Resolutions for the New Year

It's not too early to start thinking about the things we resolve to accomplish or do better in the new year. Especially when January magazine editions hit the newsstands in the beginning of December focuising only on new diets, new exercises and new ways to find more time in your life. In an effort to try and not break another promise to myself, I'm going to be simple and realistic with my goals for the 2010.

Glamour magazine had a refreshingly different take on the annual self improvement. Their suggestions were based on things that are easy to accomplish and just might make this next year a little sweeter. Some of my favorites:

• Buy a "good decision" piggy bank. Pay yourself a dollar every time you skip a third drink, go to bed early, or make a difficult phone call. At the end of the year, buy yourself a "good decision" present.
• If you can't find something to watch on TV, turn it off.
• On January 2nd, sit down and write out five reasons why you would want to marry yourself. (date yourself, hire yourself, same idea) Doesn't that feel nice?
• Don't let a week go by without telling someone you love them. Out loud. Pets count. (I vote take this one step further and say it to someone everyday)
• Wave that freak flag high. One suggestion: on Facebook, go to Settings, then Language. On Primary Language select "English (Pirate)"... I actually just did this to see what would change. It's brilliantly hilarious. They also have "Upside Down" and "UK" among others.

Feeling inspired, I tried to come up with some of my own.

• Look for the sale. If I find something I want, I will resist buying it then and there at the store, and try to find it on sale online, at Amazon, eBay or another retailer. This will also force me to be think twice about my purchases and be more intentional when shopping.
• Listen more, talk less (a challenge for all extroverts).
• Instead of resolving to workout more, I resolve to try new workouts. I have never taken a spin class, zumba dance lesson, or done the P90X DVDs.
• Compromise more in my relationships and less on my values and goals. I could benefit from giving more to the people I love and redirect the selfishness toward accomplishing my ambitions.

I'm Dreaming

of a White Christmas.

Catching the musical version tonight with Katie. So excited!

Never Regift Again

Amazon launched an amazing service earlier this year and I can't endorse it enough.... No, I'm not referring to the Kindle; I'm a traditionalist when it comes to reading and will always prefer my books the old fashioned paper way... But the Universal Wish List. The UWL allows you to add items from any website to a wish list that you can share with others and is searchable on Amazon's site. Essentially, this takes the guesswork out of buying gifts (how many candlesticks do your friends really need?), and prevents you from putting on that poker face while you thank your Aunt Anges for the Christmas tree sweater. While I will always advocate that gift giving is more about the thought than the actual item, I like to know that I'm giving someone something they will actually like... and USE.

So family and friends, please take a few moments, log into Amazon and begin your wish list. The initial set up does take some time, but once you've got it going, it's something you can continue to add to and subtract from for many birthdays, Christmases, bar mitzvahs, and house warmings to come.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Katie and I had a festive night at Pike's Place on Friday. We strolled through the market which is now decked out in Christmas lights, banners, and trees. As a souvenir, I brought home this bouquet of holly, cabbage, and greens. The flowers at the market are one of the things I missed most about Seattle.

Pacific Place, the downtown mall, also has a new (or new to me) tradition. It's snows inside the mall every evening.

I'm such a sucker for cheesy traditions and tacky displays. The holidays are the one time you can indulge in childlike activities and make your friends and family join in with you :)

Vet

Anyone in know of a good vet in the Magnolia/ Ballard area? Gatsby's due for a check up and I want to find someone trustworthy and affordable.

I Caved from All the Peer Pressure...

and finally bought Gats some protection from the rain.

He's clearly super excited for his new outerwear. At least it's been sunny lately; he hasn't had to wear it... yet.

Project Hobby

Those of you familiar with my blog are well aware that I'm constantly setting out on a new project to conquer. Though they tend to be related to the pastimes of women in the 50s: sewing, baking, decorating, studying etiquette, writing... these endeavors keep me busy in my spare time and (usually) I have an end result I can be proud of.

Earlier this week, while I was cutting fabric for an apron, I noticed Nick sitting in the chair adjacent to me staring off into space. Within a few minutes, he resolved to head to bed. Not because he was tired, but as a result of boredom.

