still and still moving

holidays 2011

2012-01-07T11:39:00.001-05:00

Amy pretty much summed it up here, but I have a few things to add. From Garvan Gardens:

On the Walker side, Elliott's sister, Lilli, has been overseas since August, and more specifically was in Thailand during Christmas. As a way to honor her absence, on Christmas day we prepared Thai food, rather than a "traditional" U.S. American Christmas dinner. None of us had made Thai food before, but we had fun researching recipes and shopping at the Asian markets in Little Rock. We prepared Panang Chicken Curry and Pad Thai (we subbed shrimp for tofu).

And we went to Norman for New Year's, which has become somewhat of a tradition (despite Desmond changing our plans last year). We had the best time catching up with Heath and Tessa, and spending time with Seth and Dana. Blackwatch threw a great party at McNellie's, and I can proudly say that I stayed up later than each of my siblings.

I have to admit it was hard to come back to New York after such a wonderful (warm) holiday down south, and even harder because it was a frigid 12 degrees on our return (and our heat sort of isn't working). But we are all getting back into the swing of things (Elliott's last semester of graduate school starts next week!). And I'm excited that the next time we will be in Arkansas, Lilli will have returned from overseas, and we will be celebrating the marriage of Jim and EA!

twenty-seven

2012-01-05T11:21:00.002-05:00

The funny thing about being 27 is that my mother was 27 when she had her first born baby (Amy), and Amy was 27 when she had her first born baby (Rosemary.).

And now I'm 27, but no, this is not a pregnancy announcement. But isn't it funny?

[Mother and Amy]

[Amy and Rosemary]

[27th birthday dinner, Amy and me]

PS: It's true, Desmond is kind of my baby, but I got him the day before I turned 26.

The New Year

2012-01-04T15:22:00.000-05:00

I love resolutions, I really do.

I know skeptics say, "what's so special about January 1st, you can make a change any day." And while that's true, there is something to be said for a new year.

I'm not saying necessarily you should have an extensive list with lofty, impossible to achieve wishes (unless that works for you). But I do think you should reflect, and I think a new year is a good time to do that. We need seasons in life, we need to be able to mark the passing of time, and recognize change.

When Amanda and I were in the 11th grade, we made a list of resolutions that filled up several napkins, mostly silly things, but we talked for hours about what we wanted our life to be like, and even if it was trite, we were at least thinking and reflecting. It came so easy to me when I was younger, and unfortunately I have to be more intentional about it now, but it's critically important.

For 2010, I realized that I didn't really read much anymore, and I wanted to change that. And Elliott and I each read 52 books. Last year, we decided we wanted to eat less meat (for a myriad of reason, some of them here). And while we didn't always do meatless monday, we definitely had a "meatless" dinner at least once a week.

I don't have a "theme" for 2012, but we do intend to continue with a meatless dinner each week. And I'm starting to read again (The Liar's Club, currently). And I'm trying to think through a few other things. Last year I wanted to be better at saying "yes" to things (I know, most people typically say yes to too much) but I want to make sure that I am saying yes to the right things.

It's funny when your birthday is just a few days before the new year. You turn a year older and get a new year all at the same time. So you kind of only get one chance. So for me, I'm 27 and this is 2012. 2011 wasn't my favorite year, but I'm grateful for a fresh start.

irene. (for my memory)

2011-12-22T00:24:00.002-05:00

I feel sort of weird that I never really blogged about Hurricane Irene.

I know in the grand scheme of things it ended up being a pretty non-event in NYC (not so in other parts of the northeast, of course), but leading up to the storm, it was a pretty big deal. And especially for me, as Elliott was stuck in Little Rock (no flights in, few flights out), and it was just Desmond and me (and thankfully, Julie) holding down the fort (or battening down the hatches).

The anticipation was scary, the not knowing what would actually happen.

Julie and I spent all of Friday afternoon looking for flashlights in Williamsburg (they were all sold out, everywhere) and finally just ended up with some candles. We bought bottled water and canned goods, but then realized we needed normal food to eat too, during the storm, if the power didn't go out. I went to the grocery store at least 4 or 5 times, just because I kept feeling unprepared.

And I think it was the same for everyone.

It was strange to be outside. It felt tense, and it felt balmy. It was the weekend, but we felt like we shouldn't leave the house, just in case. We watched a lot of movies and drank a lot of coffee and mostly just felt nervous.

eight years

2011-12-21T08:26:00.010-05:00

[may 2003]

[december 2011]

We've been friends for longer than that, of course. We've now been friends well over half of our lives.

gratuitous pictures of my pup

2011-12-20T11:43:00.000-05:00

[all photos by Tim Hucklesby]

thanksgiving, 2011

2011-12-20T07:16:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure my memory is as good as it used to be, and really, now that I've lived in New York for eight years, certain memories (holidays, etc.) are becoming easier to forget or at least, they are all running together. So before I lose all of my mind, I wanted to remember that the reason we hosted a Friendsgiving early, was so that we could join my family in Upland at Amy and Jack's for Thanksgiving. So, this was Thanksgiving 2011.

I'll rest my eyes to the rivers in the sea

2011-12-19T18:16:00.000-05:00

Friday night we finally got to see The National. I don't know why I was so resistant to listen to this band, but when I finally did, High Violet hit me like a load of bricks (a sad, beautiful load of bricks).

I listened to it constantly last summer and slowly made my way back through the older albums.

I briefly considered driving to Boston or Philly to see them, when they didn't have any shows scheduled in New York for the longest time, but they finally they set a six-night run at Beacon Theatre and by the luck (which is usually unluck) of ticketmaster, I got tickets in the third row, front and center, for the fifth night.

You can see the setlist and more pics here. I was particularly pleased that they played "Think You Can Wait." I sort of felt like I was at a "rock show," especially in comparison to the opener, My Brightest Diamond, but I didn't really care at all. So good.

nailed it

2011-12-09T09:41:00.003-05:00

Girl talk again. I think I might be a little behind on this one, but I finally tried Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips last night, and I am officially down. I'm terrible at painting my nails, mostly because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and if I mess them up even a little, I have to start over. That and nail polish takes forever to dry, and when you have a cute puppy to play with, you don't have time for that.

Enter, the nail polish strips which, once you get the hang of it, are insanely easy to apply, perfectly smooth, and already dry. Bonus points for no nail polish smell. I applied these last night while watching the latest episode of Revenge and I was so pleased that before the show was even over, my nails were done and I could cuddle with the doodle (that's Desmond FYI). I'm just hoping they make more colors, I'm rocking Raise a Glass for now and will probably try Glitz Blitz next.
PS: I tried to take a picture of my hand to show you, but taking pictures of your hand is very awkward. Sorry.

4th Annual Friendsgiving

2011-11-20T19:57:00.002-05:00

menu:

Split-Roasted Turkey Buried in Herbs

Gravy

Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce with Port and Cinnamon

Potato Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Corn Casserole

Kale and Ricotta Salad

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Balsamic Braised Brussels with Pancetta

Rolls

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

Note: It was my first time to make Green Bean Casserole from scratch. I made a lot of changes to the recipe above, (still used canned green beans, omitted the bell pepper, doubled the mushrooms, cheddar cheese in place of parm, and I most certainly did not make fresh shallot rings to top, just sprinkled panko breadcrumbs for crunch) but I thought it turned out great.

PS: A couple extra pics from Jo

wedding weekend, + seth & dana

2011-11-14T07:08:00.002-05:00

It already feels like forever ago, but it was just last month that Seth & Dana were in town to visit, and Kristin got married.

{Friday night we had a little girls only party that started at my house with margaritas and sangria and presents. We went to Oak Wine Bar for dinner and had a lovely evening, despite the rain ruining our outdoor plans.]

the original dog love

2011-11-13T11:12:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, Desmond got to meet little Genki [the pup who changed my mind about dogs last Thanksgiving].

It was completely impossible to get a picture of the two of them together, but I can verify that it was as cute as I could have hoped for.

meatless monday: why?

