‘Twas a very long day, but super fun!
We arrived at Davidson just before 1PM and set out our tailgate spread. Being the foodies that we are, we don’t care much for football and just like to use the day as an excuse to pack a picnic.
To quote Larbs “Your tailgates are getting healthier and more gourmet every year.” I think a few years ago it was all store-bought crab dip and tortilla chips!
None of our fellow classmates returned this year, but many of Larbs’ did and Karen, who went to Queens and is a quazi Davidson alumna, joined us.
My hummus was good (although a little grainy despite lots of chickpea juice and lemon juice from Ina’s recipe??)
Great Harvest bread toasts
Veggie Dippers prepared by moi
Karen brought South Carolina shrimp with a homemade cocktail sauce that was out of this world!! I’m getting the recipe…
+ everyone’s favorite picnic food: deviled eggs!
We also had strawberries
And deli meat + cheese for sandwiches on GH bread
My plate included a bit of everything. Double the veggies + hummus seen here!
CranRasp is the best flavor of the La Croix by far!!
The dessert spread – all Great Harvest delights. I cut everything into bite sized pieces.
A Raspberry Cream Cheese scuffin
Brunette + Turtle Bar + Double Chocolate Cookie!
And some cookies Larbs brought. Love the Dancing Bear line!
I had to have a bite-sized taste of everything. Y’all know me and dessert buffets…
We hung out for a few hours
Matt went through umpteen flavors of home brew and I sipped off of his cups a bit
Girlfriends. (Hi Hillary!)
When the game was over, we headed up to Matt’s frat, SAE.
I cracked open one of my savored Cottonwood Pumpkin Beers from LAST FALL! Favorite. Beer. Ever.
I was pleased to hear that SAE has upgraded its music since I was there. They used to be all hippy music, classic rock and cigarettes. ~6 years later it’s all country and prepsters (which I like more!!)
There was some shag dancing with Karen
Oysters, which I passed on this year
The cutest little poochie!
‘Round 6:30 we headed across campus to go to dinner at our very favorite Davidson establishment: The Brickhouse.
I don’t know what it is about the food there, but it always tastes so darn good!
And they have one of my very favorite beers: Brickhouse Red. Malty and roasty amber.
I shared one with Larbs.
My photos are all grainy and I don’t know why 🙁
Good times with Karen!
We waited about an hour for a table and enjoyed a round of drinks. I had about 2 beers throughout the whole day and could have easily had 10+. I’m so glad I didn’t, or I’d feel horrible right about now.
When we finally sat down they brought fresh-out-of-the-oven warm bread. One of life’s greatest pleasures! Whoever recommends avoiding the bread basket for nutritional advice doesn’t enjoy enough warm bread. I had this x3, especially after discovering the butter was lemon flavored. It was some of the best butter I’ve ever had!!!
For dinner I got the greek salad, sans onions. $8 gets you a lot more here than I did last night!
And had 2 delicious, delicious pieces of this Mediterranean pizza with sausage, goat cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes and peppers. The Brickhouse has the best pizza in the world and I never get anything else when I go!! The crust is so chewy and the slices are the perfect size.
I can tell simply by how I feel tonight that I ate way too much today. (Still glad I overate and not overdrank! Nothing is worse than a hangover!) My stomach is so full. Dinner tonight was very salty too – all those olives and cheese. I could use an IV of water and some fresh fruits + veggies on the menu tomorrow for sure.
Somebody had a long day and pooped out on us while I had to drive 40 minutes back home! He’s already in bed and I’m tired and can’t wait to lay my head down too.
By the way, that roach(es) that live in our garage? They are still there. Every time we come home after dark I see them. I’m not that scared of a roach in general, but I am terribly claustrophobic and the thought of having to walk through the narrow garage doorway when the roach could be in there with me is what is terrifying. So I have been having to let myself in the front door each night. NOT. COOL.
Nite!!
kay (eating machine) says
oh my word-last time I tailgated the most gourmet anything got was homemade (from a mix) cupcakes! I want to come to yours!
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
Looks like a blast! Great food + company. Love the pizza, looks superb!!
Matt looks like he had a REALLY good time LOL
Jenn
Lisa says
The second pic of you with the Cottonwood beer would be a perfect advertisement! You look so gleeful.
The tailgate spread looks tasty – great idea with the bite-size desserts. Sometimes that’s all you want!
thepinkpeppercorn says
LOVE the feasts!!! AND your shades rock!
Biz says
OMG – that picture of Matt coming home is too funny! I too, am usually the designated driver!
Your MIL is so cute – I have a great MIL too – we are both lucky!
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
For me I think some restaurants is more about the memories than the actual food. Actually makes it taste better I think.
Looks like you had a blast! You’re lucky to live so close to your alma mater. I get jealous sometimes of friends who can go back and visit mine.
Steph says
Sounds like you had fun! Love your sunglasses by the way:)
Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now says
Haha! Matt obviously had a fantastic time!! The food all looks great. Glad you enjoyed yourself.
Leianna says
Such great tailgating food, so healthy and fresh!
The Brickhouse looks like a fun restaurant, have a great night with lots of rest!
Kristen says
Super classy tailgate! I have a lot of family members that went to Davidson and they have fond memories.
