Nook on the Road

Firstly, I'm happy to report that I am still in love with my Nook. I traveled this weekend and can say our love affair is hot and heavy It was so nice to just throw that slim, light notebook into my bag. My pre-trip ritual usually includes, not only the finding and packing of several books & magazines but, the emotional stress of deciding what kind of book or magazine I'll be in the mood for. I had to snicker when I saw CityCrab furiously rounding up his New Yorkers in an attempt to bring the ones he has yet to read. Usually, I end up with a bag that weighs close to 50lbs but I lightened my load. And, no surprise here, I have gotten over spending money on books again. I'm also over the typos.

Virtual Sadness

As a blogger, I have always made my way around the virtual world. I suppose it's just something bloggers do. We write and research and hunt and peck. I am a genuine person and there are very few people I consider friends. I don't have time or patience to be halfway in. Through the blog world, I have met some truly amazing people. One of these people is Stephanie Green. I am not even sure how I stumbled upon her blog but from the moment I read it, I was hooked. At the time, she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and I followed her story and her journey meeting her friends and family along the way. We never met or even actually talked but we exchanged emails and comments over the course of about 2 years. I even reached out to her when I was headed to Miami with no babysitter for CityBaby because I felt like I knew her. We had a laugh about the fact that both of our dogs were featured in our profiles pics wearing yarmulkes (freaks) and that we had similiar backgrounds. I found out today that after a valiant fight with a horrible disease she passed away at the young age of 35. I am ironically not feeling virtually sad at all. I am feeling actual sadness.

I've had my Nook for over a month now and I can report that I am pleased with it. I like the way it functions and most of my hesitations (battery life and weight) have subsided. My big issue is the quality of the transliterations of the books. Let me explain. Firstly, I am a grammar freak. It's all I can do to keep my mouth shut when someone says "supposeably" or "as long as" instead of "so long as." And, I am always adding "ly" to CityCrab's feeling. "I feel bad." Actually, you feel "badly." Secondly, I feel that a book with a typo should be discounted. Remember, before outlets and TJMaxx were the new retail and your grandparents would buy you a Ralph Lauren polo that had a tiny hole in the back of the collar and it was deal? They would never pay full retail for that shirt (or for anything else but that's another story.) So, why should pay full retail for a book that misspells "dollar" as "dolor." Just one of my many recent finds. My guess is that when they create the ebook version of a book, they run it through some machine that picks up the type. I can't imagine someone sitting there retyping the whole thing. Well, the machine is just not working, at least not for me. I know there's a disclaimer in every book that excuses the publisher from having to be accurate. But imagine how annoying to be distracted from the story by bad grammar. My high school teachers didn't put up with and neither should any of us.

Eat Pray Love

Eat Pray Love and I have a love/hate relationship. I never read the book when it came out. I would pass right by on it on a weekly basis in the NYT's Book Review. Wasn't for me. Then the author was everywhere in the press and TV. Then she was on Oprah and that clinched for me. (You know, everything she touches turns to GOLD!) So, in an attempt to get up to speed quickly, I listened to the audiobook. It is read by the author and there was something about her voice and they way she would pronounce the foreign terms in the perfect accent (a la Alex Trebek). The story however, I felt was contrived. Especially the Eat section. It was almost as though she forced herself to do things so that she could write about them. And, then I learned that she had pitched the concept to a publisher prior to her trip and received an upfront bonus for it. I felt cheated.

I finished the book and started a small obsession with meditation. I downloaded all kinds of apps and guides from iTunes. I tried it. I experienced all the things everyone says they experience. Instead of emptying my thoughts or concentrating, I would make a grocery list or to do list or fall asleep. I was a spiritual failure. Then the movie came out and everywhere I went I saw Julia's wide, toothy grin. I was annoyed. Then the movie became available for rent. Thanks to Netflix I was already paying a monthly fee for unlimited rentals, so I put it on the top of my queue. And, then it showed up in my mailbox one day. I filed it with the rest of the mail and kinda ignored it. Then one day I had a hole in my day. No husband, dog or baby. No laundry or grocery shopping. No nothing. So, I put it in. And watched it. I was completely swept up in it. I thought I could do anything. I thought I could meditate and eat and travel and live in hovels. I thought I was Julia Roberts. And, then I looked in the mirror. Oh, that damn mirror. I felt cheated all over again. And, that's why we have a love hate relationship.

