Sugar, Spice and Sometimes Nice

New Home

2012-01-22T11:51:00.002-05:00

After a long hiatus, I have launched a new blog. I hope you will join me at my new home at www.confectionstyle.com.

Cherry Blossoms

2011-04-07T23:17:00.002-04:00

It's Spring in DC and the cherry blossoms are in full-bloom. I stopped by the Tidal Basin a few weeks ago when my parents were in town and the trees were lovely!

Green with Envy

2011-03-17T23:29:00.005-04:00

It's Spring in DC! I am so excited to see green everywhere especially at my favorite store - Kate Spade. Here are a few of the items that are on my wish list.

Kate Spade Green with Envy by ktl on Polyvore.com

Helpful How-To - Scarves

2011-01-17T22:57:00.005-05:00

I am obsessed with scarves (especially monogrammed ones) right now. Scarves are the perfect accessory for almost every outfit and are completely functional since I am always cold. There are a few sites outlining various ways to style your scarves, but by far my favorite resource is the Land's End site. This site shows 20 different ways to tie your scarf each in an easy to follow format and makes even the most stylishly challenged person feel chic.

My Favorite Things - 2010 Edition

2011-01-04T20:30:00.011-05:00

Before we get too far into 2011, I thought it would be fun to do a little recap of my all-time favorite products of 2010. These are things that I absolutely love and would recommend to all of my friends!

This is the cookbook that I used the most during 2010 and will keep using in 2011. I love how there are recipes organized by each fruit and vegetable.

My favorite beauty product of 2010 are the Korres lip gloss. The colors are perfect and I love that they don't feel "tacky".

My second favorite cookbook of 2010 was the Williams Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking. This one will be a regular in my 2011 cooking rotation.

I finally got the Navy Hunter Wellies that I have been dreaming about for years. I couldn't be happier. I also picked up the fleece welly socks that make these boots perfect for rain or snow!

My go to accessory this year has definitely been the Kate Spade Clean Slate Bangle. It is so simple and classic that it is a great addition to almost every outfit.
2010 was also the year of the scarf for me. I love these Lands' End cotton scarves. They come in almost every color and can, of course, be monogrammed. YAY!

Christmas Cookbook Collection

2011-01-02T20:52:00.010-05:00

If you know me well, you know that I absolutely love cookbooks. I find that cookbooks are a great place to get some inspiration and add some variety to our meals. I know so many people who never use their cookbooks and just let them sit on their shelves. I think that is such a waste so I really try to make an effort to use my cookbooks. I hate getting stuck in that routine of making the same dishes over and over so I try to use at least one new recipe from my cookbooks each week.

The holidays are the perfect time to add to my wonderful collection. This year, I really lucked out and got some great new books. I will keep everyone posted as I try each of them out.

These are the cookbooks I received this year:

This cookbook was from my fabulous brother. This book is packed with amazing looking desserts and I can't wait to try the whoopie pies.

This cookbook was a gift from my Mom. I have been dreaming of this book from quite a while and I am glad to finally have it on my shelf. I used this book to make roasted acorn squash as part of our Christmas dinner. The squash was delicious!

This last cookbook was a gift from my Dad, our family cookie maker extraordinaire. This cookbook has been tested and approved by him so I know that there will be lots of yummy cookies at our house in 2011!

Christmas Eve Dinner

2010-12-24T21:39:00.008-05:00

One of the best things about the holidays is that there is more time to cook! I made good use of my day off work making a special Christmas Eve dinner for Van and I.

I found a rack of lamb on sale at Whole Foods and decided that was perfect for our dinner. I decided to use Emeril's recipe for mustard crusted rack of lamb. The lamb turned out really well and had a great flavor. The lamb was perfectly cooked on the outside, but the middle was more rare than medium rare. This worked out fine since it was more than Van and I could eat and after we reheat the leftovers they will be fine.

To accompany the lamb, I made Chef Charlie Palmer's Potato and Parsnip Gratin and sauteed broccoli with garlic and red pepper flakes. The gratin was sooo yummy. This was the first time that I have made a gratin from scratch and it was the ultimate comfort food. I splurged and purchased a really expensive Gruyère to use in the dish and I think it really took the dish to the next level.

Browning the Lamb

Lamb before adding the Mustard and Breadcrumbs

Potato and Parsnip Gratin Before Baking

Gratin after Baking

Lamb after Baking

IOTW - Pumpkin

2010-10-31T19:25:00.003-04:00

In honor of Halloween, I thought I would focus on pumpkin. There are many great ways to use pumpkin in the kitchen. It is wonderful in desserts such as cakes and cookies and can be used in a variety of other dishes like pasta, soups and scones. Pumpkin is high in lots of vitamins and minerals including: vitamin A, vitamin K and iron.

Every year since I was little, my family has made pumpkin cookies to celebrate Halloween. I have posted about these cookies a few times, but I don't think that I have ever posted the recipe. So here is my recipe for great pumpkin cookies:

Ingredients: (Warning: this recipe is doubled and will make around 3 dozen cookies)
6 cups flour
2 cups oats2 tsp baking soda2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (or use 1 tsp allspice, 1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp nutmeg)
2 cups butter2 cups brown sugar2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups raisins
2 cups solid packed pumpkin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a very large bowl cream the butter then add the sugar and eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the pumpkin. (Waring: Do not use an electric hand mixer to mix the dough is very thick). Fold in the raisins.

Drop onto a greased baking sheet in the shape of pumpkins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cookies and decorate.

I normally frost about half the cookies and leave the other half un-frosted. To help set the frosted cookies, I place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 or 15 minutes. These cookies also keep really well in a freezer.

Delicious Dinner Thanks to Food and Wine

2010-10-11T21:26:00.002-04:00

The best part of having a three-day weekend is more time for cooking! Tonight I made the Creamy Chicken-and-Mushroom Fricassee from Food and Wine. The recipe was really easy to make and turned out really well. This is definitely a recipe that I will be making again.

Seasoned Chicken Ready for the Oven

Onions and Mushrooms

The Benefits of Cooking With Wine
Roasted Chicken

Simmering the Chicken

Dinner is Served

Thanks

Yummy Apple Bread

2010-10-10T12:04:00.006-04:00

It's officially Fall and to celebrate the season I made a delicious apple bread from Southern Living. This bread was so rich, it was practically a dessert! Of course, that was probably the reason that Van liked it so much.

I substituted walnuts for pecans since I already had those in the pantry. I also added two teaspoons of cinnamon to give it a little more flavor. The Southern Living recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, divided
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup walnuts in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted, check after 4 minutes.

2. Beat sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and toasted walnuts. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts; lightly press into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Helpful How-To - Chicken

2010-09-28T21:19:00.009-04:00

Many people, myself included, have felt a little intimidated and grossed out about preparing a whole chicken. I have discovered that it is actually a great way to make chicken and that it is really easy. Usually, a whole chicken costs less per pound and will provide plenty of leftovers that can be used throughout the week - which is great if you are really busy or trying to save money!

Here are some helpful how-to's to roasting a chicken at home.

First, pick up a whole chicken at the grocery store or Farmers Market. This chicken was on sale for $1.29 per pound at Whole Foods this weekend.

I think it is really helpful to gather everything you need before you get started - roasting pan, seasonings, small bowls, chicken. I like to set the roasting pan next to the sink so I don't drip anything on the counter.

Unwrap the chicken and then check the cavity and pull out the packet or any of the organs. These can be cooked or you can get rid of them.

