1001 Things

(stole this from Jane...well, most of it. Some ideas are mine, and I've eliminated things that don't apply to me at all. Like med school :)) Red are things I've done

January 1, 2010 – September 28, 2012

 1. Run a 5K (I've walked one) 

2. Run a 10K

 3. Run a ½ marathon 

4. Run a full marathon 

5. Lose 30 pounds 

6. Once a week, jot a note about something that makes me happy

 7. Leave a postcard inside a PS book

 8. Find a church I love 

9. Attend church 100 times 

10. Be credit card debt free 

11. Read the bible cover to cover (in the process...)

12. Grow fresh vegetables in my yard

 13. Fall hopelessly in love 

14. Donate 100 hours to charity each year

 15. Use my passport at least once 

16. Refresh my French to conversational ability 

17. Take a self defense class 

 20. Organize iTunes 

21. Organize old photos and get everything digitized 

22. Visit 6 new states 

23. Cut down a Christmas tree 

24. Cook a complete meal once a month 

25. Snail mail one card a week to various people

27. Clean out and organize garage 

28. Maintain garden 

29. Tip a server 100% 

 31. Find a mentor and work with him/her

 32. Get all A’s  (1st semester,sophomore year of college)

33. Ride in a hot air balloon

 35. Make bread from scratch

 37. Try yoga 

39. Watch 26 movies that each start with a different letter, A-Z that I have never seen before (this is way cool)

 40. Take 6 weekend trips to places I have never been before

45. Take a dance class 

48. Donate blood (can't, as we know my veins are AWFUL)

49. Build a headboard 

50. Purchase furniture I like

 51. Hang paintings I like  

53. Find out if I’m a CF carrier  (yes, I am. :-D)

54. End 1001 days with every article of clothing in my closet and drawers actually fitting

 55. Sleep under the stars 

56. Find out my blood type 

58. Pay for a random table’s meal 3x 

60. Go to Oktoberfest 

61. Vote in all major elections  (it's part of my job!)

62. Volunteer for a political campaign (again, part of my job)

63. Spa day – mani, pedi, facial, massage, blowout 

64. Go on a picnic

 65. Build a snowman 

66. Kiss in the rain (well, OK, snow)

68. Eat raw food only for 2 weeks

 69. Try rockclimbing 

70. Kiss under mistletoe

72. Develop relationship with all professors 

 74. Visit San Francisco 

75. Visit Virginia Beach

 76. Kiss someone I care about at midnight on New Year’s Eve 

77. Maintain blog as history of my life 

78. Finish thinking of 101 things I want to do...

And here are my additions:

79. Read all of Edith Wharton

80. GET my passport

81. Go to Europe

82. Finish my MA

The last 10 years...

 I think the last decade of my life may have been the most eventful ever. I mean, short of getting married and having kids, I can’t imagine doing more in 10 years than this.
So here’s a round-up:

• Graduated from high school (2000)
• Graduated from college (2004)
• The transplant (duh!) (2005)
• 1 ICU stint (hopefully the first and last)
• Travel! Florida (2000), D.C., NYC (including New Year’s Eve in 2003), Chicago (2006), Duck, N.C. (2008), Houston/Galveston (2009), Rochester, NY; Wilkes-Barre, PA (King’s College debate tournament), Cleveland, Cincinnati, Wheeling (Oglebay resort), Muncie, IN (Ball State debate tournament), Michigan…
• Worked on the 2000 and 2004 Presidential campaigns
• My brother graduated from high school and college (OSU), my sister graduated from high school and started at Capital
• Theater!
• Reviewed in the Dispatch twice: Verdi Requiem in April of ’01, and Parade (see sidebar for that one)
• Got my first acting paycheck
• All-State Choir, Cleveland 2000
• Sang the Christmas section of Messiah, as well as “Worthy Is the Lamb” and “Hallelujah!”
• Christmas Festival singing at Cap
• Initiated into Sigma Alpha Iota (and was a founding member of the chapter at Capital)
• First serious relationship (college)
• Engaged (for awhile…)
• Moved out of my parents’ house
• Got my first car (1995 Honda Civic EX)
• My first real job—Swim Club concession stand in 2001.
• First real real job—LSC intern, fall of 2004
• Port put in
• The Bionic Ear appears (May 2006)
• My first Coach bag. J (Hey, had to include that)
• Got on the Mac Wagon
• Grandma and Pa celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary
• Mom and Dad celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary
• Baghdad fell on my 21^st birthday
• 9/11
• Solo trip to Pittsburgh with Mel
• Accepted to Franciscan University’s MA Theology program
• Joined St. Patrick
• Started this blog! (2006 and counting…)
• Got my driver’s license (2000, after high school graduation. Mom made me wait.)
• Fell in love with Jane
• Read many, many, many books
• Saw Phantom on Broadway (and thus fulfilled a lifelong dream)
• More theater? A smattering: Les Miz, Beauty and the Beast, Avenue Q, The Producers, Spamalot, Wicked (Columbus and Chicago), The Light in the Piazza, Chicago, The Lion King, Into the Woods, Street Scene, Macbeth, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Master Class, 12 Angry Men
• Heard Itzhak Perlman play Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Columbus Symphony. Brilliant.
• Lots, lots, lots of ballet. Samples: Jewels, Dracula, The Great Gatsby, Aladdin, Nutcracker, Stars and Stripes, Night moves, 30x30, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet
• I actually learned to like opera!
• Saw La traviata, La boheme (Opera Columbus) and began collecting Renee Fleming CDs.
• Worked with the Secret Service
• Toured the White House
• Went to the top of the Empire State Building
• Heard Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• Went shopping on the Miracle Mile
• Rode the NYC subway (one word: Ugh)
• Visited Ellis Island and found my great-grandfather!
• Attended my first black tie dinner