Konflicted No More

And on the 7th night of Chanukah, I took the plunge. Or, rather CityCrab did it for me. I received the Nookcolor. I had done thorough research and while I am a diehard Amazon fan (and will continue to be), I felt the Nook offered everything I wanted at the right price. The color was what really won me over. Or rather, the color at that price point. Sure, the kindle is a little lighter. But I'm making due. I've spent the last few days playing with it and while I have lots to learn about, I am happy to report I am an ereader convert.

December Dilemma

It was inevitable. And it happened today. We were in Target in the return line and I was pleading with CityBaby to stand still and stop fidgeting. I know the Target return line is the last place he wanted to be but it had to be done. I was employing one of my great parenting skills: bribery. I can't recall the exact words but it was something along the lines of: if you stop and behave, I will buy you a toy. Yep, that was it. Exactly. So, the kind woman in the Christmas sweater in front of me turned around and smiled at us and looked down at CityBaby and said, "you must have been a good boy to get a toy." Then it happened in a blink of an eye. It was like the vase that is falling off the table. You see it in slow motion and run to catch it, but you can't get there fast enough to stop it from smashing all over the floor.

"What did you ask Santa for, you good little boy?"

And, there it was. All over the floor, a million pieces of glass.

CityBaby looked up at her, with this quizzical look on his face that quickly turned to a blank stare. Oy. I smiled weakly. One of those "I didn't hear what you said but I am going to act like I did" smiles. Luckily, the next cashier was open and she was called away. I exhaled.

I guess the good thing is that he didn't wish her "Happy Chanukah." Or say "Who's Santa?" or "What is Santa?" or tell her something way worse.

I came home and made a note on a post-it that reads "Discuss Christmas."

Cuppa Tea, Love?

A little known fact about me is that I know how to make a proper cup of tea. I was schooled in this by a British friend. When the weather turns cold and crisp, tea becomes a frequent treat for me.

The water must not be boiled but rather brought up to just before boiling. A good indication is when the kettle starts to emit lots of steam and the water is just starting to bubble. Pour just a little water, a spot, if you will, of water into the tea pot and roll it around so the pot warms. Toss this water. Place loose tea leaves into the pot and pour in the water directly from the kettle. Let it steep 3-5 minutes. Here is the pivotal part: place a small strainer over the cup and pour the tea through the strainer. It'll catch all the loose tea and leave you with a smooth cup of warm tea. You can add milk. I don't. Best enjoyed with biscuits. That's cookies to you neophytes.

A few notes:

I had trouble finding the perfect strainer and was lucky enough to receive one from abroad. The one I use is a Masterclass. It is the perfect size and mesh size. Amazon has a bunch of different types available.

I have been enjoying loose tea for a few years now. I used to visit Urbana in Charlotte. And now get my tea from Earthfare, where it is sold in bulk. I like green, rooibos and black tea.

I never eat biscuits or cookies or biscotti or finger sandwiches with my tea.

My tea set is very traditional. Bodum also makes great pots and cups, too.

And, lastly, if you are looking for an authentic and fun tea experience, should you find yourself in London, visit The Berkley for their Fashionista afternoon tea. It is adorable and the biscuits mimic the latest fashions by the hottest designer. Think edible Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen and Louboutin.

Cheerio!

Betty Crocker Morning

When life wakes you up at 6:30 am and you are staring at 3 rotting bananas and 1 black (yes, black) banana, what do you do? You channel your best Betty Crocker and get to work on some muffins. I am sure that if Betty were looking down from above, she would have been disappointed in my this morning. I was still in my pajamas, my hair was less than 60s coif perfect and I didn't even butter. But nonetheless, by the time everyone else woke up this morning, the kitchen was awash in the aroma of warm banana nut muffins. I decided to make jumbo muffins by filling each tin to the top. Rules, be damned! There were delish and CityCrab, CityBaby and even Reuben agree. Here's a reprint of my go to recipe for any kid of muffin. These make great apple nut muffins, too. Just substitute shredded apple for the bananas. And, just so I feel better about it, I use 1/2 whole wheat flour, Splenda brown sugar and substitute butter with applesauce.

