To those of you who read my blog (I'm aware of at least three of you -hooray! and thank you :).... I'm back from my holiday hiatus. In the last few days, I have done some drastic things such as woken up at 4:30am to participate in Wrentham Premium Outlets "Midnight Madness" Black friday sale, more or less finished my holiday shopping, completed 80% of my wedding planning and got painfully outbid on a Marc Jacobs handbag on the ebay in the last 47 seconds.
If I had any tips to pass along in regards to Black Friday shopping, it would be:
1) If there is a "midnight madness" event, shop between 4am-7am - the sales are optimal, the lines are short, the stores aren't hectic, or on Sunday late afternoon when it is rainy, dreary or icy out.
2) If you are an online shopper, most things go on sale Monday. or at least they did this year. Although it may be annoying to get "spam", it is usually worth it to sign up for a few stores you may want to purchase things from - they will usually send an extra savings coupon/ code to you that is not released to the public.
3) You will win some, you will lose some. But never give up on trying to get the best sale or savings for what you want.
my wonderful family, my incredible Jason, my amazing and inspiring friends, all the opportunities that I have had over the past year, .... I am a very lucky.
I would like to think of myself as someone who really appreciates what I have, and who is not particularly materialistic. However, these shoes proved to be an exception. These are the three-strap crystal sandals by Rene Caovilla that I have been lusting after ever since I saw them adorn a girl's feet at a wedding in September. Even Jason will admit, "They're fantastic. A work of art. Shoes to make another girl cry". But alas, they are not for me. When I first saw the price tag on www.saks.com$1275, my jaw dropped. I'm no country bumpkin, but I never imagined a shoe could be that expensive. Fascinated, I started stalking the shoe online, trying to see if it would ever drop to a price I just might be able to afford.
Last week, the shoe went on sale (gasp!) but was still an unattainable $780. Then this morning, out of sheer random curiosity (and continued stalking of the shoe), I saw on saks, the price had gone down to $380...AND...there was one pair of size 8 left. So, it was a half size too big, but I decided to go for it. But before I could go from page one to page two of checkout, the Cinderella slippers were gone. I almost cried with disappointment.
But now that I've had all day to come to terms with my loss, I realize, $380 is still a gross and ridiculous amount to spend on a shoe. Especially when I 1) am a resident 2) live in Worcester where these shoes would never seen the light of day 3) not a socialite 4) spent less than that on my wedding dress . Sigh. While I am okay that I didn't get these shoes, I think I am a bit sad that my fantasy has come to an end, as they have clear sold out everywhere. It was a fun and exhilarating chase.
Jason is starting to take over the kitchen. While I do enjoy cooking, I am delighted by Jason's enthusiasm for making me dinner. This recipe is from Jamie Oliver's Happy Days with the Naked Chef
Seared Tuna with Grated Ginger and Chives
(Serves 4)
8-10 oz bluefin tuna
soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger
1 bunch of fresh chives, finely sliced
Marinate your tuna in a little soy sauce for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels, rub with the sesame oil, and sear for around 2 minutes in a very hot nonstick frying pan, turning regularly. Allow to sit for 1 minute while you peel and finely grate the ginger. To serve, place a little blob of fresh ginger and a small pile of chives on one side of each plate, with a pool of soy sauce in the middle. Using a sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices, giving each person at least 3 or 4 pieces.
One can not visit Miami without experiencing the nightlife. I stayed out later on the two nights Jason was in Miami with me (Fri & Sat) then I have for years! I really liked the Miami nightlife - the lounges and bars we visited were elegant, the people were not pushy (like in some cities), and it helped to have the hook-up (thanks Carina) and skip the line at Mynt Lounge. :)
My friend Carina from good old Providence days!
fancy lighting effects at Mynt Lounge
Jason and Me on Espanola Way
Amy (birthday girl, and friend from Brown '01)
Jason and I visited the Mynt Lounge, and Delano Hotel Bar. On Saturday night, we went out for my friend Amy's birthday, and found this neat wine-tasting bar on Espanola way called CAVA. It was a really neat concept where you purchase a card and put a certain amount ($20) on it, then you can go to each wine bottle and press the botton for a tasting, half glass, or full glass. While I did not find any particular wines that I really liked, it was fun!