Seven Quick Takes Friday Vol. XIX--The New Year's Edition

I.

Happy 2010 everyone! I hope you have a blessed year full of love and fun with family and friends.

II.

New Year's has never been a big holiday for me or my family. I had a boyfriend in college who loved it. It might have been his favorite holiday. Me? Not so much.

III.

That being said, I have been to NYC on New Year's Eve, which is the pinnacle of NYE activities in the U.S. It was crazy, but fun, and I'm glad I did it. It was during my senior year of college, where seven of us crammed into an NYC hotel room for two nights. That was really my first time in the city for longer than one night (I had been, once, in high school, to visit my Aunt who lived there), and it was magical. Cold, but magical. Since it was 2003, the rebuilding of ground zero had not yet begun, so my friends and I went to see the site on New Year's Day of 2004. It was a solemn way to begin the new year, but also appropriate that we went and remembered that day and the brave men and women who died.

IV.

I don't usually make new year's resolutions, either; I'm never able to keep them, and, when I did make them, they were usually something like, "stop biting my nails." Which, as anyone who knows me knows, hasn't happened in the 20+ years I've been making that resolution.  That doesn't mean I don't believe in self-improvement; I've just never been good at New Year's resolutions.

V.

That said--I do have some ideas this year. Pay off the rest of my credit cards, finish my MA pre-reqs (or at least 4 of the 6, if I don't get to all 6), and get in shape. My best friend is getting married in August, so that's definite motivation to look my best at the wedding. I have eight months and change to do something about it, so I intend to.

VI.

And there are some big things to look forward to this year, namely, my five year anniversary.

Five years! Can you believe it? I sure can't. In July, we will hit that milestone.  FIVE YEARS! (can you tell I'm super excited?)

VII.

My Christmas vacation ends on Monday, but I still have THREE MORE DAYS. It's been a great Christmas season. Enjoy the rest of it while you can!

Family

Photos from the Pittsburgh Trip:

Di and the Adorable Suze. Isn't she HUGE?! Last time we saw her, she looked like this....

(July '09 in Houston)

babies, stop growing! Stop it I say!

I got to share a room with Cindy Lou Who (I mean...um...Suze) and Di. We had lots of fun, and Suze was wonderful.

For a Texas girl, she is well prepared for snow. She had mittens, a hat, and a big fluffy parka on top of this. She didn't really like the hat. It snowed 1-2" yesterday in the 'Burg.

At the family dinner--(L-R), Kelly, me and Carrie. Kelly is a sophomore at UM, and Carrie is a freshman at IUPUI. Carrie is studying graphic design and Kelly is a flute performance/music ed major.

I really, really love these guys.

My favorite, the Angel Baby, AKA Justin. Still has wonderfully curly hair, and a penchant for photography. He loves having his picture taken...

but...

Is not real great about opening his eyes...

(above, Cousin Matt, almost 17; directly above with Big Brother Brendan, who is a total cutie.)

More pics to come...

