A Blog of One's Own

New Address

2009-12-30T17:37:00.002-05:00

I'm moving A Blog Of One's Own to Wordpress — check me out, as always, at ablogofonesown.net or at tfullard@wordpress.com

See you there!

1 Day Until Christmas

2009-12-24T07:26:00.002-05:00

I double-dog dare ya not to get sucked into the marathon of A Christmas Story on TV today. It's the best Christmas movie ever!

2 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-23T09:10:00.003-05:00

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

2009-12-22T18:56:00.005-05:00

I borrowed a coworker's recipe and baked double chocolate walnut biscotti this month for Have The Cake. I'm bringing them to my mom's house for Christmas tomorrow. Todd is a chocolate addict, and much of our holiday desserts are cocoa-free, so I thought I'd throw him a bone with this one. No one has tasted these yet, but I have sampled them thoroughly, and deem them a success!

I tried to take pictures throughout, but the pile of raw dough really doesn't look appetizing in the photo, so I'm not posting it. Below is a view of the logs, pre-baking.

Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of the logs post-baking but before cutting. They basically looked like steaming loaves of chocolate bread. Nothin' wrong with that.

And here are a couple of shots of the biscotti cooling on the cookie sheet right after they came out after the second bake. I could have baked them a minute or two longer the second time around to get a real crunch, but I was afraid to over do it. They are quite good, so I won't complain.

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup walnut, chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F and butter and flour a large baking sheet.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined well. Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.

On prepared baking sheet with floured hands form dough into two slightly flattened logs, each 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Bake logs 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool biscotti on baking sheet 5 minutes.

On a cutting board cut biscotti diagonally into 3/4 inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool biscotti on a rack. Biscotti keep in airtight containers 1 week (frozen, 1 month).

3 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-22T09:26:00.003-05:00

4 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-21T08:24:00.002-05:00

5 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-20T09:23:00.002-05:00

6 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-19T08:20:00.001-05:00

7 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-18T07:15:00.003-05:00

8 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-17T06:55:00.002-05:00

9 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-16T07:11:00.003-05:00

10 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-15T08:10:00.003-05:00

11 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-14T08:49:00.003-05:00

12 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-13T08:47:00.003-05:00

13 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-12T06:46:00.003-05:00

Small Successes

2009-12-11T09:36:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a day of accomplishments. A huge project at work met a major milestone, and it was such a relief! Naturally, some projects are tougher than others, but this one really was trying at times! I also finished one of my two classes. My group gave our final presentation in market research. For the last 15 weeks we've studied Whole Foods, and last night we shared our findings, insights, and recommendations. I'm very happy to say that the whole thing came off swimmingly.

It's Friday, I'm getting my haircut this afternoon, and I'm off to see my mom and sister for a quick pre-Christmas visit tomorrow. All in all, things are pretty good.

14 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-11T07:44:00.003-05:00

15 Days Until Christmas!

2009-12-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

16 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-09T08:42:00.001-05:00

I need a little Christmas

2009-12-09T08:30:00.003-05:00

I hate Captivate, the television in elevators. Just about everything they post is irrelevant, stupid, biased or a combination of the three. That said, they had a poll this morning that I thought was a little interesting (They're big fans of polls over at Captivate, because it drives traffic to their site which adds up to more advertising dollars for them. I never go to their polls). The question was:

What holiday song best captures your mood this season?

Without a doubt, for me it's "We Need a Little Christmas." Tomorrow night marks the final session for one of my classes. Next Thursdays is the last day of my other. And starting on 12/19 I'm away from work for two weeks for vacation. Never have I felt like I needed a break more. I'm pooped! I can't wait to sleep in, read lots of novels, see season 3 of Dexter, and bake. It's going to be glorious.

What song captures your moods?

17 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

18 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-07T09:36:00.000-05:00

I got [a] fit!

2009-12-06T12:02:00.004-05:00

Well, you all know this isn't about me getting healthy — not at this time of year! No, this is about me getting wheels!

You know how much Todd and I have considered a car, a moped, a scooter, a motorcycle: something to help us get out of the city more. We got a bee in our bonnet about it again a few weeks ago and started looking around on Craig's List. I thought we'd stumbled upon a good used car. It was old and definitely well used, but the woman selling it seemed completely legit, and the car seemed good for what it was — something just to get us from point A to point B. We took it to a garage to have it looked at, because that's what you're supposed to do with used cars. But I really believed it would check out and we'd buy it for a song. Unfortunately, the mechanic said that it wasn't worth it, there were too many things that needed fixing, and that he'd never recommend buying it. So, back to the drawing board. The same mechanic did have a VW Beetle that he was storing for a woman who was looking to sell, though. It was also several years old, but he said he'd worked on it for ages and knew it was solid. Unfortunately, by the next weekend when our schedules allowed us to go back to the mechanic, it had already sold. Back to the drawing board again.

By now, Todd and I had had a week to think about driving around in an adorable little Beetle. So cute, and so easy for parking on these mean streets! So it's back to Craig's List just for Beetles. There was one that looked REALLY promising way out east bumble Brooklyn. We made our way out there last week, which was no easy accomplishment in and of itself. The car seemed ok, but I got a terrible, awful, no good, very bad feeling from the guy selling it, and we walked away. Another trip to Craig's List, another used Beetle later, we thought we found another one we liked. We ran the Car Fax, though, and saw that it was a salvaged vehicle, which was not a game we wanted to play.

At this point, Todd and I both felt soured on the used car hunt. So many of the people we were dealing with seemed shady, and there were so many opportunities for us to be taken for a ride (no pun intended). And given the low price point we started out with, it seemed really unlikely that we'd be able to find something that wouldn't suck. It was time to reassess.

We did some online research, found some cars we liked, and visited a couple of dealers. I hated the guys at the Toyota place, and the Prius wasn't really in our price range anyway. The guys at the Nissan dealership completely ignored us, so we ditched them, too. Honda was always at the top of our list with three cars we were really interested in: the Insight (their hybrid), the Civic (I know a lot of people who have these), and the Fit. We went to their dealership out in Queens and test drove all three. We loved the Insight because it was better for the environment and in terms of gas mileage. But driving it taught me that hybrids are pretty sluggish out of the gate. Once you're going their fine, but they may not be the best for quick city maneuvers. More important, it was the most expensive of the three. They had some deals on the Civic, but the new model is much bigger than it used to be, and I kind of hated it. It really felt like something some suburban dad would drive on his way to the office every day. Its big sedan-ish-ness also made me remember my days in Chicago driving that boat of a Ford Taurus. The car was fine, but it's not something I've ever missed.

The Fit I liked, though. I've always been partial to hatchbacks, and this was somehow both small and roomy at the same time. The mileage is pretty good, it drove well, and the price was right (especially after my mad negotiation skillz kicked in. Todd was impressed!). We walked out with a lease on a brand new car!

So now I'm looking forward to many more trips. That means many of you will have me on your couches in 2010!

19 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-06T08:55:00.001-05:00

1 Day: 2 Birthdays

2009-12-05T21:40:00.004-05:00

Todd and Dylan share a birthday, and that birthday was today. Dylan really outgrew his bike this summer; by August he basically looked like one of those clowns who ride teeny-tiny bikes for comic effect. He hated it. So we got him a new bike, cherry red, for the big 1-0, and he seemed very pleased.

The kids and I gave Todd a new pair of shoes that he picked out himself a few weeks ago, so no big surprise there. But we did catch him off guard with the new pasta machine we gave him, too. We had such fun making pasta at Rena's a few months ago that I decided to really take advantage of his innate Italian talents and see what we could make here at home. He was both surprised and very excited. And I'm excited for all the good eats.

I also baked a couple of cakes. Todd's of course, was chocolate: a devil's food cake with chocolate pudding mix, chocolate chips, and chocolate frosting. It was too much chocolate for me, but he loved it. I'll confess (and I feel somewhat ashamed, given our Have The Cake-ness), the cake was one of those boxed cake adaptations. This is the second time I've made it, and both times it's been delicious. It's so moist and fluffy and good. I know I should be doing it all from scratch, but this was better than my coconut cake! I also made a cake for Dylan's party tomorrow (no girls allowed!). I went for the straight out of the box version for that, and didn't even bother adapting it to make it better. I just couldn't pull off two amazing cakes along with everything else that's going on right now. I'm sure he and his friends will like the cake regardless of its Betty Crocker origins.

Here's Todd's cake all frosted and ready to go. Sofia has become my baking apprentice, eager to help with every project. As I was frosting this, she started narrating everything I was doing as though we were on a cooking show. It was hilarious, and I have no idea where it came from. And what she's doing in this photo is anyone's guess. She had a lot of various poses going on as I was photographing the cake — there's also a zombie picture and a pretend sleeping picture.

20 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

Is it stealing when it's from your own family?

2009-12-04T09:08:00.005-05:00

My sister Veronica does a very fun count down to Christmas each year on her blog. Basically it's a graphic advent calendar with fun holiday pictures and an announcement of how many days there are until Christmas.

My family is not religious, but I still love Christmas with all my heart. I loved it for the obvious reasons when I was a kid — presents! Now I love it because it's often the only time in a year when my whole family is together (and still a little for presents!). My mom, sisters, and I usually manage to see each other one-on-one here and there throughout the year, but it's never quite as much as I want. And with busy schedules we're a full group all too infrequently.

So in a countdown to the gathering, I'm shamelessly copying my sister's blog advent calendar idea. A few back-dated posts will be coming soon, too, to make up for the first few days of December.

21 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

22 Days Unti Christmas

2009-12-03T09:18:00.002-05:00

23 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-02T09:17:00.001-05:00

24 Days Until Christmas

2009-12-01T09:14:00.001-05:00

End-Of-The-Month Slacker

2009-11-30T12:52:00.007-05:00

Well, I came close to achieving NaBloPoMo, but I slacked off way too much over Thanksgiving weekend for it to be a complete success. Still, y'all got more posts earlier in the month than you normally would have, so NaBloPoMo served its purpose.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving here in the city. It was the first time I didn't travel at all, and there was something wonderfully relaxing about not braving the crowds or facing the traffic. It was the right autumn to stay home.

