I am fascinated by this site - Chip It! by Sherwin Williams. You can link to any picture on the internet, and they'll create a paint chip palette for you. For instance, I had these pictures on my Pinterest page...
Isn't that the coolest thing?! I can't wait to try it out on a room in our house.
____________________________________
Someone posted this on Facebook. It is bad, oh so bad...
__________________________________
Okay, y'all know that I don't like to get controversial, or pick a fight, but have you seen the cover of the latest Time Magazine? It features a mother breastfeeding her almost-4 year old son, and it has sparked a ton of controversy. Here's a link to an LA Times article on it with the picture. I have to say that even though I'm a huge supporter of breastfeeding, I think this cover is absolutely horrible. It's not that I think it's offensive to breastfeed your almost-4 year old child, I think people can do whatever they want in private, and you can't argue the benefits of breastfeeding. I don't even think it's offensive to breastfeed in public. But all I can think about when I look at this picture is that this poor little boy will always be known as the kid who sucked his moms boob on the cover of Time magazine. I just couldn't imagine any mother deliberately subjecting her child to that kind of future torment and ridicule. What do y'all think?
____________________________________
Jimmy and Jude have become obsessed with a new cable tv channel they've discovered - Me-TV. It's all old tv shows from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Yesterday, I heard Jude talking to his friend George at Cub Scouts - "So there are these two dudes, and one of the dudes, Felix, is really neat and the other dude, Oscar, is a total slob and they are so FUNNY!" He's been singing the Odd Couple theme song for days. The kid has also, at long last, discovered I Love Lucy, which he deems "hysterical" and dramas like The Rifleman, Mission: Impossible and Gunsmoke. I love it!
__________________________________
Yesterday, I noticed this, written on the top of the recycling bins at Jude's school...
PLEASE tell me that someone other than me read this as "No Hot Flashes"!
__________________________________
Go see Stacy and the other members of the band of Random Tuesday Thinkers!
In the past, I have talked about my tendency to blog while in the bathtub. Every time I mention this, commenters remark upon its peculiarity, and wonder how I make it happen.
Well, let me share...
First of all, I must explain that I am a Pisces. And therefore I love me some water. I am happiest in the water. I am most relaxed in the water. I am smartest in the water.
I love a good shower. And I love a good bath. But my favorite thing is a shower-bath, a phrase I coined in my youth. I have been doing this since high school. I will sit in the bathtub with the shower on and the tub stoppered. So basically, I am soaking and showering at the same time. Please don't point out the vast amount of water I use doing this.
I always do my best thinking in the water. When I was in college, I devised a method of putting my textbooks into Ziploc bags, so that I could study in the shower-bath. I also have been known to put a script inside a Ziploc so I can memorize lines in the shower-bath.
Unfortunately, it is a bad idea to take one's laptop computer into the shower-bath, even inside a large Ziploc bag. Therefore, I have been forced to adapt.
In my bathroom, the toilet is right next to the bathtub. So I place the laptop on the toilet. I then fill the bathtub with water. I get into the bathtub, turn my body sideways and squat like an Amazonian tribeswoman so that I can reach my arms out of the tub to type. Because I have to keep the shower door open in order to reach my arms out, I am unable to perform this maneuver in shower-bath mode. Here, in a brilliantly rendered drawing, is how I look...
It is not particularly comfortable. You will notice that I am also attempting to balance a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, which can prove difficult.
So here's what I need...
One of you dear readers needs to design for me a large, floating plastic bubble in which I can encase my laptop. It would need to have some sort of plastic sleeves which I could stick my hands in to type. Kind of like what they have so you can hold a preemie in an incubator. And while you're at it, I could use some kind of long tubelike device through which I could suck up my Sauvignon Blanc. This would free up my hands, and keep the wine much cooler outside the shower-bath.
Here I am enjoying the new invention. Notice that I am now able to stick my legs out in front of me in a more civilized manner...
So...let me know when you've worked that out.
Any inventions you'd like me to work on for you?
_______________________________
This post was inspired by...
Prompt #3 - An invention you'd like to see created.
RANDOM TUESDAY THOUGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I'm sorry, was I shouting?)
