My Netflix Queue Needs to Feel Important Again

I am sure you have discovered by now I don't sit still very well.  There is always something for me to be looking up online (like a new trench coat or brass buttons to put on my bright pink coat) or there is always something for me to be messing around with in the kitchen (you know, like 2 billion batches of Caramel Corn) or clothes to wash or magazines to read.  (I know this sounds really weird but sometimes I get overwhelmed with how behind I am with my magazine reading.)

Lobsta is "Wicked Awesome"

This food truck craze has hit DC in a big way.  All over the city, you see these food trucks parked and these massive lines forming around parks and metros to get the goods.

One of the most consistently crowded is the Red Hook Lobster Pound truck. It was recently named, again, the best Food Truck in the city.  I finally was able to try it this past weekend (h/t to Mr. and Mrs. Capiappe for holding a spot in line).

The Road to Meltdown is Paved with Good Intentions

I am having one of those days where I need to do roughly 300 things.  I took a shower, went to church and now I'm out of energy and I'm just over my "To Do" list.  These lists make me feel so accomplished and so shitty at the same time.  I feel so organized and so put together for having my cute paper all filled out with stuff to do.  I feel so shitty because even if I were cracked out on coffee and didn't sleep all weekend, I would never have been able to get everything I needed to do this weekend done.  Know why?

How's ya mama n'dem cook 'dem beans?

Please stop reading immediately if you don't have a slowcooker.  Cause you are not going to relate.  No, you are going to be like "It's just a pot you plug in." Peeshaw, a pot you plug in! It's a beacon in the night that smacks you in the face with the smell of heaven when you walk in from work.  It's a beacon in the night that keeps cheese dip, well, cheesy and yummy.  It's a beacon in the night that can make cheap meat taste totally rock me, sock me faboots.

A pot you plug in.  Forgettaboutit!

Crabby Peppers

I am trying to be better about using what I have to make meals.  I have a tendency to see something on TV or in a magazine and immediately want to get in the car, go to the store and buy way too much stuff to make it.  This is causing a lot of "week prior to payday economic shutdowns".  I am either an economic soldier or in an economic shutdown.  Payday is next week.  Guess where I am.

Confession

This is the first time I've announced publicly that...

Decoupage Your Addictions Away

 I collect paper.  And yes, if you saw my apt right now, you'd be thinking trash and envelopes and gum wrappers.  My entire entry way table is littered with Comcast  upgrade offers to Xfinity.  (I don't want your usual awful service, why would I give you more money to make me more angry, Comcast?)

I have a bit of a wallpaper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper problem.  I can't help myself.  I see the patterns and get wildly excited and start feeling woozy when I see how inexpensive it is in comparison to say fabric.  I am a paper hoarder.  I'm weeks away from being on A&E's TV Show, Intervention for this problem.

Dorks-Are-Us

Lobster, wine and old plantation homes....mah man sho knows how to spoil me...

(Technical Difficulties)

For those of you who follow this, sorry if there are lots of blank posts going on...I am messing with the template today and let's just say, I am so far not winning this battle.

Road Trip and Driving off a Cliff

Just a quick post today, I am getting ready to leave but just got back from getting an early morning eye brow wax (I heard that collective sigh from out there on the net.  I know.  Thank Gawd).

Bruiser is taking me out to the middle of the Commonwealth this weekend so I can turn 31. This getting older stuff is not by choice but the vineyards I will be surrounded with is going to make this much easier (I cut a deal with God before Lent that I was off this weekend). And, I am so excited to get out of town for the weekend. I need a break. I need a trip. And I didn't plan any of this! Bruiser did it all. That right there is the best birthday present of all, as far as I am concerned.

For some reason, this birthday is hitting me. I am starting to see alot of age on my poor body and it is freaking me out. I am not sure why the grays are inviting all their friends to the party, but they are. My hands look like those of an 80 year old woman. My back hurts from me sitting on the floor too long when I am working on a craft. I'm not ready for this. Some days I don't know who that haggered woman is looking at me in the mirror.

