Second Blooming

RTT: Nativity, Foot Odor, and Prurient

Oh yes it is! It's time for another Random Tuesday Thoughts!

 

 

 

I have finally mostly decorated the house for Christmas! Tree. Check. Door wreath. Check. Mantle. Check. 420 sad looking Christmas decorations handmade my my child. Check. It's looking very festive around here. Yesterday, while I was dragging the tree into the house and getting it up and decorating it all by myself while Jude and Jimmy both hung out in bed sick (grrrrr), Jude came in and asked me if I liked decorating Christmas. I said "Of course, it's one of my favorite things." He nodded thoughtfully, "Cause you don't seem to be enjoying it much." Ah, that would be because of the excessive cursing and sweating and complaining. Well, yes there's that. But I really do enjoy it. This year I decided to count how many Christmas tree ornaments I have, and it turns out to be 217. Which seems like a lot for a small tree. Is that nutty? How many do y'all have?

 

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I want to make one of these!

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I would like you all to help me with a terrible problem. Several months ago, I bought a pair of these...

 

 

Skechers Go Walks. THE MOST COMFORTABLE SHOES ON THE PLANET EARTH. Seriously. Like walking on a cloud. I adore them. And they're washable, which is crazy wonderful. Just toss 'em in the machine. Amazing. 

 

But now, suddenly, they have developed a terrible problem. They stink. Really stink. Like...some kind of rotten cheese has rotten in the rotting shoe. I mean, it's BAD. The other day I took them off in the car and when Jude got in he shouted "Whoa! Did you fart?!" Yes, fart feet. 

 

I wash them, I Febreze them. Nothing helps. I have websearched this, and while it seems to have happened to other Skechers Go Walk wearers, nobody has a remedy. Anybody have any ideas? Please? I don't want to throw them away!

 

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Since we moved into our house 11 years ago, I have suffered with the most terrible dishwasher on earth. This thing was a piece of crap when we moved in, and has only gone downhill. I know, I should have replaced it long ago, but something in me, something about being the child of parents who survived the Depression maybe, keeps me from getting rid of something until it has actually completely bit the dust. Example: I kept my old laptop until it literally fell apart - keys popping off, the screen came off TWICE. 

 

So finally, finally, the old dishwasher came to an end. It reached a point when I had to completely scrub the dishes before I put them in, and even then, they came out all spotty. So I took advantage of a Black Friday sale and bought this beauty...

 

So shiny and handsome.

 

I can't tell you how much I love him. He has changed my life. Who knew how far dishwasher technology had advanced in the last 20 years?! I mean, I don't even have to rinse. Just stick in those nasty dishes with grease and dried on food and he does his job. Sometimes I just sneak into the kitchen and stare at him lovingly. Ahhh!.

 

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Oh dear...

 

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The other night I had one of those long, convoluted, anxiety dreams. I honestly don't remember anything about it. But I woke up from it, at about 3 am, and was absolutely sure that I MUST REMEMBER the following phrase...and I was so sure that I even got my phone and wrote it down so I wouldn't forget...okay, here's the phrase..."prurient sealant". Yes, "prurient sealant". What the what? It was terribly important. Hmmm, let's see...

 

prurient - 

1. having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.
2. causing lasciviousness or lust.
3. having a restless desire or longing.

sealant - 

1. a substance used for sealing, as sealing wax or adhesives.
2. any of various liquids, paints, chemicals, or soft substances that may be applied to a surface or circulated through a system of pipes or the like, drying to form a hard, watertight coating. 

Wow. The mind goes lots of places. Anybody want to venture a "prurient sealant" definition? 

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The following video is courtesy of Jude. He, who is now a full-fledged tween, thought all of you might think this is funny. He is a bit of a music snob and classic rock lover, and often lectures his friends on the merits of Led Zeppelin, and he thinks anything that makes fun of Taylor Swift is hilarious. Enjoy.

  

 

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Okey dokey, that's my random for today. Go visit Stacy and the other Random Tuesday Thoughts!

Spin Cycle: Binging

You know, tv's been damned good lately. It used to be that television was Hollywood's red-headed stepchild, where all the B-level talent went when they couldn't get work in the movies. But no more. Now the very best of the best of actors, writers and directors have headed to tv. Between cable stations like HBO and Showtime and internet streamers like Netflix and Amazon, the competition has gotten fierce.

So here's my list of some fab shows that I have been obsessing over lately...

The Best of the Best -

The Honourable Woman

So stinking unbelievably good. A BBC production starring Maggie Gyllenhaal as an Anglo-Israeli heiress/Baroness/businesswoman. Middle East/British political intrigue. Sex. Coooooomplicated characters. Gyllenhaal is so excellent that she just floored me. She is...delicious. Powerful. Raw. Strong. And her British accent is absolutely flawless. Can't recommend this enough. (Netflix)

Second Best American Actress Playing a Brit -

The Fall

Gillian Anderson plays a Scotland Yard superintendent investigating a series of murders in Belfast. Good Brit whodunit stuff, but with tasty, gritty, many-shades-of-gray characters. And speaking of shades of gray (or Shades of Grey if you will), Jamie Dornan plays the bad guy, a seriously twisted but strangely sympathetic serial killer. Fun. (Netflix)