Boden Fall '09 Questions

The quarterly "Qs from the Boden Catalogue"

• Worst fashion faux pas: My all-yellow (BRIGHT yellow) outfit.
• Favourite birthday present: contacts when I turned 14
• Favourite bedtime story: Sleeping Beauty
• Question I'm always asked: "So, when do you graduate from college?"
• Favourite English word: Prententious
• Most embarrassing phobia: Making unsolicited phone calls (but I can't do that anymore anyway, thank you bionic ear)
• Best thing about the 1980s: My birth
• What gets me out of bed in the morning: um....
• Most memorable road trip: Columbus to DC, winter '04
• If men got pregnant: Humanity would cases to exist
• Best way to flatter a man: LAugh at his jokes
• My cure for insomnia: milk
• What music would you listen to on a roadtrip: Anything with a good beat.
• In my next life I'm going to be: Queen of England
• Essential items to take on a road trip: Cell phone, water, map
• I always wanted to be : a ballerina
• Favourite farmyard animal: horse
• First love: Josh
• What makes you smile when you're having a bad day: "Pearls before Swine"
• I always forget: People's names the first tiem I meet them.
• Most extravagant purchase this year: my new MacBook
• Favourite party outfit: dress, pearls, heels
• Favourite accessory: pearls
• I feel more confident when: I have a great outfit
• Best restaurant anywhere in the world: Lupa, NYC
• What really bores the pants off me: NASCAR races
• What you must have on a girls' night: My camera
• Favourite cocktail: Key Lime pie martini
• The sexiest man alive is: Daniel Craig
• Best way to fall in love: slowly
• What song would you sing in a big, echo-y stairwell: "I will survive"
• Favourite fantasy: Living in the OBX with my family, writing a book
• I've never mastered: Math
• Best way to flatter a woman: tell her she's pretty
• To prepare for a night out, I: Take a long bath
• What is your best party trick: Keeping the food stocked
• Hangover cure: N/A
• Most memorable occasion of my life: Getting the t/x call
• I'm superstitious about: walking under ladders
• How do you plan to celebrate your next birthday? Dinner with all my friends
• Favourite party tipple: Champagne
• Who would your ideal party partner be: Patrick Wilson

Me in Threes

Three names I go by:
1. Em
2. Emmers
3. Emmy

Three Jobs I have had in my life:
1. Old Navy
2. Swim Club concessions
3. Congressional Intern

Three Places I have lived:
1. Pickerington, OH
2. Reynoldsburg, OH
3. Bexley, OH

Three Favorite drinks:
1. Diet Coke
2. PEach iced tea
3. coffee

Three Favorite hobbies:
1. acting
2. reading
3. writing

Three Pet Peeves:
1. Smoking
2. whiners
3. bad drivers

Three TV Shows that I watch:
1. Bones
2. Pushing Daisies (until it died. Wah!)
3. Glee

Three places I have been:
1. Houston
2. OBX
3. Chicago

People that text me regularly:
1. Mom
2. Bub
3. Tiffany

Three of my favorite foods:
1. carbonara
2. pizza
3. burgers

Three friends I think will respond
1. Abby
2. um...I got nothin'.

Three Things I am looking forward to
1. Christmas
2. Fall/winter musical auditions
3. Christmas :)

(Note on the musical auditions: they are--Wizard of Oz with Columbus Children's Theater; Jekyll and Hyde (AGAIN!) with Emerald City Players, and THe Music Man with Pleasure Guild (directed by one of my J&H castmates)

This is so true

Coming back from vacation.

(And I love the candles she has.)

Because I can...

(And it's Monday)

A facebook note:

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Never had one. Sigh.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
Rarely.

3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink?
Does communion wine count?

4. Who was your FIRST kiss?
Real one--James. Real, but onstage: Dominic.

5. What was your FIRST job?
baby-sitting. FIrst job w/ taxes--the concession stand at the Swim Club

6. What was your FIRST car?
1995 Honda Civic EX 4 door

7. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
Ha! no one has yet.

8. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
That shall remain unsaid. :)

9. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs. Lewis

10. Where was your FIRST apartment or place of your own?
The one I'm in right now.

11. your FIRST ride on an airplane?
When I was about a year old, to Maryland.

12. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
Anne Neighbor, and yes.

13. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
Probably Anne's.

14. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
Christine @ work

15. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
My Aunt Patty's. Flower girl.

16. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Hit the snooze button.

17. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Probably Sesame Street Live! when I was five.