I think it is safe to say, I am not going to be one of those women who ages well or gracefully.

But here is what I am going to do in this 31st year of my life:

1) I'm going to be alot nicer to myself.

2) I'm going to stop being upset because I think someone is upset with me. I'm serious, I don't know this started but I realized I spend a tremendous amount of time worrying about this. So, I'll make everyone a deal. If you are upset, tell me. Use your words and I'll use mine and let's all get on with it. I am giving up my ability to read minds this year.

I am so much more healthy now than I've ever been. There is alot of comfort in knowing that and knowing that I can break the bad habits of my 20s. (Which is pretty much how I'd sum up that decade..."Bad Habits". But it was SO fun!)

So, I am going to spend this year relishing in the fact that I have people who love me. I'll also put my wrinkly butt on the treadmill. Why? Because going the distance is my only option. And, it's really a lot of damn fun.
Now, we'll save 32 for all that "I've earned these wrinkles by being me" biz because if I could afford it, I'd get Botox in a hot second tomorrow. Ha!

Wine Glass from Amazon.com

Frank Lloyd Wright is Wrong. Right?

For Christmas I bought Bruiser a chance to race some cars. He's not a "NASCAR" guy as much as he's a "drive so fast I start saying the Lords Prayer cause I know I'm goina die" kinda guy. So, this was right up his alley.

We got out to the track on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to discover they were running about 2 hours behind. What in the hell am I going to do for 2 hours at a race track? We decided to reschedule for another weekend (this likely means we'll never go back).

Being about 45 minutes outside of the city, we (me) decided it would be shame to waste the amazing day. So we (me) decided we should go check out the nearby Pope-Leighey House built by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Lets just go there and say it. Poor Bruiser got screwed.

I knew little to nothing about Wright. Of course I knew who he was and about his love for nature in his designs. Past that, I was clueless.

I am not going to get into all of the details of this home but I wanted to hit what I consider to be the high points based on the pictures below.

This is the front of the house. Frank Lloyd Wright loved incorporating nature into his designs and wanted the house to be part of the landscape. Notice that the roof is flat so as not to get mess up your view of the surroundings. The color of the home, as well, is to mimic the surroundings. The wood is cyprus.

Also, interesting to note that Frank Lloyd Wright was the one who came up with "carports".

Notice how horizontal everything is. Again, that is to mimic the natural horizon.

This is the back of the home. All of the windows open. This brings "outdoor/indoor" dining space to a whole new level. It makes me want to hold a crawfish boil. I am sure that is why FLW did that. For crawfish season.

Here is what I found to be so interesting. He plays alot with dimensions. For example, see the roof of the carport above? He tries to give you the feeling of being compressed before you walk into the open living room. Compress you through the door. It's an interesting concept and I can attest. It works. You feel it.

He was so obsessed with everything being horizontal on the house, he wouldn't put any vertical drainage pipes on the house. So the rain would simple fall through the spout above...

to the slab under it.

Look at the vertical lines in the bricks. He fills them with clay to make your eye only pull horizontal. He did this on all the brick on the house.

There are fantastic cut outs outlining the back of the house

I love the bird etching included here to keep the Cardinals from running into the window. (See, Bruiser, we red headed creators sometimes run into things trying to sneak a glimpse of ourselves.)

FLW is so meticulous about his designs that he wouldn't allow the owners of the home to put in regular aluminium screens. He insisted they be copper. Look at this, was he right on or what? That glow and warmth is so beautiful and complimentary of the house.

FLW didn't like corners, he felt like things should flow and corners could be harsh and uninviting. See how two windows meet there in the corner? Well, they are not connected with hinges, so the corner opens. Yes please!!!

picture from Apartment Therapy

Here is a picture of the living room. Would you die for those built ins? Again, notice the cuts outs to the left, at the top and to the right.

