A Bit Better

Paradise

2009-10-24T17:30:00.004-04:00

I've been lucky enough to have spent the past week in the most amazing Bolt House, on the inaugural Lithe Escape. I will write more when I get home tomorrow, but wanted to share some of Lauren's photos now. Check them out at on Lauren's blog NOW. Lauren just reminded me that I've worked out 12 hours this week - which is about 12 hours more than usual. I've also worked for 0 hours, which is really amazing. I'm tan, detoxed and I feel stronger. I hope that Jed will be as excited about 1308's new nutrition and exercise regime as I am.

I strongly recommend a trip like this for your 30th birthday.

AB Made This

2009-10-03T10:05:00.002-04:00

A while back, I told you about the party dress I made. I just wore it for the first time to dh's wedding shower. What do you think?

Birthday Present Ideas...

2009-10-01T15:05:00.001-04:00

LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 30: Enya Kim from the Natural History department at auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields stands inside one of the world's largest set of shark jaws comprised of about 180 fossil teeth from the prehistoric species, Carcharocles megalodon, which grew to the size of a school bus, at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino September 30, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bonhams & Butterfields hope the fossil will fetch about USD 900,000-1.2 million when it is auctioned off on October 3 at the Venetian as part of their Natural History auction. The centerpiece of the lot of 50 fossils being auctioned is a 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton dubbed 'Samson.' The 40-foot-long female dinosaur fossil, excavated in South Dakota in, contains about 170 bones and is said to be the third most complete T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. Bonhams & Butterfields is hoping Samson will fetch more than USD 6 million at the auction. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (From Jezebel.com)

One Night Only! It's back and better than ever!

2009-09-19T09:43:00.004-04:00

Please join us on Friday, October 2 at Luxe Home for a very special party to benefit Women's Medical Fund. Your ticket includes drinks, delicious food and the promise of a great evening.

Did you know that women on Medicaid are not covered by their federal policy for abortions?
Did you know that any woman receiving medical benefits through the federal government is ineligible to access funding for their own reproductive choice? That includes all federal employees, all soldiers, all women using Peace Corps insurance.

Healthcare reform is very complex and we've all heard the debates about a public option and the unfortunate truth that the people who have the least to loose fight the loudest. I am am terrified that women and children are being left out of the reform debate because they are not represented by powerful, wealthy lobbying groups. Believe what you will about the future of our country's healthcare services, but know that it is a FACT that women will be negatively effected disproportionately than men; and poor women will be hit hardest. WMF believes that reproductive choice is essential, but recognizes that without access, choice is meaningless. By providing direct financial assistance to low-income women, they equalize the playing field, giving poor females the same options that have always been available to their better-heeled peers.

Supporting WMF is an easy act of activism. The money you donate will go directly to the organization. It will not be used in national marketing campaigns and you will not see any specially colored products at the store claiming to raise awareness about this cause. I am asking you, as one who has previously fundraised for another major event in October, honor me and my "survivorness" by making a donation to WMF. Sadly, the money you donate to Komen next month (or any month) will not do as much good as claimed in protecting young women from getting breast cancer. The money you donate to WMF will literally change a woman's life IN YOUR COMMUNITY. This is your chance. And all you have to do is buy a ticket to a really fun party.

Can't come on Oct. 2? No problem. You can buy raffle tickets for $10 each and take your shot at winning 1 of the 3 amazing grand prizes:

Luxe Home package that includes a sofa valued at $2,500 and design consultation session
2-night stay (with dinner) at the Hotel Du Village in New Hope
Moore Brothers Wine Company "Tutored Tasting" for 24-36 people to be held at your home (or another suitable location)

Check out this awesome article about WMF. Hope to see you on Oct. 2.

garden revisited

2009-08-23T21:41:00.003-04:00

every day when i come home from work i check on my tomatoes. finally, after waiting almost a month, these two beauties made their debut. they are the first two to ripen, but i know their appearance is the beginning of an onslaught of tomato goodness.

i threw some radish seeds in the ground about a month ago and after seeing the worms had gotten to the leaves, pretty much gave up on them. to my surprise, when i was weeding this afternoon i saw the top of a radish poking out of the ground. i probably could have waited for them to get a bit bigger, but in my excitement, i pulled them all. some of them are pretty small but considering i had written them off, i would call it a success.

Party Dress

2009-08-05T07:39:00.004-04:00

I did it!! Thanks to Cathy, an amazing teacher at Spool, I sewed a dress from a pattern! I took the 4 week Party Dress class and learned so much about darts, zippers, lining and skirt gathering. I met some awesome women, including a fellow CHOP worker. I learned that I cannot just decide which aspects of a pattern I want to include in my finished product and I learned that being mindful when I cut a pattern is key.

As you may imagine from my gorgeous model above, the dress doesn't exactly fit me like a glove (granted, it is NOT zippered on jed). It looks much cuter with a belt, and I just might wear it to one of the 7 wedding related parties i have in the next 3 months. Or maybe i'll sew myself up something that fits better. Either way, I am a proud as a peacock and can't wait to keep up the (better) work.

weekend recap

2009-08-03T12:21:00.002-04:00

basil, squash, sage and thyme from my garden. my laziness in not harvesting the dill resulted in some beautiful flowers for my table. sometimes laziness does pay off.

fresh smoothies for breakfast. strawberry, cherry, blueberry, banana with some trader joe's organic vanilla yogurt (which has now edged out stoneyfield farms as my fave)

photo shoot with the Shuka. she's been staying with us for the past month but she's going home to her mom soon. she pretends she doesn't like us, but i know the truth.

potato samosas for a party i went to on saturday night. a little more effort than i usually make but oh so worth it.

went to fallen fruit's annual Fruit Jam, where you bring home-grown or found fruit (i cheated and bought oranges at the farmers market) and everyone gathers together and makes jam. i am now the proud owner of four jars of mixed berry jam. delish.

simple salads

2009-07-29T15:17:00.003-04:00

image courtesy of the New York Times

Wednesday is my favorite day of the work week. Ok, just kidding, Friday is obviously my favorite day, but Wednesdays aren’t so bad for me either, mostly because it is the day that the New York Times updates its Dining and Wine section (and now that I am a West Coast gal, I love me some LA Times Food section as well). I usually snag 3 or 4 new recipes to store in my “Things I want to Make One Day” folder which probably should be called my “Things I Will Probably Never Have Time to Make but OMG They Look So Good” folder. I love when I see articles like Mark Bittman’s recent “101 Simple Salads for the Season". I love salad, especially during the summer, but I tend to fall into a rut and make the same salad over and over again, which, don't get me wrong, is totally delish, but can get boring. Hopefully this will help me out expand my salad horizons. Also, there are links to a bunch of homemade salad dressings. If you haven’t jumped on the homemade salad dressing bandwagon you just don’t know what you are missing.

I can’t wait to try:

39. Yucatecan street food as salad: Roast fresh corn kernels in a pan with a little oil; toss with cayenne or minced chilis, lime juice and a little queso fresco. Cherry tomatoes are optional.

76. Slice fresh figs — many, if you live where they grow — and top with crumbled bacon, balsamic vinegar (the best you have) and crumbled blue cheese.

99. Toss cooked quinoa with fresh sliced apricots, cherries, pecans, and enough lemon and black pepper to make the whole thing savory.

eat well guide

2009-07-22T13:32:00.003-04:00

Want to find a farmers market near you or a baker that uses local organic ingredients? Or maybe you are going on a road trip and want to avoid the mostly fast food options out on the road? Try the Eat Well Guide. I found a baker near my house that I hadn't known about, a few more smaller farmers markets in the area to supplement my big Sunday trip, as well as a ton of restaurants to add to my to-try list. After a little browsing, I found using the city, state as a search term instead of the zip code gave me more results.

harvest

2009-07-21T18:04:00.004-04:00

first harvest of patty pan squash from the garden. cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, radishes and beets on the way. my mind is already on expansion of quantity and variety for next summer. stir-fry on the menu for tonight. there is nothing quite like growing your own food.

Plea

2009-07-17T12:42:00.003-04:00

The August issue of Gourmet was in today's mail. The cover recipe is the most delicious looking photograph I have ever seen. I want to eat the page. Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry Swirl.

Jessica Mae, when you come to visit NEXT MONTH, will you puhleese collaborate with RKM and make these for me???

I'll be your bestie.

images from the weekend, on wednesday

2009-07-15T16:20:00.003-04:00

another attempt at making bread. not totally successful, but i think i am on the right track.

baby radish leaf, from a bunch of radishes from the farmers market. the realization that you can eat the radish greens made me sad for all the previous bunches that were tossed.

the perfect summer lunch. discovered my new favorite tomato, the red zebra. it's red with orange stripes. almost too pretty to eat. almost.

it's offical. it's summer.

2009-07-14T13:30:00.002-04:00

The first batch of the season, a delicious and creamy mint chocolate chip from my hero Alice Water's book The Art of Simple Food. I made a special trip to the store to get ice cream cones for Pete, my guess is they will be gone by the end of the week. What flavor to do next? Coffee or buttermilk?

