Wednesday's Menu is Full of Woe

So we had our super coming early in the morning to fix our toilet, which has been running forever, so I got up and made myself some green tea with a bit of milk - to drink while I waited for him. He was shockingly on time, so I only had one cup of tea at home.

For breakfast, at my desk, I had another cup of tea and two hard-boiled eggs. Very exciting, I know. I promise that my weekend breakfasts tend to be more elaborate and larger.

I had to leave work early for acupuncture, so I just ran down to Hale & Hearty for a mix-your-own salad. I almost always get the same thing: spinach with cucumber, tomato, mushrooms, chick peas, asparagus, walnuts and goat cheese. With balsamic vinegar and olive oil (not balsamic vinaigrette, which tends to have corn syrup and whatnot in it.) And a small piece of seven-grain bread.

I had a big glass of water and my Metformin.

After my acupuncture, I went to the grocery store and bought food for dinner (turkey sausage, spaghetti squash, and the makings for a puttanesca sauce), some Total Greek yogurt, and some organic eggs - for breakfasts. However, Eugene's mom came in for dinner, on her way back to Virginia, so we ended up going to Rolf's German American.

While I waited for her and Euge to show up I ate one of the yogurts.

Rolf's at Christmas

Anyhoo, the real draw for Rolf's is the over-the-top seasonal decor, but now the owner of Rolf's is developing quite a reputation and last night he didn't disappoint. He was dressed in punk rock Trash & Vaudeville finery and was quite obviously loaded. It was the only time that I have been there when it wasn't crowded. The food is very typically German-American and I had the Veal Jaeger Schnitzel with green beans, sauerkraut, and spatzle. Naturally, the green beans were inedible mush.. the sauerkraut had too much sugar for me... and I ate some of the spatzle. Euge saved me from myself, by eating all the rest of it. The veal and mushrooms were pretty good though. And I had a glass of wine.

It's a big party week here.

When we got home - to watch Mark Lamb on American Idol AGAIN! - I had seltzer with a little triple-berry juice from Trader Joes( Unsweetened cranberry, blueberry, pomegranite juice blend.) and my Metformin.

Then we all fell asleep on the couches. I blame the spatzel.

Life Imitates Art

I lingered in bed a long time on my last morning at the Bowery Hotel in New York. The night before, we had sipped cocktails in the lobby with Keats and his entourage while a little parade of celebrities made their way through the lobby, still dressed in their finery from the Met's Costume Institute Gala. We saw this dress and this couple and I rejoiced over the way Eric swooned at seeing this dress. Okay, maybe it wasn't just the dress he was happy about. I saw the wearer of said dress at the front desk several times during my stay and she was smiling and sweet seeming each time so I encourage those of you who have crushes on her to just go right ahead and keep on crushing. Just don't forget what her last boyfriend looked like, boys. In spite of my extreme sophistication, I still think that seeing celebrities is part of the fun of New York. Let's all try not to get too cool to enjoy that.

The day before, Pam and I saw these two on the street, in those very outfits, I believe, and I very nearly got a paparazzi shot of my own when they walked through the frame of a photo I was taking of graffiti. They looked hungover and in love, that classic combination for a couple kids in their 20's. Walking through Central Park later, Pam and I decided that really they should wander up there and be in love on the grass instead of walking around SoHo wondering which shops weren't too self-conscious to patronize.

Today I recreated my last morning at the Bowery Hotel by staying in bed reading poetry until check-out time. Then I ate a boiled egg on an english muffin, had a cup of tea and watched Mansfield Park on DVD. Don't hate me because I'm lazy. I wasn't always this way.

I did have a glimmer of hope for myself today when I got an email from Barb with a little pep-talk about the writing. She has a good point when she recommends not missing an opportunity to have ten great readers take a look at your work. Surely I've got a short story in me somewhere... really short.

XOXO
H

A Belated Report on Tuesday's Menu

So, I didn't get any pictures of my food on Tuesday, so I am substituting a photo of Mom and Baby Heather – because that is pretty yummy!

Tuesday morning I had green tea, with a splash of milk (2 cups!) and plain yogurt with a bit (2 tablespoons) of whole-grain granola and blueberries.

For lunch I went to the library to check out books (the new Maeve Binchy and The Memory Keepers Daughter - I plan to weep a lot this weekend) so I just stopped at The Global Kitchen on my way back to the office and had 3 soft shell chicken tacos - figuring the 'soft shells' are my carbs for the day and offset by the protein from the chicken... and I took my Metformin

We went to the gym after work, for our first climbing experience in a criminally long time. So we decided to go out to dinner at the brewery that overlooks the Hudson - which is conveniently adjacent to the gym. That makes sense, right? Brewery, gym... gym...brewery?

