Favorite Christmas Presents of 2008

I know this is really late, but one of my favorite Christmas presents of 2009 is this cadmium yellow tea set that my mom got me. One day we were at the mall in Georgia and my mom wanted to go into Teavana, a store that sells all things tea related. I thought, "BORING!" However, I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in to see this eye-catching bright yellow tea set with gold accents. It stood out among all the rest. I walked over to it immediately because it was so striking. I looked at it and proceeded to contemplate on seriously wanting this item for Christmas. Here was my thought process:

"wow, I really like this tea set. I like the yellow, even though it's paired with gold. I think gold and yellow are a good combination these days, whereas in the 90s I used to think it clashed. I really like the shape of the teapot and the size of the cups. And these saucers are so adorable. I could nicely display this on the seven white Ikea Billy Bookcases I want to buy. Even though I'm not one of those people to 'display' a lot of things on my shelf, because I live in New York and don't have space to do so, but if I did, this is something I would want to display. And if I had it on display, it would be easier to use instead of pulling it out from under my bed, which probably means I won't use it, so I must get those Billy Bookcases to go with my tea set. Oh, man, it's a box set so you can't buy more cups and saucers separately? That means I can only invite three people to my tea party - half of which will be roommates. Should I buy another box set of them so I can have more matching cups? I guess I could always keep another tea pot on hand in case this one ever broke - like when I have kids or something. Man, I'm really starting to think about the whole marriage and mom thing lately. Am I really ready for that? I don't know, but I do know that I want this tea set for Christmas."

That was my logic. Anyway, I have yet to purchase the Ikea bookcases, but I'm sure that's my next purchase. In the mean time, I'm happy with my little yellow tea set and can't wait to have a tea party with some girls and air out my white table cloth, bake a round cake and put it on an actual cake stand, eat vegetables and other assorted finger foods such as croissants stuffed with chicken and grapes. It's gonna be so fun.

In case you're wondering, I've only found this tea set through Teavana (it's called "Noble Poppy Bone China Tea Set") it must be made exclusively for them. I've already checked to see if you can buy the cups separately elsewhere and haven't found that you can...yet.

Mare Nostrum by Nymphenburg

I love these plates and this tureen!!! I love them because of the unique subject matter for such fine china - lobsters. I love the vibrant red and orange hues and highly detailed design of the focal point contrasted with the simplicity of the plain white background. I love the silhouette of the plate itself with it's lightly scalloped edge. I love that the tureen isn't overly decorated and highlighted with color allowing the delicate craftsmanship to show as well as letting the playful lobster handle take center stage. I was so thrilled when I discovered this design months ago. I could tell by the Nympehnburg website that they were going to be expensive - whenever the price of something isn't listed online, you know it's gonna be expensive. I figured since Royal Copenhagen plates run around $150 each, these must be about the same cost. So the last few months I've lived my life thinking that one day I'll be able to own these plates.

Well, I recently found out that these plates are ten times the amount that I originally thought. I found a website that lists one Mare Nostrum Nymphenburg plate at $1,200!!! ONE PLATE! Who are these people that can afford china that expensive? Forget about the Tureen - it's $6,700! Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a plate so I can frame it and hang it on my wall as artwork. They really are exquisite; even the name is beautiful, Mare Nostrum, Latin for "Our Sea." Alas, these plates will not be in MY Sea. Why is almost everything I love so expensive...

I love tulips!!!

And my boyfriend gave me 30 of them when I got back home after being in Georgia for almost three weeks! More on that later. And more on what I've been doing since my last blog post in November (Wow, Blogger has changed!). And more on having a boyfriend, as well. :o)

Aren't they the prettiest flowers? Just look at the one in the foreground of the last photo opening up to drink life in. Ha! Ha! For reals, though. I think receiving flowers is better than receiving chocolate - and coming from a recovering chocoholic, that's sayin' a lot. I'm curious to know what are some of you're favorite flowers? And boys, do you like flowers in your home as much as girls do?

Ain't Nothin' Like the Smell of Homemade Bread!

