Apparently I have been missing out...

You guys...

I'm obsessed with Harry Potter. Not as obsessed as Julie, but obsessed. I read the first book a few years ago and thought, "meh"--so never bothered to pick up any of the others. I've changed my tune. I was walking down Broadway the night of the release and saw all the people lined up outside of Barnes & Noble dressed up and ...I'm gonna admit...I got a little misty (it doesn't take much). How great is it that people are lined up for a book?! People of all ages sitting on the dirty New York sidewalks for hours to be the first to get their hands on a copy. So Saturday, I sat down and reread Book 1. It was enticing! It was enjoyable! What Debbie Downer crack had I been smoking before?! Then, by pure luck...I was struck with a bit of the crud...enough to keep me home from work on Monday and Tuesday...today is Thursday and I am a quarter of the way through Book 5. I have been a reading machine! Last night I watched So You Think You Can Dance (the best summer television, IMHO--did you see Neil disco?) with one eye on the television and the other on my book (I'm a multi-tasker). I needed to finish Book 4 before I went to bed. I need to get this out of my system. The space between my thumb and forefinger is sore from holding big ass books for five days.

In other news, I made the mint ice cream and I am a bit disappointed. Or maybe I like processed mint chocolate chip too much. I am not a huge fan of fresh mint as it is and the ice cream turned out quite....earthy. Like mint with a side of dirt. I'm going to have to try it again with some tweaking. I'm thinking peach is next.

Vanilla for Everyone

Apparently everyone is supposed to master a vanilla ice cream recipe....and if everyone is supposed to do it. Well, I might as well. The ice cream was incredibly easy to make. I opted for the custard version--craving something creamy and hesitant that not using eggs would make it icy. Eaten straight from the ice cream maker, the ice cream was light and flavorful. I ate more the next day and after a night in the freezer the mixture was much denser and I think I liked it even better.



The pie I made from peaches from the Green market, but apparently three pounds of fruit wasn't enough (granted, one turned out to be rotten inside and had to be thrown out and the fruit was quite finicky). I was hoping that the corner store would have frozen peaches to fill out the filling, but to no avail--so frozen blueberries did the trick. Delicious. The crust was flaky and buttery (thank you Joy of Cooking) and the fruit was still slightly tart. I was quite proud of myself.

In honor of Suzanne--I am making mint ice cream this evening. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ice Cream Dreams

I made an impulse purchase at the beginning of the summer...


...An awesome, red ice cream maker, which I have to admit...I've only used once and with only a semi-successful result. The watermelon sorbet I attempted turned out to be quite icy and I haven't been home enough since to try again. But, inspired by the book The Perfect Scoop by David Lebowitz and this picture on Apartment Therapy, I am going to give it a go this weekend.

Any requests? Recommendations? Ice cream clearly isn't on the sugar/dairy/gluten/ fun-free diet I have been subjecting myself to for awhile, but it's summer. ...and the machine is shiny and red and begging to be used.

Oops!....I Did It Again

Oops, I did it again.
Forgot there's a blog, I've got to update.
Oh sorry, sorry.
Oops, I think it's a sign
That I procrastinate
I'm not that good at this!


Whenever I type "oops!...I did it again" (don't you type it all the time?) I have to say it in my head in the voice of Jack McFarland from Will & Grace. "Oops. I. Didit.again. I playedwithyourheart." Did y'all see that episode? He and Grace are learning the steps to the Britney video?

I digress. I am back and ready to keep you informed of...I don't know what. Since my last post I have eaten poutine in Montreal after almost dying while whitewater rafting, seen a river on fire in Providence, and spent a lot of time with family in Minnesota and Ohio. Oh! I also got a year older. Countdown to 30 begins. I am happy to be back in New York for a while before heading out again...even if it is insanely hot and stinky.

I'm serious this time. I'm going to keep updating.

Signs of Summer

Before the smell of urine and garbage takes over the steaming streets of New York in July and August, much more pleasant signs of summer...like street fairs and days in the park, occupy your weekends. Or they would if you weren't working insane hours. Today is the Amsterdam Ave. Street Fair and we took a respite from installation for fresh air...and of course, street fair corn. Some people get all fancy with honey butter, or mayonaisse (gross) and jalapeno butter, but I prefer straight up butter, salt, and pepper.




