tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38213862139211945502024-03-14T10:52:47.652-07:00Jam & TeaMy cozy little corner of the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-90292705081738947772015-06-03T20:45:00.002-07:002015-06-03T20:45:19.471-07:00California Dreamin'...Major update on my so called life. Back in December 2014, E and I were driving home from church. More like, we went to church, drove around for 45 minutes looking for parking, gave up and decided to go home, sad at yet another attempt to find parking near our church in Brooklyn. During our drive, E turned to me and said, "I think I'm ready to leave NYC." Gasp! I had been wanting to leave for quite a while although that desire had been waxing and waning for years. But in the more recent months, the need to figure out next steps in life made certain things very clear to me: 1) We did not want to live anywhere else but Brooklyn (and only certain areas of Brooklyn), Manhattan (again, only certain areas) and Queens (only I was open to the idea of heading back to Queens, and again, only certain areas). The idea of moving to Long Island or deeper into any of the outer boroughs to accommodate a family was just not something we were excited to do, 2) other than my sister and cousin, we really did not have family in NYC anymore, 3) a majority of the family we wanted to be near to were on the west coast, and 4) if we ever wanted to buy a home, we would get more for our money in anywhere but NYC.<br />
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Of course there were a billion other pros and cons. And the biggest problem was that we were both very much in love with NYC. And we had a very good situation going on...why mess things up? We both had pretty "easy" jobs given our professions, we had a large and amazing one bedroom apartment in a great neighborhood, with parking and very below market rent, we were close to all our friends...but we were in a constant state of "gray" - are we moving? are we not? do we lay down roots here? And to be frank, I was so over it. So off we went to visit Los Angeles in early March and while we were there, God must have blessed this decision because I went on 6 interviews at 3 different places, E went on 1, and within a few days after flying back to NYC, E had a job offer and I was still doing my next round of interviews. By week 2 since our return, I too had a job. Six weeks later, we were gone.<br />
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Now we are here in sunny CA. It's different, it will take some adjusting. The people are so much nicer here, but IMHO, they just do not have the hustle. I'm sick and tired of going to Target, buying a bunch of little things, and then having to gather everything into my arms because I forgot to bring my own bags. Or dealing with awful awful LA drivers who are completely absorbed in their own safety or their phones, and therefore become irresponsible and reckless drivers (can you tell how much I hate them?). But I love going to Trader Joe's on a Saturday afternoon and having no lines. Or people who say "hello" "how are you" "goodnight" just as you are walking by. And I love that most of my fruits and veggies come from the many farmers markets in the neighborhood. And I love that I get to work right across the street from the beach (albeit in business formal).<br />
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We are learning, adjusting, figuring things out. But regardless, I am so grateful that this move even happened at all, as smoothly as it did, and with both of us having jobs. God is good.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-45957154027709936252015-03-30T09:43:00.000-07:002015-05-24T09:47:17.233-07:00A Love Affair with Breakfast SandwichesDear Reader,<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Made Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches</td></tr>
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Does this happen to you? You open your eyes to a beautiful weekend morning, sun is shining, your mind begins to wander to all the things you want to accomplish for the day, and then *grumble grumble*. Your friend the appetite monster begins making some unreasonable demands - something about "breakfast now!" and "where is my coffee!" and "HELLO we've been on a fast for 7 whole hours, where is the FOOD?"</div>
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I can relate. This is me on a consistent weekend (and weekday) basis. I've written about my hangry stage (appears around 4pm every weekday), now you meet the appetite monster. So much of my world is driven by a narrow agenda - my next meal.</div>
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My usual breakfast cravings are for hearty breakfast sandwiches. In an effort to save time (get. in. my. belly.) and money, I decided to take an hour to pre-make breakfast sandwiches in bulk, package and freeze them for easy consumption. Huge success, even E loved them and brought a few for lunch! Super convenient, super cheap and super easy.</div>
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<i>Pre-made Breakfast Sandwiches </i></div>
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<i>Makes 12 sandwiches</i></div>
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<i>Ingredients</i></div>
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2 packs of whole wheat english muffins (total of 12 english muffins)</div>
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1 pack of canadian bacon (10 slices. You can substitute with bacon, sausage, or leave out the meat)</div>
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1 pack of sliced cheese (I love light havarti or cheddar)</div>
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8 large eggs</div>
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1/2 cup of milk</div>
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2 tablespoons of oil</div>
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Pinch of salt and pepper</div>
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Any veggies you may want to add to the eggs </div>
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Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Crack all 8 eggs into a bowl and pour in the milk. Whisk until well mixed. If I have bell peppers and tomato in the fridge, I'll dice these up and put them with the eggs along with salt and pepper. Take a muffin tin and pour a bit of oil into each well and grease well with a paper towel (get up high on the edges). Fill each well halfway with the egg mixture and place in the oven for about 12-14 minutes. While you wait, lightly toast each english muffin. Once the eggs are done, make sure you give them a minute to settle down because they will be very high coming out of the oven. Assemble your sandwich - english muffin, 1 slice of Canadian bacon, 1/2 a slice of cheese (up to you), 1 egg piece and english muffin. Voila! If you use the 10 pack of Canadian bacon you will have two sandwiches with no meat. Sometimes I cut slits on the edge of the egg piece so that it flattens better - the muffin tins make them a bit tall. Once they cool down, wrap each sandwich in seran wrap, making sure to get all the air out and stack them in a freezer bag. That's it! When you want to eat them, just pop them in the microwave for 1.5 minutes (without the plastic). Personally, I wrap each sandwich in parchment paper, and then in plastic wrap, to avoid the plastic on the food.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-22593987001675483592015-01-24T15:04:00.005-08:002015-01-25T08:00:23.031-08:00Mangia! Mangia! Homemade Fresh Ricotta!Dear Reader,<br />
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I've mentioned in past stories of dinner parties where I tried my hand at making homemade Ricotta. If you haven't tried making cheese at home, please do! And then tell me all about it because Ricotta is the only one I've made so far. I've heard that Mozzarella is also fairly easy to make, but the added ingredient of rennet always deters me (gotta find it, then go get it, you know, first world problems). One day I'll make Mozzarella, and lay freshly grown tomatoes and basil leaves on it from my organic garden, the garden that I hope will one day exist in my reality instead of just in my food fantasies. In the meantime, Ricotta will do because it's very very simple to make and is sure to wow any dinner party. I use the Ina Garten recipe, which only requires 4 simple ingredients. You can dress up the cheese however you like - my favorite is to use fresh herbs like dill, chives or even rosemary.<br />
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For my last dinner party I made this cheese plain and turned it into a delicious bruschetta with heirloom cherry tomatoes and reduced balsamic vinaigrette on top of a crusty baguette buttered to the nines. Simple, affordable, and made with a lot of love.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/homemade-ricotta-recipe.html" target="_blank">Homemade Ricotta</a> - adapted from Ina Garten</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curds and Whey</td></tr>
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<i>Makes about 2 cups</i><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
4 cups of whole milk<br />
2 cups heavy cream<br />
1 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar (white vinegar is fine)<br />
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Pour the milk and cream into a pot, preferably stainless steel or enameled and add the salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat (so as not to burn the liquid) and stir occasionally. Once the liquids have come to a boil, add the vinegar and stir. Leave the liquid to stand for about 1-2 minutes. You will start to see the liquid curdle, eventually separating into two parts, the curds and the whey (yellowish liquid). During this time, take out a cheese cloth and put it over a sieve or a tall bowl to allow the water to drip down. Pour the liquid into the bowl and let it drain for about 30 minutes. The longer you allow it to drain, the thicker the cheese will be. Make sure the liquid does not touch the cheese cloth. Once you are done, transfer the ricotta into a bowl and discard everything else (unless you want to keep the whey - that's for another recipe). You can serve the cheese immediately or you can cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mcgyver'd Cheese Drainer</td></tr>
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I didn't have a cheese cloth and used a nut milk bag instead, it worked fine. And since I didn't have a sieve big enough I Macgyver'd my way into hanging my nut milk bag onto a wooden ladle, which then hung over a stock pot. I also ended up draining my cheese for about 2 hours which made for <i>extra</i> thick ricotta. Very yummy.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-23037714043225668042015-01-04T19:06:00.000-08:002015-01-23T13:45:55.733-08:00A (Pork) Shoulder to Lean OnDear Reader,<br />
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This past week and half has sped by so quickly. The holiday season is now over and I feel as if I never really got in the spirit, and now, it's too late. Our Christmas tree has been taken down, ornaments put away, and all of the holiday festivities are over. I always get a little blue from January - April, since these are the hibernating months in NYC. When winter really sets in and snow storms pass through overnight. When it's so cold that going out for a quick walk is just out of the question. The good news is that these are the perfect months for hearty stews and meats, roasted vegetables and even more dinner parties since going from house to house sounds so much nicer than going from venue to venue in the bitter cold.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmvOrIQ3cG4fSrVeBND1tGPNWYrSrbW6aczF3zVOqB6QFdBUTTxwFaI1G0WB0UY0FTBKKIVhXJ2ci7ZioAE97KEM0Ckm_t5fagA5mpOpCKdt1o5SNFuCzIIIrCWMK25zKkzBGbwz7K7c/s1600/Pulled+Pork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmvOrIQ3cG4fSrVeBND1tGPNWYrSrbW6aczF3zVOqB6QFdBUTTxwFaI1G0WB0UY0FTBKKIVhXJ2ci7ZioAE97KEM0Ckm_t5fagA5mpOpCKdt1o5SNFuCzIIIrCWMK25zKkzBGbwz7K7c/s1600/Pulled+Pork.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braised Pork Shoulder Goodness</td></tr>
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Today, E and I decided to have a lazy day (these come all too often) and stay in instead of running much needed errands. We put on two pots of coffee, watched Sons of Anarchy and snuggled. Since we were staying in all day I decided to braise some pork shoulder in the oven, as inspired by a friend of mine when we visited her house. I've been trying to think of more dishes that could be made in bulk and saved for lunches and leftovers and affordable protein is always a plus. Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is relatively cheap at about $1.50-$2.00 per pound. For a healthier option, you can purchase pork shoulder raised without antibiotics for about $4.00-$4.99 per pound and still make a large amount without breaking the bank.<br />
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Braised pork shoulder is great because the actual prep time is very minimal, it's cheap, it can last for a long time, it's versatile and it's very difficult to mess up. I researched a few recipes and ended up making my own, but really, almost anything goes. This recipe is meant to be a guide, feel free to substitute with whatever you think will work. The Kitchn has a great <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-and-shred-a-pork-shoulder-for-pulled-pork-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-79485" target="_blank">post</a> on the different ways to cook and use pork shoulder.<br />
