AbbieBabble

Tea at the Taj

2012-01-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, I went to tea at the Taj with my mom and some of our dearest family friends. It was a lovely and relaxing way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon. I can't wait to go back.

Cheesecake Monstrosity, part II

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, Ben turned 27 (oh man oh man, that means we're getting old, I think.)

One of my favorite things about Ben's birthday is that it gives me an excuse to make the most ridiculous cake in the history of birthday cakes. Last year, at Ben's request, I made a cheesecake monstrosity. This year, after several texts back and forth, we worked out an even more monstrous cake: a heath bar cheesecake, topped with chocolate mousse, topped with a chocolate cake layer, topped with more chocolate mousse, covered in ganache.

Basically? This thing was insane. And so much fun to make.

Happy Happy, friend!

I'm so glad you were born.

Pork Roast

2012-01-18T07:30:00.002-05:00

Two days before Christmas this year, my poor mother threw out her back.

Usually after we open presents on Christmas morning, we go to church, then to dinner at a hotel downtown. Given that Mom could barely get up off the couch, however, we decided on Christmas Eve that a change of plans was in order. So I cooked a feast at the last minute.

We had roasted and stuffed pork loin (based on this recipe- so delicious!), roasted potatoes and broccoli and green beans. Dewey graciously let me take over the kitchen, but then stepped in at the last minute to put together some biscuits. Before we ate, my dad taught me how to carve meat.

Cooking food for my family turned out to be exactly the perfect way to spend Christmas morning.

Algiers

2012-01-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, Ben and Em and I went to the Algiers Coffee House. It is the kind of place where they let you order a pot of tea and sit for hours and hours, so that's what we did.

2012-01-13T09:04:00.000-05:00

Have you guys seen this video?

How to Stride Ahead - Part Two from CJ Richter on Vimeo.

I love it.

In a perfect world (and about 60% of the time), this is how I cook. The music is never quite so on-tune with the activities, though, and everything I do is a little more harried. I think what i like about it is how much care, how much love, she is putting into preparing all of those vegetables, and yet, it's so easy. Meditative, almost.

That's how I'd like my cooking to be: relaxed, meditative, and full of care.

I'm getting there.

2012

2012-01-10T23:19:00.005-05:00

Oh, you guys.

(Well, maybe just you guy. It's been a while.)

Happy New Year! I've missed you.

How was your New Year's? Mine was, basically, the best.

We went to a cabin in New Hampshire, where we spent the weekend eating good food and lighting fireworks.

I didn't take my sparkly legwarmers off, except to go in the hot tub.

I rang in the new year surrounded by many of my most favorite people in a gorgeous location.

2012 is off to a fantastic start.

I'm not quite back yet

2011-11-16T19:25:00.001-05:00

But here's a picture from the Fitz and the Tantrums concert Dewey and I went to last week. It was awesome.

Hi Rise, revisited.

2011-09-14T06:46:00.000-04:00

I have written before about my adoration of Hi Rise on Brattle, my favorite cafe in Cambridge, and maybe anywhere, so it won't come as a surprise that when I found out they were moving, I got really sad.

I've been going here to read my books and think my thoughts for seven years now, so on their last day, of course I had to go back for one last turkey and avocado sandwich. They're moving, not closing, but no location will ever be quite as wonderful as this one. I'm going to miss it. Lots.

{No trip to Hi Rise is complete without a busted-up moleskine. I have thought at least sixty percent of my most important thoughts while drinking a latte and writing in a journal at Hi Rise.}

{No, you silly cafe, thank YOU!}

Walk in the Woods

2011-09-12T07:32:00.002-04:00

On Sundays mornings, I often meet my mom to go for a walk. I usually want to go to the woods.

We live in a city, so it's sometimes easy to forget that there is nature so close by. Whenever I make it there, I am always so glad that I did.

Labor Day Weekend, part 1

2011-09-06T06:52:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, Elizabeth and I went up to visit our friend Kate at her husband's family's lake house in New Hampshire.

We did all my favorite summery things: we hung out with Kate's totally adorable 14-month-old daughter, we swam, we took a boat ride, we barbecued, and we stayed up late drinking wine and playing taboo.

It was a pretty wonderful little trip.

Boat Club Evening

2011-08-31T05:30:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Dewey, my mom and I hosted some of their neighbors at the boat club.* We had a wonderful time, which isn't surprising, since we always do at that magical place.

{Someday, when I am a grownup with my own garden, there will be lots of flowers just like these ones. They always seem so summery, no?}

{We did not play bocci. This was for the best, given how terrible I am.}

We stayed until well after sunset (and the two-year-old's bedtime), eating barbecue and talking about gardening and crazy landlords. It was a lovely evening, confirming my new suspicion that late summer may be one of my favorite times of year.

*Whenever I talk about the boat club, I feel compelled to explain that it's not nearly as fancy as it sounds. It is magical, yes, but fancy? Not even a little bit.

Weekend

2011-08-29T09:16:00.003-04:00

I spent this weekend sitting at home, wearing cozy socks and eating peanut butter.

It was pretty clear early on that Irene was going to mostly pass us by, so there was also beer and dinners out and trips to go buy wine,

but mostly it was a whole lot of staying indoors, a lot of cooking,

and hanging with some of my favorite people.

Which is really the best kind of weekend, no?

2011-08-26T08:07:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was Dewey's birthday (hooray for 24!), so we had a summertime feast, followed by a trip to Rancatore's for some much-enjoyed dairy fat.

{Banana chocolate chip ice cream, you are more delicious than words can describe.}

Dewey, I am so glad you were born. Happy happy birthday!

Baseball

2011-08-22T05:30:00.001-04:00

Last week, Elizabeth invited me to go with her to a Red Sox game. Given that I make it a policy to go to at least one game a summer, especially when the tickets are free and the company is good, I happily agreed.

I am fairly convinced that a trip to Fenway Park may be the most authentic of all Boston experiences.

{Somebody released like thirty beach balls during Sweet Caroline. It was amazing.}

It was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday night in August. Thanks for the invite, Elizabeth!

Summer Adventures

2011-08-15T08:59:00.005-04:00

Now that I have a new camera, I find myself wanting to go on more adventures.

Is that weird? I just want to do things I can take pictures of, you know? (And anyway, anything that encourages you to go on more adventures is a good thing.)

So Saturday, in a further attempt to cling to summer, Emily and I drove to Ipswich for a trip to Woodman's and Singing Beach.

Fried clams definitely taste better when you eat them overlooking a salt marsh.

Silly times are way more fun when you share them with a bestie.

2011-08-10T23:37:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I commented on Annie's blog that every year when August rolls around, I start clinging to summer like it'll never ever come back. Anyone who starts to talk about the impending arrival of fall gets a swift reminder that we have at least a month before it arrives, and I fill my weekends with beach trips and ice cream in an attempt to soak it all up before the leaves start to change.

I don't know if it's the cool rainy weather we've been having this week, but my devotion to summertime ideals has reached an all-time high lately. Last Saturday, just in time for my birthday barbecue, my mom and I found an old, falling-apart Weber grill on my back steps. Since I've found it, I have refused to cook food any other way. Yesterday, I stood in the pouring rain, barbecuing lemony chicken, thick slices of red onion, and tiny baby eggplants. It was more than worth it, though- seldom has food tasted that good, or that summery.

Item Number 9? Check.

2011-08-08T22:27:00.003-04:00

So, I did it.

I turned 26. It was kind of exciting, actually. I sometimes freak out a little bit about getting older, but as I learned from my list, getting older's not so bad if you think about all the fun stuff you get to do. Like buy a fancy new camera.

Number nine on the list was Buy an SLR and Learn How to Use It. I bought the SLR as a 26th birthday present. I haven't quite learned how to use it yet, but I have a teacher all lined up, and I can't wait to practice. In the past year, as I've gotten busier, I've kind of forgotten how much I love to take pictures. I'm pretty excited to remember.

(I've done an okay job of recording some of the items on my 25 in 25 list as I've checked them off. I didn't get to everything, but I did do a surprisingly large number of them, and I found the list to be a surprisingly transformative exercise. I'll write more about it in the coming weeks, including posts on the funnest things from the past year.)

2011-07-30T19:11:00.002-04:00

It is almost August.

I am almost 26. That is a little scary.

Scary ages aside, August means Tomato Season. That is a little wonderful.