I went home over the summer and brought back my mom's Welbilt Bread Machine Model ABM2H52. I've never made bread with a bread machine before - come to think of it, I've never made bread with my hands before either. Regardless, I had been itching to try it for some time now. You see, a few years ago I finally made my first pie crust from scratch and it turned out great! So I've been trying some new things and making bread is one of them.

The above photo is my second loaf of the Ultra Fast White Bread recipe located in the instruction manual that comes with the machine. There are some interesting things I learned about bread machines. The first being that you're supposed to place the ingredients in the machine in the exact order they are listed in the recipe - i.e. add all of the liquid ingredients first (unless you use dry milk as a substitute for milk, which I'm guessing you mix with water first and then add to the mixture as you would fresh milk), then add dry ingredients, and lastly the yeast.

While you have to be careful to follow the order of ingredients, you don't necessarily have to follow the amounts given. For example, I add a few more teaspoons of water to the recipe so that the tackiness of the bread is just right. I find that if I don't add the additional water, the consistency of the bread is too dry. Beware not to add too much water - only add in a teaspoon at a time!

There are also many substitutes for certain ingredients. For instance, my sister-in-law, Jacki, uses half wheat and half white bread flour when a recipe calls for white bread flour. My mom uses olive oil instead of vegetable oil because it's slightly healthier for you. She also replaces dry milk where a recipe calls for milk - as dry milk supposedly allows bread to rise more than fresh milk.

It's important to note that different types of flour can be used. Just know that if you use wheat flour you have to add other ingredients as well - I think gluten (obviously I haven't tried wheat bread yet). Flour is key to good bread and I only use King Arthur Bread Flour (do not use all-purpose flour as it won't rise properly). Bread flour is specially formulated for, well, bread. I recently purchased King Arthur Italian flour and artisan flour to try as well. I'll let you know how those turn out once I make them.

Other basic bread facts worth mentioning: use warm water, store yeast in the fridge after you've opened it, make sure your yeast is active (basically not old).

It's really not difficult to make homemade bread and at first I thought, this seems so easy, why not just make it without a bread machine? Well, I think the benefit of using a machine is that you don't have to kneed the bread, wait for it to rise, transfer it to a pan, constantly monitor it while baking, and stick around to turn the oven off - everything is timed just right with the machine. You can just dump the ingredients in, turn it on, set the machine to the correct setting, leave your apartment to do laundry (if you aren't blessed to have a washer and dryer in your home), and come back to fresh bread!

Ahhh...ain't nothin' like the smell of homemade bread!

If You Think About It...

Whistling is a genderless sound. If you heard a person whistling but didn't see them, you wouldn't really be able to tell if it's a man or woman. There's only one exception to this phenomenon and that is if you're a pretty girl walking down the streets of New York, then you can bet it's gonna be a man whistling.

Scary Movies

Here's a list of movies I haven't seen yet that I'm thinking of renting for this Halloween season (in no particular order):

1. Funny Games (the U.S. version of a German Film which will probably evoke a similar disturbing feeling to the movie Clockwork Orange)
2. The Ring
3. Saw
4. The Thing
5. The Messengers (most recent version)
6. Hills Have Eyes (most recent version)
7. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
8. 28 Days Later
9. Jacob's Ladder
10. Dawn of the Dead
11. Cloverfield
12. Rec (the original - which I think is in Spanish. I'm curious to see what it will be like to watch a scary movie with subtitles - maybe there wouldn't even be that many subtitles in a scary movie anyway, they're mostly quiet and suspenseful, right?)
13. A Tale of Two Sisters (a Korean film)
14. The Cell (with J. Lo)
15. Gothika (with Halle Barry)
16. American Psycho (I saw part of it)
17. Disturbia (I imagine the person who made this movie liked Hitchcock's Rear Window)
18. Rosemary's Baby
19. When a Stranger Calls
20. Candyman
21. Hellraiser
22. Amityville Horror
23. Dead Silence - saw part of it - too scared to watch the rest of it (those ventriloquist puppets scare me so much. I think 'cause I saw a movie about one when I was little maybe on the Twilight Zone or something.
24. Don't Look Now
25. House of Wax
26. Haute Tension (A French foreign film that looks like you'll be curled up in a tight ball throughout the whole movie)
27. The Tenant
28. Les Yeux Sans Visage (French 1959 Movie)
29. Black Christmas (1976 version)
30. The Brood
31. Eraserhead
32. The Evil Dead
33. Identity (with John Cusack and Amanda Peet)