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<i>Braised Pork Shoulder</i><br />
<i>Makes 8 servings</i><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
<i>Dry Rub</i><br />
2 tbsp kosher salt<br />
2 tbsp pepper<br />
2 tbsp of dark brown sugar (if you don't have, use regular sugar or honey)<br />
1 tbsp of paprika (I used smoked paprika from Trader Joe's)<br />
1.5 tbsp of ground cumin<br />
.5 tbsp cayenne pepper (this gives it an extra kick)<br />
4lb of pork shoulder<br />
1 tbsp of oil<br />
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<i>Liquid </i><br />
3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar<br />
2 cups of water <br />
2 tbsp of ketchup or worcestershire sauce<br />
1 medium onion, chopped into medium pieces<br />
4 cloves of garlic, smashed<br />
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You will need a dutch oven for this recipe. Mix all of the dry rub ingredients into a mixing bowl and then season the pork thoroughly. If you have time, marinate the pork for up to 2 hours - I ended up marinating for only 1 hour in the fridge and it was fine. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Turn the heat on the stove to medium to high heat and pour in the oil (I used olive oil). Coat the bottom of the dutch over and when it gets hot enough, lay the pork shoulder into the pan and brown the outside to get a bit of a crust and render the fat. While you are searing, chop the onion and smash the garlic. Once the pork is lightly seared, add in all of the liquid ingredients including the onion and garlic, mix lightly and cover the dutch over with the lid. Place the dutch oven into the oven for 4 hours minimum. About halfway through, I turned the pork over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2MEnW8Rwr5wSnmSPblCLVJQUaAeffd8LnzmDW1lptOVTdvNw9ofcKpvoPiND4Y55pNSHJFNJAZwb2TSQQh_HIZnEVf3TLYiI_i7G6kyO8dOJxmDKG6uiwG1VkxfaLEFTzP4MCGEqS3g/s1600/Pork+sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2MEnW8Rwr5wSnmSPblCLVJQUaAeffd8LnzmDW1lptOVTdvNw9ofcKpvoPiND4Y55pNSHJFNJAZwb2TSQQh_HIZnEVf3TLYiI_i7G6kyO8dOJxmDKG6uiwG1VkxfaLEFTzP4MCGEqS3g/s1600/Pork+sandwich.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
You will know when the pork shoulder is ready when the meat pulls away very easily with a fork. Once it's done, you can start pulling the pieces into shreds in the pot with a fork and mixing it into the liquid. I recommend pulling out the fat with your tongs and discarding. I made BBQ pulled pork sandwiches with Kansas style BBQ sauce and a simple cole slaw, but there are a ton of different uses for the pork (tacos, enchiladas, salads, cuban sandwiches, in a ragu sauce, etc.). Pulled pork can last for 3 months in the freezer so if you have any leftovers, you can divide into 1 cup portions and individually wrap for future meals.<br />
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E loved the pork and ate 3 large sandwiches in one sitting! He also ate a ton of coleslaw (which was just shredded cabbage, red wine vinegar and olive oil) which was a huge score for me because I love adding cruciferous veggies into our meals. This pork was so good and so easy that I am definitely adding it to our go to meal list. Bon appetite!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-29129966647113678132014-12-22T06:26:00.001-08:002015-01-24T14:39:28.557-08:00Homemade Honey Lemon Ginger TeaDear Reader,<br />
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A few days ago E turned to me and said, "I feel like I'm coming down with something." These words cause a million alarms to go off in my head because E is quite often sick and very very often tired (which leads to him be sick, etc.). Our remedy is to usually take a food based multi vitamin, probiotics, cod liver oil, and vitamin C. Oftentimes this does the trick but if we catch it too late we load him up with a cup of nice hot tea. Ginger, with its <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990.php" target="_blank">natural healing properties</a> and the boost it gives to your immune system is key, but you need to take it fresh, raw and in large quantities. Here is my homemade recipe. I usually fill a mason jar and keep it in the fridge and it stays fresh for at least 3 weeks!</div>
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<i>Honey Lemon Ginger Tea</i><br />
<i>Makes about 1 quart </i></div>
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<i>Ingredients</i></div>
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1 cup of grated or sliced ginger (about 5-6 medium sized ginger pieces)</div>
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3 lemons</div>
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8 ounces of honey (I usually end up using 12 ounces)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey Lemon Ginger Tea</td></tr>
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Scrape off the skin of the ginger using a peeler or the back of a spoon. Once all the skin is off rinse the ginger to clean off any bits that may still be attached. You can thinly slice the ginger or you can put them into a food processor and purée. I grated mine because I like to get it really small so that it's easier to consume and all the nice juices come out into the tea. Put into a bowl. Next, clean your lemons and zest the skin of two lemons into the ginger. Slice the lemon pieces and cut into quarters and add to the ginger. Then add the honey. Mix well and pour into a bottle (air tight if possible). You can drink some right away but it will get more potent when you let it marinate. After the tea has been in the jar for a day or two, the ginger taste will be noticeably spicier, but don't fear because that's the good stuff! Feel free to eat the ginger as well, the more the better. Turmeric is another great addition with some <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric/" target="_blank">amazing healing properties</a>. I haven't tried it yet, but hope to for my next round. Stay healthy this winter!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-3178091917226840992014-12-19T09:50:00.005-08:002015-01-23T13:46:28.771-08:00The Holiday Season and Cauliflower PureeDear Reader,<br />
<br />
It's the holiday season, yet this year my holiday feeling-ness has been slow to come. Maybe because it has been warmer this year than the past, and there has hardly been any snow on the ground. Maybe because I have been feeling pretty lethargic and have yet to come up with a substantial list of holiday goods to bake or meals to make. Whatever it is, I have been slow to join the festivities and I want to rectify this asap. This week E and I have been on vacation, a staycation really, and we have been lazy McGees. All the ambitions of reorganizing our kitchen, de-cluttering, clearing out the linen closet, watching broadway shows and christmas concerts, long drives, etc., have flown out the window and we are instead here on the couch, where have been for the last 4 days. We did drive up to Rhinebeck and to the Culinary Institute of America to have their yummy apple pie and peanut butter latte at the Apple Pie Bakery. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves to cook - their bookstore alone is euphoric.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytFuXVPiq4usOCJhr7oj_5k76Lx5mG3QoUPgTbn_2ZPZywdU75qmpVTmLFZVKJFSN9GZcOE78uuZb21oVBCQbwD9ig9H8pfgikBsM7nP53dzinfQ8YbmJpu3jSdumpibcCIBaLkJtTRA/s1600/Cauliflower+Puree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytFuXVPiq4usOCJhr7oj_5k76Lx5mG3QoUPgTbn_2ZPZywdU75qmpVTmLFZVKJFSN9GZcOE78uuZb21oVBCQbwD9ig9H8pfgikBsM7nP53dzinfQ8YbmJpu3jSdumpibcCIBaLkJtTRA/s1600/Cauliflower+Puree.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cauliflower Puree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have been thinking of holiday sweets to bake and have only come up with a few items, which I will post about later. For now, let's talk about cauliflower puree. Ever had it? If not, you are certainly missing out! E and I recently had it while in Montreal (which I will have to do a restaurant review of later because it was a culinary party in my mouth that must be memorialized) while at Hotel Herman, the best restaurant I have ever been to in my life. Big statement and I mean it. We had the guinea flower atop of a bed of cauliflower puree and after the entirety of the fowl was consumed, I could not stop spooning the puree into my mouth. Each spoonful was bliss. There were squeals of joy, giggling and lots of words with overuse of exclamation points. So when we returned, I decided to make some for our dinner party of 10.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><i>Cauliflower Puree (requires a steamer)</i><br />
<i>Makes 3-4 servings</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
1 head of cauliflower, 2 to 2.5 pounds<br />
3 garlic cloves<br />
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter<br />
3 tablespoons of whole milk, heavy cream, chicken stock or water<br />
1.5- 2 teaspoon of kosher salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper<br />
<br />
Begin by pulling off the leaves from the cauliflower head and cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut out the core of each quarter and discard the core. Break off or cut the florets into 1 or 1.5 inch pieces and put into a steamer and cover. Roughly slice the garlic cloves and put them into the steamer with the cauliflower. Steam for about 15 minutes, or until you can easily poke a knife into the florets. Scoop about half the florets into a food processor with half the garlic slices and half of the butter. Add 1.5 tablespoons of whole milk, heavy cream, chicken stock or water, and process until smooth. You may have to scrape the sides during this process. Pour into a large bowl and do the same process with the other half of the cauliflower and garlic. When everything is nicely pureed and smooth, mix well so that the two halves are well combined, and add the salt and pepper. Continue to add salt and pepper until seasoned to your satisfaction. Serve hot.<br />
<br />
Keep in mind that you want to add as little liquid as possible so as to keep the puree thick. If you want to make the puree creamier, add more butter.<br />
<br />
This was a <i>huge</i> hit at my dinner party. <i>Huge</i>. And it was so simple to make, I almost did not feel right taking credit for it. Try it at your next dinner party!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-41575630326837230082014-12-04T07:31:00.000-08:002015-01-24T14:40:07.893-08:00Quick Homemade Dinner - Thai Curry Night<div>
Dear Reader,<br />
<br /></div>
Tonight was one of those nights that was so similar to every other weeknight. I got into my car and raced home, starving, stomach eating into itself and I was angry at the world for putting so many obstacles in between me and my next meal. This is what <i>hangry </i>looks like. Hungry + Angry = Hangry. That's me at 6:00 p.m. The stomach rumbles usually start rolling in at around 4:00 p.m. where I then reach into my stash of Trader Joe's trail mix. By the time I'm on the road I've become an entirely different being. This. is. serious.<br />
<br />
Nights like these mandate meals that are quick and easy to prepare, yet are still healthy, delicious and filling (for the very hungry man that lives with me). One such meal is my version of Red Thai Curry, a dish that is seemingly complex but is actually quite simple. Prep time is about 20 minutes (give or take) and ingredients can all be found at your local grocery store. Except for one ingredient, fish sauce, that is usually found in any Asian market.<br />
<br />
<i>Red Thai Curry</i><br />
<i>Makes enough for 3-4 bowls</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Ingredients</i><br />
<div>
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk (I use light coconut milk - you can use regular)<br />
1 tablespoon of oil<br />
2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
1 cup of broth (chicken, beef or vegetable. If you don't have broth, you can use water instead)<br />
2 tablespoons of red curry paste (you might want to add more curry paste as you taste test)<br />
2 tablespoons of fish sauce (you might want to add more fish sauce as you taste test)<br />
2 chicken breasts, diced<br />
Mixed vegetables (I like to use broccoli, squash and carrots, but you can substitute with whatever you like)<br />
<br />
Start by opening the can of coconut milk and setting it aside. You will need to reach for this quickly in the early stages, you'll see. In a saucepan, pour in the the oil and wait until it gets hot on medium heat. Then add the minced garlic, stirring until aromatic. Add the red curry paste, stirring quickly until the paste begins to loosen and spread. Careful, the oil with the paste will start "popping" and you may get hot paste shooting out at you! I like to mix for a few seconds, then quickly pour in the can of coconut milk, the broth, fish sauce and bay leaves and close the lid. If you haven't diced the chicken yet, you can do so while the liquid goodness continues to heat. Once the chicken is diced, add it to the liquid and simmer. After about 6-8 minutes, add in the vegetables and continue to simmer. Squash tends to cook quickly and gets mushy, so if you want to put it in a minute after the harder vegetables, do so, however, I tend to just put everything in at once.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWMXHTqGjTcXgAlTRNLBATDauhYDGdxv8nEgL7iF4RGabNFYyu8f-moxDfmD2ypdKZQZooOdN_0fg2j_sYfloQ0vAMhnbRin0p5otVf6gcQ2HIVEGHksY8PZHLJ6Iz6j7OCLV64bJGHk/s1600/Thai+Curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWMXHTqGjTcXgAlTRNLBATDauhYDGdxv8nEgL7iF4RGabNFYyu8f-moxDfmD2ypdKZQZooOdN_0fg2j_sYfloQ0vAMhnbRin0p5otVf6gcQ2HIVEGHksY8PZHLJ6Iz6j7OCLV64bJGHk/s320/Thai+Curry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai Coconut Milk Curry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So much of this recipe depends on your preference for the curry flavor. Taste test after the chicken has been cooking for at least 8 minutes. I usually end up putting a bit more curry (1/2 tbsp) and sometimes a bit more fish sauce. Once the veggies are soft, turn off the heat. Pour over a bowl of brown rice (or white, up to you), mix, and eat. Bon appetite!<br />