Gretchen = Geek Example #1 -
I'm dying to go here - Dickens World. It's a Charles Dickens theme park in Chatham, UK!
You can walk through the dank corridors of Marshalsea Prison or take the Great Expectations Boat Ride. It's like an English Major Dream Vacation!
___________________________________
Is anybody else sick and tired of the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton collaboration? I mean, I have absolutely ZERO interest in this new Dark Shadows movie.
He keeps playing the same silly, freaky character over...
and over...
and over...
and over...
Enough already!
___________________________________
The other day, Jude and I were driving in the car, discussing his upcoming birthday. He's decided that he doesn't want to have a big theme birthday this year. Which makes me both sad (he's growing up) and happy (WHEW!). Anyway, we haven't really planned it yet, but I think he's going to have just a few pals over for a sleepover and that's it. I asked him if they wanted to do anything special, maybe play a game or watch a movie, and he said no. Then about a beat later he said "When I'm in high school, and have parties, we'll play a game called Spin the Bottle."
I am a reeky, clay-brained, canker-blosson! What are you?
___________________________________
This is NOT written by my child, but stolen off the internet. Enjoy...
__________________________________
Gretchen = Geek Example #3 -
I desperately wish for this sign every time certain children are dropped off at a Cub Scout meeting and left for others mind...
______________________________________
And on a quick serious note:
Two noteworthy events this week which gave me pause -
1. The 20th anniversary of the LA Riots. I will never forget them. A few sad, angry, frightening, tragic days, when the straw broke the camels back, and people went temporarily insane.
2. The One World Trade Center, which is the tower they are building to replace the World Trade Center has officially reached the height that surpasses the Empire State Bldg. and makes it the tallest building in NYC.
May it forever stand proud. And may Jude never force me to go to the top of it (I know he will!)
If, magically, I was granted one day during which I could eat anything my little heart desired without gaining a single ounce, risking a heart attack from clogged arteries, or vomiting from over-eating, I would eat the following...
Beignets and Cafe au Lait from Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans.
Fresh and hot. And when you eat them, you get powdered sugar all over yourself and up your nose.
Fried Catfish from Mama's House on Crenshaw in LA. With a side of Mac and Cheese and those Greens cooked with ham hocks and some of that Louisiana hot sauce and a big iced tea.
The above picture is used entirely without Jan's permission, but I'm hoping that my saying that her recipe is one of my favorite foods on the Planet Earth will make her okay with it.
Prime Rib from Lawry's Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. Lawry Cut, medium rare. With both the Creamed Spinach AND the Creamed Corn, and that weird salad in the spinning bowl. And the Yorkshire Pudding. And a Manhattan.
Pennsylvania Dutch Eggnog.
Pasta Carbonara made with this recipe...
1 lb. pancetta (or bacon)
1 lb. spaghetti
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground pepper
Fry pancetta or bacon until it is very crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble. Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender. Drain spaghetti and pour into a very large bowl. I like to use a large stainless steel bowl which I've run under hot water to warm up. Pour eggs over the pasta and toss to coat the strands evenly. Add butter and toss again. Add Parmesan, parsley, pancetta and lots of pepper and mix thoroughly.
Queso Flameado with Chorizo from Guero's Taco Bar in Austin, TX. Wrapped in homemade corn tortillas. Heaven in a bowl. Seriously. When I go there, I don't even order an entree. Just a couple of margaritas and a big bowl of cheese filled with pork.
and while we're in Austin...
Chicken Fried Steak from Threadgill's in Austin TX. Smothered in cream gravy, with mashed potatoes and fried okra and blackeyed peas. And corn bread. And a Shiner Bock beer. Heaven smothered in cream gravy.
and...
Homemade Peach Ice Cream, made with ripe Texas Hill Country peaches. A taste that you have to experience to understand. Heaven frozen.
A rack of Baby Back Ribs. Dry rubbed with Grub Rub...
then grilled, and then baked, smothered with MY barbecue sauce. And PLENTY of napkins.
Key Lime Pie - I don't care where it's from, as long as it's made with real Key limes, and isn't dyed with green food coloring. Either whipped cream or meringue is acceptable.