2011-11-07T12:26:00.000-05:00

We are still doing Meatless Monday, we just haven't had many new recipes to post, and sometimes it's not on Monday. But if you were wondering why, watch this:

[h/t]

dog halloween parade: bacon & eggs

2011-11-01T07:41:00.000-04:00

Sunday we took Desmond and Sterling to the Dog Halloween Parade at McGolrick Park in our neighborhood.

We made the costumes out of felt and glue and velcro.

And although we did not win for best dressed dogs, I certainly was proud of our handiwork.

Next year if we want to win, I think we have to dress up too.

october snow day

2011-10-31T18:40:00.003-04:00

Well, it snowed on Saturday. They said it might, but I didn't really believe them, because October? It never snows in October. It's a shame too, because the leaves in Central Park were just about to be perfect, and we ended up with a lot of fallen trees, since the leaves were still there.

So we stayed in and cooked, and we ended up going to the movies, since we had already bought our tickets. And thankfully, Desmond's new winter coat came just in time.

[pork ragu]

[crostini with fresh ricotta, local honey, and cracked black pepper]

PS: We went to see Like Crazy, and I thought it was beautiful, and now I can't get this song out of my head.

like crazy

2011-10-25T08:26:00.000-04:00

I actually can't watch this trailer without tearing up. It's kind of funny that it comes out this weekend (Halloween), but I guess in a way it is fitting. Also, no one wants to go see it with me because it looks too sad.

the hillsides dressed in red october leaves

2011-10-24T12:12:00.003-04:00

Touchdown Turkey Chili

Beetlejuice

Pumpkins

[I don't much care for Halloween, but I do like fall.]

Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse

2011-10-14T17:36:00.001-04:00

Last weekend Elliott and I zipped over to New Jersey to see Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse. I've pretty much wanted to see Newsies on stage ever since I moved to New York. I hope it comes to Broadway, but I'm really glad we got to see it at Paper Mill together (especially since Elliott can continue to say he has never seen a Broadway show).

It feels special that we both loved the movie growing up. Like a shared childhood memory, except Elliott wanted to sell papes when he grew up, and I wanted to marry a newsboy.

[perfect hair] is all we really need

2011-10-14T07:37:00.005-04:00

Two hair secrets have come into my life recently that have made a huge difference, especially as my hair has gotten longer again. And because they are making my life better/easier, I figured I should dish.
First, spin pins:

I'm definitely not the first to talk about these, but they really are that great. Super simple for low buns and stays put all day. My coworkers told me I looked like a schoolteacher with my hair like this (I was going for librarian chic but whatevs), I took it as a compliment. This was so great this summer when it was hot and I didn't want hair on my neck, but so much classier than a ponytail (which I do not really wear to work).

Second, my new love, and I know it's totally cheating but at least it's not fake hair (right?), the bun maker:

You can do the ballerina bun as pictured, or use it for a top knot. Mostly I do the top knot, which were it not for this little treasure would look pretty pathetic on my head. This time my coworkers said I looked taller (awesome?). Again, I'll take it.

What, you don't care about hair accessories? Don't worry, I probably won't bring them up again.

are we really who we used to be?

2011-10-13T11:32:00.002-04:00

The past few weeks have been sort of nonstop, and I definitely have some catching up to do (in all areas of life, sleep, yoga, and dvr especially). I have pictures to post, but we'll get to that later.

First things first, I made these cookies last night and they were so good. They were kind of my dinner because I ate at least four, which really I never do. They will join the ranks of the perfect chocolate chip cookies and the transcendent chocolate toffee cookies. Since I started hosting homegroup at my apartment this year, I've been baking a lot more. I'm not used to having cookies around the house, but Elliott sure likes it.

Second, I've been enjoying the new Ryan Adams Ashes & Fire. More than I've enjoyed anything from him in a while (although listening to the new album did remind me to listen to Love is Hell, which really made me kind of sad). Still, the new album is nice and soothing, and I can listen to it at my desk without my coworkers giving me dirty looks.

More to come, hopefully, if I can catch up.

try not to wonder what the weather will be

2011-09-28T12:12:00.000-04:00

We got a little taste of fall at the beginning of September but it felt too soon (summer always ends too quickly, but especially in New York when it seems to start so late). But now for the last week we've had nothing but warm humid with a constant chance of rain. When fall comes back, I will embrace it (I'm itching for braised short ribs). It's supposed to be cooler and drier this weekend, just in time for wedding festivities and best friends.

Elliott started school after Labor Day, but so far this semester has been leaps and bounds more manageable than last year. Over the weekend we were remembering that this time last year he was on a plane to Oklahoma after just 45 minutes of sleep. I hope those days are completely behind us. He still has class every night, but he isn't staying up late or working all weekend.

Lately Desmond is the most cuddly pup ever. He likes to stay in bed snoozing until I leave for work at 8am. He makes it real hard to get out of bed. (Yep, he still sleeps in our bed.)

We celebrated Jordan's birthday last night at hecho en dumbo. I hadn't been with her on her birthday since she turned 18! She's 27 now (golden birthday), and I guess I will be soon. Is 27 late twenties?

ps: also been listening to our friends band The Building. You can stream the whole album here. It gets in my head and I can't get it out!

for the record, I'd come pick you up, we'll head for the ocean

2011-09-19T07:51:00.007-04:00

We took Desmond and Sterling to Rockaway Beach this weekend with our friends Tim and Holly (dogs are unofficially allowed on the beach after Labor Day).

It was Desmond's first trip to the beach and he was in heaven. I have never seen him run so fast. He loved going up to the water and being chased by the waves.

We also stopped for tacos at [the original] Rockaway Taco and enjoyed chips & guac, fish tacos, and fresh watermelon juice.

It is already getting chilly here and feeling like fall, but it was nice to enjoy the relatively empty beach. The beach is pretty wonderful no matter what season, no?

meatless monday: tortellini soup

2011-09-13T09:31:00.001-04:00

It wasn't soup weather in New York yesterday. It was sunny and 80. But we had homemade stock and tortellini in the fridge, so I decided to turn the AC on and make this recipe for Tortellini Soup. It was easier than easy to prepare, and pretty tasty too. Elliott requested some garlic bread to pair with it next time.

state of mind

2011-09-12T11:37:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning I baked these cookies (so good!) to take to church, and I watched the 9/11 memorial on TV. I've never watched it before, it never felt like it was for me, but I found it truly moving.

I found out this weekend that an acquaintance I knew from college died in Afghanistan on Friday. The war feels so intangible, until you realize that the loss is real.

Of course I remember where I was on September 11, 2001. I was 16, I was a JR in high school, I was in the school parking lot when someone yelled out to a friend, "the World Trade Center is on fire!" But where I was was 1,500 miles away from New York City, and I couldn't have even begun to understand what it would have felt like to be here, to live here. Part of me wonders if I had been here at the time, if I would have stayed. Either way, I'm grateful to be here now.

[PS: I know this is a commercial, but I think it's terribly sweet]

Governors Island

2011-09-05T10:59:00.000-04:00

Sunday morning we took the East River Ferry down to Governors Island and rode bikes. We are both still a bit under the weather, but it is the last weekend of summer! and Elliott starts school tomorrow, so we tried to take advantage of the sunshine. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on Governor's Island, otherwise we would have put Desmond in the bike basket!

PS: the bikes are free to rent on Sundays!

Bright Eyes // Williamsburg Waterfront

2011-09-01T20:58:00.001-04:00

It's true. I already saw Bright Eyes twice this year back in March. But as Elliott had pointed out, if I knew that the show was happening just a few blocks away from my apartment and I wasn't there, I would not be happy.
So I bought two tickets. And then days before the show we both got sick. And then the day of the show Elliott was really sick. So he had to stay home. And I was sick but had to go anyway, because it was just a few blocks.
I haven't gone to a show by myself in years. Probably since I saw Sufjan at Bowery Ballroom in 2005. I felt a little funny, so I took a lot of pictures.

[pictures and review here, setlist here]

etc.

2011-08-31T13:43:00.001-04:00

[the rainiest august]

[sweetest pup]

[blackberry smash]

[clueless in the park! summer list]

[waiting for Irene]

holocene

2011-08-18T11:22:00.000-04:00

such a pretty video. read about it here.

ten years

2011-08-18T07:51:00.005-04:00

I stumbled across this picture yesterday, taken at Elliott's high school graduation in 2001.

