| 7:33pm | Tonight we had the pleasure of checking out a new burger joint in town...Brgr. Here's the skinny.... _________________ Brgr serves fresh made-to-order burgers — beef, turkey and veggie — all from all-natural, locally supplied meat and produce. You choose whether your burger is charbroiled or hot off the griddle. Beer and wine will be served, along with hand-cut fries, beer-battered onion rings and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Rockwell Group is designing the two-story space, which has 60 seats and is designed to put guests inside the kitchen, offering an all-access view to burger prep and cooking. Brgr will be located at 287 Seventh Avenue (btwn 26 & 27). _________________ The decor was pretty great. Almost like being in a trendy loft space...like you were at a party at some rich guys house. Kitchen on the side, bar in the back. Very cool. Now, the food was absolutely out of this world. I had an angus beef buger with crumbled goat cheese, horseradish cream, and maple bacon. And I've never tasted anything like it. This was accompanied with a side order of "Onion Hay" or paper thin strips of onion rings all tossed together looking like...well....hay. I can't stress enough how good the food was. Even had some of those freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. They tasted a bit like chocolate chips and hamburgers. Not ideal but good stuff nonetheless. *note: if you're still reading at this point...you get a silver star. So, I don't usually do food photography or restaurant reviews....but this was a great place with some really great food. There was one downside though.... Brgr is a little too expensive for it's own good. Amazing food...but for two burgers, onion hay, two drinks, and cookies? $24.60 Yikes. I'll say for the last time amazing food...but we could've gone to a movie for that. Man, now I sound like a grandpa. Damn kids. And their music. *note: Ok, seriously, if you read this far...you get a gold star. Seriously.

We misplaced our camera during much of our Gainesville trip, so this is one of the few taken before then. Coming this week: Lots of photos sent from Grandma's camera and lots of videos. Our trip was awesome. First of all, the computer and television were broken at the Kikers, so we had NO electronic access, which was the nicest gift anyone could ask for --- a break! Suzanne bought us anything in the world we could have needed: Red Rose tea for Jason, already made, ice-cold Dr. Pepper, Blue Bell ice cream, Niman Ranch bacon and sausage, skim organic milk -- the list goes on and on. Oliver had all the lima beans and peas he could shake a stick at, and that was just the first day! We were celebrated at parties every night --- including one night at Jason's brother Greg's new home they built from scratch (seen above, slightly) and one night at Jason's brother Doug's house, WITH THEIR POOL!!! We ate and ate, we played and played, Oliver was utterly entranced by all the big kids, and did we mention --- he didn't cry for ONE SECOND on any of the FOUR flights. Yippee for cell phones with their batteries removed -- he needs no other toys. Sunday was a particular highlight -- we went to church with Salina and Simini (Doug and Xander stayed home to prepare for the Easter Egg hunt), where the entire congregation sang Handel's Messiah. Then we went to an Easter Egg hunt, which Oliver watched with some faint interest (at least until the bubbles and mini-Slinkies came out --- then he was beside himself with joy). THEN we put Oliver down for a nap and Jason and I swam and played in the pool for hours. The day went on and on ... Salina making us laugh, Doug cooking awesome hamburgers (supplied by the ever-generous Suzanne, of course). We may just move in with Doug and Salina soon ... Anyway, we can't wait to go back to Gainesville --- it was spectacular.