5.28.09

I miss Trader Joe's like you wouldn't believe. TJ's was a hop, skip and a jump from our apartment in Boston. Unfortunately, the ENTIRE island of Manhattan has to share ONE Trader Joe's, so it is pretty much not worth your time to go. After you wait 30 minutes in line to get in the door, bump elbows with 5 million other people to grab your items and then wait for 30 minutes in line to check out, the food is infinitely more expensive time-wise.

I am a HUGE fan of Fresh Direct and if you live in New York I would check it out. It's cheap, fast, easy and very high quality.

That said, if you have a Trader Joe's, find one and buy the harvest grain mix. We don't eat a lot of rice or cous cous, but this mix is INCREDIBLE. It's a combination of orzo, Israeli cous cous, red quinoa and baby garbanzo beans. I threw together a salad with it the other night and it was beyond amazing--quite possibly the PERFECT summer meal.

Want to try some yourself? Use Ina Garten's panzanella recipe, but use only 3 Tbsp. olive oil and sub in one cup cooked grains for the croutons. Delish, y'all!

Summer Dinner Party Mix

Friday night we had some fr-amily (that is, friends who just happen to be family) over for dinner. We threw together some deliciously tasty pizza (topped with mozzarella, feta and fresh pineapple), sipped iced white tea with ginger, played a good bit of Six Degrees of Separation and caught up on each other's lives.

Want to recreate a great night like this at your home? You'll need: one batch fresh garlic pizza dough, one batch marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, feta, a pineapple and a great playlist.

Fresh Garlic Pizza Dough (from my friend Jamie)
3 cups flour (give or take)
1.5 tsp salt
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 cup warm water
1 pkg of regular yeast (or if you do an overnight rise, you only need a tsp of yeast
1 Tbsp or so of fresh chopped garlic (feel free to use more--we do!)

Mix 2 cups flour and salt in a bowl. Dissolve yeast in the water and pour into the flour mixture. Add olive oil and garlic and stir until just combined. Dump it all out onto a floured surface, and kneed, adding in the last cup (more or less) until the consistency is right and dough is fully mixed. Then I drizzle some olive oil in a big bowl and slosh the dough ball around in it to keep it moist, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for two hours or so. If you want to get fancy and fabulous, punch it back down and pop it in the fridge over night. The over night rise retards the yeast expansion and lets the flavors really get fabulous. Then pull the dough out of the fridge several hours before using it to let it get pliable again.

We make 2 large, thin crust pizzas out of this. Nathan even throws the dough in the air like a real pizza man for extra flourish!

Marinara sauce (adapted from The Joy of Cooking)
1-28 oz can of tomatoes (I like Muir Glen--already with basil or fire roasted) (You can also use 2 pounds fresh tomatoes)
1/3 cup olive oil
Herbs: basil, oregano, chili peppers, etc.

Combine and let simmer 30ish minutes. To make this more like store-bought pizza sauce, you'll need to add some sugar or honey. We don't bother, but you might be drawn to sweet pizza sauces.

Playlist:
Loves Me Like a Rock - Paul Simon
Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out - Cat Stevens
New Soul - Yael Naim
Do You Remember - Jack Johnson
Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful
And When I Die - Blood, Sweat and Tears
Pencil Thin Mustache - Jimmy Buffett
Little Bit O' Soul - The Music Explosion
Louisiana Saturday Night - Mel McDaniel
Too Many Fish in the Sea - Marvelettes
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Dancing in the Moonlight - Van Morrison
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Octopus' Garden - The Beatles
Out of My Head - Fastball
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

5.22.09

I just woke up at the crack of dawn to chop garlic to make pizza dough. It was glorious! I love being awake early in the morning and being able to chop garlic was an added bonus.

Hopefully, I'll make it through the work day after my early rise. I have no idea if we get to leave early this afternoon. I'm hoping we can leave at 4:00. That would be perfect. We have dinner guests coming over at 7:30 and I was hoping to make an apple pie too. Why yes, it does sound as if we're carb loading, doesn't it? We aren't. I just promised Nathan last weekend I'd make him an apple pie and today seemed like a good day to do so since we'll be able to share it with others.

I was planning on having spicy hummus (made last weekend) with carrots as an appetizer, but my carrots spontaneously turned to mush yesterday. Yuck! I think we may have fresh pineapple as an appetizer now.