I am sold on this man, I am loving his thoughtfulness and his amazing attention to detail. I am down, I want to move in, I want to be all sqoooshed down before I walk in. I want to watch some Cardinals and open up all my corner windows and..........

picture from Apartment Therapy

....he had to go and make the smallest kitchen known to man. Now women, get ready to throw something at your computer screen. The woman of the house asked him if he could make the kitchen larger. His response? That the kitchen is the exact dimensions of a Pullman Kitchen car. If they can feed hundreds of people in that, she can feed her family in this.

Whhhhhhhhhat?!?!

My basement apartment has a kitchen this size. It isn't charming, people. It is a pain. But you know why mine is better? Because I have a drawer. (Yes, just one). That cute little drawer unit next to the stove was put in by the owners after FLW finished the house.

Mr. Train Conductor forgot to give them a drawer in the kitchen. He compresses and pulls and is all freaked out about corners. And he doesn't think about where the forks are going to go.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering. The room behind the kitchen is a big ole bro cave/office for the man of the house. It has a built in desk. With drawers.

The Spades

Awhile back, there was a big ole buzz of pictures on the design blogs about Kate and Andy Spade's New York Style Apartment. These designers, these naturally creative people basically created my idea of heaven. I can not get it out of my mind. I love what they did with color here and God love em for keeping that classic and amazing pre-war style. (What would you give to have place with such moldings!)

I keep a huge notebook of things that inspire me. I use a glue stick to adhere them, there is nothing fancy about this book. I keep coming back to these pictures.

(Look at how fresh and textured this room is! The texture of the rug vs. the wallpaper. The flat smooth texture of the linens vs the soft dark texture of the velvet chair. Brilliant)

(I can't even talk about how bad I want this room. From the mirrored side table to the bright and confident colors. That headboard might actually motivate me to go to bed before 1:00am).

(I love the neutrals and the color play they do with the different designs and colors in this room)

(That credenza makes my heart stop beating. I love any wall with a collage)

Cupcakes and Champagne

There is nothing that makes me wanna drink and eat like one of my friends getting engaged.

(Which, I would like to point out the irony because about 5 years ago, nothing made me want to drink and eat like a good old fashioned "what is wrong with him, why doesn't he love, I gave him the best 2 months of my life" night with the girls. Sighhh. How far we have come.)

So the bling brought us all together for Cupcakes and Champagne. And Champagne Cupcakes.

(NiNi made Champagne Cupcakes. They were a huge hit. Look how gorgeous they are!)

(I want to drape this fabric all over my house. I'm talking in the fridge, butter tray kinda everywhere.

JoAnn Fabrics is about to get raided by yours truly)

(I found these darling little napkins at Michaels. )

(Kinda hard to see but there were Diamond rings tied to the flutes!)

(The green food labels are bookmarks I found at Michaels, as well)

(I love my little crawfish spreaders!)

Apparently I am on a bit of a green kick as I just realized the food I served was all green. Recipes are below and on my Tastebook page (click the cookbook on the left of the page).

I had something similar at a sushi restaurant last week and haven't been able to stop thinking about them. To give a different taste, I served them with pineapple salsa.

Edamame Stuffed Wontons (found at allrecipes.com)

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 28 wonton wrappers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Heat the sesame and canola oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 10 seconds until fragrant. Add the frozen edamame, and cook until they are tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• 
  
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• 
  
• Once the edamame have cooled slightly, place them into a blender along with the green onion, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Cover, and puree until smooth.
• 
  
• To make the wontons: Separate and place the wonton wrappers onto your work surface. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the edamame filling onto the center of each wrapper. Use your finger or a pastry brush to lightly moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers with water. Fold one corner of the wrapper over the filling onto the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press the edges together to seal. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with the salt.
• 
  
• Bake in the preheated oven until the triangles are crisp and golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

Crushed Peas with Smokey Sesame Dressing (from the ever amazing Deb at Smitten Kitchen)