<br />
There are a lot of versions of this recipe out there and I have tried a few. But in my opinion, a lot of the additional fuss doesn't make a huge difference for me, especially if I want this to be an easy go-to meal during a weeknight (and during my hangry moments). You can substitute tofu for the chicken. I take this opportunity to pack on the vegetables and like to include snow peas, cauliflower, etc. since this is one of the ways I can trick E to eating more veggies, and since he is also eating the broth a lot of the nutrients are still being consumed. Basil, lime basil, bamboo shoots, bell peppers and potatoes are also some additional flavors and veggies commonly included.</div>
<div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-75924223044293160742014-11-16T19:39:00.002-08:002015-01-24T14:40:21.815-08:00And Then There Was Cake<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dear Reader,</div>
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<br /></div>
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This weekend went by in a flash! I wish I had one more day just to myself to binge watch Gilmore Girls (please don't judge me....). But it's Sunday night and before I get myself ready for bed I wanted to do a post on something pretty amazing. Ice Box Cake. Have you heard of it? I hadn't either, until I listened to a podcast from Spilled Milk (my favorite! Next to Serial) and Molly and Matthew were discussing how easy it is to make Ice Box Cake. Since I was hosting a dinner party this weekend and attending another, I knew I wouldn't want to do much cooking for the latter but I wanted to bring something special and homemade. Ice Box Cake seemed to be the perfect solution, and Reader, it really was. Simple, sweet and it received way more credit than it deserved. The perfect contribution.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Traditionally, Ice Box Cake requires Nilla Wafers from Nabisco, you know the ones I'm talking about. Since they can be difficult to find and apparently they can also be pricey, I went to my good ole Trader Joe's where an appropriate substitute was readily available.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/01/wafer-wonderland/" target="_blank">Ice Box Cake</a> -</i> <i>adapted from Smitten Kitchen</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Ingredients</i></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">3 cups heavy cream</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3 tablespoons sugar (I used coconut sugar, which gave the cream a beige tint)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tablespoon vanilla extract</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 box of wafers (I used the Trader Joe's 13 oz. Ultimate Vanilla Wafers)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fruit for topping (I used banana slices)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMKXut2EdQrSZoNoErGcK9C3cd9m3tgHCkrXXGXsOPELyQWd8-Ep5Cj9PdiG73yEj064s9t0y7pYnLvR1sdDMXSizLqvIPCDPFwmBnw-LwPu5-63kSu3pwThPNFaOnnkj60jsu7j5oQs/s640/blogger-image-1763017927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMKXut2EdQrSZoNoErGcK9C3cd9m3tgHCkrXXGXsOPELyQWd8-Ep5Cj9PdiG73yEj064s9t0y7pYnLvR1sdDMXSizLqvIPCDPFwmBnw-LwPu5-63kSu3pwThPNFaOnnkj60jsu7j5oQs/s320/blogger-image-1763017927.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanilla Ice Box Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In an electric mixer combine the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until peaks start to form. On a flat plate, take a spoonful of the whipped cream and spread into a medium sized circle. This is to just hold the first layer of wafers in place. Place 7 wafers in a circle, with one in the middle. Add on another layer of whipped cream (about 1.5-2 heaping spoonfuls), and spread evenly across the cookies. Add on another layer of cookies. Continue until you are out of cookies and finish with a thick layer of whipped cream. Add fruit slices on top of the cake for decoration. You can leave as it is or sprinkle chocolate shavings, cinnamon, whatever you'd like. Voila! It can come out a little sloppy, but who cares, it's delicious!</div>
Leave in fridge for at least 2 hours.<br />
<br />
Bring it to your next dinner party, it'll be a hit!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-32071782190601831452014-11-02T11:56:00.002-08:002015-01-23T13:45:24.776-08:00Pistachio Pound Cake and Other HappeningsDear Reader,<br />
<br />
Time has been passing all too quickly in my little corner of the world. Halloween has already gone and November is here. Soon, with all the prepping and flurry of holiday festivities, it will be 2015 before you know it. I have developed a habit of counting time, a form of <i>holding on</i>, which I can't decide if it makes me more mindful and aware of time, appreciative, even, or if I am dreading the passing of time, mourning the loss of my "youth" (that has been long gone, I seem to also be struggling with denial). What I know is, the more you try to hold on the faster time seems to go and I have been trying to adopt the attitude of "life is short". Because it is, dear Reader. Take it from someone who has been carefully monitoring it. It goes by in a pinch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGyRteWAVD9eYeqkH52Jai_7Q0khjOtwPrNGiR2wH2t6twUfCIBy2JEVRtZ55NGjDEo17hiurj3C4ztSoT6GrqEkOOQKbK51WEbwt_Lvnytm8GEry7t74Q65qcfuTSb38FfrHnpAKkoA/s1600/Pistachio+Cake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGyRteWAVD9eYeqkH52Jai_7Q0khjOtwPrNGiR2wH2t6twUfCIBy2JEVRtZ55NGjDEo17hiurj3C4ztSoT6GrqEkOOQKbK51WEbwt_Lvnytm8GEry7t74Q65qcfuTSb38FfrHnpAKkoA/s1600/Pistachio+Cake+1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pistachio Pound Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fall weather to me triggers pies, loaves of bread/pastries, and hearty stews. When I was a little girl, my father frequently baked a killer banana bread and zucchini bread. Until I was too old, I thought he had cleverly invented zucchini bread and swore that he was a culinary genius of his generation. Clearly he did not invent zucchini bread, but I still believe that his culinary endeavors were adventurous and exciting for a man of his age and circumstance. Pound cake was another one of his favorites, and so in memory of my "youth", I bring you Pistachio Pound Cake. Happy fall weather!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/81970/recipes-pistachio-pound-cake.html" target="_blank">Pistachio Pound Cake</a> - adapted from Leite's Culinaria<br />
<br />
I substituted the granulated sugar with Coconut sugar, and used european unsalted butter. I also did not bother with the frosting since we planned to eat it over days for breakfast with coffee. E and i found the cake to be quite dense and a little flaky, but not as moist as I am used to for pound cake. Mr. David Leite has informed me that the lack of moisture may be due to the sugar substitution. Still, i loved the nutty texture added to my morning feed and found it to be a treat.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-16389781891822999902014-10-24T10:27:00.000-07:002015-01-23T13:47:09.634-08:00The Butcher, The Baker ...Dear Reader,<br />
<br />
We have been having some chilly and rainy fall days over here in Brooklyn, NY, but fall days in NYC are almost never wasted in my book and I love them all the same, just because they are part of the very few days that make up my favorite season. With that said, those grey days seem to be <i>made</i> for curling, cozying and cuddling into a favorite throw blanket and binge watching tv show after tv show, or book after book. Days like these call for something homemade and warm, like tea and a nice big piece of fluffy buttered toast. Toast! Aha! Says the brain. We shall make toast, and we shall make it chewy and soft just like the big loaves you can get at almost any Asian bakery. Have you tried them? If not, please do yourself this one great favor and go to your closest Asian bakery and buy a loaf. You can toast them, eat them plain, pull them apart - they are just pillowy and magnificent and so <i>perfect</i>. A statement toast, really. French pastry, I'm sorry, but you ain't got nothin' on Asian bread, a.k.a. Milk Bread, a.k.a. Hokkaido bread. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOniurdQ-daGMFoMifpFeA33ohXHKOwLWWpN2cbEmQkAvgMdVAH7KPSzNK1yL2apah1esqsmg15G942MMGQ5DyFB4rloKNHDc9IoEXsMxJ1f0q_ojiJGHmiNGsgkEb6qLI3WD3WaeLtOA/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOniurdQ-daGMFoMifpFeA33ohXHKOwLWWpN2cbEmQkAvgMdVAH7KPSzNK1yL2apah1esqsmg15G942MMGQ5DyFB4rloKNHDc9IoEXsMxJ1f0q_ojiJGHmiNGsgkEb6qLI3WD3WaeLtOA/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" height="400" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh made Milk Bread for Saturday morning toast.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here are two recipes. I have tried the NY Times version and may try the Food52 version next. I won't even attempt to write out the instructions since baking bread is quite a sensitive topic and instructions should be followed very closely.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016275-japanese-milk-bread" target="_blank">Japanese Milk Bread Recipe</a> - from the NY Times <br />
<a href="http://food52.com/recipes/30962-hokkaido-milk-bread" target="_blank">Hokkaido Milk Bread Recipe</a> - from Food52<br />
<br />
My first batch (pictured above) came out fabulously. I baked into the night and it was well worth it. My second batch...not so much. I doubled the batch in order to get 2 loaves but something must have gone wrong. Lesson learned. If you are a fan of good bread, please make this. And make frequently.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-13724288123982807192014-10-23T18:54:00.002-07:002014-10-29T20:40:55.345-07:00What's for Dinner Tonight?<div dir="ltr">
Dear Reader,</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There are some days spent in Brooklyn where everything seems
to just <i>make sense</i>. <i>Work. All is well</i>. Like putting that
last piece of a puzzle together and looking with sudden clarity at the “big
picture” – ohhh, so that’s what I spent hours upon hours sifting through
cardboard cutouts for! All the good and bad had and to be had makes sense on
this very day. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’m so very thankful for such days because it’s when I feel
most grateful for my life and I certainly do count my blessings. This week, E
and I went for a long walk through our neighborhood, hobbling through
cobblestone streets and maneuvering through tourists admiring the NYC skyline
(a picture never does it justice, does it?) and our conversations tend to
always center around the same vibe. <i>We
are so blessed</i>. Even when facing the worst of circumstances, I am so
thankful to E for keeping my mind in a high spirited place filled with
gratitude instead of resentment or disturbances of my peace. It’s in these
moments where we are often overwhelmed with joy and with a real need to <i>celebrate life</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And I have a tendency of celebrating such said life by
throwing dinner parties.<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Menu</i></div>
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<i>Appetizer</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/homemade-ricotta-recipe.html" target="_blank">Fresh Ricotta Cheese</a> – adapted from Ina Garten</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* Bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes set on top of such fresh
ricotta cheese and glazed balsamic vinaigrette </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Entree</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mussels-in-white-wine-recipe.html" target="_blank">Mussels</a> in white wine sauce – adapted from Ina Garten and
Martha Stewart</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* Well-marbled London broil </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* Grilled asparagus</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I won’t bore you with a long list of cooking instructions
and recipes; instead I have posted the links above. But I will delve into the
food shopping adventure we had, which, if it didn’t happen to me I’d be
inclined to not believe it to be true.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
E and I woke up early on Sunday morning, rolled around in
bed for a few minutes since it’s just <i>so </i>hard
to get out of bed on a weekend morning. After some diddly daddling, we got
dressed and headed off to shop for our Sunday dinner and that is when our adventures began.<br />
<br />
As we were driving around, we noticed a butcher shop on Atlantic Ave.
