Scotch, Tea and Tiaras

Hard at work in the kitchen...

This seems to be the season of food at friend's houses.  The fall held the weekend at my cousin's, last weekend I had brunch at Kim's...and this past Sunday was pizza in town and then a combined effort at whisky-laced apple cake (we sort of veered off recipe).

The day started off with something new for me...a trip on New Jersey Transit. Mint tea in hand, I was off for a day of girl time with Sara and Heather.

One of the many things I loved about the day, was that it was completely unplanned and relaxed.  We decided to go into town for pizza instead of making lunch at the house, which was the original "plan." If we had followed that plan, though, I wouldn't have been introduced to french fry, chicken and hot sauce pizza or Greek salad pizza...what a tragedy that would have been!

 Delicious Insanity

Healthy, right???

I had brought two little cookbooks obtained while in Inverness a few years ago so we started to make "Apple Plate Cake" when we returned to the house. However, it quickly turned into our own boozy concoction of apples, whisky and cinnamon...mixed with a lot of laughter and a wee bit of gossip.

Cake before it went into the oven

While we waited for the cake to bake...we drank tea, whisky, wore crowns and watched Doctor Who at the Proms...you know, the usual. I also repeatedly disappointed Sara with all the movies I haven't seen.  No, I've never seen "The Godfather" or "ET."

My new snuggle buddy, Roxy

Sara donned the traditional Antlers for weekend gatherings

 And Heather introduced the ceremonial copper fish...

Cake!

Beautiful Roxy

It was a great day of relaxing and no schedules...which set the tone for the rest of my long weekend.

I very consciously watched TV for practically 2 days straight...instead of just zombie-ing out in front of the tube.  I think that, sometimes, there are great gifts to be had from TV.  Certain lines are spoken and felt deep.  They ring true with what I'm thinking or going through at the moment.  And that's a wonderful gift. It was also a great gift to not have any pressing business besides opening the door for my grocery delivery.

Should I admit that I've spent most of the weekend in my pjs, watching Bones, Community and Torchwood...while occasionally drinking red wine and eating peanut butter straight out of the jar? Why not? I also felt bizarre delight from placing my empty dinner plates on the floor and then curling up in my big orange chair to get back to the show.  I would have found this lazy and weird at one time...but this weekend I found it freeing.

It also kept me from posting this blog "on time." But I suppose it's all part of a long weekend. I took the words "days off" very seriously. 

XO

Feeling the Fear...and Doing it Anyway

A delicious treat at Kim's

I have spent the last week or so marveling at how everything has been manifesting.  I feel as if I've been swept up by this giant wave of beautiful forward motion and I can't even remember standing on the shore.

But along with that, has come some uncomfortable feelings because THINGS ARE HAPPENING.  And they are things I've been wishing and preparing for.

Oh. My. Goodness!

My life is starting to really head in the direction I've been reaching for and it's bringing up the "new job feelings." You know, when you start a new job and you feel all out of whack...not fully grounded because you don't feel all that confident and stable in your new responsibilities yet? That's where I am, partially.  The other part thinks it's pretty neat that magic is happening.

I've been hard at work on a new website and it has been a big learning curve.  I'm pretty happy with the way it's coming along and am hoping to launch it around Valentine's Day...awww.

I've also been trying to experiment with balancing out my quiet time at home i.e. turning off the TV so as not to numb myself down instead of doing healthy things like yoga or meditation. I, of course, still enjoy watching my favorite shows...that won't ever change.

Another thing I realized I needed this week was to up being social with friends, but on a small scale. So I spent this past weekend over at some friend's apartments! I had a wonderful St. Andrews dinner with Sara on Friday and then crashed at her place.  It was like an old-school slumber party.  We stayed up late watching stuff on youtube and then spent the morning watching Dr. Who and an Indiana Jones related documentary on The History Channel (while drinking tea and eating toast).

 A funny sight after lunch at the diner, with Sara

And yesterday I went to Kim's for lunch, cranberry wine, chat and...tango dancing!  Yes!  Kim and I tangoed in our socks all around her living room.  It was a glorious afternoon.

SO yummy

 Kim's Kitty was very frisky

That's what my dreams needed.  A little break and friends to feel nourished by.  All is well and I will keep pressing forward with all the wonderful changes.  Still feeling the fear...but doing it all anyway. And maybe I'll stop for brunch and a dance a little bit more often.