1 1/2 pounds fresh peas in pods or about 1 1/2 cups already shelled or frozen and defrosted
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika, smoked if you have it
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 scallions, thinly sliced
Toasted pitas, cut into wedges, for serving

Have ready a colander and an ice bath, and bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Blanche peas for 30 seconds (if you like them with a real residual snap) to 1 minute (for a slightly more yielding pea) and drain them, then immediately shocking them in the ice water. Drain the peas again and pat them dry on a large towel.
Using a potato or egg-masher (and hopefully not an annoying one like mine, with holes the exact size of peas!), muddler or meat pounder (be gentle!), lightly crush the peas. Aim for mixed textures, some left whole, most in halves and a few a little more broken up. Put them in a large bowl.
Whisk together tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, water, cumin, paprika and salt. You might be tempted, as I was, to swap the water with olive oil but don’t do it — it makes a horrible curdled mess you will be sad to have to toss.
Mix peas with about 3 tablespoons of the dressing, to start, then add more to taste. Sprinkle with scallions. Heap pea mixture on toasted pita wedges.

It was so fun to have the girls over and I was way over due in hosting. (I even refrained from drinking!!) Cinny is planning a fabulous wedding and I couldn't be happier for her and her boo. They really are THE cutest couple. You know what I am talking about...the kind you love to watch because they just love each other SO well. Yep. That's them. Cute and real and fabulous.

And on a totally random note:

I am thinking the name of this blog could be a contender for the title of my Autobiography. The current contender is "Whine and Cookies" but this is good too.

I am getting the Can Can fever!

I fell in love with the store Terrain about a year ago when I bought these little boobugs:

Weck Juice Jar Set

(They are too cute to use!)

I am dying to road trip up to Pennsylvania one of these weekends and check the store out. The website is one of those that just make me happy. It makes me want to move out into the country with nothing but fortitude and white wash paint. (endurance can be, and I dare say, SHOULD be stylish but not the point).

Last year I started canning. Well, I pickled veggies twice. Once with my cooking club (a club, btw, that has only met twice - haha) and one on my own. Last year, I pickled cucumbers, okra and greenbeans. I am anxiously awaiting some good crops at Eastern Market this year to start pickling and preserving other items. I am starting to dream about them. The pretty colors. What kind of labels do I want to make for my cans? What types of jams should I attempt?

I'd be in my kitchen with my basement windows open enjoying the early summer breeze, humming tunes from Sound of Music just canning away. My hair would be in perfect curls and I would be doing all of this in high heels while feeding the birds that are flying to my window to hear me sing.

Right.

In reality, it resembles something more like me in my yoga pants (that I just realized had a hole) sweating up a storm while breaking Ball Jars all over the kitchen. Oh, and I doubt my hair would even be clean.

But I wish, oh sweet sassy, I wish I could afford to preserve everything I make this year in these:

7.4 oz Weck Jar - Set of 4

With recipes from this: (ahem, Easter Bunny, are you listening?)

Williams-Sonoma Art of Preserving Cookbook

And, while I am at Terrain getting all the goodies for my making my wares all spiffy and purty, I'll pick up a table setting of these, thank you very much.

Sign up for Terrain's emails, I promise they will make you giddy.

Does anyone have a good pickle or jam recipe to share? I'd love some ideas so I can start plotting.

Lots of Changes!

Fitting, I actually think. I'm just as indecisive with my blogs as I am with my wardrobe, weight and diet.

I'm off Atkins.

So, as I sit here eating a loaf of french bread while Bruiser takes a little Saturday afternoon nap, I ask for your patience as I continue to play with the design of the blog and getting the content all switched over.

What do you think of the new site so far?

Craft Junkie

As a crafter by birth, I was getting really fussy. Downright tantrum style. I needed a new project and I needed one bad. Just a little one. A quick one. After this project, yeah, yeah, I'll be alright. Just. Need. One. More.