We couldn't leave Miami without eating some tasty Cuban Food. Although we had to walk > 10 long Miami blocks (approx 45 minutes) from our hotel to get to Puerto Sagua (700 Collins Ave), and I required a pit stop at David's Cuban Cafe for a papaya batido (milkshake) and guava pastry, when we finally arrived there, we was starving and ready to eat!
The Cuban sandwich, Croquetas, and Ropa Vieja and Arroz Moro were muy delicioso! Does anyone know of any good Cuban near Boston?
I am in Miami for a conference and I am loving it! This is my first time to Miami, and I had been looking forward to visiting Miami for many reasons. To mention a few: 1) to catch up with a few of my good friends Tina, Amy, and Carina 2) good cuban food, 2) sunshine and warm weather 3) palm trees 4) beaches 5) bright colored daring outfits (though I have a feeling I will chicken out). 6) clubs are reportedly fantastic if I can manage to stay up that late, and of course 7) the mini donuts. Haha. So, the story behind the mini donuts is that I forgot to pack a snack or eat prior to, or on my flight from BOS --> MIA and once I landed, I had to rush to the hotel and attend the conference. From 8am to 5pm, all I had to eat was a complimentary bag of doritos, a granola bar and a latte! When I finally had a moment of downtime, I walked (sprinted) from my hotel to the Bayside Marketplace where I was captivated by the aroma of these delightful deepfried nuggets. I had to have them, and let me tell you- these miami mini donuts sure were heavenly.
Once my gnawing hunger was somewhat abated, the rest of my evening was great! Tina came to pick me up and we went to Coconut Groves. For dinner, we sampled several different spoonfuls of uniquely prepared ceviche at the Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar and Grill .
Moral of the story: Bring or buy food for plane rides. Lesson learned: Mini donuts are divine! (esp with cinnamon sugar)
In case any of you like to order photo greeting cards, Snapfish is having a great sale. It ends on 11/23 so hurry! :) Use the coupon CARD08 at checkout!!!
This weekend, I made some pumpkin muffins to bring to a brunch party at our friend's place. They were super easy to make -probably took 5 minutes of prep time, 15-18 min to bake. I have made pumpkin muffins from scratch before... but the Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Mix is pretty darn good and very very quick! Run out and get some if you're looking for a warm, hearty and satisfying breakfast! Add some chocolate chips for some extra pizazz!
Perfect for snuggling on the sofa with a blanket and glass of milk. :)
Every now and then, Jason and I get a day to just veg out and relax. Today was one of them and it has been fabulous! To those of you out there who are feeling tired or stressed, my doctor's advice is "take a break". It's funny, we don't give ourselves breaks enough. Most of us have fast paced lives that are go-go-go, and even when we recognize that we are feeling worn out, we don't take the time out to take care of ourselves. Well, there is no good time so I say, do it soon!
We started out the day with a fabulous homemade brunch - one of my favorite British inspired staples. Fried egg with baked beans and toast. We learned the hard way that doing bacon on the stovetop sets off the fire alarm, next time we'll stick to making it in the oven (place in foil covered bacon sheet) at 400, depending on number of slices, 10-15 min or until done). other than that minor snafu, everything was great.
To make yourself this hearty and tasty breakfast: 1) Fry egg 2) open a can of baked beans (we like country style), place in microwave safe container and heat 3) toast bread 4) make bacon (optional - the rest of this recipe is vegetarian:). 5) Place your egg on the plate, then cover with warm beans. Enjoy with toast and bacon!
For dinner, Jason surprised me by making crepes! He made them from scratch on his crepe-maker, and we had savory (ham, red onion and cheese), apple and cheddar as well as sweet ones (Crepes Suzette). They were sooooo good. I ate them before I could photograph them! If you'd like the recipe for those, you'll have to ask ironchef J yourself. :)
Wishing you all a restful and delicious weekend. Even better, do it with a bottle of Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee (at Trader Joe's for $5.99 it's a fun and refreshing sparkly).