Holler at our Girl

2009-07-13T20:55:00.003-04:00

Rach was just featured for her amazing "Better for You" desserts in Philadelphia magazine's Health & Wellness section.

I'm blowing up her spot because she would never do it herself. In fact, our ABB readers likely don't know that RKM is the brains (and muscle and baker) behind Sweet Pea Nourishment's baked goods/desserts. Way to go Rach!

Carrot-Ginger Oat Cookies
From Rachel Myers, Sweet Pea Nourishment
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt, fine grain
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats in a large bowl. Add the nuts and carrots.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and grated ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Drop cookie batter onto prepared baking sheets, one tablespoon at a time, leaving 2 or so inches between each cookie. Bake in the top third of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are golden on top and bottom.

OMGranola

2009-07-09T11:11:00.004-04:00

I love granola, but I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to the crunchy stuff. I'm like Goldilocks (this one, not this one) in that my granola has to be just right, which means not too sweet, not too dry, not to boring. Metropolitian's is the indisputable best, followed by Grocery's. However, paying $8-10/lb for oats and dried fruit is a little tough for me to justify.

I consulted several cookbooks to find a recipe with a combination of oil and sweetener that felt right to me. Some recipes call for butter or oil in varying amounts. Ultimately, I loosely followed the Joy of Cooking recipe, using ingredients from my pantry. Results are amazing. I've been eating it plain, sprinkling it on my morning oatmeal and dreaming about putting it on yogurt. The best thing about the recipe is that you can use what you have, in the quantities that make sense for you. Love dried cherries? Add more! Hate walnuts? Leave them out!

This is definitely a permanent addition to the Bronstein catalogue of tricks. Maybe it will even be this year's holiday gift.

Granola, adapted from Joy of Cooking

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cooking - hint, buy from the bulk section of Whole Foods or other store)

1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup roasted salted almond, roughly chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a saucepan, heat oil and syrup on low heat, for about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.

Pour warm liquid mixture into mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Spread evenly on large cookie tray/baking sheet. Use 2 if necessary.

After 20 minutes of baking, check on granola every 5-10 min. You are looking for toasting and browning of all ingredients.

*Note, this recipe will not form a single "granola bar." Do not wait for that to form - if you do, the mixture will burn.

Store granola in air-tight container until you finish it and need to make a new batch, about 5 days.

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee, or the best thing to happen this summer

2009-06-30T20:44:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, in the evening, do you ever sit on the couch and think that you should get up and program your coffee maker so you have fresh coffee in the a.m., but the thought of actually getting up and grinding the coffee and measuring the water and probably cleaning out the old filter, is just way too much for you? Happens to me all the time. Last night was one of those nights. I knew I was going to want a.m. coffee, but since it's iced coffee time, I debated making a pot at night and then just sticking the carafe in the fridge so that it would be ready for me when I was running out of the house.

Somewhere in the cobwebs of my brain, I remembered that last year, jessica mae was very excited about CBIC and since she screened my call, I turned to the interwebs for answers. I wasn't surprised when I found what I was looking for on Smitten Kitchen.

Seriously, you guys, this COULDN'T BE EASIER. And so delicious and really better than hot-coffee-chilled-in-the-fridge. And I get to use my own beans. And it requires NO cleaning out the filter. And I am still going after leaving my house at 6.15 a.m. and working all day and going to yoga.

Cold-brewed iced coffee (from Smitten Kitchen) - Makes 2 16 oz servings
8 tbs ground coffee (or 2/3 cup)
4 cups of water

Pour could water into 4 cup measuring cup. Add ground coffee. Put measuring cup in the fridge over night. In the morning, strain the liquid gold and enjoy over ice, with CSA milk and VT maple syrup. Drink with a straw. Be thankful that you won't have to clean out another coffee filter this summer.

*image of delicious looking coffee comes from a blog that you totally want to check out

things i am loving

2009-06-24T12:22:00.002-04:00

*limeade with mint. so easy to make and so refreshing, this is definitely my new summer beverage. it tastes even better when you drink it while you read in the backyard with the sun shining down on you.

*driving to work. not necessarily the driving part, but the whole being able to listen to npr part.

*stone fruit at the farmers market. the sadness of losing cherries is tempered by the arrival of plums, peaches, and pluots. i had never heard of a pluot until i moved to california, but now i am smitten.

*the fact that in one week i will be in puerto rico!

Clarification

2009-06-19T12:12:00.003-04:00

This is my new bike. The pictures in the last bike post were the ones we traded to get the new bikes. Jed rode to work today. Excited to spend time riding around this weekend.

cherries jubilee

2009-06-17T21:56:00.000-04:00

i finished the last of these beauties last night. there's only a few more weeks of cherry season left, and i'm feeling the need to make the most of it. i think a visit to a pick your own needs to be on the agenda for the weekend. i have visions of making jam and other assorted delish pastries, but i know most of them will end up in my belly. could be worse.

images from the weekend

2009-06-15T12:20:00.003-04:00

consumed the perfect hangover cure after seeing the most amazing band down on venice pier

rode bikes to our new favorite breakfast spot then continued down the bike path to the beach

visited the garden center where we saw this guy with about nine million pounds of pollen on his legs and looking like he wasn't done any time soon.

strung the lights over our work in progress patio. it's well on it's way to becoming our lush garden oasis.

Before & After - Kitchen Shelves

2009-06-14T23:47:00.005-04:00

Before:

After:

The kitchen looks better after every weekend. Loving the way the orange looks with the walls and counter tops. I have one more project up my sleeves for this week, and then I'm pretty sure I'll focus on sewing.

The Details Confuse Me Too

2009-06-12T09:23:00.007-04:00

Old bikes out of our basesment, traded for newer bikes. The balance for the new bikes paid from the insureance money of our stolen bikes. Long story short, we will finally have appropriate city bikes that will hopefully stick around for much longer than a month. I will be so happy if the new bikes are all tuned up and ready for their new home today. Bike ride anyone?

some sweets for your thursday

2009-06-11T16:58:00.004-04:00

Last night I baked brownies from what has become our new go-to brownie recipe. I used vanilla extract that I made last year and I am afraid I can never go back to store bought. Three vanilla beans, split and stuffed into a bottle, fill it up to the top with vodka, store it in a dark place and 6 months later, deliciousness.

wednesday, i wish you were friday

2009-06-10T21:50:00.000-04:00

checking out at whole foods, the cashier looks up at me, sighs, then says "it's wednesday, it's all downhill from here". then he went back to scanning my mangos. guess he's ready for the weekend too.

Stellar Tuesday

2009-06-09T22:47:00.003-04:00

My day began with the earliest of early meetings, but I was able to watch the most amazing 8a.m. thunder storm from the 14th floor of my building. Also included in said day: excellent conversations, checks off my to-do list, yoga, delicious homemade dinner.

making mondays more awesome

2009-06-08T23:31:00.005-04:00

pete got a new bike, so we rode to the park, played a game of tennis (i am pretty much the next serena williams) and had a picnic dinner. chicken sandwiches on whole grain bread, salad with apples and maple balsamic vinaigrette and for dessert, cherries from the farmers market and dark chocolate. not bad for a monday.

saturday morning

2009-06-06T19:31:00.002-04:00

i have a new early saturday morning routine. out the door by 9am, pick up a coffee and hit the yard sales. discovered that it really is better to get to there early. 4 light green pyrex bowls for 2 dollars, 2 tennis rackets for 10 bucks and a new purse for 50 cents.

dr. pepper on the rocks

2009-06-05T13:05:00.001-04:00

we went to this LA institution called the Apple Pan for their famous hickoryburger. burger was fab, but the best part was they serve their soda in a can with a paper cone of ice and this neat little metal cone holder.

Before and After - Kitchen

2009-05-29T12:17:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago, after a rant about me wanting to paint my kitchen, Jessica Mae reminded me that i've been talking about painting our kitchen for about a year. She was right and last week, Jed and I made big moves. We made 2 trips to Home Depot to buy a total of 5 color samples.
It was a hard decision, with the red counter tops and black and white tiled floors (neither of our choosing).
I would love a whole new kitchen, but they are expensive and take more planning than 2 trips to Home Depot. We chose Sea Life with Carrot Stick accents. I think the paint works amazingly. Totally transforms the space and makes me happy when I look into the kitchen from the living room. What do you think?

Before - with 3 colors that didn't make the cut

Orange accents are fun (see "Laundry Room" for more details)

After - with the light and curtains.

Jed doing prep work for pulled pork

2009-05-29T11:54:00.002-04:00

Jessica Mae, this is was for you...

Unbelievable

2009-05-20T17:19:00.002-04:00

My brother recently traveled to Peru. He took this photo. How amazing??

Milestones

2009-05-14T17:35:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking of milestones lately.

April was 3 years since cancer diagnosis.

May is 3 years from getting my MSW and from loosing my breasts.

This weekend, Jed and I are celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary!

July is 21 years since my heart surgery.

August will be a year since Erin passed away.

