my life with garlic

Dawn Rocks!

2007-01-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

She does.

1st Before & After Project

2006-11-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

I've been hard at work on my very first before and after project for Heart of Gold. I took plain canvas tote bags and decorated them in different styles. The first was pretty simple, just used some fabric paint and ribbon. The second was a bit more difficult - well - much more difficult. I used gold burlap, leather, bamboo handles and accented it with gold buttons and studs. I had forgotten how much sewing leather sucks!!! Here's some pics the the final products. They're not up on Heart of Gold's website yet because they have to be photographed professionally. And you all know that my photography is not the least bit professional, but, hopefully you'll get some idea of what they look like.

Are you getting ready for turkey day? Tom & I decided to have a quiet dinner at home with just the two of us. I do not think we've ever done that before. I'm looking forward to not having any set schedule. Tom wants to find just the breast of a turkey and try deep frying it. I'm game. We'll make some traditional sides like stuffing, fresh cranberries and sweet potatoes, but we'll add some stuff from our food co-op. Kale, rutabaga, & turnips will also be on the menu. I've never cooked the latter two, so it will be interesting at the very least. If the recipes I find are amazing I'll share them with all of you. Eats lots and enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

Blue Hill

2006-11-06T13:23:00.000-05:00

I was sitting here reminiscing about a field trip my success team girls & I went on last weekend. We decided to hold our monthly meeting out of the city. We hopped on a Metro North train & headed to Westchester county. It was quite a treat escaping from the Manhattan for a day. The smell of autumn was definitely in the air. Robin, who lives up there, met us at the station and whisked us off to Blue Hill at Stone Barns for an amazing brunch. This place was incredible. We were greeted at the entrance by cows, chickens, hens and sheep while we made own way up the winding road to the large, old horse stables. Numerous green houses were aligned in a row with fresh herbs and veggies growing in them. We walked up to a beautiful stone quadrangle that featured the cafe, learning center, and the acclaimed restaurant. It was magnificent inside. Modern, contemporary country with a hint of Shaker style. The bar area featured a cozy fireplace with large, overstuffed leather chairs. It seemed to call out for one to sit in them with a glass of fine wine. The main dining room was a very grand converted barn. Hey.. we were really there for the food.

Brunch began with lots of choices; fresh tomato soup with creme fraise and caviar, mixed greens (picked that morning from their greenhouse) with pistachio crusted poached eggs, hand rolled cavatelli with herb tomato sauce, skate with broccoli drizzled with fresh pesto, homemade meatloaf. And let's not forget dessert - molten chocolate cake, poached pears with a meringue dressing....ummmm.. It all was to die for. I do wish that I had some pictures to share, but 3 of us forgot our cameras. Robin brought hers & we all posed in front of the fireplace only to realize that the batteries were dead. Don't feel too bad, it gives us another excuse to head out there again.

Here's a quick update on our bathroom makeover. The tiles & tub have been painted & resurfaced twice. It's a major improvement. The large hole was covered by Tom with such precision that I was amazed. It was quite a scene watching him cut through hundred year old plaster, cement & wood with his deafeningly loud circular saw. Sparks were flying everywhere. The new medicine cabinet was put up with ease, as was the new floor. And the tropical inspired vanity fit perfectly in our tiny space. The once hitch was the hand painted Mexican sink. Tom tried to pry the one that came with the vanity out, but was not successful. We both believe that it can be replaced but, decided to wait until after the holidays and hire a professional to do it. We learned some valuable things by doing the work ourselves. Removing a toilet is not that hard, though it is a stinky job. And basic plumbing (like hooking up our new sink) is also not too difficult if you have the right tools. I did it all on my own! I was very proud of myself.Tool Belt Diva watch out!!!

We still have to paint the walls & ceiling. And then the real fun begins - ACCESSORIZING!! That's my favorite part. Shopping for a new shower certain, wall hangings, rug and pretty towels that are only to be used by guests. A concept that Tom just doesn't understand. I have been taking pictures every step of the way and will post them once the room is complete.

Blog Pals Weekend

2006-10-23T17:18:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful weekend! My web pals Jes & Hope were here for a visit. Jes took her mom and good friend Judy to NYC for a Xmas gift. Our weekend began Friday night in the trendy Meat Packing District with Tom for cocktails. Too many cocktails. We started at a quiet wine lounge and then moved on to a more lively, swanky bar. We really had a great time, but should have quit after the third cosmo/margarita/girlie drink. Our hangovers did not deter us from getting up bright and early the next morning for flea market shopping. Jes and Hope snagged some fabulous goodies. I can't wait to see what new creations are made from their finds.

We walked all over the city and have aching feet to prove it. We checked out Chelsea and Chinatown and shopped all over Soho. Hope and I even hit Park Slope, Brooklyn to go to the indie shop Cog and Pearl and stumbled upon lots of interesting little shops. Of course, no trip to NYC would be complete without food. Mexican for lunch after flea market shopping, fabulous French brunch in Brooklyn, Peasant for a fine Italian Sunday dinner and a trip to the Cupcake Cafe. Now it's time to go back to work and back on a diet.