Here is my question for all of you four readers...why all the sock vendors? I have to say, I just don't get it. I've heard of people who only buy their socks at street fairs. What is this phenomenon? I don't think it exists in Ohio. Today, as we were walking the fair, I counted at least one sock vendor on each block....and one underwear vendor too.

Grazing

When I was thinking about the form I want this blog to follow, I knew that some part of it had to be about cooking and food. I talk with friends about what Ina (we're on a first-name basis) made on the food network, I experiment with new ingredients I find at Fairway and green markets and I have recently begun baking cakes...I'm now in charge of birthdays at work. What I didn't consider when thinking this through is that I would be working twelve hour days and walking around in panic-driven flop sweat (that's a story for another day). I'm stealing away 10 minutes to type this during my "lunch break," which really doesn't exist.

Matt and Julie challenged me to perfect the souffle this year and I have only made one--albeit absolutely delicious. I managed to make a batch of quinoa salad on Sunday that has lasted me through four meals this week and my dinner last night consisted of ten stale animal crackers with peanut butter. Anyway, I am hoping to get back to the souffles, cakes, and semi-vegetarian cooking soon, but it is going to take at least another week.


In the meantime, my boss has been very generous this week with providing food to keep us alive during the installation and we have been grazing on delicious mezze platters. Yesterday's spread was filled with dried fruit and nuts, salami, spelt pretzels, and grapes. Today we actually squealed and clapped when a platter filled with blue corn chips and Fairway guacamole showed up with insanely delicious olives, cheeses and fruit. I actually don't think I have ever had olives this good before--a lot of rosemary, and something else...mellowed the sometimes bitter flavor so all that is left is salty goodness.

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica.

As a committed television-watcher, May is a tough month for me. Season finales, series finales, there is a lot to watch and it only signals the upcoming wasteland of summer reruns. Due to Matt and Julie's insistence last year, I caught up on The Office over the summer--only to be completely addicted by the brilliance of the show by the beginning of this year's season. My co-worker, Tom and I look at each other on Friday mornings and start laughing--dropping some completely insane quote from the previous night's episode. I think it is pretty rare to have a show that is so consistently funny, with moments of outrageousness and cringe-worthiness that I haven't experienced with any other show. Seriously...how does Michael get away with that stuff? The recent episode where he stuck his finger through his fly to "flash" the office? Oh my God. I wanted to curl up in a little ball and DIE, but it was so fantastic.

But I have to say this, writers and creators of The Office...

Will you let Jim and Pam get together already? The angst and sexual tension is driving me nutso. I don't think I can go through another season of who likes who. We need those two as a prank-pulling, super-team. The distance throughout the season has been so disappointing....and my local coffee shop agrees.

A Party For Your Mouth

I didn't necessarily intend for my first real post to be about a toothbrush, but I'm in the middle of an exhibition install and I'm tired. Really, really tired.

I have been using the Mentadent toothbrushes since college. I think Tara Lee had all of Stoddard Hall using them in 97-98 (and oh my goodness that was 10 years ago...how is that even possible?). I remember laughing as she posted long letters claiming how the toothbrush massaged your mouth and your teeth would never be happier. Didn't we all pose for a picture with our toothbrushes? I think we were going to write a letter to the company to see if they would sponsor our dorm, but I am pretty sure it was one of those fantastic ideas that never happened. Anyway, I really liked the product, but it just isn't readily available anymore--at least not at my local Duane Reade and definitely not at the corner deli. I've been disappointed in my toothbrushes for at least a year now (you didn't know I cared so much, did you?), but I have finally found a fantastic replacement. My gums have never felt cleaner, my teeth are happy and this may be a little too much information for my first blog post, but my tongue feels pretty fresh too. The Colgate 360, people.


It is a pretty slick toothbrush with an added tongue cleaner on the back. (I just checked the website and I stand corrected. It is a tongue AND cheek cleaner. Win Win.) Go out and get yourself one--you know you're due for a new toothbrush. You won't regret it.

Is this thing on?

So as you can see from the date of my last post--I am committed to writing this blog. I am trying to figure out what format it is going to take, but rest assured I will discuss my daily addictions, cooking, celebrity, television....anything else I happen to have an opinion on at any given moment. Stay tuned...

First Post

I am testing to see how this world of blogging actually works. I'm new, please forgive me.