18. FIRST tattoo?
Um...none.

19. First piercing?
My ears, when I was about eight.

20. First foreign country you've been to?

Haven't done it yet.

21. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
The Great Mouse Detective

22. When was your FIRST detention?
In fifth grade, for handing in a homework slip late. (Yes, it was THAT dumb).

23. What was the first state/province you lived in?
Only lived in OH, baby.

24. Who was your FIRST roommate?
Brooke....something?

25. What was your FIRST "bad" word?
I used to think "Ass" in "What Child Is This?" was a bad word.

26. What was your FIRST broken bone?
my right humerus, second grade. Gloves and wet monkey bars do not mix

27. When did you lose your FIRST tooth?

Disney World! At breakfast!

28. If you had one wish, what would it be?
To become a world famous actress.

29. What is something you would learn if you had the time?
The violin, and Russian

30. Who do you think will be the next person to post this?
No idea. But it's fun!

The Simple Woman's Daybook--July 20, 2009

For July 20, 2009:

Outside my window...
Blue sky with a few clouds, in the high seventies. Gorgeous, windows-down weather.

I am thinking...
That I am going to be productive today. Yes.

I am thankful for...
A wonderful vacation.

From the kitchen...
Julia Child's garlic soup.

To live the liturgy:

Magnificat, rosary, Sacraments class

I am wearing...

Black Ann Taylor shirtdress; pearls

I am creating...
my memoir. It is going so well! I'm sort of freaked by how well it is going.

I am going to breathe deeply ...
And enjoy summer!

Bringing beauty to my home ...
Weekly Home Blessing Hour

I am going...

To listen to another Sacraments lecture tonight; write; read some of my new books

I am reading...

A Man On The Moon; Abigail and John: Portrait of a Marriage; Spindle's End

I am hoping...
For a good week before vacation!

I am hearing...
an iPod mix CD

One of my favorite things...
traveling to new places, especially beaches

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Classes in general--gearing up for my Sacraments midterm

T: Pushing Daisies Season 2! Yay!

Th: Dance class @ BalletMet downtown

A picture thought I am

sharing:

Tiff and I with the cake she made me for my four year anniversary party on Saturday. It was wonderful! (The cake and the party)

Houston pics

If you want to see all my pics, in all their glory, go to my photo website. Lots of cute baby pics and butterflies. And a few dinosaurs.

NASA

This is part of a huge blackboard wall that talks about how humans could survive on the moon. This part says that the elements for a burger, fries and a soft drink are found on the moon!

The moon rock!! This one is over 3 million years old.

The crew of Apollo 11

Suze and I with R2D2--the Space Center was having a George Lucas exhibit.

And this story about the 40th anniversary from the Dispatch.

I'm baaaack!

Back from Houston, where I had a great time with Di and her family. The Baby is adorable! More pics up as I get them uploaded (and, of course, trip recap)

Vacay day!

All right folks--I am headed off to the wild wild west of Texas. Cannot wait to see Di, Matt, and the Adorable Baby Suze.

Flight leaves around 11. Blogging will be non-existent or very, very light (and only if I can steal the PC from Matt, who is a twitter-holic like me).

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. VI

I.

I hope a lot of you had a chance to read this entry. I'm pretty proud of it and glad that Hollywood has put a story about this family onscreen. Seeing it is a much more visceral experience than reading about it.

I've read a few articles about the movie, and then the comments following, online. And I've seen a few people ask why books and movies like this are even written, then degrading the emotions of people who read them to people who view pornography--they want some sort of emotional hit. I don't know what people's psychological reasonings are for reading these books, but I'm glad they do. My family, and all the other families whose lives are just like this, need people to understand. We're not looking for pity--that's an easy emotion--but for empathy, for people to understand.

Case in point--I love birthdays. A lot of people I know don't--they don't like being reminded that they're getting older. But I love it. Each birthday is another victory for me. It's another year I got to do things, to enjoy life. I love knowing that I'm racking up more experiences and having more time here. Maybe my blog, and movies and books like My Sister's Keeper, can help people understand how precious life is.

II.

Wow, that was a long quick take. So some shorter things to follow, like: what books I've been reading. An updated list: Robert Louis Stevenson's South Seas Tales; Richard Paul Evans' The Last Promise (love, love, love his books), and, of course, Jane. Mansfield Park being started today. I'm a bit behind in the re-read this year. Oh, and Mrs. Dalloway.

III.