Wow. Youtube is so impressive. You can find information on anything on that site! So the back story on this is that I asked a couple of my cousin's daughters to be flowergirls for our wedding yesterday. I suggested that I thought it'd be really cute if they wore tutu dresses! Within 24 hours, my cousin Marcella emailed me this.
If only I knew how easy they were to make when I was a little girl, I would have worn a tutu every day. :)
I got this email and thought I'd pass on the savings, if you would like me to email you a coupon, just leave a note and I'll send one your way. I'm supporting the Boys & Girls Club. :)
"We'd like to offer you 30% off¹ during our best-ever friends and family event. We're calling it Give & Get, because for every purchase you make from November 13-16, we give 5% of the amount you spend to your favorite nonprofit. Plus, as one of our best customers, you'll not only enjoy 30% off, you'll also get to share this discount with your friends and family. 5% of the amount they spend goes to your nonprofit too! During our August Give & Get event, we donated $1.3 million. So share the love with as many people as you like. And don't forget to pick your nonprofit. "
I feature a lot of Lykke Li on my blog- she is simply fabulous. She is perhaps the Spazziest artist I know. I love her. My friend Sarah just sent me this video. Now, I'm sharing it with you. She is so entertaining. I may just like her as much as Britney (gasp!)
I am not a cold weather girl. If I could have it my way, it'd be sunny and warm every day of the year. Sure, foliage is pretty, snow angels are fun...but having the wind whip your face is not. As much as I do not look forward to winter, there are some positive aspects of cold weather. One of my favorite reasons for living in cold New England...is comfort food. And of comfort food (short ribs, apple strudel, hot chocolate...) Mac and Cheese is King.
Tonight, I met up with my friend Jess to try out the new restaurant, Persephone. It's a neat concept of a boutique/restaurant/gallery. The food was delicious. We ordered the mac and cheese, meatballs, crabcake and brussel sprouts. The brussel sprouts were quite divine too - B.S. seems to be the "IT" vegetable of Fall 08.
Anyhow, after tonight's M&C, I felt inspired to create a top 5 Mac & Cheese list.
Please take note, this is a rare sports-related post! Jason took me to my first NHL game on Saturday night at the Boston Garden. The Bruins won! It was pretty exciting, and the sausage and hot dogs were quite tasty. :)
Ahhh. Sunday mornings. :) I love lazy Sunday mornings. I slept in, then started my day by baking a pear cranberry coffee cake (customized from the Sunday Special Coffee Cake, my go-to coffee cake basic recipe - see below) that Jason and I will be bringing to brunch at a friend's house today. As I was waiting for the cake to bake, I swept the leaves off the patio. And now, I'm sitting by my computer, relaxing, enjoying my coffee and listening to songs on Itunes, something that I haven't had the chance to indulge for a while! I was thinking yesterday how long it has been since I've had two weekend days off (meaning Sat and Sun) and stayed in Worcester.... Sept 20th! Anyhow, I thought I'd share this beautiful song - Sunny Road by Emiliana Torrini - perfect for a Sunny Sunday morning. :)
Sunday Special Coffee Cake
1/2 c plus 3/4 c sugar
1/4 c plus 1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c plus 1/3 c butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (the recipe says egg white, but I never bother separating)
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1. Combine 1/2 c sugar, 1/4 c flour, 1/4 butter and cinnamon. Mix lightly with a fork until crumbly. Set aside for topping 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease 8'' square pan 3. Sift 1 1/2 c flour, baking powder and salt 4. in a medium bowl, beat egg with a rotary blender until frothy, beat in 3/4 c sugar, 1/3 c melted butter until well combined, add milk and vanilla. 5. With a wooden spoon, beat in flour mixture until well combined; pour into pan. 6. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. 7. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean 8. Cool partially in pan or on a wire rack. Cut into squares while still warm. :)
I can not believe it, but Jason and I have stumbled upon yet another fabulous foodie find in our very own neighborhood! Located in Downtown Worcester on Main St, is Armsby Abbey - a brewpub and New England, local products inspired, Farmhouse style menu featuring slow (= yummy comfort) food.