Our friend Jane hosted us and some other friends in the afternoon for proseco and appetizers. We had to leave before the main course, unfortunately, but the real treat was catching up with everyone anyway.

Then it was on to the Bowery where we were volunteering. It's one thing to know that this is a hard year for people financially. It's something else to see how many people were lining up for the free dinner, though. We even saw some families with kids, which was heartbreaking, as you can imagine. And while the Bowery is too religious for my personal tastes, they do a great job. They were so organized and not only gave out meals but clothing and hygiene essentials, too. And I liked that we brought plates of food out to people seated family style around tables. It was more like a holiday meal than serving them cafeteria-style would have been. Overall, volunteering for Thanksgiving was a great experience and really reminded me to appreciate everything I have. As thankful as I was before Thursday, this put things into a whole new perspective.

The rest of the weekend was great, too (except for the hours of homework), but it deserves its own post. Maybe I'll post tomorrow and start December on the right track.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

This year, I'm really grateful.

Every day, I'm grateful for Todd. I held out for a long time, hoping that I wouldn't die a crazy old cat lady. There were plenty of days when I thought that was my destiny, but I got lucky instead. Todd goes the extra mile in our relationship in so many ways, and he inspires me to do the same. I think we push each other to be better versions of ourselves. I love him and hope to be writing how grateful I am to have him for many Thanksgivings to come.

I'm thankful for the health and happiness of my family and friends. I wish I got to see all of you more often. So many of you don't live close by, and I've been missing out on some communications or visits this year. I think about all the people who make my life richer regularly, though. I'm grateful for all of you, and I'm grateful for all the ways that you are happy and healthy.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to go to school. I am probably not as grateful for it on a day-to-day basis as I should be, but when I pause for a moment I really can see what a gift it is. I'm getting my master's at Columbia, and I don't even have to pay for it. I have the support of my boss and colleagues and family. Very few people can say the same.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Grateful a Day Early

2009-11-25T19:53:00.002-05:00

For the second night in a row, Todd cooked me dinner. What a treat to do nothing whatsoever and have the man I love treat me so well! Last night he made portabello mushroom sandwiches, and tonight he treated me salmon. We have a pre-New Year's resolution to cook at home more and eat out less, so I'll have lots of opportunity to return the favor.

Stimulating the Economy

2009-11-24T23:07:00.003-05:00

I know it's not even Thanksgiving (though it is close) so all my Christmas-related posts are a little early. That said, you're getting another one.

I'm obsessing a little about Christmas this year for a couple of reasons. The most pedestrian is that with how busy this fall is, I'm worried that I'll forget to do something or run out of time. So I tried to start everything early and stay completely organized. Todd's taken my anal retentiveness in stride, for which I'm very grateful.

The other reason I'm extra thoughtful about the holidays this year is a very, very good one: Todd and the kids are joining me and my family for Christmas. There are a lot of people who want to spend the day with them, so I'm pretty jazzed that I'm the lucky winner. That means, though, that the holiday is a totally different ball of wax for me. In the past, I ordered a bunch of stuff from Amazon for my tiny family (we all just want books, pretty much) and called it a day. It was, compared to most people's holiday shopping, no muss, no fuss.

Tonight Todd and I went to Target in the Bronx for some stocking stuffers and lots of shopping for the kids. Our goal, really, was to get Dylan a birthday present, and we totally failed. Todd is braving the Times Square Toys-R-Us tomorrow for that. So instead of the specific item we were looking for, we filled — and I mean filled — a cart with games, toys, and other treats. I barely even knew what was in the bottom of the cart by the time we were done.

I'm still trying to figure out what to get Todd from the kids. I assume that's now my responsibility, and it's another new one for me. Do I take them shopping and let them pick something out? Do I just tell them that I got something for him from them? Dylan, especially, is old enough to have opinions about this, so I want to give them some control without ceding all of it myself.

All of this will work itself out in the end, and I'm really excited to have so many people I love together for Christmas. I know every year won't work out like this, and I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

Time to Purge

2009-11-23T09:15:00.003-05:00

I think it's time to clean out my closets again. I did it in the spring when I was moving, but there is so much more I can give to Good Will. I have so many pieces that I look at and think, I don't want to wear that. What's the point of keeping it my closet then?

We all think of spring cleaning, but I think fall cleaning is better in some ways. If I give away a bunch of good but ill-fitting/not-my-style clothes right now, someone might be able to snap them up for Christmas gifts or to wear to their holiday party or something . It feels especially right to offer up all that I don't want this year when so many people have pinched budgets.

I'm also feeling a little claustrophobic in our apartment. We just have too much stuff. I want to minimize — fewer nick-nacks, emptier drawers, cleaner shelves. When I'm overwhelmed at work I often take a few minutes to clean off my desk. The clean space makes my brain feel clearer, too. I'm hoping the same will happen at home.

Coconut Cake Bleh

2009-11-22T08:45:00.007-05:00

I have to admit, I was disappointed with the way my coconut cake came out. This was extra disappointing, since I have been looking forward to trying this for so long.

I made, as advertised, Paula Deen's recipe. I didn't have self rising flour in the house and made a last minute executive decision to use the all purpose I did have. The cakes tasted good but were definitely more dense than Paula intended. I now know that self rising flour really does make a difference!

The bigger problem was with the frosting. I followed the recipe, improvising a double burner that I don't have, and beat the ingredients for exactly seven minutes. By the time those seven minutes had passed, I had something that very nearly resembled frosting. Unfortunately, it was still a little thin and runny. Paula Deen doesn't note what to do in this case — does it thicken upon standing? The concoction is hot at this point, so maybe it gets stiffer as it cools? Who knows? Well, now I do: it does not get thicker upon standing or cooling. In retrospect, I think I probably needed to keep beating it to get more air in it, but I didn't want to over cook the ingredients. This means that despite tasting pretty good, my cake looked a bit like a hot, runny mess.

I love coconut cake, but I don't love this recipe. In addition to the trouble listed above, I thought the filling was a little weird. I would have preferred something a little sweeter. I'm glad I gave this one a shot, but I'll attempt a different coconut cake next time around.

The filling

The troublesome frosting

Assembled but not frosted

Final, ugly cake

Evolution of a Friendship

2009-11-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

Caryn came into the city yesterday, bringing her wonderful family with her. It's been months and months since we've seen each other, which felt especially long since she had an adorable new baby in September. I can't believe I haven't seen him until now!

Todd, Dylan, Sofia, and I met them in Chelsea where we went out for a leisurely brunch and catching up. Following that, we made our way to the nearby Chelsea Market for some sweet treats (mostly Fat Witch brownies but some opted for cookies instead). After that we were off to an indoor playground in the neighborhood. We had four kids with us, after all, and that seemed like the best way for them to have fun while we chatted.

Half way through the playing, Caryn voiced something I had been thinking, too.

Caryn and I have been friends for almost 15 years. We met on our first days at Ithaca College and spent freshman year going to the under age–friendly bars in town. Ithaca gets, as you probably know, freezing during the winter, but we usually left our coats at home. All the better to show off our best going out outfits. We didn't want to be saddled with a parka all night! We'd dance at Semesters, dubbed Cheese-mesters because it was so god awfully cheesy.

Our lives have changed so much since then. We tired pretty quickly of the bar scene, but there were still plenty of years that were all about us. We traveled Europe together — twice — leaving behind all our cares to backpack for a few weeks. For a long time, every one of Caryn's NYC visits included a Broadway show.

Now we chase little kids around and make funny faces and pretend to be the tickle monster.

Us with new baby Drew

Friday Favorites: Peggle

2009-11-20T07:06:00.000-05:00

iPhone users, this post is for you. A few months ago Todd and I were in the Apple store downtown. I really don't know what to do in the Apple store, because they only have a handful of products. Their stuff is awesome, yes, but I don't need to play with the ipod there. I know what it does.

So while Todd was looking at earbuds, I started checking out the apps they'd loaded on the iPhones. I started playing Peggle and was instantly hooked. I downloaded it as soon as we left the store. It cost $4.99, which is $4 more than I've ever paid for an app before. But believe me: I got my money's worth. I have played this game endlessly ever since.

A full description can be found on the iPhone Blog. Try it and get addicted.

Updike

2009-11-19T07:52:00.001-05:00

I'm curious what y'all think of John Updike. I read Rabbit, Run a year or so ago and didn't love it. Rabbit was just such a dick. Yes, the ending was powerful, but overall I'm not dying to get back to the rest of the Rabbit books, even though they're sitting on my shelf. I just finished The Witches of Eastwick and didn't love that one, either.

Maybe I'm missing something. Perhaps there is a deeper meaning that I'm supposed to extrapolate and because of my current mental exhaustion (I choose to believe this would be the cause, and not general idiocy) I'm failing. I just don't think Updike likes women very much, and I don't think he takes them seriously, even when they're at the center of his novels. The three witches of Eastwick have these witchy powers--they can cast spells, causing everything from minor mishaps to death. And what do they spend 306 pages doing? Obsessing about a man and whether their thighs are the right size. Seriously?!?! Really!?

Or am I supposed to believe that Updike actually loves women, that he's in awe of what he believes are the gifts we have that leave men in the dust. Maybe he's befuddled by the way women really can focus on men sometimes, despite being so awesome in our own right. But even if that's the case, he's just selling us short by assuming that we're obsessed by anything with a swinging dick. Either way, Updike's views and scope are so limited as to do no one justice at all.