Then clean and rise the chicken. Pull out any remnants of feathers and cut off any excess fat. (It doesn't have to be perfect - Just do what you can!) Then rise the chicken under running water in the sink. Place on the roasting pan and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.

Now it is time to season the chicken. In order to avoid cross contamination, I separately prepare the seasoning in small containers. I add salt and pepper to one small bowl and herbs and garlic in another. I also cut a lemon in half.

Use the salt and pepper to season the cavity. Sprinkle it around the sides of the cavity and rub it in so it looks like the picture below.

Then begin seasoning the outside with the herb mixture. I use 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped with thyme and parsley. If I have fresh herbs, I will use those and if not I will use dried. I have also used a variety of herbs including basil, rosemary, oregano depending upon what I have on-hand. If you don't feel comfortable coming up with your own mixture, I would recommend taking a look at other recipes for ideas.

Coat the outside of the chicken with the herb mixture and then start by the top of the cavity and gently pull apart the skin over the breast. There will be two separate pockets and it should easily separate from the meat. Add the garlic and herbs under the skin. This really helps flavor the meat. Place the lemon halves into the cavity.

Smear a little bit of butter (less than one table spoon) on the outside of the skin to help crisp and add a little more salt and pepper to the skin. Tie the legs together by wrapping butchers twine around each leg and place in a 400 degree oven for one hour. Tying the legs together helps the chicken cook evenly.

Keep an eye on the chicken and cover with aluminum foil if it begins to get too brown. I usually do this about half-way through the cooking time. Check the temperature of the chicken with a cooking thermometer. The inside temperature should reach 160 degrees. Let the chicken rest before serving.

(My final chicken)

(Photo of Tyler Florence's Chicken from Food Network)

A Bushel Of ...

2010-09-20T23:03:00.003-04:00

Aside from a little confusion about a bushel of apples versus a bushel of crabs, our first annual crab feast was AWESOME! We got 8 of our friends together, ordered a bushel of crabs (about 70 crabs) and spent the afternoon on our deck eating as much as possible. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon and it was all thanks to my husband's brilliant idea!

Crab Apples

About Halfway There

Drink of the Day

This Week is Brought to You By...

2010-08-31T23:04:00.005-04:00

...OPI No Spain No Gain. I love it when I can coordinate my nail polish with my life.

This polish is actually the most delicious wine shade and will be one of my go-to colors for fall.

IOTW: 8-Ball Squash

2010-08-19T22:50:00.005-04:00

I saw these cute 8-Ball Squash at Whole Foods last weekend and couldn't resist. They were locally grown and really inexpensive. The 8-Ball Squash taste like zucchini , but are maybe a little sweeter. I sliced and sauteed them with oregano, thyme and parsley as a side for dinner this week. They would also be great stuffed with rice and other veggies.

A-MAZE-D

2010-08-19T22:24:00.003-04:00

I made a quick trip to NYC on Monday to do a site visit for an upcoming event and had the opportunity to try Gordon Ramsay's Maze. The reviews on Yelp were mixed so I wasn't sure what to expect.

The portions were definitely small so my coworker and I decided to do the three course prix fixe option. Everything was delicious except for the sea salt ice cream - that was something I could live without. The service was wonderful albeit a little slow. Overall, a great meal.

Pan fried Tasmanian ocean trout with butternut squash gnocchi
with brown butter vinaigrette

Roasted chicken breast with spring morels
pickled ramps, new potatoes, fiddlehead ferns and thyme jus

Chocolate fondant
green cardamom caramel, sea salt and almond ice cream

Something New - Ingredient Of The Week (IOTW)

2010-08-10T22:12:00.008-04:00

One of my recent goals is to make more time in my life to cook and explore new recipes. To help encourage my creativity in the kitchen, I am going to be featuring a new ingredient of the week (IOTW). Hopefully, this will help encourage others to try something new to spice up their kitchen routine.

The IOTW for this week is ..... Fromage Blanc!
I'm sure that you are probably wondering what is fromage blanc. Well, I was wondering the exact same thing when I found it in one of the recipes in my Williams Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking book.

After a bit of research, I learned that fromage blanc is a soft, creamy cheese that has fewer calories and less cholesterol than cream cheese. Thus, the "healthy" part. I was able to find fromage blanc at Whole Foods in the cooler section next to the creme fraiche.

Fromage blanc is a really tasty substitute for sour cream and would be a yummy spread on crackers or on top of a baked potato. The recipe in the Williams Sonoma cookbook creates creates a delicious topping for red potatoes mixing fresh chives, basil and parsley with fromage blanc.

Cookbook Love

2010-07-29T21:11:00.004-04:00

I have always loved cookbooks, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed trying to find one that I will actually use on a regular basis. This summer I got lucky and found two absolute must-haves - Williams Sonoma Farmers' Market and Essentials of Healthful Cooking.

I find that I often get carried away eating out or just not eating well and that I forget about things like vegetables. These cookbooks have lots of great veggie options and just plain delicious food.
What I love about the Farmers Market Cookbook is the dedicated page for each fruit or veggie, instructions for how to pick them and ingredient specific recipes. Wondering how to pick asparagus or what to do with the 12 zucchini you just picked from your garden? This cookbook is for you.

What I love about the Essentials of Healthful Cooking book is the variety of recipes, nutritional information and calories for each dish, and lots of tips and techniques.

Fourth of July + Cupcakes

2010-07-12T22:18:00.004-04:00

I am a firm believer that nothing screams holiday like cupcakes! For July 4 I made Hershey's perfectly chocolate cakes with homemade butter-cream frosting. YUM!

Sunday Brunch

2010-04-04T16:29:00.003-04:00

I decided to do something special for Easter and make eggs benedict from scratch. I have never attempted to poach eggs, let alone make my own hollandaise sauce. I looked at several difference recipes and decided to use a Tyler Florence version I found on Food Network. I used whole wheat English muffins from Whole Foods and smoked salmon instead of Canadian bacon.

This recipe was a total success. I managed to get everything ready at the same time and not ruin the sauce. It was great! Even Van, who typically doesn't like egg dishes, thought it was good.

Sunny Day and Sweet Tea Vodka

2010-04-03T19:35:00.002-04:00

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the wonderfulness that is Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, I highly encourage you to check it out. In my personal opinion, the best way to drink Firefly is to make a spiked Arnold Palmer. Pour one part Firefly and one part lemonade over ice. Garnish lemon slices and enjoy! It is the perfect drink for any sunny afternoon and is my go-to drink for summer.

The Best Thing About DC in the Spring

2010-04-01T21:15:00.005-04:00

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and so were the cherry blossoms. What a perfect way to spend my lunch.

After Sun Skin Savers

2010-03-29T21:47:00.003-04:00

After our adventure in Mexico and the not-so-successful SPF 55, my skin was in need of some serious TLC. As soon as I got home I turned to my favorite after-sun skin savers. I figured with spring break and summer on the way it was the perfect time to share.

First, is Alba's Kona Coffee After-Sun Lotion. It is loaded with EGCG help neutralize free radical damage and smells so much better than that green aloe gel stuff. If you love coffee, it will really make you feel better.
I also recommend Alba's Sugar Cane Body Scrub to help exfoliate peeling skin. Again, it smells amazing and is gentle, but still effective.

What I Did on My Vacation

2010-03-24T22:33:00.003-04:00

I wouldn't consider myself to be a brave person. I'm scared of lots of things like heights, flying, roller coasters (don't laugh) and absolutely frightened of snakes.

Van is always the first to try everything and being with him has helped me get over my fears and experience life. So when we had the opportunity to have our picture taken with a snake on our vacation, I volunteered.