and decided to take a look at the meats. At this point, we weren’t planning on
grilling any steaks, but I am always game to check out a specialty store and so
off we went. It was beautiful. The space was large and cavernous, lined with wooden
panels and you feel like you went back in time to … I don’t really even know when
there was ever even a time of such butcher shop décor… but it felt good and it
felt clean and it felt like what I imagined a beautiful butcher shop to look
like only I never knew it til that moment. Our butcher, and all the butchers
for that matter, was dressed in a plaid button down down shirt, butcher’s apron,
perfectly coiffed hair, parted, and properly gelled. We asked to see the skirt
steak, but he insisted on the London broil given how well marbled it was. And
it certainly was. Speckled with the whites of fat from top to bottom, our
mouths were watering just looking at this piece of art. His first question to
us: “What are you cooking for dinner tonight?” Me: “Mussels in white wine
sauce.” Him: “Sounds amazing. Don’t forget the parsley.” Then with a flurry of
instructions on how to cook this particular cut he recommended that we head on
next door to get Maldon salt. What? “Maldon. The salt crystals are like
snowflakes. Put it on either side of your steak and the heat will melt the salt
into a casing, preserving your juices and flavoring your meat.” How can we say
no? So with one piece of gorgeous London broil slapped on and wrapped in
butcher’s paper, off we went to Cook’s Companion (our 2<sup>nd</sup> visit) where
we requested the ever so <i>important</i>
Maldon salt. “Where’d you get your meat….Dellapietras?” “Yes.” “Awesome meat.” We nodded our heads in affirmation.<br />
<br />
Next we
ventured to Fish Tales, probably the cleanest and most well organized fish
market in existence and ordered 8 lbs of Prince Edwards Island Mussels. When we
saw what 8lbs looks like, we went down to 6, then to 5.5. Still too much but
more is better and so we said “Yes!” Fish monger: “What are you cooking for
dinner tonight?” “Mussels in white wine sauce”. Fish monger: “Oh, you’ve gotta get your bread
at Caputos.” Gasp! Yet another <i>must have</i>
recommendation for our now very elaborate and ever growing Sunday night dinner.
And like the eager and obedient students of this Brooklyn cooking excursion we
were, off we went to Caputos with a bounce in our step, hands held together and
kisses all around. Caputos looks like any other old NYC bakery, slightly
yellowed and warm with naked loaves of bread and crispy crusts on shelves that
have been around for decades. “Rustic, yes rustic bread”! Cut into thick slices
to soak up the wine sauce….and we were done!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Back at home I struggled with draining the ricotta, my
counter was overflowing with plates and tools and oh yes, did I mention the
milk bread? Chop, and mix, and boil and knead, stir and whirl and grill and
oil, a sip of wine here, a sip of wine there, friends come, we put them to
work, and we come to the table, ready to eat, ready to laugh and ready to do
exactly what we had come to do in life, here, and now. <i>Celebrate life, celebrate friendships. Thankful for this day.</i></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PCsAF8u9koIjUHQfH1Qb_Av7oZaUIRLNL7pSJFpvuHgTCtpTWcysTGT2Ev5lj1l7TsF8ARIOcFDlLUCSEFDqHGDGKhyphenhyphenjEZd6-YoIxpapL-32s-Btu8GJpYbR-OwA59E_q-3BNVg_mkM/s1600/photo-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PCsAF8u9koIjUHQfH1Qb_Av7oZaUIRLNL7pSJFpvuHgTCtpTWcysTGT2Ev5lj1l7TsF8ARIOcFDlLUCSEFDqHGDGKhyphenhyphenjEZd6-YoIxpapL-32s-Btu8GJpYbR-OwA59E_q-3BNVg_mkM/s1600/photo-8.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner table.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>London Broil from
Butcher at Dellapietras</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<ol>
<li>1.3lb cut of well-marbled London Broil</li>
<li>Brush on good quality olive oil</li>
<li>Sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper</li>
<li>Sprinkle generously with Maldon sea salt</li>
<li>Repeat to other side</li>
<li>Take a cast iron skillet or grill and leave on high heat for
8-10 minutes. <i>Be very very careful as if
this skillet slides off your stove or if you touch it, it will burn your flesh
into oblivion.</i> </li>
<li>Grill for 3 minutes each side</li>
<li>Grill for 1 minute each side</li>
<li>Take the steak off from the grill and leave it on a cool surface
to rest for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Slice and serve.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-1757357707559348062012-06-12T16:22:00.001-07:002014-10-29T20:42:09.586-07:00RemodelingI love interior decorating. I don't really know where it comes from, but I was obsessed with Domino Magazine when it was in circulation and wanted to cry when they stopped (they really shouldn't have, I think that was an awful call by Conde Nast). I think it has to do with my never ending need to nest. I lived a large part of my post 17 years old life not really feeling like I had a home, or a place to call my own, and now, when I get the chance I try to make my space my sanctuary (sort of). I used to live in a room at my dad's friend's apartment during my college summers and I just hated that unsettled feeling. Like, huh? I'm living out of your friend's family's apartment? So I literally tore down everything on the walls, plastered any holes, bought new shelves and curtains and just went to town.<br />
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Needless to say, after moving in with my wonderful husband, the itch is back, full on. We put the redecorating off for a few months since we didn't really know where we were going to end up, but life is too short to keep waiting, and it literally affects my insides. Here are some of our recent purchases.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1ixGur9ru8-joogimtOlEvhNxVk04wpxcRiDOnh9OlYtilmFFgpMtbMWcOHZM4CL5b25rfh-IlIhrD9naSFpxqDZJQSxPUslDKWsVS0q9ydF2ToB7JBQEzEZW5gA-Ep_TntPcIKxSvc/s1600/PetrieSofaCamdenGrphtF10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1ixGur9ru8-joogimtOlEvhNxVk04wpxcRiDOnh9OlYtilmFFgpMtbMWcOHZM4CL5b25rfh-IlIhrD9naSFpxqDZJQSxPUslDKWsVS0q9ydF2ToB7JBQEzEZW5gA-Ep_TntPcIKxSvc/s320/PetrieSofaCamdenGrphtF10.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/sofas/petrie-sofa/s688480">Petrie Sofa from Crate and Barrel</a> in super large. My 5'11 husband can lay down flat on it and still have room!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRb7_IGDqy6NALI-VziQR4BPrm8z5IPTKrFR3lSsIWkgnIdy1c_at7mXIrbhaMPtDpMvwytgujV9JXRqTdsoofK4n53trigAx8PEfstegiTXXdwsCUO4B-QoBuuDNEEuSjwYpMmQZKXA/s1600/ColetteBedKingNaturalF10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRb7_IGDqy6NALI-VziQR4BPrm8z5IPTKrFR3lSsIWkgnIdy1c_at7mXIrbhaMPtDpMvwytgujV9JXRqTdsoofK4n53trigAx8PEfstegiTXXdwsCUO4B-QoBuuDNEEuSjwYpMmQZKXA/s320/ColetteBedKingNaturalF10.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/beds/colette-king-bed/s617795">Colette King Bed from Crate and Barrel</a>. Again, huge. Why we have furniture for giants in our Brooklyn apartment is beyond me. Thankfully we have a fairly large 1 bedroom that we get for a steal, but if we ever have to move, we're in trouble!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iOq1MQz7x1S_yL82YYqUMogdlWvZUhpYDxcCbHPLsOS_o51JorJKKpc7O8rYufXXc2iSJXs2t4D-gUv0T_hCdrevLG0evuWT3oWKtTt1a5I2yyHxKbvMNwAPJgachQ8kcLS0UbfTBpk/s1600/circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iOq1MQz7x1S_yL82YYqUMogdlWvZUhpYDxcCbHPLsOS_o51JorJKKpc7O8rYufXXc2iSJXs2t4D-gUv0T_hCdrevLG0evuWT3oWKtTt1a5I2yyHxKbvMNwAPJgachQ8kcLS0UbfTBpk/s320/circle.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/circles-rug-r371/">The Circle Rug in Platinum from West Elm</a>. We were able to get this one on sale, but Oliver the cat has been going nuts on it! Pretty soon there will only be patches of grey.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCskNkdtIg3ksM6jJbTNAy8EX_VxncZf99Xr_V9gTktUnJ4Dq7ss-wM9zEx3IG5h88U6wx7xu4J2Y9t3992HMzcpRf4dH5oPRcDBfQg12kDFeTUKrfP1bMbIIHLu8gJ-ryWcPgGRhVwY/s1600/Ion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCskNkdtIg3ksM6jJbTNAy8EX_VxncZf99Xr_V9gTktUnJ4Dq7ss-wM9zEx3IG5h88U6wx7xu4J2Y9t3992HMzcpRf4dH5oPRcDBfQg12kDFeTUKrfP1bMbIIHLu8gJ-ryWcPgGRhVwY/s320/Ion.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/ion-glass-coffee-table-g173/">Ion Glass Round Coffee Table from West Elm</a>. We saw this at the West Elm in Dumbo and semi fell in love with it. But it was $299 and felt small, not exactly worth the money in my opinion. In my head I had a round dark wood table in mind. But we went to the West Elm outlet this weekend and found this table again for $135. I couldn't decide so the husband pulled the trigger on a final sale and voila! It's beautiful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumqjDmo9Ov4OOd6Wnl26VHQaQLmzJf84qrtJkDEf5qZjvJt1GdgXFnpruXJRvWSvLhULJWzSpj6de3xo5O9aI4VaQxqF69thRUjqQ8EiH2blsB9q2rBpOAuShxiu3-og8Xupgv1zM_Xc/s1600/curtain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumqjDmo9Ov4OOd6Wnl26VHQaQLmzJf84qrtJkDEf5qZjvJt1GdgXFnpruXJRvWSvLhULJWzSpj6de3xo5O9aI4VaQxqF69thRUjqQ8EiH2blsB9q2rBpOAuShxiu3-og8Xupgv1zM_Xc/s1600/curtain.jpg" /></a></div>