Port and Stilton Burger from Umami Burger in LA. Blue Cheese and port caramelized onions on a huge, meaty burger. With the sweet potato fries.
Mama's Chocolate Cream Pie -
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups milk, scalded
2 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 sp. vanilla
baked pie shell
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp. sugar for whipped cream
Mix flour, sugar and salt; put in top of a double boiler and gradually add scalded milk. Add chocolate and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Add small amount of hot mixture to the egg yolks; stir into remaining hot mixture. Cook 2 minutes. Cool. Add butter and vanilla . Pour into baked pie shell. Whip heavy cream with sugar. Spread on top of thoroughly cooled pie.
Hmmmm.
I guess that's it. Just enough sweet. Just enough savory. Lots of pork. I could then die a happy woman. I am really very hungry now.
So...what would you choose?
This post inspired by...
Prompt #1 - If you had one day to eat anything you want and not gain a single ounce what would it be?
Another Tuesday, another Random Tuesday Thoughts...
I saw this on tv and almost peed myself...
Ha! It's a real site - Farmers Only! The only online dating site for Americas Farmers.
According to the website, "This group makes up America's Heartland – the slice of America with good old fashioned traditional values, values that were never lost by the farmers of our country."
So why are there so many pictures of trashy looking women in Daisy Duke cutoffs riding tractors?!
___________________________________
__________________________________
I have a new favorite way of entertaining myself while I'm doing housework. Our Direct TV cable company has a bunch of music stations, and I have discovered their Show Tunes channel. My mother would have LOVED this station! All show tunes, all the time. I sing along at the top of my lungs while I'm mopping or doing dishes or whatever. I'm seriously hoping that the UPS man doesn't show up while I'm in the middle of dancing along with Rita Moreno on "America" from West Side Story. Though I'm sure he's seen worse.
__________________________________
I may be late to the game here, but you all, especially those of you with boys, MUST read this lovely piece - 25 Rules for Mothers of Sons. I agree with them all. And I SO wish I'd written this first.
__________________________________
The other day, I had hunted all around for my reading glasses, and couldn't find them. I finally had to leave, got into the car, reached up to pull down my sunglasses and discovered this on top of my head...
Yes, that would be TWO pairs of reading glasses + my sunglasses. I have finally, officially become my mother.
It's SO addicting! You make four letter words using the letters they give you. It's so simple, but completely fun. I HIGHLY recommend it. Well, not if you want to actually get anything done in your life.
___________________________________
Alright, short and sweet today. I'm working on brevity. It's very difficult. We'll see how it goes. Be sure to hop over and visit Stacy's other random thinkers!
Welcome to Second Blooming Happy Hour! As Aunt Grace says "It's always 5 o'clock somewhere!"
Because you people mean SO much to me, I have, at the sacrifice of the health of my liver, spent a great deal of time this week trying out cocktail recipes! It was difficult, but somebody had to do it.
The big trend lately in all the hot bars, is a return to the "Classic Cocktail", libations created back in the heyday of the cocktail - the 1930's through 1960's - possibly inspired by the popularity of Mad Men. And truly, I always feel a little bit like Joan or Betty when I've got my hand wrapped around a martini glass.
And so, I have for you my own personal Classic Cocktail Guide, each recipe carefully researched and enthusiastically taste-tested.
Before I begin, I have a few important words of advice before you start your own exploration of the cocktail...
Invest in some equipment. A nice shaker, appropriate glassware. It really does make a difference. And if you don't have a shaker, at least get a cocktail strainer. But a shaker is way cooler.
Buy good liquor. You don't have to go broke buying only top shelf, but with these old-style cocktails, the liquor really is the star, and the better the booze, the better the drinking experience. So don't go rockgut.
Absolutely DO NOT forgo the garnishes!!! The garnish is the BEST PART. Well, the best part after the booze. But seriously, what's a martini without the olive? A Manhattan without the maraschino cherry? Ah, the cherry is my favorite part! Plus, I can do this naughty bar trick which involves tying the cherry stem in a knot with my tongue. Always impresses the gentlemen!
That said...