Holiday Planning

2009-11-18T13:01:00.004-05:00

How early do you guys like to get started on the winter holiday plans? I was feeling pretty pulled-together, but suddenly we'll have about twice as many people at my mom's house than normal and I need to do some more shopping. It's really nice, actually. We are such a small family that we don't typically have an overflowing house, even at the big holidays. I'm excited that so many people I love will be together this year.

In other holiday news, Todd and I are having a tree-placement conundrum. Our apartment is basically wall-to-wall furniture. There is no easy place to put a tree, but we both feel like we need to have one. I'm not a big fan of those little ones that sit on tables, so I'm determined to find some floor space somehow.

Fall Cleaning

2009-11-17T12:01:00.002-05:00

Todd and I had a lazy night of take out food and TV watching last night. We spent the 10:00 hour watching Hoarders on A&E, which never ceases to fascinate me. It's the first time Todd's ever seen it, and he had the same reaction I think everyone has when they first watch the show: horror coupled with a deep desire to clean house. He spent the time between the show and sleeping worrying whether he was too much of a pack rat. He has plans tonight, and I'm going to try to organize and clean while he's gone. I'm mostly caught up on my homework, and the apartment definitely needs some sprucing. I think he'll love coming home to a place where professional help is not needed to find the couch.

Making Art at the Met

2009-11-16T09:37:00.003-05:00

The best part about yesterday was when Todd, in what he likes to call his benevolent dictator mode, insisted we all grab our sketch pads and go to the Met. It was freakishly warm for mid-November, so the four of us took a rambling walk through Central Park to the east side. Thanks to our never-returned McGraw-Hill ID cards, Todd and I still get free entrance to most museums in the city, and we took advantage it yesterday.

There are always plenty of people using the museum's art — sculptures, specifically, for us yesterday — as inspiration for their own work. I love to look over artists' shoulders to see what they're creating. My own sketches look like chicken scratch comparatively, but of the four drawings I did yesterday I liked three of them pretty well. I am no great talent, but I like the process of drawing, and I know the more I do it the better I'll get.

Sunday Morning Homework

2009-11-15T09:30:00.002-05:00

You'd think that yesterday, with it's rain, would have been a good day to get homework out of the way for the weekend. I utterly failed to do that, though, and so here I am doing it now. I've been at the table for two hours and gotten a lot done, but not nearly as much as I expected in that time. There is so much more to do. :(

A/Cs and Automobiles

2009-11-14T23:19:00.000-05:00

Today was a little rainy and a lot dreary. It was definitely not a great day to be outside. Todd, the kids, and I played a couple rounds of Uno together in the morning — it's one of our favorite new pass times — before braving the elements to visit our storage unit. We (and by we I really mean Todd with the rest of us sometimes standing around to see how he was doing) crammed our air conditioners in there with our suitcases, bikes and never-unpacked boxes. It was great to get them out of our apartment. Ever since taking them out of the windows a few weeks ago they've been sitting on our floor just looking for toes to stub. And we came back home with Christmas decorations. I can't believe how quickly this fall has gone. I know it's not yet Thanksgiving and, therefore, not officially time to decorate for Christmas, but the holidays really do feel right around the corner.

While Todd was fighting with the storage unit, I went uptown a few blocks to revisit a car we might buy. We looked at it last weekend and want to get it checked out by a mechanic before committing. It's old, has a fair number of miles, and we need to know if there are any surprises lurking before plunking down some cash. The woman who is selling it is really nice and seems completely on the up-and-up, so I have a good feeling about it. Unfortunately, the garage we were going to visit lied to us. They promised we could bring in the car any time before 3:00, but when I went at 2:30 the place was all locked up. I think we're the only seriously interested buyers, because the seller has offered to drop the car off one morning before work so we can get it checked out this week. If everything works out, we might have our own wheels before long.

Friday Favorites: Glee

2009-11-13T07:35:00.001-05:00

Are you guys watching this show? Doesn't it make you want to sing and dance? I know the dialogue can be a little heavy-handed and it's over the top, but it is utterly, completely, without-a-doubt lovable nonetheless.

I know I'm not alone in my adoration because, no joke, I saw a flyer on campus alerting people to the Columbia University glee club tryouts. I almost went. I wish I were in a glee club!

I love that there are theater actors left and right in this show and that it's a shining example of a musical getting the love it deserves.

And, without a doubt, I love Jane Lynch. Her acerbic, cold-hearted, track suit–lovin' Sue Sylvester steals every scene she's in.

If you haven't been watching this all season, you really should add it to your Netflix queue.

Another Thursday

2009-11-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

Another Thursday — another day of lots of meetings and scrambling to get something done in between them, followed by four hours of classes. Blogging is proving very difficult on Thursdays! I can't find the time to think of something fabulous to say, and I can't find the time to write something boring in a way that sounds fascinating.

Now that tonight's classes are over, I have just three sessions left. One more before Thanksgiving and two after. I'm excited for this semester to be over — oh, how excited! — but I'm somewhat daunted by how much there is to do in the meantime. I'm hoping that Thanksgiving weekend offers me a little downtime to power through some of it.

Welcome, Beatrix

2009-11-11T17:22:00.004-05:00

Check out the cuteness that is my sister's new puppy! She and her husband adopted Beatrix over the weekend, and I think she's super cute.

I'm sometimes tempted to get a dog, but I know I can't do it right now. I'm way too busy to give a dog, or especially a puppy, the time and attention it would need. Also, Todd has a nefarious plan to wait until Dylan is old enough to walk a dog on his own before we adopt, thus making it a little bit easier on ourselves.

So for now, I'm living vicariously through Veronica.

Dinner and a Show

2009-11-10T21:57:00.008-05:00

Tonight I learned how to roast a lamb (sort of).

A couple friends and I went to How to Roast a Lamb: An Evening of Wine & Food with Michael Psilakis. Psilakis, an extremely successful chef, spent two hours showing us how to make an incredible four course meal. Each course was paired with a Greek wine to complement the flavors.

Of course, when Psilakis did it, everything looked easy. I'm certain I'd struggle to recreate this deliciousness, but I can try. The cost of the evening included a copy of Psilakis's book, so I can do my best to master ricotta dumplings here at home. And that is a skill worth having. So good!

Here's our menu from the evening.

Roasted Octopus with Salami, Apple & Anchovy Vinaigrette

Sheep's Milk Ricotta Dumplings with Spicy Lamb Sausage, Spinach, Sundried Tomatos, Pine Nuts & Feta

Braised Lamb Shank with Orzo & Root Vegetables

Yogurt with Quince Spoon Fruit & Jordan Almonds

Indecision

2009-11-09T09:34:00.002-05:00

I guess I want it all.

Todd and I can't seem to make up our minds what some of our big goals are. We know we can't do it all, but we can't seem to let go of any of our ideas, either. Do we want a nicer/bigger apartment in the city? Would that money be better spent on a country house where we could spend our weekends? Should we spend extra money on world travel and just forget about new digs all together?

We hem. We haw. We go back and forth.

A nicer apartment in the city is a lovely day-to-day improvement, but it doesn't necessarily change life a lot. Traveling — something I really want to do but rarely make time for — offers a burst of relaxation, excitement, and rejuvenation. A country house is intimidating. I'm not sure we could really pull it off, and it's the biggest commitment of resources of any of our half-baked schemes. But my fantasies of idyllic weekends and iced tea-sipping on a porch make it seem worthwhile.

We're also talking about getting a car. It'd just be something to get us from point A to point B — nothing fancy. But it would make short trips out of the city a little easier. A day trip to go skiing, a weekend trip to visit friends or family, an excursion to pick apples...all seem easier to coordinate with a car.

What do you guys think we should do?

Cranky

2009-11-08T20:25:00.002-05:00

After a lovely weekend, I spent much of Sunday night cranky about the homework I have to do. I don't mind the work when I feel like I'm learning. But as I've told many of you, one of my classes this semester feels like a waste. The more time consuming an assignment, the more irritated I am. This fall is too busy to dick around with what feels like bullshit. Unfortunately, I have to do it. The course is required, and I'm 10 weeks into the 14 week course. There is no point in complaining, and yet here I am.

Truth & Beauty

2009-11-07T09:24:00.000-05:00

Lucy Grealy was an award-winning poet. For a long time, though, she was more famous for her appearance than her writing. That changed when she wrote Autobiography of a Face, which chronicles her story: as a child she suffered a rare cancer in her jaw. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy left her disfigured, and she spent much of the rest of her life undergoing reconstructive surgery after reconstructive surgery. The experience also left her with emotional scarring as well.

Ann Patchett, whose novels include Bel Canto, The Patron Saint of Liars, and The Magician's Assistant, lived with Grealy during graduate school, when they both attended the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. Almost instantly, the two writers became dear friends, and Truth & Beauty is Patchett’s account of their relationship. Patchett tells her story with unflinching honesty. Grealy’s mania and insecurities would test anyone’s patience, but Patchett’s adoration for her is so complete — though never blind — that we come to love her, too.

More than that, I came to love Ann Patchett. I’ve been a fan of hers since my Chicago days. I bought The Patron Saint of Liars on a whim and read it in a single night. I was sick with a bug and couldn’t sleep and made it through my misery with the help of Patchett’s book. Having read Truth & Beauty, I feel like I know her and Lucy. She tells her story as though talking to a friend, and by the end you feel like were there, experiencing the highs and lows of this epic friendship right along side Ann and Lucy.

Friday Favorites: My Tea Mug

2009-11-06T07:17:00.000-05:00

To make 30 posts in 30 days easier, I'm going to post once a week about something that is a favorite of mine. I've posted about my love of Adagio Tea before, so I won't bore you with a rehash of that exactly.