2 cups flour - 1 cup white, 1 cup wheat
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
4 bananas (or apples or peaches or pears or whatever)
1 cup brown sugar, Splenda blend
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts or almonds or whatever)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix eggs, applesauce and sugar in mixer.
Add flour and baking soda.
Mash bananas in a separate bowl with a fork. I like them chunky.
Then fold bananas into batter. Add nuts and hand stir until incorporated.
Place in muffin tin. This batch made 12 big muffins.
Bake for 18-24 minutes, depending on oven.

Very easy and delicious. My coffee finished brewing in time to enjoy both together.

Back to the Needles

If you are a frequent reader you know I am a sometime knitter who has a lot of yarn. And by a lot, I mean A LOT. It is tucked away in every corner of my house. It occupies under the bed boxes, bins in every closet including the laundry room and linen closet. I have found that I can masquerade it in CityBaby's arts & crafts stuff among stickers & glitter & glue. This leaves me stuck with finding lots of inspiration.

As I go down the rabbit hole know as the world wide web, I often browse knitting sites for inspiration. I have several categories of patterns I find: things I love but could never knit, things I love but don't want to knit and my comfort zone. My comfort zone is made up of scarves, hats, shawls, wraps and bags. Things that don't require too much thinking or expertise. There is also another category of patterns I find that like but think I can change to suit my taste, expertise or timeframe. I may be a sometime knitter but I am an excellent pattern maker.

So, I found a bag I really like. Something I think I will actually use. And I have some gorgeous deep gray wool I scored in Florence (and subsequently schlepped back to the US and through customs) that would make a beautiful winter bag. And, since winter is just about on us (and I only have a small window here in the South) I need to get cracking. Here is the bag:




Imagine it in a deep gray. Gorg, right?

And, here is my vision for what my bag will look like: no pleats - there is no way I can even pretend like I can pull that off. My version will be a slouchy bag with rounder handles than the ones pictured. I plan to start today (like I have a choice with the winter meter running).

I found this pattern on Lion Brand's site and since it is free, I am passing it on.

Chanukah Feast

My paternal grandmother was a good cook. She was not a chef, certainly not by any definition we know today. She was consistent. She used the basics: butter and oil and white flour. She was born in this country but to immigrant parents so she had lots of old world recipes. The old world being Hungary. Between my mother, my aunt and even my father, we have a lot of her recipes. The challenge is that since she was not a trained cook, she cooked by feeling. As such, her recipes go something like this: a handful of this, some of that until it looks right. My aunt has some of her recipes written down. For example, she has my the brisket recipe that my grandmother was able to squeeze out of Mendel, circa 1950 kosher butcher to the stars, written on the paper they used to wrap meat. But, I am not here to talk brisket - that would be way too controversial. With Chanukah right around the corner, my focus is turning out latkes for a 1st night feast.

The key to cooking these latkes does not lie in the ingredients alone. Preparation is vital. Over the years, we have all tried to cut corners. Who wants to break their back hunched over a grater turning 10lbs of potatoes into shreds? I know from experience (mine and others) that a Cuisinart, a mandolin or ricer will not yield the delicious latkes of my youth. So, I use a box grater and I grate and grate down to my bleeding knuckles. Here is the recipe, again, with no measurements. That just adds to the charm.

Figure about 1 potato per person. Grate potatoes on a box grater using the largest shred side. Grate directly into the bowl. Drain any liquid that has accumulated by just pouring it out of the bowl.

For every 4-5 potatoes you use, grate 1/2 an onion, using the same grater side, directly into the bowl.