2011-07-30T19:11:00.001-04:00

It is almost August.

I am almost 26. That is a little scary.

Scary ages aside, August means Tomato Season. That is a little wonderful.

Happy Monday!

2011-07-25T22:23:00.002-04:00

It's freezing outside right now (it's 65 degrees-I do recognize that that won't feel so freezing come winter!), so I kind of forgot how hot it was this weekend. But man, that was a scorcher.

It was so hot, really the only thing I could do was go to the happy place and jump in the lake immediately. I had a dear friend from college in town, plus Emma was around, so of course we needed ring pops. Also, lemon slush. (Is that a uniquely New England summer treat? I am kind of getting the impression that it is.)

As it turns out, homemade granola is an excellent snack after a late night of dancing with your sister and her friends. (I'm still looking for the perfect recipe though- anyone have any suggestions?)

Once it cooled down, I got to have an Arnold Palmer, read my book, and write some letters at Hi-Rise. A weekend where I spend time at two of my happy places is a good weekend, indeed.

Happy Monday, Friends!

I Heart My Garden

2011-07-21T10:40:00.002-04:00

You know what is awesome?

Knowing that today at lunch, I'm going to eat green beans that I grew from seed.

I'm pretty excited. I hope they taste delicious.

p.s. I invented a recipe for them. If it's good enough, I'll share later.

2011-07-18T22:15:00.002-04:00

Hello, friends!

I took a month off of blogging. It was funny- at first I just felt too busy to do anything but work, run and sleep, and then, I just didn't feel like coming up with anything for a post. So I didn't. Funny how sometimes that's exactly what you need, no?

A month where you spend all your free time with painted toenails, watermelon and a good book.

A month where you do all that at a happy place, pausing from your strenuous reading and watermelon-eating routine only to jump into the lake when you get too hot.

It was good, and now I'm back. Coming up soon: San Francisco! 25 in 25 recap (I'm not quite done yet!) More delicious baked goods!

I've missed you guys.

The Best Coffee Cake

2011-06-06T18:01:00.003-04:00

You Guys.

Exciting news: in my last post, I said that maybe Elizabeth and I found the perfect coffee cake recipe? We tested it again on Saturday, and came to the same conclusion: we did. It is sweet and tender and simply amazing. You should make it now, when rhubarb is in season.

Later in the summer, I plan on making it with blueberries. But the rhubarb version will always the the best, with the contrast between tart rhubarb and sweet cake making it the perfect brunch food. For serious, you should make it. Immediately.

Streusel Topping:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients. Add butter, mix with a fork until crumbs form

Cake:

Stick of butter, softened (1/2 cup)

1 c sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup plain yogur

1/4 cup milk

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

2 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in egg with an electric mixer. Add in milk, yogurt and vanilla. Stir until well-blended.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Stir them into the batter. Do not overmix.

Stir in rhubarb.

Pour batter into prepared pan, top with streusel. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (muffins will probably take less time). Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Eat!

2011-05-24T09:19:00.002-04:00

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Monday rushed in with a burst of productivity and before I knew it, I was going to bed without blogging. (Don't worry, the productivity has long since disappeared.)

Over the weekend, though, I got a little taste of what summer might feel like this year. Saturday, there was a two course (!!) brunch on the back porch, complete with popover breakfast sandwiches (spinach + fried egg + bacon + sharp cheddar on a popover = my new culinary obsession), and then, when we were still hungry, some biscuits. I spent all of Sunday outdoors, hiking, biking and gardening, and it was heavenly.

I am so, so ready for summer to begin.

2011-05-16T11:20:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday, friends!

What a weekend. Saturday, there were no pictures. But there were nine and a half mile runs, plenty of iced coffee, and finally seeing ones' bestie for the first time in months. (Or maybe weeks. But it felt like years.)

Sunday was perfect. It started with a walk in the woods. Lily of the Valley were spotted, and they were magical, as always.

Sunday afternoon, Elizabeth came over and we baked up a storm. It started with a tart for a coworker's birthday, and then we needed to make an apple pie because who makes pies without also making an apple pie. Then, it's May which means it's practically sacrilege to bake without using rhubarb, so we also made a rhubarb coffee cake. Further testing is needed, but we may have found the coffee cake holy grail.

All in all, a very productive weekend.

How about you?

Porch Breakfast

2011-05-11T21:56:00.000-04:00

I think I've mentioned before that one of my favorite features of our apartment is the back porch. (The front porch is pretty nice, too, but there's something especially magical about the back porch.)

Now that it's finally started to warm up in Boston, I've taken to running in the mornings instead of going to the gym. That means that I get to eat my oatmeal while sitting on the back porch, curled up in the papasan chair. It's kind of a perfect start to the day.

2011-04-26T00:00:00.003-04:00

So.

I keep meaning to blog, but then I get busy. Doing crazy shit. Like running up a mountain, down a mountain, and then five more miles.

Swearing in my blog, apparently.

Doing these crazy athletic events with my roommates. (Tonight, one roomie, one former roomie, one upstairs neighbor and I ran a 5k "fun run" with the Somerville Road Runners. I got a little competitive. I beat my normal fastest pace by about a minute per mile. It was pretty fun.)

Working.

Getting Fancy with the fam for Easter. (Notice the lack of Dad. He was there, but he left before the picture-taking occurred. Which was too bad, since he was pretty fancy too.)

I said I was getting in the groove of this "working during work hours," but apparently I lied. I'm still working on it, though- there are plenty of hours in the day, I just need to figure out how best to use them, and how to fit blogging in. I've been doing a lot of living, not so much blogging, but I miss the process of recording my life, of contributing to the blogging community in some small way. I'll figure it out soon, I think, I'll work out this balance thing I hear so much about, and then my blog won't be so empty.

Until then, Happy Spring, Friends!

Hello again

2011-04-07T07:27:00.002-04:00

Why, hello there.

How are you? It's been a while, I know.

I got a new job, you see, and all of a sudden, I had to work during working hours.

That's a little strange. It took some getting used to. (In my old job, they didn't really have very much for me to do.)

I think I'm figuring it out, though. Which is good, because spring is upon us. Last weekend, in addition to celebrating roommates old and new with birthday cake, biscuits, and bourbon, I wore flip flops and drank a lot of iced coffee.

Today, it is going to be fifty-six degrees outside. This girl is going to take a lunch break and go for a walk and enjoy the sunshine.

I love spring.

Item Number 4? Double Check.

2011-03-21T22:21:00.004-04:00

S0. When I turned 25, I made this list.

One of the things on it, number four, was to run a 10k (that's 6.2 miles).
I'd recently kind of sort of started thinking about running again (I started running for the first time when I was nine, and then I stopped by mid-high school), and that seemed like a lofty but achievable goal.

{We didn't exactly remember to take pictures. So roomie Emma and I did a reenactment in our living room. It went down just like this, promise.}

This past weekend, I finished a half marathon. That's 13.1 miles, or more than twice my goal. Once I started really running last fall, I just kind of realized I liked it, so I kept going. Suddenly, a half marathon made sense. I signed up for one in February, but then I got horribly sick the weekend of the race, and it snowed, so instead, I raced yesterday, in New Bedford. The weather was perfect- it was sunny and not too windy, and I kept a pretty steady pace right through to the end, where they gave me orange slices and a medal.

You guys, it was amazing. It was so much fun, and the weather was nice, and we got to run along the ocean, and I pushed my body to go faster than I thought I could, and it was just awesome. Now, I think everyone should do a race like that.

Really, though, I only did it because seven months ago I told the internet that I wanted to do a whole bunch of things. I'll do a recap closer to my birthday, but now, I think everyone should make a list like that, too.

p.s. Thanks to Christine for being my super awesome race buddy and Nicole who doesn't read the blog for SCREAMING for me at the finish line. That was so super motivating.

2011-03-16T05:44:00.002-04:00

Thank you thank you for your good wishes, friends!
The first two days have been wonderful.

In other news, my adorable mother (who lives less than a mile away) sent me this postcard in the mail. It says "Happy first day of your new job, and happy first day of no snow at our house!"

I heart my family and my blog friends.

2011-03-14T07:02:00.002-04:00

Eek eek eek!

Today, I start a new job. I'm a little nervous, but really excited. But also nervous.

Wish me luck?

ps So very many thoughts and prayers to Japan right now.