We weren't dating yet in 2001, but isn't he cute? I sure thought so.

a place to fill up your thoughts

2011-08-17T11:33:00.002-04:00

It's only August, but the sun is already starting to feel different, less warm less bright. Fall is one of my favorite seasons, especially in New York, but that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to summer. We've been saying a lot of goodbyes this summer.

I've been in New York eight years now (minus a few summers in Arkansas) and sometimes I wonder if the longer we stay will make it harder to leave? Or if we will reach the tipping point, and leave, never looking back.

I'm not saying this because I am having thoughts of leaving, in fact, I like living in New York now probably more than ever. But still, it's the question we get all the time, "would you ever think of moving back to Arkansas?" and as more dear friends leave and move on, it is impossible to not think about.

I think about raising children here, to a childhood so unlike my own. And I wonder, if you raise you children in New York (in Brooklyn), what do they have to aspire to? Would they stay happily on the East Coast their entire life, or would they dream of the West Coast? Would they be content in the Midwest, or feel restless and bored?

I am not sure that it is possible for anyone brought up in the East to appreciate entirely what New York, the idea of New York, means to those of us who came out of the West and the South. To an Eastern child, particularly a child who has always has an uncle on Wall Street and who has spent several hundred Saturdays first at F.A.O. Schwarz and being fitted for shoes at Best’s and then waiting under the Biltmore clock and dancing to Lester Lanin, New York is just a city, albeit the city, a plausible place for people to live, But to those of us who came from places where no one had heard of Lester Lanin and Grand Central Station was a Saturday radio program, where Wall Street and Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue were not places at all but abstractions (“Money,” and “High Fashion,” and “The Hucksters”), New York was no mere city. It was instead an infinitely romantic notion, the mysterious nexus of all love and money and power, the shining and perishable dream itself. To think of “living” there was to reduce the miraculous to the mundane; one does not “live” at Xanadu. - Joan Didion from Goodbye To All That

Even with my reservations, I am drawn to the notion of being rooted, being committed to stability, or at least, "do not easily leave." When I am in Arkansas, I am often asked, "you have lived in New York for so long, do you just love it?" And the answer is yes, of course I do love it, but it's also just where I live. I moved here and I stayed here and sometimes it is actually harder to stay. But I'm not sure that's a reason to go, at least, not now.

meatless monday: spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and basil

2011-08-16T09:18:00.002-04:00

Elliott was able to go to the Greenmarket in Union Square yesterday and pick up a few things for a fresh summer dinner. We pretty much followed this simple recipe, but added some garlic and fresh mozzarella as well.

Then, we sat on the couch and hung out with little D. I'm really not sure what we did before Desmond. I never knew I could like a dog so much. I'm just saying. I feel like it's okay to brag about him since I didn't give birth to him.

haircut

2011-08-13T12:36:00.002-04:00

Desmond got a little haircut yesterday.

This morning I snapped a few pictures.

So, if you don't like pictures of a cute dog, then there's nothing to see here.

celebrating brooklyn

2011-08-11T19:44:00.002-04:00

This past week, we had the pleasure of enjoying two shows at the Prospect Park Bandshell for Celebrate Brooklyn. I sort of love outdoor shows in the park (we saw Broken Social Scene last fall at Central Park). As long as the weather is nice (which it was perfect) you can sit on a blanket, or stand closer to the stage, and you don't feel as cramped as you might in assigned seats or in the midst of a sweaty crowd. Oh, and sometimes you can even see a few stars. It's pretty perfect.

On our anniversary, we saw Sufjan Stevens. I've seen him live around 7 or 8 times, but he never disappoints. The show was similar to the one we saw last fall at Beacon Theatre, but a little more epic and over the top, as you can see from the various pictures and video here.

Last night we went to see Bon Iver. This was pretty special for me, as I had not see Justin Vernon play live before. I actually only recently decided I liked the music (finally giving For Emma, Forever Ago a chance last December. I hadn't listened to it sooner, on principle, as I could not get over the terrible name of the album [go with me on this one]). I got over it, and loved it, and then loved the new self-titled album just as much if not more (good thing it was self-titled).

As J. Vernon said last night, all of this is "new music" and it felt special and fresh and alive. We stood near the front and it was crowded but worth it. Some of my favorite songs of the night were Blood Bank, Re: Stacks, Towers, and Calgary (and of course, Beth/Rest). But who am I kidding? It was a seriously perfect set (see the full list here). If you have a chance this fall, go go go.

[sold, I'm ever open ears and open eyes]

PS: you can listen to the dc concert on npr here.

meatless monday: goat cheese and zucchini pizza

2011-08-02T14:00:00.001-04:00

Last night, we made smitten kitchen's lemony zucchini goat cheese pizza. We used pizza dough from Fresh Direct, making it a very easy meal. We also sliced up a nice tomato with some fresh mozzarella. A lovely summer meal.

three years

2011-08-02T08:27:00.001-04:00

2008

2009

2010

2011

I always enjoy looking back to see how much we've changed, and in some ways, how we haven't changed at all.
Happy Anniversary, my love.

il buco

2011-08-01T11:09:00.000-04:00

Friday night, we went out for an anniversary dinner, to celebrate three years of marriage.

(We'll be at Prospect Park on our actual anniversary, august 2nd.)

We went to a pretty restaurant in the East Village, Il Buco.

We enjoyed squash blossoms, cavatelli pasta, and skirt steak.

And we talked about the past three years, and the next three years (and as long as we both shall live).

cape elizabeth, maine

2011-07-28T08:20:00.001-04:00

Before we headed back home to Brooklyn, we stopped in Cape Elizabeth to eat at the Lobster Shack at Two Lights. The food was pretty standard, but the view is absolutely unbeatable. I could have stayed a long, long time just looking out at the ocean.

don't make me wait

2011-07-27T07:55:00.004-04:00

found here.

the tree of life || nighthawk

2011-07-26T11:14:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, Elliott and I finally went to see The Tree of Life, and incidentally killed two birds with one stone by seeing it at the new Nighthawk Cinema in Williamsburg. Normally, I don't like to spend Saturday afternoons at the movies, but it was so hot on Saturday, I knew that if we weren't at the movies, we would be indoors watching TV (or snoozing). It was just so hot (I know, I know, it's been really hot all summer in the south, but we live in a concrete jungle and don't drive around in cars, our heat will melt you).

The theatre itself is an unique experience (also, really good snacks!), and it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, as we previously had to go into Manhattan to see a new movie (and going to Manhattan on the weekend is almost as bad as going to the movies in the afternoon, in my humble opinion). The theatre only has 3 screens, and the seating is limited, so this is not a place for groups, but that suits us just fine.

pictures via gothamist.

Also, we liked the movie, and I especially like the article my friend wrote about it. You can read that here.

can you canoe?

2011-07-26T07:45:00.001-04:00

We went out on the water in a canoe together. Four in a canoe. Elliott tried to take a picture of all of us, and Luke made a joke, so we ended up with a really happy picture that pretty much sums it up.

harpswell, maine

2011-07-25T08:31:00.002-04:00

lobster risotto and sangria

2011-07-22T11:12:00.001-04:00

The house we stayed in for the week was located in Cundy's Harbor in Maine. We found a little shop nearby, the Gurnet Trading Company, that sold fresh seafood. We decided to make a lobster risotto for dinner one night, and based it loosely off of this recipe (but really, I just made the Alice Waters risotto I always make, only with canned lobster stock instead of chicken stock, and we added the lobster in at the end, super easy).

We also made sangria, using a recipe from one of Amy's friends in Indiana. It was my first time to make sangria, and I'm pretty sure it will not be my last.

Jane's Sangria

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup triple sec

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate

1/3 cup orange juice

1 bottle dry red wine

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1 orange, sliced into rounds

1 lime, sliced into rounds

2 cups ginger ale (optional)

Directions:

In a large pitcher or bowl, combine the brandy triple sec, lemon juice, lemonade concentrate, orange juice, and red wine. Float slices of lemon, orange and lime. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. For a fizzy sangria, add ginger ale just before serving.