Thankfully, I only had one little freak out before they gave me the python. As you can see, I'm actually smiling.

Spring Kate Spade Love

2010-03-01T22:30:00.002-05:00

Maybe it was the 20 feet of snow in DC, but I am dying for Spring. Since Van bought me a new Kate for Christmas, I am on probation for a while. Thankfully, I can still dream.

There were so many cute things for Spring that I couldn't resist putting together a grouping of all the things I would buy on an unlimited budget. I am really loving all the navy and white this season.

Spring Kate Spade Love by ktl featuring kate spade jewelry

Items in this set:
in a nut shell idiom bangle at kate spade, $125
hanover billie at kate spade, $395
Neptune Avenue Stevie, $295
view all at kate spade, $170
SWEET AS PIE CLUSTER BRACELET, $125

Orange Cake

2010-02-15T20:23:00.005-05:00

During my great blizzard baking extravaganza last week, I made this orange cake for Van. I only had one orange in the house so I topped off the fresh squeezed juice with regular orange juice. I also just used the zest of one orange.

The recipe only made enough for one cake, but in the future I would double it and make a frosted layer cake. This would also be nice change of pace from the usual chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.

Ready for the Oven

The finished product with Hagen Dazs Peach Sorbet.

Just in Time for Chinese New Year

2010-02-11T23:48:00.003-05:00

Just in time for Chinese New Year, OPI launched its 2010 spring / summer collection Hong Kong. Admittedly, most of the colors I wouldn't wear. The green and blue don't exactly scream professional, but Red My Fortune Cookie is perfect.

My Snow Storm Diet

2010-02-10T22:13:00.003-05:00

Since the great snowpocalypse started, I have been on a mission to use a lot of the items we've had in the freezer and pantry. Let's face it there's nothing like fresh baked goods on a cold winter day.

First, on the snowpocalypse diet was banana bread. I have been using this recipe consistently and always have the best results. Sometimes I add a quarter cup of chopped walnuts if we have them on hand.

Next, I made Paula Deen's Garlic Cheese Biscuits. I used bisquick instead of the Paula Deen biscuit mix. The biscuits still turned out very well and were buttery deliciousness. Seriously, Paula is the queen of comfort food and they were a great compliment to the shrimp chowder Van picked up for lunch.

Then I made brownies from scratch using this recipe. This was the first time that I have attempted to make brownies without a mix and I was pretty pleased with the result. They weren't overly sweet and were really cakey. I especially liked them with the Ben and Jerry's S'mores ice cream Van picked out.

I'm really hoping the snow ends soon. My snowpocalypse diet isn't exactly helping on the weight loss front.

Domestic Diva

2009-11-10T20:42:00.004-05:00

I took a few days off work to rest and recoup after our big event. I have really loved my time off. After catching up on all of the housework, I was able to spend some time working on some holiday craft projects. I am really excited for our first Christmas in our house.

A few years ago, I purchased all the materials to make the Martha Stewart jingle bell wreath. I finally put everything together and I am pleased with the results. Now all I have to do is find a place to hang it!

This is the first year that we are going to get a Christmas tree for our house. I attempted to paint these clear ornaments. I think I have finally figured out the proper technique, but they didn't turn out too badly for a first try.

Thanks, Giada!

2009-11-10T17:50:00.004-05:00

I made Giada's Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio and Seafood from the Everyday Pasta cookbook last weekend. It was awesome and as you can tell it made way more than Van and I could eat in one sitting. I substituted fresh baby spinach for the arugula, but otherwise kept everything the same. I will definitely make this again.

Another Reason I Love Target

2009-10-04T23:05:00.002-04:00

I found these cute little lanterns at Target today in the special seasonal /dollar section. I added a tealight candle in each one and they have a spooky little glow. They will be perfect on our front steps for trick-or-treat. Of course, the best part is that I can use them again next year!

After Months of Searching...

2009-06-15T22:19:00.003-04:00

After months of searching for drapes for our living room, we found this fabric online over the weekend. I hope that we still like it when we see it in-person. Now I just have to get a sewing machine so I can actually make the curtains - baby steps!

Friday Night Lights

2009-06-08T23:12:00.004-04:00

We went to Coastal Flats last Friday for drinks and we were surprised with a fabulous view of fireworks. What a good way to unwind from a stressful week!

Pool Days

2009-06-02T22:57:00.004-04:00

It's officially summer in DC. It was like 90 degrees and humid today. Welcome to summer! At least I was able to enjoy one of the best things about our new house -- the pool!

I made my first official visit to our community pool last Sunday and it was the perfect way to start my summer!

Blog Backlog

2009-05-28T21:49:00.005-04:00

Two weeks ago, I made a quick day-trip to NYC for work. I had two free hours before I had to catch the train home. How best to use my free time? A quick stop for cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery and dinner at Les Halles.

Escargot - OMG so good!!

Chicken Sandwich and Frites

Cupcakes - My Favorite!

My Horizontal Life

2009-04-16T23:30:00.003-04:00

It's been a seriously hectic couple of months so I was looking for a funny, light book to read on my flight out to LA last week. I picked up Chelsea Handler's book, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, and I was seriously laughing out loud on the plane.

The book started a little weird and I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it, but by the middle of the book I was rolling. I was honestly trying not to be that weird girl on the plane laughing uncontrollably at some stupid book. There were definitely times that my efforts were totally fruitless.

Always the optimist, I realized that I will probably never see those people again and it was totally worth it to be so thoroughly entertained on my long flight to LA.

Redecorating

2009-04-14T21:58:00.002-04:00

I know that I have been gone a long time, but there was a lot going on. I needed time to adjust to the new job, new house and being a newlywed. Now that things are settling down and I've had some time to figure out my new life, I'm ready to write. I decided to start back up with a clean slate and a cleaner look.

Happy Homeowners!

2009-02-02T22:04:00.003-05:00

We closed on our house last Friday. YIPPEE! Everything went so smoothly. It is such a relief to have that part finally over and now the fun begins....moving! Yuck. At least we won't have to do that again for a long, long time.

Mexican Lasagna

2009-01-26T20:28:00.006-05:00

I made this Mexican Lasagna by Rachael Ray for dinner yesterday and it was a big hit. The dish was well flavored and wasn't too spicy. Although, it would be really easy to add more heat.

I did make my usual substitutions and used 2 percent cheese and low-fat sour cream. I also added chopped fresh tomatoes (they were as fresh as you can get this time of year) and black olives.

The best part of this dish was definitely that the left-overs were really good. Van and I both had it for lunch today and there was still enough left for dinner tonight. It is so nice to start the week without worrying about what to cook for dinner.

Progress

2009-01-18T22:27:00.004-05:00

Only 10 days until we close on our house! Yippee!!

I'm on a mission to get as much packed as possible. Thankfully, I've got quite the pile of boxes going in our living room.

As much as I hate moving, I am really happy that this will be the last time we are moving for a long, long time.

Happy Faces for Our House

2009-01-08T20:01:00.002-05:00

We had our home inspection on Tuesday and passed with flying colors! We are so relieved to know that there aren't any issues with the house. The current owner has taken amazing care of the place and made some really nice improvements. Of course, the kitchen is huge!

I can't wait to get moved in and get the place settled. It will be so nice to finally unpack all of our wedding gifts and have room for all of our stuff. Most importantly, it will be so nice to finally have room to have our friends and family visit. Not mention how fun it is going to be to decorate!

Resolutions

2009-01-04T18:33:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to only make one resolution this year - be a better blogger!