The funny thing about the harder milestones is that I am very aware they are around the corner, but then i seem to forget about them while they are happening. The summer 5 years after heart surgery, I was in Texas visiting the Coopers. That surgery effed my head up for a long time (it took 19 years for me to realize that it was just preparing me for something way bigger) and I remember being 13 and kind of thinking that I should feel something (I didn't really) or should be celebrated or something (I think Carol baked me a cake). Now each July, I just acknowledge how long ago it was and remark that it was my first experience at CHOP.

This April was hard. I still remember every single thing about the day I went to the doctor after discovering my lump. I remember going to the bathroom of my internship too often and touching it and KNOWING it wasn't right. I thought about those memories this year. A few weeks ago, I helped my friend Lauren promote her Lithe Pink classes designed specifically for post-op breast cancer ladies. I was interviewed and then me and a bunch of others participated in a mock class for the cameras. I was AMAZED that I started Litheing 3 months after one of my major surgeries. I mean, I was doubting I could do the exercises in the mock class...I couldn't remember how hard they must have been for me so soon after surgery. I talked to Lauren about it after the class and we both agreed that I was hellbent on not being held back. I haven't taken a Lithe class in almost a year and honestly, I'm scared I couldn't do it. Thinking about the milestone and being physically back where I was 2 years ago put me in a funk that I didn't recognize for a few weeks. I think each year gets easier, but not easy enough.

I am already preparing for a difficult August, but I also know that I can't prepare enough. It will sneak up on me and I'll only realize that i was surrounded by fog after it lifts. I'm putting it out here now in advance - please cut me slack if i lack social skills in early August.

Jed and I are off to the shore for a long weekend to celebrate. This is the best milestone I have going. All of the others are bearable and manageable because of Jed. Bring it. I can take it.

Boobs

2009-05-14T17:18:00.003-04:00

I am a big fan of Breast Cancer Action, an organization that "challenges assumptions and inspires change to end the breast cancer epidemic." Their Think Before You Pink campaign is responsible for Yoplait's decision to go rBHG free by the end of August and Dannon following suit by the end of 2009. As you may know, Yoplait is a MAJOR benefactor of Susan G. Koman for the Cure, donating $0.10 per pink lid mailed in by buyers. Which means, instead of donating money to an organization that directly benefits breast cancer research, american consumers were buying $2 artificial yogurt filled with rBHG hormone, which is LINKED to the development of breast cancer, because the company would donate to Koman.

BC Action's newest campaign is partnering with Food and Water Watch to eliminate rBGH milk from school meal programs. We already know that most school meal programs feed children food high in fat, sugar and empty calories. Milk may be the only nutritious food kids receive during the day. The least we can do is make sure they aren't being exposed to hormones that are linked to breast cancer. Take action and tell Congress to allow schools to purchase artificial hormone-free and organic milk. Now. Please.

Live Poultry for Sale on Spring Garden

2009-05-06T09:45:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I noticed Q and Q Live Poultry store on Spring Garden, between 11th and Ridge. This morning, I googled it and came across this amazing video.

Although the cages the birds are kept in do not fit into my mental image of humanely treated animals, they all come from local farms (PA, NJ and NY). I have to believe that eating birds killed the day you want to eat it tastes better than any other alternative. I don't think I'm ready to give up buying my poultry from Greensgrow, Headhouse Sq or the Terminal, but maybe one day I'll give Q and Q a try. Would you??

Backyard, Before & After

2009-05-04T20:00:00.004-04:00

A sneak peek

Jed will claim it is still a work in progress, but i'm pretty sure we have the best backyard in Fishtown.

Know How I Know It's Spring?

2009-04-22T10:58:00.003-04:00

Stone colored khaki pants!

Hi Spring - missed you and your April showers. Glad you came back. Hope you decide to stick around for a few weeks. Don't let Summer bully you into leaving early. xoxo

Don't Shoot the Messenger

2009-04-19T12:59:00.002-04:00

Most of the philly folks I know LOVE Brown Betty cupcakes. The boutique bakery is doing so well that it recently opened a cupcake-only shop in Rittenhouse. I liked them so much that I hired them to make our wedding cakes.

After consuming many BB cupcakes, in every flavor, I realized that I am over BB cupcakes. They are kept refrigerated, which makes immediate enjoyment significantly less. The cake is too dense, the frosting too sweet. And the size. My goodness, each cupcake is easily cut into 3 manageable portions. The 3 people who live in my mother-in-law's house love these cupcakes, so I will keep buying them for those 3 people, whom I love very much. But they are not for me anymore. Nope, i've found something new.

The cupcakes from Grocery are more than a bit better. O.M.G. I had my first, a coco loco - coconut cake, cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut, on Tuesday. (Jed bought it for me as a surprise and left it at my hair salon. Seriously, my husband is great, but that's not what this post is about. ) These are how cupcakes should be - small enough for 1; moist, soft cake; icing that doesn't send you straight into an insulin overdose. The next time you find yourself on or near 13th Street (like at the Wanamaker building for a meeting with the webteam or finance), treat yourself to a delish cupcake. I'm pretty sure the beauties will make you reconsider your allegiances.

Postcard From My Momma

2009-04-15T09:38:00.002-04:00

About a year ago, I learned about the website Postcards from your momma, and instantly became hooked. When I started reading the site, I was a few months from my wedding and my mom was sending me amazing emails about planning and ideas and flowers and spanx. So i did what many readers did - I submitted one of lo's better emails.

DO NOT GET SPANX. they stop circulation. It could cause fainting spells. Really they are only for the very, very skinny who have nothing to push up or down or around. Get something comfortable and not tight that will just smoth you up and down.

Love the picture. thanks

I rsvp's to the Kick-off lol

This is email gold - it's got it all...the all caps yelling effect, the bizarre rant about an object of underwear, and the lol.

Long story short, the website became a book (duh) and the owners/authors (what are they called? they started the website, but what did they write?) wanted to include lois' email in said book. I am excited to say that Love, Mom is now available and it was great seeing my momma's email on pg. 63.

Sneak Peak

2009-04-09T07:11:00.006-04:00

Just loaded all of our almost 400 France pictures to the computer. Still processing the trip. Here are a few until I get my act together and shake off the jet lag and write a real post.

DDPP in the spotlight!!

2009-04-02T13:27:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the one and only Lily Cope DDPP got a shout out in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer!! Thank you Lily! You can check out the article for yourself here. See you ladies Sunday at 5pm!!!!!

Au Revoir

2009-03-25T14:19:00.003-04:00

On the very pages of this here blog, I first wrote about wanting to go to France. I am so excited to say that dh and I are leaving on a jet plane tonight for 10 days - 7 in Paris and 3 touring the Burgundy region. We have a ton of fabulous plans, mostly revolving around eating, shopping and walking. This week is the 3 year anniversary of first discovering that lump in my breast, kicking off many life-changing events. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate life and living and friendship and adventure.

I can count on 3 fingers how many vacations I've taken in my life (not including study abroad but including the honeymoon). I've worked practically full time since I was 16. I can't wait to finally understand and appreciate this leisure thing. I am already planning the next two vacations I take with Jed, but probably as soon as I land in Paris, I'll add another to the list.
Au Revoir! xoxox

spring has sprung

2009-03-20T14:22:00.000-04:00

I was informed last night that this “winter” has been a cold one for Southern California. I had to resist the urge to laugh out loud because seriously? It’s been pretty much the same for months and months. A little colder, a few more grey days here and there, but for the most part, sunny and warm with flowers continously in bloom. While I love that I can play outside all year long, I do miss that feeling you get at the start of spring that only comes from enduring the long cold months of winter. As a shout out to all of you east coasters on this official first day of spring, here's a sneak peek of what's right around the corner for you.

Happy Spring Solstice and don't forget to get your water ice!

Lessons Learned

2009-03-18T20:41:00.004-04:00

A week ago, Jessica posted about a comfort dish - Cabbage with Hot Sauce from Orangette. Jess even added an egg for EXTRA comfort. girl's known for loving her eggs - in fact, both of my co-ABBers profess their love for eggs. I feel eh about eggs and usually only cook with them when baking. But, we had a purple cabbage from the CSA and CSA cabbages usually get tossed out with the trash a month after the share, and jed was out with his 5th grade girlfriend so I was cooking for myself. I wanted something simple and quick. And comforting.

I am in major need of some comfort food. I don't know what it is, but ever since the time change, i have been so tired - all i want to do is come home from work and lay on the couch for a long time. I have been late waking up every day for the past few weeks. Maybe its the weather or busyness at work or vacation excitement or the economy when in doubt, blame everything on the economy. ***(I promise that i'm not preggers.)

So, instead of going to the gym, I decided to try Jess' recipe. After all, I love and trust rach and jess and if they love cabbage and eggs, i should try it.
Lesson Learned #1 - Trust your Instincts

In fairness, I altered the original recipe a little.

As mentioned, I used a purple cabbage
I added sesame oil
Instead of frying an egg, I scrabble eggs with the siracha and mixed it in. Hoping for a pad thai style egg but didn't get it. The eggs stayed mushy.

Lesson Learned #2 - Follow a recipe the first time

The meal wasn't bad. But I don't think I cooked the cabbage enough - it was still crunchy, although spicy and sesamey and hot and delicious. The good news is that my second helping was much better - the cabbage was softer and the flavors better combined.