Super duper cute<a href="http://www.target.com/p/target-home-henna-single-window-panel/-/A-13647188#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink"> curtains from Target</a>. We have sheer white curtains in between the two grey panels above since our windows are quite wide. I almost paid 3 times the amount for West Elm ones, glad I waited!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhsQt7M2CfYBW7j-MeWUuAMxocgVrAVL0SrkqCgOJ471a-eYN2lolp1_-GvVQVCAaSppWQO2F2TkKsGN1B7mZJKsC6cDK_ZZcao6DD5TQs34-5H5U57Az4cTfFU6X6KOd_LjJWDteJUc/s1600/Curtain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhsQt7M2CfYBW7j-MeWUuAMxocgVrAVL0SrkqCgOJ471a-eYN2lolp1_-GvVQVCAaSppWQO2F2TkKsGN1B7mZJKsC6cDK_ZZcao6DD5TQs34-5H5U57Az4cTfFU6X6KOd_LjJWDteJUc/s1600/Curtain.gif" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23IKQR0TCQ7BEEJXU_rAnB9lGf8go6Tk1WGWtesLRjJpMGRO_XhTtmC9_2YIlkc8eEKLsC_vJZ26O0YySRE4tgecN6V1zgQjuFAsv1hRTC-_uY_l3Vl1MmiQ2LKMozbAvlHJ7vZJyypE/s1600/billy-bookcase__0100027_PE242765_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23IKQR0TCQ7BEEJXU_rAnB9lGf8go6Tk1WGWtesLRjJpMGRO_XhTtmC9_2YIlkc8eEKLsC_vJZ26O0YySRE4tgecN6V1zgQjuFAsv1hRTC-_uY_l3Vl1MmiQ2LKMozbAvlHJ7vZJyypE/s320/billy-bookcase__0100027_PE242765_S4.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Next is the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19869019/#/S19869019">Billy bookcase from Ikea</a> for the living room. I'm REALLY excited about this one. It's black/brown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sFSRNmemj5TVyVEWWJ8klOjKqtjmobyTiAjR7JjjUxpfb5IMJ4yMvfuqUUZ3vhV7RHeEuh8LJ2DVVhoqduYmHBJ_FaO44nAwTBh-38KsimvYyLCBWfCHhGAekqt__38xNxSP3yPTZG4/s1600/hemnes--drawer-dresser__0132796_PE193829_S4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sFSRNmemj5TVyVEWWJ8klOjKqtjmobyTiAjR7JjjUxpfb5IMJ4yMvfuqUUZ3vhV7RHeEuh8LJ2DVVhoqduYmHBJ_FaO44nAwTBh-38KsimvYyLCBWfCHhGAekqt__38xNxSP3yPTZG4/s320/hemnes--drawer-dresser__0132796_PE193829_S4.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Also need this <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00067830/#/50121250">8 dresser Hemnes drawer from Ikea</a> for the bedroom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_iQipdCbSnQ54U0ljaLTX59VgtRcGnNLMUCY9Kxq9z0JBc3jAeKbHW17PLNbRYrxMI6WD81wBAYMqMCP0BA5sORq42TVCoGIMLzkADzWs-Nlm3e3bgmfA1ncJynph1YZ4gJ5QFVJqjY/s1600/lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_iQipdCbSnQ54U0ljaLTX59VgtRcGnNLMUCY9Kxq9z0JBc3jAeKbHW17PLNbRYrxMI6WD81wBAYMqMCP0BA5sORq42TVCoGIMLzkADzWs-Nlm3e3bgmfA1ncJynph1YZ4gJ5QFVJqjY/s320/lamp.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
And...I just saw these lamps that I love on Rue La La. No, Sharon, no!<br />
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That's all folks. I'll post pics of our digs once we're done remodeling. Hopefully that won't be TOO long.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-52422788727620135522012-05-28T20:47:00.000-07:002012-05-28T20:47:26.528-07:00Happy Memorial Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
How was everyone's weekend? Mine felt surprisingly productive. Call me crazy, but I appreciate productive weekends a lot more than I do relaxing ones. The type A in me (which I stubbornly deny exists) was very proud. Worked late in the office on Friday, did some work on Sunday and today, did the laundry, re-did a part of our living room (namely curtains) cooked some food in bulk for the week, went grocery shopping and bleached the crap out of our vents and windowsill. Whew! Also took a trip to the lower east side and visited the Tenement Museum. I've been wanting to go for over 4 years and it was nice to finally make it. Warning to anyone who takes the tour inside the apartments - it gets really cramped really fast. I almost had several heart attacks because it was so hot and muggy and a woman literally ran out because she was going to pass out!</div>
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I made some cous cous today using <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/paulas-couscous-salad-recipe/index.html">Paula Deen's recipe</a>. Since I only had about 50% of the ingredients, I improvised. It came out so yummy, even the husband loved it! This says a lot because he is an extremely picky eater and does not like to eat any meal without meat involved. This is definitely a summer-must dish and great served cold. It cools down a hot summer day and is perfect for lunch for tomorrow, or even a picnic dinner at night. Next on the menu of summer dishes, chick peas salad!<br />
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Here's this weekend in snapshots:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4q18lY1oDXI1o8G8M0JKBZKpm8nDNQxRo57cQORFY5jM0yf13ijB3ApS0s3F8R6c4-5NdoCCTZNlOmcLNSo2Bfujt4NsuAaivJq0UtbvUE6BJhc6KHHPBQ3iEPG-vuvSHlDzEVAF6zU/s1600/soho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4q18lY1oDXI1o8G8M0JKBZKpm8nDNQxRo57cQORFY5jM0yf13ijB3ApS0s3F8R6c4-5NdoCCTZNlOmcLNSo2Bfujt4NsuAaivJq0UtbvUE6BJhc6KHHPBQ3iEPG-vuvSHlDzEVAF6zU/s320/soho.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Dinner with my brother in soho.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvybdEyBQSRNh54O5qdRy6XMrQBixQsqtIBZQM1JFHuDsLetFmbnCUzpzcBJu4reZwGZPQopa5cHjr6z3m-3HblqfCNKNgX9I50zicZDsAKfOAxKC5nPG3YUC2BZLT1pXPMhDm3wOrty4/s1600/tenement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvybdEyBQSRNh54O5qdRy6XMrQBixQsqtIBZQM1JFHuDsLetFmbnCUzpzcBJu4reZwGZPQopa5cHjr6z3m-3HblqfCNKNgX9I50zicZDsAKfOAxKC5nPG3YUC2BZLT1pXPMhDm3wOrty4/s320/tenement.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The Tenement Museum gift shop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Gt7zR5K0GaGCYMAgK9Zq9PSpj1GjouHjaK5SUqMga6b154MLFhyphenhyphenPF88GKDfKhQ-R49TvbyygxAGH6RRwkUis1RhF0UaLE7R-9r4erqYMPYtYqt_n7iikmqbjJXjYI-T98zaPI6P7Mqc/s1600/whole+wheat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Gt7zR5K0GaGCYMAgK9Zq9PSpj1GjouHjaK5SUqMga6b154MLFhyphenhyphenPF88GKDfKhQ-R49TvbyygxAGH6RRwkUis1RhF0UaLE7R-9r4erqYMPYtYqt_n7iikmqbjJXjYI-T98zaPI6P7Mqc/s320/whole+wheat.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Whole Wheat Cous Cous from Trader Joe's. I highly recommend!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV7HIwIMOP1ynKRfEEGHmspXqlQv6WygmLK017rIPgiNe7WpRnOSCUuBQMIr5Ff_Q3pBfHRzQyfKD8sVz2H7cIeToA6LD5aqw3Tc1LHW8IHJrGub0BKAdOnh4Zbz4dC4dZ9zynf6b9cw/s1600/cous+cous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV7HIwIMOP1ynKRfEEGHmspXqlQv6WygmLK017rIPgiNe7WpRnOSCUuBQMIr5Ff_Q3pBfHRzQyfKD8sVz2H7cIeToA6LD5aqw3Tc1LHW8IHJrGub0BKAdOnh4Zbz4dC4dZ9zynf6b9cw/s320/cous+cous.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Final product! Olives, cucumbers and tomatoes (missing feta cheese and parsley but it's fine without).<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-68615721287517794842012-05-15T20:26:00.000-07:002014-10-24T08:42:18.873-07:00Lovin' My BlogrollI have a morning ritual which starts with a hot cup of coffee in one of our many mugs (my husband loves to collect mugs from every city we visit) and reading through my favorite blogs. This is the perfect way to start everyday and inspires my many likes. Here are a few that I came across this past week. Color me obsessed!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp2k9H8hS10UFP6bI6UXxvBdxsOlyMqsBC2gGUctqPE-4XIUErPGiKwxon1ywBT-Blk9rjginbuqgx2VtIiw8ToJDBPweYTVsJhY-01eYjJIQM9GCKtr_Nf3-Lq_WdgghOcSZVGaNh9w/s1600/Rinse+Repeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp2k9H8hS10UFP6bI6UXxvBdxsOlyMqsBC2gGUctqPE-4XIUErPGiKwxon1ywBT-Blk9rjginbuqgx2VtIiw8ToJDBPweYTVsJhY-01eYjJIQM9GCKtr_Nf3-Lq_WdgghOcSZVGaNh9w/s320/Rinse+Repeat.jpg" height="112" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photos in this blog are so beautiful - whimsical, vintage and romantic. Plus, I love following Bethany on her new journey with her new husband! Click <a href="http://www.rinserepeatblog.com/">here</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHb07dfeXd2rAwjbxih3LIjOj7kIWXnphlZ0O0-vduEzjcmUR5fa4J1VZKIktjV6lZiu3UP4A_KHlTv1x8JvziQXGqgqAivcd50glci8wnoEwYmDS-k9dHyitLwFAtojZL3OLH55zVc6w/s1600/inspired+by+charm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHb07dfeXd2rAwjbxih3LIjOj7kIWXnphlZ0O0-vduEzjcmUR5fa4J1VZKIktjV6lZiu3UP4A_KHlTv1x8JvziQXGqgqAivcd50glci8wnoEwYmDS-k9dHyitLwFAtojZL3OLH55zVc6w/s320/inspired+by+charm.jpg" height="76" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I follow Michael on Pinterest and love all of his pins! As an innkeeper and lover of all things charming, I will take lead from this guy any day! Click <a href="http://www.inspiredbycharm.com/">here</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj002pFZSuuouBW_E4dxx3QVBlBZQ-QNqnAqiyR3QpavV6SKANjlOrZGK3oowem_iJhsF0tJGctEw8qhCfpXk_YMnfN-eLGWXNiN-kigHAlL_AV2fbgD9rQcuvmbF8Hj8Uz44kJNqeapDE/s1600/Brunch+at+Saks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj002pFZSuuouBW_E4dxx3QVBlBZQ-QNqnAqiyR3QpavV6SKANjlOrZGK3oowem_iJhsF0tJGctEw8qhCfpXk_YMnfN-eLGWXNiN-kigHAlL_AV2fbgD9rQcuvmbF8Hj8Uz44kJNqeapDE/s320/Brunch+at+Saks.jpeg" height="73" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this girl's sense of style. This is a great lifestyle blog to follow, filled with beautiful and inspiring photos. Click <a href="http://brunchatsaks.blogspot.com/">here</a>. