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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Off The Grid

The last 8 weeks have been chaotic. Since the beginning of September, I haven't had a week without travel or a holiday. It's exhausting. I just completed my last trip and feel like I missed Fall. I have been making an effort to disconnect from time to time. For exmaple, I have stopped checking emails or reading online at night just before bed - it gears me up. And, I have really tried to put down the blackberry while waiting at a stop light or when waiting in the line at the store. But, now that I am home and have no travel plans ahead, it feels good to be back on the grid. I can re-stock the refrigerator and not worry about buying fruit that will turn before we eat it. And, I can unpack my toothbrush. And, it's finally time to delve back into that book I started over the summer.

Return of Craigslist

Remember the tale of the Craigslist nanny? Well, consider this Craigslist Part Deux. Mama Ruth has a rental property that she manages on her own. We all think this is crazy. There isn't any reason a 92 year old woman needs to be doing this but she likes to be hands-on (read: control freak). So, she asked me to help her post her ad on Craigslist. Apparently, since the murder and all, she has educated herself about it. So, using my journalistic expertise, I help her construct an ad that would actually attract someone (but not a murderer). I post it. I call to tell her it's up and she tells me she just got off the phone with an interested party. How is that for real time? Feeling pretty confident in my abilities, I pat myself on the back. Then I get the call. I pick up the phone and she is already talking, as usual. "...need to put the ad at the top of the page. Go back in and re-post it." Seriously? So, 6 months ago you thought people got murdered online and now you know about search rankings? You don't own a computer, your answering machine has a dial on it that you use to rewind the tape and you go to the bank everyday to cash a check and get your balance. Well, wonders never cease.

And, if for some reason you are looking for a nice beach rental, check it out here.

A few weeks ago, I blogged about knitting. In the spirit of closure, I wanted to post my finished product. Here is the laptop bag:















I have also completed a few other projects but have not had a chance to photograph them. I finished the weekend bag made of that delicious brown yarn. I also dashed off a hat & scarf for CityBaby (children's projects go real fast since they are so small). I'm trying to get a picture of him modeling them, hence the delay there. I am working on a lavender angora scarf for myself and a few scarves as gifts. I also have a cool project on its way, which I'll blog about later. As you can see, I've been hitting the sticks, hard.

Life's a Beach and Then it's Fall

Apparently, when you live in the South on the coast, you vacation at the beach in the Fall, a term I use loosely. The instruction manual clearly mandates that you avoid the beach all summer thereby avoiding the heat, humidity and annoying beach crowds. (I need to work on embracing tourism.) I use the term fall loosely because Fall in the lowcountry makes it debut the end of November, if we're lucky and makes it exit around mid-December. Then we have "Winter", another loose term, which picks up where Fall left off and leaves end of February. That's Charleston weather 101. So, here we are, last week of September, at the beach. Guess what? It's delightful. I don't have to contend with crowds or my Jew-fro (humidity has significantly decreased) or fight with CityCrab over the internal temperature. CityBaby has quickly become accustomed to beach in the morning and pool in the afternoon and I have found my inner relaxation button and turned it on. Plus, I am now a skinnygirl sangria expert. It's so light & refreshing, you can drink it all day.

Clean Slate

In the Jewish religion, we just welcomed our new year, 5771. This was after a week of holidays where we reflect, apologize, confront our sins and repent. No easy task. This has always been my favorite holiday, oddly enough. I have very good childhood memories of my family celebrating and being together, and these continue today as I create them for my son. I also like the fact that Judaism encourages you to atone for every sin in a group setting so that no one is singled out for any one thing. It's our own version of "Don't ask, don't tell." I like the idea of doing it in one fell swoop. I believe it was Jon Stewart who commented that even in religion, we pay wholesale. OK, it was funnier in person. I also like the idea of having a mid-year new year, where we can make resolutions that get us through to the secular new year. Low bar, if you catch my drift. In any event, I feel refreshed and renewed and ready to face 5771.

