My love affair with Instagram is no secret. Here are shots that capture the past month:
alex seeks new music :: harry lounges :: i bask in the glory of wine tasting
cafe trieste, double espresso :: lady love :: packing for a (wonderful) trip to boston
covert ops :: half marathon finisher :: liquid watercolor on the floor (it stained)
pouring rain :: he planted this one :: atomic orange + wedding bands
owen’s amazing jacket + handsome profile :: painted ladies:: that iconic bridge of ours
My recent attempt at a chocolate chip mango oatmeal cookie didn’t quite cut it. I improvised the recipe and it was fine, but certainly not exceptional. The important discovery I made in that experiment was that I really prefer a chewy oatmeal cookie to the crispier style. As any good procrastinator would do, I performed a quick Google search instead of writing a paper. It should come as no surprise that Deb had a really appealing recipe on her blog for “Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.” Yesterday morning, I took a stick of butter out of the fridge to soften for the whole day so that I would have to make them in the evening. And I did. And I substituted chocolate chips for the raisins (and left out the cinnamon). And they are magical. Truly delicious.
Go forth and make cookies, my friends.
The latter half of last week, I was absolutely exhausted. I had a headache for days (speaking of which, how many days of headache in a row is too many, do you think?), the weather was beautiful but I didn’t really have time to stop and enjoy it. There were just way too many things to do. As I got out of class on Wednesday and began running errands I had the brilliant idea to take the evening for myself – no schoolwork, no obligations… just baking, a guilty pleasure tv show, and half of a girly movie before Alex got home.
At some point recently I wondered if Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Mango cookies would be any good, and this seemed the perfect opportunity to find out. I collected all the ingredients, and piled them on the counter on top of each other because my laptop (the tv/movie viewing department) had the place of honor on the kitchen table.
And I baked, not for speed or efficiency, but to eat some cookie dough and to fill the apartment with pleasant aromas.
I added some shredded coconut to the recipe… it was made-up anyway, so why not?
And the cookies were… good. I can definitely do better. Next time I want to try a different type of dried mango. The unsulfured and unsweetened version was a little too tough and the flavor did not shine through.
And just what did I watch? That Zooey Deschanel show, New Girl. There’s something a little stupid about it, but I also cannot resist it. Maybe it’s just that it’s painfully dorky sometimes (which hits quite close to home), but she’s just so cute. I also watched most of a movie called Timer. It’s on Netflix Instant Watch and I love it. It’s definitely a “chick flick,” but it is also very thoughtful and interesting and, of course, very sweet. It gets me every time. It stars Emma Caufield (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Patrick Amedori (who is totally adorable). Trailer here.
What do you like to do to unwind on your stressed-out days? Any movie or recipe suggestions for next time? Cheers to a better week!
Last night Alex (husband and live music industry insider) spent about 45 minutes bombarding his Facebook feed with music videos. It was an incredibly focused list of tracks, all of them the first off their respective albums. I asked him to tell me why:
“When I’m looking for new music, I listen to the first tracks of records, hoping to get hooked. It’s frustrating how unimpressive some of the first tracks are. I immediately think of these great examples of totally engaging and captivating first tracks that command your attention. They grab your attention, but also give you an idea of what the rest of the record is going to be like. I use the first tracks as a highwater mark.”
In 2010, NPR’s All Songs Considered had listeners vote for their favorite opening tracks and compiled a playlist for all to hear. Bob Boilen, the maestro of the show, thoughtfully pondered the importance of these first musical glimpses,
“It used to be that the opening track to a record was what got you to go back and put on the album, at least to hear side one. But do opening tracks matter in a world where shuffle is probably more pervasive than linear listening? I think so. In fact, I’ll usually decide how much time to spend with a new album just from hearing the opening track. I listen for a defining sound that clues me into what lies ahead. If it doesn’t happen on the first track, I’m likely not to listen to the second. But my listening is different from most. I have bins of music to go through.”
Their logic is so similar, and I am often amazed at the amount of music Alex consumes on a daily basis, both professionally and personally. His memory for it is astounding, especially considering he can barely remember important birthdays (thank goodness for Google calendar).
I thought it would be awesome to share some of Alex’s favorite first tracks and he willingly agreed (with a little cajoling) to make a playlist for us. I’ll let his selections say the rest (in no particular order).
Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!!!
I’ve tried to move this blog away from super personal posts – I’m not sure why, but I’ll probably think about it for a week now- but this is quite a personal post for a good reason. The Paper Mama recently posed a challenge for the general internet community (which I discovered via Brenda) to take pictures of ourselves – and be proud of them. SO HERE I AM! Not a perfect hair or skin day. Just me. Unedited. The only makeup I’m wearing is mascara (because I have a complex about my pale eyelashes). Straight face (which some people have told me looks angry or sad).
The challenge also includes the following written prompts to give you an idea of what I’m up to currently:
Obsessing over my new camera and lens. A Canon 60D with a 50mm 1.4 lens (used it to take the above picture with the wireless remote shutter). Having a fully functioning DSLR is bringing me back to my great love of photography. I take it to the classroom with me every day (I so wish I could share the images of the kids with you… it’s just not really legal!) and have a stylish and functional camera bag coming soon to make it possible for me to carry it all the time. It’s good to be back.
Working on conscientious eating. In an effort to be healthier and happier with my body, I’m cutting back on most starchy foods and meat during the week while doubling my consumption of vegetables and fruit to make up the difference. If I feel like I need to add some bulk to my salads, I spoon in a 1/2 cup of quinoa. I’m also trying to avoid refined sugar. Though, I do allow myself to “cheat” on the weekends because I LOVE food and I’d miss pizza and pasta too much otherwise. I’m also working on my fitness because I don’t want to be upset by my flappy upper arms in all of the wedding photos.
Thinking about Early Childhood Education. Graduate school is quite something, really. It is all-consuming and exhausting and frustrating, but it is also enlightening. I really am learning. I’m thinking more deeply about my profession and what it means to the world, about how to excel in it, and about where it might take me. I’m thinking about how Early Childhood Education came to be so important to me. I’m thinking about how I can make it more accessible. I’m thinking a lot, often, about the cultural nature of human development.
Anticipating THE WEDDING!!!! I’m getting so excited for our party. I’ve had a vision of this day for so long (since the summer of 2010, so, really not that long compared to those who have lifelong wedding scrapbooks), and I am eager to see it fulfilled. It means I’ll get to see so many people I love from so many distant places, which is really the best. It means I get to share vows with Alex (which we have not yet done- the civil ceremony was quite simple) and that’s incredibly exhilarating.
Listening to Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra. I am so into this song right now and the video is also exceptional. Also on heavy rotation: Love on Top by Beyonce. Alex is a little bit (a lot) obsessed with Bey and her key changes and her sultry voice, but I’ll admit it… I love this song, too.
Eating Trader Joe’s Unsulfered, Sweetened & Dried Mango. I know, I know they’re super high in sugar, but I feel better about eating these as a sweet snack than, say, a Snickers. If I’m craving something sweet, I have three pieces and that’s it! I want to try the freeze dried mango bits next time.
Wishing Our move back to the East Coast could happen sooner. We’ve talked a lot about the future and what’s next and a whole lot about where‘s next. The Bay Area offers so much excitement and great energy but it’s not home. It feels incredibly far away from home. It’s not exactly practical to pick up in the middle of a master’s program (in which I’m doing really well) just because I’m homesick. I wish it were now, but hopefully between now and then the days pass quickly and are good to us.