I made you some cookies

2011-03-09T07:20:00.001-05:00

This is my five hundredth post.

Huh. I've been doing this blogging thing for a while.

To celebrate, I made some cookies. But then I ate them, so you'll have to make your own. I'll share the recipe, though, because it is, quite simply, the best chocolate chip cookie recipe out there. Promise you'll make it, okay?

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the History of Ever

barely adapted at all from Smitten Kitchen

2 Cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling

3/4 cup salted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar (I usually use 1/2 a cup and double the regular sugar)

1/2 cup white sugar (unless I halve the brown sugar, in which case I use a whole cup of white sugar)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1 egg

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside. (True confession: I rarely do this. The cookies do turn out better if you do, though. Sift at your own discretion.)

3. Cream together melted butter and sugars.

4. Add egg and vanilla, beat until pale and fluffy.

5. Mix in sifted ingredients until just blended. Mix in chocolate chips.

6. Scoop dough into cookie-sized chunks, and roll into balls with your hands. Sprinkle with salt (this step is key to chocolate chip cookie nirvana). Bake- 10-12 minutes for small cookies, 15-17 for larger ones.

2011-03-04T08:05:00.002-05:00

{Daffodils and brownies, all wrapped up}

Happy Friday, friends!

And while we're at it, happy March! If Daffodils don't symbolize spring's fast approach, I don't know what does.

This weekend is looking crazy- I think I'm going to make up for last weekend, when all I did was lie around, recuperating, by racing around like a chicken with my head cut off. All for good reason though- I've got lots of fun stuff to do!

How about you? Any fun adventures?

2011-02-28T07:25:00.001-05:00

Well. This weekend didn't go quite as planned.

Friday afternoon, I came down with some sort of flu bug, and it hasn't left me alone yet. Which means that instead of checking things off my list like a madwoman, I instead spent the weekend alternating between my couch, my comfy chair, and my bed.

It's okay, though. I got completely caught up on Parenthood and magazine reading, and I got lots of rest, which my body definitely needed. I'm going to try to go into work today, but if that doesn't work so well, I'll be back home for more of the same.

Happy Monday, friends!

2011-02-25T08:06:00.003-05:00

True confession: I may have stayed up until nearly 2 o'clock in the morning last night, knitting this hat.

Oops.

At least today is Friday, and I will get to sleep lots tonight. If all goes according to plan, by Monday I will have checked something big off twenty-five in twenty-five. Other than that, I'm laying low this weekend. How about you?

Monday Adventure

2011-02-23T09:38:00.002-05:00

On Monday, Dewey, Kristine and I went to the North End.

Any trip to the North End has to include a visit to Polcari's.

I could spend hours inside that store.

Their wall of coffee makes me happy.

So do their snacks. I bought some dried apricots. They were amazing.

Afterwards, we went to Cafe Vittoria and got affogato.

(That's what it's called when they pour espresso over gelato and Abbie dies of deliciousness.)

It was an excellent Monday off.

Happy Happy, Elizabeth

2011-02-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

This is Liz. (Sometimes people call her Elizabeth.)
I met Liz in college, and today is her birthday.

I love Elizabeth for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. Liz knows her food. She is the perfect restaurant buddy, and if this fake vegetarian ever has questions about cooking meat, I always go to her for answers.
2. Liz is a people connector. When I emailed after not seeing her for years, asking about grad school, she emailed back that her lab was hiring and I should apply. I did, and I've been working there for six months. She is also the sort of person who organizes people for trivia night or random adventures. Like. . .
3. Liz does fun stuff. Yesterday, instead of a boring old birthday party, we went to a place where they taught us how to make beer. It's fermenting right now, and in two weeks, we'll go back to bottle Dizzy Lizzy's Apricot Blast. (Hopefully we'll have a better name for it by then.)
4. Liz knows how to enjoy the little things in life, and the big ones. Listening to her describe a trip to Napa or a Dogfish Head beer is like being there yourself, but with a special Elizabeth sparkle that makes it sound even better.
5. Liz always knows what's going on in Boston. Ira Glass is at Sanders Theater? Liz is the one who told me. Same goes for Dogfish Head night at Redbones and the best places to get veggies in Cambridge.
6. Liz and music are quite a sight to behold. Before I knew anything else about her, I knew of her huge affection for John Mayer. Tonight, she's going to see David Gray for her birthday, and if anyone can talk her way into a meet-and-greet, I'm betting she can.

Happy Happy, Elizabeth!
I'm so glad you were born.

2011-02-18T12:24:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday, friends!

It feels like spring today, and it is glorious. Last night I went for a run in shorts!

It was pretty fantastic. Spring, hurry along, won't you?

Paper

2011-02-15T08:53:00.005-05:00

Well, oops.

Instead of sitting down with craft paper and glue last night, I puttered about my kitchen, spending some quality time with parchment paper.

{Roasted cherry tomatoes are one of the world's most perfect foods. Eat them with sauteed spinach and polenta and it's like happiness in a bowl.}

{I just discovered that you can line a loaf pan with parchment paper. It's been positively life-changing.}

And of course, in light of Emily's birthday today, I made friends with some wrapping paper, too.

{Nothing like an inside joke for your bfffffff, no?}

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T14:14:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Friends!

I've been fretting needlessly over stupid things and haven't gotten a chance to make my valentines this year. Tonight I have big plans to go home, enjoy the spring-like weather, make some dinner, and sit down with some paper and glue.

Anybody who wants a belated valentine, send me your address! abigail.cyr@gmail.com

Dinner With Emma

2011-02-09T07:08:00.005-05:00

Emma came over for dinner last night.

We ate baked ziti, and then, since I was in a celebratory mood, I made chocolate souffle. In mugs, because I don't have ramekins.

(I probably would have made chocolate souffle even if I was not in a celebratory mood. It's really quite delicious.)

Then she helped us change our lightbulbs. Emma's that kind of friend.

2011-02-07T09:13:00.002-05:00

I am the opposite of a homebody.

Unless I have guests, I will happily spend as few waking hours in my house as is feasible. Which is why it was weird yesterday when I woke up and all I wanted to do was stay at home. So I did.

I ventured out for breakfast with my dad, but since I went less than two blocks from my house, I would say that doesn't really count.

I folded a lot of laundry. (I even broke out the iron!)

I couldn't stop thinking about oatmeal, so I had some for lunch. On the weekends I cook it in milk instead of water, and I put as much brown sugar on top as I want. It was perfect.

I finally put up the Abigail! letters that I bought in an antique shop right when I moved back to Boston. They lived above my windows in the last apartment, and I hadn't found the right spot for them in this one. Right by my bed is perfect.

I ended the night with Wives and Daughters, tea, and a chocolate snack.

It was the perfect homebody Sunday.

Happy Monday, friends!

p.s. I have done a terrible job getting caught up on birthday posts. Expect some more, especially one for a friend who has a birthday today!

Cait

2011-02-02T22:18:00.003-05:00

This is Cait.
Cait and I met at Dartmouth, and several months ago, she had a birthday.

I love Cait for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. You can always depend on Cait to be there when you need her. If you're moving, Cait will be there, ready to haul boxes and mattresses until every last knicknack is in its proper place. If you've had boy trouble, Cait will be there with ice cream and gin, ready to curse his name 'till kingdom come.
2. Cait is a Dartmouth woman through and through. I cannot name a single person who loves our college more, and seeing it through her eyes always reminds me how lucky I was to spend four years there.
3. Cait is perhaps the only person in the world whose appreciation of that fine combination of classic cocktails and casseroles exceeds my own. Long email discussions of both of these items frequently result in me sitting at my computer, drooling at the thought of processed food products, at 10 o'clock on a workday.
4. Cait's writin g is some of the most beautiful on the internet. If you don't read her blog already, you are in for a treat. Go, read, lose a couple of hours, and feel more insightful for it.
5. Even though I think it nearly killed her, Cait showed remarkable patience when waiting for her birthday post. Unlike some other people.
6. Cait loves her friends deeply and openly. Those of us who are lucky enough to be recipients of this love are better people for it.

Happy Happy, Cait!
I'm so glad you were born.

Lisel

2011-01-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

This is Lisel.

Lisel and I were friends the instant we met, and she had a birthday a whole lot of months ago.

