Happy New Year!

 

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this:  To rise above the little things.  -John Burroughs

Snow Jobs and Staycations

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. A lot sure has happened since the last time I posted, huh? First, I spent a week in New York City running around like a headless chicken buying and wrapping Christmas gifts, decorating and cleaning our apartment, cooking, buying booze, and getting organized for our holiday party, cleaning up from said party (it was a blast), packing for our two-week bi-coastal holiday tour, baking six raisin coffee cakes, and readying the apartment for our absence. Then, we loaded up the car, drove up to Boston, and spent Christmas Eve and Christmas cooking, shopping, putting up Christmas trees, eating, drinking, opening gifts and playing with them, and visiting with JM's family (we also saw The King's Speech-amazing- run, don't walk, to the theater. But I digress). Then, on Sunday, we packed up all our stuff and gifts, and got ready to fly to California, only to learn that there was a huge snowstorm coming, and there was no way we were getting out. What followed was a circus of scrambling to re-think and re-book our plans ("Do you have any flights from Providence to Las Vegas?"), set to the mellifluous tones of 12 continuous hours of airline customer-service hold music. Somewhere in the madness, my in-laws' golden retriever ate one of the aforementioned raisin coffee cakes whole, and had to be driven through the blizzard to the animal hospital (raisins are potentially toxic to dogs, as you know if you read this, but he's fine now). Then, yesterday, as we carefully drove our way back to New York City (in a rare and precious rental car) to make our flights, we got word that they had been canceled again.  So, we decided that sometimes you can't fight fate, that we weren't going anywhere, and we settled back in to our own cozy apartment, from which I am writing this.


But all is not lost! If we can't have a vacation, at least we can have a STAYcation, and enjoy ourselves while we are holed up. We plan to take long walks in the Park, read our books by the fireplace, go to the movies, play board games, get drinks at fancy hotels, and generally try to ignore/put off non-pressing responsibilities until later. So for those of you who can't get out of town, be it for meteorological reasons, or logistical or financial ones, here are some tips for the perfect staycation. As a bonus, you might actually end up relaxed at the end of it.


1. Plan Ahead
he real trick to a successful staycation is getting yourself to treat it like a real vacation. Obviously, we didn't really have the luxury of doing this ourselves, but, if you can, set beginning and end dates for your staycation. Let your office know you won't be in or available during that time. Resist the urge to say, "I'll just be at home, so if you really need me..." Then, start scheduling things you want to do for each day. If you really want to unplug, schedule a cleaner to come in on the last day of your staycation, to do all the laundry and dishes, and change the sheets. That way you can completely ignore your chores, guilt-free. 

2. Do Research
You may think you know everything these is to do in your own town, but do some research on the internet, or in guidebooks for fun activities. You may be surprised by how many local tourism attractions you have never seen or done.  I've lived in New York City for seven years, and the list of museums, art galleries, tall buildings, boat and walking tours I've never seen or been on is far, far, longer than the one of those I have. Not to mention all of the cool shops, restaurants and neighborhoods I haven't yet explored. Like pretty much all of Brooklyn.


3. Do Activities
Sitting around the house watching TV does not a memorable vacation make (no matter how much you want to catch up on the last season of Dexter). To make a staycation work, you have to get out of the house. Think of what you would do on your ideal day (other than watching TV)- be it ice skating, skydiving, or reading in a coffee shop, and find out where to do it (if you have kids, make sure to ask them what they would like to do, too, and incorporate it into the plan). Buy tickets to a local theater production, amusement park, sporting event, festival or concert. Make reservations at restaurants and write out a plan and schedule for each day, and then follow it!


4. Be Nice To Yourself
Schedule a massage, spa day, or manicure and pedicure one day of your break. Go to that yoga class you've been wanting to try but never had the time for. If you eat out and order take-out during your break (as you should, unless grocery shopping and cooking are your idea of a fun vacation activity), just be mindful of not overindulging- a dessert or two is fine, but at the end of your vacation, you should aim to feel well rested, healthy, and good about yourself.


Stay classy, everyone!

Apple Appeal

So, am I predictable, or what? Here it is, the first day of December, and I'm on the blog with a sweet bread recipe. Just like last fall, and the fall before that. I can't help it: I am an entirely unsurprising human- I've had the same haircut and used the same makeup for eight years, I'll watch every Real Housewives Bravo can throw at us, I like exactly the same movies Roger Ebert does, and you could set your watch by my seasonal cravings. What were you expecting: a sorbet recipe? And this kind of bread is perfect for this time of year- it's easy to make, makes your kitchen smell amazing, works as both a breakfast pastry and simple dessert during the entertaining season, and travels well as a gift.  I bake up a bunch of loaves at once, wrap them up attractively, and bring them to holiday parties as a welcome alternative to another bottle of wine (not that I would turn down a bottle of wine, ever).
Anyway, I sort of improvised this recipe to make it a little spicy and flavorful, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out. So, see? It seems predictable ol' Lil has a few tricks up her sleeve after all.