This gave me an idea~ Nick needs a hobby! I spent all last night offering suggestions to him over dinner. Aside from inviting him to join my current hobbies, here are some of the ones I came up with:

• model airplane making
• sailboats in a bottle
• learn a musical instrument (my suggestion was the keytar)
• take up a language like ASL or Japanese
• sudoku
• learn to do animation
• claymation
• build things using drills, saws, and other manly tools
• draw up a floorplan for a house
• join Oprah's book club
• make your own beer (I actually vetoed this one when my friend Megan alleged that this was a smelly process)
• grow a garden in planter pots on one of our three decks
• photography
• ride a BMX bike
• become an online gamer
• roll your own cigars
• prove mathematical theorems
• bird watching
• collect "things"
• draw maps
• totem pole designing

Nick seemed more entertained by my persistence in finding him a hobby than the ideas themselves. Still, I'm pressing on. Anyone have any other ideas for Nick's new hobby?

Thanksgiving Pics

A large collage of pictures from the week of Thanksgiving:

Jamie and Marty visited the weekend before turkey day.

We took Gatsby to one of the only pet friendly bars (inside at least), Norms. It's official, my dog takes better pictures than I do.

Norms is also known for their classy drink menu, including a 40 of PBR, served only as it should be... in a paper bag.

Nick and I threw a Homecoming themed housewarming party. Everyone was to dress in old sport jerseys, lettermans jackets, or school dance attire. I was so busy throughout the night, I didn't take ANY pictures. There were some stellar outfits and hairdos! I'm contemplating making this get together an annual affair. I figure the ensembles can only get better and more elaborate in coming years.

Thanks Katie, our Homecoming Queen, for these pics!

Sporting my actual Junior year prom dress and matching headband. (I'm feeling a little short next to Katie in this picture.)

Katie, myself, and Melissa

Time for a costume change into some polyester for the rest of the evening.

Practicing our stunts

And heel stretches. Not as painful as it looks.

Thanksgiving dinner was hosted by our new friends Beth and Nate. Post dinner activities included some intense charades, boys v. girls

Beth, who is an amazing singer and songwriter (no wonder I was so quickly enamored), brought out her guitar and sang. This was definitely the highlight of my night. She is SO talented.


Katie and Thaddeus enjoying the music...

Later on, we all joined in. Katie borrowed Gatsby's toy toothbrush for her mic.

Friday, Nick and I set out to get our tree. I grew up getting our family Christmas tree at Thornton's treeland, a u-cut tree farm with acres of different firs. It was a day long experience trekking through the selections, warming up in the barn with cocoa by the fire, feeding their sheep, and saying hello to old friends. Nick was kind enough to humor me, as we drove out north of Redmond in search of a similar experience at McMurtrey's Red-Wood Christmas Tree Farm

Gatsby came along and had a great time navigating in between all the trees in the mud

He chose to retire quickly in the car, once the chain saws came out to even out the tree trunks


Our tree!



I haven't posted any pictures of our new place yet. There is still a lot that Nick and I would like to do with the space. Here's a glimpse of our living room. LOVE the skylights!

Holiday Projects

So much fabric, so little time!

Cotton Holiday prints for an apron and matching dish towels and napkins.

Uber soft fleece for Gatsby's bed


I went a little Pucci crazy at Mood last month. I was just so elated that these prints could be purchased! The far left is a silk fabric. I'm planning on making it into a scarf, however, I have never hand-rolled edges... this will be a challenge. The middle print is a water resistant nylon. I'm envisioning a rain parka of some sort. Finally, the print on the right is cotton. I might save it for the lining of a purse or a top for summer.

My biggest challenge is no longer finding time for all my project dreams, but scheduling them during Gatsby's naps. Free flowing fabric can be such a temptation!

Farewell Emily

I suffered a tragic loss on Thanksgiving night. While Nick and I were happily enjoying dinner with friends, my car was broken into and Emily the GPS was kidnapped.