Instead I'll get specific. I bought this mug from them a while ago, and I really love it. I had been using their paper filters for the 70 or so cups of tea I drink at work each day. Those work great, but I knew I could be more environmentally-thoughtful in my tea consumption. So now I use this combo mug/infuser. Upside down, the glass cover serves perfectly as a coaster for my wet infuser. And (bad news for Adagio), I now get two cups of tea out of each serving of leaves. I used to just chuck the paper infusers in the trash since they were messy and gross. This mug will pay for itself soon enough, and in the meantime I like that I'm not throwing so much away. I also feel like I'm more officially a tea drinker with this fancy infuser. :)

In case anyone is looking for new teas to try, I'm currently loving Fujian Baroque, Rooibos Vanilla Chai, Bengal Green Chai, and Black Dragon Pearls. The last are especially fun to watch unfurl in your mug.

Worst Day of the Week

2009-11-05T07:10:00.000-05:00

Thursdays are hellish. I'm not trying to be overly dramatic here. They really are the worst day of my week.

I have four and a half hours of standing meetings on Thursdays, and one additional always seems to get added to the calendar just for fun. Then I race uptown to attend my market research class at 6:00 and my writing class at 8:00. By the time I'm home a little after 10:00, my brain is fried, my energy is gone, and I just want to watch TV until I fall into bed.

The up side is that Fridays almost feel like a vacation in comparison. I'm excited to have time to actually get work done at work, as opposed to just talking all day. And I appreciate having the evening to myself and a full weekend just beyond. And my schedule will change in January with the start of a new semester, so I only have a few more LONG Thursdays to get through.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-11-04T08:22:00.001-05:00

This mash up has gotten a lot of buzz, and the plot is pretty much right there in the title, so I'll spare you all a rehash of what this book is all about.

If you're a purist, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is not for you. While Seth Grahame-Smith has obviously taken pains to keep the broad strokes the same as in Jane Austen's original, he's added new zombie-fighting personality traits for Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters. A secondary character contracts the "strange plague" and becomes a undead herself. Characters debate the warrior training available in China versus Japan. Elizabeth and Jane are still BFFs. Lydia is still a flirt. Mr. Darcy is still proud, and Wickham is still a liar. But there is no mistaking it: this is not the Pride and Prejudice Ms. Austen had in mind.

I went in ready to accept the irreverance, and found myself liking this book very much. I believe a familiarity with and affection for the original helped. Without that, this might have just seemed like a weird combo. With that background, though, I appreciated how Grahame-Smith worked in such disparate elements while maintaining both the sense and sensibility of the original.

Civic Duty

2009-11-03T08:50:00.001-05:00

One of the random perks about working at Columbia is that we are always off for election day. There is never any excuse not to vote, since I have the entire day at my leisure to do it.

Today New Yorkers are voting for mayor. I fully expect Mike Bloomberg to win. He's done ok the last eight years, and he has spent about 5 jillion dollars per voter to tell us so. The thing that most people are most pissed off about, and his biggest hurdle in this election, is how he hijacked the term limits law. Voters said loud and clear that we had no interest in changing the term limit law. Bloomberg wanted to run again, though, and — with the power of endless funds behind him — he built enough support in the city council to have the law changed. It sits badly with me, as it does with many New Yorkers. I feel that he used his money to buy what he wanted, regardless of what was best for his constituents. That doesn't exactly make me want to support him. Nonetheless, he'll win today. He'll do it without my vote, though.

For once, though, I'm also not voting for the democratic nominee. Bill Thompson really doesn't impress me, and since it's not at all a close race I feel no pressure to support him. Another option is to vote for Jimmy McMillan of The Rent Is Too Damn High party. He looks like he's straight out of the WWF, and the party name is hilarious. Still, I'll be voting for Green party candidate Billy Talen, aka Reverend Billy. He doesn't have a shot in hell, but I'm rooting for him anyway.

Go Reverend Billy!

NaBloPoMo is here

2009-11-02T07:18:00.000-05:00

Check it out: I'm blogging two days in a row! The NaBloPoMo wind is at my back. :) I'm excited that Rena and Shannon are doing it with me, and I think more of you should join in.

So, to celebrate my month of blogging, I've given A Blog Of One's Own a face lift, as you can see. A big shout out goes to Rena for turning me on to Aqua Poppy. Her designs are so easy to implement that I now have a hankering to change the blog's look all the time. I think I'll keep this through the month and then shop around for something festive for the holidays.

My weekend was filled with happiness at Todd's return. He's been out of town on business for the last two weeks, and I am thrilled to have him back. I'm disappointed that he has to fly back to Dayton, Ohio in the middle of this week, but I'm soaking him up as much as I can in the meantime. It was also really fun to see the kids again, who I haven't seen since he headed out. We spent a little of Halloween with them carving Jack-O-Lanterns.

Yesterday was supposed to be all about work for Todd and homework for me, but we got a very slow start to the productive portion of the day. Some work got done, but there is — sadly — plenty more to do.

November Challenge: Coconut Cake

2009-11-01T06:11:00.002-05:00

November is my month to pick what we bake over at Have the Cake. Check out what I'm proposing, and please feel free to bake along with us!

I know November's baking line up is often filled with pumpkins, and I wondered whether you'd all be hoping for something of that nature that you could bring to Thanksgiving dinner. All I can say is: I hope your relatives also like coconuts.

I've been wanting to make coconut cake for a while. My birthday was in September, and I almost baked myself a coconut birthday cake. Instead I got lazy and baked nothing. So this one has been on my to-try list for quite a while.

I first fell head-over-heels for coconut cake at Billy's Bakery in Chelsea. Any of you who are close to NYC should really check it out. While I'm partial to the coconut, you really can't go wrong there. And they are extremely generous with their cake cutting!

Below is the recipe I'm going to try, which is from butter lover extraordinaire, Paula Deen. There is also a really tasty looking recipe in this month's Jamie.

Happy baking!

Cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks and cool completely.

Filling

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended.

Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the first layer of the cake, approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy). Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cakes with additional coconut.

NaBloPoMo's A-Comin'

2009-10-27T10:48:00.002-04:00

So I had it in my head that National Blog Posting Month was always November. I think the NaBloPoMo people are trying to out blog the Blog 365 people, though, by making NaBloPoMo a yearly challenge in bite-sized pieces. Basically, it appears as though every month is now a national blog posting month. Why post every day for a month once when you can do it 12 times in a row?

Since 2009 is The Year I Sucked As A Blogger, obviously I haven't been posting every day. The big question, though, is can I do it every day in November? I want to, and I want to peer pressure you into doing it, too. Most of us did it in 2007, and it was so much fun! It'll be easier to achieve if we're all in it together.

Who's ready to commit?

More Apple Goodness

2009-10-19T07:10:00.000-04:00

As of this morning, I still had a dozen apples left over from our afore-mentioned trip to Stuart's Farm, and I knew I couldn't eat them all before they went bad. So, instead of letting them go to waste, I made apple sauce for the first time. It was so easy, and it tastes delicious!

I peeled and thinly sliced 8 apples and threw them into the slow cooker with a half cup of water. After about six and a half hours of cooking on low, they were nothing but mush, just the way apple sauce should be. At that point I added 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar and a sprinkling each of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I let it cook for another half hour on low, and shazam! Spiced apple sauce!

Mom's Dutch Apple Pie

2009-10-18T08:58:00.001-04:00

Right before Laura posted that apple pies would be October's Have the Cake challenge, Todd and I had planned an apple-picking outing. We were headed to Stuart's Farm, a family fruit farm an hour or so outside of NYC with Dylan and Sofia, as well as Dylan's friend and his friend's dad and sister.

The farm has nine varieties of apples, three or four of which can be seen in this picture. I mixed and matched them for my pie, trying for a nice combo of sweetness and tartness.

I 've been eating and loving my mom's dutch apple pie my whole life, and despite getting into baking the last few years, I had never tried to make it on my own. This seemed like the perfect time! My mom sent me the recipe for the filling and the crust that both she and my Nana used whenever they were making one from scratch. I like the family history aspect of being at least the third generation to use a recipe. :)

Mom's found over the years that the pie gets too soggy if you don't let the apples sit in their sugary goodness for a while before loading into the crust. After sitting for a while, just enough of the apple juice comes out to save you from a soggy bottom. So I started there. Here's the first of my slied apples in the sugar mix.

I moved on to the crust next. I struggled a little bit rolling it out, as it crumbled a little around the edges. Mom warned me that the trick with this crust was to put all the ingredients in the freezer before using them. Apparently making them ice-cold saves the crumbling. I did that with everything but the milk. Our freezer was just too full for me to find a way to get it all in there. I think if I'd really followed Mom's directions, instead of just 3/4 of them, it would have been even easier. I had to work a little harder my way, but in the end the crust was rolled out well enough and tasted good to boot, so I'll take it.

So here is the final product, complete with hand-picked apples, homemade crust, and yummy sugary/buttery crumbles on top. We ate it that night with whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream. Both Todd and Dylan went for seconds, so it's safe to say that it was a hit!

Lovely Weekend

2009-10-05T08:48:00.005-04:00

I'm just coming off a really nice weekend, and I wish I had one more day before the week started up again. Friday night after work I met Todd and Dylan for dinner around Union Square. We ate fully healthy vegetarian fare, and then counteracted every bite with a trip to Veneiro's. So good! If we lived closer, I'd have cannolis everyday.

Treats in tow, we made our way to the movies to watch Nine. I hadn't expected the movie to be as dark as it was. Afterward, Todd and I talked about the ending and how we both thought it was heading someplace different — and better. It had the feeling of an ending-by-committee. I think our ideas would have made for a more original movie that left viewers with much more to think about after the credits rolled. Also, did you ever have a writing teacher tell you that if your story includes a shotgun mounted on the wall, the gun has to go off at some point in the story? The idea, of course, is that if you give a detail like that, it should be there for a reason. Well, Nine had a shotgun on the wall and it never went off. Again, I think the detail had a purpose in an earlier version and got workshopped out to make people happy. I liked the movie, but I think anyone interested is just as well served waiting for the DVD.

