tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72937592003078173842012-02-16T05:37:08.877-05:00Review NotesKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.comBlogger3711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-32271569388254286222012-02-04T21:23:00.000-05:002012-02-04T21:23:42.921-05:00Arabesque PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-74031878621448333932012-01-17T08:34:00.001-05:002012-01-17T08:34:46.151-05:00moroccan red lentil soupI think you've been waiting for another delicious dinner idea, so here it is: Moroccan red lentil soup. It's very simple to make and incredibly flavorful. Props to ground cumin and ginger. I made it last night to take with me to work for lunch today, and, well, there almost wasn't any to take to work. As Teddy R. would say, "DEE-lightful!"KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-18172457770437920122011-12-23T16:12:00.000-05:002011-12-23T16:12:38.391-05:00making a listThe 11-day office closure that I've been looking forward to has already been interrupted by work and is expected to be interrupted by further work next week. In an effort not to succumb to bad mood bears, I've made a list of all of the fun and relaxing things to do when not working.
1. Read about Roosevelt and the Night Circus.
2. Make many cookies.
3. Practice Moroccan recipes for January's KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-66126508457204567362011-12-06T21:35:00.000-05:002011-12-06T21:35:55.723-05:00the enforcerRead this fascinating three-part article about hockey, fighting, and Derek Boogaard who died earlier this year. And I'm not just saying that because I've met D.J. King at a bar in Clarendon.
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-4644831040388075182011-12-06T21:22:00.000-05:002011-12-06T21:22:46.446-05:00black bean pumpkin soupDo you need another delicious dinner idea? This time I recommend black bean pumpkin soup (don't worry, meat-needers, it has ham!). It's incredibly flavorful, and before you know it, you've eaten two gigantor bowls, you've burned your mouth, and you're so full that all you can do is sprawl on the couch and read the Steve Jobs biography. True story.
I made two minor substitutions out of necessity:KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-17533871872135892962011-11-23T22:46:00.001-05:002011-12-23T16:16:36.444-05:00holiday gift guide for herThis first ever Review Notes holiday gift guide (for her) is loosely, i mean heavily, based on gifts I would give to myself is basically a covet list.
1. Audio Technica Fully Automatic Belt Driven Turntable
2. West Elm Modernist Bowls
3. Porcelain Mortar & Pestle
4. cheese board and knives
5. de Buyer Kobra Adjustable Slicer (mandolin)
6. KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-11065748927795907692011-11-21T20:50:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:49:57.906-05:00around my french tableThis month's cookbook club book: around my french table by Dorie Greenspan.
Yes, I've started a cookbook club. After reading this blog post, there was no way that I wasn't going to start/be in one. And having participated in regular book clubs before, two things have always held true for me: 1. I never like reading for pleasure a book that someone else has picked for me that I have little KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-10170635275827837602011-11-21T19:57:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:50:15.398-05:00butter and shrimp and grits and baconDo you need a delicious dinner idea? Try making butter-poached shrimp with grits. I'll tell you what, despite the limitations imposed on me by the local Teeter -- only frozen shrimp instead of fresh and 5-minute grits instead of stoneground available -- the dish was incredibly satisfying and flavorful. Cooking the grits in bacon and the shrimp in a cup of butter (2 sticks!!) probably accounts forKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-89882667433077237712011-10-10T21:28:00.002-04:002011-12-06T21:06:47.891-05:00On repeatSnack on repeat: wasabi peas. Pro column: spicy and amazingly crunchy. If you put too many in your mouth, the wasabi shoots up your nose and clears your sinuses. Con column: contains MSG. Why, wasabi, why?
Song on repeat: It Will Rain by Bruno Mars. This song is a trifecta: it's a slow jam, it's from the latest Twilight movie soundtrack, and Bruno Mars happens to kind of KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-36878686131465334152011-10-08T15:14:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:50:53.882-05:00J&G's Butternut Squash SoupBe under no illusions -- working with butternut squash is a huge p in the b. That being said, this recipe makes a pretty awesome soup.
I actually made this soup once last year and was underwhelmed by how little meat it had (none). It just wasn't filling. Yet fall is here again and I found myself craving this soup as an appetizer or a light lunch. So let's revisit.