Anyways, they had precious little for me to choose from. Lots of sandwiches and burgers and pasta and entrees with rice and breaded things. Things that have waaaay to much white bread involved.

I ended up having a salad with some chicken, blue cheese and tomatoes. And a glass of wine. It was really nothing to write home about. Except that Mom asked me to write home about it...

When we got home I had a seltzer with a little Acaia berry juice in it and took my Metformin again.

We seem to be eating out a lot this week! Usually, I go grocery shopping on Monday and try to cook most of our meals, but because of my freelance projects, I don't really have time. I'll cook a lot ths weekend to make up for it. We'll be in VT for three nights (thursday - sunday) so I will have plenty o'time to make use of the dozen or so cookbooks I have up there...

Just imagine me in the kitchen, doing my best Nigella Lawson impersonation as I lovingly massage some olive oil into the carcass of a chicken. And then shove half a lemon up its bum.

In other exciting news, apparently a friend of mine from high school, Mark Lamb - Mayor of Bothell - was on American Idol last night! I never watch the show, but Dana (my fellow Noah Racey stalker) saw it and called to let me know. I have to find that video online!!!!!!

Where It All Started

Yeah, so, it's a little past Mother's Day, but we couldn't really go without posting anything about Mom, could we? She probably hasn't gotten nearly the coverage she deserves here, especially since she's such a big promoter of the blog. Did you know she prints out and distributes pages all around the Skagit Valley? I guess it's the modern equivalent of the wallet full of snapshots.

But Mom is an interesting person herself, from the childhood on a ranch in Southern California, to the days with Marjie and Ross in San Francisco in the 60's to her current life in LaConner as artist, real estate agent and newly-minted Veronica Mars fan. When I saw that the reporter who wrote the story on mom's house for a Seattle newspaper started the article by saying "Nothing ordinary about Breta Malcolm" I laughed out loud. Given that, it won't come as much of a surprise to anyone that the quote I remember most from my childhood (other than "No blood, no band-aid") was "Only boring people are bored." She has always loved a good field trip, fine art, interesting characters, and tasty food.

But it's easy to summarize my favorite thing about my mom - she's a person who looks for things to like in the world. And that kinda explains us too, doncha' think? All about the love! Yeah.

The Food Report - Monday

So Mom asked me to give her a report on what I eat every day, so that she could understand my silly PCOS/Low Glycemic Index diet in action. Since I did a really lame job of observing Mother's Day, I will attempt to at least follow up on this...

We had a Doctor's appointment this morning, so I started off bright and early with a cup of green tea with a touch of milk, no sweetener (not Chai latte anything, just regular green tea) from Starbucks (sorry! It's on the corner of the Doctor's block... And open at 7:30 AM).

Then, on my way to work, I picked up two hard-boiled eggs. Normally, I like to bring organic free-range eggs from home, but with the doctor's appointment, just didn't feel like it. Also, had a cup of my own green tea that I keep at work. Also, with a touch of milk.

At lunch I had to run down to my client's studio in SoHo to make a quick file correction for them, so I picked up a lemon-chickpea salad and turkey bites from a deli in my office building. The chickpeas have lots of protein and, since there are peppers, onions and celery, some additional nutritional value, and the turkey is also protein, and has tomatoes and lettuce, which I think offsets the minor amount of carbs from the wrap. Also, I dip the turkey bites in balsamic vinegar, which is both tasty and good for slowing down your digestion. I drank a glass of water and took my Metformin (glucophage).

For dinner, I had to work late on a project, so I picked up a chicken salad from the organic mexican restaurant in our building. Lettuce tomatoes, organic chicken, beans, some cheese and avocado. I had seltzer with a little Acaia berry juice. Woohoo! Partay!

Not anywhere near as good as your fish tacos, I am sure.

Now where did I put those chocolate kisses.... just kidding... No candy! I have to go take my second dose of Metformin now... mmm... tasty.

Mondays With Susan

Susan can't decide what to eat first - truffle fries, or drunken crispy chicken?

Just to prove that NYC doesn't have the market cornered on good places to eat, Susan and I went to the new Baguette Box in Fremont today. Very tasty, but next time I think Susan and I can split a sandwich and order of fries. The sandwich was as big as her forearm, for god's sake!

And just to prove that I don't have to eat EVERY meal out (and maybe in reaction to that statement about how a certain someone claims to have never seen me cook a meal), we went to the grocery store where I bought pretty things to put into fish tacos, a nice big avocado, some lime, plump tomatoes that actually smelled like a tomato should... and then I left it all in the fridge at Susan's house. Hey, America's Next Top Model can be very distracting.

Miss you already, Allison. And plotting my return!