Wow, that list turned out longer than expected. Now here's a list of scary movies I've seen, but worth mentioning:

1. Exorcist
2. Poltergeist
3. Wait Until Dark (Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman)
4. What Lies Beneath
5. Psycho
6. The Others (Nicole Kidman)
7. Sixth Sense
8. Changeling
9. Halloween
6. Something Wicked This Way Comes - a weird kid scary movie. I mostly remember the spider scene as being the scariest part about it.
7. Pet Semetary
8. The Shining
9. Cape Fear
10. The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
11. Carrie
12. The Haunting
13. Witches - a kid friendly scary movie
14. Watcher in the Woods - creepy for a kid to watch, but saw it when I was young
15. The Omen
16. Tourist Trap (I think I saw this weird one when I was a kid)
17. Flower's In the Attic
18. The Bad Seed
19. Friday the 13th
20. Dead Calm
21. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
22. Disney's Halloween Treat (short haunting cartoons made in 1982)

Some people might add Jaws, Seven, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, Cujo, It, Children of the Corn, Fear, The Good Son, The Mothman Prophesies, Assault on Precinct 13, Buried Alive, or Alien but I don't really consider those Halloween scary movies for some reason. Nightmare on Elm Street, Blair Witch Project, and Chucky I thought were just plain stupid - even as a kid I thought they were dumb.

Hopefully this list will give you guys some ideas for movies to watch on Halloween. If you have any other recommendations I would love to hear them in the comments section - as well as which movies scared you the most!

Most Amazing Socks

Men's Hanes HP-Fit white athletic socks. They conform to my foot tightly with no extra fabric hangin' around the toe or heel. They have a reinforced toe and heel, as well as arch support. They come in a pack of 6 for around $11 at Target. Finally I found some socks in a pack that I not only approve of, but want more of. I know you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, but how else do I say that? I guess not only approve, but want. Yeah, that's it. Anyway, lucky for me I fit in men's socks so I can wear these...

I tried to find a link to the product on Hanes' website, but couldn't find it. With my luck, I bought the last pack and they discontinued the HP-Fit style. That's what happened to the best conditioner I ever used - some Dove foamy conditioner for fine hair that apparently was only in a test run and didn't sell well so they discontinued it.

I'm Sorry...

I'm sorry for not blogging in ages. I am still alive, of course, in case any of you were concerned. I have not fled the country or been banished from the country. I am not in the Witness Protection Program, did not enlist in the army and sent to war, or become a magician in the last few months and start working on my disappearing act. I just got really busy. I'll explain all of that later, but for the time being, there are other things I would like to post.

First and foremost, though, is/was my apology for being an inconsistent blogger (and especially for skipping the long awaited July's Future Husband Month of 2008 and October Sisters Month of 2008). For the record, though, my first post/confession states, "This blog probably won't last" followed by my second post disclaiming the potential for sporadic blog writing.

I hope you'll all come back to me...

It's A Girl!!!

Brooks, my brother, and Jacki just had their first baby on June 3, 2008. Her name is Jordyn Snow, she weighed 6lbs. 14oz., and was 19.5" long. Congratulations yous guys!

This new addition means I'm an aunt of 7 cutie patooties. Here are some photos of my other nieces and nephews:


Lily and Macy a few years ago.


Madison and Sadie looking pretty in pink.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any photos of Mia and Ethan. Mom, can you please email me some photos of them?