The bad news is that the combination of the mushy eggs and purple cabbage looked like puke after drinking too much red wine chased by massive amounts of bread. Sorry for being graphic and gross, but i was almost sick. Food doesn't usually gross me out, but seriously, it looked like vomit. I threw the rest out.

Notice that despite my severe aversion to the looks of the dish, i still had 2 servings.
Lesson Learned #3 - food is very visually linked. I know - duh - but i never realized it so fully until tonight.

Yeast Whisperer

2009-03-17T20:24:00.011-04:00

I discovered that i love baking bread, after trying it for the first time last week. Bread is my new medium. Even though my first attempts were not overly delicious, I am creative and I have so much room for improvement.
This was my inspiration, from the Feb '09 issue of Gourmet. YUM these look delicious!

For the first month or so i looked through the article, I was intimidated by the 5.5 hour prep time. Who has that kind of time (apparently I do).

I started small, after receiving spelt flour in the CSA a few weeks ago. I was encouraged by dh using her flour to bake the bread recipe that came with the share. Once I felt confident that baking bread was something I could do, I gave it a shot. Using her recommended adjustments, I made yummy honey wheat bread. I felt ready to take my bread baking to the next level.

Jed used the last of our Williams Sonoma wedding gift certificates and bought a rolling pin, a muffin tin and a loaf pan (sounds like the start of a bad joke a slaughter would tell at 3am). The rolls were good. Not great and no where near what I imagined based on those Gourmet photos. But the great thing about these rolls is the opportunity to be creative. They weren't hard and I had a great time trying.

I imagine future batches flavored with cheeses, fresh herbs, olives, nuts, sweet and savory. I'm excited to try something new and to trust that my instincts may or may not be as good as the recommended recipe. Besides, as Jed said, ingredients cost a few dollars. For that price, I can afford to experiment.

Have you gone mad?!

2009-03-17T15:28:00.005-04:00

I have not gone mad but I am loving me some March Madness. Just so you know, this will be probably be the one and only post of mine discussing sports. Don't get me wrong I consider myself to be quite the sporty spice and I love sporting events, mostly for the people watching, chit chatting and Miller Lite. But I really don't know shit about Basketball or at least enough to discuss in length. I know tall dudes from all over the globe come to the good ol' US of A to play and some people blog about said players. But what I do know is that I have submitted two different brackets in hopes of turning my 15 American dollars into much much more aka winning. I won the pool last year with Kansas winning the final and I chose Kansas because while in Americorps I had the grand opportunity of living in the Sunflower state for a month. This year I have Louisville going all the way. Why Louisville you ask? Einey meeney miney moe! HA! My fingers are crossed and I can't wait for the games to begin!!!

comfort food

2009-03-12T12:41:00.003-04:00

When I think of comfort food I think of creamy mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, my Oma's carrot cake, and lately, cabbage with hot sauce. I know, it's totally weird, and a lot of people don't even like cabbage, that it brings up memories of funky smells and watery soup, but if you are like me, and happen to love cabbage, then have I got a recipe for you. Even if you don't like cabbage, give this a shot, because it might change your mind. This recipe, which comes from Molly at Orangette, has fast become a staple for me on those nights when I want something comforting and delish, but don't have the time or energy to make anything involving more than 5 or 10 minutes of my time. A minute spent chopping up the cabbage, a quick toss in the wok with a couple of ingredients, a fried egg (yolk kept soft and runny thankyouverymuch) thrown on top, and dinner is on done. It really couldn't be easier or faster.

Cabbage with Hot Sauce

from Orangette

½ head green cabbage, quartered and sliced into ¼-inch-thick ribbons
Canola oil, or another oil with a similarly high smoke point
¼ tsp. to 1 tsp. sambal oelek, or siracha to taste
Soy sauce, to taste
Salt, to taste (optional)

Place a wok over high heat. Let it heat thoroughly; it should even smell hot. Working quickly, pour in a glug of oil and then immediately add the cabbage. Stir briefly to coat with oil, and then leave it alone for a minute or so, to allow the vegetables to begin to take on some color. Then add sambal oelek or siracha to taste, and stir again. (If you have a hood over your stove, turn on the fan! The hot sauce gives off spicy fumes.) Continue to cook until the vegetables are browned in spots and wilted. It won’t take long. Then add a glug of soy sauce, and stir well again. Taste, and season with more soy sauce or salt as needed.

Serve hot or warm.

Technology Rocks, or 3D Movies are Awesome

2009-03-05T12:42:00.004-05:00

Last night, Sayeh and Sam invited Jed and I to an advance screening of Monsters vs. Aliens. in 3D. Which was awesome. It amazes me that people are creative enough and that the technology exists to make movies like this. As dorky as it sounds, i'm really excited to see this computer based entertainment evolution unfold. What will be next?
I've never watched a movie in 3D and despite some early technical difficulties, I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with the film. Fun for the whole family. Besides, as Jed said, soon TV will be 3D, so we might as well get used to it now.

Sewing Update

2009-03-02T20:08:00.005-05:00

So. I sewed, just like I said I would. L00k how cute the pattern is. I think the illustrations look like me. or do the clothes just look like everything I own? No matter because the process didn't go exactly as planned.

Turns out, when making an item of clothing from a pattern, one has to have a solid, working knowledge of accurate measurements. As opposed, to say, just being told that a size 10 would be right.Note to everyone: a size 10 in patterns = clothes that wouldn't fit KB, my tiniest friend. Live and learn. I cut a rad scarf out of the left over fabric. On to the next project!
ps, how cute is lois??

She Said Yes

2009-02-25T08:12:00.002-05:00

Most of our readers also read Jessica Mae's other blog. But in case you don't, Pete and Jess are going to get married!!!!! Mozel Tov to you two, huge hugs from across the country. We can't wait for the big day to watch Rach show off all of the moves she's been practicing at DDPP.

Dance Dance Party Party!!

2009-02-24T12:17:00.004-05:00

DDPP is pretty much the best thing ever on a Sunday afternoon (besides brunch of course). DDPP allows me to not feel guilty for laying on the couch watching PBS cooking shows from 11am-3pm. Cause when 4:00 rolls around, I know it’s time to step into my stretch pants, strap on my sports bra and slip on some sneaks. DDPP or Dance Dance Party Party was brought to Philadelphia by my roomie, whose friends friends started it up in New York City. The concept is genius, it’s an all ladies, booze free, judgment free space to let loose and dance your ass off for an hour and a half to incredible cheesy/hip/crazy dance music. It’s an awesome workout and you do it with a smile on your face. DDPP has allowed me to feel free when I dance (sans booze, what a concept!). Don’t get me wrong it took me a few Sunday afternoons to get to this point but I no longer care or am even conscious of what people may think of my moves. I laugh at the memory of my 13 year old self being so self conscious on various Bar/Bat Mitzvah dance floors. I truly believe that it doesn’t matter what or how you move but more importantly you are truly enjoying yourself and having fun. People respect and are drawn to fun. I now welcome and can’t wait for the dance floors, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah party of our generation…the wedding reception. Oh hells yes, keep the engagements coming people!!

So ladies if you are in the Philly area, please join me and my roomie on Sundays, 5-6:30pm at the Arts Parlor, 1170 S. Broad (Ellsworth-Federal Stop on the Broad St. line) $5. We welcome and encourage new DJ’s, now’s your chance to show that DJ at L’etage, 700 Club or whatever dance spot you enjoy, what’s up. But if you happen to live in another city, find your local chapter and shake that fine ass of yours!! I promise you won’t regret it, ok maybe for the first five minutes you will, but you’ll get over it. Moving your body = happiness. Who doesn’t like happiness?! Hope to see you Sunday!!

homemade pasta experiment

2009-02-23T12:28:00.002-05:00

Since Ab had to go and get all confessional on us, I guess I too should confess to my addiction. Kitchen gadgets. I have to have them, need them, in fact, it’s like an illness. In my defense, very few of the gadgets I possess have actually been purchased by me, most of them were hand me downs, gifts, or purchased from the thrift store, so I think I am still on the safe side of the addiction.

A week or so ago, a coworker enabled my addiction by gifting me with a pasta roller. I have been coveting the pasta attachment for my mixer for a while now, so this was a welcome gift. Last weekend, inspired by Ab’s plan to actually put her multitudes of dresses to use, and prevent the roller from sitting in my pantry for months, gathering dust, I decided to bust it out and attempt my first homemade pasta.

apparently to be the real deal, you're supposed to do this on the counter and with your fingers, not with a fork.

gotta let those glutens rest!

Pete chose this shape, apparently it's his fave.

I turned to my homegirl Alice Waters for advice and a recipe and she really pulled through. In her book The Art of Simple Food (which was a gift from Pete and fast becoming one of my all time faves) she devotes three pages to pasta making, and that’s even before she gets to the recipe, so I felt pretty confident that I could pull it off. I had a few bumps along the road (it took me a while to figure out how to attach the roller to the counter without it coming loose, and the dough was really dry and wouldn’t come together as easily as I’d hoped) but I’d say my first foray into pasta making was a success.

pasta with sun dried tomatoes in a lemon parmesan cream sauce. delish but not the most photogenic.