Repeat Offender

the notorious Mars Bar

Number of trips to Freeman's this visit: 3
Number of times I went to the Tasting Room Wine Bar for a latte: 5
Number of Grasshoppers consumed from Liquiteria: 3
Number of Sunday brunches eaten at Prune: 2
Number of days that included the purchase of a pair of shoes in SoHo: 3

If you live in New York and missed me this visit, I think you'll know where to find me next time!

Prettiest Latte In New York

9th Street Espresso

It All Still Looks Civilized at 8 PM

Allison

Keats and Amy

Eric

Ben

True confession - when I heard that some folks I know from high school were opening a tequila bar, my reaction was pretty much "Meh." Most of us have some kind of liquor we've had a bad experience with, and for me, it's tequila. And hey, when I knew Pat and Dylan, they weren't exactly the connoisseurs of fine liquors. OE and Mad Dog were more like it.

Barrio Chino is really something else though. The little plate they serve you with your tequila shot, with it's little glass of spicy tomato juice and refreshing slices of jicama, is so appetizing that I felt compelled to indulge in a little sip. Still, I was happy I had gone for the Coconut Mojito, and Allison was over the moon about her fancy non-alcoholic limeade. All week she's been trying to get bartenders to serve her up a creative n/a and until Barrio Chino, soda with a salted plum at the little Japanese bar was the closest she had come. Since that tasted like Alka Seltzer, the creativity points didn't really add up to much.

The food is outstanding, and rivals Carta de Oaxaca in Seattle, which is saying something, I think. I could eat that ceviche every night, and even though we were going out later for a dinner I knew would be fantastic, I couldn't resist stealing little pieces of steak from Ben's plate. Points for decor, too - I love all the lanterns, the gold wall and the big communal table.

But of course, the best thing was the company. They laughed at me a little for all the photos I was taking, but check out those portraits! I think my persistence paid off.

NYC ABCs

Just a few more photos for you today. It's a little hard to want to stay inside and post things on the blog when it's close to 80 degrees out and there are cute boys calling me saying "You, buck naked, Brooklyn, NOW!". Just kidding. Mostly. No, I am going to Brooklyn to see the boys I spent most of the summer after my sophomore year in high school with, but I am not getting naked any more than I am doing Jager shots, no matter how hot it gets here, and no matter how much peer pressure they apply.

Famous last words, right? Ha. No, I do think this is one resolution I can stick to.

Good Day at MoMA

More later kids!

My Kind of Marathon

Pam and I went to Coast of Utopia yesterday. We arrived at 11 AM and walked out of the Vivian Beauont Theater somewhere around 11 PM, with large sighs, utterly satisfied. It was a tremendously moving experience, and I couldn't possibly do it justice here in the few moments I have before Sunday brunch in the east village, so I will just say - it is surely one the most beautiful things I have ever seen a group of human beings do together.

I hope wherever you are there is something to cause you to ruminate on beauty, art, and love.

Oh Damn I Forgot To Water the Window Boxes!

Also forgotten? My address book, so if anyone out there expects to get a postcard, you might want to send me your address. I love to send postcards.

I've been trying to figure out what else I've forgotten, like sandals and really I could have used one more pair of jeans and the flats I brought are totally useless since they gave me a blister in about twelve seconds flat. But then I talked to Pam on the phone, and she told me that she packed hardly anything, because after all, being in New York is really about New York, not me, not the jeans or flats or even the postcards.

And the truth is, it's pretty easy to be in the moment and let being in New York be about New York when you are staying in a posh hotel in your favorite neighborhood, and when you are a girl who LOVES hotels. I love hotels! And the Bowery Hotel is lovable.

Look! Adorable little toothpaste container! Those keys that you leave at the front desk when you go out! In the little boxes! Delightful. And a good-looking lobby with a bar where they make sure they have tables for those of us who are staying at the hotel. Makes me feel a little smug, to be honest.
After lounging in my hotel room, Allison and I went over to the place where they have the best lattes in the East Village, and had some luscious snacks, including a duck terrine and their special homemade pickles. God, I love pickles. They had cucumber pickles, green tomato pickles, green bean pickles and okra pickles, all with unique pickle flavors, one with a little curry, one with a slightly asian flavor, one with some spice... delicious.

Before I let you go, I do want to say yes, I voted for Joseph and his cute nursery, let's all vote for him! Go Josey Ladd!

On My Way...

... to NYC. Yay!

This Boy Needs to Win!

So Dakota has entered Joseph's nursery in a nursery design competition and we all need to go vote for him!

They could win a $2000 store credit! I know that you have to register to vote, but it is actually quite a cool site and it takes only a moment.