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEw3Jn5vbJsVa2kCzOh70_9vfJOQFWP6SYwl4ibAhLUD0g5XDibHMhmQnQc1K8hWC39HfbY2K0zg42B_gmA0EtlC4_x4PBcwpQxs5o-66v3APOTX4pLPYVIxZEazqtIQxQHktfBAEgmo/s1600/the+every+girl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEw3Jn5vbJsVa2kCzOh70_9vfJOQFWP6SYwl4ibAhLUD0g5XDibHMhmQnQc1K8hWC39HfbY2K0zg42B_gmA0EtlC4_x4PBcwpQxs5o-66v3APOTX4pLPYVIxZEazqtIQxQHktfBAEgmo/s320/the+every+girl.png" height="68" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the idea behind this site (and the site itself)! It provides amazing career/life/finance/personal/travel advice for the every girl. I wish I had a site like this in my early 20s, but it's still helpful now! Click <a href="http://theeverygirl.com/">here</a>.</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-75630838394076099092012-05-14T18:08:00.003-07:002014-10-24T09:13:42.654-07:00Weekend Moments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My weekend in snapshots. Hope you all had a great weekend!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-40642038305033589712012-05-10T20:52:00.003-07:002015-01-25T07:58:37.660-08:00Building your "Somebody"As a woman in the workforce, I believe that it's very important to find ways to build your "somebody" profile. By "somebody", I mean yourself. I'm a dreamer and somewhat of an idealist by nature, but I'm also very much a realist by experience. I have my lofty goals of helping people using my lawyerly skills while becoming an arts and crafts/baking queen, loving and doting wife, and one day, super cool mom. I also have dreams of becoming "somebody" - building a name for myself based on my characteristics, wisdom and values, the person I want to be, someday. The reality is, all the people I respect and admire became "somebody", one step at a time, and one struggle at a time.
Building your "somebody" begins now. Instead of just dreaming of becoming this amazing person (which we probably already are) it's high time we started taking great measures to be our "somebody", now. Women often have a tendency to put their personal goals, and definitely professional goals, on the back burner. There is a sense of wanting to sacrifice for your family so we often end up in dead end jobs because it's comfortable and allows us to get home on time, or not have to travel, etc. That's a respectable life choice and gives all the more reason to start building your "somebody" profile now so that you can fall back on it later if you do decide to make those decisions. There are a few steps I've identified as key first steps (or second, or third and so on) necessary to build your "somebody" profile. By no means do I think this is an exhaustive, or even accurate, list. But they are steps that I believe have helped me, and at the very least, they can only help you. Make it a goal to try at least a few of these over the next few weeks, and stay committed. I'll do the same, and let's see where we end up! FYI-these do not have to be in order.<br />
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<b>1) Identify an everyday role model</b> - This is somebody that you interact with or see on a daily basis. I recommend somebody at work, since that's where you spend a majority of your week. Choose carefully and make sure this person has the characteristics you would like to emulate or expand upon (reputation, image, intelligence, work ethics, personality, attitude, perception, balance, etc). This serves as a daily reminder of who you strive to be, your goals and your values.<br />
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<b>2) Identify a not-so-everyday role model</b> - This is helpful if you really can't think of anyone for step 1. Try and think of someone that you don't necessarily interact with daily on a personal level, but somebody you strive to be like. Think of what they have accomplished in their lives, their "success" stories or the reputation they have built. This can be a fictional character, a celebrity, perhaps a partner or an executive that you haven't really spoken to, even a blogger! This is helpful because it's more of a far-reaching goal so you know where you want to end up. Obviously, I'm not saying try to be this person exactly, and even if this person doesn't really DO the things you strive to do, it's helpful to have someone as a guide.<br />
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<b>3) Network </b>- During and after law school, everyone kept telling me to network. I kind of hate it. It's awkward, it's unnatural and it doesn't really feel like it changes anything in my life. But it really does, if you do it right and if you do it well. You don't have to attend a bunch of events, but it does mean reaching out to somebody that is not already in your network and getting to know them. For every 20-30 people you meet, you will likely make at least 1 person who sticks with you and will come in handy one day. For me, I met one random dude at an event who is a client. Two years later, we are still in touch and try to catch up once in a while. If anything, hanging out with him shows others that I am trying to develop myself on my own, and that says a lot about you. Another example is, I've been keeping in touch with some younger professionals who I work alongside often. They've provided me with some valuable resources and vice versa.<br />
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<b>4) Join something</b> - Find some sort of community that you can become a part of where you share a common interest. By having a common purpose/interest, you decrease the awkwardness and you build a good circle of friends. It's a good place to be open and unwind and share your thoughts. Everyone needs an outlet of some sort, and it's great to share it with people who can help you expand your interests. I joined a young professionals network of people who care about microfinance and investing in women in third world countries. I've been really bad about attending events or helping out, but I hope to change that this year. I also aim to join a book club this year! Know of any?<br />
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<b>5) Find a mentor</b> - This is really hard. Probably the hardest one of all. If you can use the person in step 1, that's perfect. If not, find someone else whose judgement you trust and who won't blab your conversations. If you find a good mentor, it's absolutely priceless.
I encourage you to try any one, if not all, of these regardless of your profession. I think they apply in almost every scenario! I encourage you to try and build your "somebody" now, and make that somebody the person you are.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-59226643484615506372012-04-27T12:04:00.000-07:002015-01-25T07:59:04.703-08:00What's for Dinner Tonight? Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken BreastsYum. It's Friday afternoon, the weekend is so close yet so far due to the unbearable amount of research and writing I have to do for the next few days. But it's ok. Who cares. The weekend is near! It's been a rough few weeks (few months, rather). Tonight is dinner plans with some girls from law school. I haven't seen them in a while so it's exciting to see what everyone has been up to for the last 3 years! Dinner, drinks and then a small show later on tonight.
On another note, I was perusing Pinterest, like I usually do, and came across a recipe for Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts. Uh...drool? I want these immediately. I've been trying to "diet" because I've gained 10 pounds since my wedding. For a woman of my height, 10 pounds is not nothing. It's some serious packing and now I really need to lose some of the excess weight. This only makes me want to eat that chicken more. I think the original recipe is with pork, but chicken is an easy and healthier substitute.
Happy eating! Maybe I'll try this on Saturday night when the bestie comes over and cuts my hair. Wine, chicken and hair cutting could be a bad combo. Or a really fun one! Have a great weekend!