Saturday the three of us went to a newly found brunch place in Harlem. It was really good and has a nice vibe. It's the kind of place where you could bring a book or laptop and settle in for a few hours, I think. Dylan went off to a friend's birthday shortly after brunch, and I requested that Todd and I spend the afternoon with a bottle of wine and a viewing of the latest Project Runway. He indulged me, and it was just what I needed. I've been feeling pretty stressed out lately, and the laziness and relaxation of our afternoon was perfect. We tried to go shoe shopping after PR, but we got sidelined by the new Whole Foods in our neighborhood and did grocery shopping instead. The evening ended with sushi in bed while we watched District 9. It was good, but very different and less political than I expected.

And yesterday started out with hours of homework (boo) followed by brunch downtown with Ben and Lorraina. Apologies in advance to Ben if you read this: I sometimes get a little negative about all the time I have to devote to school and the way it limits the fun things I can do. I know that going to school is an enormous opportunity, but it's still hard not to feel disappointed about all the social things I miss. Ben got his MBA a year ago and now has a job that would make me want to jump out a window. I can't believe the hours he works, the travel he has to do, and the way his employers expect him to be available at their whim. On the subway I had a moment of schedenfreude and said to Todd, "If anything can make me feel better about my situation, it's brunch with Ben!" Brunch was wonderful, and not because someone else's schedule sucks harder than mine. Instead, it was just a treat to catch up with friends I don't see often enough.

Todd and I did shoe shopping along 8th Street after we ate, and I came home with two new pairs of boots. Hooray! Poor Todd got no shoes and instead luggeed my boxes. He's the sweetest.

Reverend Billy for Mayor

2009-10-04T11:24:00.002-04:00

I know Mike Bloomberg is probably going to be New York's mayor again. But I still voted for Billy Talen in the primaries (my first time writing in a vote), and I'm going to vote for him again in November. The L Magazine does a good job of capturing why:

An Endorsement of Reverend Billy for Mayor of NYC

It is unlikely that any of the candidates running against Michael Bloomberg will prevent the billionaire incumbent from winning a third term as Mayor of New York City. Bloomberg is rich, inoffensive and radiates an uncontroversial managerial competence that is, if not compelling, at least comforting to a city less interested in policy details than its own financial future. This is benevolent despotism at its finest. But this is an endorsement, not an indictment.

Green Party candidate Bill Talen, aka the Reverend Billy, has long focused on the principles we hold dear at The L Magazine:
The importance of public space in the face of an increasingly corporatized approach to urbanism that favors the developer over the individual.
The need for strong local economies generated from within (rather than imposed on) the city’s neighborhoods.
Community policing that reconstitutes law enforcement as self-determination rather than occupation.
Serious investment in public transit, with a focus on sustainable, human-scale infrastructure.
A heightened eco-consciousness that moves beyond conventional green solutions and radically reconsiders the city’s relationship to the broader world.
Above all, the idea that we are citizens, not demographic statistics or “clients” to be sold to, marketed to, dismissed, or marginalized. The city is not a corporation, democracy is not a product, and we are not mere consumers.
These principles may be derided as fuzzy or unrealistic, but we are tired of being told to stop imagining a better future, tired of self-interest and greed masquerading as political “realism.” It is from the world’s great cities that change will come, and New York City should be leading the way. Principles like these are no longer on the political fringe, and have been realized in municipal policy from Winnipeg to Berlin to London—that management has become such a celebrated virtue in New York speaks to an electorate conditioned by crisis, existing in a state of low-grade anxiety, craving reassurance rather than innovation.

A vote for Reverend Billy might be a protest vote, but that’s the point here, to protest. A vote for Billy is to protest Bloomberg’s arrogance in seeking a third term; a vote for Billy is to protest the pusillanimous state and city Democrats more concerned with hanging onto power than advocating on behalf of their constituents; a vote for Billy is to protest a New York slowly losing the very thing that has always made it a truly great city, its neighborhoods.

Reverend Billy winning the election would be a miracle. We recognize that his campaign is symbolic, that massive amounts of money are required to seriously compete for higher office in America, but we celebrate the intensity, dedication and courage of those who, along with Reverend Billy himself, have fought to bring the aforementioned issues into the broader discussion. The Billy campaign has served as a focal point for disparate constituencies across the city, bringing New Yorkers together to fight for social justice at the local level, neighborhood by neighborhood.

But this fight does not end on Election Day.

Going forward, we must look to the Billy campaign as a blueprint, an example of how it is still possible to organize for change, even if it just begins on your own block. Imagining a better world is one thing, but realizing it is another—and that is why we endorse the Reverend Billy for Mayor of New York City, because he’s shown us how that world might still yet happen.

—The L Magazine

Keep Your Pants On

2009-10-03T16:06:00.006-04:00

On Thursday I will spend the evening moderating a focus group for my market research class and going to another class that will remain nameless since it's my least favorite ever and I don't want to talk about it.

What will Todd do? He and his new BFF, also named Todd and the fiance of my friend from school (who, by the way will be with me in school all night), are going to a Keith Urban concert. Todd (Kirsten's, not mine) is in the music biz and not only got tickets but also set up a meet and greet.

Todd's big announcement today? If Nicole Kidman, aka Keith Urban's wife, hits on him, he's going for it. I had to break the news to him. Nicole Kidman didn't make his list! Thank god I blogged about our celebrity crushes for just this occasion. When the Todds go to a David Bowie or Seal concert I'll have something to worry about.

Art In My Office

2009-10-01T07:22:00.000-04:00

I have a lovely new office to go with my new role at work. Right across from my desk is a wall that is crying out for a big photo, painting, or other work of art. What should I put there? Whose work would you want to look at day after day?

Art in Brooklyn

2009-09-30T19:49:00.000-04:00

Todd, Sofia, and I went to Dumbo on Saturday to check out the Dumbo Arts Festival. Todd loves art. He's introduced me to a lot of galleries in Chelsea and festivals throughout the city that I never really explored on my own, and this was my first time going to the Art Under the Bridge festival (as it's officially called). Sadly, we didn't end up seeing as much actual art as we would have liked.

There were a lot of interactive and kid-friendly things to see right at the start of the festival, and we spent a good chunk of time at each. Sofia spelled her name with pillows shaped like letters, then she helped spell mine and Todd's, too.

We checked out a balloon-powered paper kite, and played in the playground. And, of course, there was much fun to be had throwing rocks into the water. By the time Todd's friend caught up with us, we were all ready for hot chocolate at Jacques Torres. Nearby was an incredibly patient and creative woman doing little girls' hair with every imaginable sparkly accessory. By the time she was done, each looked like a princess.

After that, we went and looked at some more actual art. It was a fun day, but more diverse and less specifically art-centric than I expected.

Zip Lining Photos

2009-09-27T21:07:00.011-04:00

For my birthday, Todd treated me to a zip lining adventure at Spring Mountain in Pennsylvania. We went through East Coast Outdoors, a company a friend opened. They set up hikes, canoe trips, and other excursions for urbanites, and this was our first trip with them.

Zip lining is amazing! It took place at a ski resort who expanded their business by adding zip lines down the mountain. We started by taking a chairlift up to the top of the mountain. There were seven zips to take us down the mountain, and in between were ropes course–types of bridges and other obstacles. The zip lines offered more of an adrenaline rush, and the bridges tested our balance and perseverance. They were a lot harder than they looked.

Here we are, geared up and ready to hit the zips.

A view of our first zip. I was scared to do the first one. It's so counter-intuitive to step off a platform 50 feet off the ground.

Todd looks ready for anything.

And I just look sassy.

At one point we repelled down from one of the zip platforms and had to climb a rope ladder to get up to the next one. The guides invited us to race if we wanted to, and Todd and I went for it.

It was a close one. Todd had height on his side, but I was much faster off the ground. In the end, as you can see from my finger, I was Number One.

Another one of our between-zip-challenges was to cross this unsupported bridge. We did two of them over the course of the day, and they were so wobbly that we really used every muscle in our bodies to hold our balance and stay upright.

Our longest zip was longer than three football fields lined up end to end. The fastest one had us going over 45 miles per hour. It was amazing from start to finish, and I want to do it again!

Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen

2009-09-14T07:26:00.003-04:00

Those of you who supported my idea for a Betty Page haircut with bangs are officially the only people who think it's a good idea. I polled a bunch of friends at brunch a couple of weeks ago, asked a few friends at work, and queried Todd. Not one person thought I should do it. I am still itching for a change, so then I started thinking about cutting off some of the length and maybe getting a bob like either Heidi or Mary Kate below.

For the record, I still can't find anyone who thinks this is a good idea. Todd, Dylan, and Sofia all vote no. Shannon, who is growing her hair out, says I'm stealing her hair goal. But a shorter do will be faster to blow dry and, therefore, I'll be more likely to actually do it and have it look good. I'm probably going to do it even though no one wants me to. It's just hair.

A Great Birthday

2009-09-13T10:35:00.003-04:00

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday so great!

After sleeping in and enjoying the fact that Todd was home again, I spent the first part of my day with Anne. We had a decadent brunch at Max Brenner: Chocolate By the Bald Man. Tell me, who could have a birthday brunch at a place with chocolate right in the name and not indulge? I fully went for it and ordered the chocolate chip pancakes with carmelized bananas. So, so bad, but so so good. We walked off one 1/100th of one bite after lunch by visiting Anthropologie. I love that store but almost never buy anything because it's just so expensive. Veronica and Mike treated me to a gift card to there for my birthday, so Anne and I browsed around and tried to figure out what I'd buy. I found several dresses to covet.