You Will Need:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup very soft or melted butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and chopped apples (about 4-5 apples, any variety)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325, and grease two loaf pans and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, place the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt, and whisk to combine.

 Step 2: Peel the apples, and chop finely, and set aside. A combination of whatever varieties you have floating around in your fruit bowl will yield a more complex flavor. I used Galas and Granny Smiths.








 Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla, and whisk to combine. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, and stir well to make sure all is well combined. Then, fold in the apples and walnuts. Divide batter evenly between two greased pans, and bake for about 75 minutes (or until a toothpick can be poked into the center and comes out clean- you know the drill). Cool for 15-20 minutes on a rack before inverting pans.

Step 4: Wrap cooled loaves tightly in foil, and store at room temperature. They will keep for up to 4 days... not that you will be able to resist eating them long before that. Predictably delicious.

Happy Turkey Day!

Here's wishing you a wonderful day of food, family, football (if that's your thing), friends, feasting, and way more fun than these people are having. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

photo credit: via Bricolage

Where's Wife-O?

When I'm disappointingly absent from this blog, you may wonder to yourself what it is I'm doing that is so freaking important. Most of the time, I'm actually in the kitchen whipping up my little concoctions, or cleaning up the inevitable mess created by said whipping. Or I'm lint-rolling my lampshades, organizing the linen closet, tending my mini-garden, cleaning out the fridge, and all the other mundane things I write about. Otherwise, what would I have to write a blog about? Writing a blog? That's so meta, I would bore myself to sleep, and the whole blog would just be a long line of zzzzzz's.
But sometimes, when I'm not here, it's because I'm over blogging at BonAppetit.com.  Like today, when they posted a little story I wrote for them about how to host a cookie swap party. Sounds like fun, right? I know! So be good little girls and boys and hop over there and check it out.  It's like during sweeps when TV networks do crossover episodes and characters from CSI: Miami show up to help solve a crime on CSI: LA, or CSI: Las Vegas, or CSI: The Moon, or whatever.  Only it's me, instead of David Caruso, who's popping up. And there won't be any dead strippers involved in impossibly disgusting deaths. And it's about a cookie party. Actually, okay fine, it's not really like CSI at all. It's better! So go over and check it out, and click on the links and comment (if you feel like it) about how you've never read a better story about cookie swap parties and whatnot, so they think I'm super popular. In the meantime, I'll be here, washing my dog.

How To Throw A Holiday Cookie Swap Party at BonAppetit.com

Happy July 4th!

Happy Independence Day, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the big four F's today: Family, Friends, Food and Fireworks (just remember not to let very small cherubic children play with explosives, please).



Where liberty dwells, there is my country.  -Benjamin Franklin

Drinko de Mayo

I'm getting a little old (or maybe just a little lame) for heavy midweek drinking, which is why I was disappointed to learn that Cinco de Mayo (that's May 5th for those of you who are uniligual) falls on a Wednesday this year. But I'm not one to let another country's national holidays an opportunity for a theme party go uncelebrated (you should see me on Bastille Day) no matter how inconvenient the timing is for me. So, this year,  I've come up with an elegant solution. Instead of drinking a pitcher-full of overly-sweet, stomach-souring margaritas that will render me useless tomorrow, this year I'll be toasting Mexico's independence Mexico's victory at the Battle of Puebla with a lighter, less-boozy, (but arguably equally festive) libation: The Chelada. 
There are tons of ways to make a chelada: some people insist on Clamato juice and Worcestershire sauce as essential ingredients, but I usually find the most simple is the best- just fresh lime juice, beer and salt- it's like a bubbly, refreshing margarita without the hangover. Like if lemonade and beer had a baby. Which means I'll be in great shape for Seis de Mayo.

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice + 1 wedge of lime
1 light-flavored beer (Corona and Dos Equis work nicely, but Budwieser or Coors will do in a pinch)
margarita salt

What You Do:
1. Run lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass. Put rim into bowl of salt, to rim edge.
2. Fill glass with ice and pour lime juice and beer into the glass (I know it may seem sacreligious to pour beer over ice, but don't knock it til you try it). Garnish with lime wedge.
3. Fiesta!

Happy Easter!

Wishing you a joyful Easter with all your favorite peeps!