Best Most Screwed Up Family on the Planet

Transparent

Ah, the Pfeffermans! They are a wonderful train wreck! And I'm not talking about Mort/Maura, their transgender father, she's a lovely human being. It's the kids! They are the most self-absorbed group imaginable, and yet you still love them. What an amazing cast! They are ALL fabulous - they just completely go for it - no vanity here, they all allow themselves to be SO vulnerable and...human. Jeffrey Tambor, as Maura, is delightful. Judith Light, as the mom, is stunning, and let's herself be as old as she is. No small thing in Hollywood. No Botox on this woman. Melora Hardin, who usually plays the lovely, aspirational, feminine character (remember her as Monk's dead wife Trudy?), tears it up as Tammy, the narcissistic lesbian. And Bradley Whitford is almost unrecognizable as Maura's transgender friend, Marcy. Warning: LOTS of what I think of as "real people" sex and nudity. By that I mean not the kind of "prettied up" sex you usually see on tv. So you may have a few "I did not need to see that" moments. (Amazon)

Best Documentary That Will Make You Cringe -

State of Play

An HBO Sports documentary produced and narrated by Peter Berg about the culture of sports. Each episode takes a stark and ugly look at a different aspect of sports - searching for happiness after a sports career comes to an end, living with a disabling sports injury, life for a sports wife, and the brutal violence of football (which features my alma mater, Westlake High School in Austin!). But the most cringeworthy episode of all, is the movie which kicked off the series - "Trophy Kids". Anyone who has any kids playing any sports anywhere has to watch this. It follows five obsessive Southern California sports parents and I'm telling you, it's painful. And it makes me wonder why in the hell would anybody agree to let themselves be followed around with a camera like that. You'd have to be pretty out of touch with the reality of your world to think that what you're doing would make you look good on the small screen. Yikes. Watch. (HBO and On Demand)

Best New Brit Myst -

Bletchley Circle

Everything you need in a British mystery series. Period piece. Clever women. Tracking down the killer. Terrific British actresses. Curl up with a cuppa tea. (Netflix)

Best Look at the Juicy Underbelly of the World of Classical Music -

Mozart in the Jungle

Yes, it really is sex, drugs, and classical music. It's a world I adore - New York, the arts, theater, music, temperamental artists - it's good stuff. The show manages to steer clear of the silly, soap operay tone of Smash, and instead reminds me of the brilliantly funny Canadian series Slings & Arrows (which would also be a damned good binge - available on DVD only at Netflix). I adore Gael Garcia Bernal, who plays the passionate Argentinian maestro, who takes over the symphony and shakes things up, and Malcolm McDowell is terrific as the forced-into-retirement older maestro. And it's great to see Bernadette Peters in anything! (Amazon)

Best Silly, Fun, Formulaic (But I Don't Care) TV Show That Isn't New At All But I Just Discovered It (But I Don't Care) and How the Hell Many Episodes Of This Thing Are There Anyway? (But I Don't Care) Sci-Fi Show -

Supernatural

Yes, I know. It's been on for ten years. But I never watched it because, seriously, who on earth over the age of 15 watches the WB/CW channel? But based on my previous sci-fi binging, Netflix kept "suggesting" it to me and when I realized that Kim Manners of The X-Files was one of the producers, I gave it a go and now I'm completely hooked. It's really clever and funny and well-written, and I love watching those Winchester boys kick some demon butt. I am now on...oh good Lord, really? Season 6. That's a lot of demon butts. I keep stepping away and watching something else, but I keep going back for some more Sam and Dean. But I don't care. (Netflix)

Best Show I Can't Binge Because It's on Network TV So I'm Forced to Wait a Full Week Before the Next Show and It's Killing Me -

Empire

I only have to give you one reason to watch Empire. Taraji P. Henson. She is the best thing on television. Seriously. I mean, the rest of the show is fun, but as the jailbird matriarch, Cookie Lyon, Henson is amazing! I watch the show just waiting for her to come on screen. I love her. She's one of those rare characters, like Maggie Smith's Dowager Duchess on Downton Abbey, that makes you want to needlepoint throw pillows with all of their best lines. Only Violet's pillows would be silk crewelwork, and Cookie's would be make out of faux animal print. (FOX)

Okay, so that's what I'm watching lately. What's your latest binge?

 

RTT: Wig, Olivia, and Mountain Man

Yes it's true! A Random Tuesday Thoughts!

 

It's been AGES since I've done a good ole' RTT! Let's see what kind of randomness I have rattling around inside my world...

ENOUGH ALREADY! I'M READY FOR THE NEW FALL TV SEASON TO FINALLY START, DANG IT! I feel like I've been waiting forever. I've been doing my Netflix binging of quality television, but I've I'm ready for some good old network tv. Scandal finally returns this week, can't wait. And the NEW Shonda Rhimes show, How to Get Away with Murder premieres the same night and looks juicy.

 

Shonda R + Viola Davis MUST be worth watching!

 

Nashville is back on Wednesday, and Once Upon a Time on Sunday. And yes, they're both silly, but I don't care. And the old warhorses NCIS and Bones are back this week too. I think of them both as...cozy tv. You know, they're the entertainment equivalent of a Snuggie and a bowl of mashed potatoes. The Blacklist came back last night, which I love because James Spader is just so creepy, but hate because the lead woman wears that silly wig. I can't watch her without getting completely distracted by the thing. Why does she wear it? Does this bother anybody but me?

 

SO a wig!

I think I'm also going to give Madame Secretary a try because it has a good cast and the clothes look really good. And I must watch Gracepoint because David Tennant is on it and that's the only reason I need...

Oh, and Anna Gunn's in it too, and she's good and all, but who cares, I'm in it for my David T.

What shows are you looking forward to watching?

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And speaking of Scandal and good clothes (I was speaking of that, wasn't I?)...