Emily, we've been through so much together: some great adventures, many errands, a few tough times of U-turn frustrations, and lots of recalculations. Though your maps were outdated, we still managed to get by. You leaned on me to plug you in, I leaned on you to get me where I needed to go.

Though I'm sure you've been sold on the black market, I hope your new car is as loving as the Accord was. You'll be missed Em. I'm lost without you.

This Year I'm Thankful for...

• All the time I've been spending with loved ones lately
• My handsomely adorable puppy, even though he is quite a handful
• Time off work. The whole being broke thing isn't too fun, but now that the apartment is unpacked, I am enjoying diving into the projects that have been put on hold
• New Moon just came out ;)

Shared naptime over the long weekend

What are you thankful for???

More Recipes

BTW, how amazing do these baked sweet potatoes look?

The recipe is on the home page of the food network.

I've also been going through a warm drink phase. It just fits the setting with the cold weather in Seattle. I think this recipe can kick my powdered candy cane flavored hot chocolate's butt.

(also found on the Food Network's website)

El Dorado Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons
8 ounces finely chopped milk or semisweet chocolate
6 cups milk
6 ounce cinnamon flavored liqueur (recommended: Goldschlager)
3 ounce golden rum

Stir the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Uncover and continue to cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is a dark golden caramel, 7 to 10 minutes. (It should smell slightly burnt.) Pull pan from the heat and carefully pour the 1/4 cup water into the caramel. Take care; it may spatter a lot. Whisk until smooth and allow to cool. (The burnt caramel can be held for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.)

When ready to serve: Put 3 tablespoons of the burnt caramel into 4 mugs or cups and top evenly with the chopped chocolate. Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium pan over medium heat. Pull pan from the heat and add the Goldschlager and rum; pour over the chocolate.

I'll try both recipes later this week and report on whether it was a success.

Turkey Day Recipes

Last year I was responsible for the entire menu on Thanksgiving. While I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, it was a TON of work. Due to time and energy, I also had to simplify some dishes I otherwise would have made from scratch (stuffing, yeast rolls, gravy).

This year, Nick and I decided to nix the travel and stay put for in Seattle for a whole 15 minutes. We're having Thanksgiving dinner with some friends in Belltown. Our hosts are providing the essentials, and everyone else is bringing a dish or two to contribute.

Since there is less to prepare, I'm excited to focus on some great side dishes. I wanted to share them here since they have been family and friend tested and approved.

My appetizer: Bacon-wrapped sea scallops (because everything wrapped in bacon is awesome).

It's based on a Rachael Ray recipe:

Make a marinade with about a 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, a couple dashes of agave nectar (brown sugar, molasses, or maple syrup also work... just something to sweeten and thicken the marinade), a small splash of truffle oil (a little bit goes a long way!), fresh garlic, diced, salt and pepper.

Pat scallops dry. I like to get the bigger scallops and cut them in half. Soak scallops in marinade for 10 minutes.

While they are in the marinade, take bacon slices (I prefer to get maple or peppered bacon) and cut them in half.

When scallops are ready, wrap each in one slice of bacon, securing with a tooth pick. Bake in a slotted broiling pan for 5-6 minutes on each side.

For a dipping sauce I take 1 1/4 cup of olive oil mayo, 1/4 cup Sriracha chili sauce (found in the Asian food aisles... the one with the green top), fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

By marinading the scallops, you get a richer sweet flavor. The sauce provides a citrus kick to round out the dish.

Side dish: Cranberry Relish

No one really likes the canned cranberry sauce. It's probably the most ignored meal accessory at the table. My mom introduced me to an alternative that is much fresher and great as a tangy alternative to the canned variety.

In a blender or food processor, combine one bag of cranberries (make sure they are not frozen, a lesson learned from last year), half a can of orange juice concentrate, orange zest, and some splashes of brandy or brandy flavoring. This year I updated the recipe a bit by adding fresh ginger, 1/4 cup of ginger ale, and some agave nectar to taste. Blend on the chopping setting. You want the consistency to be coarse. Add chopped walnuts for more flavor and texture. They also help to thicken the relish.