I know that you all HAVE to think that he is as adorable and scrumptious as I think he is and he deserves all the wonderful deluxe baby stuff that they would be able to buy him with that credit!

Plus, I think Dakota and Clay deserve some props for making such a cute and stylish nursery out of such a teeny tiny space. Its colorful and whimsical and not a 'brand baby' nursery, which I think is especially cool in this day and age when everything is so Disney-fied.

See how cute! Now. please, go vote! Consider it your good deed for the day.

A Little Late, But Still...

Another lovely field trip yesterday. Several of them, actually. First there was coffee with Ben, back to the old standard, Fiore. I was extra late, so when I came in and just sat down with him rather than waiting. Bobby saw me and called over to ask if I wanted him to make me a latte. Fun as the coffee shop field trips are, that kind of thing really only happens with your neighborhood coffee shop.

After coffee, there was lunch with my delightful friend Paul, where we determined what the secret to relationships is, for us. More on that later, maybe. From lunch I was off to a play date with Dana and then Bright Eyes, as pictured earlier.

Surely the most difficult thing about my life these days is the fact that there's no way to capture all the fun on the pages of this blog. Don't you feel sorry for me? Ha. I must have half a dozen post ideas that I just haven't been able to get to. How many posts will you all read in a week anyway? I've always been curious about reader habits, whether people check the web site and just read what's on the front page - or do you scroll back and read earlier entries that you might have missed? I have to confess that when you post, Allison, I sometimes delay posting so that I won't "bury" what you've put up. Sometimes.

Anyway, the photos above are from Adventures with Dana. We had a great time, and her hair was lustrous as always. I had always wanted to go to Open Books, the all-poetry bookstore here in Seattle, so I was pretty excited when Dana suggested it. If anyone can keep a poetry bookstore from being scary, it's Dana. There is something a little intimidating about all poetry all the time, don't you think?

Turns out I needn't have been afraid at all. What a fantastic place! I loved all the quotes on the walls, the old typewriters and books books books. The guy who was there was one of the owners, I think (I should have asked!) and he was great, totally approachable and helpful. After we left, Dana said "I love going there, it's like having your own personal shopper, for poetry!"

Fact or Fiction: The Killington Curse...

An alpine skier, a snowboarder and a telemarker. There's a joke in there somewhere...

So, last weekend we were trapped in the city by Doctor’s appointments and Eugene’s work. We managed to salvage some fun by having dinner with my climbing ladies Friday, going out to dinner Saturday night and to the Bronx Botanical Gardens with the aforementioned climbing ladies on Sunday. Including HK who is wonderfully, gigantically, lusciously pregnant with her little girl and Tamara, who brought her precocious 3-year-old Sophie, and Elizabeth, who I just really, really love to see.

However, the weekend before we capped off our ski season with some sunny (70 degrees!) deep mashed potato snow skiing (or riding in my case) at Killington. It’s a mountain that is about an hour north of our house in Vermont where they accumulate enough snow to stay open until mid-May. Crazy people were skiing in bathing suits!

So happy! So sunny! We needed sunscreen for the lift ride.

We’ve always suffered from ‘The Killington Curse’, whereby something must go terribly wrong while we are there (I had a snowboard stolen, our car got sideswiped, our passes wouldn’t work, etc. etc. ad nauseum). However, with our mountain closed and so much delicious snow still around, we had to give it a try.

Euge and Kenny giving me their manliest pose before ripping down the black diamond behind them. Note Eugene's plaid and Kenny's jeans. We don't need no waterproof ski gear!

So we wrangled Eugene’s friend from college, Kenny, up from Boston. You may remember him from the wedding. He was the expert videographer who caught Euge diving over my head during our first dance. Anyhoo, he hopped into his Mini Cooper S and hightailed it up for the day.

The mini! So cute!

We had an awesome time. The day was sunny, the snow was deep, the terrain was steep and there were relatively few people there. Yay!

See! It's just us and the mountain...

And the Killington Curse? Well, Kenny’s bindings broke so I suppose there is still something to it. Ah well.

Me, apres ski. I got a bit of a sunburn.

This post was somewhat delayed because I was waiting for my photos to come back from the developer. These bad boys were taken with a disposable camera….

Toys Under A Microscope

Concert aftermath - musta been seeing all those youngsters that took us back to our high school days and the ever-reliable Dick's Deluxe

Went to the Bright Eyes show at the Paramount tonight. Looooved it*! As much for the fact that the entire crowd seemed to be made up of high school students as for the music, all hoodies and text messaging. I am old and after three hours of standing, all I can say is - my back hurts. Hee!

More later.

* please understand, though, as cute as he is, he is still no Jeff Tweedy, Isaac Brock, Kevin Russell or Jimmy Smith.