That night, Todd, Dylan, and Sofia took me out to Mama Mexico for a birthday dinner. We had amazing guacamole and all manner of tasty Mexican food before a mariachi band serenaded me with "Happy Birthday" and I opened my presents. I got Pride and Prejudice and Zombies from Todd and The Witches of Eastwick from Shannon. Sofia and Dylan gave me a beautiful notebook to use at work, and Mom sent a computer lamp and gift card to supplement my Anthropologie shopping. There were earrings from Rena and a magazine subscription from Tina. It was a haul! Throughout the day I also got many, many messages from friends and family over Facebook and email, and the whole day made me feel very loved and not at all like an old lady.

On My Own

2009-09-07T22:05:00.003-04:00

It's funny how quickly a person can get used to something. I lived alone for almost a decade; well, alone with Camilla, that is. Todd and I have lived together for only a few months and already I feel out of sorts now that he's out of town. He left earlier today for luxurious Dayton, Ohio for work, and I feel like I'm rattling around here on my own.

After he left for LaGuardia, I read A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, a graphic novel Todd bought recently. I watched disc one of the second season of Mad Men. And now I'm watching my first ever episode of Hoarders on A&E, which I keep hearing about but hadn't seen until tonight. Camilla and I are hanging out as we did many nights on our own over the years, but now it's not as much fun.

I'm looking forward to Todd's return.

The End of Summer

2009-09-06T16:58:00.002-04:00

We have closed summer with a bang over here. The weather has been sublime (unlike 98% of summer), and we made the most of it.

Yesterday Todd, Dylan, Sofia, and I went out to Coney Island where we rode everything from the Wonder Wheel to the Thunder Bolt to the Cyclone. The Thunder Bolt made me a little dizzy and gave me a headache, but I loved the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone. We also feasted. Everyone but me ate at Nathan's Hot Dogs for lunch; I'm not a hot dog person, so I was able to resist the calorie fest, but I made up for it later with an ice cream cone on the beach.

Today we took the bike out for a ride; it was one of the few rides this whole summer. Between busy schedules and terrible weather, we didn't really cycle as much as I'd have liked, so it was especially good to ride around again before the weather gets too cold. We went down through Central Park and back up through Riverside. The weather was beautiful, and we all loved it. Well...for the most part: Dylan really out grew his bike this summer and made quite a fuss about it being too small for him. We'll definitely need to upgrade before next summer rolls around.

Now the summer is over and work begins in earnest. This Thursday is my first night of back-to-back classes, and one professor gave pre-homework, which I think is a drag. It's neither surprising nor uncommon, but I still wish profs would let us enjoy the final week of break. Alas.

The Close of ToBloPoMo

2009-08-31T07:03:00.002-04:00

That's it, my friends. Today is the last day of ToBloPoMo, and I'm happy that I succeeded with my post-a-day goal. There were times that I posted late, put up something lame, or struggled for something to say, but I still made it through.

As I knew I would, I really liked posting regularly again. I wish I could promise to keep it up, but I don't realistically believe it will happen. I'm taking on a big new challenge at work this week, and fall classes begin next week. Together, those two challenges are going to be tough enough without the added pressure to post every day. Depending on how things are going, maybe I'll take on NaBloPoMo, but we'll have to wait and see on that one. Until then, I'll be here posting irregularly. :)

Bread Pudding Success

2009-08-30T21:49:00.005-04:00

I tried out my super simple bread pudding recipe tonight, and it was a hit! It was so quick and easy to put together, and Todd and I both really liked it. Todd especially loved it, which is surprising given that there isn't a lick of chocolate in it.

Below is the recipe as it stands. I think it'd be an easy one to change up, and I can imagine a cheesy savory version making a good breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

6 slices day-old bread (I used potato bread)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Things I Love About Todd

2009-08-29T23:30:00.002-04:00

That he makes me laugh even when I don't want to.
How he notices small things that I like and surprises me with them.
That he appreciates the efforts I make, even when they don't pan out.
That he just watched 5 episodes of Battlestar Galactica with me.
His geek chic-ness.
His love of hermit crabs.

Bread Pudding

2009-08-28T17:41:00.002-04:00

Any big bread pudding fans out there? I just read a recipe that sounded stupidly simple to make, and I’m thinking of trying it out this weekend. I really need to stop with the baking if I ever want to lose weight. The problem is that the baking and eating is so much more fun than trying to fit into skinny jeans.

I think that next week we'll find out what Dorrie has in store for us on Have the Cake, and I'm pretty sure it's not bread pudding. I could wait and get my baking fix with whatever she's planning, but there are no guarantees that I'll take that moderate approach.

She Bangs

2009-08-27T23:40:00.000-04:00

What do we all think of bangs? Sometimes when I get bored with my hair I think I should rethink my lifelong ambivalence toward bangs. If I got them, I could have a whole new look without losing the length of my hair. While I’m not at all opposed to short hair, I’m sort of enjoying having it long these days. I’m thinking something like a Kenley Collins look; yes, I know she’s a crazy girl who fights with Tim Gunn and uses her cat as a projectile weapon. But didn’t she have a cute look, too?

What do you all think? Do you vote yes or no on the bangs idea?

I think I ate a bug

2009-08-26T13:11:00.000-04:00

How gross is that? Last night I was reading while Todd was getting ready for bed. I did what I often do and drifted off with the book next to me, waking up again when Todd came into the room. We were chatting about how he was feeling achy, when all of a sudden I made the whole night revolve around me. Nice right? He’s sore and uncomfortable and I talk about myself. :)

Seriously, though, my top lip was feeling all tingly and swelling up; I could feel it getting bigger and bigger as we were talking. I thought at first it could be a food allergy, but I hadn’t eaten anything in hours, and it was really isolated to just the left side of my top lip. I wouldn’t expect a food allergy to be that localized.

After some research, all signs pointed to an insect bite or sting. Which means that some creepy crawly was creeping and crawling across my face. Gross! And bit or stung my lip. GROSS! The swelling/tingling has pretty much gone away, but now I’m paranoid and itchy, thinking that any slight breeze is really another bug on me.

Fantasy Home Shopping

2009-08-25T17:43:00.012-04:00

Todd and I continued our fantasy home search this past weekend in Vermont. Bryan and Jane told us their next door neighbor’s home was for sale, and since they were friendly with a realtor they set it up so we could see the house while we were visiting.

Let me tell you guys: this home had me seriously salivating. There were things that were imperfect about it, like a shortage of closets, but overall, it was wonderful. So quirky and unique: no two rooms were the same, and there were unexpected treats all throughout. And the space! It was the house that just kept on giving. I saw the main two levels and then was surprised by a finished basement that could easily serve as a TV room. Then I couldn’t believe the storage space the attached shed offered. Then, oh, how I was wowed by the tiny one room cabin in the woods! Maybe we could use it as a guest house for when our city friends come to visit, I thought to myself. Or, maybe we turn it into an art studio where Todd makes sculptures and I make pottery. The possibilities seemed truly limitless.

It would be a solid 5 or 6 hour drive from the city, though, and we don’t have a car. The flight up to Burlington isn’t that expensive but would break the bank if we tried to make this place into a weekend home, and our painfully delayed flight home on Sunday made me even less open to that crazy option. In the end, there isn’t a way to make this work, but if I could have, I would have.

New Friends

2009-08-24T19:36:00.000-04:00

After Friday's focus on my old friends and neighbors, we spent the rest of the weekend with Todd's friend Bryan and his family. Todd and Bryan go back to fourth or fifth grade, so I was hoping for some embarrassing stories and photos. I got some stories, but Todd's hard to embarrass, and he never really did get rattled.

His friends were fabulous, though, and so welcoming in every way. We had a quintessential out-of-the-city experience with them. Saturday morning they took us hiking up Mount Filo for a little exertion and beautiful views. In the afternoon we went swimming at the Bolton potholes: a series of natural pools in rocks that run one from the next, connected by waterfalls. It looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. In the evening, Bryan and Todd built a fire outside so Jane and the girls could make smores while Bryan, Todd, and I went into Burlington to see the town and go out to dinner. Sunday was spent at a local farm that's open to the public where we got to milk a cow; chase and, in a few cases, catch chickens and pick them up; play name that poop, learn how to make felt, and so much more.

A couple photos of our adventures are below.

View from Mount Filo

Todd knows his shit

Me and my chicken

Old Friends

2009-08-23T23:09:00.000-04:00

Todd and I spent the weekend in Vermont, and it was the first time I'd been back in about a decade. Funny to think that I've been gone for longer than I was there.

Friday was all about my trip down memory lane. We stayed with a childhood friend of Todd's from who lives up near Burlington, about an hour from where I grew up. We drove down to my part of the state on Friday morning and met one of my high school friends for coffee. She and I have only recently reconnected, and what's been fun is how easily we've picked up our friendship. We've gone in pretty different directions — she's married to a military chaplain and is an active baptist now, for instance — but the foundation of our friendship is surprisingly solid after such a long break.

Lunch was with my dad and his wife. It was the first time that Todd has met my father, so it was nice to make those introductions and see them get to know each other a bit.

Then it was on to dinner with Roland (yes, all we did was eat on Friday), another high school friend who I hadn't seen since graduation. He brought his lovely wife and adorable three year old son, who charmed us all throughout the meal with his patience with all the boring adult talk. Todd's friends joined us, too, and it was great to bring both groups together.

It was a little odd to have a homecoming after so long away. For much of Friday, I didn't remember how to get from one place to another, and some landmarks had changed in my memory but not at all in reality. Others had changed in reality and threw me off.

J & J

2009-08-22T10:24:00.000-04:00

By request, my review of Julie & Julia:

Like so many others, I thought the Julia Child portions of this movie were winning and adorable in every way that a movie can be. Meryl Streep is as genius as she always is, and she infuses a joy into her portrayal of Julia Child that is absolutely infectious. Is there a role that woman can't knock out of the park? I loved Stanley Tucci as Paul Child, and I loved Jane Lynch as Julia's sister. Everything about these scenes were fabulous.