The last two months brought some major life changes for Van and I. I'm hoping that 2009 will be a time for us to enjoy some of the changes we made in 2008.

After much searching, we finally found a house and we are set to close on Jan. 30! Well, it's actually a townhouse, but it is more than twice the size of our little one-bedroom apartment. We have been very busy finalizing all of the details that come with purchasing a home - securing a mortgage, completing the home inspection, etc. I've also been busy trying to clean and organize our apartment and start packing. I'm really proud of myself because I have already taken six bags of stuff to Goodwill. Which I think is a big accomplishment for a true pack-rat.

Paula Deen Dinner Night

2008-11-11T20:43:00.004-05:00

Okay. I love Paula Deen. She is the grandmother that everyone wants. (I still heart you too Nana) I love watching her shows on Food Network. She just seems like so much fun be around. I usually try to avoid her recipes because of the butter/fat content. Not that I am the healthiest eater in the world, but I do try to avoid recipes that feature butter as the primary ingredient.

Last Sunday, I splurged and had Paula Deen dinner night. I made Chef Jack's Corn Chowder and Paula's Garlic Cheese Biscuits. I did make several attempts to try to make the recipes a little better. I used fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth instead of regular and fat-free half and half instead of regular. I also substituded heart smart bisquick and cheddar made from 2 percent milk in the biscuits. Everything was worth the effort and the result was true comfort food. Van especially liked the biscuits and they were super easy to make. Both recipes ended up being keepers.

House Hunting

2008-11-08T22:09:00.003-05:00

As much as I love my HGTV, I have to admit I hate trying to find a house in Northern Virginia. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I had no idea how stressful this whole entire process would be. We have spent countless hours looking at all types of houses in all of the different suburbs in our area. I feel like we are being realistic about what we can afford. We're obviously not trying to find a place one block from the metro with all the bells and whistles for $300,000. Although, we would be ecstatic if that did exist. Maybe today will be the day...

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T19:50:00.003-04:00

Since it's October, I had to make Great Pumpkin Cookies. This year, I invited my friend to bring her daughter over to help decorate. We all had a blast and managed to keep the icing mostly on the cookies.

Great Pumpkin Cookie

Van Noticing My Cookie Sitting on the Table

My Great Pumpkin Cookie After Van

YIPPEE!!!

2008-10-31T19:48:00.001-04:00

My computer is finally fixed. I'm so glad to have it back!

Still Here

2008-10-21T17:01:00.002-04:00

I haven't disappeared again. Unfortunately, my laptop decided to stop working. Boo! I'm hoping that it will be fixed soon and I will be able to catch up on my blogging. There are so many exciting things happening - we're trying to find a house, I made great pumpkin cookies and we got our wedding pics back from our photographer - I can't wait to fill everyone in.

Thursday Thirteen - Debate Watching

2008-10-02T21:59:00.004-04:00

Thirteen Thoughts While Watching the Debate

1. Did everyone miss government class in school?

2. I'm really glad that I bought wine tonight.

3. I think that there should be a moratorium on the word maverick.

4. The real-time poll on CNN is a nice addition.

5. Sarah Palin's highlights are really nice.

6. I can't believe that Palin wants to strengthen the No Child Left Behind Act because it's worked oh so well.

7. Why can't we be friends?

8. Candidates aren't comedians.

9. It looked like Biden had a little Botox.

10. Does anyone really win?

11. At the end of the day, we aren't we just stuck with politicians.

12. Dear CNN, do we really need an hour and twenty minutes of post-debate analysis?

13. The best thing I've seen so far tonight is the preview for Religulous.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Back Home

2008-09-30T21:49:00.005-04:00

We're back from our last wedding event, our reception in Ohio. We had a wonderful time visiting with family and had a great turn-out. The slideshow I made was a big hit and was worth all the time I spent putting it together.

Thankfully, I started to finally feel better right before we left, but I, of course, managed to get Van sick. Unfortunately, he's still not feeling better. (Although, in our tiny apartment there wasn't much hope of not spreading my germs.) I've been trying my best to help him feel better, but it's just going to have to run its course.

I'm a little sad that it's all over. I'm going to miss my dress, being with our friends and family, and of course -- the tiara! The good thing, though, is that now that it's over we have the pictures to look forward too!!! Our fabulous photographers sent us a sneak preview of the some of the pictures so we could include them in the slideshow for the Ohio reception. The pictures Don and Lindsay sent were amazing and we couldn't be happier. Now we can't wait to see the rest.

Here's the slideshow from our Ohio reception - featuring the work of the extremely talented Don and Lindsay Mears-

Sickies

2008-09-21T16:44:00.002-04:00

Between all the hustle and bustle of the last month and the season change, I manged to get sick. Yuck! I was feeling pretty miserable yesterday. I spent the day sleeping, coughing and being cranky. Van was the perfect hubby and made soup for me and made sure that I was drinking lots of water. I was so bad that I even fell asleep watching the LSU / Auburn game. And that was a really exciting game.

Thankfully, I'm feeling better today and I'm hoping that by tomorrow I will be back to normal. The silver lining was that I was able to sit still and work on thank you notes and the slideshow for the reception in Ohio next weekend. I will put the link to the slideshow on the blog as soon as it's finished.

Happiness

2008-09-15T19:57:00.005-04:00

If you didn't get the hint from my decor, I have quite the sweet tooth. So for me, one of the best things about our wedding was our fabulous cake! We loved the yellow cake with lemon curd and raspberry filling at Jean Jacques Bakery so much that we got it for all four layers. As luck would have it, we ended up having plenty of cake left after the wedding.

The wonderful thing about Jean Jacques is that they give couples a gift certificate for a free cake on their 1st anniversary so there isn't any reason at all to try to save the top tier in the freezer for a whole year. Which, let's be honest, creeps me out. Anyway... since there wasn't anything holding us back we have been sneaking small slices every few days. Each and every slice brings back happy memories.

Fall, Football and Food

2008-09-11T21:36:00.004-04:00

The summer flew by with a storm of wedding activities and now that everything is over I have landed right at the start of my favorite season. I love Fall. I live for the football games, holidays, spices, cooler weather, sweaters and comfort foods that come with this time of year.

During the summer, it often seems unbearable to stand in front of the hot stove as you spend hours working on a dish. In the Fall, the warmth of the stove or oven seems like a cozy place to spend a Saturday. Last weekend, I completely indulged myself by watching the Ohio State game and cooking a fabulous chicken.

I decided to start working my way through the new cookbooks we received as wedding gifts. I picked up Kylie Kwong’s Simple Chinese Cooking and found the soy sauce chicken recipe. Using light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, spring onions, orange peel and cinnamon, I made a stock that I used to cook a 3 lb free-range chicken.

The slow-cooking process (3 hours) made the chicken extremely tender and flavorful. Not too mention how fabulous our kitchen smelled as the stock simmered away. The stock was awesome on our jasmine rice and all together it was an excellent meal. I even attempted to chop the chicken in the Chinese-style demonstrated in the book. I definitely need more practice, but it wasn’t bad for a first try.

I definitely earned the good wife award for this dish so it comes highly recommended.

The Assembled Stock

My Attempt at Chopping the Chicken Chinese-Style

Now That I Have My Mrs. Degree

2008-09-08T19:56:00.004-04:00

I know that I have been MIA. I took a bit of a sabbatical while I was out earning my Mrs. All of our hard work paid off and we had a gorgeous wedding. I know, I'm a bit bias. We both agreed that the day couldn't have gone better. Now that we are back from our honeymoon and everything has settled down, I am planning on getting back to my blogging routine.