New favorite TV show--Bones. If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you know this. But really, fantastic show. And interesting to me, from a theological perspective. One of the main characters, Agent Booth, is very, very Catholic. His partner, Dr. "Bones" Brennan, is not. In fact, she's an atheist. But there is definite chemistry between them. I'm planning something on Booth to have up at CPG at some point--hopefully later this weekend. He's really a fascinating study.

IV.

Speaking of theology--nearing time for my Sacraments mid-term, and my first assignment is due in Biblical Studies. We're just about to start Genesis in the latter.

V.

Next week is my four year anniversary! Can you believe it? To celebrate, I'm going to visit my cousin, Di, her husband, and her baby girl in Houston. Never been, but I hear it is hot, hot, and more hot. Thank God for air conditioning! We're thinking about visiting NASA, Galveston, and a host of bookstores. :)

VI.

It's Independence Day weekend--do you know your Declaration? Brush up on it here.

VII.

And a happy, happy Independence Day to all of you. Let's go out and celebrate "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," eh? If you're in the mood for some patriotic movies, I suggest John Adams and The Patriot for some good viewing, especially John Adams. Phenomenal, and faster than reading the book. (I read the book. I liked it. But whew, it's long!)

Seven Quick Takes Friday (vol. II)

-1-

I've been receiving a lot of wonderful feedback for this blog entry, including this lovely email I received today from BalletMet: 

Just wanted to thank you so much for your blog entry on The Great Gatsby. It was wonderful--I'm so very thrilled you enjoyed the production and will make sure Jimmy (Orrante) reads your comments. I enjoy reading your Culture Cat entries throughout our season! You've got a great way of re-capping the story as well as all the elements that come together to create our productions. We've got a fantastic season coming up--as a subscriber, be on the lookout for the new season brochure in your mail next weekend!

I can't wait to see next year's season! If you live in Columbus and have not been to BalletMet, you are denying yourself true cultural enjoyment. They are really one of the best things about the city, and I have never, in five years of regular attendance, seen a bad show. 

-2-

A sad note--no new ballet until the end of summer. ARGH! Maybe the Houston Ballet will be performing when I'm there? 

-3-

Tomorrow we head to Pittsburgh for my cousin Paige's first communion. We always do these parties well, and with the Pens/Caps game series beginning tomorrow, we'll gather around the TV after food, presents, and cake. I can't wait to see Paige in her first communion dress, although I'm not sure how long she'll actually keep it on post-ceremony. 

-4-

Not a lot of reading this week--too busy with ballet, Sing Out Louise and etc. But I am bringing David Copperfield in the car tomorrow, so I'm sure I'l get lots of reading done (provided I don't fall asleep on the car). 

-5-

 

I received the third Ring Opera n the mail today from Amazon--Siegfried. I'll probably put it on later tonight. Since I can't get to the Met to watch Otto Schneck's production, I've been watching them at home. As I looked at the DVD case, I noticed that the actor singing Siegfried (the hero), is actually named Siegfried. 

Wow. I bet he hated that as a kid. Or is it fate that he was cast in this role? I hope he sings it well. 

-6-

With the dawning of the age of Widget 2.0 I have been loading my new iPod classic with all my music. I've almost got it all in, and it's a wonderful thing to carry around in my purse, especially since it has ample room for movies (right now it's only got Prince Caspian). And the new computer (dubbed Widget 2.0) performs beautifully. 

-7-

And last, an uncharitable comment: if my downstairs neighbors slam their door one more time...

Oh well. Happy Friday!

Seven Quick Takes Friday

--1--
Home for day two of plague, or whatever this is. Lungs are fine, probably just a virus or something. I think after a good, sunny weekend here (and Scali's food) I'll be fine.

--2--
One of my bestest friends, Liz, sent me this book for my birthday. I received it yesterday via UPS, and I am addicted. The trilogy is set in Sweden, in the Middle Ages, and follows Kristin, the title character, from her birth to death. It's absolutely enthralling. Liz wrote on the card that it's one of her favorite books, and I can see why. It took a lot of will power to get away from it and come write this. Trust me. Sure, Kristin can be a bit of an idiot at times (especially in book one, "The Wreath") but it's just absorbing. If you're taking a long flight or a trip this summer, bring this book. I guarantee you, you will be absorbed and entertained. These characters LIVE with you, they get into your soul. It's awesome. (And there's a MOVIE! Of course it's about $100 on Amazon. But I love the fact that it exists.)