I wish I could say the same for the Julie parts of the movie. I've loved Amy Adams in many other movies, and she's played happy adorable people time and again, so I'm not sure what went wrong here. But Julie comes across as an annoyingly miserable person. She's unhappy, but the movie never tells us why. She has a sucky job, but otherwise it's unclear what makes her feel so lost. In contrast to Meryl Streep's scenes, which are like a party we all want to attend, Amy Adams' scenes are a downer each and every time.

The funny thing about this is that I loved Julie Powell in the book. I found her snarky, self-deprecating, and sarcastic, sure. She was never a pollyanna. But she wasn't a sourpuss, either. And I found the Julia Child scenes in the book somewhat shoe-horned in and unnecessary (I seem to be in the minority here, I'll admit).

Bottom line is that people should read the book and see the movie. The offer really different but equally wonderful things, and they'll make you appreciate the two protagonists in very different ways.

Lazy Staycation: Reading American Wife

2009-08-21T13:24:00.000-04:00

When I ended up with a bit of Barnes and Noble credit a few months ago, I veered for the first time (but not the last) from my buying-no-books-in-2009 plan. With that credit I bought the creepy, wonderful, impossible-to-forget We Need To Talk About Kevin and the far less disturbing American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Sittenfeld takes the broad outlines of Laura Bush's life, from the tragic car accident in her youth to her days as a librarian to her marriage to a well-to-do good ol' boy. From this foundation, Sittenfeld builds the fictional account of Alice Lindgren Blackwell. Hating George W. Bush and his administration, I wans't sure how sympathetic I'd find the characters in this novel, and it's to Sittenfeld's credit that she really creates a protagonist that I wanted to spend time with.

Alice is the heart and soul of American Wife and the fact that it's easy to like her allows us to see Charlie Blackwell (aka Dubya) more sympathetically because all of his antics are filtered through her eyes. That said, she also stacks the deck in Charlie's favor because the majority of the book is about Alice's early life and the first part of her relationship with Charlie. Campaigns and governorship are glossed over, and the couple's time in the White House is only a small portion of the novel. Alice's thoughts on abortion and the war are plot points, but many of the other controversial elements Sittenfeld could have drawn on barely make a blip.

This works because the novel is more about relationships and characters than it is about politics. The surprise coupling of a hard working, book loving librarian and a privileged party boy provide Sittenfeld with plenty to explore without getting bogged down in anything resembling policy. The book is a good one and definitely a page turner, but it's far more of a character study than it is a political novel.

Green Mountain Bound

2009-08-20T11:57:00.000-04:00

Today Todd and I take off for our long weekend in New England. We're flying up to Burlington tonight and will drive down to the center part of the state to my old hood on Friday. We'll have lunch with my dad, who will be meeting Todd for the first time. They are both pretty easy going, so I don't imagine there is anything to worry about, but it'll still be good to get the first introductions done.

Tomorrow night we reunite with a friend of mine from high school who I haven't seen in over a decade. I had hoped for a bigger group, but the other friend I wanted to see isn't free. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't run out of things to talk about while we're still eating appetizers!

The rest of the weekend will be spent with a childhood friend of Todd's. I've never met him or his wife in person, so I'll need fingers crossed on that front, too. In a perfect world we'll all hit it off smashingly!

Lazy Staycation: Watching Grey Gardens

2009-08-19T13:03:00.005-04:00

Yesterday and today are the staycation part of my vacation, and I've done a grand total of almost nothing. I've motivated to do the Wii both mornings in an attempt to counter act at least a little of the weekend's peanut butter cookie consumption, but that's the most activity I've done.

This morning I watched the HBO version of Grey Gardens, which I liked. It's impossible to watch it with a totally fresh eye, having seen the documentary multiple times as well as the Broadway musical version. I thought Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange were strong, though, and did a lot more than turn in impersonations. And I liked that this movie hinted at a bit of what happened during the Beales' bizarre decline. The documentary famously chronicles their life in squalor, and the musical shows their life in society in act one and then the documentary portion of their life in act two. This movie connects those two incredibly different periods more than any other retelling I've seen. Edith and Little Edie are so fascinating and bizarre that I need a little help understanding how they went from debutante balls to eviction notices. These connecting threads are important: recreating scenes from the documentary alone wouldn't add anything new or insightful.

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-18T07:32:00.003-04:00

I'm home again for a couple of days of lazy R&R. Yesterday's drive back was a lot better, traffic-wise, than our drive up to Massachusetts on Friday. Until the last hour of our trip, we sat in stop-and-go traffic the entire time on Friday. That made for a long day to say the least. Yesterday was smooth sailing right up until we hit NYC traffic. We added about an hour to the trip getting into the city to drop me off, and then my poor mom spent another three hours getting home from my place — and it should only take an hour and a half. I feel bad, but she's kindly not blaming me for the near impossibility of getting through the Lincoln Tunnel.

It was great to visit Veronica, and now it's great to be home. I missed Todd, and Camilla and I are having a nice time cozying up together...at least as much as one can cozy in 90+ degree heat.

Winslow Farm

2009-08-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

One of the more off-the-beaten path things that I did while visiting my sister was go to an animal sanctuary not far from her house. Winslow Farm takes in abused or abandoned animals and provides them with a safe haven in which to live the rest of their lives.

The place has about 100 cats roaming around, a couple of dogs, and sheep, pigs, goats, horses, and at least one emu. They probably have tons of other animals, too, that I didn't even see. Veronica and Mike are partial to Waterford the pig, who is one year old, the biggest pig I've ever seen in my life, and likely to double in size by the time he stops growing. Seriously, that pig will be as big as a horse!

For my money, I loved a goat named Mervin. He followed us around the farm like a dog would. We walked: Mervin walked. We stopped: Mervin stopped. If we stood around for too long, he'd gently head butt one of our hands, letting us know that now was a good time to pet him. He was awesome.

Paying It Forward

2009-08-16T11:28:00.001-04:00

I came across the website for Volunteer Gear a short time ago and am intrigued. The premise, if it works, allows this company to make money by prompting individuals to volunteer their time and energy in whatever capacity appeals to them most.

You buy a t-shirt, thus paying them to volunteer, basically. But, with the purchase of a tee, you also get a pair of dog tags that have a unique serial number. You register the tags on their site and, after volunteering, pass one or both of the tags on to someone else. They volunteer, register their activity, and pass the tags on. Through the site, you can track the progress of your tags, where people are volunteering, and presumably feel a sense of joy that you played a part in it.

Things I love about this:

The first person invests the money to get the tags and fund the initiative, but after that there is no cost to anyone involved.
It would feel really satisfying to prompt so much volunteering and goodwill in the world.
It’s really flexible, allowing people to put their effort where they think it matters most.

Things I don’t love: it feels a little like a chain letter. I think I’d send these tags off and they’d disappear never to be seen or heard of again. I wonder if, for the most part, people would only volunteer if they were inclined to already. I don’t know if the dog tags are really enough of a motivation to overcome busy lives or inertia.

What do you guys think? Would getting a dog tag from me prompt you to volunteer?

Books and Bargains

2009-08-15T15:21:00.002-04:00

Mom and I suffered through way too much traffic on our way up to Veronica's yesterday, but now that we've actually arrived we've had a lot of fun catching up with Veronica. Mike had an old friend in town last night, so we did a girls' night of pizza, What Not To Wear, and chit chat. Veronica tested my love of used books today by taking Mom and me to a cute used bookstore in her neighborhood. My resolve to not buy books until I make a dent in my to-be-read pile proved absolutely beyond weak. I walked out with The Sportswriter, Arthur & George, and Truth & Beauty: A Friendship. I've showed a lot less restraint in used bookstores in the past, so it wasn't too bad, right?

Then went to do a little clothes shopping and I found an adorably cute pink dress that has a '50s cocktail dress vibe. It had no tag whatsoever, so after I tried it on and fell in love, I still had no idea whether this was something I could actually buy. When the cashier told me it was on sale for $18 — down from $90! — I snatched it up and wished there were others in other colors. There weren't, but I still felt pretty lucky.

Peanut Buttery Goodness

2009-08-14T10:43:00.000-04:00

In just a few hours mom will be picking me up and together we’ll make the drive to Veronica and Mike’s house in Massachusetts. Naturally, I didn’t want to arrive empty handed, so I used this as another baking excuse. Yes, I still remember the sugar overload that Sofia’s birthday cake brought on, and yes, I still have half a carrot cake in the fridge. None of that stopped me, though, and how could it when I found a recipe for peanut butter cup–engulfing peanut butter cookies? Seriously: yum.

More Pics

2009-08-13T08:01:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are more photos documenting the fun Todd and I had at Rena's. She was such a good host, and I can't wait to go back again next time!

Plums! As soon as we arrived Rena whisked us to this orchard. Here we're standing amongst the blueberries holding up our supply of just-picked plums.

Adventures in pasta making begin! Todd did all the hard work, and I didn't envy him. We made him knead the pasta dough for ages.

Noodles! It was so satisfying to see these come together.

Loving life, about to enjoy our feast of fresh pasta, corn on the cob, and swiss chard.

International Youth Day

2009-08-12T14:22:00.000-04:00

According to the Chagall-themed calendar hanging in my cube, today is “International Youth Day.” I remember one spring when Mother’s Day and Father’s Day rolled around asking my parents why there was no “Daughter’s Day” or “Child’s Day.” The answer I got was that every day is child’s day. Good point, I now think.

International Youth Day reminded me of that conversation, but it also made me sincerely curious what it was all about. Turns out it’s a UN-prompted day that has more to do with sustainability and the concept of a global village than it does anything connected to being a young’un.

Surely the UN is right, and young people need to embrace the idea of sustainability, but shouldn’t a youth day have something to do with ice cream, running barefoot through grass, and playing with abandon?