Happy President's Day!

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man. - George Washington

Happy Valentine's Day!

Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh. ~W.H. Auden

Happy MLK day!

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Am Resolute

Well, here we are, back to our normal lives. We flew back from California on a redeye this morning. Now, my husband, JM, is back at work, the tree is all dried out (despite my best efforts, the poor thing can't water itself), the confetti has been swept up, and it seems laundry, dust, and reality are raining down from the sky in its place. But all is not lost. With the new year comes the opportunity for new beginnings and new pursuits, and I have been working on determining what mine will be. While we were in California, JM tried surfing and yoga for the first time (when in Rome...), and succeeded at both riding waves and balancing in Warrior II pose, so he is already well ahead of me.

I put a lot of thought into my resolutions, because, unlike some of you procrastinators out there, I actually accomplish them. Exhibit A: My resolutions from last year. Run a marathon? Did it. Cook less chicken? Yep. Get a dog? Did I ever. Be a good friend? Well, at least I'm a good hostess. Keep this blog fun and useful? Well, it's still fun for me!

So, without further ado, here are this year's almost-certain-to-be-accomplished resolutions.
1. Timing Is Everything. I recognize that I have a major shortcoming when it comes to time management. For example, I started this post at 11 a.m., but have gotten distracted and interrupted so many times that I still haven't finished it. I'm going to start using (and referencing) my iPhone calendar to schedule my life, and start being more consistently on time.
2. Train My Dog. I have already taught her to sit, lie down, wait, shake hands, stand on her back feet, and "hold it" while indoors (unless she gets really excited). Now, I want to take an obedience class and work on keeping her from jumping up on people and trying to lick their faces (or eat JM's dinner off the coffee table). Once she masters that, maybe I'll teach her to jump-rope.
3. Sell my Stuff on eBay. I have more "stuff"- clothes I don't wear anymore, appliances I don't have room for, tools I never use - than I have valued items I actually use and enjoy. It's time to stop spending all our hard-earned cash on eBay, and start making cash off it, instead.

This year's resolutions may seem a little less ambitious than last year's, but my life is so good right where it is, I can hardly think of anything major to change! Here's hoping for another successful year.

How did you do on last year's resolutions, and what are you going to do this year? Do tell!

Happy New Year!

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.  ~Benjamin Franklin

Merry Merry!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light,
From now on our troubles will be out of sight.

Here's wishing you and your families the most charmed of Christmases, wherever you are headed!

Oh, Fudge!

It is truly the most wonderful time of the year. Because, for these few weeks between Thanksgiving and your New Year's resolutions, you have full permission to eat things you would never eat during the rest of the year. Now, I am not suggesting that you pig out on anything and everything (put down the fruitcake and back away slowly), but a few well-selected seasonal indulgences are not only allowed, they are encouraged. And this dark chocolate peppermint fudge is not only easy to make and delicious in a festive way, but it's super-rich, so a little goes a long way. It travels well, so you can make a batch, package it sweetly and give it to your neighbors for credit that will last well into the New Year. Go ahead, fudge a little.

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Fudge

What You Need:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup crushed hard peppermint candy (roughly 3 candy canes)

What You Do:
In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat; stir in peppermint extract.











Spread evenly into waxed or parchment paper-lined 8-or 9-inch baking pan with a spatula.







To break up candy canes, place them in a ziplock bag, and bang with a rolling pin or frying pan.






Sprinkle with peppermint candy. Chill 2 hours or until firm.








Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off waxed paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Tipping Tips

Unless you're Cornelius Vanderbilt IX, right about this time of year, what with all the parties, gifts and travel, you probably feel a distinct lightening in your wallet, and meanwhile, your credit card bill is likely arriving with an extra stamp to accommodate its new-found heft. But before you cross the last name off your gift list, you also need to remember the people who have provided services for you this year, and, ideally, give them a little cash tip to thank them. This process -- who to tip and how much -- has proven to be one of the most opaque things about adulthood, for me, anyway, and I am still not sure I've got it right. Here's a little list of people you may have forgotten about this holiday season, who deserve a little extra something. If you truly can't afford to spend one more penny this year, you can always write a sincere card thanking them, or give them something else, like a box of homemade cookies (or check in tomorrow for a recipe for easy, festive fudge). Though, if you have a personal trainer and a cleaning lady and can't afford to give a tip, you need to work on your budgeting skills. May I suggest you buy a Roomba and a Jane Fonda workout video, instead? Just don't turn off the lights and pretend you've gone out of town early to avoid the whole problem.