If you are using at least 4 potatoes (and who bother doing this for less than that?) then mix in 2 eggs. Next come the tricky part. You can use either white all-purpose flour or matzah meal and throw in at a handful at a time. Mixing until it looks like it is coming together. You don;t want it too thick and the liquid should still be loose not pasty. See? I told you thi way of cooking is really hard.

Then ground in lots of black pepper. Salt is optional.

Next, cover a heavy bottomed pan with oil. You are frying after all. Use either vegetable or canola. Paging Dr. Agatston. It should be about 1/4" deep. Oil needs to be hot. Then lift out the latke batter using a large fork and place into hot oil. Theo first batch is considered a lost leader. Use this to taste the batter and make seasoning adjustments, if necessary.

Draining the latkes is very important. My grandmother used paper grocery bags. And that is what I use. I "forget" my recyclable bags for 2 weeks prior to Chanukah so I can stock up on paper bags. As the edges of the latkes begin to brown in the oil. flip them (carefully) and allow both sides to brown. Then remove them and place them on the paper bags to drain. Then they can be placed on a cookie sheet and in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Clean up is a nightmare. There is now way around it. You will have oil splattered everywhere. Your hair will smell, your kitchen will smell and your clothes will smell. It's worse than fajita night at Chili's. But when you sit down and eat them you will forget at that because these will be the best latkes you will ever taste.

Other Chanukah serving selections include fried chicken or chicken tenders. Since the miracle of Chanukah is that there was enough oil to last 8 days, this holiday is centered around fried food. So, donuts or sufganiyah are another popular item. I serve my latkes old school with sour cream and apple sauce. And, I'll whip up a batch of coleslaw just to get some vegetables in there but I always have it left over.

From there it's on to gelt and gifts. Then clean up just in time for the second night. Just kidding. I only serve latkes the first night. I can only channel my grandmother so often - she gets tired, too.

From Mashed to Fried.........

With Thanksgiving behind me, I now turn my thoughts to Chanukah. Especially, since it starts in 5 days. Yes, thanks to the lunar calendar, this year we go from stuffing to latkes in just a matter of days. The upside? I am completely done with the holiday shopping season by early December. The downside? I've got to plan 2 holidays back to back. So, now I shift my thinking to all things starch. I am having a small, casual Chanukah get together the first night. The prep will be easy, it's standing over hot oil frying latkes that becomes the challenge. Also, I've only got a few days to finish gift buying & wrapping and tracking down chocolate gelt. No rest for the weary.

Thanksgiving Recap

It has taken me 2 days to get this post together as my recovery is taking longer this year. The meaning of Thanksgiving (being grateful and being with family) was accomplished. I tried a few different things this year and it went well. However, there is always room for improvement. I only served a few h'or d'oeuvres since everyone complained about too many last year. And, of course, they complained about that, too (welcome to a Jewish Thanksgiving). But serving prosecco and cava was a hit. As was serving fried chicken for the kids. Ann, of course, saved the gravy again as well kept the kitchen moving smoothly. Pulling off Thanksgiving dinner for 27 people reminds me of all the things for which I am thankful. I am already planning 2011.

Let's Do The Time Warp Again

Yesterday in the NYTimes there was an article about time shifting holidays. This is something we have done for years. When I tell other people we do this, I never once heard a "me, too" so I was intrigued to read someone else's interpretation. Time shifting the holidays allows you to celebrate the holiday when it works for you. This is especially convenient for Jewish holidays since they are based on a lunar calendar and you never know when they will occur year to year, as opposed to Christmas, which, in case you haven't heard, is on the December 25th every year. Over the years, CityCrab's family has become a bit of a diaspora. As long as I've known him (10+ years), his family has always celebrated Chanukah over Christmas. This allows children and grandchildren who live states away the time to come to Charleston. And, it's not like we are doing anything else. So, every year on Christmas Day night we gather at my in-laws for latkes and donuts and dreidels and presents. Everyone goes home happy and full. And, by December 31st rolls around we can all say we took part in a Chanukah celebration.