Superficialious

2008-07-22T22:47:00.003-04:00

I recently discovered Polyvore, a site that lets you build collages from items found in stores online. This site is a shoppers heaven and I have to admit - superbly superficial. I love it. You can add items that you already own and mix and match with new items from other stores. Check out how cute this sequin chiffon top from Charlotte Russe looks with my Sass and Bide jeans.

Coq au Vin

2008-07-20T20:19:00.003-04:00

My extremely generous bridesmaids gave me a beautiful Le Creuset French Oven at my bridal shower and I have been dying to test it out. Yesterday, I made Coq au Vin for dinner. The chicken was perfectly cooked and delicious. The left-over wine wasn't bad either!

My Favorite Kind of Promotion

2008-07-11T09:29:00.002-04:00

M&Ms is launching a new line of ice cream treats and to get the word out they were giving away free icecream bars by my office yesterday. I was lucky and snagged one before they ran out. I have to admit that it tasted pretty darn good, but then again, who doesn't love free icecream on a summer day?

Thursday Thirteen - My Never-Ending Wedding List

2008-07-10T22:56:00.004-04:00

Thirteen Things on my never-ending Wedding To Do List...

1. Print Menu Cards

2. Order Favors

3. Re-Order my Shoes

4. Book Plane Tickets for Ohio Reception

5. Write Thank You Notes

6. Finalize Cocktail Hour Selections

7. Create the Programs for the Ceremony

8. Select the Readings for the Ceremony

9. Finish the Swizzle Sticks

10. Update the Wedding Weekend Schedule

11. Complete Updates to Wedding Web Site

12. Order Bags for Out-of-Town Guests

13. Assemble Out-of-Town Guest Bags

My Shower!

2008-06-15T22:46:00.007-04:00

What a lucky bride I am! My shower was amazing and I was completely spoiled. My bridesmaids surprised me with beautiful centerpieces with my name, a recipe collection from all my friends and family, and lots of cupcakes! It was the perfect day with family and friends.

The restaurant where we had the shower.

The super-cute centerpieces.

All my swag - seriously, I must have been an extra-nice bride-to-be!

The cupcake tree!!

I Might Have Crossed a Line

2008-06-03T21:47:00.008-04:00

I'm pretty sure I crossed that line and I'm now officially a Bridezilla. I couldn't be content to just put regular bottles of water in our out-of-town guest bags, I just had to replace each label with my own wedding design. (I know, I have problems.)

I have to admit they look pretty cute and my boss liked them so much she asked me to make some for her son's wedding in June.

The Perfect Shower Dress

2008-06-02T21:21:00.004-04:00

Oh, how I heart J. Crew! I bought this beautiful blue dress to wear to my Bridal Tea Shower this Saturday. I can't wait to wear it!

Pool Days

2008-05-26T20:18:00.002-04:00

The pool at our apartment building opened this weekend and the weather couldn't have been more perfectly. I slathered on the sunscreen (SPF 45 - no one likes to burn) and headed down to the pool. Thankfully, my new J Crew swimsuit arrived just in time.

Armed with my iPod and magazines, I was ready to chill. I settled in on one of the empty lounge chairs and basked in the sun. I love the way the sun feels on your skin and the smell of suncreen. I let my mind drift as I listened to Kenny Chesney.

It was the perfect afternoon.

Busy Baker

2008-05-24T15:56:00.003-04:00

Nothing says summer like pineapple cupcakes! Yum!

Thursday Thirteen

2008-05-22T19:45:00.002-04:00

Thirteen Things about I'll be Doing this Weekend

1. Spending Time with Van

2. Playing Tennis

3. Catching up on my Laundry

4. Cleaning the Apartment

5. Sitting by the Pool

6. Shopping for Wedding Shoes

7. Going to the Grocery Store

8. Baking

9. Sleeping In

10. Finishing so Wedding To-Do's

11. Finalizing the Plans for my Mom's Trip to DC

12. Mailing the Last of my Thank You Notes

13. Playing Wii - Of Course!!!

It's the Best Christmas EVER!!!!

2008-05-19T21:16:00.002-04:00

Yes, Van and I are the proud owners of a brand new Wii. And --- It only took us calling every store in the DC metro area every single day for an entire week. Now that we have it, it was so worth the effort.

Van went to Toys R Us as soon as the store opened Sunday to snatch one up off their latest shipment. Of course we couldn't just get the Wii, we also purchased an extra controller (I have to play too), Mario Cart - with steering wheel, and a charging station. Four hundred dollars later, we were in Wii Heaven.

Seriously, I love it. I think that its great. I could play everyday. Of course the best part of the whole day was beating Van at golf.

My Latest Guilty Pleasure

2008-05-14T09:29:00.001-04:00

I was searching online for a return address stamp for the wedding invitations and I found this fabulous blog, The Preppy Wedding. Seriously, I could read it for days.

I know that most people could care less, but with my wedding less than 4 months away I found this blog to be wealth of fabulous resources. I just love the look and feel of the site. I’m hoping that my wedding will be as just as classy and elegant.

Chicago

2008-05-10T13:39:00.007-04:00

What do you do with 24 hours in Chicago?

Eat - of course!

I made a quick trip to Chicago for work last week. Thankfully, I had a few hours to walk around Michigan Ave and grab dinner with my friend, Rory.

Salad and Strawberry Lemonade - Not a bad start!

Okay, I didn't actually have one of these, but boy did I want one!

Rory didn't quite pull his weight on this one!

Of course, I couldn't leave Chicago without...

Regret

2008-05-05T23:34:00.001-04:00

Regret is:

2 Glasses of Red Wine

8 Rum and Cokes

1 Tequila Shot

My Favorite Day!

2008-04-29T22:34:00.002-04:00

It's Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day! Hooray!

Michelle and I visited the Ben & Jerry's store in Dupont Circle today to get our own free scoop. Of course, it was so hard to choose just one!

Whew!

2008-04-24T09:49:00.002-04:00

Our annual meeting is finally over! Yippee! I am so glad to get my life back. I know that haven't been a frequent blogger of late, but it was a seemingly impossible task between 12-hour work days, wedding planning and tennis lessons. Now that I am back to regular work hours I can finally start catching up with all my blogging friends!

Thursday Thirteen - Sick Edition

2008-03-06T20:15:00.004-05:00

I finally caught the nasty virus that has been going around our office. Here are my thirteen Thursday thoughts on my week.

1. I went to the doctor twice this week.

2. I think the pharmacists at Target have seen me more than their families this week.
3. Robitussin tastes yucky.
4. I'm tired of eating soup.
5. Ice cream really does make your throat feel better.
6. I'm on my third bottle of musinex.
7. I have given up on being able to breathe through my nose.
8. I am finally starting to get my voice back.

9. Our living room has turned into germ central.
10. I have used Lysol on every surface of our apartment multiple times.
11. My headache finally ceased.

12. My last couple of days can be summed up in three words sleeping, coughing and eating.
13. I'm sick of being sick.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I'm Done Being a Recluse

2008-02-20T09:16:00.005-05:00

Let's just say 2008 wasn't off to the best start. Below is a quick summary to catch up.