Projects

2009-02-20T18:24:00.009-05:00

I meant to post this earlier today. I also meant to post earlier in the week. Sorry. I am still in a post-monster truck rally dream state.

I have a few big projects up my sleeves. Involving these:

On a related note, last week, dh and I took a class at Spool and I made this:

i love it...

27 Dresses

2009-02-11T09:36:00.008-05:00

Hi, my name is Abby and I am addicted to buying dresses. I don't know when it started, but I realize I have a problem. The problem isn't actually buying the dresses. It's not wearing them.
Last week, dh and I went to the Vagabond sale. I bought 3 dresses (and I love each so very very much). When I put them in my closet (which is really Jed's closet), I was taken aback by how many other dresses were waiting to welcome the newest additions. So many, that I had to move some to a different closet. Folks, it's bad.

I have a few theories/excuses for my behavior. 1) my body has changed a lot over the past few years and I think dresses were a good way of hiding what needed to be hidden and allowing me to feel feminine during a time when I needed all of the help I could get.
1a.) Retail therapy is awesome.
2) Even though I am almost 30, I think I am just now coming into my own style (see #1). I so wish I could find a photo to support my point, but Shelly Long circa the Money Pit is my new style icon. Man, her dresses were amazing. I know lots of girls who swoon over the vintage 60s/70s styles, but they never worked for me. I've realized that I am true blue vintage 80s girl, through and through.

However, none of my theories supports the fact that I don't wear dresses regularly. They aren't a part of my professional or casual wardrobe. That is until now. I made a promise to myself that before I can buy another dress, I have to wear at least 1 a week until spring. I can buy new tights, but no more dresses. Since making this decision, I've worn a dress twice this week and I have plans to wear one Saturday and a different one Sunday. It's a new me.

be still my beating heart.

2009-02-05T02:28:00.004-05:00

While the Bronsteins were gracing us with their presence, we did a little shopping at the farmers market that is near our house. While we strolled from stand to stand, stuffing our face with as many free samples as we could get away with, Ab contemplated buying a 10 lb bag of navel oranges to take home with them. While they ended up opting out of it, the thought was stuck in my head for the whole next week. I love oranges, but I don't eat them nearly enough, especially for a girl who lives in the land of citrus. By the time Sunday rolled around, I was a woman obsessed and made a beeline straight for the stand. But seriously, a girl can only eat so many oranges, and do you know how many oranges are in 10 lbs? Like a million. So, needless to say, after a few days of fresh squeezed orange juice and 2 oranges a day, I began the search for a recipe to use up a few. Enter a recipe I have had bookmarked for over 2 years: Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake.

Ina Garten has never failed me and I will continue to be a loyal devotee, because this cake? This cake is in the running for my favorite cake. Ever. I've never really been a fan of the orange/chocolate combo, it's just not something that has ever interested me. But now? Oh I am a huge fan. Huge. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I hear it calling my name and I'd hate for it to feel ignored.

More LA Pictures

2009-01-31T09:42:00.009-05:00

Jess has better ones on her camera, I think...but these are pretty rad.

Jess has better ones on her camera, I think...

so you think you can dance?

2009-01-30T13:03:00.002-05:00

Admission to the Getty: $2.50 per person
Iced tea to drink while we walk around and enjoy the sun: $2.00
Watching two grown men participate in a dance-off: priceless

spicy artichoke tomato soup

2009-01-29T23:38:00.002-05:00

To make up for tempting you with those naughty but oh so delish cookies last week, I cooked up a big ol' batch of this healthy, spicy soup just for you. Ok, it was really for Pete and me but if you hop on a plane right now, I promise to have a bowl waiting for you when you get off the plane.

Spicy Artichoke Tomato Soup

1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can diced or whole tomatoes, slightly pureed (you don’t want it to be totally smooth)
4 cups stock
1 12 oz. bag frozen artichoke hearts (I get mine at Trader Joe's), thawed and chopped finely (you could probably use canned here as well, but I don't recommend the marinated kind)
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T fresh thyme, minced
1 T balsamic vinegar
squirt of siracha (how much really depends on how spicy you like it)
1/3 cup sour cream

Sauté onion in olive oil until tender, add minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds or so. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the sour cream and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste as it simmers and adjust for your preferred level of spiciness. Stir in sour cream, simmer a bit more and serve.

I served this with my girl Ina’s biscuits. These are my go-to biscuits because they are both easy and super versatile. I've made them with cheddar, chives, rosemary, whatever I have lying around gets tossed in. Tonight I threw in some parmesan, used half whole wheat, half white flour and replaced the half and half with skim milk. Pete also thinks these are tasty toasted, smeared with butter and slathered in honey. As Ina says, "How can that be bad?"

It Started with Boots

2009-01-26T22:10:00.005-05:00

Hi. I know, it's been too long for me too. Over President's weekend, Jed and I visited Pete and Jess in LA. Everything was so great. One day, Jess and I went to the Santa Monica Flea Market, which alone was enough to make me secretly wish that one day Jed will have a great job with the Lakers or the Dodgers or even the Sparks.

One booth was filled with so many amazing vintage boots. my eyes kept going back to a pair of booties that said DEX on the sole. of course, i was a little drunk so i couldn't be bothered to try the shoes on or to remember the brand. A few days later, Jess reminded me that the brand was Dexter. I had to find a pair, ASAP. so I turned to ebay, my trusty source for goods when i am too lazy to look for anywhere else.

I couldn't find the exact shoes I saw in LA, but I did find a close second (see above). I bid, and a day later, found out that I had won. I told rach and jess and they both responded in the same way dh did a few ebay buys ago: "maybe it's time i get on ebay."

ebay is so simple. it's time to overcome any anxiety and be empowered to use the tool that will help you get boots or 1980s sundresses or vintage sewing patterns or stained glass windows for your mom's birthday.

On ebay, you don't have to have a username or password to look. search the same way you do craigslist. type any terms you want. Try to be as specific as possible to reduce intense feelings of overwhelmingness. In the past few weeks, I bought 2 sewing patterns from the early 1970s, the boots and just now, while typing this post, Fromer's 2008 Paris Guide (for $2.00).

Check it out and be sure to share your finds. What's the best thing you've found on ebay? What are your go-to search words? There was a time when mine were "vintage linen" and "pyrex nesting bowls". Happy shopping.

chocolate toffee cookies

2009-01-22T23:38:00.002-05:00

Now I know that the holidays are over and that instead of yummy cookies and festive tarts, we are all trying to focus on good for you salads and hearty soups, but I just can't help it. I made these cookies for our first annual cookie swap at work and meant to talk about them back then, but got sidetracked. I was reminded of them today when, a full 4 weeks after the fact, I got yet another request to make them again. My coworkers are so desperate, they even offered to chip in and buy the ingredients. That, my friends, is a mighty fine cookie.

Melty chocolatey goodness. Swoon.

Even though the sprinkle of sea salt sounds weird, DO IT. It elevates this cookie from "good", to "we're going to have to log some extra hours climbing the stairs".

Look at all those crackles.

You can find the recipe here. I deviated from it only in that I skipped, OK, forgot to add the walnuts, and I used Skor bars instead of Heath bars (but I think they are pretty much the same thing right?). Regardless, they are totally delish and would definitely make your weekend a bit better.

ABB LA edition

2009-01-18T00:10:00.003-05:00

Greetings from LA. The Bronsteins invaded the Burton/Huester household and we are an unstoppable foursome. LA is warm and sunny and we all spent the day outside at the Getty and then touring Malibu. dh is cat sitting and texted me that she was leaving our sink dripping because pipes are freezing in the Fishtown.

Tomorrow brings AM farmers market, EAGLES and then the flea market. Monday is the tar pits. Pictures will be posted soon. until then, stay warm east coast. I'll soak up enough vitamin D to bring back and share. xoxo

fit in '09

2009-01-15T15:58:00.004-05:00

Part of my plan for making 2009 and beyond a bit better was to be more active, to incorporate physical activity into my everyday life and to make it something I enjoy as opposed to something I force myself to do. Part of what makes that hard for me is that I just do not enjoy going to the gym. Seriously, it is downright painful for me, I would much rather be outside than be stuck in a room with a bunch of sweaty meatheads making out with their biceps.

One of the contenders for outdoor activities is running, however, running has not, and probably will not, ever be something I can do long term. Bike riding is fun, but can get a tad boring, especially if I ride the same route every day. Plus, I don't like wearing spandex. Then I realized that one thing I can do is I can climb stairs like a mofo. So I decided to start climbing the Santa Monica Stairs every morning during the week.

This is one section of the stairs, there are about 3 or 4 more, for a total of 9 meeeeelion stairs. ok, it's only 150 or so steps. but it feels like more.

That plan was immediately derailed when, after my first session with “the stairs” I couldn’t walk for a week. I was literally crying out in agony every time the wind blew on my calves. I seriously overestimated my athletic ability and the stairs literally kicked my ass.

But I persevered and once my legs healed, I came back for more. I plan to continue with this for as long as it is enjoyable, because it’s a great, free workout, I get to be outside breathing in the fresh air, and seriously, staring at this:

is so much more than a bit better than staring at Biff in his muscle tee while he checks out his pecs in the mirror.