I love Lisel for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. Lisel is the most loving, open person you'll ever meet. I have never met anyone who does as good a job letting their friends know how much she loves them as Lisel does.
2. Lisel is silly. You should see her introduce people to stuffed animals. Or listen to her make inanimate objects talk.
3. Lisel loves children. She is currently finishing up grad school to become a teacher, and I know that the world will be a better place to have her shaping young minds.
4. Lisel gets a kick out of things. Whenever she comes to visit in Boston, or I go to visit her in New York, we do all sorts of fun things that are made so much better for her enthusiasm. Cupcake cafe, anyone?
5. Lisel is the most scheduled person you will ever meet. In college, we used to make plans to eat an early dinner for twenty minutes starting at 5:50. It was really amazingly organized.
6. Lisel is a rock. There is no other way to describe it, really. During one really rough time in my life, I spent three months mostly sitting on Lisel's bedroom floor (I would leave to go to class, and sometimes to sleep, but that's about it.) Her loving support saw me through to the other side, and I will always, always be grateful.

Happy Happy, Lisel!
I'm so glad you were born.

On Birthdays

2011-01-30T23:19:00.002-05:00

A year ago this past November, just as I was starting to get really into blogging, my friend Lisa had a birthday. Lisa was (and is!) one of my dearest friends, and what better way to celebrate her birth and her value in my life, than to make a list of reasons why I loved her. And thus the birthday post was born.

The birthday post is a wonderful tradition; I love sitting down and really thinking about the people in my life, about what, exactly, they bring to the table that no one else can hope to replicate. The problem with the birthday post is the problem with publicly making a list of people who are important to you: you inevitably leave people out. It's not because these people are any less important to you, it's just because you are a flake. And so, rather than hurt more people's feelings with my own flakiness, I just kind of. . . stopped writing them.

The problem with that is that I miss writing birthday posts. A lot, as it turns out. And there are important people whose place in my life didn't get celebrated. So this week, my lovelies, I'm going to play catch up. If you don't know me in real life, it might be a little boring, and for that I'm sorry, but these people are important and amazing, so I'm going to indulge myself and celebrate them. Tomorrow is Lisel, and we'll go from there.

Happy Monday, friends!

Tacos Lupita

2011-01-26T06:44:00.000-05:00

Do you guys know I used to live in San Francisco?

It's true. For a year after college, I pretended to be a crazy Californian. Then I realized I was far too neurotic to make it out there, so I moved home and here I am.

One thing I really miss about California is the food. (Also my friends, I suppose. But really, the burritos.) Last night, while walking home from the grocery store, I decided to finally stop into Tacos Lupita, the place everyone says to go when you're looking for good South American food in Boston.

It's charming, in the way that any good taqueria is. A little bit run-down, but a lot bit delicious.

Everyone was right. The tacos al pastor filled my belly and made me miss San Francisco just a little bit less. I can't wait to go back.

P.S. That bit in my last post about "being the person I've always dreamed about being?" Oh dear me. What was I talking about? I mean, yeah, I accomplished a lot, but I like to think I aim a bit higher than going for long runs and making cakes! And then bragging about it all on the internet? Ugh. Thanks for the supportive comments, though!

Happy Monday!

2011-01-24T07:32:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday, friends!

On Saturday, I was the kind of person I dream about being. I woke up early, ran nine miles, and made ganache for the cheesecake monstrosity that Ben requested for his birthday. (If you are my friend, you get to request whatever kind of birthday cake you want. I try to make my friendship worthwhile, you see.) Then I raced downtown, volunteered at a soup kitchen with Cait, and came home to make a cherry-cognac sauce and take the cheesecake monstrosity on the ride of its life.

{Don't you just love the red line? The cheesecake monstrosity does.}

{Why use birthday candles when skinny glowsticks are even more fun?}

{That brown smudge is a homemade brownie. The other one is the chocolate teddy graham crust. The third is the ganache. Missing from photo: the cherry-cognac sauce.}

Sunday I made up for all that active productivity by staring really hard at my computer and trying to get stuff done. I was moderately successful.

How about you? Lazy weekend? I think I'm maybe a little jealous.

Another Blizzard!

2011-01-21T14:12:00.002-05:00

It snowed again today, so I took at walk at lunchtime.

All of these blizzards are making things look so quaint and New England-y and not at all unlike a picture postcard.

New England does winter really, really well, I think.

deweyfood

2011-01-19T21:32:00.005-05:00

You guys.

Remember my sister, Dewey? The one who's cheerful and stylish and an amazing cook?

Well.

She has started a food blog!

It is currently photo-less, since she lost her camera when she was out dancing on New Year's Eve, (which, seriously, is the best place to lose one's camera, no?) but photo-less does not mean recipe-less and dang, those recipes are good. I've eaten at least half of the ones she's posted. She knows her food, and you should check her out ASAP:

deweyfood.

picture stolen from facebook and taken by the uber-talented Kristine, she of the reindeer cookies with eyeballs and the college cookie business and general fantasticness.

Happy Tuesday!

2011-01-18T06:58:00.002-05:00

{Yes. I do have two notebooks here. So what?}

Happy Tuesday, Friends!

I spent our Monday holiday surrounding myself with stationery products and coffee at Hi-Rise while contemplating my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr quotation. Is there a better way to spend an extra day off?* I think no.

*A day off that ISN'T a snow day, of course.

Snow Day!

2011-01-13T22:54:00.003-05:00

When I was in college, it once snowed so hard on Valentine's day that they canceled classes for the first time since 1978, when all of New England was hit with a blizzard that was so bad everyone's parents still talk about it more than thirty years later.

The best part about the 2007 Valentines' snow storm was that none of the kids from California had ever had a snow day before. They didn't know what to do with themselves!

Should you ever find yourself in that position, wondering what to do with an unexpected day off and a foot and a half of snow on the ground, I have some suggestions:

First, you must put on your tromping outfit. Preferably something very warm. Snow boots are a must. In a pinch, rain boots with warm socks will work. Don't forget your mittens!

{You can't tell, but Emma is wearing four shirts in this picture}

Next, you must find a large patch of snow. Preferably untouched, but in a pinch, pre-tromped snow will do the trick. Then you tromp away.

Sometimes it helps to have a purpose to your tromping. Emma and I tromped out words in the snow. Figure 8's are also always fun.

After you are done with your tromping, you will be cold. Hot chocolate is just the ticket to warm you back up.

Once you're done with your hot chocolate, you will be in search of some indoor entertainment. Movies are always a good choice. Because it is a snow day, nobody will mind if you take your boots off in the theater and let your socks watch the movie, too.

And that is how to spend a snow day.

I Love Pudding

2011-01-11T22:46:00.004-05:00

I am waiting for it to start snowing.

We are supposed to get a huge blizzard tonight, so as soon as I was done with work and errands, I came home and got all cozy in my house. I put on my pj's, and then, because mushy food is the coziest food* in my book, I made some pudding.

I combined two recipes (this one and this one), and what I got was so cozy and chocolatey and delicious, I think I might have to make it again tomorrow. (Oh yes. Maybe there isn't any left. There's nothing wrong with eating pudding instead of dinner, is there?) Because it's been a while since I shared a recipe, and because apparently the whole eastern seaboard is about to get a whole lot of snow, and so I thought you might want some cozy food, too, here's what I did:

Chocolate Pudding

1/4 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 T corn starch
1/4 c brown sugar (packed, of course!)
1/4 c white sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t salt
2 1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla
2 T butter

Combine all the dry ingredients in a heavy soup pot. Whisk them together really well- try to break up the brown sugar if you can.

Add the milk, and bring to a boil, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. I found it helpful to scrape the bottom of the pot with a rubber spatula sometimes, too, but if you are a more conscientious whisker than I, that shouldn't be necessary.

When the pudding is thick, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla, then divide into little tiny bowls. Chill, if you are more patient than I am. Otherwise, eat it warm. I have it on authority that both ways are pretty delicious.

Curling up on the couch with pudding, a glass of wine, and a good book is the perfect way to wait for the snow to come, I think.

*I love mushy food so much that Cait and I are having a casserole-themed dinner party in a couple of weeks. I am so excited I can barely contain myself.

Happy Monday!

2011-01-10T06:48:00.001-05:00

{Those are turnips! With pink insides! From the Somerville Wintertime Farmers' Market, my new favorite thing.}

It was an excellent weekend. Super relaxed, with lots of eating and running. And a fair amount of friends-ing, too. How about you?