The recipe calls for crème KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-53478892150323095922011-10-06T21:37:00.000-04:002011-10-06T21:37:18.869-04:00I feel like i should start blogging again PODHello, Blog!
It's been almost a year since I've written and yes, I have totally missed you.
I thought about you today. And thought about what you could look like post-makeover. All strutting around with a new theme, a new direction, if you will.
Any ideas? Ideas:
1. The first-world trials and tribulations of living with a vitamin b12 deficiency (underlying mystery element: is there a tapeworm KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-72840193545929654622010-12-23T00:10:00.000-05:002010-12-23T00:10:27.744-05:00Make 1,000 lovely things -- Homemade bowsCheck out these beauties:
They are large and in charge and they match the gift wrap just right. I made one for my sister-in-law, own mother, and boyfriend's mother, weee!
For detailed instructions and inspiration, look here.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-65695633258057461472010-11-18T20:31:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:41:16.055-05:00modern arti love this print:
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-61587375472414455552010-10-26T22:34:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:52:29.216-05:00So many recipes to try, so little time...Roasted Scallops with Breadcrumbs and Bacon
Mussels with Garlic and Basil
Seared Brussel Sprouts with Bacon Lardons
Pumpkin Custard
3 out of 5
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Spicy Squash with Lentils and Goat Cheese
Chorizo, Chickpea & Sweet Potato Soup
5 out of 5
Pumpkin Bread
5 out of 5
Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Sauce
3 out of 5
Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-4225978617055849012010-09-26T13:13:00.000-04:002010-09-26T13:13:01.073-04:00Sometimes you go to a music festival and end up liking a bunch of hippiesKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-71921982583942524232010-09-12T17:40:00.000-04:002010-09-12T17:40:39.804-04:00Beach Weekend PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-62903124908105874132010-08-30T21:45:00.000-04:002010-08-30T21:45:24.587-04:00Make 1,000 lovely things -- Slideshow for my dad's 60th birthdayMy dad has turned 60 years old and in his honor, and with my mom's help, I put together a "Life and Times of Papa T" slideshow. I think it had the intended effect -- it made my mom cry and the dog pee on the living room carpet.
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-24468508808003828092010-08-26T22:43:00.000-04:002010-08-26T22:44:02.982-04:00Number 76: Meet an alpaca.This is Snooki. Snooki likes eating, being fed, and getting the food bin stuck on her head.
Victory Ranch AlpacasKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-88514723385784251312010-08-09T20:57:00.000-04:002010-08-09T20:57:24.200-04:00Number 92: Go on a serious hike.Appalachian Trail, Mary's Rock, Shenandoah National Park. Done.
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-34793139552726214262010-07-13T22:16:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:52:43.088-05:00French in a flash PODSweet Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts with Thyme.
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-54065323821512777322010-06-26T14:48:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:52:57.308-05:00Make 1,000 lovely things -- Blueberry pie with freshly-picked blueberriesThis morning I went to a farm in Maryland to pick my own blueberries. Then I made a pie.