Did y'all hear about the new Scandal line at The Limited? It's true! Kerry Washington has paired up with the show's designer and The Limited, and they're debuting a line of affordable women's wear based on the clothes on the show. Now you can look just like Olivia Pope! Except without the perfect hair and makeup, flawless skin, dazzling smile and size 0 body. Heh...

 

Look just like Olivia. Only with your body in the clothes.

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So it's a new era here at Second Blooming. After 5 years of Cub Scouts, Jude has officially bridged up to Boy Scouts. Which is a whole nother deal, people. And now, after all of my endless whining and griping about having to go on every damned Cub Scout camping trip with a bunch of smelly boys and snoring men, and trudging up and down hills in the dirt and heat and cold and hiking and swimming and bad cots and even more smelly boys and snoring men, I am now...a little sad. YES. Sad. Because this next weekend, Jude has his first Boy Scout campout, and he's going solo. Yep, no mamas wanted here. Jude will be heading to a Boy Scout Reservation with 30 other boys and a handful of adult men for something called a Mountain Man Thunder campout - an 1830's frontier-themed outing at which they will be enjoying tomahawk throwing, shooting black powder rifles, archery, making fire using flint, and campfire skits. So yes, the first time I send the boy into the wild without me, every single activity planned for the entire weekend involves either weapons or fire. Sigh...

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Really? Really??

Third Boob Woman

Please discuss...

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So that's this week's Random Tuesday Thoughts. It's nice to be back! PLEASE go visit Stacy and the others to make up for the fact I've been gone for so long!

 

 

 

 

 

Spin Cycle: I ♥ New York

I think that I'm a New Yorker at heart.

Bold statement, I know. Because I've always been very proud to be a Texan. And I've been living in Los Angeles for more than 20 years. But I really should have been a New Yorker. The Big Apple. Gotham. It's my happy place. I step onto the sidewalk and my heart lightens. I love the smell and the pulse and the excitement and the energy.

When I was a girl, my daddy's brother, Uncle Francis, lived there. 210 W. 70th St., Apt. 312, New York, New York, 10023. I still remember his address. Uncle Francis was an old bachelor (which means gay, but nobody in the family ever mentioned it), who was a musician and opera singer, who taught voice from his apartment. Uncle Francis would come to visit us every year, and bring me presents from the big city -  special candies that came in a little metal tin, fancy lavender "toilette water", Twinings tea which was only available in the US at the time in tea shops in New York. It was all so...sophisticated and special.

Later, my best friend Kaysie's sister, Helen, moved to NYC, and we loved to sit and listen to her regale us with tales of the city - theater, ballet, museums, literature - it was everything I wanted in my life.

Alas, I never moved there. Why? Hmmm. I guess fear. And fate. When my friends and I left the University of Texas theater department, everybody had an option of where to go, New York or Los Angeles. Or some place for grad school. I chose...Dallas. Huh? In retrospect this baffles me. My thought was that I would model and get some acting work on my resume before moving to a bigger pond. Which worked for me really, I had a decent resume under my belt before moving to LA. And I'm probably more of a film/television actress than a theater actress. But I think a big reason I stayed so close to home is that Daddy was getting so old, and I wanted to be nearby if he got sick.

But I often think about what my life would have been like if I'd moved straight to New York. Found an apartment and a waitressing job. I could have modeled there. Pounded the pavement instead of driving the freeways.

I am very lucky that I am now able to visit New York every year, even if the majority of my time is spent on Long Island with the in-laws. I'm even more fortunate to have Aunt Grace's apartment to stay in while there - it's like having a free luxury hotel at your fingertips.

View from Aunt Grace's terrace.

This visit, I've managed to get into "The City" (as the in-laws call it) twice. Jimmy hasn't been able to make the train trip because he's still weak from his hospital stay.

My old friend from college, Kevin Adams, is a brilliant lighting designer, who just won his THIRD Tony Award for designing Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which is currently on Broadway. Because Kevin is incredibly kind and cool, he got me his house seats for the show just two nights before the end of Neal Patrick Harris's run in the show (Andrew Rannells from The Book of Mormon and tvs Girls is taking over the role). My s-i-l Niki came with me, and we had an amazing time! The seats were PHENOMENAL - dead center, about 8 rows back. And NPH absolutely blew me away!

Then, Jude and I made our way into the city again this week, to meet up with my old college friends and have some fun. My college roommate, Lannyl, and her family live on the Upper West Side, and Jude loves hanging out with her teenage kids, who are older and cooler than he is.

On our way into NYC. Look at the lines on my forehead starting to relax!

We spent the afternoon strolling Central Park, and Jude finally got to visit Strawberry Fields, the area of Central Park dedicated to the memory of John Lennon...

...then Lannyl drove us up to the far north end of Manhattan for her daughter's rowing club practice. Amazingly, Lannyl (and this is SO Texan of her) drives an SUV around Manhattan. You have to understand that virtually nobody DRIVES in Manhattan, it's all public transport. But Lannyl has made it an artform, and drives her two kids around to all their activities every day.

This a genuine shot of Lannyl putting on makeup and texting and driving around Manhattan all at the same time. So impressive.

Then, that night, we left Jude with the teenagers to eat NY Chinese takeout and play a Game of Thrones board game (Jude was in hog heaven), and we headed out to meet other old friends from college at THE COOLEST RESTAURANT I'VE EVER BEEN TO IN MY LIFE. Seriously. It was the restaurant/bar at the top of The Standard Hotel down in the Meatpacking District, fittingly called The Top of the Standard. The incredibly gorgeous and well-dressed hostess seated us, and we both just sat there with our mouths open, stunned by the view...