Living in an English Basement doesn't exactly equal storage. So, I've been trying for years to not keep a lot of holiday decorations around since I honestly don't have anywhere to store it. But, wreaths just fit so nicely under the bed and they are such a fun treat to greet you at the door. I'm hooked.

But, I only have a double bed, people.

So, I came up with the idea to do three or four seasonal wreaths. One that has leaves on it for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Another one for Christmas. And a "catch all" one beginning of the year.

Last night I poured myself a glass (urgh, bottle) of wine since I am giving up drinking for Lent (except for my birthday) and started a little project.

This is my Mardi Gras/Spring/Easter/Summer/Partridge in a Pear Tree/Kitchen Sink wreath. I purchased a grapevine wreath and several spools of satin ribbon ranging in width sizes. I cut all the ribbon to about the same lenghts then just tied them on. I will be able to add various props to the wreath as the seasons progress. I have big plans for Easter involving Bunny Ears and White Feathers for this bad boy.

It is so festive and I love when the ribbons blow in the wind.

And if you are keeping count, the "Fourth Season" I am considering doing a wreath for is the bestest season of all. College Football.

Let them (stop) eating (king) cake

Happy Mardi Gras! (or as I have now started calling it "Happy High Holy Day of Mah People"). There is nothing more special, more revered, more cherished than Carnival season.

And I couldn't be happier it is over. Waving the White Flag (and not in a second line), putting a fork in the King Cake. I'm celebrated out and awaiting a liver transfer.

Don't get me wrong. I adore Mardi Gras. I love the traditions and celebrations of my home state. I love how exotic we look to the rest of the country. I love how everyone cooks pots of good ole food and starts sluring words like "bebe" and "cher" when they get a little too much Bourbon in em.

I love the dresses and the backdrops and the white gloves the women wear. I love the proud daddy's escorting their baby girls as they debut in society. (I never did but I use to daydream about me in a white dress and The Duke strutting around like a peacock all proud. And in full disclosure, in this fantasy, I had flawless skin, had a humidity hair shield and was a size neg-atave Six. But my disillusions are another story for another post...)

Every year in Washington DC we do a Mardi Gras. A massive production of natives, festival queens, booze, booze, gumbo and more booze. I think I am still surviving my 3 day bender. Poor Bruiser, I still think he hasn't forgiven me for what I put him through that weekend. But don't feel too bad for him. That was his second one, he knew what he had signed up for. (And he ate like a King).

But you know what really gets me? All these nice people who mail me King Cakes. I have literally eaten my weight in King Cakes this year. I love them, I really do, but I don't need to eat so many as to develop a new fat roll (which I did, okay).

I came. I saw. I over-ate. I was over-served.

So, Lent. I welcome you. For many reasons. But today, I welcome you to be my excuse to get me and my new fat roll on the straight and narrow.

Bedtimes before midnight. Check.

Reading the newspapers in the morning before my favorite design blogs. Check.

Keeping my Inbox in pristine condition. Check.

Eating only Chicken Breasts and Broccoli. Check.

Working out 5 times a week (sometimes even in the mornings). Check.

Flossing. Check.

No drinking. Check.

No sweets. Check.

For my next post....why I always feel like a failure with the goals I set for myself.

Boys to Men Were Right

It's so hard. To say goodbye. To yest-er-daaaaahhhhayy.

To my coworker (but more importantly my friend) Ebeth on her last

day here at the office....give em hell on the hill, booface! Your amazing ability to read my mind, talk me off bridges and keep me from popping people with rubber bands astounds me. In short, you are a dream employee, a dear friend and one of the best/most loving peeps I've met while in the DofC. I love you so much. I am so proud of you!

- Your spider vein'd work mother

Say It Ain't So, Mr. Subway

I woke up this morning and was a little sad. I realized since it was March, I was going to have to break up with my new favorite jingle. I even had made up a dance to it. And I added some "chicka" type noises in the break. Shocked, aren't you?

But then I found this and they simply replaced "February" with TWO "Any's". Does this mean I'm not going to have to endure the pain of the breakup and they can play this new "Any, Any, Any" version year round? I don't remember what they did in January.