Homework

Last week, CityBaby came home from preschool with homework. Homework! It was a blank turkey with instructions to decorate it as a family for placement in the class turkey farm. Let me back up and add that there are 6 kids in his class. So, there's a lot of pressure. Since we were late in getting it in, I was able to view the work of his classmates and their families, giving me somewhat of a competitive edge. But, also more pressure. Since it's Fall-ish here I thought a natural approach would work. I promised CityBaby all day that when he got home we would go on a nature walk, collect leaves and glue it to the turkey. Glue is his all time favorite activity lately so I knew this was a strategic move. Of course, since it had to be done as a family we asked Reuben to join us. And, off we went....

We collected a big bag of leaves. I really had to be creative since we don't have a ton of turning leaves and Palm trees don't turn. And, I had to explain why rocks would not work. As you can imagine, this quickly became a "mommy collects and everyone else plays" project.

As soon as we got home it was all about glue. It was all he could talk about. So, we quickly got down to task. I had envisioned taking the leaves and ripping them apart and re-gluing them in a mosaic pattern. So much for artistic vision. I had to do my best to keep the turkey from being glued to the table or the dog. And, everyone got in on the act.
Regardless, this was a fun project and CityBaby is very proud of the finished product. And, I am relieved it's over.

Thanksgiving? More Like Giving Up

Hard to believe it is already Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving marks the birthday of my blog and this year is my 4th anniversary. It also marks a source of extreme stress. And, I say this with the best of spirits. After the Fall I've had, the last thing I feel like doing is planning for Thanksgiving. But, I am a glutton for pusnihsment and I enjoy it. So, earlier this week, I dusted off my master spreadsheet and got to work. Updated my guest list, recounted how many people I can fit in my house, edited the menu (less h'or d'oeuvres this year), secured help (can't do it wihtout Ann), counted my silverware and my flower vases. The rest of the week was filled with calling and confirming (would your 12 year old be opposed to sharing CityBaby's high chair? Are you sure?), checking linens for stains and determining if a strategically placed water pitcher would cover last year's Passover Manischewitz stain. Hosting 30 people, family members, natch, is no easy task. But by the time I've had a few glasses of wine and the parade is playing in the background and everyone is eating and bickering over whose mashed potatoes are better, it all seems worth it. Did I mention there is wine?

Pimp My Muffin

I am a night cooker. That means after everything else is done for the day, CityBaby is down, I pull out the recipes and KitchenAid and go to it. I have been looking for a healthy muffin alternative. I had a bunch of browning bananas last week and lacking time and creativity, I went to my standby recipe. It includes 3/4 cup of butter. Real butter. Can you hear my arteries hardening? Last night, I was looking at a bunch of turning apples so I decided to experiment. I took a banana nut muffin recipe and altered it. I replaced the butter with applesauce, split the flour into 1cup each of white and wheat and used the Splenda brown sugar blend. They came out delicious. Admittedly, they are denser than your typical muffin but with practically no fat and lots of fiber, they are a great alternative. Plus, everyone here loves them. But please don't tell them the truth.

Low Fat, High Fiber Apple Nut Muffins

2 cups flour (1 cup white flour, 1 cup wheat)
1.5 teaspoons of baking powder
1 cup brown sugar (I use Splenda brown sugar blend)
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cups walnuts
2 apples - peeled and shredded

In a mixer, combine eggs and applesauce. Then add in sugar and mix well. Add flour and baking powder into mixer and combine everything. Then hand stir in shredded apples and walnuts just to combine. You don't want to beat this too much at this point.

I like a bigger muffin, so I fill the muffin tins to about the top. This recipe yielded 12 muffins. Bake in a 375 degree over for 18-20 minutes. Since these are dense, I recommend checking with a toothpick or skewer to test when done. Remove from oven when brown on top and done inside. Let stand for a few minutes then remove from pan.

NaNoWriMo Huh?

NaNoWriMo stands for National November Writing Month. This was a movement created to help fledgling writers motivate. And, anyone who is or knows a fledgling writer, knows that we need motivation. You commit to writing a 50,000 word (or roughly 175 page) novel during the month of November. I did this last year. Well, rather, I started last year and only got to about 4,000 words. So, this year I am going to dust off that document and see if I can finish it. Or at least make a dent. I challenge anyone who has a story inside them to do it. Just open up a word doc and start writing. Sign up here.