View from our table. Stunning.

The place had a leather banquettes arranged stadium seating style, so every table area had this view, along with a jazz band that played Gershwin and Cole Porter, and de-lish cocktails. The place was the epitome of New York sophistication and style. I was just so happy. Why can't life be like this all the time? Okay, it cost a hell of a lot, but still...

Shannon, Me, Lannyl, Kim. This photo is deceptive, because of the flash, it was actually very dark and candlelit.

This is more what it looked like.

But the best part of the place? The freaking bathrooms. Crazy. I asked the hostess where the bathroom was, and she pointed down a dark, candlelit hallway. I wandered along until I came to a series of doors. When I opened a door, I walked into a dark, candlelit bathroom and was greeted by this view...

I swear to God, this was the view from the toilet. No modesty allowed.

The entire wall of the bathroom was glass! I'm assuming that it was so incredibly dark in there so you weren't giving all of Manhattan a peep show!

The next morning, Jude and I took the subway back up to the Boathouse in Central Park and rented a rowboat...

Like something in a movie.

As I was leaning back, allowing my kid to row me around this beautiful place, I suddenly thought "I am happy." Which doesn't happen for me that often. I mean, I guess I'm generally a happy person, but I don't usually think "Wow. At this moment, I am really happy." But I was.

Will I ever get the opportunity to live in New York? I doubt it. How would we do that? Move across the country? Dislodge Jude from his friends?

Maybe when I'm old and gray, and Jude has gone off the college, Jimmy and I will make the move. I could become one of those terribly chic old ladies with a gray, bobbed haircut, and large black or red eyeglasses, who has season tickets to the opera and the ballet and has tea at The Plaza and lunch at The Russian Tearoom. And I can send my grandchildren fancy candies in little metal tins and lavender toilette water. Anybody want to come visit me? We can take in the Metropolitan Museum and have a martini at their rooftop martini bar. Who's in?

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PLEASE make our other Happiness Spinners happy by paying them a visit!

 

 

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Camp Mama 2014 Week Seven: Sir Paul

Jude's first rock concert.

It was a Beatle.

Paul McCartney.

Dodger Stadium.

Jude's cool 14-year old friend Lucas filled in for the aging Jimmy. Lucas knows his rock and roll. He's in a band, y'all.

Despite Jude's serious look, he was really very excited.

Jude kept turning to me during the concert and spouting Beatles knowledge. "This is off "Revolver." "This was on "Abbey Road".  "This is the song he wrote for Linda."

And yes, he sang it. I cried just like a dorky, middle-aged mother who had named her child Jude should have.

 

Spin Cycle: Hollywood Bowling

One of the greatest iconic Los Angeles summer activities is a night out at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Built in the 1920's, the Hollywood Bowl is an amphetheater nestled into the Hollywood Hills. Every summer, they offer a series of concerts - classical, jazz, rock, world music, and special events. But it kinda doesn't matter what the music is, the fun is in the event. Everybody brings food and liquor and has a giant picnic. You can either go all hoity-toity and purchase the box seats down near the stage, or go more plebian and grab the nose-bleeds way up top - it's fun either way.

For the past two years I've been going with the Fun Moms from Jude's school to the Grease Sing-A-Long, which is just what it sounds like - they show the movie Grease on a big screen and we all sing along with it. Everyone dresses in silly Grease costumes and is very loud. It's a whole audience of Pink Ladies and Greasers and Beauty School Dropouts.  It's amazingly silly and fun.

Yes, we did wear the silly costumes. Yes, we did have the fancy box. Yes, I did dress as Rizzo, though I realized I was a little long in the tooth for that, so decided I was actually Rizzo's slutty mother. No, that's not a real cigarette.

We had lots of fun, and ate lots of food and drank lots of drink. But don't worry, nobody drove. The original plan had been for Jane's teenaged son to be our driver (excellent idea I thought), but he threw us over for a date with a cute girl. Hmmm...hot girl...carload of your mother's drunken middle-aged friends dressed in dorky costumes...can't understand the kid's decision.

Anyway, the picnic portion of the Hollywood Bowl experience is always pretty serious. Nearby restaurants have started businesses just catering for these upscale picnics. And I have to say, this group of ladies delivers the good stuff. This year was particularly innovative and yummy, so I thought I'd share some fab picnic at the Bowl recipes.

We started with Rachel's cocktail, which she dubbed the Pink Panties since we were all the Pink Ladies.

Pink Panties Cocktail 

1 medium watermelon, chopped then puréed

1 liter bottle 100 proof vodka

1/2 bottle pink lemonade flavored vodka straight from freezer

1 pint raspberry sorbet

 

Here's what Rachel did in her own words...

In the morning I chopped the watermelon in large chunks and poured in large ziplock bags with bottle of 100 proof vodka. 8 hours later, took it out of the fridge. Reserving vodka left in bag, I puréed the watermelon then placed purée in large fabric tea strainer and poured 100 proof vodka from bag through the purée in strainer. I gave it time to run through before adding more watermelon purée and vodka. Yield approximately 1 gallon. Then I blended 1 pint sorbet with 1/2 bottle of pink lemonade vodka and stirred into watermelon vodka and refrigerated.  Ice kept separately in ready to serve!

And it  went beautifully with my appetizer...

Watermelon Goat Cheese Bites

I got this idea from this recipe HERE, but I boogered with it some. I'm fairly sure boogered is a proper culinary term.

