? Naked with a hunk of meat in front of his hunk of meat? I did. Meat and old men never looked so good.) I waited in the long line outside the Free Library of Philadelphia last December when Bourdain came through on a book tour to get my Dad an autographed copy of No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach. When I told him to make it out to my Dad, he was startled and asked who the hell I was (in a nice way). I'm my Dad's spawn, Tony.
Photos by Foodaphilia

Best Thing Last
I'm excited to have connected with a bunch of Philly food bloggers that I drop comments on (pretty much every one over in the side bar under Philly Food Blogs) with the Philly Food Blogger Meetups that were organized this past year with the help of E. and Marisa after a long string of emails. I ran into E. at her place of work, I ran into Jennie on the urban bike tour, and I ambushed David after getting my hair cut around the corner from his place of work (sorry, David), so when I saw on a Foodaphilia post that Marisa and E. ran into each other out on the town , I thought, you know, we ought to just all run into each other on purpose. I'm glad we got it together. If you're still out there blogging about food in the Philly area, and haven't joined up, drop me a line. You never know what will come of it. I talked my way into a trip to Portugal with Jennie at the last shindig!

So, that was last year. Here's to next year!