The Second Blooming Classic Cocktail Guide:
Tom Collins
Betty Draper's drink, but new to me. A real surprise - super refreshing and summery. Sort of like a mojito without the mint. Or the rum. Or the lime. Well okay, not that much like a mojito, but really delicious. I recommend.
2 oz. gin
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 sugar cubes
splash of club soda
1 slice orange
1 maraschino cherry
Drop sugar cubes in a tall glass. Add gin and lemon juice. Stir. Add plenty of ice, and top with a healthy splash of club soda. Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Sidecar
I went through a phase of drinking Sidecars many years ago, and I'd forgotten how delish they are. Makes you feel very sophisticated.
2 oz. brandy
2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 strip orange zest, for garnish
Fill shaker with ice. Add brandy, Cointreau and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with orange zest. Mmmm.
Whiskey Sour
Every time Pop takes us out to Hoi Ming, our favorite Chinese restaurant in New York, I order a Whiskey Sour. I think of it as my special treat. So every time I drink one I expect somebody to walk around and offer me a hot towel.
2 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup (see below)
1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
Fill shaker with ice. Add bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake, shake, shake your booty. Strain into glass. Technically, you're supposed to use a special sour glass, which looks like this...
...but since few people actually own a set of sour glasses, you can use a martini glass, or if you prefer, serve it on the rocks in a highball glass.
Simple Syrup -
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Stir together in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool. Can be kept for months in a jar in the fridge.
Greyhound
Basically, a more sophisticated version of a Screwdriver. I'm thinking it would make a tasty brunch beverage.
2 oz. vodka
4 oz. grapefruit juice
Add ice to a tall glass. Add vodka and grapefruit juice. Garnish with a slice or grapefruit or a twist of grapefruit peel.
Manhattan
I ALWAYS have a Manhattan when I'm in...you guessed it...Manhattan. I just can't help myself. I suggest using a good bourbon, Maker's Mark or Knob Creek. And as I previously stated, don't miss the cherry. If you want a lesson in cherry stem tying, shoot me an email, and I'll help you out.
2 oz. bourbon or rye whiskey
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry
Fill shaker with ice. Add whiskey, vermouth and bitters. Shake like crazy. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with cherry. Drink it while remembering how fabulous you are.
White Russian
Okay, I have to admit that I can't drink these without thinking about The Dude in The Big Lebowski. But I have fond memories of drinking these back when I was in my twenties, and not worried about cream intake. They really are delicious, and a fun after-dinner nightcap.
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. light cream
Add ice to highball glass. Pour vodka and Kahlua over the ice, then top with the cream.
Old-Fashioned
I think that this may officially be my new favorite cocktail. It has that perfect balance of sweet/tart/bitter. Plus, it's fun to make - kind of complicated (makes you feel like a real mixologist), and it involves muddling, and who doesn't love to muddle.
1 sugar cube
2 dashes bitters
splash of soda water
1 slice orange
1 slice lemon
1 marachino cherry
2 oz. bourbon
ice
Drop sugar cube in the bottom of an old-fashioned highball glass. Soak the sugar cube with the bitters. Add a healthy splash of soda water. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Drop in the orange slice, lemon slice and cherry. Muddle together. I don't own an actual "muddler", so I use pestle from my mortar and pestle (which then gets me started saying that line from The Court Jester "the vessel with the pestle holds the pellet with the poison"...or is it "the vessel with the pestle holds the brew that is true" or...sorry, I have gone off on a tangent). Add bourbon, stir. Top with ice. Delish.
Alright. We have now come to the end of our lesson. I hope you have found this informative. You will notice that I have refrained from providing an actual Martini recipe, mostly because they are so subjective, and have so many options (gin/vodka? olive/twist?).
But I will leave you with a little Francis Albert. Just because it's damned good.
Bottoms up.
___________________________________
I'm telling you people, this week you've ABSOLUTELY got to check out the other spinners - we're talking cocktail recipes here! And there are some humdingers. Check out each and every one!
We all love to get them. I tend to be poor at remembering to give them. And I often find myself in that awkward social moment when somebody says "You look so good!" and then I need to say "You too!" back to them, but then will they think I'm just saying it because they said it to me? Should I have said it first? And what if they really don't look good? Do you say it anyway? Will they be able to tell that you really ARE saying it just because they said it? Sigh.