Have the Cake: Carrot Cake

2009-08-11T08:01:00.000-04:00

You've heard the story from Rena already, but I'm here to tell you that August's Have the Cake carrot cake was pretty easy to make and tasted great! The most challenging part from my perspective was mixing the date paste and melted butter. I thought I was going to smoosh and stir forever. It took ages before I even saw progress and had my doubts about the ability to get these two ingredients combined. Obviously in the end those, and all the other ingredients, came together.

The cake baked for a little longer than we originally put it in for. We weren't quite sure how long it would take, so we underestimated and then checked it every ten minutes or so. In the end, I think it was about 55 minutes before our toothpick came out clean.

It smelled so good when it came out that we teased that we'd have to put it up out of reach of Austin, otherwise she wouldn't be able to resist it while we were out getting lunch. In the end it was Todd, Rena, and me who couldn't resist. Even after a big burrito lunch, we each held out about five minutes before having a slice.

The first Have the Cake month was a roaring success!

Reasons to Celebrate

2009-08-10T15:30:00.000-04:00

Reasons to celebrate are there, if we only look for them. Todd and I treated ourselves to a really wonderful, delicious, indulgent dinner at Morimoto on Friday night. We made the reservation several weeks ago when I had just finished my summer class and used it as an excuse for the date. When Friday came, I dressed up, spent the day looking forward to our evening together, and generally had a more giddy energy than I typically do.

Throughout the night we raised our glasses of sake and toasted many things: the successful completion of my summer course, Todd's new job, an achievement at work, anything and everything. The lesson for me is that there are reasons to celebrate if you're looking for them. It was so much fun to be so positive, spend the evening with Todd, and enjoy some really, really, really good food together.

Visiting & Eating...

2009-08-09T22:09:00.003-04:00

... eating and visiting. That's what Todd and I did in the Berkshires this weekend. We arrived in Rena's neck of the woods around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and instantly brought on the food by going for some anti-climactic berry picking. I had envisioned picking of epic proportions. Instead, we picked two bags of plums in about seven minutes, looked at the blueberries and decided they were over priced, and high-tailed it out of there. If we were at the orchard for half an hour, it was a lot. And thus began two days of non-stop cooking and consumption, including all of us popping our pasta-making cherries together, making blueberry pancakes, and baking the first Have the Cake cake. Photo documentation of much of this excitement will follow after I snag the photos from Todd's computer.

Generally speaking, Rena completely indulged my romanticized vision of life outside NYC. Great Barrington is a great town and has so many adorable shops and homes that Todd suggested I put a moratorium on the word "cute." We fell in love with the area so quickly and so completely that while Rena and I caught up over a scoop of SoCo Creamery dirty chocolate ice cream (side note: YUM), Todd took his cup across the street to a local real estate agent, made a connection, and found us a house to consider buying. Ultimately, the house wasn't for us for so many reasons, but we were so happy in the Berkshires that we were seriously day dreaming about a home there!

The best thing, which probably goes without saying, was getting two full days to catch up with Rena. And that's high praise given how good everything was!

Vespa-Nomics

2009-08-08T09:55:00.000-04:00

Todd and I went to the Vespa showroom the other night to see in person just what it was we were thinking about purchasing. We walked in thinking we wanted the biggest and fastest model: the one that is better for highway driving and would most comfortably seat us both. We walked out thinking the same thing, but kudos to the salesman who had us temporarily considering getting two of the smaller models. It would cost more, but not a whole lot more, and we’d have the flexibility of each going our separate ways when our schedules conflicted. In the end, it doesn’t really make sense, but he did have us going for a while.

The Vespa is still our leading transportation possibility right now, and we’re feeling pretty positively inclined toward it at the moment. One big consideration is whether we should get it right away and enjoy all the autumn riding we could be doing. On the other hand, it’s not particularly useful in the winter, so perhaps we should save up over the winter and buy it in the spring. Naturally, I’m eager for instant satisfaction, but I’m not sure whether that’s the best choice. Any thought?

Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns.

2009-08-07T07:58:00.006-04:00

I'm so sad about John Hughes! I love some of his movies more than I can say, and even though his recent work doesn't have the same place in my heart that his Brat Pack and other 80s movies do, it's really sad to know he's no longer around writing, producing, and directing.

My favorite is pretty obvious here: It's The Breakfast Club. Some others (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller, Some Kind of Wonderful) are right up there, too, but nothing will ever beat the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal.

What's your favorite John Hughes movie?

Scooting

2009-08-06T07:03:00.005-04:00

We're still not quite ready to give up our dream of personal transportation. The idea of buying a car is still alive and well, but the reality of paying for a car in the city — especially including parking — dims our prospects.

Also in the running is the option of either a motorcycle or a scooter. They aren't as useful: in the winter we'd basically have to retire it. We can pack a whole lot less in saddle bags than in a trunk. No back seat, meaning it's only ever just the two of us traveling. And we simply can't go as far on a Vespa than we could in a car.

Still, something about this idea is compelling. There is ideal scooter parking only a few blocks from us, so we'd be set on that difficult front. Many of the trips we want to take are spontaneous day or overnight trips in the northeast, so we wouldn't need to pack much or drive for excessively long stretches. We could scoot our way around the city, making farther-flung neighborhoods more accessible all while avoiding the subways which are more crowded than ever these days.

We'd need to get our motorcycle licenses for the highway-rated Vespa, so that's the first obstacle to overcome. Maybe we can do that this fall, save up all winter, and then be scooting by first thaw. What do you all think?

(500) Days of Summer

2009-08-05T13:23:00.008-04:00

The many great reviews I’d read for this movie may have over hyped it just a little, but overall, (500) Days of Summer lives up to all the great things you’ve probably heard about it. I loved the authenticity Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoey Deschanel brought to their characters and their relationship: scenes where almost nothing is said—looks are exchanged, eyes are rolled, or hands are held—felt true and familiar.

Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel play Tom and Summer, respectively, and we know from the start that their relationship won’t last (hence the film’s name). Seen through Tom’s eyes, we experience the mystery and allure that is Summer Finn. Told out of chronological order, the movie bounces from one stage of their affair to another without a predictable rhyme or reason but always with purpose. Given the perspective of the movie, it’s no wonder I wound up appreciating and sympathizing with Tom more than Summer. He’s ultimately more likeable, if only because we see the world through his eyes. There were times when I’d had quite enough of Summer, thank you very much, but the strength of Gordon-Levitt’s performance allows us to stay with him even when it’s not quite clear why he’s so committed.

Some of the secondary characters, especially that of Tom’s little sister, felt far less authentic, which did detract from the movie but not enough to really hurt it. And there is a bit of cheese at the end that serves a purpose but is cheesy nonetheless. Still, it’s one of the better romantic movies I’ve seen in a while. It is more original, heartfelt, and believable that most of what passes for romance at the movies these days.

Domestic Goddess

2009-08-04T11:53:00.000-04:00

I usually drink at least one cup of tea per day while I’m at work; often, it’s more. I have an Ithaca College mug that I use, proudly displaying my love for the academy and my alma mater. Unfortunately, the inside of the mug is white, and over time it had gotten rather tea stained. I washed it vigorously in our pantry sink, but the dish soap and sponge method just wasn’t cutting it. I had heard soaking it overnight in vinegar might help, but I’m a 21st century kind of girl and wanted instant satisfaction. A quick internet search turned up this tidbit: use Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I already had these at home, so I brought my mug home last night and gave it a whirl. Seriously, those things aren’t called “magic” for nothing. I don’t ever want to hear it if they are bad for the environment or going to eventually give me cancer. I just wiped out the inside of my mug and the stains were gone. I know I sound like a Mr. Clean shill, but they’re not even compensating me for writing this. I’m just really happy that my coworkers won’t think I’m some gross-ass who never washes out her mug.

Anyone else have helpful hints to share? I hate cleaning, so shortcuts are very welcome. :)

Birthdays

2009-08-03T14:22:00.002-04:00

Saturday night Todd and I attended the birthday party of one of his oldest friends. This guy really did it up: he rented a private space at Chelsea Piers where 80 or so friends gathered to celebrate the start of his fourth decade. We each paid $20 upon arrival, but after that there was an open wine and beer bar, appetizers, two cakes, and cookies. There was music, through which I learned that Todd and all his childhood friends have exactly the same moves. Before cake was served, a microphone was brought out, and the guest of honor thanked everyone for coming. His wife read a prepared speech. His mom and brother gave toasts. It was a really fun night, but much more lavish than anything I’ve ever done for my birthday. It also made me feel like I totally dropped the ball when Todd had his 40th birthday in December.

Which makes me wonder: how do you all celebrate? My speed has been dinner with a select group of friends and/or inviting a large group out to a bar for happy hour drinks after work one Friday night near my birthday. Do you do things like that or do you really make it a party? Who plans it? Is it each individual’s responsibility to get their own birthday bash going, or should significant others/friends do the heavy lifting?

My birthday is next month, and so far I have nothing planned. Maybe you’ll all inspire me to get cracking.

Rockaway Beach

2009-08-02T12:00:00.004-04:00

Todd's bound and determined to turn me into a beach person. Yesterday Todd, the kids, and I piled on to the A train for a long, long ride out to Rockaway Beach. There aren't that many nice beaches close to NYC, so we were pleasantly surprised to see that Rockaway was so easily accessible by subway and a pretty nice beach to boot.

Todd, knowing that a key element in turning me into a beach person is shade, quickly set up an umbrella for me to hide under. I braved the sun enough to try to convince Sofia that the water was fun and not traumatic; it wasn't a roaring success, but she dipped her toe in a bit.

I was lounging under the umbrella reading for a while, when Todd convinced me that I should take a turn on the boogie board, too. Dylan and I swam out together and took turn trying to catch some waves. I had a couple of good runs and lots of poorly-timed attempts. It was a blast, and I was grateful, as I usually am, that Todd pushed me to try something I'd have easily skip on my own.

Everyone had a great time and most of us napped on the long subway ride home, too. It's raining again today, but if the sun comes out any other weekend this summer we may well go back.