Konflicted

As an avid reader, I am conflicted about the new wave of e-readers that have recently hit the market. First and foremost, I am conflicted as to whether I should even get one. I love books. I love looking at the author's picture, reading their biography, which I often flip to at several points throughout any book. I like being able to flip back in the story and refresh, if I have to. And I like the way they look on my shelves. I grew up surrounded by books. Literally. Piled in floor to ceiling bookshelves. Plus, as a recent library convert, I'm not so sure I want to go back to buying books. Citycrab has pointed out endless times that online content is cheaper than written content but it's not purely economical with me. I did some research thinking that might help me get over my issues. The information was overwhelming. I even paid for a monthly Consumer Report online membership. (Side note: you can join for $5.99 for a month. Totally worth it, IMO.) Kindle, Nook, E-reader, iPad and various other models. I remain konflicted. And, overwhelmed, too.

Formerly

I'm a little late to the game on this one. This article was featured in NYTimes Style section about 3 weeks ago and I completely missed it. Then I saw some cryptic tweets and had to go back and piece together what this was all about. Basically, Stephanie Dolgoff, a female author, decided to create a moniker for her station in life. Late 30s, early 40s, married with children and formerly hot. Ok, well I don't necessarily buy it. It has some underlying tones of a PR ploy. Make up something that creates controversy and get lots of publicity for yourself, your website and your upcoming book. So, I do think part of this was crafted in a 27th floor PR agency conference room. But you got to give a girl credit. As for the formerly hot bit, well, that's where I think it falls short. So, just because you are "older" and married with kids doesn't necessarily mean you lose your edge. I know lots of hot, got in going on in many areas of their life mamas (and you know who you are.) It's like saying that a 45-year old unever married man is gay. I don't subscribe to it. I checked out the website. More of the same. As for the book, it falls into the I-wouldn't-buy-it-but-I-might-get-it-from-the-library category. (a la Jill Zarin's Jewish Mother book.) I've decided that there a lot of things that I am formerly but I'm really interested in rehashing that.

Keeping Abreast

The women in my family take their breasts very seriously. Breast health is certainly important and fortunately, we have never had anything serious. However, the bras you wear, is a whole different story. We are a progressive group of women but you would never find one of us burning a bra. And guess where Mama Ruth wears her red Kabbalah ribbon? Coincidence? I don't think so. I remember being on the edge of puberty and having my mother schlep me to Saks so I could stand in a beige-toned dressing room and have my tiny breasts measured. by an 108 year old women, who paraded in with several styles. Talk about humiliation. A couple of years ago Oprah did a ground breaking expose about how 85% of women wear the wrong size. This story included lots of measuring and sharing, of course. When my mother found out that the store featured in the story was in Atlanta, she promptly scheduled a trip the following weekend. Now, every time she goes to Atlanta, she schedules time to meet with her brasmith. Anyone who has gone in search of proper foundation knows it is not cheap. Well, fear no longer. I received an email this weekend with subject line simply shouting: BRAS! Granted my mother does not know email etiquette but the irony of all caps was not lost on me. I opened the email to find a store located right here in my current state of South Carolina that sells all the "best names at discount prices." The interior of the email simply read as this: Order a lot, try them on - you can return them." Thanks, Ma. Now I will never be met with the hair raising comment that I look nice but if I was wearing a better bra I would look better.

For more hilarity in the breast department, I highly recommend the documentary short A Good Uplift. It's the best 13 minutes of your life.

2nd Avenue Deli

When I get asked what I miss about New York, I often answer Broadway shows (I didn't go all that often) or Central Park or Bloomingdales (which is a completely legitimate answer) or the energy of the city. But what I should say is 2nd Avenue Deli. I ate there a handful of times as a child although my parents were bigger Carnegie Deli fans. Citycrab took me on our first date there. I ordered something I am embarassed to admit and he still makes fun of me: salami and eggs. What was I thinking? I was thinking I am not going to go whole hog on a corned beef.

We spent many mornings waiting in line, our mouths watering over the rugelach in the case and we prayed for someone to pay their check and leave. Then, there was the pickled tomato incident. I grew up on pickled tomatoes. They were a mainstay at Sunday afternoon lunch at my grandparents. Well, one day while we were perusing our menus I ordered a diet Dr. Brown's black cherry and some pickled tomatoes. CityCrab shot me a nasty look as if to say, if you inconvenience the waiter, he'll serve us cold soup. Well, needless to say, he came right back with my tomatoes. And, to this day, CityCrab consistently eats them when I bring them home in jars. The other classic I love from there is the health salad. A sweet, tangy and slightly oily (but in a good way) coleslaw, if you will. As I have taken on canning as a recent hobby, I had dreams of 2nd Ave. pickles. Well, thanks to amazon.com and a purveyor of used books, I am now in possession of the offical cookbook.