Knitting for a Cause

I certainly don't need an excuse to knit especially since I have been a roll this Fall. However, when I friend and fellow knitter told me about a fundraiser, I jumped aboard. There's a little boy in Charlotte with neuroblastoma, a cancer common in children. A local woman, who also runs a knitting store, created a pattern with proceeds going to help this little boy. Read more about it here. It's a throw knit with about 8 different yarns. Different textures but complementary colors. So, this friend was kind enough to schlep to this woman's house and pick out the colors for me, which I love - all pinks and purples. I picked up the big bag of yarn last week and and have yet to start since I am finishing up a smaller project. However, I am anxious to dig in. What a great excuse.

Through The Lens

About 7 years ago just prior to our honeymoon, CityCrab and I bought our first digital camera. CityCrab is a man of extreme research so he scoured the internet, polled people, bought Consumer Reports and spent several weekends trying out cameras. When we were ready to pull the trigger, I clearly remember the cold February morning we schlepped over the new Best Buy on 23rd St and plunked down almost 400 bucks for a Sony digital camera. 400 bucks? But it had everything. It took video and crystal clear pictures. That camera took us around the world including 3 different states we lived in, through a million holidays, 2 dogs and the birth of CityBaby. That last one is especially important to the story because it was that same prodigal son who thought it would be a fun science experiment to drop the camera down the stairs. Clunk, clunk, clunk all the way down. The funny part is that except for the lens that wouldn't recede and the fact that the back screen was black, the camera still worked. But clearly, it was time for a new one. And, I decided if I was going to get one in a timely manner, I better do the research myself. So, I asked around, purchase the $5/month Consumer Reports online subscription and got to work. I thought I was sold on the Canon Powershot. But for some reason I was drawn to the Nikon. Was it the name? Was it my rebellious side to buck the system and reject the ever-popular Canon? Not sure, but when the final decision was made, it was the Nikon Coolpix. This time we bought it online for a cool 254 bucks. The jury was still out since CityCrab had completely delegated the purchase to me. This was a little stressful. I felt as though I had to put together a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation outlining my overall strategy with a sensitivity and cost-benefit analysis. I was holding my breath for the first 2 weeks. Then we were on vacation at the beach and he turned to me and said, "Good job, D. This is a great camera." Huge sigh..........

A BAD Case of the Mondays

Monday was a doozy. We had just returned Sunday night from a whirlwind South Florida trip. CityBaby was due back at school and not happy about it. Reuben was emotionally scared from spending the week at camp and physically sick, too. CityCrab was complaining of a cold. And, me? I was holding it all together with a paper clip and a rubber band. It started early with CityBaby coughing himself awake. Then Reuben dashed downstairs ahead of everyone to wait at the front door with that "you better let me out" look. I let Reuben out, I dressed and fed CityBaby, I got dressed (I think) and I ran out the door to head off to school. I literally ran out the door because as I was sitting in the car, ready to pull out of the driveway, I noticed I actually left the back door open. Yes - wide open. I get in the car, already late, and decided that rather than wipe off the side view mirrors or wait for the heater to clear them, I'll just wing it. Heck, I've done this a million times. Well, I winged it alright. Right into our DirecTv dish. Which also happens to sit adjacent to our house. I was met with a loud crunch and then a "Whoa!" from CityBaby. Oof! I got out, checked the damage (broken light, scratch on the car) and actually bent back the dish, like if I did that then it would be alright. But, hey, I was late. I didn't have time to linger. I filed it under "Deal with Later." I jumped back in the car and made my way, safely, out of the driveway. Then my cell rings.
I answer as calmly as I can.
"Hello?"
"Did you just drive into the side of the house?"
Pause. How often do you expect to have to answer that to your husband?
"Um, yes." I had nothing. I had to go with the truth. I needed to garnish all the favor I could.
"Ok, well, we have no TV."
Pause on both ends.
"I'll call DirecTv and see if they can get someone out here today."

How's that for a Monday?



























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