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T05:58:00.000-05:00

2010 was good to me, I think.

I figured out a lot of stuff that needed figuring out, and I started doing a lot of things that I'd been wanting to do for a while.

I made a list five months ago, and I found that that motivates me more than resolutions ever have, so the only resolution I made was that in 2011 I would wear mascara sometimes.

For New Year's this year, Em, La, Sara and I didn't make plans, but then at the last minute we put on inappropriately short dresses (that made our legs look amazing) and inappropriately tall heels and went out for a fancy cocktail. We promptly ran into people from high school and went to Bukowski's instead. They had an anti-cover charge and they gave us a dollar for coming in. We drank fancy beer and it was unexpectedly wonderful.

It was a really lovely start to 2011, a year that I think will be just like the night we celebrated its beginning. Here's hoping for an unexpectedly wonderful year, friends.

Happy Happy 2011!

Home Days

2010-12-28T13:35:00.003-05:00

Christmas was wonderful.

We opened presents, went to the gym for a workout, and then ate enough food for a week at Cafe Fleuri. (I dreamed about their Chocolate Croissant bread pudding for weeks leading up to Christmas.)

Since then, life's been getting back to normal, sort of. We got snowed in yesterday, so I worked from home, then roomie Emma and I shoveled and had hot chocolate with our neighbors. Afterwards, we went to an impromptu potluck at my mom's house. Every single person brought soup. It was fantastic.

Today I worked from home, starting at 6 a.m. Even with the early start time, it's been pretty great.

I've been able to make as much tea as I want, I haven't changed out of my pajamas, and I'm finally getting to spend some quality time with our Christmas tree.

It makes me happy.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T13:59:00.005-05:00

Sometimes, the perfect Christmas Eve morning is spent sleeping in, walking to the store for some milk in your pajamas, and then wrapping presents under the glow of your chalk tree.

I'm off to do family decorating now. Have a wonderful weekend, blog friends.

Merry Christmas!

p.s. If you celebrate it. If you don't, have a good weekend anyway. I hope there are lots of cookies wherever you are.

I think I need to move to the country

2010-12-22T06:58:00.000-05:00

For a born-and-bred city girl, I have been spending a surprising amount of time these days fantasizing about living in the country. This sneak peak on Design*Sponge last week did nothing to help quell those urges- I keep going back and imagining what it would be like to live in a house like this one, in the woods.

I think I'd have a garden, and chickens.

I'd definitely cut down my own Christmas tree, and on Christmas morning, I'd make cinnamon rolls. We'd probably put on our wellies and go for a walk in the woods after we opened presents. Wouldn't that be lovely?

p.s. The freakout list? I owned it. Every. Single. Thing. Got crossed off.

p.p.s. All images from Design*Sponge.

Happy Monday!

2010-12-20T07:01:00.003-05:00

The weekend was intense.

It may have gotten to the point where I renamed the to-do list I write in chalk on the back of my bedroom door the "freak out list" because on it I prioritized tasks by the level at which they were freaking me out.

But there was also a cookie exchange, organized by Dewey, where I got to meet all her cool friends and eat soup and have an excuse to make these. (Our family makes them every year; if we have a traditional Christmas dish, these weird but delicious toffee things are it.)

On Sunday, there was a walk with Mom. The woods are really beautiful this time of year, and you can see so much further than you can when all the trees are covered in leaves. We happened upon this spot, and it didn't really feel like we were only twenty minutes outside of Boston anymore. It was magical.

It's supposed to snow today, I'm having a telephone chat with an old friend this evening to talk about Graduate School, I have a new granny cart, and Christmas is on Saturday. Freak out lists aside, I think this week is going to be magical.

Happy Monday, friends!

2010-12-15T07:34:00.002-05:00

Have you seen these cards yet?

While I love love love Keep Calm and Carry On posters (even if they're everywhere), and I think they're a wonderful reminder for high-strung people like me, this one makes me laugh. In part because it much more accurately describes my approach to handling stress. But also because it's just hilarious. Seriously, I giggle every time I look at this picture.

{I can't remember where I saw this link- maybe Apartment Therapy? I'm glad whoever it was linked to it, though!}

Tacky Gingerbread

2010-12-13T12:56:00.007-05:00

Last night, I went to Emma's house to help her and Jon decorate the gingerbread village that they had laboriously constructed. They let me trick out one of the houses with frosting lights. It looks very festive, don't you think?

P.S. All of the other houses were much more refined. They looked festive, too. . . sort of.

P.P.S. Jon's recap of their gingerbread-village-making process was much more thorough. So many pictures!

My Own Personal Christmas Tree

2010-12-10T06:28:00.004-05:00

The other day, I decided my bedroom needed some holiday spirit. So I drew a Christmas tree on my wall.

I've been adding to it when the inspiration strikes, and it makes me happy. We have a real tree in the living room, and that is lovely, but there's something about having a Christmas Tree in my bedroom that feels magical- a lot like Christmas when I was tiny. I love seeing it when I wake up in the morning.

Happy Friday, Friends!

2010-12-08T12:57:00.003-05:00

Last week, I had Emma and Jon over for dessert.

I made apple crisp.

It was fun.

Should ever you find yourself in Boston, dear reader, let me know. I'll make you an apple crisp. Or maybe even a pie.

Swedish Fair

2010-12-06T06:32:00.002-05:00

Every year at the beginning of December, some part of my family goes to the Swedish Christmas Fair in the South End. It's funny that it's become such a tradition because we aren't even a little bit Swedish (though Dewey did have the Kirsten American Girl Doll when we were little), but every year I look forward to eating a Swedish waffle with whipped cream and watching the Santa Lucia procession. This year was no exception, especially after I tried the special Swedish Christmas soda that they sell. It's delicious!

{There was a one-year-old eying my waffle. She was adorable, hence the awkward face.}

{There are always lots of vendors selling all sorts of wonderful Swedish Christmas decorations.}

{I never like soda, but this is amazing}

2010-12-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

I have finally jumped on the Netflix bandwagon, and my dears, I am in love. I'm spending far too much time these days watching live-streaming period dramas.* After a viewing of Bright Star, I've nearly convinced myself that I would really quite like to live in 19th Century England, even if the movie did have a rather tragic ending. They were just so happy! Until he died, penniless and believing he was a failure, when he was my age. And she was grief-stricken all the rest of her days. Whatevs.

{Images from Design*Sponge, whose Living In. . . Bright Star provided me with much delight this morning}

So, do tell me, what are your favorite period dramas?

(I need to add them to my Netflix queue!)

*(there is something about that that seems hilarious- period dramas streaming right onto my computer! Okay. Maybe it's just me.)

Morning Oatmeal

2010-12-01T07:51:00.000-05:00

Since the weather's gotten cold, I've been cooking my breakfast every single morning.

Somehow, the process of filling the pot with water, of walking into the pantry to measure out my oats, of sprinkling cinnamon and dried orange peel, and then standing over the pot and stirring while it bubbles, leaves me feeling centered and ready to face the day.

When your day is full of IRB training followed by HIPAA training, a little centering in the morning is a good thing.

P.S. Want to hear my funny joke? Okay. IRB COULD stand for Institutional Review Board OR it could stand for I'm Really Bored. I'm just the funniest person I ever did meet. Also, modest.

2010-11-29T12:59:00.005-05:00

{Emily and I may or may not be on the alumni association at our old school, and may or may not have taken this for the development director. . .}

I write about high school more than is normal for a 25-year-old.

Here is the thing, though: if you had the kinds of friends from high school that I do, you'd write about it, too.

While some of the usual suspects were missing (and greatly missed) at the 'Stravaganza this year, we still ate plenty of chili and drank plenty of wine, told the same stories yet again, and laughed. A lot.

I think my favorite part may have been at the very end, when there were just five of us, sitting around, eating pavlova and drinking beer. Emily and I may have changed into pj's. Anyway, I just sat there and was struck once again by how lucky I am. I met these people more than ten years ago, and they still come to parties I throw where the only game plan is drinking wine and eating lots of food.

And we still have fun, every single year.