Babysitter: Tip a regular babysitter one- to two-nights' pay. Tip a daily babysitter or au pair one week's pay. In addition, give them a small gift from the child- they deserve it for looking after your progeny all year.

Doorman/ Superintendant: $10-80 for each doorman (depending on how much you have used their help), $50-100 for the Super.

Mailperson/ Newspaper Deliverer: $10-20 is appropriate for each, but if giving cash makes you uncomfortable, you could always give a gift card to Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts of equal value.

Cleaning Person: If you have someone clean your house twice a week or less, a tip equivalent to one visit's fee is appropriate. Adjust the amount if they come more or less often. They'll be less likely to throw a red sock in with your whites.

Personal Trainer: $40-60, if you feel you have a good relationship and they have worked hard with you.

Hairstylist/ Manicurist: Depending on your relationship, you may want to double your usual tip during your December visit. This is unnecessary if you have no personal relationship with them.

Dog Walker/Groomer: Give the walker the equivalent of 1 week's pay, and the groomer $20-50, but only if you use the same one frequently.

Just when you thought you were finished with your shopping. On the bright side, at least you can shop for all these folks at the same place- the ATM.

French Is Best

Sure, they can be snooty, but most of the time, I feel like the French have good reason to be. I mean, they just do everything so well- they way they eat, the way they dress... It's gotten to the point where people just call great things "French" even when I don't know if the Gauls even really had anything to do with inventing them, like French Fries or, the topic of this post, French toast.
French toast is one of my favorite brunch items. It's perfect for those times when you can't decide between bready pancakes or eggs for breakfast- why not combine the two elements and then top it with whipped cream and syrup? Sounds like a solution we can all get behind.
It's also a great festive breakfast for a holiday morning or (as we had this weekend) when you have weekend guests. I've been making French toast since my high school sleepovers (yeah, I was already this twee back then), but I recently discovered a great "grown up" orange-liqueur-tinged version on Simply Recipes that I combined with my old standby to create my new go-to recipe. The booze lends a delicious rich flavor, but cooks off, so feel free to toss back another mimosa. Happy Holidays! Or rather, Joyeuses Fêtes!

Orange French Toast
(serves 4)

You Will Need:
4 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh grated orange rind
1/4 cup triple sec
A pinch of salt
A loaf of crusty french bread or baguette sliced into 3/4" pieces - stale bread is okay.
Butter

1. Beat eggs, and combine them with the milk, cinnamon, orange rind, salt, and triple sec in a bowl.
2. Arrange bread in the bottom of a rimmed baking pan, and pour egg mixture on top. If making in advance, cover with foil or saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, allow to soak for a few moments.
3. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or frying pan, over medium heat. Add the toast slices in batches (as many as will fit), and cook on each side until browned and aromatic, about 3 minutes to a side.
4. Top with fresh whipped cream, maple syrup and fresh berries (because fruit makes it healthy!).

Tree's Company

Now that I'm back in New York, I really have to kick into gear with my Christmas preparations. I was so distracted by my planning for my trip to California and running the marathon that I honestly haven't done a thing about Christmas and New Year's. Time to get rolling on the gift-buying, party planning, and home decorating, stat. Today, I am buzzing around like one of Santa's elves, unpacking, cleaning, and digging out all our Christmas stuff from storage. And tonight, JM and I are going out to buy our tree. While I'm excited, I'm still smarting from trees of year's past, which have completely dried out, and become stiff, grayish messes by the middle of December. They didn't look too hot, were a major fire hazard, and you should have seen the trail of pine needles I had to vacuum up going all the way down the building's stairs when we finally got rid of them. So, this year, I finally did my research, and realized all of the mistakes I have made with previous years' trees, and am determined not to make them again. Here's how to keep a Christmas tree (or Hanukkah bush) fresh, green and alive (at least until the holidays are over).

