Resisting the Hibernation Urge

When it's cold outside, I always wind up craving hot cocoa from Dunkin' Donuts. It's a drink that I normally don't even like. It's too sweet, too syrupy and there's always a weird residue at the bottom of the styrofoam cup when you're done, which inevitably makes you wonder what is actually in that hot cocoa.  But when you're sitting at home wearing four pairs of socks and still have numb toes, you kind of don't care about the contents of that sugary beverage because all you want to do is wrap your hands around it and maybe even pour it over your hands a little bit to regain some feeling.

Yes, it's been that kind of week. Polar vortex, take two.

To lighten things up a little, and to keep moving so that my innards don't freeze, I've been making fun treats at night. They're run-of-the-mill snacks but they distract me from my tiredness. Seriously, this weather makes me want to hibernate.
 

Even though this hot chocolate was regular Swiss Miss in the package, it became pretty special with the addition of whipped cream and sprinkles. And that grilled peanut butter, speculoos and chocolate chip sammy? Much better than anything you'd find at a Dunkin' Donuts. xo

Week-in-Review: Polar Vortex Edition

I think this will be forever remembered as the week of the polar vortex. Eh, it sounds a lot more exciting than it actually was, which was merely a really freaking cold week. We kept our heat on for four days straight (!) and our complex had signs on the door warning of frozen pipes so we let our kitchen faucet drip for a few nights too. Oh, and my car squeals like a piglet in pain when it's below 30 degrees so the sound it makes at 3 degrees is a real treat.

For some reason, I feel compelled to do a round-up reminiscent of those awesome early 2000's music compilations. Without further ado, welcome to Now This Is What I Call the Highs and Lows of a Long Cold Week, Volume 413.

High: We finished watching the second season of Episodes and seriously, I love that show. It's so witty and the acting is great, although I don't think I can ever look at Joey Tribianni the same way.

Low: Man, were people crabby or what? I had doors slammed in my face in the lobby of my office building several times, my co-workers were cranky-pants, and don't even get me started on the rudeness of everyone in the Target this afternoon.  Lighten up, it's January, 2014. Try to recite a mantra or something.

High: Last weekend's quick stop into Anthropologie resulted in me falling in love with the 50% off clearance table and emerging with a fancy apron, a cheese cookbook and a little blue butter dish. Serious scores.

Low: Yesterday morning in the cold, Anthony and I had to jump his car twice. Luckily, he only needed a new battery but what a way to start the day.  His poor jeep looked so sad in the snow and fog.

High: So far, I'm kind of sticking to my 'keep it organized' goal for the new year. We dropped off several boxes to Goodwill earlier and I'm de-cluttering our apartment slowly. Also, I've been drinking lots of water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and trying to really believe in the revitalizing power of citris.

Low: We ran out of everything this week: baggies, tissues, peanut butter, celery, bread crumbs, foil, etc. These are things that I always keep stocked. How random and rather inconvenient.

I hope you're all having great weekends. Happy Saturday night! xo


In honor of the news that New York Transit/MTA is planning to phase-out metro cards, here's a shot I took a few months ago of the back of my metro card. More poetry, please.

Snowplow Relief

I don't think I've ever been so excited to see a plow.

Anthony and I have been stuck in our apartment for almost five full days due to Winter Storm Nemo.  Our street is barely cleared and my office is closed due to dangerous conditions in New Haven.  It is not easy for an unprepared town to quickly remove three feet of snow apparently.  We've been patient but I have to admit that I'm getting a bit stir-crazy.  Everyone in our building was so relieved to see this little fork-lift thing rattle through the driveway; they gathered near the entrance and actually watched the guy remove the snow for several hours.  I'm sure he loved the audience.