{To the left. . . and to the right. . . We're silly}

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:39:00.003-05:00

{For the second year in a row, Dewey and I got coffee at Diesel Cafe after the Somerville Turkey Trot. I think I can get behind this tradition.}

Yesterday, my friend Manoli asked me if I was happy. After careful thought, the answer was a resounding yes. That is due entirely to the fact that I have so many wonderful people in my life.
I have parents who have my back no matter what, and who encourage the baking of twelve pies at Thanksgiving.
I have a sister with whom to run Turkey Trots (at the same time, but NEVER together, of course) and then get coffee.
I have friends who are as excited for our Eighth Annual Day After Thanksgiving Extravaganza ('Stravaganza for short) as I am, and friends who willingly volunteer their homes for these events.
I went to a wonderful college, where I met people who gchat with me while they're in England, California, New York and Somerville and invite me to see live music and help me find really sweet jobs.
I have roommates who watch The Holiday with me even if they hate it, just because it's my favorite cold-weather movie.
And I have a blog, where I have met so many lovely people who so willingly share their lives with Strangers From The Internet.

This year at Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for all of the amazing people who have made me so wonderfully, resoundingly, happy this year. Thank you for being a part of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

{"I will take your picture with your phone and you will put it on your blog," said Dewey. So I did.}

Poultry

2010-11-24T17:52:00.003-05:00

To prep myself for Thanksgiving this year, I've been listening to This American Life's Poultry Slams from years past. The episodes, produced (almost) every year, focus entirely on stories about poultry- primarily chickens, but sometimes turkeys, too, and they are hilarious, and you should be listening to them, too. The one from 2003 is especially funny- I found myself closing the office door at work because I was laughing so hard during the first act.

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be back with my grateful list, but in case I'm not, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

Happy Monday!

2010-11-22T06:21:00.003-05:00

Oh, what a weekend.

It did not start out particularly well. Saturday morning, I stayed in my pajamas until noon. (I think I am the only person in the world who cannot stand wearing pajamas for extended periods of time when not sleeping.) I was grumpy, and I had no idea what to do with myself.

It quickly turned around, though. A mocha may have been involved. As well as Salvadoran food and wine tasting with a friend who actually knows what she's talking about, which always makes it more fun. Plus, a really wonderful pinot noir at an affordable price? Yes please!

Saturday night was for Harry Potter. I hadn't seen any of the movies since the first one, and now I want to go back and watch them all- I loved it!

Sunday was all about a long run with a new running buddy and relaxing, as one should do on a Sunday. It ended with a glass of that pinot noir and episodes of Modern Family and Community with the roomie.

All in all, lovely times with lovely people. And a short week ahead, to boot!

Happy Monday, everyone!

p.s. I lost my camera two weeks ago, which is part of why I've been posting so little. I'm working on tracking it down, but my posts might be rather word-heavy in the next couple of weeks. Sorry!

p.p.s. I don't think you'd actually care about the pictures or lack thereof in my posts, but I thought I'd let you know anyway.

p.p.p.s. I just woke up, and I didn't get enough sleep last night. This can be made abundantly evident by the presence of three post scripts in my blog post. Sleep deprivation blogging: just don't do it!

2010-11-17T06:57:00.000-05:00

{Image: Drew Kelly for the New York Times}

Given that my family makes at least twelve kinds of pie every year at Thanksgiving (we like to have at least one per person, babies included), and that my roommates and I hosted a pie-themed housewarming party, it should come as a surprise to no one that this article in the Times today made me actually squeal with happiness.

Hooray for pie!

Happy Happy, James!

2010-11-16T07:26:00.000-05:00

This is James.

James and I have been friends since we were fourteen (that's ELEVEN YEARS), and about a month ago, he had a birthday.

I love James for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. James is pursuing his passion more doggedly than anyone else I know. About halfway through college, he decided that he wanted to become a journalist, and he has been steadily working on that dream since then.
2. James lives in Minnesota, so I usually only get to see him once or twice a year, but when we do get to hang out, it's like nothing has changed.
3. James makes the weirdest food taste delicious. Once, he made a dish for our whole gang with lentils, kale (stems included!) and pasta. I was skeptical (hello, starch overload!), but two years later, I still remember how wonderful it tasted.
4. James and I both took time off from college during what would have been our junior year. Our weekly Friday-night dinners are one of my most cherished memories from that time.
5. So, I don't really know much about the plains states, but I do know this: even though he grew up in Boston, James is about as Minnesota as they come. (Which is a good thing!)
6. Having a conversation with James is not unlike being in therapy. He and I sometimes sit in coffee shops for hours, mulling over all of life's little situations and each others' problems. We sometimes do the same thing over the phone, but not enough- part of me is tempted to move to Minneapolis so we can spend much more time dissecting life together.

Happy Happy, James!
I'm so glad you were born.

Dream Kitchen

2010-11-09T13:02:00.003-05:00

I spend the vast majority of time I'm at home in the kitchen. When people come over, that's usually where we congregate.

{via poppytalk}

Right now my kitchen, like the rest of my apartment, is small, but someday that won't be the case. I will have a huge, country-style kitchen. It'll have a big island in the middle, and my guests will have a glass of wine and gossip while I chop and stir.

{Via Remodelista}

I can't wait.

Happy Happy, Emma!

2010-11-02T22:20:00.003-04:00

This is Emma. (And, um, my boobs. don't mind those.)

Emma and I were in the sororitee together, and about two weeks ago, she had a birthday.

I love Emma for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. Emma is from New York, and she's about as East Coast as they come. Seriously- I've never seen anyone walk that fast or aggressively down a city street.

2. Emma knows how to have fun with little things. In college, Emma got a fondue pot, and had some delightful fondue parties. Which only occasionally resulted in delightful misunderstanding.

3. Emma is an amazing teacher. Professionally, she's a high school Latin teacher (seriously- this girl is SO East Coast), but I've had first-hand experience of this- last week, she had me drive half of the way to Dartmouth. I've never met someone so patient and calm with a driving newbie as Emma was with me.

4. This girl, this quintessential New Yorker, moved to Boston this year, and is able to appreciate that Boston's a pretty cool city, too. For a New Yorker, that's huge, and something this Boston girl is grateful for.

5. Emma is the most competent individual I know. She can build furniture, make pizza, and look great in pearls. Seriously. It's impressive.

6. Emma wakes up even earlier than I do. Which is very handy when I'm looking for an early-morning farmers' market or brunch buddy.

Happy Happy Emma!

I'm so glad you were born.

I'm back!

2010-11-01T23:50:00.003-04:00

Oh, friends. What a difference a week makes. Thanks for your kind words. I feel so, so much calmer than I did a week ago, like I really have some perspective on things. I spent the week dealing with boring grown-up problems, but also: getting cocktails with friends who were about to depart for Uganda, getting ready for halloween, and best of all, giving candy to trick-or-treaters.

This is only the second Halloween I've had my own apartment. (Last year, you might recall if you've, I was living at home after moving back from San Francisco.) In San Francisco, our apartment was one a main thoroughfare, and it was in the back of the house, so no kids came by. This year, though, I knew we'd get at least a couple. Let me tell you, I've never felt so much like a grownup (in the best possible way) as I did when I went into CVS to buy those Butterfingers and Reese's. Holly and I sat on my front porch, drinking hot apple cider and giving out candy, and I think I decided that Halloween is my favorite holiday.

Besides Thanksgiving, because, hello, pie?

blog break

2010-10-26T13:19:00.001-04:00

Every now and then, real life gets in the way of having a blog.
I think I need to take a little break this week to deal with some stressful, though thankfully relatively minor, things that have come up.

See you next week!

2010-10-20T13:22:00.002-04:00

Of course I am biased, but there is something so fundamentally right about Fall on a New England college campus.

Happy Wednesday, my dears.

Portland

2010-10-18T22:19:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago, Emma (the roommate), Cait and I took a day trip to Portland, Maine.

There is something about Maine that is just so quintessentially New England, every time I visit I feel a little bit like I'm going home. This time was no exception.

We ended our day with a trip to Peaks Island, where we shared a fancy bottle of pinot noir and some processed cheese product while we watched the sun set. It was the perfect end to a perfect long weekend day.

Bran Muffins

2010-10-13T07:47:00.003-04:00

You know how sometimes, you make a recipe and it is completely, surprisingly good, and then you get obsessed and make it four times in the next week? That's how I am about these muffins. Except a recipe makes twelve, so I've only made them twice. Even including my recent muffins for dinner episode, forty-eight in one week is a bit much. Anyway, they're a Weight Watchers recipe, so I was skeptical at first, but they're moist and sweet and well, they're bran muffins. Adding whole wheat flour isn't going to change them that much.