The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. Instead of their full-proof pie dough (which uses vodka and which I should have used since it's FULL-PROOF), I tried their basic pie dough recipe. Let me tell you, handling that pie crust was the most stressful part of my week. And it came out a little rough KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-79775980743151444192010-06-26T09:50:00.000-04:002010-06-26T09:50:33.349-04:00Pick blueberries at your co-worker's farm PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-64336392160063951072010-06-24T06:57:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:53:16.604-05:00Pig roast = life goalsA blog post caught my eye recently and got me thinking. It was titled "How to Roast a Pig on a Spit". Believe it. My world was turned upside down as I realized that I needed to reexamine my original Mighty Life List immediately. Here is the updated list [some of these have already been accomplished, go me!]:
1. Participate in a pig roast. Obviously. 2. Visit in person all 36 painting by Dutch KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-71780918028576809812010-06-21T19:26:00.000-04:002010-06-21T19:26:31.559-04:00Hydrangea PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-81197362214189412812010-06-16T21:04:00.000-04:002010-06-16T21:05:09.461-04:00We Are Scientists present ... the rules of wineWe Are Scientists present ... the rules of wine
There are two basic types, or "varietals", of wine: red and yellow. Not surprisingly, there are different words for red and yellow wine in different countries. The French call them "bordeaux" and "sancerre", respectively. The Australians say "shiraz" and "chardonnay"; Italians, "nero d'avolo" and "pinot grigio." Germans, refreshingly, call KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-22213111029566627612010-06-14T23:29:00.000-04:002010-06-14T23:29:37.995-04:00I get pinkeye just from listening to this songKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-90710226244449177852010-06-07T19:46:00.000-04:002010-06-07T19:46:43.241-04:00Send me your photos and I will make them artsy fartsy on my new iMac PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-63706957089531966212010-06-06T20:51:00.000-04:002010-06-06T20:51:53.647-04:00Greetings from Germany PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-79364319259421878022010-06-05T10:33:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:53:47.404-05:00Saturday morning photo shoot PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-52358885307624162402010-06-04T19:49:00.000-04:002010-06-04T19:49:56.336-04:00Budapest bug PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-26076710018414317932010-05-29T10:17:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:54:01.753-05:00Memorial Day Farmer's Market PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-71769207415546328342010-03-01T00:12:00.000-05:002010-03-01T00:14:53.348-05:00The Last StationWatching The Last Station made me realize that I know nothing about Lev Tolstoy (other than that his original title for "War and Peace" was "War What Is It Good For?" and his mistress made him change it). So I did some light internet research, no big deal:
Christian anarchist and pacifist. War What Is It Good For, indeed.
Wealthy. Member of Russian nobility.
On the eve of his wedding to Sofya KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-70488594902399550852010-02-15T22:45:00.000-05:002010-02-15T22:45:19.068-05:00Soda-free in 2010!Not having had a Diet Coke since circa December 17, this NYT article on a soda tax caught my eye.
Is soda the new tobacco? In their critics’ eyes, producers of sugar-sweetened drinks are acting a lot like the tobacco industry of old: marketing heavily to children, claiming their products are healthy or at worst benign, and lobbying to prevent change. The industry says there are critical KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-863701481678894102010-02-05T21:53:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:54:24.460-05:00Inaugural Le Creuset Chili PODAt the beginning of the year I had resolved to write more and take more frequent photos and do more cooking. And look at how well I've done so far.
Last night, in preparation for the snOMG blizzard of 2010, I went to the Whole Foods. The produce isles were picked clean. I was able to snatch for myself the very last yam and also gather the ingredients to make some chili.
Behold, the inaugural KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-43812275926545208162010-01-04T20:57:00.000-05:002010-01-04T20:57:39.520-05:00Fan letter to Richard ArmitageDear Mr. Armitage,
This weekend I watched "North & South" for the first time. Netflix suggested this mini-series to me, and I went ahead and took its suggestion, watching all four hours in one sitting.
You, sir, are a panty-dropper, excuse my francais.
It's not that I am in love with you -- I don't know you at all -- but holy Dickens am I in love with the character that you created on screenKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-57507012731018287122009-12-29T19:52:00.000-05:002009-12-29T19:52:47.685-05:00Interesting reading elsewhereThe New Yorker's profile of Whole Foods' CEO, John Mackey.
John Mackey, the co-founder and chief executive of Whole Foods Market, refers to the company as his child—not just his creation but the thing on earth whose difficulties or downfall it pains him most to contemplate. He also sees himself as a “daddy” to his fifty-four thousand employees, who are known as “team members,” but they may KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-10060986727495164152009-12-25T16:41:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:54:39.683-05:00Merry Christmas POD
My mom taught me how to make vareniki (you probably know them as pierogies) from scratch. We made a large batch yesterday afternoon.
Merry Christmas!KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-47877186135570220822009-12-20T19:40:00.000-05:002009-12-20T19:40:09.881-05:00Some British humour for the holidaysKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-53250549284296582442009-12-13T15:25:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:54:54.690-05:00Thanks, Starbucks!Starting today, Starbucks is selling French macarons produced by Chateau Blanc. Macarons are a traditional French pastry made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar, and sugar (and are not coconut macaroons).