We were hit by another car while driving on 495. (We are both fine)
Van has been without his car for almost 1 month.
He finally was able to get a rental car about 2 weeks ago.
So far the damage to Van's car is more that $10,000. (Thank goodness for insurance)
Van switched jobs but is still stuck resolving some issues from the last job.
We had a weekend of nonstop fighting which ended up being the result of pent-up stress.
I have a new supervisor at work.
I'm in the middle of our busiest season at work.
After three trips to Staples and about 8 attempts, we finally mailed the save the dates.
I'm out one very cute, very new shoe. (More on that later)

Thankfully, things are turning around. Van's new job is going really well, my new supervisor is very nice, van should get his car back in early March and we have more than made up for any fighting.

What does your registry say about you?

2008-01-16T09:34:00.000-05:00

Van and I have been spending a lot of time lately building our wedding registry. We have spent many hours debating the merit of certain brands of toasters, blenders, knives and cookware to select the exact items we want most. We have also been worried about what certain items would say to our guests. For instance:

Vacu Vin Wine Saver - I start things that I don't finish.

Vacu Vin Wine Saver Extra Stoppers - Maybe I start a lot of things I don't finish.

Simple Chinese Cooking a Cookbook by Kylie Kwong - I'm trying to impress my soon-to-be-mother-in-law

Black and Decker 6-Volt Cordless Screwdriver - Van must have been working on the registry that day.

20 Pieces of Lock&Lock Airtight Storage Containers - We love Lock&Lock!

Glass Pitcher, Glass Vases and Glass Canisters - Van is putting way too much trust in me not to break something.

Culinary Torch - Clearly, I am asking for trouble.

Blue Dessert Knife - We eat enough cakes, brownies and can't leave alone bars to warrant getting a special knife.

Metrokane Rabbit Corkscrew - I apparently need to get into my wine faster.

No Cell Phone=No Shopping

2008-01-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I decided to take a short walk around the area by my office during my lunch hour and as I often do, I called my dad to chat. I usually walk and talk, occasionally stopping in a store if something catches my attention. I’m not a super spender, but there are times when I do purchase items during those little “walk and talks.”

Today I started my walk on Connecticut heading up toward Dupont Circle. I stopped in the Gap to check out the new spring merchandise and wandered around there for a bit before moving on.

Still on my phone, I decided to stop in a little shop just South of Dupont Circle. It’s a cute little store that sells books, novelties, accessories and clothing. The store was fairly empty. There was maybe one other customer and two sales women. I started looking at the books when I felt a tap on the shoulder. It was one of the saleswomen informing me that the store has a no cell phone policy.

I promptly left and finished my conversation all the while feeling kind of irked. I decided to return to the store to inquire about the policy. I entered the still empty store and approached the sales counter.

“I didn’t realize that there was a no cell phone policy in the store,” I said to the saleswoman. “If I had known I wouldn’t have come in and I wish that there would have been something clearly marked on the door that I would have seen before I came in.”

The saleswoman started explaining that there wasn’t a lot of space and there was notice posted near the door and that she appreciated that I had respected the policy.

I said that I understood but that I would probably not visit the store again and left.

I admittedly have a whole third-grader-have-to-please-can’t-do-anything-wrong issue. I truly felt like I was being chastised. I wasn’t screaming on the phone, laughing hysterically or being a disturbance. There wasn’t anyone around me at all.

I think that I would have felt differently about the situation if the saleswoman would have taken a different approach. She could have waited until I was off the phone and just said something like “I just wanted to let you know for the next time that you visit that we have a no cell phone policy” instead of pouncing on me as soon as I entered the store, especially since the store wasn’t crowded.

I completely agree with having a no cell phone policy at the movie theater or in a spa. I would even go along with having one at an extremely high-end store like Vera Wang or Hermes. If you are about to blow $1000 on one item of clothing you should have all the quiet you need. Having a no cell phone policy at a little gift boutique seems pretentious to me. What if you are in the middle of trying on clothes or waiting to pay when your babysitter calls about your kids? Do you pick up the phone and stay in the store defiantly? Do you drop every potential purchase and accept the call once you are outside the door of the store?

Maybe I have strayed too far from etiquette, taking for granted my right to talk on the phone or even overacting. What do you think? Would you shop at a similar store if you knew they had a no cell phone policy? Especially one so diligent about enforcing the policy? Maybe it all depends on whether you were already on the phone or not.

Oh, I Sure Did!

2008-01-08T09:57:00.000-05:00

Yup, I wore flip flops on my way to work today. I don't care what month it is, if it is 71 degrees it's time to wear flip flops. Thankfully my pedi still looks great!

Deception

2008-01-07T13:37:00.000-05:00

If I didn't know better I would think it was Spring. The warm sun, cheerful mood, bright skies and everyone milling around sans coat. It doesn't seem quite fair that in a few days we'll be back to the cold, chilly winds and gray winter days. What a perfect day to enjoy the moment.

A Little Beach Break

2008-01-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm finally back from all of my holiday excursions. Van and I had a blast on our cruise to the Bahamas. The weather was simply beautiful and thankfully I didn't get a sunburn.

It wasn't quite the Love Boat...

We were finally able to get off the boat.

Beach refreshment, anyone?

Maybe if I wish hard enough I can be back on the beach.

Van conquering the rockwall.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-12-13T14:13:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Random Thursday Thoughts About What I Have Been Up To

1. I haven’t blogged in 2 weeks.
2. I started 3 different posts and never finished them.
3. I am trying to get everything organized for our two upcoming trips.
4. I am still trying to track down a Wii.
5. Seriously, I have people in 4 states looking – Ohio, New York, DC and Virginia.
6. I am also now trying to find a non-Wii gift for Van.
7. I am in the middle of finalizing the guest list for the wedding.
8. I find it remarkable the amount of addresses that I didn’t have for so many of my friends and family.
9. It’s also a little sad that people don’t write letters anymore.
10. Although I haven’t accomplished a lot in the blogging world, I have almost finished my Christmas shopping.
11. I did manage to do a little holiday decorating in our apartment.
12. I roasted the most fantastic chicken on Monday night.
13. I won my fantasy football tournament game.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen

2007-11-29T20:57:00.001-05:00

Thirteen Random Thursday Thoughts- To Catch Up on My Week

1. I am so ready for the weekend.
2. I'm really starting to feel the rush of the holiday season.
3. Here it is, Thursday night and I am so far behind on my to do list for this week.
4. I did at least complete several of my wedding to-dos in the last couple of days.
5. The ribbon for our favor boxes arrived yesterday.
6. We are now up to three boxes of wedding related materials in my living room.
7. A group of students from my alma mater are visiting DC this week.
9. They stopped at my office for a presentation.
10. Yesterday, the students and all the alum in the area met for dinner in Dupont Circle.
11. We had a great time, food was excellent and it was nice to catch up with everyone.
12. I really appreciated the opportunity to catch up with my college adviser who was supervising the trip.
13. Those types of meetings always remind me of how much DC has really become my home.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

My Thanksgiving Table

2007-11-27T09:37:00.001-05:00

I know I'm a bit late, but I really wanted to share my Thanksgiving meal. This was the first year that I was responsible the entire meal. (My mom helped tremendously.) Each dish turned out exactly as planned. There was the Thanksgiving Duck, rice, orange sauce, cranberry jelly, green beans with almonds and baked sweet potatoes with brown sugar butter. I was struggling with matching traditional sides with duck and rice. Of course the beautiful new table setting that Van bought me for my birthday made for an all-around stellar presentation!

Beat Michigan!!!

2007-11-16T09:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a little bit of The Best Damn Band in the Land to get you fired up for tomorrow's big game! Let's go Bucks!

You Can't Win All the Time

2007-11-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

Just like my Buckeyes, I lost my first game of the season last weekend. My fantasy football team lost after a 9 week winning streak.