Before & After - Closet

2009-01-13T22:50:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, I started and completed a bedroom upgrade project in no time at all. (Just don't factor in the conception, deliberation of purchase, shipping time and time spent waiting to complete said project).

This is a project that would have made my life abb months and months ago. Not only did I line the back of the closet, but I had Jed take the doors off as well. Anyone want to place bets on how long it will take before I find just the right fabric to use as a closet door? ps, said fabric will cover the far right side of the closet, aka jed's closet, as well as the shelved masterpiece.

Before

During

After

**tip - I started off using modge podge, but switched to spray adhesive almost immediately. Spray adhesive is my new favorite thing ever. So fast, no clean up, really not labor intensive.
Otis says hi.

Thanks Jess

2009-01-08T21:42:00.009-05:00

Polodroid is pretty awesome. I'm addicted. These are my favorite converts.

poladroid, i think i love you

2009-01-08T13:31:00.003-05:00

I have always loved Polaroid pictures. There is just something so aesthetically pleasing about the white border, the faded colors, the slight crackling. They make me happy. However, once I finally got around to actually buying a camera, whoops, they went and discontinued the film. http://www.poladroid.net/ is the closest I will get to achieving that vintage look I love, without having to shell out major moolah for the film. It is super easy and totally fun. It even makes the noise a real Polaroid makes when it is spitting out your picture! How can you not love that?

A few thing I learned, that I will now share with you, because I love you:

* Poladroid spits the images out onto your desktop, but saves them elsewhere. To find them, right click and select “show in finder”.

* It took me a while to figure out how to actually remove the initial image off of my desktop, probably because I hadn't had coffee yet or because I am not smart, but anyway, just shut down the app and the images will go bye bye.

* You can only do batches of 10 (just like you can only take 10 pictures with a cartridge of Polaroid film) but if you shut down and restart, you can continue on your merry way.

* You have to wait for the film to “develop”, but if you want it to develop more quickly, you can, as Outkast instructs, just shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Adventures in Baking

2009-01-07T14:54:00.009-05:00

Please join me as I reflect upon my Christmas baking adventures.....

The beginning of a tarte tatin

Puff pastry purchased from Whole Foods. One of these days I swear I am going to make my own.

I don't have a photo of the final product because I burnt the caramel on the apples and it looked like crap. My mom loved it but I think it was just because she could tell I was upset, gotta love moms. However, nothing made with puff pastry tastes THAT bad but things usually taste better not burnt. Note to self; do not attempt trying new recipes on any major holiday. I guess that is basic knowledge but I figured what the hell, why not, I can bake anything! Lets just say this was a humbling experience.

This was my attempt at a vegan pumpkin pie for my dear bro (i roughly followed the recipe). The pie crust was also purchased at Whole Foods but I think it would be interesting to attempt making my own. I'm envisioning a day of crust making...Anywho, the filling tasted wonderful, the coconut milk mixed with the pumpkin and spices really went well together but the sucker did not want to set! I baked it for over an hour and it was still way jiggly in the middle. Jiggly in a way that made my bro roll on the floor laughing. I would have baked the sucker for another hour to see what would happen but the Christmas crowd was restless. So what they got was a vegan pumpkin pudding. At least the vegan liked it.

To end on a good note, I baked these and got positive feedback, thanks to butter purchased here, and I used 11 ounces of chocolate when the recipe called for 8 ounces...hehe.

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!!

Next week....pinenut rosemary shortbread cookies

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-01-05T11:00:00.002-05:00

2009 is here. And to be honest, it couldn't have come sooner. '08 was great, but it was time to say goodbye. After what seems like 21 solid days of drinking, eating more than my annual allotment of butter and red meat, and seeing every family member in the tri-state area, it is time to get back on a schedule. The schedule I need involves a bedtime, a semi-regular physical activity regime, healthier eating and dedicated time to being creative. Minus the work part, I started to get back on track on Friday with my first gym workout in a very long time. On Friday night, we went to El Camino Real and I ordered fish burritos instead of bbq brisket (equally delish, btw). I went to yoga on Saturday morning and then vegged out, first with Heather, then with dh, then with Rach. Girl time is great.

Jessica Mae shared the link to Yoga Today - "free yoga delivered daily." Each 1 hr session is filmed outdoors from Jackson Hole, WY and it was a pleasure to start my Sunday with sun salutations and purposeful breathing without leaving my house. I can definitely see these classes becoming a part of my normal, non-vacation life.

I then went to my cousin's baby's christening. Lil Brianna is precious and I am honored to have been able to step in as the god-mother during the ceremony. I used my brand-new sewing machine (best holiday gift ever, thanks jed) to whip up the cutest baby gift ever - homemade bibs:

The bibs are reversible and couldn't be easier or more satisfying to make. The pattern comes from Bend the Rules Sewing (a book I look through at least twice a month for inspiration). It took me about an hour, start to finish, for all 3 bibs. This was my 2nd attempt at making the bibs and I have to say, I am totally getting better with practice. I'm putting it out here now - if you are my friend and you have a baby, you will get bibs. Start practicing the surprised face now.

As fun as it was for me to sew, it was even better being able to send my cousin back to LA with lil pieces of handmade love.

hope

2009-01-01T22:00:00.001-05:00

I am officially getting old. Pete and I spent last night eating a delish steak dinner (which is now going to be our new years eve tradition), drinking bubbly and hanging out with Anderson Cooper, Kathy Griffin and 1 million of our closest friends freezing their butts off in Times Square. Unfortunately, since we rang in the new year with our East Coast comrades, we were sufficiently partied out by 10:30. Oh well.

The first day of a new year is usually a day full of promises of fresh starts: resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking, jog 5 miles a day. The past few years I haven't made resolutions, mostly because I always break them and seriously? There’s enough to feel bad about nowadays, I don’t need to add any fuel to the fire. This year, I have hopes for myself, things I want to incorporate into the big picture of my life, and that I aspire to carry with me long after this new year is over.

I hope to be more thoughtful; to call my family and friends more often; to eat more of the amazing food grown around me instead of trucked in from far away; to be more active and to make exercise a part of my life instead of something I make myself do; to be more creative and productive, whether it be through photography, sewing, gardening, or baking; and to explore more of my environment. I hope to do these things because I know that they will make me a healthier person, both physically and mentally.

I hope that you said goodbye to 2008 surrounded by people you love, that you enjoyed the last year of wearing those new years glasses, that you drank tons of champagne, that your hangover wasn't too bad and that 2009 and beyond is everything you hope it to be.

Help

2008-12-31T09:08:00.004-05:00

Carrie is Jed's cousin by blood, but I feel very lucky to have inherited her as mine. She taught me how to can tomatoes, which spurred the apple butter frenzy of '08. She let her son wear a superman "outfit" to school every day for 3 months. She worked hard for a year to find herself a new job, and is now the Executive Director (fancy, right?!) of Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. RTP has been in Philly for 20 years, working their mission to prevent homelessness by partnering with the community to rehabilitate the homes of elderly, disabled, and low-income homeowners so that they may continue to live in warmth, safety, and independence. Basically, Carrie's organization make life abb for a lot of people.

RTP was selected by HGTV to have a chance at winning $40,000 through its Change the World, Start at Home Campaign.

This grant would enable RTP to make significant repairs to a three-bedroom house that provides veterans with support and shelter during transitional periods. It is owned and operated by the Pennsylvania American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corporation. Built more than 50 years ago, the row house is in the Frankford section of North Philadelphia. Most of the homes in the area are 70-90 years old. Like most houses of similar age, this house is extremely energy inefficient. RTP volunteers would have numerous opportunities to upgrade insulation, windows, fittings and appliances. Not only will this increase efficiency, but also will make the house warmer. RTP volunteers also would be able to replace the fencing in the front yard and do landscaping (which benefits the entire neighborhood) as well as upgrade the kitchen and do other interior repairs. Learn more about what the project would entail. The residents are all veterans who have served their county. This house is a home-like, non-institutional setting, which has a tremendous impact on having each veteran shape his own destiny.

ABB readers, you can help RTP make essential repairs to a home for veterans in transition-just by lifting your finger! In order to win, RTP needs to obtain the most online votes between today and March 2. Anyone can cast a vote EVERY DAY between now and March 2nd.

Before you do anything else, please click here and vote today (and every day!): http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/home/text/0,,HGTV_32656_82769,00.html

Please vote every day. Help make a HUGE difference to veterans in our community. Carrie and I both thank you.

rkm's great in 08

2008-12-30T09:48:00.014-05:00

*a new job at drexel!!

*barak obama is president elect

*grandma turns 90

* phillies are #1 and i party like i'm 21

* dalembert report dominates quizzo

* visiting mich in hawaii

* summer weddings, how i love open bars:)

*nfbff's (new found best friends forever)

jessica mae's great in '08

2008-12-29T22:47:00.000-05:00

* packing up and moving to the west coast.

* president-elect Barack Obama: YES WE DID!

* conquering my biggest baking fear and making a freaking baguette!

* finally learning to knit.

* the release of one of my all time fave albums.