The box looks like this:
The macarons look like this:
You'll get two each of coffee, pistachio, raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and lemon. Macarons do not tend to last very long, KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-21421699158648704392009-12-12T21:15:00.001-05:002009-12-12T22:22:47.084-05:00The ultimate day of Christmas activitiesToday was a whirlwind adventure of Christmas fun. Tomorrow is a day of hard-core final exam studying. But today was a day of Christmas fun.First stop: the White House Christmas tree.Surely it looks better lit up at night. But I thought twice about braving a cold winter night as I pulled on my under-the-jeans tights to keep warm on this sunny day.Next stop: get a picture of yourself with your homeKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-39537504710166182012009-12-07T23:42:00.000-05:002009-12-07T23:42:08.696-05:00Let the Great World SpinLet the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann
I am going to come right out and say it, no suspense-building here, this powerhouse of a novel gets a 5 out of 5 from me.
The story centers around Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the World Trade Center Twin Towers in the 1970's. And by the way, that's a true story (watch this documentary!) although that story is certainly romanticized in this KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-9744798980241941952009-11-30T21:31:00.000-05:002009-11-30T21:31:39.418-05:00The endDear Lord. Hallelujah. Holy Shit. NaBloPoMo is over. I did it.
This month I . . .
celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall;
made mulled wine;
engaged in a massive paperback swap;
visited some museums;
looked into pig ownership;
got a new job;
read some books;
bought a piece of the University of Maryland; and
began an apartment hunt.
I feel good. IKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-82932466439279638722009-11-29T22:50:00.000-05:002009-11-29T22:50:39.817-05:00No, I will NOT pay $1,950 a month for your smallest one bedroom PODI have begun my apartment search in earnest, and so far it seems impossible to strike the perfect balance between affordability and likability. I am going to miss this place:
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-81825796229048756952009-11-28T20:30:00.000-05:002009-11-28T20:30:54.790-05:00My new favorite place in DC POD
Yes, the Library of Congress, and it is a stunning piece of building. Its main reading room looks like this:
and one day, as a special treat, I will spend an afternoon there and just read and read.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-83544683632555656032009-11-27T17:09:00.000-05:002009-11-27T17:30:56.842-05:00I bought a brick todayThis Black Friday, I sat at home in my big girl sweatpants and did something good. But for very selfish reasons. Instead of doing any shopping, I donated $450 to the University of Maryland. This donation essentially purchased me a brick. But not any brick. A brick that will be engraved with my name and installed somewhere in the alumni center plaza level or gardens. My very own Hollywood star. OfKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-2794627967942753532009-11-26T12:06:00.000-05:002009-11-26T13:19:14.172-05:00What the Dog SawWhat the Dog Saw: And Other Adventuresby Malcolm GladwellYou could literally read this entire book online for free -- it is after all a collection of Malcolm Gladwell's essays from The New Yorker. I chose to get the book, since I am a books person, obvi.The essays are grouped into three categories: "Obsessives, Pioneers, and other Varieties of Minor Genius", "Theories, Predictions, and Diagnoses"KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-91909534902918436372009-11-25T22:05:00.000-05:002009-11-25T22:26:00.403-05:00FirelightI keep coming back to how funny this SNL digital short is:It is especially funny if you've seen the original Twilight movie or at least the trailer.It also makes me think of Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein,which is good entertainment in its own right, but incredibly hilarious if you compare it to the 1930's Frankenstein film, coincidentally something that my 10th grade English teacher did for a KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-36214477525547269302009-11-24T22:24:00.000-05:002009-11-24T23:06:35.419-05:00Merging and acquiringNumber of gum pieces I "nervous gum-chewed" today: need to cut down to one pack a day.Number of How I Met Your Mother episodes I watched tonight: 5.Number of times today I've thought about moving back to Maryland in February: 4.Number of times I listened to Grizzly Bear's "Slow Life" today: 3. But probably many more than that.Number of new Christmas albums I bought today: 2.Number of new jobs I KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-31889587010825910582009-11-23T22:22:00.001-05:002009-11-23T22:29:28.166-05:00Dear lord, there's seven more days of daily blogging left to go PODPrague Castle, Czech RepublicKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-26945150419502387792009-11-22T22:25:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:55:50.154-05:00The food issueSometimes I like to think of myself as a foodie, even though I don't cook much or eat expensive meals often. It's probably the reading about food and the food industry. I fucking LOVE reading about food.