I'm hoping to take my little car on a short field trip around the block tomorrow just for fun. Welcome to February, New England! xo

Staying Put

In case you can't tell from all those snowy pictures in your Facebook feed, the Northeast is basically at a standstill right now due to a blizzard that dropped three feet overnight.  Our town, like tons of other communities, I'm sure, was totally unprepared.  We're at two full days and counting of being unable to leave home; there hasn't been one plow sighting.  I'm staying positive but I have a feeling we're going to be stuck inside and off the roads for a while.

When there's a storm warning, I never rush to the grocery store. How long could we possibly be stuck in the apartment?  We almost always have enough food in our cabinets for at least a few days.  Tonight, I broke into the freezer and pulled out three boneless chicken breasts.  It seemed like a shame not to take advantage of the afternoon and make a meal that I would normally never have time to make after a workday.

I did something that I almost never do: pan-fry chicken.  My grandmother is an absolute pro at making the thinnest, most delicious chicken cutlets.  She is somehow able to slice the chicken breasts almost paper-thin.  I've been practicing with little luck but tonight, I felt like I was getting the hang of it.  And since I never fry, I'm never sure of when the chicken is fully cooked and I kind of figured out how to gauge that too.  Moderate success, finally.

Now, our apartment smells like chicken, which is good and bad, but either way, it smells like home here while the snow drifts grow in the whirling wind outside.



Awesome photo of Judy Garland frying chicken via Buzzfeed

Bye-Bye, Christmas

I finally took the Christmas tree down today.  There's nothing that says "The holidays are over" like spending a morning vacuuming pine needles. 

Big thanks goes out to Anthony for humoring me; he only told me that we needed to take the tree down a few times since New Year's Day.  She still looked festive and vibrant as we stuck her in a plastic bag, but I have to remind myself that it's already February.  It's definitely time to say good-bye to Christmas 2012. xo

Lingering

Hard to ignore: that feeling that has been following me all day since I gave a man outside the Dunkin' Donuts a dollar.  While talking to him, he told me that he'd prefer that people give him food instead of money because he's honestly just really hungry and doesn't know when he's going to eat next.  I didn't have any other cash to give him and at the end of our conversation, I told him to stay warm, hoping that he could put that money toward a sandwich or towards the fee for a night at the homeless shelter.  And then all afternoon, I thought about how stupid I was because it didn't occur to me until later that I should have taken him right into the store and bought him food.  Regret.

While everyone is complaining about how cold it is, most of us are lucky enough to go home to a warm home, or at least a cold apartment with lots of blankets and some soup.  This week, I've seen so many homeless people bundled up in bus stop kiosks or standing in store doorways with all of their belongings just to get a gust of hot air from inside.  Yes, it's cold outside and they know how cold winter really is. I wish I had a way to make sure everyone was warm and fed.

Maybe I'm being too sensitive; I'd like to think of it as being empathetic. I'm sure most would say I'm too idealistic. It's just that I can't stop thinking that maybe I could have helped in some little way.  No one deserves to freeze outside or go hungry.  I try never to forget how fortunate Anthony and I are compared to others.  Just in New Haven and Fairfield counties alone, the difference between economic groups is unbelievable.  The gap is especially clear to me after listening to an hour of co-workers discussing $200 shirts and ski weekends. 

So, I apologize if this post is a bit preachy.  It probably stems from the guilt.  All I know is that next time, I'll use my brain in the moment and do whatever I can do to help even the smallest bit.



Image via

View from the Almost-Top

The view from the window by my desk on the sixth floor of a small skyscraper-type building yesterday:

We haven't had much snow this winter (at least not yet) but I love looking out and seeing just the tops of buildings covered in white, like a scene from a holiday card. xo

Snowman Invasion

This is the stairwell in our building.

The head of the condo association decided that the holiday decoration theme this year would be "snowmen." Every day, a new snowman in some incarnation appears. First, it was the snowman gift bag hanging from the handle on the laundry room door. Then, it was the plush snowman balanced on top of the fire extinguisher box. Now, they are lining the ledge along the stairs.