XO

Gratitude

Making my way to the top...

Kindness and gratitude seem to be buzzing around me this week....and when I say that, I mean reminders to be kind and grateful towards myself.

My body had begun to sort of curl in on itself...like I was truly wilting in the heat.

It seemed I had come to another little period of questioning everything...and feeling frustrated and stuck and alone.

Well...as soon as I expressed this to some of my friends, there was a tidal wave of love and support reminding me that I'm not alone.  In fact, it took a lot of the pressure off of me because I was reminded that since I've put my dreams out there, I have people holding them up for me...so maybe I can relax a bit and ride on the shoulders of all these lovely souls for a while.

I feel much lighter.

What a wonderful reminder that the Universe has your back.  That we don't always need to be climbing that hill...sometimes we need to stop, sit, meditate and relish the moment and the view.

XO

Old Friends

I went to my good friend Debra's backyard bbq in CT on Saturday. She is supporting the "I Live Here Foundation" which is a fabulous project.

I took a Subway to a Train to a Bus to a Cab...and arrived to smiles and faces of "family" I hadn't seen it about a year, but who are most definitely a part of me.

Yes, Alison and Debra. I figure I can use their real names here :)

Alison and I have basically known each other since nursery school and have been friends since we were about 10 years old. Debra is her younger sister and also one of my oldest friends.

I have so many fond memories, including being a witness to many "loving" Sisterly altercations...one involving me being put in a headlock by Debra on their front lawn. Good times. The fights did eventually stop, thank goodness!

The junior high years that I've sort of blocked out because I hated Junior High...High School, Orchestra, walks on the beach, working at the Donut Shop in the summer, laughter, family vacations, sleepovers, watching movies in the basement, graduations, new jobs, emotional support (Alison was with me when I found out my Dad had passed away)...

I've had the immense pleasure of being at, and photographing, both these amazing ladies' weddings as well as making the invites. I knitted my first baby blanket for Alison's first child, who I finally met on Saturday...a gorgeous little boy named Owen.

It strikes me how many layers we have to our lives. We live and move on and make new friends and time flies by, yet certain things will remain the same. Childhood friends have pieces of each other that others will never share. We hold embarrassing facts for ransom and delight in retelling funny facts to new-comers. I will always laugh with glee while recounting how Alison and I tried to break into our vacation condo because we'd left the key (well, actually, I made her climb through the window in her bathing suit) and while she was half way in we realized it was our neighbor's and they were walking up the steps! We got away...

Real friendship is such a treasure and needs little tending. It's sort of like a patch of wild flowers...it grows and changes shape, but is always such a beautiful thing to behold.

Alison, Debra and Me on Debra's Wedding Day in 2006

Ah, Beer...

I'm typing this while enjoying the penultimate stout in my fridge (pretty soon I'll have to switch to something lighter for the summer...)

I never thought I would like beer, forget about how much I have come to love it...good beer, that is...

I basically have it in my fridge at all times these days (currently left? 1 bottle of Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate stout).

I have vivid memories of sitting on my Dad's lap as a kid while he gave me a little sip of whatever beer he was drinking and recoiling in horror at the flavor...and then in college, sitting on my friend Ron's lap at Bowlmore Lanes urging him to finish my Guinness because I couldn't take anymore (clearly, by that point, I'd had more than one sip...LOL).

Now a days I wouldn't dream of giving up one drop of my Guinness!

I have developed a deep love for all things earthy...and to me, beer is just that (Whisky too...but that deserves it's own blog).

When I was in Edinburgh this past August I discovered the delight of the half pint. By the end of my first week I worked up the courage to have dinner alone in a few pubs on the Royal Mile...one of my favorites being the Steak and Guinness Pie at the Toll Booth Tavern...and a half pint of Deuchers. Sigh. My good friend Krissy and I spent a lovely dinner with some friends there just learning how to properly pronounce it! ("It's like a Duke and your bottom" [arse] or so said the waitress at the Tollbooth, LOL). The thought that I will be back in Edinburgh enjoying it's beer and becoming one with Arthur's Seat again in the fall sends me over the moon. Seriously...tears come to my eyes as I think about it.

Waiting out some rain with a pint in Edinburgh

I wish everyone that amount of bliss.

The last few weeks have been stressful here in NYC, but I look forward with joy and gratitude for all the gifts and opportunities I'm being gifted with. And, of course for (good) beer.