I am pretty sure that this is just beginner's luck. I have absolutely no fantasy football or any other fantasy sports competetion experience and didn't know much about the NFL. I probably would have struggled to name 10 players. It just wasn't something that I was very interested in.

Van thought it would be a 'fun' couple activity. Fantasy football wasn't exactly my idea of quality time, but I decided to give it a try. I started the season with the goal of not ending up in last place and was extremely surprised when I kept winning week after week.

Until the last couple of weeks it was pretty smooth sailing. I had managed to recruit a quality group of players and many of them were dependable for more than 20 points per game. Then the injuries started. I lost Sammy Morris and Ronnie Brown for the entire season. Now Larry Johnson is injured.

Thankfully, I have already secured a spot in the play-offs - I'm just hoping the rest of my players can make it that long.

Happy Birthday!

2007-11-13T09:19:00.000-05:00

My "little" brother turns 22 today! Happy Birthday Adam!

8 Things

2007-11-12T19:44:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by Wendy to write about certain topics in blocks of 8. So here goes...

8 passions in my life
Van
My Family
My Friends
Baked Goods
Holidays
Chocolate
Shopping
Big 10 Football

8 things to do before I die
Get Married
Go to Italy
Travel to Vietnam
Have Kids (yes, mom, that will be after I'm married)
Learn to Speak Another Language
Own a House With a Yard
Retire
Celebrate My 100th Birthday

8 things I often say
What are you doing?
SSSTTOOOPPP!!!!
That's a Hot Mess
Love you!
Hi!
You know?
I was thinking...
How are you?

8 Books I read recently
Plenty
Digging for America
Southern Cocktails
Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen
Eat, Pray, Love
Simple Stunning Weddings
Julie and Julia
Emily Post's Guide to Wedding Etiquette

8 songs that mean something to me
My Life
Hang on Sloopy
Strong Enough
Kate
Can't Hurry Love
Baby Girl
You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl
Moving On

8 qualities I look for in a friend
Patience
Honesty
Sense of Humor
Compassion
Responsibility
Easy-Going
Forgiving
Joyful

Creepy

2007-11-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

I was given orange hot cocoa as a gift and I decided to give it a try tonight with a little marshmallow fluff. I still can't get over the color.

Another Sunny Day on the Metro

2007-11-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

About 5:10 I arrived at the Metro station in DC to hear that there were delays on the Blue line. Pretty typical so I was prepared for a slow trip home. What I wasn't prepared for was to be kicked off the train at Arlington Cemetery. Apparently, the Pentagon metro station had been shut down.

Great.

According to the NBC4 article here is what happened:

At about 4:45 p.m., the station was closed because of smoke, according to Metro officials, and trains on both the Blue and Yellow lines were stopped in both directions, causing significant delays.

Metro personnel and the Arlington County Fire Department went to the scene and extinguished the fire, officials said. By 5:10 p.m., trains were sharing a single track between the Pentagon City and Arlington Cemetery stations on the Blue Line and between the Pentagon City and L'Enfant stations on the Yellow Line.The Pentagon station reopened at about 5:30.

The smoke and fire was caused by debris on the track. It was initially reported to be an arcing insulator.

Shuttle buses will ran between the Pentagon City, Pentagon, Arlington Cemetery and L'Enfant Plaza stations during the closure.

Here is what really happened:

I got on a blue line train about 5:15. We headed to Foggy Bottom picked up passengers nothing was said about the stopping at Arlington. The train kept moving and we picked up even more passengers at Rosslyn, again nothing was said.

The train arrives at Arlington and everyone was instructed to exit the train. Around 5:25 pm, I and hundreds of other passengers exited the train. Everyone was shocked. Of all the places to be stranded, Arlington Cemetery isn't high on my list. Arlington isn't exactly a cab mecca.

Finally, the crowd managed to move toward the station exit. The station manager was announcing that shuttles were available. Not super excited about that, but what could anyone do?

I finally made it outside the station and there had to have been almost 1,000 people standing around.

Those wonderful shuttles? Apparently stuck in traffic. Unfortunately, there was no hope of Van getting there quickly with the traffic. Time for Plan C - I called a cab. My estimated wait time - 20 minutes.

About 5 minutes later they announced that the blue-line was single tracking. So I canceled the cab and followed the masses back into the station to wait. The train arrived and everyone crammed in the car. The train left the station and stopped.

Again, we waited. About 10 minutes later the train started moving and we made it to Pentagon Station. Thankfully, it was smooth sailing from there.

My total travel time - 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Things About Fall

2007-11-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

I love Fall. I can't wait to start wearing sweaters and watching the leaves change. I love the crisp air, football games and the start of the holiday season.

I picked up apple cider at the gorcery store and spent the night curled up on the couch under a blanket sipping hot apple cider while watching a football game. I don't think that it can get any better than that.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T09:33:00.000-04:00

This year I am going as BRIDEZILLA.... be very, very afraid.

Another Happy Football Weekend

2007-10-29T09:31:00.000-04:00

Ohio State won their game on Saturday!

Thursday Thirteen - Engagement Pictures are Better than School Pictures

2007-10-25T09:51:00.000-04:00

Van and I had our engagement photos taken last Sunday and the drama of deciding what to wear reminded me of picture day at school. Here are thirteen ways that engagements pictures are better than school pictures.

1. After three hours of shooting, there has to be at least a couple of good pictures.
2. Walking around downtown Richmond and Belle Island is much better than sitting on a stool in front of some cheesy backdrop.
3. The matching jean skirt and vest combo has been replaced by my Sass & Bide jeans.
4. There wasn't 20 other classmates standing in line waiting for their picture to be taken.
5. I have thoroughly out-grown the akward bang stage.
6. I have also thankfully out-grown teenage acne.
7. I now know the joys of Photoshop.
8. Instead of staring at the beautiful day outside the classroom window, we were outside enjoying it.
9. Having another person in the picture takes the pressure off.
10. I didn't have to worry about messing my clothes up at recess.
11. Let's face it Don is a much cooler photographer than any of the ones who took my school pictures.
12. It is much easier to smile with Van joking, laughing and teasing than in front of random strangers.
13. I am much more comfortable with who I am.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Apartment Craziness

2007-10-24T09:38:00.000-04:00

Our landlady sold our apartment and she is expecting to close at the end of Novemember. Amazingly enough she had no understanding of our lease and told the new owners that they only had to give us 30 days notice and we would move out. So last Saturday the new owners called to casually give us 30 days notice.

We very politely informed the new owners that it didn't work that way. The last couple of days have been spent accessing our options, consulting our realtor and lawyer, and negotiating with the new owners. Thankfully, we are lucky enough to have the resources and understanding to have options and to know that we don't have to move unless we want to.

There were many reasons that we signed a 2 year lease on our apartment. The number one reason being that we didn't want to go through the trouble of moving. We especially did not want to move after only seven months in our apartment. Van and I aren't looking for a fight and we certainly don't want to cause ill will with the new owners, but we aren't just going to move for fun. Moving is incredibly expensive and time consuming.

At this point we are still don't no what the outcome will be. I am hoping that we will have some resolution by next week so I will keep you posted.

Sweet

2007-10-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

I think that things have finally calmed down at work. I am excited to get back to my normal routine.

The Price of Paper

2007-10-10T09:27:00.001-04:00

Van and I have been on the hunt for wedding invitations and it has called into question the alarming cost of all things wedding. There was survey done in 2005 that found the average costs of weddings to be more than $26, 000. I am quite sure that it has increased over the last two years.