* these gals.

ab's great in '08 list

2008-12-29T20:53:00.006-05:00

I would be amiss if i didn't highlight the nuptials first and foremost. what a great day.

Other great in '08:
* OBAMA

* No sugeries

* dh moved around the corner

* jslaughter was 1308's summer intern

* Phillies* abb

one little, two little, three little linzertortes

2008-12-25T10:51:00.005-05:00

This will be a quick post so I can get back to the festivities (i.e. eating and drinking) but I wanted to share something that has been a Christmas tradition on the German side of my family since way back before I was born: Linzertorte!

My Oma made at least one of these every year while I was growing up and to me it's just doesn't feel like Christmas until I am eating a slice. This year, in the spirit of trying to learn the recipes I grew up with, I decided that I needed to learn how to make them. Little did I know that volunteering to make it meant I would be recruited to make three of them! There was a definite learning curve but I have to say, I think they turned out very pretty and judging by the already half eaten one on the counter, totally delish! I think Oma would be proud.

the recipe varies with every family, but in our family, the crust is made of hazelnuts, with some whiskey (of course!) and filled with raspberry jam. yum!

So happy holidays from the ladies of ABB. I hope everyone is having a happy, healthy, food and love filled holiday! Now go eat another cookie!

Little Elf

2008-12-24T11:34:00.010-05:00

I've been holding off on my holiday crafty present post until after the holidays, but i can't wait any more days. JML - pretend to be surprised on Saturday. Most other people have already received and claimed to enjoy the gift I am most proud about:

Jared apple butter accompanied by one or more home-sewed tea bags filled with home-blended tea mixes.
The tea bags are the cutest things i've ever made. I went to the Italian Market a few weeks ago with dh and picked up ingredients for 2 different blends:

Spiced Black Tea and Green Tea Chamomile (for the preggers or nursing). I wanted to sew muslin tea bags, but i quickly became overwhelmed because should i pre-wash the muslin? will all of the detergent come out? is that gross? i thought it was gross, so i used coffee filters. I sewed the bags using a pastel mint green thread and i have to say, they are adorable.

Not sure if ABB will post tomorrow, but knowing Jessica Mae, she will want to show off her Oma's cookies. I'm off to meet my girl ds for a glass of sparkling. Safe, healthy and happy holidays to you!

tis the season for baking and other fun stuff

2008-12-23T14:48:00.009-05:00

Saturday marked the celebration of Hanukkah....Myers style. There were multiple family members drinking from bottles, yelling, laughing, dancing, gifts of the QVC variety and what's Hanukkah without chocolate shaped like shekels? My momma made some latkes that were out of this world (turns out grease fire gives extra flavor), my Pops was the grill master, turning out his famous filet mignon and salmon. There were also side dishes of garlic, I mean spicy peanut noodles and marinated broccoli. I think people could smell our breath a block away, for reals. Anywho, I contributed this beauty. It was so good, it had people moaning. You should try making this one at home, it's super easy!!

This weekend I also accomplished making cookie gift bags for folks at work. I figured it was easy enough to do with out exhausting myself and who doesn't like cookies? I included chocolate chip, gingersnaps and cranberry pistachio icebox cookies. Something simple, something spicy and something seasonal (looking). I purchased the little clear baggies at AC Moore on Delaware Ave which is a shit hole and I don't recommend shopping there while tired from drinking four nights in a row. But I digress.

thanks gourmet magazine....

gingersnaps (that look kinda like poo patties but taste wonderful...fresh ginger)

the bagging process begins.....

Viola!

I just like this shot cause it shows the pretty flowers Mich got from our old roomie Evin for graduating college...Congratulations Mich!!!

Today my bff Lara and I dined at XIX for lunch today (I had a gift certificate...thanks Todd!) and it was fantastic! I love XIX like Kanye loves himself, ok that was a corny comparison but this place is great for a special occasion or just an everyday lunch if you are wealthy or maybe just a lady of leisure. You can get the "express" lunch which is a classy ass buffet, all for $19. You choose an entree off the menu then pig out on the salads, cheeses, cured meats and dessert (after the entree of course). I had the fish of the day, mahi mahi which was divine and Lara got the steak which was very tasty. The sauces were on point and the portions were perfect. The dessert selection is heavenly and inspirational. This experience certainly made my day abb. I hope you too can enjoy this gem in the heart of center city.

Merry X-mas! Happy Hanukkah!! I hope you all have a happy, fun and warm holiday.

rkm's fantasy wish list

2008-12-23T09:11:00.008-05:00

but without the cigarette.....

i need the biggest one of these

yes please!

yeah boooooiiiii!!

can't we all just get along?!

jessica mae's fantasy wish list

2008-12-22T23:20:00.001-05:00

from the beautiful blog 3191 A Year of Mornings.

my friend jamie has one and i have coveted it for years. time for one of my very own.

drool. saving up the pennies.

i am addicted to lattes, so eventually, this would pay for itself right?

from the wonderful matte stephens. love the colors, love the shapes, makes me happy.

i love the juxtaposition of the high tech with the rustic wood. ooo, i am so deep.

ab's Fantasy Wish List

2008-12-22T20:22:00.009-05:00

To line the back of my closet. Or to frame.

Love these.

look at the organization! I pretend that this could be my life one day, but i know better.

Hand cut paper. amazing and beautiful

Who doesn't love the bubbly? all of the ABB girls do, that's for damn sure.
I don't think I could ever have enough blue cotton dresses with pockets. sigh.

this makes jessica mae happy

2008-12-19T17:00:00.002-05:00

this makes rkm happy

2008-12-19T13:45:00.001-05:00

This Makes ab Happy

2008-12-19T08:18:00.002-05:00

caramel delights

2008-12-18T15:15:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of trying to make the holidays a bit better by not stressing out over money, I have been trolling the internet for ideas of gifts I can make instead of buy. Last year, I gifted the attorneys I worked for with a package of assorted baked treats I had made, and it went over really well, in fact, I was pretty much the rock star of assistants. This year, I decided to stick with just one type of homemade treat, again with the low stress, and I wanted to branch out from my usual repertoire and try something new.

This recipe for homemade salted caramels uses ingredients you either have already in your house, or are fairly inexpensive to buy. I deviated from the recipe in the fact that I only had a 9x13 pan, so after it had cooled in the pan for a bit, I removed it and rolled the caramel into two “logs” and let it continue cooling before cutting it. I sprinkled the sea salt on the top, but when I rolled it up, it disappeared. I think next time I will wait and sprinkle it on the top of the log so you can see it. It would be equally as great without the sea salt if you either don’t have any or just aren’t ready for the investment.

I wrapped each one up individually in parchment paper and plan to put them in some sort of jar or baggie to gift. That is, if I don’t eat them all.

Brilliant thought for the day: you could put them on a stick, dip them in melted chocolate and make your own Sugar Daddies!

do: homemade gift wrapping

2008-12-16T20:37:00.010-05:00

recipe for some good old homemade gift wrapping:

1. wrap package in brown bag paper
(reverse if there are images on one side)

***

2. create "ribbon" using colored masking tape

***

3. add crepe paper "bow"
(cut into small squares, affixed atop each other with glue stick, scrunched to perfection)

***

4. make simple gift labels in word
(my favorite fonts: symbol & wingding for images; academy engraved for alphabet)

voilá!

i heart saturdays

2008-12-16T17:39:00.009-05:00

For the past month or so I’ve found myself following a lovely Saturday morning routine. For some strange reason I have been able to keep my Friday evening/late night binge drinking at bay which equals feeling great the next morning. Who knew?! Maybe it’s just the winter and wanting to stay warm home curled up on the couch on-demanding 30 Rock or maybe I’m just growing up. Regardless let me share my glorious routine;

Yoga
There is really no better way to start your weekend then some downward dogs, warrior I, warrior II, maybe a little crow or my favorite, corpse pose. Okay, maybe I can think of some other fun Saturday morning activities that include various poses but that is not to be discussed on the internets:). Yoga has become my first favorite activity to start my weekend. However brunch comes a close (really close) second, which brings me to the next step of my routine.

Brunch
Brunch eaten at home or dining out brings me great levels of happiness and joy. I’ve been creating different delish brunches for myself and sometimes my HLP (heterosexual life partner) which are as follows;
* Sautéed shallots and leeks mixed into brown rice, with fried eggs placed on top, seasoned with hot sauce of choice. For those of you who eat bacon, break up a crispy piece or two and mix it into the rice. This meal comes from the Laurence Myers arsenal of dishes and as he says, “you can’t lose with the shit I use”
*Potato latkes made with shallots and leeks, sautéed to a golden brown with fried eggs on top. One of my favs, which I owe to my bro who btw, no longer eats eggs but he can make a mean latke
*Heuvos rancheros done white girl style, I sauté black beans with onions, mash them onto corn tortillas and of course a fried egg goes on top. Served with a side of tomato, basil and cucumber salad (when tomatoes taste good or are in season)
*Scrambled eggs with sautéed shallots, mushrooms, thyme and goat cheese. Usually with a side of super limey guacamole

What are some of your favorite brunch meals? I have cycled through my favs and am looking to add some new dishes to my brunch family. Please feel free to share, I am in need of some inspiration!