In addition to the wonderful stories and memories listed inside, they have the 2 greats: pickles and health salad. Of course, CityCrab remarked, they do not have their corned beef or pastrami recipe in there but who can blame them? So, I got cracking on the health salad. It lives up to it's name with lot of cabbage and just 2 tablespoons of oil. I am fermenting a batch now and will can it tomorrow. That way I can enjoy 2nd Ave. all winter long. I'll conquer pickles next.

Diamonds ARE a Girl's Best Friend

A friend of mine reps a jewelry line called Stella & Dot. I am not a huge jewelry person. By that, I mean my lifestyle doesn't necessarily require that I accessorize meself on a regular basis. I do a lot of yoga pants and hair in a pony tail. However, when I saw these gems, I was smitten. So, I decided to host a trunk show, invite some friends, whip up some skinnygirl sangria and shop away. In the final analysis, although I could have bought a lot more, I ended up some really nifty things. My friends did, too. And, the skinnygirl sangria was a hit!

Here's the recipe:

Skinnygirl Sangria
Serves 6 to 8

8 peaches, sliced into wedges
4 white plums, sliced into wedges
1 pound of green grapes split in half
3 bottles of Prosecco
1 can of diet lemon lime soda
1 can of club soda
Combine all ingredients into a large pitcher and add ice. Chill for an hour to set or serve immediately.

And, if you want to check out the jewels, go here.

Knitting

As someone who knits, I don't do it often. I enjoy it but have to be inspired and motivated. Plus, I hardly ever get to my local yarn store. Not that I need any yarn. I've got yards and yards of all types.
A few weeks ago I was cleaning off papers from my desk and came across a pattern for a Leigh Radford-designed laptop bag. I had the perfect yarn to pull it off. So, I got started casting on and have been feverishly knitting the last 2 weeks or so. This pattern is super easy. You are bascially knitting a big rectangle which you then fold it half, sew up the sides and felt. The rectangle should be about 52" long. I knit and measure. Knit and measure. 18". 24". 32" Ugh. Another 20 to go? And, just when I could see the end, I looked at the bottom of my project bag (a repurposed Banana Republic shopping bag - nothing but the best!) to find the end of yarn.
What to do when you are halfway done with no yarn left? OK, so this is a serious knitting no-no. Especially since I am using a varigated, dyed wool. I'll never be able to match that dye lot. So, I immediately went back to yarn store where I got the original batch of yarn. None left. Wasn't even on the sale rack. So, I scoured the internet with the brand and a random UPC. No luck.

Off to ebay. I've always applauded myself for my excellent research skills and lo and behold, I came across 5 skeins of exactly what I needed at a significantly reduced price. I couldn't type in those 16 credit card numbers fast enough. And now, I am just waiting on my friends at the US Postal Service so I can resume my project.

So, when I was at the yarn store I saw the most delicious yarn that I had to have. It's 100% pure dyed baby merino and it is a cavalcade of warm browns that transition into pinks. It is the yarn equivalent of a warm brownie with caramel sauce on top. I bought 6 skeins and immediately got home and started another bag. Another really easy pattern so I think that while the US Postal Service works their delivery magoic, I can finish this bag in the interim. Pics and patterns to come.

As you know, I fancy myself a bit of a matchmaker. With one confirmed marriage (entering it's 3rd year!) and other matches under my belt, I'd like to think I know what I am doing. So, the other day the Today Show was on in the background as I was getting ready to start my day and Willard Scott came on. Oh, Willard! With your clever quips, crazy ties and Augusta National sport coats. The truth is I always tune in when Willard comes on. Why? Matchmaking, of course. Even though at 92 Mama Ruth is dead set on not dating, I really think she should try it. And, hey if she can get an older guy, all the better! The problem is that there are very few men, given male/female death statistics. I haven't found the right guy for her. Most are geographically undesirable with little chance of relocating. And, at 100+, probably set in their ways and clinging to their bachelorhood. But you never know and a good matchmaker never gives up.