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You can find the recipe here: <a href="http://rockrecipes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/doube-crunch-honey-garic-chicken.html">Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-36303098621618242702012-04-18T20:22:00.002-07:002012-05-13T18:23:40.912-07:00Bring Something to the Table - and We're Not Talking Desserts"Bring something to the table". <span style="font-size: 100%;">Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, gave a great lecture a few years back about women leaders in the workplace, and her advice about bringing something to the table really stuck with me. As a woman in a profession dominated by male leaders, I can attest to the many frustrations and struggles women face every day at work. Of the infinite number of challenges present, trying to "fit in" and have a voice are the top two on my list. Fortunately, the number of women in the legal field has greatly increased during this generation and the number of women in law schools are at about 50%, give or take. In fact, my summer associate class had more women than men, and my entering class had a LOT more women than men. However, I think the issue lies in who our leaders are. Not many women last - it's the reality. And of the women who have "made it", I can't say that there are many that I have met that I actually admire. I really don't want to look like I'm 20 years older than I am, frumped out, stressed out, or with no children. And I especially do not want to become one of those hard ass women who have spent years trying to be "one of the guys" and have lost any sense of femininity along the way. No thanks. In comes Sheryl Sandberg. Her advice was, if you want to be valued for your work and recognized for your abilities, always bring something to the table. If there is a meeting or a conference call, or even just a quick chat in the hallway, say something that contributes to your work. There are tons of people who are good workers. But there aren't many folks who really contribute to a case and bring new perspective. There are many ways to do this, even if it's just posing a question or pointing out something you worked on that may help. The point is that you show that you are bringing something, or trying to bring something, that others may not have thought about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">As a junior attorney, it's hard to do this because for a majority of the time I'm still trying to figure out what is going on. Junior attorneys are not always included in all of the meetings or phone conversations and so there are always missing pieces. But another piece of advice a senior (male) associate gave to me was, reduce things to what you know, and then try to think of what's important. For example, oftentimes I'm given an agreement to review and I have no idea what the heck all of the terms mean or what the effects of them are. But then I think, ok...this is an asset sale. I am trying to buy something from you. Like buying a vintage gucci messenger bag from ebay (which I did). I want to make damn sure that what I'm buying is real and that it's everything you told me it is. If it's not, I want something in writing saying that I can return it upon a material misrepresentation! Another way to contribute is by working on your client/business development. I may not know a lot about what I'm doing, but I know we can't do any of this if we didn't have clients. So if I'm at all able to reach out to someone who may one day be a client, or can direct me to a client, I'm going to take you out for drinks. On the firm. Hey, if you can't find a way to add to the case, you mine as well get a good meal. A girl's gotta eat!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Try it out. You'll be surprised at the positive results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">I leave you with a pretty hard core picture of Hillary Clinton at work. Now this, looks cool. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBOsORMHQ3Z9cBHzywRu-VmEet39TLyBv2ZpNhBjFSBQGBFgYNTdwXLIZXTrYwI2PdzjS2IwxQM0tNXVwbGAT5Wvc775rAgh4LMBPjloGKTsVlErQrY1VGWFh_HeIMjWbTzqKq8y5RWQ/s1600/Hilary+Clinton.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732954088140066562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBOsORMHQ3Z9cBHzywRu-VmEet39TLyBv2ZpNhBjFSBQGBFgYNTdwXLIZXTrYwI2PdzjS2IwxQM0tNXVwbGAT5Wvc775rAgh4LMBPjloGKTsVlErQrY1VGWFh_HeIMjWbTzqKq8y5RWQ/s320/Hilary+Clinton.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 214px; width: 320px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-15094811191799456602012-04-17T18:43:00.004-07:002014-10-24T08:42:50.390-07:00Pinterest My InterestsI'm obsessed with Pinterest. Maybe not obsessed, but I can't help logging on a few times a day, scoping out and repinning new finds. For those of you who aren't familiar with the world of "pinning", Pinterest is a website where you create your own categories, or "boards", and you pin/thumbtack the images you like onto your boards. I'm not doing a good job of explaining this, but you're basically taking pictures you see on the internet and storing them into neat little virtual boxes. I mostly like it because I can scope out designs and decorations and keep them in one place to look back on. You can see what everyone else is pinning and their styles and get new ideas! Follow me on Pinterest - Sharon Lee!<br />
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Here are a few of my pins:<br />
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Look at these gorgeous cakes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sQf8X6_cOSWfB3rtzEPLyOGqcA2ifDbKgavogu9tAdZwEgvxyaKPHwwVf4FC7AXTtCnMq9bpe1xJx3qRNSqGfuamyRGDHHdAI3pNyEenvs5FKVMTItUCHxsx8MnRPn8wXoU4fNZLSFk/s1600/striped-birthday-cake-300x448.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sQf8X6_cOSWfB3rtzEPLyOGqcA2ifDbKgavogu9tAdZwEgvxyaKPHwwVf4FC7AXTtCnMq9bpe1xJx3qRNSqGfuamyRGDHHdAI3pNyEenvs5FKVMTItUCHxsx8MnRPn8wXoU4fNZLSFk/s320/striped-birthday-cake-300x448.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554103425060562" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 214px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a4UVEm_QSxt3rDwdpxCRRbo9Ac_3a9UZ4ovrD4E-cvGo59AQtz586MtBNrcQMc4p5eyw6HDIjpCmiQfbnwct115d3cmSkMJuOA6CzKcoRREAJiazgxmpQK5ubFlLZxWIpSzt3_jXMxE/s1600/ruffle+cake.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a4UVEm_QSxt3rDwdpxCRRbo9Ac_3a9UZ4ovrD4E-cvGo59AQtz586MtBNrcQMc4p5eyw6HDIjpCmiQfbnwct115d3cmSkMJuOA6CzKcoRREAJiazgxmpQK5ubFlLZxWIpSzt3_jXMxE/s320/ruffle+cake.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554098854365666" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 214px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKIt-8pVYhE5fEAmb_vJU9s0tP5yn7rSSBgUmeyJvYt90fxOjcAfzIsI6A52XC-YdFx5SMyZXb7MjlkmzgO2cFZVjBcUJCjftzprDBLR7nXbrYOAQYlFQKXgmNTg1l6hdt4hNOPhPycs/s1600/cake-bunting-300x450.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKIt-8pVYhE5fEAmb_vJU9s0tP5yn7rSSBgUmeyJvYt90fxOjcAfzIsI6A52XC-YdFx5SMyZXb7MjlkmzgO2cFZVjBcUJCjftzprDBLR7nXbrYOAQYlFQKXgmNTg1l6hdt4hNOPhPycs/s320/cake-bunting-300x450.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554089291916722" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 214px;" /></a><br />
<br />
I wish I could add these to my closet:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrKWKLN8UimtsGldafGXTFdze-3b-1jFTmBjjSCXJWY4nBA9LIESrGBlGoHhLcyYbwpCJp4rkhOQvSOOcJELkZP7HirbRgu8xkU9oZxZoTs5uTma3_3lYWc-WB8sd_-QX1n8ZHsXHj8s/s1600/watch.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrKWKLN8UimtsGldafGXTFdze-3b-1jFTmBjjSCXJWY4nBA9LIESrGBlGoHhLcyYbwpCJp4rkhOQvSOOcJELkZP7HirbRgu8xkU9oZxZoTs5uTma3_3lYWc-WB8sd_-QX1n8ZHsXHj8s/s320/watch.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554687922000866" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxRkA1daPs1qBO8CDr4foIREWVg_RQB_s6HwPJVhzsx8MS5oto6VKnqMlbfFGrlFE67VcKoPCFkWyVv-KVEOySKGHa1ApOZZK5FHj0n8JRpPYRqEOZeSQ1MEqXL06t-ZHGhQEQVmcJLA/s1600/mocs.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxRkA1daPs1qBO8CDr4foIREWVg_RQB_s6HwPJVhzsx8MS5oto6VKnqMlbfFGrlFE67VcKoPCFkWyVv-KVEOySKGHa1ApOZZK5FHj0n8JRpPYRqEOZeSQ1MEqXL06t-ZHGhQEQVmcJLA/s320/mocs.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554680862771810" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 277px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg002csZfgBhiVnQGXVMa0KwqlhjtMoaoZGEH1ZXvRfbciyqyH1BijWHTg2DABgIr4uT2yieSXaqTBpgLeABE65jznhOdJgO1gbJJlQl73l7_PIbG1GW_k9TruN5dDGqRZnDXG8MWJcQQc/s1600/shorts.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg002csZfgBhiVnQGXVMa0KwqlhjtMoaoZGEH1ZXvRfbciyqyH1BijWHTg2DABgIr4uT2yieSXaqTBpgLeABE65jznhOdJgO1gbJJlQl73l7_PIbG1GW_k9TruN5dDGqRZnDXG8MWJcQQc/s320/shorts.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732554679323679186" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 213px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-76029841921275285292011-07-06T07:36:00.000-07:002011-07-06T07:45:39.506-07:00Kate's Canadian Wear<img src="http://jhische.com/dailydropcap/K-12-cap.png" title="Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische" img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;align="left" alt="K" />ate Middleton's daily wear for her Canadian tour has been stunning. It's hard not to obsess just a tiny bit over her Alexander Wang cream colored nautical inspired dress or her navy blue...everything. It's perfect and if I were rich or had more time to spend looking for designer discounts, I would just wear whatever she is wearing. I love Kate's style -- simple, elegant,timeless, stylish without being too trendy. The best part of Kate's daily wear is that everything fits her just so well! I'm sure she has an excellent tailor waiting in the wings...which is also what I would do if, again, I were rich.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXSz6ZIaV5qVipXoYmNTNBhKDXXgbFuR3jr2sgXA1cgw8viJK40LAjTU1bKAusid8offeAF36uVj_tf0g-UvhTEFgQKDVHrVgzEEC_-j9tE-JV_d5lAp3PvVyDZ27hEC6vd95iip-Wuo/s1600/kate-middleton-440x330.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXSz6ZIaV5qVipXoYmNTNBhKDXXgbFuR3jr2sgXA1cgw8viJK40LAjTU1bKAusid8offeAF36uVj_tf0g-UvhTEFgQKDVHrVgzEEC_-j9tE-JV_d5lAp3PvVyDZ27hEC6vd95iip-Wuo/s320/kate-middleton-440x330.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626249968497205746" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEqEmMeuu0phVvsGoNKAvA6zMVvCHlLN83Mv-bcsWwLA8n6nM2QCxyj4EA83Dne1kSzbfw_0BxpJWYfkKSSF12pa1Fecm1B9H02V-qLbg1S6BU3S83OucydBlYxtejtASWblv_it_BwA/s1600/kate-middleton-4-300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEqEmMeuu0phVvsGoNKAvA6zMVvCHlLN83Mv-bcsWwLA8n6nM2QCxyj4EA83Dne1kSzbfw_0BxpJWYfkKSSF12pa1Fecm1B9H02V-qLbg1S6BU3S83OucydBlYxtejtASWblv_it_BwA/s320/kate-middleton-4-300.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626249891165428818" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-80488698244126692292011-06-26T17:05:00.001-07:002011-06-26T17:15:01.974-07:00Cake Toppers...check!