Here’s to activities, routines, or time well spent to make life abb.

a belt better

2008-12-16T12:40:00.004-05:00

get it here or here

boots for knocking

2008-12-15T13:07:00.012-05:00

just bought these for my papa.

***

my friend em has these, and let me assure you that they are... amazing.

***

still coveting these campers from 3 seasons ago...

***

a boot strong enough for a man but ph-balanced for a woman.

***

yeah, yeah, i know they're frye, but i'm still in looove.

***

handmade in alaska

***

a toddler twist on a classic boot

***

Lessons in the Reader

2008-12-15T11:48:00.003-05:00

I am a natural sharer. When I come across a great idea, or tip, or time saver, or sale, I can’t help but share it with everyone. In my mind, sharing is an extension (or a justification?) of my social work background. So with that in mind, I would like to share my love of the Reader with my late adaptor friends. The Reader will help you organize the blogs you read daily. It automatically updates, so you only have to go to 1 site to check which of your blogs have new posts. You can read about the awesomeness of the Reader here and watch a great video explaining it here. Or just follow my instructions below. And btw, the Reader I love has nothing to do with the new Kate Winslet Nazi movie.

These instructions are for the Google reader. If you use an email other than Gmail, I can’t promise that this will change your life. But you should still try it.

At the tippy-top of your Gmail screen, there is a row of links:
Gmail Calendar Documents Photos Reader Web More
Needless to say, all of Google’s feature are awesome, but since this is about the Reader, click on that link. At the top, on the right side of the screen, click the button “Add a Subscription.” All yous gots to do next is type or paste a website. And that’s it. Sites that have a new-to-you post are bold. Since my Gmail is open almost all day, it is very easy for me to just click on Reader at the top of my Gmail page and check the status of all of my blogs. You can organize the blogs into categories that make sense to you. I organize into Blog, Food, Gossip, Sewing, Work. So try this out and let me know what you think.

On an unrelated note, I got an excellent haircut on Friday. So good, that this morning, a stranger on the El commented that I have great hair.

making somethings out of nothings...

2008-12-14T15:43:00.006-05:00

1. this little purse made from vintage lace-- naturally, we all have some of that laying around

2. potato/onion/bacon/pepper jack cheese hash that we made and enjoyed this morning

this makes jessica mae happy

2008-12-12T18:02:00.001-05:00

makes dh laugh...

2008-12-12T13:05:00.001-05:00

this makes rkm happy

2008-12-12T12:19:00.003-05:00

This Makes ab Happy

2008-12-12T12:01:00.003-05:00

my thumb is turning green

2008-12-11T18:41:00.003-05:00

Back in July, a few weeks after we moved to this fair city, I took a class at HomeGrown Los Angeles, a company that educates city dwelling folk like myself about urban gardening. The class I took was focused on container gardening and at the end of the class I got to take home this totally awesome salad garden that I had planted.

Looks yummy right? Well, folks, I am sad to say that this container garden did not yield tasty results. The woman across the way moved out and gifted me with her half dead, unbeknownst to me, mite infested ficus, which in turn infested my beautiful fragile greens. Everything but the parsley had to be pulled. Sad face.

However, I eventually found the strength to carry on and replaced them all and I am proud to say I ate my very first salad comprised of greens grown by my own hand last week. And you know what? They are so totally delish. Bagged salad ain’t got nothing on my greens.

getting sh*t done

2008-12-09T15:20:00.003-05:00

For three months now I have had multiple tasks to cross off on my ever present to do list. I love me some lists but I don’t love actually doing the things on my list, call me crazy or just plain old lazy. I’m sure therapy could help me through this issue of denial and procrastination but I’ll save that for another day. But today was a good day my friends, I was a bonefide grownup and got shit done! What might you ask did I accomplish? Let me list them and hopefully not bore you to death:

Roll over my 401k from my old job into an IRA
This may not seem like a difficult task for you financially savvy folk but if not given a deadline of a blackout period (this is too long and boring to describe) I would have avoided this task forever. However, I can and do recommend Vanguard (based in Valley Forge, PA) in case you were looking to open up an IRA. My customer service representative Allison was so very friendly and helpful. She walked me through the whole process without making me feel like a dummy, thank you Allison!

Register for classes
As a Drexel employee I get to take advantage of all the undergraduate classes my heart desires. I have high hopes these courses will help remove the cob webs that have formed in my massive dome piece. I’m also hoping there will be a selection of fine man cubs who wouldn’t mind a cougar (in training) of the short and curvy kind. But who am I kidding? I’ll be taking a Nutrition, Foods and Health course; I’ll be surrounded by young ladies (maybe a manorexic) who know how many calories they have ingested since 2005. But no judgment, I welcome whatever comes my way!

I won’t mention the rest of the mundane crap that remains on my list. But to all the procrastinators out there, I wish you the best of luck getting shit done. It really does make life abb.

giver says...

2008-12-08T16:19:00.005-05:00

it's that time of year again, when cyberspace is abuzz with holiday gift ideas and an amazing amount of creative homemade alternatives (can you say recession?). part of me loves it because it feels so good to give, especially when the gift requires lots of thoughtfulness or careful crafting. and i'm also loving the beautiful stuff popping up on my favorite blogs:

[see relief print above by bryan nash gill. obviously, it's straight-up gorgeous, but i mostly love it because it costs $4000 and it's not on etsy, which are two of the most important defining distinctions between art and craft, neither of which is better than the other, just different.]

but this time of year can also be difficult for me due to my unresolved consumer issues. needless accumulation diminishes my faith in a human value system and clutter gives me a tic (thanks mom!), which leads to my conflicted relationship with stuff, or at least useless stuff. but i have ongoing and polygamous love affairs with art and design and music and good food, wine & beer. so, just as an experiment to raise my consumer awareness, i declared a "consumer fast" several weeks ago. mrm thought it was ridiculous b/c the holidays are coming up and blah blah blah, but as a result most of friends and family will be receiving gifts of the handmade variety from me this year-- we'll see how that goes, both the making of and the giving of.

and as for me, the only thing on my wishlist is for my sexy bf to grow a beard (well underway), and you can't buy that from any store around here-- virtual or otherwise.

Joys of Jell-O

2008-12-08T12:25:00.006-05:00

On Saturday, I joined dh and her man on a thrift trip. We went to our girl kb's favorite shop in South Philly, (and, of course, she was there). I found a few good finds – a new belt and a linen apron, and a few amazing finds – vintage “cookbooks”. General Foods Corporation published Joys of Jell-o in the late 1960s. I can’t be sure of the date, but according to this book, “Jell-O Gelatin first grandly shimmered its way into American dining rooms in 1897. Just how many brands in your kitchen go back for 70 years?”

I am much more fascinated than repulsed by the “recipes.” Imagine you were Betty Draper’s college roommate - its 1963 and the only acceptable way for you to show off your amazing creativity is through your skills at making gelatin molds. You find inspiration from dinner parties and encouragement from General Foods. In fact, Jell-O’s sustained market share is a result of “housewives [who] liked it so much they turned their imaginative attention to Jell-O, and invented all sorts of ingenious recipes using it.” Bravo housewives, bravo.

Some recipe highlights: Chicken Salad Surprise (cubes of molded chicken salad adorn a tossed green salad); Coolime Salad (this creamy green salad tastes as good and delicious as it looks); Chicken Mousse (a hearty flavorful entrée for hot summer or busy, meeting-filled days); Polynesian Salad (a main-dish salad of rice and ham, with an Oriental flavor).

I promise to post updates if I make anything from these books - Crown Jewel Dessert, i've got my eye on you.

rkm Made This

2008-12-07T17:52:00.003-05:00

by RKM

jessica mae made this

2008-12-07T16:37:00.004-05:00

taken at the Huntington Botanical Gardens

ab Made This

2008-12-06T17:32:00.003-05:00

dh Made This

2008-12-06T17:27:00.004-05:00

Well, we did it! A full week of posts...what did you think? At least one of us will post each day, M-T and Friday, we will all post something similar. This week it's "I Made This"...

By dh

tarting it up

2008-12-04T12:28:00.005-05:00

And the circle is complete! I want to give a shout out to ab and dh for making the brilliant decision to take on rkm and myself, because - really? What's better than two women sharing their insight into how to make the little things a bit better? That's right. Four women sharing their wisdom. Now onto the good stuff.

One of the things that always makes my life a bit better is good food. A few weeks ago, rkm sent me an email with nothing but this link in the body of the email. I clicked on it, and as soon as the picture popped up, I knew I had to have it. After a quick consultation with rkm, she suggested adding some fresh cranberries in order to cut the sweetness. That rkm, she’s always good for a suggestion on how to tart it up a bit.

It came out totally delish, made a bit better with some fresh whipped cream, and would be a great addition to any holiday table, or even just to sit in your fridge while you slowly eat the entire thing in two days while no one is watching and then go renew your membership to the gym. But I wouldn't know anything about that.

Apple Pecan Cranberry Tart

As I said before, this recipe didn't call for cranberries, I just threw a half cup or so of cranberries in with the apples, or really, until it looked pretty, because we all know it's about the looks.