This morning I made an omelet* with chanterelle mushrooms and shallots (all from the farmer's market), an English muffin with farmer butter and rasberry jam, and Starbucks Via coffee. As I KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-12958344798624451032009-11-21T23:50:00.000-05:002009-11-21T23:50:32.781-05:00Putting together a wish list
Rothenburg, Germany, October 2008
What is on your Christmas wish list?
-Le Creuset dutch oven
-set of knives, but probably just need a chef's knife and a paring knife
-a TV?
-cash money to invest in a comfy leather reading chair?
-books, books, books?KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-80231771572490002572009-11-20T23:16:00.000-05:002009-11-20T23:16:18.236-05:00How I feel about having to write something right now PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-11274922650699666962009-11-19T22:39:00.000-05:002009-11-19T22:39:56.697-05:00Salt and pepperAfter an impromptu happy hour tonight, I found myself at Macy's haggling over the price of a cast iron skillet. I have brought it home, the honeymoon is over, and now I must learn how to take care of it. First, it needs seasoning. Pursuant to my research project on seasoning cast iron skillets, this seems to be the simplest method:
Up next: frittatas and cornbread!KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-82554130315361644102009-11-18T21:15:00.000-05:002009-11-18T21:15:34.006-05:00This time last year . . ....I was sitting at the Marks & Spencer Cafe on Grafton Street, sipping coffee and watching people at the flower stall.
KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-64600028181135600512009-11-17T22:59:00.000-05:002009-11-17T23:07:56.746-05:00Pigsty
Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA, November 2009
How fun would it be to have a pet pig? Everyone else is doing it.
Here are some good options, courtsey of Petfinder:
"Fergison is a 4 month old male pot belly who will probably mature to be around 90 lbs."
"Norton is a 1.5 year old male that was fed a bit too much. He's very sweet and now on a strict diet. HeKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-47404586715065521432009-11-16T22:34:00.001-05:002011-12-06T20:41:35.508-05:00Snow HillThis past weekend I visited the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Where? I have no idea where that is. Especially since the Tom Tom had to find us a minimum of three alternative routes before we were able to arrive at the front door and not at someone's locked gate deep in the woods.
But we made it. And there, I was formally introduced to the paintings of Andrew Wyeth, and KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-31768323115577706652009-11-15T23:22:00.000-05:002009-11-15T23:22:51.404-05:00PaperBackSwapThe reason I haven't yet organized and posted photos and told you stories from this wonderful weekend is because I have been running around printing shipping labels and cutting up grocery bags to serve as book wrapping. You see, tonight I entered into a committed relationship with PaperBackSwap.com.
I had known about PBS for some time now, but after seeing it in action this weekend, I asked it KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-85917220718909860912009-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:002009-11-14T07:00:07.311-05:00Out of office replyI am phoning it in today. Literally. Well, I was going to even type this all out on my iPhone, but that would have been just a little too dramatic.
This weekend is all about friends and museums and farms and wineries and Amish food and Southern New Jersey. Tomorrow I'll have photos and stories.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-65793131045977438162009-11-13T23:27:00.000-05:002009-11-13T23:27:47.868-05:00Almost missed my daily blog posting deadline POD
Prague Astronomical Clock, December 2008KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-48602165992575762472009-11-12T23:18:00.000-05:002009-11-12T23:22:03.411-05:00Mulled wine
Prague Old Town, December 2008
Tonight's experiments with the stove made me nostalgic for walking around the Christmas Market in Prague with a steaming cup of mulled wine, spicy and sweet. And by nostalgic, I mean I remembered the one time in my life that I have ever done that.
The mulled wine I made tonight was from a recipe a la Food Network/Ina Garten, found here. If you are KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-31181042045789785192009-11-11T22:04:00.000-05:002009-11-11T22:08:01.350-05:00Mind of a toddlerI recently picked up What the Dog Saw, a collection of Malcolm Gladwell's essays from The New Yorker. Not having completed it, this is not my official review or endorsement, but I did want to share his opening remarks while they were still fresh in my mind.