I Went to Outer Space Yesterday

Or maybe it was inner space, eh?!? Do you guys remember the movie Innerspace with Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, and Meg Ryan? It's awesome. I can't believe I don't own it. Anyway, I think I look great as an astronaut. Maybe that's what I'll do next for a career - be an astronaut. Looking the part is half the battle, right?

Seriously, though, if I had to chose between living in the ocean for the rest of my life or space, I would definitely pick space.

I have no idea where such lame post writing came from. I just wanted everyone to see this awesome photo and know that you too can be an astronaut just like me by going to the bus stop at 14th Street and University Place in Manhattan, New York, USA, Earth.

I'm So Very Sad Right Now...

I just learned that Wilco is playing at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn on August 13th and the general admission tickets are sold out! I'm so bummed. So very bummed. You guys, half the songs I can play on the guitar are Wilco songs! I've always regretted not seeing them live after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came out. Or even A Ghost Is Born. Now I'm not even gonna see 'em for probably one of their last albums. If any of you readers out there hear about available Wilco tickets to this show, puh-leeeeeease let me know! Sigh...

What concerts have you guys missed that you regret not going to? Radiohead during Okay Computer times is another show I'm mad I didn't see. I have yet to see them live as well.

Sigh again...

On the upside, I'm getting better at playing She's A Jar, by Wilco. That one is a doozy - not that the chords are difficult, but moving from a barre to a major chord is still a bit tricky for me.

What's Black and White and Black?

Me and Kimmy at church on Sunday! We didn't even plan it.

Summer 2008 Challenge: To Find the Best Burger in New York City

I'm on a search to find the best burger in New York City. I don't know how conducive this challenge will be to my weight loss; however, sometimes in life we have to make sacrifices - and for women those sacrifices are generally manifested through a disfiguration of the body in some way. Oh well, it's for the greater good. Here's where I've been so far (followed by a list of places I will try next). I apologize in advance for not having photos of each burger.

The Stand
Nice buns!!! crispy, large brioche buns. The first thing I noticed on my cheeseburger that I didn't like was the shredded lettuce. I HATE shredded lettuce on a burger because it doesn't have much of a taste (I'm guessing it's usually cheap iceberg lettuce) and tends to fall off more. The bottom of the bun got a little soggy, I'm not totally sure why - maybe the caramelized onion something or other, but it didn't bother me that much because the top was a little toasted I think. Overall it was an expensive okay cheeseburger. Things of note, the onion rings are fried like tempura, on certain nights after 10:00 burgers are two for the price of one, and most importantly their milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard! Their milkshakes are so thick and tasty that I'm sure Mr. Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood would DEFINITELY drink your milkshake. If I had a third milkshake reference I would use it, but I can't think of any more. Anyway, I chose the banana and will be back to try the toasted marshmallow.

Corner Bistro
I really like the mahogany bar atmosphere of this place, though it is really tight quarters, very loud, and a long wait. I enjoyed the burger immensely, I just wish there were a little more of it. It felt like my southern brother-in-law's tasty grilled burgers. Like I said it was slightly smaller than I had expected, but there was no shredded lettuce on this one!

Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridian
I remember the excitement the first time I went here years ago. I had heard about the famous burger joint (no exact phrase intended) located in a secret part of a nice hotel behind a curtain. Behind a curtain! It was like being Toto and spying on Oz all over again. Whatever, I just wanted to pull away enormous curtains to hopefully reveal burger Narnia if you will. I remember thinking once on the other side of the veil that the place looked kinda dumpy - a stark contrast to the pristine marble lobby of the Le Parker Meridian. Don't get me wrong, I like that whole-in-the-wall look; it didn't distract me from my real purpose in going there...the burger. I remember thinking, the burger was alright. Everyone raved about it, but you have to remember this was the first burger I had in the city since moving from the South where grilling out is pretty much a sacred ceremony. I went back a few years after that and liked the burger, but noticed it had lost some weight if you catch my drift. I'll go back. It's fun to take visitors there. I think more so because of the whole curtain, Oz, surprise thing.