One seedless watermelon (you'll have lots of leftover)

One log of goat cheese

Fresh basil

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Slice the watermelon into big disks, about one inch thick. Lay flat and use a cookie cutter or the lid to a jar to cut out small (1 inch to 1 1/2 inches in diameter) cylinders. Then slice the cylinders into 3 or 4 disks. Arrange little circles on tray.

Slice goat cheese into little disks about the same diameter and thickness of the watermelon disks. Place on top of the watermelon.

Place one piece of fresh basil on top of each goat cheese disk.

Make a balsamic reduction by gently boiling 1 cup of balsamic vinegare until it reduces by half. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the little disks. Serve.

The original recipe called for bacon, but shockingly, I chose not to use it. But here's a picture of how it would look with the bacon (and if you were an extreme perfectionist - mine didn't look like this, but it tasted GOOD).

Super fresh and summery!

For the main course, Amanda made this amazing...

Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa

It was so good that when she dished up huge portions for each of us, we all protested "No, no, that's to much!" then we all promptly gobbled up every bite.

The chicken recipe, which involves an incredible Indian spice and buttermilk marinade,  came from Amanda's friend Lisa's blog The Skinny, which you should definitely check out even if you don't make the chicken recipe, which you should. The recipe is HERE.

And her Mango Salsa recipe, which made it truly special is as follows...

2-3 ripe mango (you are looking for about 2-3 lbs. worth)
1 large jalapeno, or 1.5 small
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
a handful of chopped cilantro (about 1/4-1/2 cup)
grated zest of 2 limes
juice of those 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)

Chop the mango into a small dice.  (my tip: slice the fatty part of the mango - the "cheeks" away from the long center pit, then score it like an avocado - cutting a pretty narrow grid into the flesh without cutting through the skin.  Then scoop the flesh into your bowl - instant dice)  Put the mango in a medium size bowl.

Carefully seed and finely chop the jalapeno pepper (you should have 1-2 TBSP depending on how hot you want the salsa).  Add to the mango, along with the remaining ingredients. 

Toss together gently.  Season with salt and pepper to taste..

Refrigerate.  Serve within 4-6 hours.

Makes enough for 4-6 people

Then for dessert, Jane made these amazing treats, so good you won't believe it...

Barefoot Contessa Chocolate Chunk Blondies

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2 inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well, scraping down the bowl. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and with the mixer still on low, slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Fold the walnuts and chocolate chunks in with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes exactly. Don't overbake! A toothpick may not come out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into bars.

It was an excellent feast! And a super fun evening.

 

What are your favorite picnic spots this summer? What are you putting in your picnic basket?

 

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Check out Ginny Marie and my other Picnic Spinners this week. And come back on Monday for next week's Spin Cycle topic!

 

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Spin Cycle: Summer Things I've Been Thinking About Lately

Aunt Margaret's Summer Tonic

My friend Shannon, who is now a Manhattanite, but grew up in Big Spring, Texas, posted a recipe on Facebook the other day for her Aunt Melissa's Summer Tonic. It sounded so tasty that I tried it myself, then tweaked the ingredients a little and since I don't have an Aunt Melissa, I rechristened it for my Aunt Margaret, who I do believe would have enjoyed it very much. It's the perfect tonic for the summer heat!

Aunt Margaret's Summer Tonic

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add...

1 jigger of Citrus vodka

1/2 jigger peppermint schnapps

Fill the glass to the top with unsweetened iced tea.

Enjoy the freshness!

 

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

 

This is the stuff!

Oh dear Lord is this the bomb! It's a cleanser and a makeup remover and an exfoliator. It's a multi-tasker! They bill it as a "two-part skincare system". You start with the super rich and creamy cleanser, rubbing it into your dry skin. It has this amazing eucalyptus/rosemary spa smell and is not only really moisturizing, but it takes off makeup - even mascara. Then...you move to part two, which involves this cool little muslin cloth which you soak in hot water, then use to wipe off the cleanser. It's just the right amount of soft/scratchy to exfoliate your skin. I'm in LOVE with it!

 

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzo Beans and Cumin

Yes, I know, I know, it sounds a little too damned healthful, but I'm telling you this is so stinking good! I discovered it when I was on a quest for vegetarian meals to counter the whole cholesterol thing, and Jimmy and I both love it. It's really lemony and flavorful, and you feel like you're doing yourself a favor while gorging yourself. I guess you could make it as a side dish or salad (I'm bringing it to the next pot luck!), but we just eat it as a main dish. Give it a try!

 

Picture stolen from the Epicurious website which doesn't look nearly as good as it tastes!

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbanzos and Cumin

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 teaspoons ground cumin, divided

1 teaspoon turmeric, divided

1 teaspoon paprika, divided

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds medium zucchini (about 5), trimmed, quartered lengthwise

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combine garbanzo beans and lemon juice in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil; press in garlic and stir to combine. Let marinate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, quinoa, and coarse salt; bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium high heat). Place zucchini on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Toss to coat evenly.

NOTE ON ZUCCHINI: I usually just "grill" it on the George Foreman. But when that is too much trouble, I just sliced it up and fry it in a skillet. I've also added broccoli. It's all good as long as you dump all those yummy spices on it!

Place zucchini on grill; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to work surface. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.

Add zucchini, green onions, and parsley, then garbanzo bean mixture to quinoa. Toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Please try!

 

Orange is the New Black

The bad girls are back!

Season 2 on Netflix

 

No second season slump here, the show is better than ever! I've been doing my Netflix binge thing, and tonight I watch the last episode of the season, so don't spoil it for me!