Serves 6

portland, maine

2011-07-22T07:53:00.002-04:00

Portland Farmer's Market

and

lunch by the water at Portland Lobster Company

home.

2011-07-21T19:54:00.001-04:00

We are back in Brooklyn and a heat wave. We had a wonderful little vacation up in Maine with Elliott's family. I'll share pictures and stories over the next several days, but mostly I just wish I was still sitting on the back porch, sipping some wine, watching the sunset.

midnight

2011-07-21T17:53:00.003-04:00

Before it all ended,

and before we all proceeded to cry our eyes out.

PS I really liked the movie.

it all ends

2011-07-14T09:55:00.001-04:00

I woke up early early this morning, before my alarm, and I almost couldn't fall back asleep because I was so excited thinking about seeing Harry Potter tonight.

I can't really say that I grew up reading Harry Potter.

Although I had seen each movie that had been released, I didn't really read the books until my sophomore year of college, or the spring of 2005. I don't know why I had gone to see the first three movies. I think it was to be "rebellious" (you know, witchcraft) but I actually loved the story (which is a testament to it, because the first two movies weren't even that good!).

It was mostly Kristin who convinced me to read the books. And also, at that time in my life, Harry Potter provided a much-needed escape (also, Smallville, but obviously only one of them had staying power).

But it proved to be much more than that.

I was at the bookstore at midnight for the release of the last two books, and I read them almost in their entirety the following day.

Sometimes I think Order of the Phoenix is my favorite, but probably mostly I just like Dumbledore's Army and the Order (I love a good secret club).
In college, we would read the books out loud to each other before bed. Julie had a great British accent, and everyone laughed so hard when we tried to read for Hagrid's character.

It's the end, in that it is the last movie, but I know it is not really the end because I know I will read these books again, and that they are so much more than a passing fad. I love the magical world J.K. Rowling created of butterbeer and Quidditch but more than that, the story she told of love, hope, courage, loyalty.

“That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house-elves and children’s tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.” - Professor Albus Dumbledore

meatless monday: summer pesto pasta

2011-07-11T20:00:00.002-04:00

We didn't forget about Meatless Monday.

We've just kind of been busy ~~ordering takeout~~ these last many Mondays.

But this morning, Elliott was able to go to the Farmer's Market in Union Square (he took Desmond with him, on the Subway and into the City, hooray!).

And we made a summer pasta with pesto. We based it off of this recipe. And it was delicious.

[Also, that beer is Magic Hat Summer Seasonal, so good.]

summer list, rockaway beach

2011-07-03T10:35:00.004-04:00

[bird // plane]

birthday sunset

2011-06-30T08:57:00.005-04:00

Perfect birthday evening on the roof with drinks and friends.

birthday slush

2011-06-29T07:44:00.024-04:00

The Saturday that my family was in town, we walked over to Smorgasburg together for some lunch.

John got an Arnold Palmer Raspberry Swirl [all-natural] slush from a vendor there, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Elliott and I have been to Smorgasburg numerous times since then (we may be a little obsessed), but the Kelvin Natural Slush Co. had not been back! So, finally on Sunday we decided to track the truck down ourselves. Thanks to Twitter, we found the location for the day.

Perfect treat for a hot summer birthday.

birthday breakfast

2011-06-28T07:51:00.003-04:00

Sunday morning, we went for a long walk and shopping in the city. But before we left Brooklyn, we stopped at Pies 'N' Thighs for birthday biscuits and donuts.

birthday drinks

2011-06-27T07:54:00.009-04:00

Friday night we kicked off the birthday weekend with friends at The Drink.

I brought mini cupcakes from Kumquat Cupcakery and we enjoyed sitting outside on the patio.

it's not so impossible

2011-06-23T11:44:00.005-04:00

We have tickets for this show [on august 2nd, our (three year) anniversary]. They added a second night, after we had already bought our tickets. Elliott probably would have preferred to go not on our anniversary, but I can certainly think of worse ways to celebrate (neon! dancing!). Pretty pumped.

Sufjan Stevens Concert Trailer: Age of Adz / Prospect Park from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.

catching up // slowing down

2011-06-20T19:19:00.003-04:00

I guess we've been going nonstop ever since Elliott finished up school for the semester.

The Walkers [elder] came up to visit, and to see the exhibition, and to help Luke move.

Luke lived in New York for the last 2 1/2 years, finishing up his undergrad degree from the The New School. In May he packed up and graduated and moved over to DC. It's exactly where he should be, but we miss him, and Desmond does too. It was so nice to have family with us in New York.

At the end of May, my girl Jordan moved to New York from LA. We've been friends since the 5th grade when we had to write our spelling words 50 times each for talking during class. I'm so happy to have another [old] friend here.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we rented a car and drove over to Indiana with Desmond to see Jack and Amy, and Rosie and Owen. Desmond had a blast in Indiana playing outside in the grass (he came home with a tick!) and we had a blast spending time with the Peterson's and meeting Owen.

The next weekend, my family was in New York on their way to Israel. We spent two days mostly walking around the city together, eating at Shake Shack, enjoying Central Park, shopping at H&M. The weather was absolutely perfect while they were here, and we were so happy to spend a few days with them.

Last week, I ran in the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge race in Central Park for the 3rd year in a row. I tried to train a little (I used the couch to 5k app, which was pretty helpful), but my running schedule sort of went out the window once Elliott was done with school. Still, I ran 9 1/2 minute miles and beat my time from last year, so I was happy about that.

Everything is slowing down now, but I'm sure it won't be for long. Summer officially starts tomorrow and I plan to enjoy every minute.

(So long, spring in New York. Besides the asparagus and ramps, it's pretty much my least favorite.)

saturday

2011-06-19T12:13:00.004-04:00

saturday we:

: walked over to smorgasburg for breakfast

: waited in a really long line, but finally made it on the new east river ferry (desmond's first boat ride!) and took it two stops to dumbo

: walked around brooklyn bridge park and checked out the newly opened pier 6

: ate bark hot dogs on the roof deck overlooking the water

: had some issues on the subway ride home and ended up (after several transfers and service changes) in the city and walking across the williamsburg bridge (so, desmond's been on the subway and in manhattan now, too. and he is doing alright!)

: relaxed at home and watched lots of episodes of how i met your mother before getting ready and going out

: to pete's candy store for beau's last show in nyc before moving to austin

let the great world spin

2011-06-09T18:09:00.003-04:00

"I know already that I will return to this day whenever I want to. I can bid it alive. Preserve it. There is still a point where the present, the new, winds around itself, and nothing is tangled. The river is not where it begins or ends, but right in the middle point, anchored by what has happened and what is to arrive."

I finished another book.

I probably started this one oh, back in the beginning of March?

And 100 pages in, it really hadn't grabbed me.

But thanks to Jury Duty, I had plenty of waiting time to read and I finished the book this morning.

I'm glad I kept reading, but it wasn't really until the individual stories started to connect that I wanted to keep reading.

Sometimes, when all of the stories connect in a book or movie it feels forced or trite.

But rather than, "wow can you believe these small connections? What are the odds!" this book felt like the author was telling you individual stories because the lives connected. Not to marvel, but simply to provide a slice of humanity. As in, you get to hear this story because this person touched that person in some way. Like he had no control.

The story mostly revolves around a day in New York in 1974 when Philippe Petit walked across a tight-rope between the Twin Towers. If you haven't seen the documentary about this, Man on Wire, I recommend it.

Yet, even though I already knew the story of Philippe Petit, somehow, McCann was able to not exactly make it fresh, but make it real. It's pretty powerful when your words are worth more than pictures, but I think McCann was able to do just that. His fictionalized re-telling of the story from Philippe Petit's perspective felt raw. I felt like I was standing on the tight-rope too, looking down, breathing, balancing.

"The theater began shortly after lunch. His fellow judges and court officers and reporters and even the stenographers were already talking about it as if it were another of those things that just happened in the city. One of those out-of-the-ordinary days that made sense of the slew of ordinary days. New York had a way of doing that. Every now and then the city shook its soul out. It assailed you with an image, or a day, or a crime, or a terror, or a beauty so difficult to wrap your mind around that you had to shake your head in disbelief.