What's the biggest compliment you ever recieved? Do you hold it dear or does it embarrass you? Was it from a parent? Spouse? Friend? Child? Stranger?
Are you free with compliments? Or do you hold them close?
And what about as a parent? Do you feel you might over-praise your kid? Can a kid be over-praised?
You know the drill. Put your spin on it. Post it before Friday. Leave me a comment letting me know, and I'll link it up here.
Share your spin! Highlight the code. Copy to your HTML. Et voila! Linked!
I am SO loving Sunday nights! I look forward to it all week. Suddenly, ALL my favorite shows are back and all on the same night - Game of Thrones, The Killing and Mad Men! I'm in tv heaven. And speaking of Mad Men, check out this Mad Men Cocktail Culture iPhone App. Since this week's Spin Cycle topic just happens to be Cocktails, it's the perfect time to download this app! It not only has excellent recipes for a bunch of classic cocktails, but also a little game in which you mix up cocktails on your iPhone and then drink little virtual drinks. Which is amazingly unsatisfying.
____________________________________
One of my Facebook friends posted a link to this website - Nina Katchadourian. It totally cracks me up. This woman is a serious artist, who had the incredibly silly idea to create a series of photographs entitled Seat Assignment: Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style. While on a boring flight, she went into the airplane bathroom, stuck the toilet seat cover on her head and took a picture with her cell phone...
She loved the picture so much, that over the next two years, she went on 70 flights, and took over 2000 pictures in the bathroom.
PLEASE check out the website, they are hysterical! I love this woman.
___________________________________
This reminds me of my youth in Austin - much time was spent in a tube, doing things that may have defied this sign...
__________________________________
I have become a little crazy about a new tea - Korean Citron Honey Tea.
Yes, I know it looks like marmalade, but it's not. You spoon it into a cup, add hot water and have this really delicious lemony tea. And....I know that most of you don't live within walking distance of a Korean market, like I do, but you can even get it from Amazon...
True, $10 seems like a lot for tea, but that is a HUGE jar. So BUY some. I'm actually looking forward to my first cold of the season.
______________________________________
The other day on Facebook, Jen from Sprite's Keeper mentioned how excited she was that they finally have a new Trader Joe's nearby, and I realized how dependent I am on the place. I really don't know what I'd do without it. It's amazing how many TJ items are staples around our house. In addition to their great food/great prices and amazing ready-made foods, I have a number of super easy meals that involve just mixing together a bunch of stuff from Trader Joe's that I keep around the house. Last night, we had one of our faves, which I will share with you. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, MAKE THIS. If you do not, you have my deepest sympathies.
Trader Joe's Tuna Lemon Pepper Pasta
1 pkg. TJ's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta
1 12 oz. bag TJ's Artichoke Hearts, frozen
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 can water-packed tuna, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 jar capers
grated zest of one lemon
salt to taste
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add the pasta. Boil for 10 minutes. After about 7 minutes, dump in the bag of frozen artichoke hearts. Cook the 3 minutes more. Drain, then return to the stock pot. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix. EAT.
Serves 2. Which is good, because it has too much green stuff in it for Jude.
___________________________________
Hope everybody is having a lovely Tuesday thus far. Please visit Stacy's place and see the other Random Tuesday Thoughtites.
It has been a lazy and yet adventure-filled Easter Break here at the Second Blooming house. Nice.
After the insanity that was Easter weekend, I basically crashed for two days, leaving the kid to his own devices. Jude's devices involved a tremendous amount of television and Wii playing. The kid has now watched about 20 hours of The Regular Show, MAD and the Amazing World of Gumball. Pretty much all rules flew out the window. I'm afraid that nutrition flew out with it, and the only things the child has eaten all week have been pizza and cheeseburgers. Really. And I have eaten the same things + wine. Because I'm just that kind of mother.
My devices included lying in the bed and watching everything I'd saved up on the DVR while playing hours and hours of the previously given-up-for-lent Castleville on Facebook. Thank God my tiny village survived without me for 40 days. Whew. I also took several long, hot baths and read my book and knit. It was beautiful.