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKa6GiecwuPnQZ3IUNxNvTiJ26NKbQYoj4B3isxGk_0ceaJIJv0PxbXSt0EUD5S_NV-bdKOdZV4CUVI0C_GLoEZzWntjCHVnc6hygTgoRHv9M5oB0ekyyjqbIgKFPCoh5brrYiKHm1c/s1600/D-11.jpg"><img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 104px; height: 89px;"src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKa6GiecwuPnQZ3IUNxNvTiJ26NKbQYoj4B3isxGk_0ceaJIJv0PxbXSt0EUD5S_NV-bdKOdZV4CUVI0C_GLoEZzWntjCHVnc6hygTgoRHv9M5oB0ekyyjqbIgKFPCoh5brrYiKHm1c/s320/D-11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622684141482848450" /></a>rumroll please. Ta da!Cake toppers for our not so real wedding cake! I've been seeing a bunch of these wooden peg wedding couple cake toppers, but they're always so ridiculous in price. Ranging anywhere from $80-$120, it's just a lot to pay when so many little things keep popping into your budget and you're bleeding money that you don't have. But I love them and decided to try making them myself. If it didn't work out, no harm no foul, I'd be out like $8. I bought a set of 3 girl and boy wood couples but used only one set ($2.66). Then I bought a set of brushes for $2.99 on sale, and a handful of acrylic paints for about $4. About 6 hours later, I was done. I also had a claw of a hand. It was not pretty. I think it gets easier and faster as you get used to painting them. The groom was first and took a very long time. But the bride was MUCH quicker, thank goodness. I then sealed them with gloss varnish, which I regret because now they look way too shiny. I think I'll go over them with a matte varnish. eek. But now that's one more thing I can check off my list, yay!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiI8XYCnNkF6mGbM8cUoQ9D7tPVVRdAdTXQFuMVrBIKY7YHFpvlKKFUn3cLEJpdSpHZPiNmZSasPmHLuB9lXscgw6CFIPeJ2j5ZFtruccn-bWb5tQVtjAa8QmKgZo9gA4U-OgXomlIwEo/s1600/IMG_5549.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 253px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiI8XYCnNkF6mGbM8cUoQ9D7tPVVRdAdTXQFuMVrBIKY7YHFpvlKKFUn3cLEJpdSpHZPiNmZSasPmHLuB9lXscgw6CFIPeJ2j5ZFtruccn-bWb5tQVtjAa8QmKgZo9gA4U-OgXomlIwEo/s320/IMG_5549.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622685571878187186" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-41986694747640846832011-06-22T16:54:00.001-07:002011-06-22T17:11:28.775-07:00Hungry...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphVaFsQVrp-uJvknONacpxrs1C-qwWjdN_kCM7rMXutfKEHjhM_MVZuNStWdcMdsG74kyrs4W5tHAE-uAMEtf3KIo7yXTOPnrdKzcHuMbP22h4yjUR7StZQC6QDxxcejgeg8VAbS9vmE/s1600/I-2-cap.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 78px; height: 89px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphVaFsQVrp-uJvknONacpxrs1C-qwWjdN_kCM7rMXutfKEHjhM_MVZuNStWdcMdsG74kyrs4W5tHAE-uAMEtf3KIo7yXTOPnrdKzcHuMbP22h4yjUR7StZQC6QDxxcejgeg8VAbS9vmE/s320/I-2-cap.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564106925692304418" border="0" /></a> am sitting here in my office, waiting for the Fiance to pick me up so that we can head on over to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/social-eatz-new-york">Social Eatz</a> and stuff my face with a burger. I've pretty much eaten every edible thing in my office and now I'm starting to get weak. So what do I do? I read food blogs. Because I love to make myself miserable. The good news is that I found some really inspiring posts! <br /><br />One of my guilty pleasures is reading Gwyneth Paltrow's blog. I love her. I can't get enough of her. She's the epitome of super cool and wonderful, in my book. Although...I saw her recently on Who Do You Think You Are and her personality was a little...snobbish? It doesn't matter. She's still really awesome and I'm happy to report that we both have a love of Epoisse. Anyway, she had a <a href="http://goop.com/newsletter/133/en/">wonderfully informative post on cheese boards</a>, featuring two of her go-to cheese spots in London and NYC. Obviously, she chose Murray's for NY. If you're looking to have a cheese board set up, this will be helpful (and it will be SO helpful when planning my cocktail hour)!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1wqGTcFI7mgDqYydowTi-y0o6JgmC54KF-ZYwUK4npiZiBk0FxQJpjE77AA0DPb6i6XBosxrxNYBmFghcAIg61CoKhRYiPcvnJ-9lP-9kJk69goJdIInFuiZ1HGdFVbcBzJ_bPdGk8o/s1600/goat.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1wqGTcFI7mgDqYydowTi-y0o6JgmC54KF-ZYwUK4npiZiBk0FxQJpjE77AA0DPb6i6XBosxrxNYBmFghcAIg61CoKhRYiPcvnJ-9lP-9kJk69goJdIInFuiZ1HGdFVbcBzJ_bPdGk8o/s320/goat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621199402032152450" /></a><br />{courtesy of <a href="http://goop.com/newsletter/133/en/">GOOP</a>}<br /><br />Moving on, I have been simply drooling over <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/06/dobos-torte/#more-7567">Smitten Kitchen's post on dobos torte</a>, a 7 (here, 10) layer cake of chocolatey goodness. She swears this is easy. I can see that it is likely not, at least not for me. But oh my goodness...yum.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4Ck-4FsRvKScloyiqPdeNkfJ4IAXViu1rLPZyk-qWJBh__0L7GGn1Hn4zUXo18Ehgbje9_Ymm4r3LEFv3W-rAzllNzndqaoG4DKlseRqpHavhR6qHJNGVUwE2cBF8Utd32iurpa_Wjo/s1600/torte.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4Ck-4FsRvKScloyiqPdeNkfJ4IAXViu1rLPZyk-qWJBh__0L7GGn1Hn4zUXo18Ehgbje9_Ymm4r3LEFv3W-rAzllNzndqaoG4DKlseRqpHavhR6qHJNGVUwE2cBF8Utd32iurpa_Wjo/s320/torte.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621199591382253058" /></a><br />{courtesy of <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/06/dobos-torte/#more-7567">Smitten Kitchen</a>}Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-7268738541202301282011-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:002011-06-17T12:13:46.434-07:00Wedding Venting<ahref="http: com="" _fubqynzm7xo="" tuiryhk33ei="" aaaaaaaabea="" 6rdx19ebj4a="" s1600="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 104px; height: 89px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYhr3gSK3vYnLNEIMYpScz6JUYDpnLZcc72nKOyw9qwB0vHTj5GXjkNBjrXVs2LSOB9uburJeiBjxSI6174IMkGNRgMlw5v8WZAi6WYIJFnpyq849fxYg12G7pbMSsC4VvVhNEXLXqP0/s320/O-4-cap.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567031202301860930" /></ahref="http:>ver the past few weeks, I've been trying to amp up the wedding planning and buckle down. So far I've chosen bridesmaid dresses, which was actually a bit difficult because I did not want to go over $100 per dress. No one wears them again and being part of a bridal party is expensive to begin with. I found these really classy/elegant and pretty dresses from David's. I love them. I want one. I also booked a florist, which is great because I don't have to deal with ordering the flowers myself! Which was my awful and overly ambitious plan. This florist works independently and will go out to the flower district in the early morning to buy everything wholesale, which allows me to have a really low budget for so many flowers! Success! Now in the not so successful news, I am still searching for a hair and makeup artist. This. Process. Sucks. Let me tell you why. Because trials are EXPENSIVE! They are at least $100. I've had rotten luck so far and did a trial with a company that came highly recommended. I liked it, I didn't love it, and I felt like we didn't get the "look" that I wanted. But I was denied a second trial (unless I paid the entire trial fee) and THEN when I tried to book them, they already signed with someone else! That....pisses me off. Majorly. I'm trying to be cost conscious here. Every penny adds up and I intentionally only got a hair trial because I did not want to pay for both hair and makeup trial. The least that they could have done was to give me a deadline to give an answer, or to tell me before someone else took my date! I understand that they're under no obligation until you give a deposit, but YOU TOOK MY MONEY. Sigh. So now I'm back to the drawing board and so far, everyone is booked. Suggestions?<br /><br />Next, I've been doing some DIY here and there and my weekend project is to make cake toppers using wooden peg people. Would you believe these go for $120+? Nuh uh. Not happenin' over here. I think more than having the "perfect" wedding, I refuse to give in to the madness of wedding prices. Yes, some things you have to. But other things that may not be as important need to be let go of. Example: I just spent $52 on a hair clip. Who am I? But...it's important. It gets photographed. It's on my head. And I can probably re-sell it or gift it. Ugh. Weddings are so expensive.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-18707458313024678922011-06-09T10:50:00.000-07:002011-06-09T11:17:33.009-07:00I Dream Of...<img src="http://jhische.com/dailydropcap/I-12-cap.png" title="Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische" "border: img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; align="left" alt="I"/> dreamt of a food recipe last night and now I can't stop thinking about it! I won't reveal it yet (just in case it goes awry) but I want to try my hand at making it this weekend. Here's a hint...it's a ravioli dish! So random! Good thing I bought a ravioli stamp a few months back (and never used it). <br /><br />I have a super secret (not so secret) recipe book of tried and trues, JUST in case one day the Fiance and I end up opening a small cafe, or JUST in case I decide to write a cookbook one day, or or...who knows.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821386213921194550.post-66904312336961049622011-06-05T17:17:00.001-07:002011-06-05T17:40:56.280-07:00A DIY Wedding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u93CHwBGWdQ1OH7_jhLs_fBT2km8TVPrmFSdBjmku-donMNLKA5hnuI0CF5rJGKtF9dKlKpjvLdzGbnqBQCSxvO6mQNbAw5GWR6ovZAX_2xvCF5IlJjgn_mBd6P6gfQn-bmey5ROgBs/s1600/T-3-cap.png"><img style="border: 0px none ; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; cursor:hand;width: 84px; height: 89px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u93CHwBGWdQ1OH7_jhLs_fBT2km8TVPrmFSdBjmku-donMNLKA5hnuI0CF5rJGKtF9dKlKpjvLdzGbnqBQCSxvO6mQNbAw5GWR6ovZAX_2xvCF5IlJjgn_mBd6P6gfQn-bmey5ROgBs/s320/T-3-cap.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614894537766268530" /></a>his was quite the DIY wedding weekend for me and the Fiance. I've been trying to re-create the pinwheels that are so "in" now, but I absolutely refuse to pay these insane prices, just because the word "wedding" is attached to it. Plus, I'm a bit obsessed with paper and picked up several sheets of gorgeous italian print paper for about $3-$5 a sheet (sorry, I don't know the specific measurements, but they're huge). <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsh4Gg5-wq2lKcECo3T4H_1ZAZE3uEe8C4uHKMw2M9XDn50rV2ga3TB6Yuy6zqst3fEsgNZ5SmfD-kviplavNWyKYI5jomo3U1Uc5WwP7h8C6pHj_pj6vDEExvCUc8VCloTyzoljhXBo/s1600/IMG_5466.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsh4Gg5-wq2lKcECo3T4H_1ZAZE3uEe8C4uHKMw2M9XDn50rV2ga3TB6Yuy6zqst3fEsgNZ5SmfD-kviplavNWyKYI5jomo3U1Uc5WwP7h8C6pHj_pj6vDEExvCUc8VCloTyzoljhXBo/s320/IMG_5466.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614899297201126706" /></a><br />These are harder to make then they look! Good thing the Fiance was there to help. After I threw a few mistakes down on the table in frustration, he picked them up and reconfigured them and voila! We have pinwheels, folks. I sewed a button in the center for one of them, and plan to do the same to the others. Then fix a stem piece and pop them in a vase.<br /><br />Next, I tried my hand at making some pom poms to hang around the venue. I think our wedding will have a very DIY look, but I'm trying to be cautious so as not to make it look like we just threw up some arts and crafts and went too cheap. But these pom poms were very easy to make and cost $0. I used tissue paper that came as the wrapping for a West Elm purchase from last week. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaJbJvwTjGQOaUww0fs1jpm2XjFdjJ3WnEBd4v5SsFrkqhQZup8Gtt-Deq0Bf22vusiT1UqtkVmZIowtbDP5LUYuuIhbiJigf6hLbSMKhZvbTuqtV9bWZ0Kfb9yYmh1YOBxS0gfnl9ww/s1600/IMG_5470.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaJbJvwTjGQOaUww0fs1jpm2XjFdjJ3WnEBd4v5SsFrkqhQZup8Gtt-Deq0Bf22vusiT1UqtkVmZIowtbDP5LUYuuIhbiJigf6hLbSMKhZvbTuqtV9bWZ0Kfb9yYmh1YOBxS0gfnl9ww/s320/IMG_5470.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614898355832783954" /></a><br />Instructions are on <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to#slide_0">Martha Stewart's Craft Page</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1