He had a theory about it. It happened, and re-happened, because it was a city uninterested in history. Strange things occurred precisely because there was no necessary regard for the past. The city lived in a sort of everyday present."

[Now the question is, do I start reading Infinite Jest? Or should I quickly read the new Ann Patchett novel State of Wonder? I guess it's not technically summer yet.]

summer list

2011-06-07T11:22:00.006-04:00

[image found here.]

In no particular order:
1. Take the ferry to Governor's Island to see the Mark di Suvero exhibition
2. Clean out and organize our front closet/Elliott's desk area
3. Maine vacation with the Walkers (and eat lobster rolls on the beach)
4. Visit the Whitney Museum of American Art
5. Go to Rockaway Beach (and food stands!)
6. Take Desmond on the Subway & in to Manhattan (oops. we really should have done this already)
7. Watch a movie in McCarren Park
8. Eat dinner on the roof as often as possible
9. Thesis work (Elliott)
10. Read Infinite Jest (Katie)

sleep no more

2011-06-05T14:24:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, Elliott and I went out for a little end-of-the-semester celebration.

(I love having an excuse to celebrate; we will probably milk the end-of-the-semester celebration all summer long.)

We don't go to many plays. Elliott has actually never seen a show on Broadway (he is pretty proud of this fact).

But when we heard about Sleep No More, we both thought it just sounded like something special--something both of us would enjoy, that was completely different from anything we had done before.

We bit the bullet and bought tickets and let me say up front:

this play is not for the faint of heart.

From the website:

"...presenting Shakespeare’s classic Scottish tragedy through the lens of suspenseful film noir. Audiences move freely through a transporting world at their own pace, choosing their own path through the story, immersed in the most unique theatrical experience in the history of New York."

[there was no photography allowed, so picture via (c)Thom Kaine]

It feels pretty impossible to describe the evening, from the dark, elaborate rooms to the white masks (that the whole "audience" had to wear), the music and the movement (almost no words were spoken). We wandered through the five-story warehouse that had been completely transformed to be the "McKittrick Hotel" with over 100 rooms, intricately detailed from bedrooms to ballrooms to offices to forests. The play was so completely immersive; it felt like walking through a dream. There was so much attention to detail that it felt like you could go in to any room in the hotel and discover something new and unexpected. Exploring the space felt endless. It was definitely eerie and disconcerting (and at times down-right terrifying), but it never felt haunted-house or gimmicky. The actors moved through the space with intensity and purpose, and it always felt like there was something happening just around the corner or in the next room. Putting together the bits and pieces of things you see while walking around is half the fun, and it definitely feels like we could go back and watch it again and catch so many things that we missed the first time.

on repeat

2011-05-17T08:54:00.005-04:00

1. Bon Iver, "Calgary"

2. Meatless Monday: cacio e pepe (per Elliott's request) and arugula salad

Off Course in Review

2011-05-10T18:23:00.003-04:00

Last night was the opening night of the Off Course design exhibition at SVA.

{ZUIGERPHOBIA: fear of vacuum cleaners}

{BAROPHOBIA: fear of reversed gravity}

{GELOTOPHOBIA: fear of being laughed at}

{TESTOPHOBIA: fear of taking tests}

{NEPHOPHOBIA: fear of clouds}

I'm so proud of Elliott and all of his hard work. He is so talented and it is amazing to see him work so hard and grow.

[And now the semester is over!]

Thanks to our sweet friends for coming out to see the exhibition and support Elliott's work.

The exhibition will be up now through May 27th at the SVA Gallery.

The SVA Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is closed Sunday.

SVA Gallery
209 East 23 Street

Here's to summer!

chocolate chip cookies (with oats and peanut butter)

2011-05-09T09:34:00.002-04:00

I made these cookies to take to church yesterday.

(the recipe was passed along from my mother)

I didn't use 5 kinds of chips, because the grocery store by my house only had chocolate chips (milk and semisweet).

But the cookies were still really good.

Off Course

2011-05-06T08:19:00.021-04:00

Elliott has been working so hard on his last project for the spring semester.

His class has designed a phobia-based, mini-golf exhibition.

Elliott was assigned the 18th hole, and designed it around Zuigerphobia: fear of vacuum cleaners!

Monday is opening night, I can't wait!

[I also can't wait for his summer vacation to start,

but one thing at a time.]

the things I've been thinking about

2011-05-05T10:47:00.004-04:00

When I woke up for work on Monday morning and checked my phone, I saw instantly that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. There was no one who was not talking about it on Facebook and Twitter. I scrolled through comments from friends and acquaintances ranging from elation, to pride in the USA, to praise for Obama and the SEALS, to glee that America's enemy had been killed.

Later, I saw Bible verses quoted and MLK Jr. misquoted. Everyone had an opinion, and in the past few days, I've developed some opinions of my own.

1. I'm glad that we found and killed Osama Bin Laden. I believe it was just, but I take no joy in his death. Would I feel differently if someone I loved had been killed on 9/11? I have no idea. But, I can't imagine that this death takes away the pain of loss.

2. I completely support President Obama's decision to not release the photos of Osama Bin Laden after his death. In fact, I applaud him for this decision. If the photos were available, would I look at them? Sure. But does that mean I need to? I think there are compelling reasons to not release the photos that outweigh my casual curiosity. And I appreciate the President's sentiment here:

"You know, we don't trot out this stuff as trophies. You know, the fact of the matter is this was somebody who was—deserving of the justice that he received. And I think—Americans and people around the world are glad that he's gone. But—but we don't need to spike the football." - President Obama

3. The Torture Debate. I still firmly believe that torture is wrong. And I'm not convinced that torturing prisoners played a role in the success of this operation. And even if it did, I do not think the end justifies the means.

I know many don't agree with me on these things (hi, Dad), but these are the thoughts that have been filling my head this week as I continue to read and think about what has happened. Sometimes it amazes me that we can all look at the same thing and see it so differently.

Update: you can read my Dad's thoughts here. Not so different after all.

photoshoot

2011-05-04T10:01:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, before Desmond's haircut, one of Elliott's classmates took some pictures of Desmond and Sterling (another classmate's dog) for a project she was working on.

I thought I'd share a few here.

You know, since I'm a dog person now.

meatless monday: chickpea tomato soup

2011-05-03T10:32:00.002-04:00

[Yes, it's spring. And some days are lovely, but some days are still cold enough for soup.]

I almost didn't cook dinner last night.

I didn't have a plan for Meatless Monday, and I hadn't been to the grocery store, and I wasn't counting on Elliott making it home from the studio before I went to bed.

But I also didn't have anything to eat. Not even a box of macaroni and cheese or leftovers from last week.

I remembered this recipe from Orangette that I've had bookmarked for Meatless Monday inspiration, and I realized I could easily get all of the ingredients I needed at the little grocery store by my house.

I was also thrilled that I wouldn't have to chop anything, I would only need one pot, and that my dinner would be ready in about thirty minutes.
Chickpea Tomato Soup
(and Elliott made it home before I went to bed, and was happy to have soup to eat too.)

meatless monday: pasta with spinach and feta

2011-04-26T15:44:00.000-04:00

This is an old recipe we've been making for a while. It's simple and tasty.

NB: I didn't include pine nuts this time, because they were $9.99 for a small bag at Whole Foods. The pine nuts do add something nice though, so if you can find them and they aren't too expensive, I recommend including them.

Julie joined me for Meatless Monday this week, as she is on Easter/Spring Break, and Elliott was going to be at the studio all night (he got home at 4:30 this morning).

We watched All Good Things and I hope she didn't have bad dreams, because I certainly did.

the corrections

2011-04-25T11:49:00.002-04:00

I finally finished a book (in 2011).

[I'm actually over 100 pages in to the next one (and I've got the sunburn to prove it).]

Elliott said it was a good thing at least one of us had read The Corrections. I'll probably read Freedom too. Maybe even in 2011.

we've been losing our exits one by one

2011-04-19T14:50:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I listen to songs on repeat:

The National - "Think You Can Wait"

meatless monday: black bean veggie burgers

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning I asked Elliott if he would rather have spaghetti with braised kale or black bean veggie burgers for meatless monday. He said probably veggie burgers and then said, wait, we would MAKE the veggie burgers? I said, yes, Amy and Jack do it!