It's kind of like they are slowly closing in on us, but I don't feel threatened enough yet to actually buy some snowmen accessories and join in. Ask me again in a few days. xo

'Tis the Season

It's 'red cup' time again! I'm not sure why, but sipping from these cheerful Starbucks cups really makes it feel like the holiday season has arrived. And I don't even mind admitting that I enjoy the jazzy, peppy piped-in festive music that will start playing everywhere from supermarkets to gas stations. Now, it's time to start Christmas shopping...

Warm.

My feet and fingers are so cold tonight that all I want to do is wrap my hands around a huge mug of cocoa, preferably some from City Bakery, and close my eyes.  I think it'll be an early night for me so that I can get under the covers and watch Friends re-runs in bed.

Photo courtesy of Mad Park News and City Bakery

Just a Bit Under

I haven't been myself for a couple of months.  My ears have been aching and my head has been pounding, so much so that it's hard to focus on anything.  And then last Thursday, I almost got into an accident on my way to work because I was dizzy while driving, and I knew I had to go back to the doctor.

So, it's Migraine City for me, with some TMJ trouble to boot.  My balance is much better and I'm not as lightheaded as I was last week, although my head is still hurting.  I'm truly hoping this will be the end of the constant headaches and ear aches though.  I just hate feeling disoriented all the time.

While I was fading in and out of sleep this weekend, I kept thinking about the cool breeze and warm sun that comes with spring.  In the morning when I leave for work now, I can smell the ocean and it makes me want to turn around, head back into the condo for sneakers and walk down to the beach.  Pretty soon, when I get home from work around 6:30pm, it'll still be light out.  I've always loved winter but this year, I can't wait to be able to spend time outside, perhaps because I feel like I've been ill and cooped up forever.

Yesterday, I walked down the street during my lunch hour and was reminded of how much I love the handmade decorations that the local yarn store, Knit, displays on the street.  It adds color and comfort on even my gray days.  Even when I'm feeling blah and off-balance.  Even when most people just walk by and ignore them.  Sometimes the smallest thing really makes a difference.

Photos courtesy of my new iPhone (yes, I'm trying to use it!)

Doesn't CPK always mean Cabbage Patch Kid?

 

I didn't make valentines this week. I didn't finish writing that short story.  Our apartment still needs to be vacuumed.  For most of the week I had a killer headache and earache, which forced me to actually see a doctor yesterday.  Prognosis: Undetermined.  I have a follow-up with an ENT physician next Wednesday and until then, I have some medicated ear drops.  Not very helpful but it's a start. 

I did however meet up with a friend last night at a California Pizza Kitchen (people sometimes shorten this to CPK which really confuses me because CPK will always translate into Cabbage Patch Kid in my mind.  What an awesome restaurant that would be...) where I had a delicious salad and we actually ordered a dessert to share, something that I never do.  We sat and sipped coffee while we spooned our warm brownie sundae thing like real grown-ups.  Then we went next door and wandered around the giant Barnes and Noble and I successfully resisted buying a new book because I already have five dozen in my 'to-read' queue.  It was a good night. 

There's snow in tomorrow's forecast and despite the fact that this has been a winter with 50 degree highs in New England, everyone is panicking.  Inclement weather or not, have a wonderful weekend, my dears, and I'll try to do the same.  xo




Image from Sugar Plum via weheartit

Best Kind of Snow Day

Yesterday was the best kind of snow day; it was a Saturday and we had no place important to be.  We stayed inside watching televison and doing chores while the wind whipped around outside our windows.  And of course, I made delicious chocolate chip toffee shortbread.  It's almost like it's mandatory to bake cookies on cold, winter days.

The Holiday Season Rolls On...