 

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

 

I know this is old news. In fact it won the Pulitzer for fiction back in 2009. But I just read it and loved it, and I think it would be a terrific vacation read. It's short stories, so easy to digest in short spurts, but also really rich and filled with character, so a serious upgrade on the usual beach reading. Olive Kitteridge is the one character which ties all of the stories together, and she's a beautifully drawn character, not completely likable, but stunningly real and familiar. It's a book that resonates.

What are you thinking about this summer?

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It's All Magical and Mickey at Disney World Pt. 1

We Disney Worlded, y'all!!

For Spring Break, Jude and I flew across the country for a week at Disney World in Orlando! We were treated by Jimmy's brother Tony and his wife, the amazing Niki to an action-packed week of Disney fun. You will notice that Jimmy is not mentioned as part of this trip, and that is because he was not. Tony knows his brother very well, and knows that though he loves rides and certainly loves sitting by a pool, Jimmy is not the best with things like...lines and crowds. So he did not join.

And though you probably don't want a day-by-day travelogue of our trip...I'm going to give it to you anyway! Because it was all so much fun, and I can't resist.

I feel that I should put forth a disclaimer here that I have a love/hate relationship with all things Disney. On one hand, everything is so fake and glossy and artificially perfect, and on the other hand, everything is so fake and glossy and artificially perfect. I mean, I have to hand it to them, the attention to detail of the entire place is pretty amazing. And they make every detail of your trip extreeeeeemely user-friendly. But on the other hand, you pay for that - everything costs extra. But on the other hand, it's kind of worth it. So...

Monday: The Evil Red Eye

On Monday night, Jude and I hopped on a red eye at LAX and flew to Orlando.

About to take off.

Jude's artsy shot out the window.

It was five hours of hell. Seriously. That red eye was the one of the mostly physically exhausting experiences I've ever endured. I'd say 1. Childbirth. 2. Red eye. Neither of us slept for one minute. I would sum up the reasons for this as such - snorer, cougher, crying child, horrible cologne, movie nobody watched, turbulence, seatbelt. Jude's reaction? "Now I know what it must feel like to be a homeless person, trying to sleep on the street."

Tuesday - The Magic Kingdom

We arrived, blurry-eyed at 5:30 in the morning, stumbled our way to the Magical Express Bus, and as soon as Disney took over, everything went magically.

[Magical Tangent - Everything at Disney World is "magical". Every time you talk to a Disney employee, or "cast member" (Cast Member Tangent within a tangent - everyone who works for Disney is refered to as a "cast member". It's like Disney's wink to acknowledge that everything is fake and glossy and artificially perfect.) they tell you "Have a magical day!"]

I highly recommend to anyone visiting Disney World that you stay in one of the Disney resorts. It makes everything SO much easier. First of all, everything's so clean and...fake and glossy and...well you get it, but also, those cast members bend over backward to make your stay more magical. AND you get to use these amazing gizmos...

The Amazing Magic Band!

We pre-ordered our personalized Magic Bands ahead of time, connected it to our itinerary and to a credit card. So all you have to do is scan this puppy and you are in wherever you go. It's your motel room key, your ticket to the parks, it manages your Fast Passes, and you use it to pay for your food and all your shopping. It's a magical miracle.

We stayed at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, which is one of their "cheaper" motels. But I must say, we were completely happy and comfortable. The room was small, but it was all we needed, and it was SUPER clean and very quiet. Which came in handy when we got there at 7 am.

When we scanned ourselves into our room, we were greeted by this...

Mickey towels.

...and a phone message from Mickey himself, wishing us a magical stay.

[Mickey Tangent - Everything at Disney World is Mickey. Mickey-shaped waffles, Mickey-shaped ice cream, Mickey ears, Mickey shampoo, Mickey soap, Mickey, Mickey, Mickey.]

We caught 4 hours of good solid sleep, then hopped on another bus and headed for the Magic Kingdom to meet Tony and Niki!

Just like Disneyland only bigger and hotter.

Since we go to Disneyland here in California fairly often, the Magic Kingdom was a bit...redundant. As Jude put it "It's just like Disneyland, only with humidity!" But it's always fun anyway, and we loved being with Tony and Niki, who we don't get to see enough, and we enjoyed riding the rides at DW and comparing them to DL.

Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain were superior at DW (though we missed the groovy Space Mountain music they have at DL)...

Splash Mountain - We're the back two rows. Don't know the goofball in front.

While Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World were better at DL.

So we rode ourselves silly, grabbed a Disney meal and crashed back at the hotel.

[Nugget Tangent - Every restaurant in Disney World has chicken nuggets. I started thinking of them as "the ubiquitous nuggets". It didn't matter if it was a pizza place or an Indian restaurant, they had the nuggets. I remember a time back when Jude was about 4 when I would have thought that this was a miracle. But nowadays I found myself slightly disgusted.]

Wednesday - Animal Kingdom

We LOVED that Animal Kingdom. Seriously.

Selfie with Tree of Life. You can see that Jude's patience with the selfie is already wearing thin.

Jude's words - "It's like a zoo and an amusement park in one!" And it's the cleanest zoo I've ever been in. I don't know how they get those animals to not stink. It's part of the magical fakeness thing, but it's amazing. It's like all the animals are "cast members", trained in making everything magical. The park is divided into sections arranged around The Tree of Life, the coolest and fakest thing of all...

Not a real tree. But cool anyway. It's basically a Tree Statue. And this thing is HUGE, people.

There's Asia, Africa and Dinoland...

...each with their own vibe and appropriate animals and rides.