And I couldn't believe how easy these were.

If you don't have a food processor, I don't think it's a big deal. We have one and didn't even use it because I didn't want to get it out of the closet (or wash it). I would definitely add salt to the spice mixture too.

We served our burgers with cheese and avocado and arugula salad on the side.

takeoffs and landings

2011-04-15T17:42:00.010-04:00

Last Friday, we flew down to Little Rock to celebrate Nephropath's 10-year(!) anniversary. We also got to see David perform in LRCA's production of Annie (check out his big scene as Bert Healy here), visit Fort Lepine (yes, my younger brother owns a house), enjoy the [almost too hot] weather, and spend time with family and friends.

Unfortunately, after dodging office germs all winter and bragging about how I don't get sick, I came down with a pretty nasty cold that kept me home from work on Monday. So, instead of cooking meatless, I napped on the couch.

Tuesday, baby Owen was born (oh, and want to see the sweetest thing ever?).

And Wednesday, I had to fly down to Georgia for an HR conference. I'm back home today, and still a little sick, but happy to be with my husband and pup.

Somehow, being in Georgia made me more nostalgic for the south than even being in Arkansas. Maybe it was the trees or the nice weather, but I left feeling pensive. I don't know why I sometimes long for places I've never lived and something that I'm not sure I actually even want (the peace, the pace). [or maybe, it was just that my body somehow remembered that the last time I was in Georgia was six years ago, back when I watched lots of Smallville and had things to cry about.]

Also, I picked up a book again. Pretty embarrassing that after reading fifty-two books last year it took me until April to actually read another book. But once again thanks to airplanes, I've been reading (The Corrections, if you wanted to know).

owen howard

2011-04-12T13:15:00.004-04:00

born today, April 12, 2011.
(he was 8 days late.)
owen howard peterson
doesn't he look just like rosie?

congrats to amy and jack

and, hooray!!

monday || april

2011-04-04T12:18:00.002-04:00

After a less than pleasant Friday (we stayed in and made Pork Ragu and watched Winter's Bone) we ended up with some decent spring weather on Saturday and Sunday. We enjoyed being outside and going to the dog park, as well as checking out the Brooklyn Flea which will be in Williamsburg on Sundays now through November. [We really wanted to get something to eat from one of the many food vendors at the Flea, but the lines were so long, we ended up getting Crif Dogs instead.]

It's Monday, but I have a work dinner tonight, so rather than cooking something meatless at home, I'll be [probably eating steak] at Valbella.

also, here's something nice to listen to today:

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://onjoyfulwings.bandcamp.com/album/seven-swans-reimagined"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Seven Swans Reimagined by On Joyful Wings&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

meatless monday: repeat [curried lentil soup]

2011-03-29T10:56:00.001-04:00

Elliott has pretty much been requesting this soup ever since I made it in January. This time, I served it with toasted pita bread, but I still could not get a decent picture to post. I guess this soup is kind of ugly, but it is flavorful and filling and cheap.

It's the end of March, how much longer will we have to eat hot soup? Well, it is still cold here. Is spring the worst season in New York? It's just so unlike spring in the south. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it.

west coast, are you in the house?

2011-03-25T15:15:00.002-04:00

It would be hard to talk about my little trip to LA without first mentioning the flight home [which was boring for the first 5 hours (the TV screens were broken and my book was packed)] but pretty terrifying for the last 2 hours. Probably the most terrifying flight of my life. Apparently, it was raining pretty bad in New York on that Sunday evening, and by the time we were flying over Pennsylvania, our pilot said that the JFK runway was closed at the moment and we would need to circle over PA for a while until it opened back up and we could land. He said we had about 40 extra minutes of fuel (but did not mention what we would do if, you know, we still couldn't land at JFK, and we came to the end of those 40 minutes). Flying over Pennsylvania was pretty bad in and of itself (and not just because it was Pennsylvania); it was after midnight, it was raining there too, it was super turbulent, and we were circling. (I was watching our plane on the interactive map and it was just going up and down and around. Probably shouldn't have watched that.) Thankfully after about 30 minutes, we were cleared to land at JFK and make our way to NYC.

Here is where it gets really fun. Have you ever had a failed attempt at landing? You know, you go in for the "final descent" and hit the runway and bounce, and then go back up in the air? Amanda and I were flying together (first time and we've been BFF almost 15 years), so when we went back up in the air we held hands and squeezed each other's legs and discussed possibilities of a joint funeral (but how will they know that's what we wanted?) and wardrobe options (wedding dress for me, new bikini for her, although pretty sure if we died in a plane crash we'd have a closed casket service). The pilot said we would "try again" and after 15 more panic-inducing minutes, we jerked to a landing at JFK. I am a sissy when it comes to flying, I'll admit that, but I am pretty sure every passenger on the plan was holding their breath as we took that second landing. We were so glad to be on the ground.

But the real point of this post is to say that sometimes being spontaneous feels really good. I decided to go to LA kinda last minute, because Amanda was going, and Jordan wanted me to come, and then Wendy decided to come down from San Francisco, and it was just so nice to all be in the same [sunny] place.

meatless monday: ravioli with mushrooms

2011-03-23T18:49:00.003-04:00

Elliott's folks were in town last weekend, so I didn't really have time for any meal prep or grocery store. We had mushrooms leftover from last week's mushroom risotto, and I kept it simple: ravioli with shallots and brown butter, and sauteed mushrooms on top. With arugula salad, of course.

meatless monday: mushroom risotto (& kale)

2011-03-15T15:15:00.000-04:00

adapted loosely here.

birthday brownies

2011-03-15T08:24:00.007-04:00

I made these brownies for a church potluck on Sunday. I'm not huge into desserts anymore, but I've been eating these brownies on my birthday for as long as I can remember. So good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

4oz unsweetened chocolate

1 stick butter

4 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

32-35 mini peanut butter cups, halved

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and lightly flour a 13 X 9 pan. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan, then set aside to cool. Beat the eggs and salt in a mixing bowl until very fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the flour and fold just until blended. Pour into pan. Arrange peanut butter cup halves evenly on top of the batter and lightly press into batter.

Bake about 25-30 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

fat tuesday on friday

2011-03-14T09:57:00.000-04:00

One of the things Elliott wanted to do during his Spring Break was cook something fun. He doesn't really get to cook much now that he's in class most nights and he always enjoys spending time in the kitchen and making something new. I bowed out of the kitchen and let Elliott completely do his own thing and I have to admit the results were pretty fantastic. This was some good gumbo. We ate it for three days straight and I somehow was not even sick of it by day 3. That's a mark of a good dish.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

adapted from Cooking Up A Storm

2-3 slabs of Bacon

3/4 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Flour

1 Large Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1-2 Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped

2 stalks Celery, finely chopped

1 quart Chicken Stock

1 quart Duck Stock (or additional Chicken Stock)

1 whole Chicken, cut in to serving pieces

1 pound Spicy Sausage, sliced (Andouille preferably)

Cook bacon until crispy and fat has been rendered. Let cool, then finely chop and set aside. Add strained bacon fat from pan and vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk continuously for about 30 minutes, until the roux has turned dark brown, being carful not to burn. Add the onions, peppers and celery and cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes. Once soft, add the chicken and duck stock as well as the whole chicken and bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, slice and brown the sausage in a skillet, then set aside. Once the chicken is cooked, remove pieces and let cool. Add sausage to the pot and continue to simmer, partially covered. When the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bones and shred or cut them in to bite-size pieces. Add the chicken and reserved bacon to the pot and let all of the ingredients simmer for 15-20 minutes until everything is warmed through. Serve over rice.

not too late for coffee

2011-03-10T10:20:00.002-05:00

I'm not pleased to admit that for the past many years I have regularly enjoyed my morning coffee with French Vanilla Creamer. It started in college when I bought cheap coffee and needed something to make it taste better (maybe just buy good coffee in the first place? It wouldn't have worked, we drank way too much coffee in college.). I don't buy cheap coffee anymore, but the sweet creamer habit has stuck. I know it's not good for me, I know it's completely artificial and bad for the environment, but it was one small thing that I wasn't quite willing to give up.