--3--
Watched Slumdog Millionaire yesterday. I also got this for my birthday but I was slow in watching all my movies, so I finally got around to it. Very good. Not sure if I liked it as much as "The Reader". They are so vastly different. I did love Dev Patel's work. The captioning of the Hindi drove me nuts--it wasn't on the bottom of the screen, it was all over the place, and it was in color, which made it really hard to read against the screen. So not so much there. If you don't know how it ends, then it's thrilling. Even if you do know how it ends, the last few scenes between Jamal and Latita are so well done, it's very uplifting.
Bonus: This movie made me want to read The Three Musketeers.

--4--
Prayer request: Please pray for one of my friends, whom I've known since high school, who was just diagnosed with MS. He was received into the church on Easter Sunday, too. He's a great guy, and prayers would be most welcome.
Yesterday, when I first heard about this, I was thinking that we are on opposite sides of the illness spectrum. He is learning that his body can, at any time, betray him. Symtoms, quirks, all that has to be monitored and watched. I, after years of this, am trying to learn to disable that alarm, so that I can realize that, yes, I can get 'just a cold' and the world will not end.
Both of these are hard lessons to learn. Both go against the inherent thinking of your mind.

--5--
Spring has arrived (again?) in Ohio. The daffodils and tulips are blooming, and some of the trees even have all their leaves. It's beautiful.

--6--
Music: Been listening to lots of random things lately. Verdi's "Requiem" (nothing like that last movement, nothing); the "Set Your Life to Music" reading CDs of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms (the Brahms just ended a few minutes ago); mix CDs in my car. Spring brings out the music in me.

--7--
Making plans for my annual summer vacay--this time to Houston, to visit Diane, her husband Matt, and their new baby girl Susan. But I am also going to try to get to NYC in October. The Met is doing "Aida" and Renee Fleming is performing in Strauss' "Der Rosenklavier", one of her big roles. I might spend a whole weekend in NYC seeing opera. The met actually sells tickets that way--you can buy a "three opera package", where basically that's all you do for five days. You see opera. I would love that. Especially Renee. And I've never been to NYC in the fall. I bet Central Park is just gorgeous in October.

Tonight's dinner

Is this.
I love carbonara.
My love affair with it began on New Year's Eve, 2003, in New York City. I had gone with a group of college friends to NYC to celebrate the New Year--something everyone should do once, and at about $70 a person, how could I pass it up?
Seven people were sharing one NYC hotel room designed for maybe four. The bathroom was the size of a small coat closet. Richelle and I shared one bed, with the rest of the gang (all boys, except Richelle's sister Laura) taking the floor and the other bed. (Getting guys to share a bed is like brokering Middle East peace.)
We only had one full day in New York, and we were all spending it differently. Richelle and I had taken a "shop 'til we drop" approach, with cab rides and a trip to Bergdorf's, Tiffany's, Saks, and the couture shops along Madion Avenue. We also visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art's gift shop, St. Pat's, and the American Girl Store.
For lunch that day, we went back to the hotel to drop off some of our packages and regroup. Our hotel had a neat little restaurant on the first floor--dark carpet, ivory curtains that overlooked the street (we were right across from Madison Square Garden). Richelle ordered a mushroom plate, adorned with heavy, luxurious portobello slices. I ordered carbonara.
It was sublime. Just perfect for a cold NYC day. The delicate balance of cream, egg, and pancetta played brilliantly against the silky pasta. I had tried carbonara at home, but this was the way it should be done.
I was hooked. Ever since then, I have made it one of my goals to cook as many carbonara recipes as possible, in an attempt to find my favorite.
Tonight's comes from my copy of Nigella's How To Eat.

REVIEW: Tonight's was equally sublime. Very fast, once you get the pasta in the water (waiting for the water to boil takes the longest). No cream, either, in her recipe, which may make it slightly more healthy (although you do use one egg yolk and one whole egg). The idea of her recipe is that you should have all these things on hand.

Duck Journal!

Finally up, here!

Leavin'...

Going to Rochester for my cousin Justin's wedding, in which I am doing a reading. No idea which one. :)
So no blogging until The Return on Sunday.
But--
Go Steelers!
Apparently either the Browns or the Bengals will win this week, right?

And, the first installment of the Great Election '08 Swag Count (signs, bumper stickers, etc. --one per yard/card)
McCain: 10
Obama: 3

Duck Beaches