XO

Anatomy of a Muppet Party...

Saturday I held my third annual Muppet Party.

I had the idea (3 years ago) to get some friends together for an adult kid's party...where we would eat food we loved as kids (but in a healthier form), have some drinks, watch The Muppet Show, and maybe play some games...basically be silly and childlike for an evening.

Reflecting on my parties over the past years, I realize how far I've come with relaxing while entertaining...I used to get pretty stressed out.

The most important thing to remember? These are you friends, and all is well.

Be yourself in every aspect of planning...meaning, have fun yourself and all else will fall deliciously into place! Create a party you would want to attend...

I started the day by getting up and having a leisurely breakfast and waiting for my fresh direct order (freshdirect.com). Ordering groceries cuts down on my stress (whether I'm throwing a party or not)...it's fabulous! Oh, and paper cups and plates get a huge thumbs up from me too. I'm not a big supporter of plastic, but I had some leftover plastic utensils that also came in super handy.


After a little cleaning and putting away the groceries, I pre-chopped veggies, grated cheese, and made pizza dough for later. I even had time (or rather, made time) to do a little yoga and reiki before I hopped in the shower!



My Beautiful pizza dough:



The Menu (this year was by far my favorite):

*Ale Cheeseburger Pizza

*Spicy Veggie Pizza

*Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

*Black Chocolate Stout Ice Cream


Menu Items supplied by friends:

*PB & J appetizers




*Bailey's Chocolate cake



*The AWESOME Muppet Cupcakes pictured at the beginning of this blog, supplied by my über talented Cousin, Elana (Sweet E's Bakery)

Beverages consisted of copious amounts of Red Wine, Grape Vodka (smelled like bubble gum!) Prosecco, and Scottish Ale ;)


Friends started arriving around 7 (except for Elana who had come to hang out earlier :) and the party got under way! The mac and cheese was done and I started assembling the cheeseburger pizza...when my veggie friend Kim arrived, I was assembling the veggie pizza, put it in the oven...and then, BAM! "Disaster Struck!!"


The spicy veggie pizza was too top heavy and it slid backwards and off the pizza stone...ending up on the back wall and floor of my oven! I quietly shrieked a slow motion "OH NO" as I saw it go. But I wasn't going to give up that easily...I pulled the racks out and salvaged what I could of my creation...it might have looked a mess, but it sure was tasty.

Remember the motto?

All is well.

And all was more than well...it was Muppet-tastic....

We watched some old clips of the Muppets on the Ed Sullivan Show and The Muppets Take Manhatten...all the while fabulous silliness and friendship abounded...



XOXO


And to finish it all up, I did goodie bags in the form of a packed lunch. This included a tiny PB &J and cup of mac and cheese with a sprinkle of M&Ms....








And now, the recipes:

For the pizza toppings I used one large onion, 1 can of Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 can Muir glen tomato paste...split in half (for the two pizzas)...I browned the onion and then:

Veggie Pizza:



1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup chopped broccoli
Handful Fennel Seeds
A Sprinkle of crushed red pepper, Chili Powder, sea salt, Worcestershire pepper blend (to taste)
Shredded cheese blend (I used Organic Valley Italian Blend)

Spread on pizza (you can make your own crust or buy frozen), top with bake for 15 minutes @ 400 degrees.

Ale Cheeseburger Pizza:



1 pound antibiotic free ground beef
1/2 Cup Ale (I used Bellhaven Scottish Ale...and then drank the rest :)
1 Teaspoon organic Worcestershire sauce
Season to taste with salt, Worcestershire pepper, Chipotle Tabasco
Shredded Sharp Cheddar (Organic Valley Raw Cheddar)

Brown the beef with the onions and then add all other ingredients...let simmer and then assemble pizza and bake just like above.

Put all ingredients in pan and simmer



I used a Martha Stewart recipe (and used canned squash and vegetable stock) for the amazing:

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
(click title for recipe)




and last, but certainly not least:

Black Chocolate Stout Ice Cream


1 pint heavy cream
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
12 tablespoons chocolate stout (I used Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout)

Make sure all ingredients are well chilled.

Whip cream with mixer until it stands up in peaks...then fold in condensed milk and stout. Pour into a container and put in freezer. No ice cream maker needed! Serve right from freezer...it will melt rather quickly.