So I was kind of pumped when Elliott said that he found a new product from Organic Valley, French Vanilla Half & Half. And I am even more pumped to say that it is good.

to that place that I think of so often but now never mention

2011-03-09T11:07:00.008-05:00

Last night we went to see Bright Eyes at Radio City Music Hall. We are going tonight, too (that makes 15). I really couldn't help myself. I didn't get to see him at all in 2010 (did anyone?), but I've been averaging twice a year since 2003, and that just didn't sit right with me. Elliott is kind of a champ for going both nights with me. I don't think there is ANY band he would want to go to see two nights in a row. Still, we had a really great time. I was getting pretty annoyed around the time when everyone had a sing-along to Poison Oak, and Elliott reminded me of the time we saw him at North Six (now Music Hall of Williamsburg) and that started to happen and Conor stopped playing the song and said that this wasn't a Dashboard Confessional show. Everyone nervously laughed, then stopped singing. I wish he would do that again. Or just not play the song.

He played Road to Joy at the end and I laughed because I have heard that song live so many times I know the "live version" practically as well as I know the album version.

I was really happy to hear Nothing Gets Crossed Out and also the Calendar Hung Itself and Gold Mine Gutted. And the new songs (hoping for Haile Selassie tonight).

I was happy to see him happy and dancing and singing (also, he kind of channeled Eminem at one point, maybe during Approximate Sunlight? It looked like he might start rapping. I would have been okay with that.).

[reviews, pics, and set lists here and here, if you were interested.]

pistachio

2011-03-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

My girl Dana finally launched her etsy shop.

Dana has been making beautiful jewelry for as long as I've known her.

Here are two of my favorite pieces in the shop:

Check it out here.

meatless monday: pasta and kale salad

2011-03-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

I got in from LA late late Sunday night/Monday morning (more on that later), so I left our dinner plans up to the dude. Thankfully, it's his Spring Break this week, so he had a little extra time to plan and pick up groceries. We've made Cacio e Pepe before, but Elliott wanted to make a Kale and Ricotta Salad instead of our usual arugula with homemade vinaigrette. [We actually first made this salad for Thanksgiving last year, but had so many leftovers that I was completely sick of it at the time (yes, salad leftovers! The kale holds up really well).]

meatless monday: chard and white bean stew

2011-03-01T07:50:00.000-05:00

I've had this recipe on the list to try for a while (sister made it here). I followed Deb's directions pretty closely, although I did not pre-boil the chard. I knew it would get soft enough simmering in the soup, but is there some nutritional benefit to boiling it? Probably, but I decided not to mess with it this time. It seemed like there were a lot of carrots in the stew, but that is maybe just because I don't love carrots. And I have to say, the poached egg here is crucial. All in all, a nice meatless meal to close out February.

meatless monday: sour cream and black bean enchiladas

2011-02-22T13:06:00.001-05:00

This was by far one of the more satisfying, didn't-miss-meat-at-all dinners we've had in 2011.

Enchiladas aren't the quickest thing to whip up in the kitchen (and they make a mess) but I had the day off (thanks, Presidents) and didn't mind spending a little extra time on dinner.

I absolutely love Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas so I thought I'd give her Sour Cream Enchiladas a try. But the more I looked at the recipe, the more it just seemed kind of boring (no offense, PW!), and I don't really even like green onion or red enchilada sauce. So I decided to make some changes and add some black beans to the enchiladas and from there ended up just doing my own thing, with PW's recipe more as a guide than anything else.

We had heirloom beans in our pantry so I decided to use those (the beans soaked all day, and took about 1 1/2 hours to cook on the stove), but I think canned black beans would work here as well.

For the enchilada filling I used probably (I didn't measure) 2 cups of the cooked beans, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 small can of chopped green chilies, and a handful of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. I also sliced Queso fresca to include in each enchilada. Once the enchiladas were assembled, I poured a can of green chile enchilada sauce on top, followed by some more shredded cheese.

These enchiladas were seriously good.

I also made PW's Mexican Rice but didn't have any canned tomatoes (and sadly can't really find Rotel in NYC) so I just included a bit of tomato paste instead.

Now if only we had made homemade margaritas...

haircut

2011-02-16T14:10:00.006-05:00

Elliott took Desmond to get his first haircut this morning.

before:

after:

I barely recognize him.

Doesn't he look so proud? Such a handsome pup.

(PS: He kind of looks like a fancy dog now,

but we promise he's not.)

meatless monday, valentine's edition: pizza and champagne

2011-02-15T12:26:00.000-05:00

Saturday night, we went out for a special Valentine's dinner to Colicchio and Sons.

After so many seasons of watching Top Chef, Tom Colicchio feels like a household name to me. But I guess it is just my household, because no one we talked to about our dinner had ever heard of him (sorry, Chef Tom!).

Dinner was delicious. We ate in the more casual "Tap Room" and enjoyed frisee and apple salad, roasted bone marrow, surf & turf, steak & ale, and apple tatin with calvados ice cream (yum).

Last night we opted for low key (we barely had a choice since Elliott got home from class at 9pm) and shared heart-shaped pizzas from Motorino and some sparkling wine while we watched the last episode of Party Down.

meatless monday: potato soup

2011-02-08T15:39:00.001-05:00

I made potato soup for dinner last night. I was actually in the kitchen from around 5pm to 8pm. I made cookies too. And kale chips. And I listened to The People's Key twice through. And then I took my pup for a walk. It was a long Monday, the kind of Monday that makes it hard to believe it's only Monday.
It's [already] been a long winter.

meatless monday: cranberry bean pasta fagioli

2011-02-01T08:20:00.013-05:00

Julie sent me this recipe to try months ago, and we finally got around to making it for Meatless Monday.

We actually made it Sunday evening, but we ate the leftovers last night.

Somehow, my soup ended up looking nothing like the picture with the recipe, but it still tasted good.

And I finished it with a little bit of heavy cream, because that's how I roll.

dinner last night: pork, the other winter food

2011-01-28T09:57:00.001-05:00

As it turns out, this January has been the snowiest January in NYC ever.

(And Elliott desperately needs some boots he can wear out in this weather.)

We've been eating a lot of soup, for sure, but there is something about braised meat in the winter that is equally as satisfying and certainly heartier.

We love short ribs, but after I saw this recipe for pork shoulder ragu, I knew it was time to switch things up.

Yesterday Elliott's evening class was cancelled (due to the snow) and he was able to whip this up for dinner.

The house smelled amazing when I got home from work.

And dinner tasted pretty amazing too.

Note: We thought our pork looked a little dry when we took it out of the oven, but we added some liquid (milk) to the tomato sauce and the pork was nothing short of tender and flavorful (phew).

meatless monday: mushroom lasagna (& kale)

2011-01-25T07:55:00.002-05:00

For dinner last night we made smitten kitchen's mushroom lasagna.

We tried to take a picture of the pasta, but we really couldn't get a good one.

So I took a picture of the kale (leafy greens are so much more photogenic).

We made kale chips (me) and sauteed kale (he).

We liked the lasagna. I added a little more salt to the white sauce and also grated in some parmesan cheese, but other than that stuck pretty close to the recipe. Except I didn't boil my noodles. I have never boiled my noodles when I make lasagna. Why do you boil noodles? Mine always turn out soft from the oven. Am I buying weird noodles? I don't get it.

While I was snapping pictures of dinner, I decided to snap a few of the pup too.

Wouldn't you?

three-day weekend

2011-01-18T10:38:00.001-05:00

We pretty much spent the three-day weekend at home with our sick Pup, leaving our apartment only twice to go to the Vet (so thankful this is just a short walk from our apartment). We are still waiting to hear final results from his x-rays and blood work, but today Des actually seems to be on the up and up for the first time since Thursday, so we are really hoping this is all going to blow over. We have been nervous wrecks.

I know puppies are not the same as babies, but Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights we were up every hour or so to tending to our sick Pup and we certainly felt like new parents. (We also felt like the worst parents of all time for letting him eat something? that made him so sick.)