In the preface, Gladwell says that his impulse to write many of these essays stemmed from a "curiosity about the interior life of other KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-79907362376094523672009-11-10T22:29:00.000-05:002009-11-10T22:29:48.868-05:00IdolKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-75896141482183947832009-11-10T20:34:00.000-05:002009-11-10T20:34:25.294-05:00Hand gesturesI did not go to class tonight as a reward for an unexpectedly stressful day. Which started with my commute to work in the morning.
Less than a mile away from the office, a stupid woman hit my car with hers. We were stopped at a light, me behind her. Her car starts rolling backwards -- she must have have been a Stick Shiftie as we were on a No Hills Road. Her car gets dangerously close to mine soKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-17736133377107874332009-11-09T22:46:00.000-05:002009-11-09T22:46:54.856-05:00Good Bye, Lenin!Tonight, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I watched one of my favorites, Good Bye, Lenin!
It's a beautiful movie -- funny, moving, artsy, historical. Recommend, recommend!
Be prepared to know fluent German. Or to read subtitles. KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-77877474927263620962009-11-08T21:18:00.000-05:002009-11-08T21:18:22.206-05:00Cameo appearanceOn a DC excursion this afternoon down U Street, whether disoriented from the chicken and waffles I had eaten for brunch or the frustration of restraining myself from buying any books at Busboys and Poets, I purchased this necklace:
I've wanted to add a cameo necklace to my collection for some vintage flair for some time now, scouring Etsy on several occasions. But when you search that site, KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-39426672406566408742009-11-07T18:59:00.000-05:002009-11-07T19:05:20.749-05:00The Liars' ClubThe Liars' Club: A Memoir
by Mary Karr
I finished reading the entire second half of The Liars' Club this morning in a frenzy, wanting to finish it in time for Book Klub, which is not even until Thursday night, but I am already getting anxious about the number of people that are descending upon my apartment, and will I have enough seating and enough rotisserie chicken to feed them all?
The LiarsKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-19654965380728425082009-11-06T19:18:00.000-05:002009-11-06T19:18:50.453-05:00Shake it like a PolaroidTonight's post was going to be A Day In the Life in Fauxlaroids.
Here is me getting ready for work in the morning.
Fast forward to lunch. At The Costco.
I bought three books even though I am NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SPENDING MONEY ON BOOKS. It's tough being at The Costco and spending only $6.47 on lunch for two people and not going in to see all of the new KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-64801962942055481862009-11-05T20:23:00.000-05:002009-11-05T20:23:31.074-05:00Report CardLet's get off the Tax-Exempt Organization Abuses train for a minute and talk about my grades. On my SALT (State and Local Taxation) midterm from two weeks ago, the instructor provided ample opportunity for extra-credit. I took him up on his offer and got one hundred and seven points out of one hundred on the test. Today I received my mid-term grade for the Tax-Exempt class -- one hundred and fiveKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-72580336237875404912009-11-04T23:36:00.000-05:002009-11-04T23:36:53.370-05:00Dance Little LiarI am currently having a love affair with this song:
Who can forget the unfortunate pink eye incident from the We Are Scientists show, but the Arctic Monkeys concert is another truly memorable concert-going experience. I came very close to being dead that night in New York City. Or at least I had overwhelming feelings of impending doom and imminent death when the high schooler mosh pit KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-52154675682423538492009-11-03T22:53:00.000-05:002009-11-03T22:53:53.451-05:00Slim to bullshit PODOn my drive home to change clothes and eat a sushi dinner snack before class, I thought, "Something interesting needs to happen to me in the next few hours so that I will have something to write about tonight." And then I went to my Tax-Exempt Organizations class, and the chances of something interesting actually happening became slim to bullshit.