Generation Renovation - Not

2006-10-09T00:26:00.000-04:00

The bathroom renovation has begun. First, I must applaud all of you do-it-yourselfers who happily tear down and rebuild your homes. It's been a week and I'm already losing my mind. We've been scraping years of paint off of tiles getting them ready to be reglazed along with the tub. My building is prewar so you can imagine the multitude of layers on them. It's mostly been white paint, but I did find a lovely 70's seafoam green, followed by a powder pink that looked like the late 40's or early 50's. Underneath the self stick vinyl squares was the original tile floor, but it can not be salvaged. Layers of grime, mold & mildew and broken and missing pieces make it impossible. Saturday night Tom received quite a horrific surprise while tearing down the medicine cabinet. A massive hole in the wall that would have to be repaired. That along with the loss of his beloved Yankees was almost too much for him to bear. Today we headed to Lowes for some ideas.

I've always been a Home Depot girl, mostly because they are everywhere in NYC, but driving a bit out of the way to Lowes was worth it. That store rocks! Everything is very organized and easy to find. Knowledgeable employees helped us in every department. And the store is very clean. We did get everything we needed but spent more than we originally anticipated. Partly due to the pretty blue Mexican sink.

I do love the sink Tom brought back from his Playa Del Carmen trip, but it really made finding a bathroom cabinet difficult. We are extremely limited do to our bathroom's tight space. Most of the vanities that are inexpensive already come with the counter top and sink attached. Our options were to find just the cabinet and have the counter top custom made to fit our sink or find a cabinet that we absolutely loved and put the pretty blue sink in storage. Well, we do have expensive taste, so we bought an awesome piece and we will take it with us when we leave this apartment. It does have an under mount sink attached to black marble, but my man is determined to try and remove it and add ours. I'll let you know how it goes.

We spent last night regrouting the tiles (exciting I know) and planning the rest of the week's projects. We are in a bit of a time crunch because all of the tile and tub work will take place on Saturday. Hope is coming to stay with us the following weekend, and it would be nice if there's at least a sink in there for her to brush her teeth. And a mirror for her to look into instead of a big, gaping hole in the wall. My supreme nagging abilities have kicked into full gear in order to get this project done. Oh Poor Tom.

Felix Zito April 27, 1921- September 16, 2006

2006-09-22T03:06:00.000-04:00

This was a very sad week for me and my family. My grandfather passed away after battling lung cancer. Poppa was diagnosed about one month after my wedding day. It was very advanced & there was not much doctors could do for him. My grandfather fought valiantly, never losing his dignity, sense of humor or love for his family. Words can not express just what he meant to me and to all that loved him. He was truly a special man. Always loving, affectionate and patient. He was strong, yet vulnerable. Poppa was the calm in our family storm. The one person that you could always count on. He kept his promises. He kept laughing and eating ice cream. I'll never, ever, forget how his face lit up when I (or any of his grandkids) walked into the room. He was one of the best. My cousin Becky wrote the following eulogy for our dear Poppa.

Today is a day none of us thought would ever come. We are here to say goodbye to a man many of us thought was invincible. A caring and devoted husband of 62 years, a loving father and brother, and the best Poppa any grandchild or great grandchild could ever ask for.

It's hard to put into words what my Poppa meant to us. So, I would like to take this time, on behalf of my cousins to thank our Poppa for a few things.

Poppa, thank you for;

Raising our moms

For taking care of Momma

For all the ice cream, cake, candy, and cookies you snuck us

For fake champagne on New Year's Eve

For letting us style the few hairs on you head up like a troll doll

For changing flat tires

For eating what was left on our plates when we couldn't finish

For showing us a person can yell without ever separating their teeth

For teaching us how to play cards

For teaching us how to beat Momma at cards

For fixing anything and everything

For your patience

For your kindness

For your hugs and kisses

and most of all for loving us each so much that we all felt special

Poppa we all love you and will miss you so much. Our lives will never be the same without you, but we know that you will always watch out for us. We know you must have already received that medal that's "this big". You deserve it more than anyone else. We love you.

Heart of Gold

2006-09-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

My posts have been few & far between. But, I've been thinking of all of you often. Lots & lots is going on & I am a bit overwhelmed. Most of it is good & fabulous. The cookbook is coming along. I'm working on the stories with an editor. The book now has structure and the recipes flow with the stories. My goal is to have all the stories & rewrites done within a couple of weeks. The next step is hiring a food photographer, layout & jacket designer. Woo! It never ends. Every step of this book has taken longer than expected, but, I'm not deterred.

My business, Dawn Falcone Lifestyles is also coming along. My branding is in the final stages & soon will begin working on the website. I'm gathering info, resources, experience & once everything is ready, I'll push it big time.

And I've been asked to be a part of this. It is the project of a dear friend who knows me & my work well. A great group of women are involved in this & I'm totally honored to even be considered. Our big debut is tomorrow at the annual Kip's Bay Kid's Day event. We will be raffling off a bedroom makeover by yours truly called Room To Dream. I'm a bit nervous because I just received the press release & my name is in it!!! Wish me luck.