1. Buy Fresh. Try to get a tree that has been cut down in the last three days. That can be tough if you live in, say, Arizona, but if you ask the vendor ahead of time, they will generally be honest with you about how long trees have been sitting around, and when there are new deliveries arriving. If you time your trip to the Christmas tree stand according to that schedule, as an added bonus, you'll also get first dibs on that perfectly shaped tree before anyone else sees it.
2. Slice Job: Before you take your tree home, have the seller slice off the bottom of the trunk for you. When a tree has been out of water for more than a few hours, the trunk saps up, leaving it unable to absorb water. A fresh cut will make your beauty ready to soak up water.
3. The Water, the Whole Water... When you get your tree home, put it in a stand with a reservoir that holds at least one gallon of water. A tree can drink up to a gallon a day, so make sure you refill it every night (relax, it's only for a couple weeks). Never let the water level get lower than the bottom cut of the trunk, as any exposure to air will allow the cut to sap up, and you will have to re-cut it to get it to absorb water again. I always use my lemonade pitcher for this task- it pours evenly and keeps me from spilling water all over the floor.
4. ...And Nothing But the Water. No matter what you have heard, adding things to the tree's water like aspirin or bleach doesn't keep the tree fresher longer. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. Just give the tree water, and it will be happy. Well, as happy as something that has been chopped down can be.
5. Cool It. Don't put your tree right next to your fireplace (this is a hard one for us, since we have fireplaces in almost every room... yes, I am bragging about my fireplaces again), or anywhere where it will be exposed to too much hot air (like on top of your radiator's floor vent, as I did last year - oops). Surprise, surprise, dry, hot air will cause your tree to dry out. Likewise, the large-bulb Christmas lights emit far more heat than the small ones, so avoid them if you can possibly resist.

Learn from my mistakes, and you'll have a gorgeous, green, living tree. Or don't, and at least you'll end up with some great kindling.

photo credit: Country Living

Be My Guest

This is the time of year when people travel around the world to see one another, and, happily, a lot of our favorite people end up making pit stops in New York City. That means that our usually docile social life perks up a bit, and that we have a few houseguests who will be availing themselves of the Murphy bed in our guest room in the coming weeks. And we, ourselves, will be taking over the guest room at my in-laws' house in Boston over Christmas, and back here in California at my parents' house for New Year's. While receiving visitors is one of my favorite things (what could be better than friends coming to see me in my cozy nest and I don't even have to put my shoes on?), there is certainly such a thing as a bad houseguest. As the saying goes, "Visits always bring pleasure - if not the arrival, the departure." When someone is planted in your personal space, sometimes the simplest things can make the biggest difference between the former and the latter. Here are some easy tips about how to be the kind of houseguest that gets invited back again and again.

1. Keep It Clean: This one is obvious, but no matter how much your host implores you to "make yourself at home," remember that you aren't in your home. While it might be fine for you to leave your bed unmade, dirty socks on the floor, and dirty dishes on the coffee table chez vous, don't do any of those things while staying with someone else. Keep the guest room and guest bathroom tidy, as if they might walk in at any moment. And when you leave, offer to strip the bedsheets (your host may or may not want to deal with the laundry right away), gather up used towels, and do a thorough check to make sure you are leaving the spaces you used in good order. I'm not saying you have to mop or clean the windows, but, think like CSI, and try not to leave an excessive amount of your DNA lying around: dispose of your used tissues, nail clippings, and any unusual amount of hair you may have left in the shower drain. Gross to read about, I know, but even grosser to pick up after someone else.
2. Lend a Hand: Your hosts may enjoy catering to your every need, or they may not. To offset the work they are doing on your behalf, offer to help with the little chores around the house- cooking, walking the dog, etc. (or offer to write their blog for them). The day after Thanksgiving, I came downstairs to see that my mother-in-law had already washed all the dishes, and I nearly fainted with gratitude. You don't have to offer to paint their house or mow the lawn (grand gestures are unnecessary), but that's the effect you should be going for.
3. Go With the Flow: No matter how much they love you, chances are, your visit is disrupting your hosts' usual daily rhythms. Be mindful of that, and try to ease into their schedule as much as possible. Eat when they eat, and if you are up earlier or later then they are, do your best not to disturb them. Unless you have major jetlag as an excuse, don't sleep in late and force them to tiptoe around you. If you make plans with other people while you are in town (which is totally fine), let your hosts know ahead of time, so they know they are free to make their own plans during that time.
4. Come Bearing Gifts: Bringing an inexpensive token is a great way to soften up your hosts when you arrive. And, I always say, think ahead, and a gift at the beginning of the visit can be much less elaborate or expensive than sending flowers or something after the fact. Alternatively, you could offer to take your hosts out to a meal or cook for them in the house- but make sure to schedule the event at the beginning of the visit, so it really happens. And always always send a thank-you note afterwards: It will cost you five minutes and a stamp, which is a far better deal than $450/night to stay at the Holiday Inn in Chinatown. And it's a sure-fire way to be invited back.

P.S. To my not-too-distant-future houseguests: while your visits were the inspiration for this post, I know you all to be gracious and kind people, and did not write this as a pointed hint towards you. I am sure you all have lovely houseguest manners all on your own, and JM and I are so looking forward to seeing you. That is all.
image credit: chrisstott.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John F. Kennedy

Wishing you all fat turkeys, victorious football teams, high-flying balloons, full bellies, happy families, and much to be grateful for!