So, in between cleaning up after Desmond, taking him to the Vet, and worrying, we finished catching up on Community (we just started watching this a few months ago, I know, I know, it's so good!), finished Season 1 of Breaking Bad, watched Easy A and The Town, and ate pizza, chinese, and sushi takeout. Pretty pathetic. Speaking of pathetic:

Sunday we wanted a home cooked meal and decided to make Luke's favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup since he was just getting back in to town. Sadly, Monday, we had no will to cook or clean and just ate leftovers for Meatless Monday (so, not actually meatless). But we did eat huge plates of kale with our soup, which somehow made us feel better.

This afternoon I am getting two wisdom teeth pulled, so I'm anticipating some more couch time. Good thing I still have some episodes of Pushing Daisies to watch. And hopefully, Desmond's health will continue to improve so that Elliott won't have two sickies to care for.

meatless monday: curried lentil soup

2011-01-11T09:17:00.001-05:00

I don't particularly like lentils, and I'm not a huge fan of curry, but I do love soup. And this recipe came so highly recommended, we just had to try it.

[picture via bonappetit]

It was really good, hearty and spicy and flavorful. Also super easy to prepare. And if you don't have a food processor, I honestly don't see why you couldn't just dump some plain or garlic-flavored hummus in to the soup in place of the chickpea puree.

Next time, we will be sure to eat this with some pita bread or naan.

a perfect day

2011-01-07T15:31:00.001-05:00

A Perfect Day from Elliott Walker on Vimeo.

Elliott's final project for his type class last semester. His teacher loved it. So proud of him.

desmond charles walker.

2011-01-05T07:34:00.013-05:00

If you had asked me three months ago, I probably would have said I did not want a dog.

(Dog hair everywhere? Barking? Face Licks?)

But at Thanksgiving, I met a dog who changed my mind and I went from definitely not wanting one, to absolutely wanting one.

While we were in Arkansas for Christmas, we started to do some research on good city dogs.

Then, Elliott's mom found a woman in De Queen(!), Arkansas with shih poo pups for sale.

I mean, who could resist that sweet face?

"Scooter" was born on 10/10/10 and we brought him home on 12/28/2010.

We spent the rest of the week with him in Arkansas and he flew back to New York with us on Sunday.

He needs the last round of shots before he can really go outside and explore Brooklyn with us, but for now I think he's taking to city life just fine.

meatless monday

2011-01-04T10:39:00.003-05:00

And so it begins.

Cacio e Pepe

Arugula Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette

Did you want the recipe for our Homemade Vinaigrette?

1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of pepper

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove minced

1 dab of spicy brown mustard

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk in Olive Oil.

the list (fifty-two)

2011-01-03T21:56:00.005-05:00

Katie:
1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2. Food Rules by Michael Pollan
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
4. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
5. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
6. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
7. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
8. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
9. What the Dog Saw: And Other Stories by Malcolm Gladwell
10. End the Fed by Ron Paul
11. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
12. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
13. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
14. Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller
15. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
16. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
17. Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine
18. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
19. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
20. Run by Ann Patchett
21. The Colossus by Sylvia Plath
22. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
23. French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
24. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
25. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson
26. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
27. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
28. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
29. Here is New York by E.B. White
30. A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace
31. This is Water by David Foster Wallace

32. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

33. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

34. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

35. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

36. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

37. The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

38. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute by Grace Paley

39. Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett

40. What Now? by Ann Patchett

41. Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

42. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

43. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

44. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

45. Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi

46. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

47. Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill

48. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis

49. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

50. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

51. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

52. Generous Justice by Timothy Keller

Elliott:
1. Food Rules by Michael Pollan
2. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
3. Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright
4. No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
5. Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food by Wendell Berry
6. Oh the Glory of it All by Sean Wilsey
7. Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller
8. The Tempest by Williams Shakespeare
9. Mythologies by Roland Barthes
10. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
11. The McSweeney's Book of Poets Picking Poets
12. Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine
13. Kissing in Manhattan by David Schickler
14. The United States of Arugula by David Kamp
15. How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer by Debbie Millman
16. Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
17. Remix by Lawrence Lessig
18. The Cheese Monkeys by Chip Kidd
19. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
20. Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
21. Slow Food Nation by Carlo Petrini
22. You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier
23. Antwerp by Robert Bolano
24. The Form Book by Borries Schwesinger
25. Liberalism by Ludwig Von Mises
26. Saving Daylight by Jim Harrison
27. Hermit in Paris by Italo Calvino
28. Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne
29. Here is New York by E.B. White
30. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
31. This is Water by David Foster Wallace

32. The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs

33. It's a Long Road to a Tomato by Keith Stewart

34. The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

35. Ways of Seeing by John Berger

36. Enormous Changes at the Last Minute by Grace Paley

37. Reality Hunger: A Manifesto by David Shields

38. The Shape of a Pocket by John Berger

39. Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson

40. Third by Wendy Wasserstein

41. This Means This, This Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics by Sean Hall

42. What Now? by Ann Patchett

43. It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be. by Paul Arden

44. Elle Humour by Julie Doucet

45. Blizzard of One: Poems by Mark Strand

46. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud

47. Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

48. Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill

49. Never Sleep: Graduating to Graphic Design by Andre Andreev

50. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

51. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

52. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

fifty-two (books) in fifty-two (ish weeks) !

2011-01-03T21:49:00.001-05:00

Well, we did it. But we're not planning to do it again. It's been a good challenge, and enjoyable for the most part. But I'm looking forward to reading longer books, and spending more time on some of my books. The important thing is, that I'm back in the habit of reading.

Katie:
52. Generous Justice by Timothy Keller

Dad gave us all this book for Christmas. It's really good.

"I urge my readers to discren the balance I am seeking to strike. If we confuse evangelism and social justice we lose what is the single most unique service that Christians can offer the world. Others, alongside believers, can feed the hungry. But Christians have the gospel of Jesus by which men and women can be born again into the certain hope of eternal life. No one else can make such an invitation. However, many Christians who care intensely about evangelism see the work of doing justice as a distraction for Christians that detracts from the mission of evangelism. That is also a grave error." - Tim Keller

Elliott:
52. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

We couldn't have done it without those graphic novels!

fifty-two in fifty-two challenge found here.]

fifty and fifty-one of fifty-two

2010-12-26T10:55:00.003-05:00

Three cheers for airplane reading! Probably the only good thing about flying.

Katie:
50. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

This book was not laugh out loud funny. It also was not stories from David Sedaris's life. It was not boring, but also not completely compelling. And some of the stories had a distinct Flannery O'Connor feel, which is maybe the last thing you'd expect from David Sedaris.

"When her muzzle grew more white than brown, the chipmunk forgot that she and the squirrel had had nothing to talk about. She forgot the definition of "jazz" as well and came to think of it as every beautiful thing she had ever failed to appreciate: the taste of warm rain; the smell of a baby; the din of a swollen river, rushing past her tree and onward to infinity." - David Sedaris

51. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

When I picked this book up and started to read the first story, I felt certain I had read it before. But the first story was the only one that seemed familiar and I can't imagine why I would have read the first story and not wanted to continue?

"But he stays by the window, remembering. They had laughed. They had leaned on each other and laughed until the tears had come, while everything else -- the cold, and where he'd go in it -- was outside, for a while anyway." - Raymond Carver

Elliott:
50. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

"She kept talking. She told everyone. There was more to it, and she was trying to get it talked out. After a time, she quit trying." Raymond Carver

51. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

"I never liked the world I saw during the day. Then I started hating the one I saw at night and wondered, What's left? What changed things, albeit slowly, was learning. It's like there's a hole where my life used to be, and I'm filling it with information -- about potatoes. About hot water heaters. Anything will do. These leeches, though. For the first time in memory, I was unable to sleep not because I was anxious but because I was excited. To live in a damp crowded asshole and sing -- if these guys don't know the secret to living, I don't know who does." - David Sedaris

fifty-two in fifty-two challenge found here.]

forty-nine of fifty-two

2010-12-21T09:45:00.000-05:00

Katie:
49. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Sorry for not reading this sooner!

Elliott:
49. Never Sleep: Graduating to Graphic Design by Andre Andreev

A design book about working-life after school.

[fifty-two in fifty-two challenge found here.]

february 15

2010-12-21T07:45:00.007-05:00

read about it here.