In "Asia", we found Mount Everest...

Okay, maybe a little smaller than the real thing.

...and our new favorite roller coaster EVAH - Expedition Everest. I promise, this is an excellent roller coaster - just the right amount of extreme. It's scary, but never makes you think you're going to barf...

The first time we rode Expedition Everest. Look at us in the front row. Then look at the dudes behind us!

And here we are again. About 30 minutes later. We're that kind of people.

We also really loved the Kilimanjaro Safari, which is in "Africa". It's so perfectly fake that you really feel like you're on a real safari. You ride in a big jeep with a guide, and you ford streams and hit real fake potholes. The animals are beautiful, and you get really close to them. I am absolutely fascinated by how they can have lions on one side of the road, and zebras on the other side, but nobody eats each other. There must be some secret, hidden fencing system that keeps everybody in their places, but I couldn't spot it. Jude LOVED it. And I must say that, unlike some zoo experiences, I had the feeling that these animals were all terribly happy and well-cared-for.

Tony and Jude on safari.

Elephant cooling off. There are no photo effects on this pic. I suspect that the bottom of the "pond" is painted that color by Mickey.

Could practically touch the giraffes.

It was fun and also genuinely educational. Actually, most of the Animal Kingdom was like that. We also loved the Kali River Rapids and the Dinosaur ride.

Then in the late afternoon, we took a bus to another bus to Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort to something called the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, described on the website as "a hilarious, high-spirited hootenanny the whole family will enjoy, accompanied by a finger-lickin' countrified feast". Niki has a friend who had raved about it, so she made the reservations, and we all loved it.

Picture stolen from Disney website, and not the cast we saw. But I think those are the same wigs.

The show's a little hokey (okay a lot hokey), but the music's fun and the show is tried and true. And by tried and true I mean that they've been doing the same show a couple of times a night every night since 1974! The cast shifts around, I suspect they just pass around the costumes and wigs, but everybody is a real pro. Dinner was pretty damned good too - fried chicken and ribs and all you can drink beer and wine. Can't ask for better than that.

Wow! I've already written 1400 words and we're not even to Epcot yet! So come back next week for It's All Magical and Mickey at Disney World Pt. 2!

 ___________________________________

Oh look! Mama Kat's with me on this...

1.) Let's reminisce about the last trip you took...pictures please!

 

 

 

Spin Cycle: Staycation LA

There is good news and bad news about living in a city that is a popular vacation destination. The good news is that it's easy to get people to come visit. I've been lucky to meet quite a few of my blogger buddies because they just happened to be heading to Los Angeles on vacation. The bad news is that our already overcrowded city is constantly clogged with tourists. We used to live up in the hills right below the Hollywood sign, and it was always a battle to get in and out of our driveway around the knuckleheads standing in the street taking pictures of themselves.

Despite the overcrowding and traffic, Los Angeles really is a beautiful city and a great place for a vacation - mountains, beaches, great weather, culture - something for everyone. But unfortunately, when you live in a city, you don't really take the time to enjoy the attractions. I lived here 8 years before I finally went to Disneyland! I can't tell you how many New Yorkers I know who have never been to the top of the Statue of Liberty, or taken the Circle Line Tour.

What we need is a staycation. Not that we'll ever take one, because we always need to see family. But one can dream. Here are three Staycation LA ideas. Maybe one of you could make it an actual vacation!

Santa Monica

We often go to the beach. It's probably both Jude and Jimmy's favorite place to be. But we live on the other side of town, so every trip to the beach ends with a looooooong, torturous trek home, stuck in traffic on the freeway. It would be so nice to have a hotel out there so we could really relax. I dream of staying at Shutters on the Beach...

Shutters is the iconic Santa Monica beach hotel.

It's super luxurious and sits right on the beach. There's a pool and a fabulous spa, but honestly, just sitting on a private balcony looking at the Pacific with a book and a glass of wine sounds like about the best thing I can imagine. And while I'm doing the balcony/wine/book thing, I'll send Jimmy and Jude down the beach to the Santa Monica Pier, one of Jude's favorite places in the city.

Lots of fun stuff - a small roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, an arcade.

Santa Monica has so many  excellent restaurants that I'm not even going to choose a favorite. THIS link lists a Top 10 that makes me weak with desire. But one morning we'd need to drive up the coast to Malibu and have brunch at Geoffrey's, a favorite restaurant on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Aaaaah!

Downtown

Downtown LA is having a renaissance. After years of decline, it is now THE place to be, with lots of amazing new restaurants and hotels. And though the area around the Staples Center/Nokia Theater/LA Live/Ritz Carlton area is hopping and a major tourist attraction, I think I'd prefer to go a little old school, and stay at the classic 90-year old Biltmore.

We could grab a martini in the vintage bar (which just happens to be the last place visited by Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, before her murder) then head out to dinner at one of THESE restaurants. Then we could take in some culture, either a concert at the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, or maybe a play at the Ahmanson.

Disney Hall is AMAZING!

And of course, we couldn't leave downtown without a lunch at Jude's favorite restaurant in LA, Philippe the Original, the Home of the French Dip, which has been downtown since 1908.

Jude loving his French Dip.

Maybe we could stroll through historic Olvera Street or Chinatown for a little ethnic culture. And if it's Sunday, we could take in mass at the beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Koreatown

Okay, this would be a real, genuine staycation, because Koreatown is our 'hood. Realtors refer to our neighborhood as Hancock Park adjacent (Hancock Park being the fancy schmancier neighborhood), but really, we're Koreatown adjacent. Though K-Town used to be kind of crummy and gang-infested, it has also gone through a gentrification, and is kind of a hip place to be nowadays. And though we could stay home and take in the sights, it might be fun to stay somewhere uber cool, like The Line Hotel...