Run Sarah says
What an awesome tailgate spread! Sounds like a fun but exhausting day 🙂
Madelin @ What is for breakfast? says
Hi Kath, I know how you feel, I ate way too much yesterday too and had wine and I’m paying for it now. So uncomfortable! Oh well, today is another day :). It looked like a wonderful trip!
Sheri says
That picnic spread looks wonderful! What a fun filled day you had! Have a great sleep!
angieinatlanta says
Looks like a fun day! I love re-living college…without the social awkwardness!
Lizzy says
what a fantastic spread at the tailgate! can’t beat such a wonderful day!
Linda says
Your MIL seems super. It’s always nice to see Karen’s food appear in the blog.
Kristine says
Oh, memories of dear old Davidson!
I haven’t been back since your class graduated, Kath! (I was a hall counselor on 3rd Little when you were a freshman.)
You’re lucky you live so close. I missed my 5-year Homecoming but I’ll be there for the 10…wild horses couldn’t keep me away. 🙂
Kristine says
Check that, 2nd Little. It’s late and I’m tired.
BroccoliHut says
Fantastic spread! Care to cater my next tailgate?
Pam says
Wow…what a spread! Glad you had fun!
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
Sounds like a fun day! Love all the food!
TXMommy2 says
that’s my favortite LaCroix too! it took me a few in the 12 pack to get used to them… but now I love ’em! looks like a fun day and the food looks awesome! glad your weather was better than TX… it’s rained since thurs night!
Laura says
That dog is so cute! And small! I’m researching small breeds of dogs (I grew up with a Golden Retriever; love the nature of big dogs, but don’t have the space, unfortunately!), and would like one that is really tiny like that. Do you know what breed it was? And was it a very young puppy?
Susan says
Is tailgating an American thing? Or am I just out of the loop.. 😛 Looks like a wonderful day full of great food and people!! I hate eating salty dinners before bed. SO thirsty! 😛
Julie says
Awww, Matt looks like a little kid all hunched over like that! haha
Morgan (lifeafterbagels) says
I am constantly trying to make any pot luck affairs I go to more healthy. I used to feel food drunk after big food outings 🙁
Marisa (Trim The Fat) says
Looks like a fun time!
It’s great that you have people “willing” to eat your healthier tailgate foods; that is always a tough sell for me!
Love the pic of Matt “worn out” after a rough day 😉
Kristin (Kristins Nibbles) says
I love tailgating! Looks like you had fun, and great eats! =)
xo
K
Holly says
Oh, I love dancing deer as well! What a treat 🙂
I also wanted to share a hummus tip! Hummus without Tahini tends to be more grainy (think most Trader Joe’s varieties). I think if you added a bit more, it would smooth the batch out nicely. Good luck!
Amelia says
Glad you had a good time! $2 sounds like a steal for those great sounding beers!
Sorry to hear you’re still dealing with the roaches. They’re the worst! Maybe they’ll clear up once it gets colder?
christie, honoring health says
Wow, what a spread!! Everything looks awesome!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
Wow, sounds like such a fun evening! All that food looks amazing and it looks like it was the perfect weather to enjoy it.
Haha, that last picture of Matt is too cute! 😉
Shannon says
I also suffer from claustrophobia and when I realized that it was starting to impact my life, I decided enough was enough. When I visited SF with my husband, I purposely went to the tactile dome at the exploratorium. It was either that or pay a therapist a lot of money to eventually do the same thing. Anyway, it didn’t cure me, but it made me a lot more confident. I will no longer allow myself to sit in certain seats in meetings so I am closer to the door and stuff like that. The more I do stuff that makes me uncomfortable the less I feel the phobia has a hold over me. Anyway, my whole point is, if we want to get over your phobias, we have to face your fears.
Ellen says
tricks for the creamiest hummus ever: lots of tahini, use super soft chickpeas (cooked fresh from dried is best, but you can re-boil canned for a few minutes too), and to remove as many of the skins as possible (rub a them with your fingers while under water. they just slide off and you can skim them off the surface)
looks like you guys had a great time! that pizza looks amazing.
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
oysters at a frat party?! excellent 🙂 SAEs were the hippies at my college too…except they weren’t known for cigarettes 😉
Evan Thomas says
That all looks like so much fun, but what on earth is a scuffin?
Kath says
Kristine,
You wouldn’t believe how young the freshman are these days 😉
Laura,
He was a yorkie + poodle mix.
Thanks for the hummus tips!!
Shannon,
It’s not that bad for me – mostly when it comes to bugs. But I could never get in a sleeping bag head first…
Kath
Jenna says
wow! sure does look like you had a fun filled day!
Stephanie says
Cute aviator sunglasses! Fball spread looks fantastic (umm and pretty gourmet for a tailgate, I agree!) 🙂
Mike says
haha. the bricky. my sales trader coverage in Hong Kong reads your blog and knew that I went to Davidson…. Yes, although the brickhouse was not in existance when I spent my 4 years there, I’ve grown quite fond of it. Please try the quesadillas next them. chicken… they are not on the menu, but they are very delectable. That and the Brickhouse Red. yes. yum.
DOT says
Looks like you had a great time! I wish our tailgates had such a great spread.
I just started reading your blog and am interested in why you do not eat onions.
Thanks for all the great food and recipe ideas!