I did eat almost an entire pumpkin pie by KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-87377822881622515112009-11-02T19:23:00.000-05:002009-11-02T19:23:18.715-05:00So far so goodIt is only two days past Halloween and already I am thinking about my Christmas music. You see, I have this wish to some day be the proud owner of a glorious Christmas music collection/playlist. So far there is only:
Christmas with the Rat Pack
Bing Crosby's Merry Christmas
Josh Groban's Noel
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker (Kirov Orchestra & Choir)
and
Louis KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-32818133172458200342009-11-01T13:46:00.000-05:002009-11-01T14:28:45.607-05:00Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! PODEast Side Gallery, October 2008My mom and I were recently arguing about the Berlin Wall. Well, first we were reminiscing about coming to America nineteen years ago on October 16. I don't remember much about the actual trip, just that soon after arriving in Bethesda, MD, my parents took me to Toys "R" Us where I got my first Barbie and an Etch A Sketch, and it was all wildly exciting.So then I sayKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-10307965652495148662009-10-31T14:14:00.000-04:002009-10-31T14:41:14.279-04:00Blogging extravaganzaNovember is National Novel Writing Month ("NaNoWriMo"). Since that undertaking requires a particular brand of intensity and commitment, the kind that I most certainly am lacking at the present, I have decided to undertake National Blog Posting Month ("NaBloPoMo") instead. Post every day for a month. Thirty posts in thirty days. Blogging boot camp. Spicing things up around here. My attempts to KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-59541196866447382342009-10-25T20:40:00.000-04:002009-10-25T20:56:29.258-04:00300th Post PODThis glorious scene comes from Bluemont Vineyard in Bluemont,VA. Today the weather was beautiful, the leaves were all different shades of gold, and as I leisurely picked at warm bread and fresh cheese and sipped a refreshing peach wine, I decided that if I ever get married, it might as well be here.In fact, here is my pre-engagement photo:KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-82876278670774402412009-10-19T20:02:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:42:04.704-05:00Sand painting artSand-painting artist, Kseniya Simonova, won the 2009 Ukraine's Got Talent Competition. This performance, depicting Germany's invasion of the Ukraine during WWII, is unbelievably amazing:
I teared up a little. Not sure if it was the nostalgic music, or the sight of the entire audience starting to full on cry, or the thought of my own meager talents in comparison -- my uncanny ability of 1) KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-63296103792674131402009-09-30T00:08:00.000-04:002009-09-30T00:10:32.131-04:00What Facebook Is For(via swissmiss)KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-29047210405759073422009-09-27T19:17:00.000-04:002009-09-27T19:23:53.630-04:00$10 cheaperKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-19062265722535586372009-09-26T18:26:00.000-04:002009-09-26T18:31:36.368-04:00Hello, Llama PODBarracks Row, Oktoberfest petting zooKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-66590368524664098062009-09-20T21:11:00.000-04:002009-09-20T21:12:42.573-04:00My sunburn makes me look like a two-face PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-81701658966114650262009-09-19T10:29:00.000-04:002009-09-19T10:29:52.080-04:00Gourd fauxlaroid PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-39034438979684164342009-09-18T23:13:00.000-04:002009-09-19T00:16:39.746-04:00The Girl with the Dragon TattooThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooby Stieg LarsoonI was very skeptical when we selected this book for Oktober Book Klub because 1. it's the first part in a trilogy, are we going to read the other two books?and2. it's a thriller, will we have more to talk about than just plot?I don't yet know the answers to these queries. I do know that Oprah picked her latest Book Club selection because I had at KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-6530339084277017682009-09-16T23:19:00.000-04:002009-09-16T23:21:59.252-04:00Are your friends making you fat?Read this article. I definitely eat more healthy with some friends and less healthy with others. Friends, please stop eating tons of food items loaded with high fructose corn syrup!KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-74768005674577210462009-09-12T20:50:00.000-04:002009-09-12T21:01:21.811-04:00Things I do to keep my jobDrive to the UPS Store minutes before the last Saturday pick-up for Monday morning delivery, arrive incorrectly at the "McLean Pack N Ship" with its misleading UPS flag waving in the breeze outside its front door, abandon the car, and run the rest of the way holding an 18-pound box of tax returns. Made it!KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-3173249821530374352009-09-12T10:00:00.000-04:002009-09-12T10:01:12.255-04:00Last few days of tax busy season PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-7601631677758267092009-09-06T21:35:00.000-04:002009-09-07T01:16:36.238-04:00Swirling around in my headGET OUT OF MY FACEBOOK. So I am actually contemplating shutting down my facebook account. I