Y'all, I am so looking forward to this weekend. Starting with breakfast tomorrow, we are being so selfish with our long weekend and not sharing it with anyone but each other. We're planning on walks, possibly some fabric shopping (yes, Nathan is prepared to go fabric shopping with me) and lots of little home projects that are always put aside when we have exciting weekend plans come up.

I've spent the past two weekends running around the city and the New Jersey suburbs with friends and next weekend we have family visiting. A weekend for regrouping couldn't come at a better time.

I hope y'all have a most relaxing or fun or productive or perfect (you choose) weekend you want!

5.15.09

It's so hard to say goodbye to a television show's characters at the end of the season. Does anyone else feel this way?

We only watch 3 shows together (and I watch The Hills separately--Nathan won't watch until Spencer is no longer a character) and so I have an attachment to "my" shows and "my" characters. Not having a television means I can't mindlessly flip through channels and it also means that I choose to commit to a small, select group of shows.

I will miss Jim and Pam this summer. I will wish once a week on Thursdays that Michael and Holly could somehow live in the same town again. I will wonder what Jack and Liz are up to. I will continue to wonder everyday how the cast of Heroes is going to get out of the mess they created and, more importantly, I will wonder why they got themselves into that mess to start with.***

It's a long summer without my old television friends, but at least I have a long four months ahead of me to re-watch every episode of Friends, read cookbooks, take long walks with my husband and eat fresh tomatoes and blueberries and peaches and watermelon. I suppose summer is worth saying goodbye to television if the trade is fresh produce.

***Yes, I do have a penchant for NBC shows. Why do you ask?

5.14.09

Today, I love:

-white grape juice

-getting out of jury duty because I no longer live in Boston

-black beans and peppers and onions

-Google docs and shared online budgets

-raspberry gelato

The cold, hard facts

The fact of the matter is that I've been too busy living to recount my life on the internet. It's a good place to find oneself. I am literally bursting with lists of things I want to accomplish and ideas I want to express, but I simply can't find the time to put it out here between all of the wonderful things I've been doing with time.

For one, a Mama cat near our subway stop had kittens and I've had to take time on to my commute to stare at them each day. Yes, I have named them. Yes, I have already asked Nathan if I could have one. No, Miss Marple is not going to get any siblings.

I fall more in love with our neighborhood every day. We are moved away from being DINKs (Double Income No Kids) to being "breeders" without the baby yet. I think this is really the best way to describe us. (Side note: Is breeders a strictly NYC term? Everyone here says it--either with delight or disdain. You either hate or love breeders. I, obviously, love them.) Anyway, our neighborhood is full of breeders and really sweet elderly couples. Y'all--our street is closed during the day from traffic and turned into a mini-playground. We have an honest to goodness crossing guard. It fills my heart with joy to walk outside.

One of the cutest little boys ever, who just so happens to live in our building, asked his mother the other morning on the elevator if Nathan was a police officer. I find this unbelievably charming and hilarious. Nathan was wearing khakis and a polo. I guess he just seemed really tall and friendly?

We said goodbye to our friend Alicia today for a few months. She left today for India. Her advenures can be followed at A Goes East. I'm so excited for her and I can't wait to hear all about India.

So, you know, life is going on. Sorry I keep forgetting to share it with you. I promise I'll try to do better.

What's the story, Morning Glory?

It is not a Morning Glory kind of morning here in New York City. It's foggy and drizzly and humid and sticky and, wouldn't you know, I've been up since 7:00 am cleaning.

I'm waiting for the library to open because I have about a hundred thousand books on hold that I need to pick up. Then, oh and I'm so excited, two of my dear friends from Boston are coming into town around lunchtime. We have an afternoon of shopping planned followed by a giant night out with lots of girls. I am beyond excited.

Today while I'm out shopping, I'm on the hunt for: a khaki jacket, comfy heels, a black jersey dress and little gifts and trinkets for my giveaway. Who's the lucky recipient?

Well, I used random.org to pick the winner and it is The Landlocked Mermaid! Y'all, she is going through a tough time right now since her grandmother passed away and I cannot wait to shower her with a little love in the form of a package of goodies. So, LM, email me (nathanandrachelann AT gmail DOT COM) your mailing address and I'll have that in the mail to you soon.