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, and Anthony and I hosted dinner at our apartment. Despite the cramped quarters and the shortage of plates and utensils (we had nine people over, but it seems like everything we own comes in a set of eight), there were few glitches.  And now, Christmas is barreling towards us.  I normally love the holiday season but this year, things seem rushed and muddled.  I wish sometimes that there was a way to slow life down a bit so that the great moments are easier to enjoy (wow, what a cliche that was, almost worse than a catchphrase in a movie trailer--ha!).

There's so much to look forward to in the coming months but I still find it hard to ignore the not-so-good stuff.  I'm hoping that some Christmas carols and marshmallowy hot cocoa will help alleviate some of my worries.  Tonight, I will finish working on this Christmas ornament project.  Perhaps I will start writing out Christmas cards.  Above all, I will try to be merry and slow down enough to appreciate the joyous season.

Thursday's centerpiece and handmade placecards

Real Cooking

I love soup. It sounds like a random statement, but I realized the other day that I eat soup at least three or four times a week but have never tried to make it myself.  I'm a decent baker but not a good cook so soup has always just seemed too complicated.  How do you make the broth?  And more importantly, my 'spice rack' consists of salt, pepper and cinnamon--what do you do to soup so that it doesn't taste like hot water?

Armed with this awesome recipe from Food 52, I set out to make a large pot of chicken corn chowder that would last for a couple of hearty lunches, and maybe one or two dinners. Instead of a heavy cream mixture, I used light half-and-half.  I didn't have chicken broth so I used beef broth.  Red peppers and fresh herbs?  Nope.  I only had a green bell pepper to dice and throw in along with the onion.  But amazingly enough, the soup was delicious even with all of my substitutions.

Chicken corn chowder with shredded cheddar and bits of bacon on top, per recipe

I couldn't get over how truly healthy the chicken corn chowder tasted.  It was oddly satisfying to add all of these ingredients together and have a complete meal after a few hours of simmering.

It's not even winter yet, but I'm already excited to try other soup recipes for cold-weather meals.  Maybe chicken tortilla next?

Dreams of Far-Away Places

It's almost May but there have been very few warm, spring days so far.  The last two weeks have been foggy and misty, and I'm still wearing my winter coat more often than not.  Days like this make me think of all of the other places I would love to be (at the top of my list right now is San Diego) but after reading 36 Hours in Amsterdam, which appeared in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of how wonderful Holland is and how magnificient it would be to see the tulip fields in bloom. 

About seven years ago, I was in Amsterdam for less than two days, on the last leg of a 10-day European tour that I booked the winter after I graduated from college.  Even though I went with a group, I was essentially alone among kind strangers.  In Paris, I roamed the Louvre for hours by myself; in London, I walked through parks and neighborhoods away from the Buckingham Palace crowds.  It was February, and England and France had been quite cold but once in Amsterdam, a winter storm hit. The trains were delayed, there were no brave souls riding bicycles on the streets, and no one in my tour group wanted to leave the hotel because it was too cold.  I ventured out myself and waited for over an hour for the train, then trekked to the Anne Frank House, where there was still a line around the block for admission (so worth the wait, obviously).  Afterward, I bought some souvenirs for my family at a shopping complex and just happened to walk into a winter festival of some sort.  There were food vendors and merry-go-rounds, and with everything covered in snow, it was absolutely beautiful. 

There is so much more I wanted to see in this city, like blooming flowers and museums, and after reading this, I just added more to my to-see list.  Maybe a spring trip to Europe for Anthony and I will be possible in a few years. Have you ever been to a place and felt like you missed some major attractions? Where would you love to revisit?


Photo of Van Gogh Museum courtesy of Iamsterdam, official tourism site

Bringing the Weekend Home

Anthony had to work all weekend so I've been left on my own to 'get things done.'  I'm trying to get myself ready to move in a few months so there are piles of clothes and other miscellaneous goods scattered around the apartment for donation.  I've accumulated so much in the past four years and it's harder than I thought to sort through it all.  My goal is to enter our new home (whenever we find it) with only the necessities and build on that. 