Apple Bran Muffins

Adapted from here

1 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup uncooked wheat bran

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk (I just add lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit, since I never think ahead enough to have buttermilk on hand)

1 medium-to-large sized apple, peeled and diced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine flour, wheat bran, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar, add egg and beat thoroughly.

4. Add 1/3 of bran mixture and 1/3 of buttermilk, mix until just combined. Continue, alternating bran mixture and buttermilk. Fold in apples.

5. Add to prepared muffin tins. Place in middle rack of oven, and cook until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about fifteen to twenty minutes.

I like to eat them and pretend I'm still in San Francisco, where I used to go here to eat a bran muffin and drink a cup of tea before work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

2010-10-11T06:43:00.000-04:00

Two things, before I go on the yearly family Columbus day outing to pick out a pumpkin and eat a caramel apple:

1. I saw The Town last night. I liked it, I think, though I am really curious: how have I not heard about all those violent bank robberies in Boston? (Also, how a Cambridge kid, one with a hippy Cambridge mother not unlike mine, manages to convince the world that he's a townie from Southie, or Charlestown, or wherever Ben Affleck is pretending to be from these days.)

2. Social change through pie? I think yes.

(Not to mention, an interesting and honest look at the trials associated with running a nonprofit as an outsider.)

2010-10-08T06:23:00.000-04:00

Last night when I got home from work, I decided it was too lovely outside to get straight to cooking dinner, so I sat on the front porch and tended to my plants, instead. It was so relaxing to spend a little while with my hands in the soil, repotting a clipping my mother made for me, cutting back plants that had started to bolt, and enjoying one of the last warm nights before the weather gets too cold.

Then I went inside and baked some apple bran muffins.

Then I ate a bunch of them for dinner.

They were tasty.

But I didn't take a picture. It was too dark in my kitchen.

Boston

2010-10-06T07:39:00.003-04:00

I went for a bike ride over the weekend, along the Charles River. The weather was gorgeous, you see, and I felt like flying on my bicycle.

And then I remembered this view. When I worked in the lab, I used to cross the river on my way to work every day, and I'd see this view. Especially in the beginning, when I spent a lot of time wondering and worrying that I had made the wrong choice when I decided to move back from San Francisco, seeing this view of Boston in all its glory did wonders to remind me why I was glad to be back.

So I stopped my bike and took pictures until I got one that came close to capturing the skyline as it really is. To keep reminding myself that I'm so glad I'm here. Because sometimes you forget, you know?

Boston, I think I've mentioned before that I love you.

Hi-Rise

2010-10-04T12:48:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, I took advantage of the gorgeous weather by spending some time at Hi-Rise, which might be the most perfect cafe, ever.

I've been going to this Hi-Rise since the summer after my freshman year of college, when I was taking acting classes at the American Repertory Theater down the block and nannying a little boy who went to summer camp right nearby. A year and a half later, I was back at home, nannying The Girl, and I went there every day for a cup of coffee* and some time to read before I got on the T to pick her up at school.

I especially love to go there when the weather is nice. Then, you can sit in their courtyard and think your thoughts and read your books and eavesdrop on the grad students discussing grad student things.

When I was at college and then again when I lived in San Francisco, as soon as I came home after time away, I would hang out with my family, and then, as soon as I could, I would excuse myself to go to Hi-Rise for a latte, a piece of vanilla loaf cake, and some quiet me-time. It was my calm-down ritual. It still is.

*True story: I had my first-ever cup of coffee at Hi Rise. It was a latte, and it was amazing.

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, today I am wearing yellow tights with boots for the first time this fall, and it makes me happy.

Happy Happy (Belated), David!

2010-10-01T06:43:00.002-04:00

This is David.

I've been friends with David since our sophomore year of high school, and about a month ago, he had a birthday.

I love David for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. David is up for anything. Having a birthday picnic, and want your friends to come? David will hop on Megabus from New York, and bring a pizza.

2. David and I traded coasts once- I moved to San Francisco just as he moved back east. I remember gchatting with him in the beginning, when I hated San Francisco and he hated New York. I promised him he'd fall in love with New York, and he said the same thing to me about San Francisco. We were both right.

3. As a neuroscience grad student, David knows more about the workings of the brain than almost anybody else I know. (The only other contenders are the neuroscience grad students with whom I work sometimes. He knows more than you do, though.)

4. David doesn't sleep. Well, actually, he sleeps, just really weird hours. Waking David up became a fun morningtime activity whenever our gang got together in college.

5. Because David doesn't sleep, he is always on gchat at convenient times. Like whenever I was pulling an all-nighter during college and needed a distraction (well, that was AIM, but same thing), or whenever I'm having an emotional crisis. David has patiently talked me down from more than one of those. He's a patient kind of friend.

6. David pronounces the words neurotic and neuroscience with a particular flair I have never heard anywhere else. Since no description of him is complete without the use of both of those words, it's only fitting.

Happy Happy, David!

I'm so glad you were born.

I feel loved.

2010-09-28T22:01:00.014-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and sister attended the Union Square Paper Party here in Somerville. I couldn't go, but (two-thirds of) my family brought me a souvenir, and it's quickly become one of my favorite things.

When I made a garland of felt flowers two weeks later, it seemed like draping it over my favorite thing was a good idea. I still think it was.

Spectacle Island

2010-09-26T22:17:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, Em, La and I decided to take advantage of the summer-like weather and travelled from our far-flung corners of Boston to meet at Long Wharf.

We got on the ferry and went to Spectacle Island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands. We spent a couple of hours exploring, taking pictures, gossiping, discussing our unique way of fabricating facts (it started in high school- one of us says something that they think they heard. Another repeats it. You've now heard it from two places, so it must be true.), and of course, dipping our toes in the water.

We ended the day with a glass of wine, Tuscan olives in rosemary-infused olive oil, and matching airbrush tattoos.

I love it when we're all in the same place.

A lunchtime garden

2010-09-22T23:03:00.004-04:00

When I left my last job, I was nervous about where I would eat lunch.

See, old, pretend-scientist job was in the South End, so at lunch time, I would sometimes go for walks to take pictures and feel inspired. Now, while I'm much more suited to what I actually do at work every day, there aren't quite as many places to explore in the neighborhood.

Lucky for me, though, one day a coworker took us to this roof garden on top of the library. You can see the entire Boston skyline, not to mention surround yourself with green and sunlight. It's incredibly peaceful up there, and sitting in my favorite spot, eating my lunch and thinking my thoughts, has quickly become one of my most treasured rituals. It centers me, refocuses me for the second half of my day. I love it.

Happy Monday!

2010-09-20T06:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday, friends!

Over the weekend, the roomies and I had our pie-themed housewarming party. (Yes, we have lived there for a month and a half now and our house is quite warm already. I don't care.) We baked eight pies in preparation, and nearly killed each other in the process, but when Saturday night came around, we put everything out with the labels that I'd watercolored, poured ourselves glasses of champagne, and had a fun time showing our friends our new apartment. It was a really lovely evening.

Last night my friend Elizabeth and I made braised pork with three different kinds of peppers, and ate it with cheesy grits and delicious pinot noir. Elizabeth was one of my few foodie friends with whom I had never cooked before, and I foresee lots of cooking in the future. That pork was amazing, and I can't wait to have some of the leftovers for dinner, wrapped up in warm corn tortillas.

I have a feeling that this is going to be a good week, full of productivity, delicious food, and good weather. Happiest of Mondays to you all.

The High Line

2010-09-16T08:09:00.002-04:00

One of the funniest things about visiting the High Line is that there are so many people taking pictures of it.

Not touristy "look at me in New York City on the High Line" pictures, but the kind I like to take, the ones where you pretend you know anything at all about photography. I have a sneaking suspicion everyone is taking the pictures to put on the internet, when they write on their blog about their trip to New York, a highlight of which was the High Line.

The thing about it, though, is that the High Line was a highlight of my trip to New York. Lisel pointed out that the gardens were natural without trying to deny that they were urban; it really was the perfect combination.

(Also, the homemade chocolate-dipped mint ice cream bar that I bought from the Lily Lolly, who has a cart right on the path, was delicious.)

(Seriously- is there any chance that any highlight of any trip I take wouldn't involve food?)

2010-09-13T23:09:00.002-04:00

It was quite a weekend.