Subway's Five Dollar Footlong Ad

I am sure Brusier would be particularly upset if this went off the air. This would mean I would no longer be shaking it across the kitchen screaming "FEB-RU-ARY-ANY-FIVE (chicka chickachicka) FIVE DOLLAR. FIVE DOLLAR FOOT LOOOOONGG."

Beastly Brows

I am not proud of this. I warn you, if there are small children in the room or someone with a weak stomach, you may want to have them leave the room before you see what I am about to show you.

Everything you need to know about my life you can tell by my eyebrows. Look at these awful things! I should be locked away somewhere, far away from humanity. Yeah, I've been really busy lately but mostly, I've just been lazy.

It's not warm enough outside to be motivating but not cold enough to have an excuse to hunker down. It's like a tease and it is making me tired, unmotivated and straight up lazy. I am pining for a crisp and warm day. Maybe then I could kick myself into gear.

I am too lazy to even make a to-do list of all the stuff I don't plan on ever really doing but I am going to act like I am (ie: clean the oven, organize my pictures online, etc). Is it just me or is this the winter to spring transition funk?

Two Fancy Ladies

Lubey's birthday is in May. So, you know, I am bringing belated to a whole new level since she's about to have another one without me giving her the last gift. We finally cashed in her present and did an English Tea and Scavenger Hunt at the O Street Mansion here in DC. I am such a bad sister-in-law.

This is where PeeWee Herman's house meets a Flea Market. It is a hotel/fun house with nearly 100 rooms....32 of which are hidden. It basically was like living inside a game of Clue. (The Candlestick!) Everything in that house is for sale. Every. Little. Thing.

So, we get there and strapped on our tea hats. I think Lubey rocked her best 'Retha Franklin a la Obama Inauguration style.

'Retha....

meet Lubey.

And, I looked like my husband stuttered.

We sat down and got after some Tea. I was a little disappointed we didn't have proper tea cups but who are we kidding. I am sure my big ole man fingers would have have been to klutz to hold it, I would have dropped it, caused a scene and cried. (Yes, this exact scenario went through my head when I decided they should have served me tea in a sippy cup).

Look at this plate. Does this look like the plate of a woman dieting? I hit the poor waiter in the face with the shrapnel of my whoopie pie as I shoved it up my nose to completely negate teeth.

But there was a WHOLE room of deserts people. A WHOLE BIG CHOCOLATE WOOFING ROOM OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES!

And chandeliers. I am in a whole chandelier craze now if you haven't noticed by now. (Sorry pic is blurry).

The mansion is 4 floors and spans over I think 5 actual townhouses that were merged together. It was eclectic and wild and unruly. I adored it. Design wise, some of it was insane. Lots of wood and built in bookshelves (like below) in staircases. I want a house of built ins. I adore them. They are so personal. And old books. I just love them. The smell. That crack sound it makes when you open it.

And, well, some of it looked like it hasn't been updated in since I was born in 1980.

Meow. This bedroom was hidden behind a full length mirror and down a staircase.

Lubey found a box full of wrestling figurines and we just rolled laughing. We contemplated buying one as a surprise for Boojamus' new desk.

This just tickled us. I told you this place was eclectic. I wonder if my Sonicare would fit into this toothbrush holder/conversation piece/ soup holder/ obvious wedding gift I'm registering for when the day comes.

The O Street Mansion! What a treasure and a treat here in Washington. I want to go back in the next few weeks to get some plates I haven't stopped thinking about I saw there for on da cheap. I HIGHLY recommend this place if you are in town. You won't regret it. And, if you come visit me soon, I may force you to stay in the hotel. I am dying to know if they tell you at the front desk "You'll be in the jungle room with the hand toothbrush holder behind the mirror, down the secret staircase and around the corner from the room that has the Yellow Submarine Beatles Jukebox." (Ring Bell for Bellman).