I wanted to answer a few questions from the comments on our Welcome post:

First off, we would love to meet up with anyone who happens to be in New York. We don't have many regular places yet, so we aren't much help there, but we're always up for grabbing dinner or coffee (or cupcakes!). Just let us know when you'll be around. Now, as to when we'll be in North Carolina, who knows. It's so sad, but we have no upcoming trips planned. I am incredibly busy at work right now and probably will be for at least 3-4 months, so I hesitate to buy any tickets.

Also, I'm so excited that so many people that I've lost contact with throughout the years are reading! I've added all of you to my Reader, so hopefully we can keep up with each other now.

Lisa said she was surprised at the size of our apartment. It's true, Lisa, we have a FANTASTIC apartment per NYC standards, but we also live way, way uptown which makes it more affordable. We also looked about, no joking, 50 apartments so we had a lot of choice. I think a lot of people see one or two, fall in love and go for it, but Nathan and I want different things about of living spaces. It took a while to find one that hit on all of our desires.

And yes, Sal, the frames are Bed, Bath & Beyond. I tend to go low end when I buy things like picture frames or, really, anything that doesn't need to really be used. If it hangs or sits, it most likely cheap. For instance, many of the items in our living room were either found at Ikea, Bed Bath & Beyond or, my favorite, the street. We have a few flea market and yard sale pieces too. I like the thrill of the hunt and I find it inspiring that I'm never quite finished.

Hope you all have a fabulous Saturday and a great Mother's Day tomorrow!

The Month in (Book) Review: April 2009

I learned to read when I was four years old and I haven't stopped reading since. Of course, I toned down my pleasure reading considerably during the eight years I was in high school and college, but since graduation I have started reading for fun again.

I love book recommendations and hearing what others are reading, so I thought I'd start sharing what I've been reading each month. I enjoy reading lots of different kinds of books, but I'm most drawn to interesting novels, creative non-fiction and writings about food or cuisine.

I enjoy reading fluffy books or chick lit most on the beach. I read a lot of these "junk food for the mind" books in college since my brain couldn't handle anything denser, so now I tend to not read them as often.

Other criteria? Well, I definitely judge books by their cover. Anything with an interesting design will get me to at least read the inner jacket, if not the entire book. Also, I do almost all of my reading exclusively on the subway, so books that are too long or large or just seem like they would be uncomfortable to hold with one hand I pass by.

So, what have I been reading this month?


Cheri: The Last of Cheri by Colette

Honestly, I'm not sure why I bothered finishing this book. I was bored the entire time I was reading it and, also, a little bit sickened. I was intrigued in the library by the fact that the edition I read had the original French text printed on the left-hand pages with the English translation on the right.

The plot centers on an aging courtesan and her young lover who is getting married. Honestly, not much happens and the characters are so grossly self-centered that it is infuriating. I suppose if you were intrigued by the way of life of aristocratic Parisians pre-WWI then it might be a good read. I was glad that it was short.

Skylark Farm by Antonia Arslan

This was a very difficult book to read. It is a semi-autobiographical work about the author's family during the Armenian genocide. It is not graphic, but, rather, deeply poetic and the humiliation and despair of the family is portrayed so vividly that I cried every day on the subway as I read it.

I suppose it wasn't helped by the fact that I know a number of Armenians from my time at AUBG and I was reading the book during the anniversary of the death marches, but it was almost painful to read this book. Also, one of the characters is named Garo (what my nieces call my Daddy) and he's described:
"The sexton is named Garo and he is a simple man of God. Indeed, he speaks with God every day and is surprised that others don't do the same." (Skylark Farm, p. 54)

In short, while incredibly difficult to read, I loved this book. I highly recommend that you read it if you are not afraid of shedding a tear or two where you are reading. The resilence of the human spirit makes for a beautiful story.

The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost) by Adam D. Roberts

When I picked this book up, I had no idea that Adam Roberts writes a highly successful blog called The Amateur Gourmet. I suppose it was an interesting enough book, but it wasn't wow-ing. I really enjoyed reading about his experiences at nice restaurants in New York City, but I don't consider myself to be a gourmet, so he sort of lost me there. I guess what I'm saying is: it wasn't him, it was me.

The Revolution: A Field Manual for Changing Your World edited by Heather Zydek

Well, this book knocked my socks off. I started reading this prepared to have many of my life choices affirmed and expecting to end the book feeling pretty good about myself. Instead, almost immediately this collection of 12 essays about Relevant Magazine's ideas of the biggest issues facing our world knocked the air out of me. This was another book that stirred me to cry on the subway.

