I ended up having an excellent workout today! Glad I waited. Sometimes it’s nice to get a day’s worth of work done so you can just relax at the gym. I biked on over (in the cold – all bundled up!) and then spent some time just relaxing on the elliptical. Some days I think you need a heart pumping workout. Other days I like to just veg and don’t worry about pace or intensity. The ups and downs make workouts enjoyable. Everyday doesn’t have to be tough to be good for you.
When I returned home, the Devil was in my kitchen tempting me with tastes of his latest, a Belgian Dubbel.
Now I loooove me Belgian Dubbels + Tripels, so I started with a sniff…
And ended with a few glugs. EXCELLENT brew Kanz!
Then I showered.
Karen came over for dinner tonight and we made bison burgers on the grill. Matt exercised his baking skills and made the buns from scratch!
Karen and I made mocktails (with flat seltzer 
) while we waited for the burgers to cook
Enjoyed with Prancer and Vixon
Hot off the char and topped with a bit of melty herb cheese
Plus M+K, tomato and spinach
On the side we had a simple bagged coleslaw made with a dressing of mustard (lots), vinegar, salt and pepper plus a little hot sauce and spiced pepitas on top!
Had seconds on this one!
The reason for our celebratory meal was a big walk up to the Rotunda for the Lighting of the Lawn!
We bundled up in our Uggs boots and scarves and walked the mile or so to the lawn
It was quite the festive college event! Lots of cups flying around and fun college times. I was very sad I was not one of them. I wanted to go INTO some of the parties – both student and departmental – that were taking place in the pavilions, but Matt and Karen said it was not appropriate. I still beg to differ and think they would have enjoyed community neighbors coming in for a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie! But alas, we stayed outside.
We took an interlude from the carolers on the Lawn to visit Starbucks for some after dinner drinks. We were greeted by more carolers!
I got a Refresh Tea Latte – because they were OUT of decaf coffee!! We all know regular was not on my radar. The latte was good, but a bit bland.
We returned and listened to a few more songs before it was time to countdown and light up the lawn -
Very festive. I love that we live so close to a university : )
The walk home was long, but not too cold. But I sure am ready for bed now!
{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the pictures!!! I love holiday lights!
Looks lovely!
I can’t wait to buy my tree and decorate the house this weekend! Tis the season!
~
I can’t wait until I’m done with my finals and can partake in festive things like this! It looks like a great night! And I love, love, love bison burgers. One of my favorite kinds of burgers for sure.
Hahaha, you and Matt are hilarious
that dinner looks killer…matt should totally start an online bread business. i’d buy that bread!
I love living so close to a university too (UCLA). It makes me feel really young!!
A big reason I miss living in Syracuse! I mean NYC has like 30 colleges but such a big university brings a community together. Looks like so much fun!
Everything looks so beautiful and wintery! I looove it!
So impressive that you biked to the gym in such cold weather! I can barely pry myself out of my warm bed and into my car to get there. The lawn lighting sounds like such a good time… even if you enjoyed the whole thing from outside. :-p
I made bison burgers for the first time over the summer, and that flavor just can’t be beat!
I love that you wanted to go party. Rock onnn
awww how fun!! Those burgers look amazing! I recreated a recipe I saw on your blog the other day. It was a mashup of squash, thanksgiving leftover turkey and other things…amazingness!
oooh those burgers look great!! love the homemade bun!
Heidi xo
You look so cute bundled up!
I swear, I thought Matt said that he didn’t like Belgian Dubbels or Tripels (but could appreciate a well made one)
But mmm malty, fruity, yeast-y …..what’s not to like?
I like dubbels but not so much on the tripels… too spicy with not enough malty, caramelly, candy-like deiciousness
What does a refresh tea latte taste like? I love the refresh tea plain, but a latte? NEVER HEARD OF IT but VERY curious!!
It’s minty.
I’ve never had bison burgers before. I’ve heard that they are better for you than regular beef? Do you buy it at Whole Foods?
They ARE better!!
The meat was from a local organic butcher here in Cville
May I ask you where you got prancer and vixon? They are adorable.
They are ornaments and I got them from my mom, so I have no idea
I hate that feeling when I want to be partying but know it’s not appropriate. You should have ditched Matt and Karen and let loose! Hehehe!!
Ummmm…… Starbucks was out of decaf?!? That’s so weird!!