have had facebook basically since the beginning of time. Sure there's been a hiatus now and then, but for the most part KT has been a loyal user. A recent tangent discussion at Book Klub left me seriously rethinking my future commitment. Of my 289 friends I actually only speak to a small fraction in real KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-32610493959970829222009-09-06T20:09:00.000-04:002009-09-06T20:20:23.114-04:00The HelpThe Helpby Kathryn StockettGood book, shoddy review of it on my part. Going to blame that on tax busy season, reading that needs to be completed for my State and Local Taxation class, a thorough discussion of the book at Book Klub, and Mad Men coming on in a bit. 4 out of 5KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-35070729912107216842009-09-05T09:48:00.000-04:002009-09-05T09:50:26.233-04:00Do you think I'd go to the farmers' market without taking a single picture? PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-38643507473446328722009-08-30T18:15:00.000-04:002009-08-30T18:39:14.681-04:00At the Starbucks PODYou may or may not have heard about an iPhone application called ShakeItPhoto. It's basically the best thing since peanut butter. I say that because we didn't have peanut butter at my house growing up -- too weird and American -- and when I discovered it in college, really tried it, not in just a Reese's Pieces but like put it on a piece of bread with some jelly, well, it was like doing some soulKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-1967230412392720532009-08-29T09:43:00.000-04:002009-08-29T09:43:53.011-04:00Photoshoot with other people's produce PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-19160179968774669662009-08-29T00:38:00.000-04:002009-08-29T00:38:50.452-04:00Friday Night Lights PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-75359823875884558482009-08-16T21:15:00.000-04:002009-08-16T21:21:33.001-04:00I can't believe it's Back to School next week PODTrinity College, Dublin.Doesn't it look like he got off his bike to just sit down and rest for a minute?KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-16566470939472529892009-08-16T20:53:00.000-04:002009-08-16T21:07:13.071-04:00You're all chromeTickets to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show sold out in like 2 minutes while I was watching coworkers play a friendly game of softball. They are still on sale however on craigslist and eBay. FOR ONLY $70-$90. Heads will roll.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-43048364961479054812009-08-10T22:02:00.000-04:002009-08-10T22:04:29.868-04:00My First DictionaryMy First Dictionary. This blog is so wrong. But so enjoyable.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-13847638316192478892009-08-08T18:13:00.000-04:002009-08-08T18:13:13.468-04:00Tax busy season calm before the storm PODKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-46181578123142466022009-07-29T22:22:00.000-04:002009-07-29T23:15:33.238-04:00Let me take you on a trip around the world and backLast night I attended my third Depeche Mode concert in twelve years. That's right, they come around every four years, like clockwork, except that one year when they came back several months after I saw them, on the day that I was graduating from college, and I wasn't allowed to go to the concert since my parents thought it was important for me to graduate from college and all. Rats. Side note: KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-9848031837412941202009-07-25T15:39:00.000-04:002009-07-25T15:54:17.323-04:00Olive Kitteridge and Kitchen ConfidentialOlive Kitteridgeby Elizabeth StroutThirteen stories about residents of a small town in coastal Maine, all linked by Olive Kitteridge, a retired teacher. I will give this book an unenthusiastic4 out of 5 Kitchen Confidentialby Anthony BourdainI hated Bourdain's pompous, coke-addicted, mean voice throughout the entire narrative. But I also couldn't wait for bedtime reading time every night to learnKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-27364503784142211422009-07-18T11:29:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:56:02.147-05:00Saturday morning photo shoot with my produceKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-71716996459299777222009-07-10T07:45:00.000-04:002009-07-10T07:46:29.649-04:00Babushkas sing Britney SpearsKThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-50226259858900121802009-07-05T12:23:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:56:20.743-05:00King Corn
This documentary is about one of my favorite topics, evil corn. Although not as good as Omnivore's Dilemma, it touches on many of the same points for those who prefer a visual presentation -- farmers are no longer able to feed themselves off of their farms as they are producing surplus amounts of corn, which ends up in the feed of the cows raised on feeding lots and in our sodas and cheap KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7293759200307817384.post-75483714366985086802009-07-04T10:30:00.001-04:002011-12-06T20:56:43.503-05:00Independence Day photoshoot with my produce POD
Not pictured: Bread, Multi-grain; Muffin, Cranberry Almond; Sausage, Buffalo Bourbon Fennel; Sausage, Buffalo Cranberry Wine; Yogurt, Plain.KThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01716655562901763866noreply@blogger.com2