We did manage to venture out for some fun. And I used up all of the Groupons/coupons that I'd been saving up just for this very purpose. Oh yeah.
Monday - Hmmm. Must have done something...Nope. I don't think so. No wait, in the afternoon, Jude and I ventured down to USC to try out their track - a fabulous find (thank you Rachel) - excellent track, open to the public, street parking. Jude ran a bunch, while I sat and timed him and checked out the USC football players throwing passes around on the track.
Tuesday - Groupon for burgers and fries at Rounds Burgers. You LAers should mos def (I'm sorry, I've been watching a tremendous amount of The Wire, and have suddenly started talking like a Baltimore drug dealer from the projects) check out the place. Jude and I both decided they were the BEST BURGERS WE'VE EVER HAD. And that's saying something. The burger was to make up for the fact that our next stop was the dentist. Yes, I somehow had accidentally made Jude a dental appointment for during Spring Break, something for which I would certainly have never forgiven my mother.
Good news - no cavities! Bad news - something about a "rotated lateral" and a "tongue thrust" which apparently means...(cue the ominous horror film music)...ORTHODONTIA. I may have to actually become a Baltimore drug dealer to pay for it.
Wednesday - Groupon for Hangar 18 Climbing Gym in Hawthorne, CA, a moderate trek, but totally worth it. Jude LOVED it...
The kid scares the pee out of me with his fearlessness. I am seriously thankful that we don't live anywhere near snow or mountains, because the kid would mos def (sorry, I will stop it now) become a snowboarder/rock climber/X-games thrill seeker.
Then, on the way home, he insisted that we stop at USC AGAIN for more running. This time, we discovered that the USC Track Team practices in the afternoons, but they still let you use the track if you stay out of their way. Jude decided to work on his long jumping, and soon attracted a couple of REALLY sweet young college men, who helped him out and gave him tips. At the end our little visit there, Jude decided he wanted to practice his 400 meters so he could try out the tips he learned in that Michael Johnson video. He took off with me timing him on my iPhone. By the time he was halfway around the track, a crowd of the USC track guys had gathered. "Look at that kid!" "He's got really good form!" When he finished, I called out his time "One point two six!" and this USC track coach came over and asked me "Did he just run the 400 in 1.26?!" Apparently this is "very, very good". Love it!
Thursday - I did it again. Six Flags Magic Mountain. I know, don't say it. But I got 2 free tickets when I bought a set of tires at Discount Tire Center, so I couldn't resist it.
All roller coasters, all the time. The Revolution, The Ninja, The Jet Stream, The Apocalypse, Colossus. Good stuff. Though I'm afraid that we have now reached my "thrill" threshold. We used to go on the "family thrills" rides, then the "moderate thrills". Now we're on to the "high thrills". The next step is the "so-freaking-scary-that-some-type-of-bodily-fluid-will-almost-certainly-be-released thrills", which he is just going to have to hold off on until he's old enough to just go with his friends. Because I do have SOME limits.
Friday - "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" - that was the sound of a heavenly choir. Jimmy is taking Jude for a Daddy/Dude Day, which includes lunch, baseball practice AND The Three Stooges movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My plan? I am on my way to use yet another Groupon, this one for a Manicure/Pedicure with a paraffin foot treatment! Oh yeah!
Tomorrow, we're going with some friends to Santa Anita Park to watch the horse races, which sounds fun. If I win big, I'll let you know.
So that's about it. No trip to Cancun or quick ski vacation, but we did our best.
We had the BEST weekend. But I'm going to tease you, and tell you about it TOMORROW. Aren't I cruel. In the meantime, I do have a few...
___________________________________
Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones!! I have finished the entire first season, and seen the first episode of Season Two - a feeding frenzy of blood and gore and sex and intrigue. I'm LOVING it! And I have a new crush. Tyrion Lannister. The sexiest dwarf in the world.
I must admit that until now, I have been rather close-minded regarding the sexiness of dwarves, but Peter Dinklage has opened my mind and heart. If I was a King's Landing whore, I would allow Tyrion to have his way with me for free. Oh yes, it's true.