I've already been there twice in 48 hours, and I was on call for 24 hour of those hours! :) So far, everything I have eaten has been fantastic! I tried the Coffeehouse porter on draught which was creamy, delicious in smooth. I've had the corn chowder which was the best I've ever tasted featuring (I stole their menu so I know the details) superfresh perfectly crisp sweet butter/sugar corn kernels (from Northboro, MA) in a creamy soup base with roasted red potatoes, and "Green mountain Maple Cured bacon" (Ludlow VT). It was so good, I had it boht Tuesday and this afternoon (Thursday). I've also tried the mac and cheese (super good crunchy crust, blend of 5 cheeses), the BBQ pork sandwich and the Portobello Foccacia.
I can't wait to try the rest of the menu. For those of you lucky souls who live in the area, I recommend you check this place out! And if you want the corn chowder, you better hurry because they are about to rotate their menu to the next offerings. Bon Appetit!
I am very sleepy, and still have to respond to Sarahsouth's tag, but I feel compelled to share a fabulous foodie find with those of you who live in the Central MA/Boston area. Tonight J and I went to the Natick mall to do some shopping - (ps. Banana Republic has a promotion that started today for BR card members- an extra 25% off everything!). Afterwards, we decided to try the Sel de la Terre for dinner. OMG. It was one of the best meals we have ever had! And, it's closer to Worcester than Boston! Who would have guessed....fancy food at a mall?! It was a wonderful and delicious surprise, and I highly recommend it to you all :)
Of course I had to try the red velvet cake at the Southern Gourmet Pantry in the West Village as I strolled by it Sunday afternoon. I stopped Jason in his tracks and said, "Although I've eaten more cake than I ever have in the past week...I absolutely must try the red velvet cake there!" Alas, the quest must continue.
Since we had stuffed our self with a decadent brunch (meatball sliders, poached eggs on sausage biscuits and home fries/brussel sprouts - all were fantastic) - at the Little Owl and then had OMG smooth gelato at Grom (I had sea salt caramel and venezuelan chocolate)... I got a red cupcake to go.
Alas, I did not try it until we got home to Worcester late last night (after, yet another fantastic meal at Supper restaurant - lower east side)... and....the RV cupcake was kind of disappointing. It actually tasted just like dry yellow cake. I did not detect any buttermilk or touch of cocoa. Sigh. Not all red velvet cake is made equal - and hence, that is what makes the quest for the "Best RV", a continuous and suspense-filled quest.
However, I must share that the woman behind the counter (?the owner) of the southern Gourmet Pantry had the most extensive and passionate knowledge of hot sauces and offered perfect descriptions like it "gives a punch, then pulls back", so if not for the RV, I would recommend visiting the cozy and quaint store if you are ever in need of some hot pepper.
To round out my stretched out birthday celebration, Jason took me to NYC this weekend. I love NYC. It is my favorite city in the world. For so many reasons, but mostly because so many of my favorite people in the world live here.
It's been an exciting weekend. We got in late Friday night and witnessed NYC's enthusiasm for unique and interesting halloween costumes. Then today (Saturday), has just been jam packed. To start, we went to Bronx to pick up my wedding dress which was a steal at $300 (yes. that is right. three zero zero. craigslist, baby :) After that, Jason and I had divine pork buns and ramen at Momofuku in the east village and strolled through Soho to windowshop in the balmy 60 degree Nov 1st weather. For dinner, we met up with my friends at "The Smith" in the east village for a feast of comfort food (the mac and cheese..OMG).
Anyhow, we are finally back at the hotel now after a wonderful dinner and post dinner St Alps teahouse conversation - and I am so happy. Thank you my NYC ladies (from Science camp, Chinese Camp, MTA, and Brown) for coming together tonight to see me, and for reminding me how creative, fun,and limitless life can be. Thank you to all my friends for constantly inspiring me and dreaming big dreams with me. :)
you, and for me. To celebrate the beautiful and wonderful things in life. To share the things I love most: people, places, food, film, art, and fascinating ideas. Thank you to my dear friends and family, and those who I don't know but read about who stretch the limits of imagination - thank you for inspiring me daily.
Please note: All the photos on this website are taken by me, with my Canon Powershot SD1100 IS digital elph unless otherwise credited, or I'm in it (which usually means that one of my dear friends took the photo). If you have any questions or would like a print - please contact me for more information.
