Tag Archives: tater tots

From Left to Write Book Club: The Funeral Dress

No one has ever entrusted impoverished Emmalee with anything important, but she takes it upon herself to sew her mentor’s resting garment in The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore. Join From Left to Write on October 15 as we discuss The Funeral Dress.  As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

My mom actually read this October From Left to Write book club novel before I did, and I went into it a bit wary because she wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it. She did though, because The Funeral Dress takes place in the South around the same time she grew up in the same region. I ended up enjoying it too! My parents’ Southern heritage, my fond memories of visits to relatives in the South and to the University of Tennessee, and my fondness for most people I meet from the area may have biased me slightly toward that enjoyment. But no matter where the novel took place, I am confident in saying that I think Susan Gregg Gilmore succeeded in telling a story that had me invested in its characters and glued to each chapter.

From Left to Write is all about inspiring members to publish not a review, but a blog post on any topic the novel inspired within us. I actually drafted an entire post about fond memories of visiting my relatives in the South, but I really didn’t like it. I felt forced while writing it and I hate hitting “Publish” if I’m not happy with what I wrote. SO I just deleted it all and am starting over right now. I’m actually going to take a totally different turn (think a turn that the GPS told you to make, and so you did, but then you end up crashed into a lake) and write about a completely silly topic – tater tots.

Continue reading

Fall Fun at The Iron Frog Tavern

I received the food and drinks detailed below free of charge. This is not a compensated post. My opinions are my own.

Though I work in Simsbury, I had never been to The Iron Frog Tavern (located in the same Connecticut town) aside from once when I first started my job…and that was for a glass of wine. My co-workers seem to have a love-hate relationship with the place…some are obsessed with certain menu items (I’m looking at you, fellow Sales Department employee with a mac-n-cheese obsession) and some are turned off by bad service they’ve received in the past. All were curious as to what my opinion would be after visiting this past Wednesday evening for dinner.

We were the only ones brave enough to sit on the patio on this humid Wednesday evening.

We were the only ones brave enough to sit on the patio on this humid Wednesday evening.

I won’t keep you in suspense – I had an awesome experience and would definitely return The Iron Frog. Kat and I (oh and of course Penelope) were invited by owner Pam Paydos to try out the new fall menu. The chef situation at this restaurant has recently changed and though I hadn’t tried the food under the previous chef’s “reign”, I know that what I tried on Wednesday was excellent. Tyler Anderson, owner and exec chef of Millwright’s, is even a fan!

Continue reading