On a more cheerful note, yesterday I was able to wear flip-flops.  I love winter but hate shoes and socks so that's one reason I am anxious for warmer weather.  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Photo courtesy of weheartit

Winter in New York

View of Empire State Building from our hotel window

Anthony and I spent last weekend in New York City.  It was the quintessential winter weekend, complete with hot chocolate, a cold night of walking through Chelsea and even a few flurries. 

We stayed in the flower district, walking through a maze of potted plants and flowers every time we left our hotel.  It was really a great location, cheery and central to so much.  We walked around most of the day and night, despite the freezing wind, and just enjoyed the city. 

Walking by Eataly, I decided we had to go in and check it out.  It was extremely crowded but I was still able to pick up some imported Italian pasta for us along with some candy bars for my parents.  The produce and cheese looked amazing and I think it'd be fun to visit again on a weekday afternoon or something when there is bound to be less people. 

Besides a really good pre-Valentine's Day dinner at a random Asian restaurant we found on Saturday night and an awesome breakfast at Markt, a Belgian restaurant near Madison Square Park, my favorite part of our visit was when we stopped at City Bakery.  Not only do they have the best chocolate-chip cookies ever, but their Hot Chocolate Festival is going on during the month of February.  Anthony tried the featured flavor of the day, Banana Peel, and I stuck with the Dark Chocolate.  This was the richest, creamiest hot chocolate either of us had ever had, especially with the huge homemade marshmallow floating on top. It was such a treat and I'll always remember leaning against a random building on 18th Street in the cold winter air enjoying our delicious drinks.

                              

When it rains...

It always seems like bad things happen at the same time.  One of my car windows is shattered from Tuesday's ice storm and I am waiting for someone to come fix it.  And this morning while taking a shower, I noticed that the walls above our bathtub and showerhead are bubbled and seem to be filled with water leaking from the apartment above.  Now, I can't wait to get home and check on it, all the while hoping that I don't walk into a flood of some sort. 

Even though I don't like change (and I'm the first one to admit that I don't like change), every day I am more certain that I need a change in order to stay sane.  We are planning to move when our lease is up in the spring but we still aren't sure where we want to end up, keeping in mind that affordable but pleasant rents are not always easy to find in Fairfield county.

Until then, I'm staying optimistic about our current hiccups.  Everything will work out in its own time.



Photo courtesy of Jenna Fifi on weheartit

Snow Day #2

You would think that nothing good could come out of a day that forces me to miss work because of a severe ice storm and essentially strand me unexpectedly in my apartment, but it hasn't been all bad.  I've been working from home but still had time to continue the cleaning project I undertook this weekend.  I was also able to book a free room in New York City for a weekend in February using a hotel voucher that is about to expire.  With my Washington DC trip for the AWP Conference in a few weeks and our trip to Savannah on the horizon, I feel like there is much to look forward to. 

Browsing through the New York Times to catch up on articles I've missed, I came across this neat piece on Connecticut restaurants that have been featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  I don't regularly watch this show but I've caught more than my share of episodes, and I always want to try the places after Guy Fieri samples their specialty.  Guy Fieri himself is a little too much for me with his pinky rings and bleached hair but he loves food and so do I so I keep watching.  So far, he has visited five places in Connecticut (Anthony and I have already been to a few from before they were featured) and it's amazing how these businesses are effected after appearing on the Food Network.  The customers double and in this economy, most owners consider it a blessing, even though it takes some time to get used to the volume. 

After reading this article, I really want to try a couple of the places mentioned.  I've been meaning to visit Wilson's Holy Smoke BBQ in Fairfield for years, since it is right down the street from where I went to college, but I just haven't made it there yet.  And even though I hate hot dogs, I may take one for the team and try Super Duper Weenie, also in Fairfield, which I know Anthony will love.  Are there any places near you that are awesome holes-in-the-wall that would be perfect on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?


Photo courtesy of New York Times