Here is what is great about the collection though--each essay centers around on what you--as a human, as a Christian, as a privileged member of our society--can do to help. Each problem has suggestions that anyone can do (pray) and that most people can do (donate time or money). Resources are spelled out clearly and the takeaway of the book is not that all hope is lost and that we should give up because of the problems overwhelming our world, but rather than hope is to be found around every corner and that change is possible in our lifetimes.

I highly recommend the essays to anyone who feels overwhelmed by the many problems of our world and to Christians who feel a call to do something, but especially to Christians who are content NOT thinking about all of the things we need to be doing. The book certainly challenged me with the chapters on gang violence and poverty--two things that I realized many of my fellow subway riders were probably dealing with, but that I, in my safe neighborhood and comfortable apartment, gave little thought to.
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Nathan read this book in the seventh grade and was surprised when I picked it up that I had never read it. Apparently, 7th grade Nathan hated this book and I can see why--it's subtly weightly. I thought the book was beautiful and enjoyed reading it immensely. The plots focuses on a Chinese farmer living in a time of great tumult: pre-revolutionary China. True to life, however, these major events are given only a passing glance--the real story for the farmer is about his wife and children and father and land. The story seems so simple until you really start to think about it and you realize the point of the book is about self-absorbtion and the quiet beauty and horror of the mundane and regular. The ending could be seen as terribly sad, but also as a natural part of the cycle of life. I'll pull a Levar Burton and tell you to read it to see what you think.

Well, that's it for this month. What have you been reading?

Welcome!

This is the view that greets you from our front door. Welcome to our new apartment and to the new blog! Come on in.

Turning left, you can look down the hall into my FAVORITE room in the new place and the room that sold us on this apartment--the kitchen. Yes, that is a classroom-sized chalkboard there on the right. Right now it has a triple integral or somesuch on it. Nathan is a mathematician (like, he actually has published research) and he's always working on something on that chalkboard. I dream of it covered in quotes and little drawings, but it is his chalkboard, so integrals it is.

The chalkboard is the inspiration for the name of this new blog. When my best friend heard we had a chalkboard in the kitchen, she remarked that it was the ultimate in "intellectual domesticity" and so the name was born.
Now we're standing the kitchen looking back toward the foyer. The blue hutch holds our dishes and one of the drawers contains nothing but baking and cake decorating supplies! The colander and sifter both belonged to my grandmother and, yes, they are used and not merely decoration.
Since the kitchen is truly my domain and I miss my pre-marriage days of pink living SO MUCH, the kitchen has as much pink in it as Nathan allows. These pieces of art are pink and green with bird and bee cutouts.
Here's the work area. My Kitchen Aid and our espresso maker both live on the counter! This is a huge improvement from our old kitchen where they lived under the sink.
Didn't Nathan put together a swanky pot rack for me? I love it. See that cabinet above the fridge? I can't reach it and Nathan hides his contraband food there like Coca-Cola and Oreos. My grandfather hid cookies and it sort of warms my heart that Nathan does the same thing.
And now we're in the living room. I love this corner. Miss Marple spends a lot of time here contemplating how she can get through that window to catch one of the pigeons that hang out on our fire escape. We found the wicker bench in this photo Friday night on the street. I love it!
This is the far end of the living room--the dining room. It's a bit sparse right now. I'm still debating what kind of a centerpiece to have. And yes, that's a box of stuff to go to Goodwill in the corner.
Here's a long shot of the living room from the dining room table.
And here's the view from the couch. No, we don't have a television. My boss (jokingly) accused me the other day of being anti-technology. Not true! I watch The Hills, The Office, Heroes and 30 Rock--just on my laptop instead of a television.
Here's our bathroom. Nothing too fancy, but I do like it.
And here's our bedroom. Yes, only one window has blinds--we are awaiting a missing piece to hang up the other one.
The view from our bed:
And our rumbled bed (Nathan flopped around on it a bit before I took this picture). We lost a sham in the move and I'm heartbroken over it. I hope that it turns up.
So, there you have it. Thanks for stopping by. Please change your blog rolls and reader subscriptions to the new address. Leave a comment after you do this (scout's honor) and I'll enter you in my giveaway that will showcase some of my favorite things!