This is a super fast and easy recipe. Also a great one to make ahead of time!

Last, but not least, although I'm not making a turkey this year, I wanted to share our family recipe. It's a tad unconventional, however, cuts the cooking time down by a couple hours and creates a delicious main dish!

Turkey in the Sack:

This recipe first came from my grandparents. Ironically, Nick's mom has been using a similar Turkey in the Sack recipe for years. She's the only other person I know of who makes a turkey this way.

Combine 1 tsp. pepper, 2 tsp salt, 3 tsp paprika, and 4 tsp. hot water in a bowl. Set aside. Using 1 cup of peanut oil, coat the inside of a paper grocery bag completely (be thorough). Pour leftover oil into spice mixture. Rub mixture all over thawed turkey (both inside and out).

Place turkey in the sack breast side down (as the white meat tends to be the driest part of the bird, this forces the juices to run down through it). Secure sack tightly with staples. Bake 10 minutes per lb at 350F.

Use caution when opening the sack.

Essentially this method steams the entire turkey, and the spices give it its color. It's a healthier recipe and much less work, since no one needs to constantly check on the progress and baste.

Happy eating and happy napping!

Walla Squared

I know that my lack of blogging is bad when Nick actually makes comments on my slacking. Not to fear, I am home in Seattle, better from my cold, the apartment is unpacked, and I am still unemployed. What an excellent combination for tons of posts!

The first of which is to report on our trip to Walla Walla, WA for wine tasting. After arriving to Seattle on a Friday, I spent five solid hours directing mover traffic, repacked a bag and headed straight out the door once again for a weekend adventure. Nick and I weren't too rushed, since he assured me Walla Walla was only two hours away (in case anyone is wondering, it's actually four and a half, five in the snow... details...). Though the timing of the trip was not the most convenient (did I mention it was snowing on the pass?), we had a wonderful time and I'm so glad we went! Here are some highlights:


If Nick and I did Christmas cards, this would definitely be the 2009 pic...

I seriously can't get over the Autumn colors here in WA. So beautiful.

Wheat, winter berries and red leaves are unfortunately absent in LaLa Land and Austin. I'm obsessed.

Traveling between wineries included some fun facts from Michael Mooney about Walla Walla, which was, of course, a quiz at the end of the evening. My competitive side was all ears!

The perfect way to get toasty on a cool fall day.

Corks from Nick's favorite winery, Trust. My attempt at being artistic.

A little dancing to MJ in between destinations is always appreciated.

As is cleansing the palette with some BL

A fine vintage

Very fancy labeling system.

Similar to the advanced corking technology. Thanks Disney.

Samples straight from the barrel at Gifford Hirlinger


The barrel room

Our dinner set-up at GH. Reminds me of a set of a romantic comedy.

A timeless night cap of Nick and I singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at the town's only Karaoke bar.

"turn around, bright eyes... every now and then I fall apart!..."

I am always a fan of wine-induced marital competition. Another classy way to end a day of wine tasting.

Almost Home

9 days, 6 states, and 2400 miles later, I'm one stop away from being "home." I'm in Vancouver spending some time with my mom before our furniture is delivered in Seattle tomorrow. Aside from freezing these past couple days and coming down with a terrible cold, the trip has been pretty smooth sailing. Gatsby even proved to be a useful and minimally distracting travel companion.

Here's our trip from his point of view

Day one: he was a little unsure of his new seat and the crowded car


30 minutes later and all was back to normal


My GPS Emily and Gatsby's monkey guiding the way


Gatsby's posh set up while I spent the weekend in LA.

And a very personal welcome from the Palomar Hotel in San Francisco


The drive from San Fran to Vancouver was our longest at 11 hours. I'm pretty sure it's only supposed to be a 9 hour drive, but with a fever, dizziness and an antsy dog, I took my time; stopping in quaint towns like Dunsmuir, CA (just outside of Shasta) for some tea and a short walk for the pup.

It's been a fun ride, but I am ready to start setting up shop in Seattle. I'll barely have enough time to unpack before the holidays pop up just around the corner. I can't wait!