The Line is the hottest new hotel in LA.

The Line boasts Pot, the latest restaurant from Roy Choi, one of the hottest chefs in America. But while in K-Town you also have to go for Korean barbecue, a real cultural experience which involves cooking your own food on tiny grill in the middle of the table.

Jude enjoying Korean barbecue. Yes, the kid eats squid.

You can't visit Koreatown without visiting a Korean day spa. I've written before about my visits to the cheap but delightful Olympic Spa, one of my favorite places in the world, and an amazing experience (though you must get over any issues with nudity fairly quickly). But maybe, if we're trying new things, we should visit Wi Spa, which is much fancier, and offers a place called the Jimjilbang, which is an area where the entire family (yes, kids too) can be pampered together. 

And no Koreatown experience would be complete without a little...karaoke. That's right, Koreans are crazy for karaoke. So we might have to pop by the Brass Monkey. Hmmm...a little Dusty Springfield, a little Pat Benatar, oh yeah, I love some karaoke!

Dang, now I really want a staycation! Though I REALLY shouldn't complain since we're going to Disneyworld in a few weeks! But still, I'd love to experience my city like a tourist, seeing everything through fresh eyes.

What would you do on your staycation?

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Spin Cycle: Springtime Things I've BeenThinking About

It's Springtime!

Not that we had much of a winter here in Los Angeles. I'm saying this more in solidarity with all of you East Coast/Midwesterners who have been snowed under for months. But it has been particularly springlike around here lately - mild, warm weather, a bit of much-needed rain, flowers galore. And so I'd like to share a few springtime things I've been thinking about...

Wisteria

I'm not thinking about wisteria because I have any wisteria growing at my house, but because I DON'T have any wisteria growing at my house. When I was a little girl, we had a massive wisteria just outside the back door, and every year on my March birthday, it would explode in fragrant, purple blossoms. I always thought that the wisteria vine was blooming just for me (and I must admit that my mother contributed to this belief). And the smell? Heavenly. If I close my eyes I can smell it right now. Aaaaaah! I want a wisteria!

Havaianas Flip Flops

Pretty.

It's flip flop season! I love my Havaianas. Yes, I know. You're wondering why I'm encouraging you all to buy a $20 pair of flip flops when you can get them at Old Navy for $2.50. Well I will tell you why. They are the best damned flip flops in the world. Seriously. They are totally worth the extra $17.50. They are comfortable and look good and they last FOREVAH! And I'm telling you, I know my flip flops. I live in them. Really, I wear them most of the year. Don't judge, I have big feet and hate shoes. This winter, I changed over to Uggs (the winter version of the flip flop), but my tootsies are veeeeery happy to be back in their flips!

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream

 

They sent me a sample of this in my most recent Birchbox, and I'm crazy for it! Birchbox items are usually more "high-end" products, but every now and then, they'll stick in a "mass market" product that they really like. This stuff is SO good. It's really moisturizing, and has a little bit of "coverage" that actually smooths out your skin tone. Perfect for when we start shedding our winter clothes and showing a little skin!

Spaghetti with Sardines, Fennel, and Capers

Weirdly, fennel is one of Jimmy's favorite foods. He eats it all the time. If you're not familiar with it, it's sort of like licorice-flavored celery. But when you cook it, it takes on a mellow, mildly sweet flavor. We love it. This recipe is a traditional Sicilian concoction (that's Jimmy's people!), and often served during Lent for the fish-on-Friday's thing. This is really delicious. Don't be afraid of the sardines, the lemon cuts the fishy taste, and the capers give a nice salty crunch.

Spaghetti with Sardines, Fennel, and Capers

Serves 2

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup white wine

1 can sardines packed in oil, drained

2 tbsp. capers

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

Juice and grated zest from 1 lemon

1/2 lb. spaghetti

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp. chives, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

While the water heats up, make the sauce. Add oil to large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel, red pepper flakes, and about 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fennel is completely tender and caramelized around the edges. Pour in the wine and cook for another minute. Push the fennel to one side of the skillet, then add the sardines, capers, garlic, and lemon juice to the empty side of the skillet. Let them sizzle for a minute, then remove the skillet from the heat.

When the water is boiling, drop in the pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Add the pasta and a splash of cooking water to the skillet. Stir in the chopped herbs and lemon zest. Serve.

Give it a try!

Pigeons

My new friend.

A pigeon has taken up residence in our chimney. I'm guessing that she's building a nest and planning on starting her family up there. During the day I can hear her, cooing and scratching. It's completely fascinating - the sounds echo down the chimney and are amplified, so I hear her all the time. Part of me thinks I should find this slightly distressing, but another part welcomes this new little inhabitant to our house. I hope I hear little peeping baby pigeons soon.

New TV Series

THREE new shows debuted last week - Resurrection, Crisis, and Believe. And guess what? They're all good. Really. And I don't like most things. I was completely surprised.

Resurrection

Crisis

Believe

Resurrection and Crisis in particular have really good casts, and all three got me hooked. With most shows, I'll watch the  pilot, yawn, and never watch again. But I've started DVRing all three of these. I recommend tracking down the first episodes on demand, and catching up!

So that's my Spring so far. What's happening in your Springtime?

Check out our other Spring spinners. It's not too late to add your Springtime post to the Linky below! And check back on Monday for next week's Spin Cycle topic!

 

 

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