Looks like a fun night– and your hubby makes me LAUGH, by the way (everyday!)
How cozy!
It totally would have been appropriate!
I think a compromise was in order- crash the student parties, but not the faculty’s
how pretty! i totally would have crashed a party.
i’m going to have to borrow your mocktail trick – i have 4 parties a weekend until christmas! poor little liver.
Tripels are my favorite!
I’ve been craving a good homemade burger like mad lately! alas, our grill has a strange and recent affliction and appears not to be working…your pictures of that burger had me wanting to lick the computer screen! Note to self:(or the Mister!) Fix. Grill. Soon!
love,
cathy b. @ brightbakes
So festive! Love the lights.
What a fun night! College campuses are so alive and full of energy. I love it.
(p.s. the bison burgers look awesome!
)
You should have went to the party, they wouldn’t have noticed.
You live in the most vibrant and lovely town. It makes me want to come visit!
You should!
I love that first picture of Matt – it is hilarious! Question: Why is his nickname Kanz?
It’s a nickname from college – he’s named after Kanzi the bonobo.
http://www.katheats.com/timber/
Kath, am I correct in saying that you slice you tomatoes from the top down instead of horizonally? Is there a reason for this? Do you end up with more waste when you slice like that? Just curious, I noticed that the tomatoes looked awfully good for this time of the year!
Matt sliced them that way and I think he only did because they were small and it would give them a longer diameter
That sounds like an awesome day!!!
I love your photo collage. Very cute.
Those burgers look soooo good! I love making burgers at home, you honestly can make them delicious AND healthy. Darn you should have gone in to the parties!!
UVA really is such a beautiful campus, esp at Christmas! I’ve never put mustard on coleslaw before, I usually use Greek yogurt instead of mayo, but I may have to try this because it sounds so interesting!
Seriously, can I re-enroll in university now? Do you think any colleges would be willing to take a 22 year old freshman with a bachelor’s degree?
Looks like a fun night!
What a lovely evening
I love doing easy elliptical workouts. It feels good to just get moving, even if you don’t work up a sweat.
Gah I can’t wait for my Matt to start home-brewing! We need to clean up the garage first.
I’ve found my Uggs are the most comfortable shoes in the world, but not the best for my arched feet. I can wear them daily without a problem but if I have any amount of walking to do, the Ugg flatness wears my feet down.
But damn, I love Uggs! The Cardy’s are my favorite.
I keep forgetting it’s time for Christmas carols! Looks like a fun holiday night you had. The town I’m in now (Beaufort, NC) is having a Christmas tree lighting and other festivities this weekend.
Looks like you had a great night! If I were with you, I would have totaly gone into those parties! : )
So fun! I totally would have gone into the pavilions with you! You look young enough to be a student and your tall boots and skinny jeans make you fit right in!
wish you had been here!
That is one cute devil. You lucky girl, you!
Love the little silver reindeer, and the lights! I am SO looking forward to decorating this year.
Wow, what a delicious looking dinner! I love how you fancied-up the coleslaw salad. Sounds like a really fun night!
Absolutely you should have gone into the pavilion parties. You should know by now that Charlottesville and UVA are full of southern hospitality!
Had anyone ever told you that Matt and Kath go together like Mustard and Ketchup? (M + K) =)
If I get to choose, I prefer mayo!
Haha – no, cute!
You can always go with the decaf Americano at Starbucks if they’re out of decaf brew — I think their espresso tastes better than their coffee, anyway.
That’s my kinda burger!!
I will surely take that glass when a man offers it to me like that!
I love the burgers and the silver deers. Done decorating the tree yesterday but had trouble finding the heirloom decors. Anyway, I’m for mayo too. 
Advance Merry Christmas Y’all!
Hmm … I can’t stand cole slaw, but I think I might like it the way you made it. It’s really just the mayo that puts me off. Anyway, fun-looking night!
Those bison burgers look so good! Love this photo: IMG_3211!
Holy geez those burgers looks incredible!! Way better than anything you’d ever een get in a restaurant.
Looks like a fun time!
That burger looks wonderful! Funnily enough even though I did an exchange year at UVA, I missed the lighting of the lawn. Whoops!
No santa repelling off Chambers, but college holiday celebrations are always fun. Did they repel when you were at Davidson?
Yup! I have a video of it too!