____________________________________
And speaking of Game of Thrones, I desperately want one of these neckaces. Hmmm, should I align myself with the House of Stark, the ancient kings of winter, whose sigil is the direwolf?...
Or should I side with my man Tyrion and the House of Lannister. Evil, power hungry and the richest of all the great houses in the kingdom, whose sigil is the golden lion...
And what the hell is a sigil anyway?
___________________________________
I must admit that I haven't made it yet, but I'm dying to cook up Katniss' favorite food - Hunger Games Lamb Stew...
Somebody actually wrote an entire Hunger Games cookbook, which seems slightly odd, considering it's all about being hungry.
But this sounds very worthy of the fare in The Capital...
Hunger Games Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
5 pounds lamb fillet, shoulder or leg, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 cup water 4 cups beef stock 2 teaspoons white sugar 3 teaspoons brown sugar 3 cups diced carrots 1 cup diced zucchini 1-1/2 cups diced celery 2 large onions, diced 3 potatoes, cubed 5 cups dried plums 2 teaspoons dried thyme 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 2 bay leaves 1 cup ginger ale
Directions
Place lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Toss to coat meat evenly.
Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the meat, working in batches if you have to.
Remove lamb to a side plate. Pour off fat, leaving 1/4 cup in the pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion becomes golden. Deglaze frying pan with the 1/2 cup water, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan to stir up all of the tasty bits of meat and onion. Cook to reduce liquid slightly, then remove from heat.
Place the lamb and garlic-onion mixture in a large stockpot. Add beef stock and sugar, stirring until sugars are dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
Add the vegetables, dried plums, herbs, and ginger ale to the pot. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until meat and vegetables pierce easily with a fork.
Serves 8 to 10.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Over the past few years, I have often mentioned my friends Lynn (the Curly Girl on my Blog Roll) and her husband Darren. Notably here , when Darren took what should have been MY seat at the Emmy awards, and here, when their precious daughters came to stay with us for three days .
Well, Darren, after years of people reading his hilarious Facebook status updates and telling him he needed to do something with them, has finally started his own blog! Please, please PRETTY please check him out - Daddy/Daughter Fun Time. We could certainly use another good Daddy blogger in our midst. Please support him!!
___________________________________
Run along now. Well, run along AFTER you have visited Darren. That's all for Tuesday. More tomorrow.
Could there be a more phallic boy activity than building/shooting off rockets?
Rockets = Fun
___________________________________
Mmmm...okay.
I truly can't decide if this is cute or creepy.
___________________________________
I love this geek t-shirt website! They have an amazing array of funny t-shirts for every geek subject I love!
Dr. Who humor tees...
Downton Abbey humor tees...
Zombie humor tees...
Star Wars humor tees...
Pi humor tees...
and a surprising number of Jesus humor tees...
If anybody is thinking of getting me a belated birthday present, I'd love a Medium in one of these...
Gotta love bacon as element. Or this...
Or the best of all...
...which neatly combines choir geek humor with zombie geek humor. Gotta have it!
__________________________________
I got this new face goo I'm trying out, that I got with a Groupon. It's this Pure Collagen stuff, which is called "Instant Face-lift Serum". Yeah, right. I've had it for three days now, and so far so good. I can't say it actually looks like I've had a face-lift, but I'm an optimist. The only problem is that it stinks. It really does. I keep devotedly applying it in "circular motions" twice a day, but it's starting to get to me. My face smells like...hmm, how to describe it. Kind of a mixture of cow hoof and manure. This smell led me to some internet investigation about where cosmetic collagen comes from and lo and behold...cow parts. True. And it's on my face. Twice a day. The things we do for vanity.
____________________________________
I am FINALLY getting to go see The Hunger Games today - I wanted to go on opening day, but I was involved in the aforementioned Rocket Camp. Grrr...the things we sacrifice for our children. But in the meantime, I have found a couple of excellent Hunger Games items to share with you...
Katniss Everdeen's Pinterest Page...
If it's too small for you to read, you can check it out HERE.
__________________________________
Very good. See Stacy. Read others. Return next week for more Random Tuesday Thoughts.