Sure there are many things that we are splurging on that are important to the enjoyment of ourselves and our guests. For example, the beautiful reception location, open bar and an amazing photographer. However, there are some items where we both draw the line. (I'll save the story about the DJ who wanted to charge us $1,500 for four hours of music.)

Sure, we are ordering 200 invitations complete with response cards and about 125 additional enclosure cards for the reception in Ohio. But I think it is crazy to spend $1,000 or even $800 on 200 pieces of paper.

It's not like we are being unrealistic. We aren't trying to get all the invitations professionally printed for $100. For the $500 we want to spend, we feel that we should be able to buy really nice invitations.

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by the little invitation store by my office to inquire about invitations. They quoted my $1,000 to create the invitations that we were looking for. I have spent hours (at least 15 hours) searching online only to come up with several designs we loved that were way outside our budget.

Thankfully, I am persistant and I did, last night, find a couple more options that were in our price range. We will see how they look when we get the samples. I'm hoping that we will be impressed.

I just have to wonder where it will end. If we and other couples like us continue to pay these prices they will continue to increase. Knowing what I am spending, I have to wonder what the average cost of a wedding will be in 20 years? $70,000?

Having a wedding where a couple can celebrate with family and friends shouldn't be a luxury. A nice wedding shouldn't be something that couple has to go thousands of dollars in debt to do.

Home

2007-10-04T09:25:00.000-04:00

I made a quick visit home over the weekend. There is nothing like being in Columbus on a Saturday during football season. Everywhere you look people have Ohio State shirts and jerseys on. Even the mall was a sea of scarlet.

Being so inspired, we stopped at the bookstore before dropping Adam off at his dorm. Thanks to our good shopping and Dad's credit card, we all ended up with new OSU shirts.

Money May Not Buy You Happiness, But..

2007-09-25T21:45:00.001-04:00

Things that I have learned:

1. Money may not buy you happiness.

2. It sure will buy you a really great pair of jeans.

After many failed attempts at finding the right pair of jeans (you know the ones that make your butt magically smaller and your legs as long as a super model) , I was sent to Denim Bar to seek the wisdom of the jean guru.

I walked in not sure what I was going to find. The salesperson kept bringing me jean after jean. I think that I tried on 15 pairs of jeans and I have to be honest that there were some that were so tight that I couldn't get them on. Each pair that I managed to squeeze into required that I leave the dressing room and get the opinions of everyone on staff. Not as fun as you might think.

Finally, I found them. Sass and Bide's George Dragon Boot Cut in Mid Blue. Let's just say they're magic. Of course, once found I had to have them.

(Please feel free to believe that is my flat stomach in that photo. )

Friday Date Night and One Heck of a Good Weekend

2007-09-24T09:32:00.000-04:00

How I love Van and Katie Date Night! We had a blast going to see Van's friend, Dean Fields, perform at the Iota Club. It was definitely a great way to start our weekend.

Dean played all of our old favorites and some new songs. He is thankfully working on a new CD which is good because I think everyone else is tired of me playing the other ones.

Iota is really strict about the no video/photography rules, but I found some video of Dean on YouTube. It's a little tune called Irish Bars off his first CD. Now you can all feel like you were there.

Saturday, Van and I watched our usual football games. Both Ohio State and UVA won so everyone was happy. We celebrated by watching Old School and eating ice cream sundaes. Yummy!

Help! I lost my design

2007-09-17T09:57:00.000-04:00

I lost my old design that I loved. Boo Hoo! I located the original design, but when I click on download the link is bad. I am guessing that is why the background images disappeared. If anyone out there has so ideas about how I can get my old design back, please let me know.

BAMN!

2007-09-05T09:24:00.001-04:00

I was in New York City last weekend visiting my friend, Sarah, and we happened to walk past BAMN! I was, of course, intrigued.

BAMN! was inspired by the old Automats that were extremely popular the 1930s. Automats are fast food restaurants where the food and drinks are served by inserting coins into vending machines. Automats first became popular in Europe and came to New York in 1912. As drive-thrus and today's fast food restaurants increased in popularity, Automats lost business and began to close. Automats seemed to be a lost art in the U.S. until BAMN! opened in 2006.

A little side note for you Food Network Addicts: BAMN! was featured on the Secret Life Of... Vending Machine episode.

Okay, I had to find this picture online of the place when it
wasn't packed so you could see what it looks like.

BAMN! is busy on a Saturday night.

Grilled Cheese - My Favorite!

Happy Negative One-Year Anniversary to Me

2007-08-31T09:27:00.001-04:00

The other day my brother asked what Van and I were doing to celebrate our negative one-year anniversary. I had to laugh because only he would come up with that. He said he wasn't sure what to get us. He knew is wasn't paper, linen, silver or gold. Somehow, all of the etiquette book skiped the negative anniversaries.

On this day next year Van and I will be getting hitched and I can't wait. I hope that this is the first of many wonderful anniversaries.

Thursday Thirteen - Random Thursday Thoughts

2007-08-30T09:58:00.000-04:00

Thirteen Random Thursday Thoughts

1. I finally feel like I am catching on all those things that I neglected because I was so busy this summer.
2. I started working out again.
3. I started knitting potholders this week.
4. I have been having a lot of dreams lately.
5. Last night, I dreamt that I kept getting stung by bees on my hand.
6. Dreaming about doughnuts was much more fun.
7. I am going to visit my friend Sarah in NYC tomorrow.
8. We have been in desparate need for a Sarah and Katie weekend.
9. Some how Van talked me into playing fantasy football this year.
10. All I know is that the first 2 rounds I need to pick running backs and I need to get 1 quarterback.
11. Payton Manning outscores every other quarterback in fantasy football by about 200 points.
12. I am really happy that it is Thursday.
13. I finally switched all of my contacts to my new cell phone number.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Dreaming of Doughnuts

2007-08-28T09:18:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday, I woke up threw some clothes on and headed out for my usual Sunday Me-Time. I jumped in the car and headed over to Target to pick up some things for the apartment.

I was on a major mission to clean my closet and purge some of my magazines. I actually stuck pretty closely to my list only succumbing to the call of the new Real Simple. Yes, I know I was trying to get rid of some of my magazine collection.

After Target, I ran to Dunkin Doughnuts. I ordered my Iced Vanilla Latte lite and picked up six doughnuts. I returned home and enjoyed my Sunday.

Later that night, Van and I were in the kitchen and he complained about the abundance of junk food. We had 2 containers of ice cream, 1 box of doughnuts, 2 fat witch brownies left, cookies from my dad, candy and all chocolate moose munch from Harry and David.

Van: We have got to get rid of this crap.

Me: I know we have so much.

Van: Well, you were the one who bought the doughnuts this morning.

Me: I only bought the doughnuts because you said you wanted them yesterday.

Van: I never said that.

Me: Don't you remember the conversation we had. You said you wanted the doughnuts and I said we had too much junk food. Then you told me that doughnuts were different because doughnuts were comfort food, not junk food.

Van: Umm...That never happen.

Me: Oh, I think I dreamed that last night. I must have really wanted doughnuts.

Wedding Season

2007-08-20T09:42:00.001-04:00

This year's wedding season is finally over. I was able to see my friend Jennifer happily married to Gil last Saturday. The wedding was perfect and Jennifer was the most calm and gracious bride.

I have loved every minuted that I was able to help Jen prepare for her big day and incredibly honored that she allowed me to be involved. I know that she and Gil will have a happy and long-lasting marriage.

I do have to say that this has made my own wedding next August more real.