Brunch was eaten, apples were picked, a walk in Castle Island was had, and then we went to the Life Is Good festival.

I know, I know, lame, Life is Good, but whatever.

Have you ever seen OK Go live? They are amazing.

I mean, what else would you expect from the guys who did the treadmill video? In the course of their rather short set, they: played handbells, sang a song in the middle of the crowd, found a member of the audience to play guitar for them, and were awesome.

And then, as if that wasn't enough, there was Guster.

Guster has defined discreet periods in my life more than any other band ever will. Keep It Together will always always always bring me right back to the summer between high school and college. I was simultaneously as happy and unhappy as a human being can be, and when I wasn't working in that damn stationery shop I was hanging out with the Commies, listening to Guster sing about being back in Massachusetts and singing along at the top of my lungs because I knew that in just a little tiny while, none of us would be in Massachusetts anymore, and everything would be different.

Anyway, I hadn't seen Guster live since that summer. Seeing them yesterday, with Emily, who knew me then, and my roommate Emma, who's very much a part of this new, semi-grownup life I've created for myself in Boston, was one of the more poignant moments of the summer.

Now I'm ready for fall. Foliage, anyone?

2010-09-10T10:15:00.003-04:00

{High Line, September 2010}

Happy Friday, friends!

This weekend, I'm going wine tasting, music festival-ing, and farmers' market-ing. (Now that Emma's moved to Boston, I finally have a farmers' market buddy who lives in Somerville, gets up as early as I do AND likes to go to brunch!)

How about you? Any adventures?

p.s. Last weekend Lisel and I went to the High Line. It was gorgeous, and I'll have more pictures next week.

2010-09-08T09:17:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, I went to New York to visit Lisel.

There was laughing (lots of laughing), and walking, and cupcakes.

It was perfect.

2010-09-02T06:28:00.001-04:00

Sometimes, your friend has a bad day. So you bake a pan of brownies, sprinkle sea salt on top, and wrap them up with pink tape.

Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, it helps.

Happy Happy, Dewey!

2010-08-28T07:44:00.003-04:00

This is Dewey.

Dewey is my sister, and last Wednesday was her birthday.

I love Dewey for lots of reasons. Some of them are:

1. Dewey is always up for doing fun activities. Whether it's a bike trip to the Boston Harbor islands or a taste-tripping party with a full array of sour foods to try, you know you'll have an adventure when you're hanging out with Dewey.

2. When we were little little girls playing pretend games, Dewey always let me be the very very rich lady, and she would be the servant.

3. The meanest thing I've ever heard Dewey say about someone is that they are a grump.

4. Dewey has style. More than almost anyone else I know. And she's generous with her style- 90% of the times people complement my outfit, Dewey picked it out.

5. My sister is the wittiest person you'll ever meet.

6. Dewey's sense of self is admirable. While most college seniors obsess over finding the perfect high-paying corporate-type job, Dewey took her cum laude diploma and became the cook at a preschool. Now she makes (really delicious) hippy food for Cambridge babies, and has plenty of time for her various and sundry other interests, too. She figured out what worked for her, and she went with it.

Happy happy, Dewey!

I'm so glad you were born.

{photo shamelessly stolen from facebook.}

2010-08-23T12:32:00.002-04:00

I went for a walk in the woods yesterday. It was perfect.

I'd been in a funk, the kind where I wanted to scream every time the people around me had the audacity to do something crazy, like breathe. I needed some alone time.

Even though it was raining, I needed to get out in nature, by myself, away from anyone who might breathe too loud.

I rode my bike to some conservation land on the bike path, and I walked in the rain, and I sat under a tree, and I got soaking wet.

I felt better immediately, and all was well again. I highly recommend it.

2010-08-20T06:42:00.004-04:00

Sometimes, it is Thursday night, and you want some brownies.

So you make them, and you feel like Katherine Hepburn (they are her family recipe, after all), and then you are happy.

The End. Happy Friday, friends!

Item Number 20? Complete.*

2010-08-16T07:55:00.005-04:00

There are good weekends, and then there are actively good weekends, the kind where even little mishaps don't get in the way of everything else being just awesome.

This weekend was the second kind. On Saturday, Anna and I went to a party on a little lake in New Hampshire. She was the only person I knew there, but by the end I knew everyone, my green bean salad had been devoured, ridiculous kayak trips had been taken, and we had danced for two hours.

I woke up on Sunday morning to a text from Christine asking if I wanted to go hiking. Neither of us had ever done Monadnock before, so following a mishap involving being locked out without any shoes on, we hopped in the car and drove right by the little lake on our way to the second-most hiked mountain in the world (Mt. Fuji is number one.)

You guys, it was amazing. Neither my photography skills nor my iPhone can do it justice, but we arrived on the top, sweaty and out of breath (Mt. Monadnock can be hiked in a leisurely manner. We did no such thing.), and we turned around, and it was beautiful.

It was a perfect weekend.

*I have now Gone Hiking in New England. I hope to do it lots more while I'm 25.

Twenty-Five in Twenty-Five

2010-08-13T18:45:00.002-04:00

{Honorary List Item #26: Play with more sparklers.}

So, I turned 25 two weeks ago.

25 is kind of a big age for me; I have this belief that by the time you're 26, you have to have your shit together in terms of becoming a grownup, or at least be on the path to having your shit together. Which means that as of two weeks ago, I have a year to figure some stuff out before I have to actually pretend to be a real grownup.

Whew. Does that make any sense to anyone else?

Anyway, by the time I'm 26, I want to be on the path to being a really awesome grownup. Inspired by Katie's 25 in 25, and Maggie Mason of the Mighty Life List, my plan for world (or at least life) domination in the next year:

1. Get a freakin' drivers' license.

2. Leave the country at least once, even if it's just to Canada.

3. Go back to California to visit the friendsies.

4. Run a 10k.

5. Get a grip on my finances.

6. Meet a blog friend in real life.

7. Follow 100 blogs.

8. Go on a date with a stranger.

9. Buy a digital SLR, and learn how to use it.

10. Find a monthly or weekly volunteer opportunity, ideally with children.

11. Sew something really cool.

12. Make my apartment a place that I really love (with the roommates).

13. Do a Martha Stewart project.

14. Buy a piece of artwork for my gallery wall.

15. See live music six times.

16. Have a really fun party with good music, cocktails, decorations, and dancing.

17. Try being a real vegetarian for a whole week.

18. Try out weight watchers for a month with Dewey.

19. Grow a garden.

20. Go hiking in New England.

21. Come up with a five-year plan.

22. Plan and execute an overnight reunion trip with my high school friends.

23. Paint a picture worth hanging up.

24. Learn to make a really delicious signature cocktail.

25. Get back in the habit of eating five fruits and veggies every day.

I know the last one is kind of lame, but hey, fruits and vegetables are really delicious, and I'm missing out on them by only eating a few every day.

{Photo of me at my birthday picnic by Anna, roommate extraodinaire.}

{Emma's a pretty extraordinary roommate, too.}

{Neither of them read this blog, so I'm not sure why I'm so worried about their feelings here.}

{UPDATE: Anna reads my blog. Hi Anna!}

2010-08-10T22:20:00.005-04:00

Every now and then, I'm struck by just how lucky I am.

Tonight my roommates and I sat on our new back porch, drinking champagne and enjoying the evening. It was perfect.

Right now, I'm so thankful for:

1. Perfect summer evenings, and back porches on which to enjoy them.

2. Roommates who have turned into friends.

3. Champagne with which to toast new houses.

4. This song:

p.s. Many many thanks to my sister Dewey for introducing me to, among others, Brandi Carlile. I am also lucky to be surrounded by people who have such excellent taste in music.

2010-08-10T00:06:00.004-04:00

It is ice cream week on the kitchn.

I feel that my life is about to get a lot more exciting.

(Let's not talk about what that says about my life, okay?)

(I mean, seriously. Ice Cream Week. Don't you get excited just typing it?)

{Image source}

2010-08-05T07:45:00.003-04:00

There is something about the ocean in New England.

With its freezing water and quiet beauty, I feel like the ocean in New England is a good stand-in for New England itself- my part of the country is not too flashy, and all the cold weather makes us seem a little unfriendly to the rest of the world.

Once you spend a little time here, though, you see just how gorgeous, how magical, the northeastern states can be.

I love it. A year later, I'm so glad I moved back.