Paul's
Paul's is a pretty good burger and it's even better because it's a hop skip and a jump away from my doorstep. It's not the prettiest looking place, but I really like the ornaments they have hanging from the ceiling, the men grilling the burgers behind the bar, and especially the giant statues of a burger and french fries outside the front door of the restaurant. It's also nice because it's not saturated with tourists, or always a long wait to get in. If you're in the East Village you should swing by - I don't know that I would say it's a place someone living in Inwood should travel down for (unless you too are on a best burger hunt), but it's a hardy burger.

Shake Shack
We've all been there. It's a great cheap burger. The first time I went there, the burger I ordered wasn't so good, but I think it's because I didn't like their special sauce. I'm pretty sure since then I only order a regular cheeseburger. The concrete ice cream stuff is good too. I still don't totally understand the difference between concrete and regular ice cream, though. It seems like another word to describe thick ice cream. Its always a long wait, but if it's a nice day it doesn't really matter. Besides, who can resist eating a burger outside in the park with white lights strung above you and the occasional firefly around you.

Blue 9
It used to be better. Now it's a little closer to a fast food burger in my opinion.

Johnny Rockets
I know they're a chain and anyone can get one, but I have to say it's a pretty good little burger and I can't seem to shake the whole 50s nostalgia theme (nor the mini juke boxes). It's worth mentioning 'cause it's in the city.


Oh the places I'll go this summer:
J.G. Mellon
P.J. Clark's
Island Burgers
Chelsea Grill
The Stoned Crow
Better Burger
Donovan's Pub (Queens)
Dumont Burger (Brooklyn)
Zaitseff
Burgers and Cupcakes
Five Guys
Houston's
Rare
Veselka's


Please feel free to add restaurants to the list in the comments section as well as any additional thoughts or experiences you've had with burger hunting in the city.

The Most Unforgettable Date I've Ever Had

Can be summed up in one word, "Medjool." What is Medjool? Medjool is a type of date (the fruit) and my newest favorite food find. I can't believe I'm only now experiencing this fruit for the first time in my life. Let me share my discovery story with you.

I discovered them while babysitting at a French family's home a couple of weeks ago. They had a little FreshDirect bag of them sitting out on the counter. I would have never tried one because they look like dried, shriveled, ugly, brown, prunes (which I do like), but they were offered to me by the mom of the house so I politely accepted one. I had no idea what kind of addiction was about to surface after that first bite. It is a moment that will forever change my life. I couldn't believe how perfectly perfect this taste in my mouth was. I know that sentence is grammatically incorrect, but it is true.

The texture was a little different than I had expected - not bad - a bit chewy, slightly stringy on the inside, but filled with some sort of sugary crystalline element. It was, of course, the taste that got me - seriously, surprisingly, super good - like homemade Divinity! I thought, "how did they make these things? They must have soaked them in some sort of buttery brown sugar sauce." So I checked the back of the package for a list of ingredients. I saw no "ingredients" section and thought that's either a mistake or Fresh Direct did not want to disclose their secret ingredients. But it's illegal in America to not list ingredients, right? Well, I was pretty sure it was illegal and wondered, "could it be that something on earth grows this naturally candyesque? Could it really be just one ingredient? Could it really be some sort of fruit known to man (and woman) as a date? Could it?" It was as if mom's famous Thanksgiving sweet potatoes were cram-packed into a small, dried-looking, shriveled, ugly, brown, prune-shaped container. Only, there was no wrapper to throw away once eaten, no sodium or cholesterol added, nothing but nature's candy. Nature's candy indeed.

Ladies and gentlemen, that day changed my life and I'm 100% sure that it will change yours as well if you heed my advice and purchase Medjool dates. You may not know me, but I plead with you to trust me on this. If your doubtful, then let this piece of information about myself clear your mind: 50% of my diet consists of mouthwatering chocolate, sweet candy concoctions, and other fatty treats; therefore I am no health nut. I do not promote any food that in no way satisfies my 10,000 taste buds. So on that note, let me just say two things: I will probably be diagnosed with Diabetes by the age of 40 and may I introduce to you my favorite date: the Medjool. Now go take one out for yourself!