Fiesta Bathroom

2006-08-29T10:27:00.000-04:00

Tom and Kyle returned from Mexico safe and sound. They had a great time viewing Mayan ruins, scuba diving and just hanging out. Tom brought me back some goodies including this.
It's a hand painted ceramic sink. We decided that we are going to redo our bathroom.

We do rent our place so we've been avoiding a bathroom makeover. We are going to stay here at least a couple more years since our rent is low & it allows us to save money. The bathroom is the only room that we absolutely despise. We can scrub & scrub it but, it never really looks good. Our building is prewar and it has some lovely original features like moldings, hardwood floors with mahogany trim and even pretty glass door knobs. Our bathroom is also prewar with the original tiles which are crumbling and the bathtub isn't so great either. We are going to have someone resurface our bathtub and tiles. We'll paint it ourselves, put in a new floor and medicine cabinet and a new vanity. The pretty Mexican sink will be the centerpiece of that vanity and will inspire the rest of the decor. We would like it to be colorful with a slight tropical feel. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

In other news, while Tom was away on his Mexican vacation, I was in pretty Brookfield Connecticut for 5 days getting certified in this. It was hard work but well worth it. What a treat it was to spend almost all of my time using my creativity. And now I can offer these fab new services in my business.

If you find yourself with nothing to do this holiday weekend or the weather in your neck of the woods is less than perfect than check out this movie. It's the most entertaining one we've seen so far this year. It features a great ensemble cast including Steve Carell, Toni Collette and Alan Arkin and great new talent, too (the kids rock!). It's definitely quirky, fun, touching and laugh out loud funny.

Airport Drama

2006-08-13T11:48:00.000-04:00

I'm sure some of you out there had a heck of a time trying to fly the not so friendly skies this weekend. We also experienced some issues. Tom & Kyle have been planning a father & son week getaway all summer. They were going to Playa del Carmen Mexico (where we visited for our honeymoon) to scuba, visit ruins & bond. Both were very much looking forward to it. Kyle was scheduled to fly to NY from VA on Thursday. We all know what happened on that day - "Terror Plot diverted". So, poor Kyle was stranded at the airport for 8 hours, 4 of them on the runway, only to have his flight canceled. The cancellation was actually do to the monsoon like weather that hit NYC that evening. They put him on the 1st flight out the next morning due to arrive at 8am. Unfortunately, their flight to Mexico was leaving at 7am that same morning. And so the real drama begins.....

Tom spent most of Thursday evening on the computer & phone with the nice airline people (not) trying to figure out a way to get out of NY. They'd happily put him on another flight for $100 plus the difference in the ticket price - 1200 big ones! Well that was not an option. And I took Thursday night off from work to be with my boys & spent most of the evening cooking. I made my very first carbonara sauce, which was very good, but Tom was too aggravated to care. Damn you airlines!!! Tom headed to La Guardia at 4am to see what he could work out. They agreed to put him & Kyle on standby for Saturday, since they only had 2 flights on Friday & both were booked. All seemed well. One day late is not too terrible. They happily started their vacation in NYC. Is this the end of it? Nope, not even close.

Saturday their day began at 3am at La Guardia. As I was dreaming away, my boys were in standby hell. Three flights came & went without a seat for them. It seemed as though every single flight to Charlotte (airline's main hub & where they had to pick up connecting flight) was booked for the entire day. Do you think kind airline peeps realized this when they happily agreed to put them on standby? We'll never know. Thank goodness we only live 15 minutes from the airport because Tom came home to do some investigated. And he found that they were lots & lots of seats available on NY to Boston, then Boston to Philly, and then Philly to Cancun. Not the ideal way to get there, but they were desperate! And so they were finally off.....arriving in Mexico at 10pm. Better late than never. I'm sure they still had to deal with hotel drama since they arrived a day & 1/2 after their scheduled check-in time, but I do not know all of the gory details of that, yet.

I know that we are very fortunate to be able to fly & travel at all. And of course very fortunate to be alive and in the grand scheme of things the past three days are meaningless. I'm just a wee bit frustrated with big business as of late. I live in Queens & have been experiencing power problems (with Con-Ed ) for weeks. We, luckily did not lose our power but our voltage was lowered. Our lights are dim & AC is barely working & living on the 5th floor during a heatwave without AC is pretty sucky. And when I call I get the run around. One employee tells me everything is working perfectly & they've not received any complaints from my town (not true since I know 10 neighbors who called). Another tells me that they lowered the voltage slightly, not enough for anyone to even notice. And then there was the one honest employee (who was probably fired after our conversation) who admitted that the voltage was lower drastically. And of course AC's, microwaves, computers & such are not working. There's just not enough juice. "Con Ed has made a mess in Queens." he said, "And it's going to take a very long time to fix it. They've not updated some systems in 60 years!!" "Oh & by the way, he added, they'll probably raise your bill."

Hmmm... there's something to be said for honesty. I'm not saying that after that conversation I was not angry because I was, but, at least I didn't feel crazy! And I did feel a sense of empowerment. I had some knowledge & now I could take action - rally some neighbors, call some local representatives, contact local news stations. What ever happened to accountability? Where o' where has it gone? And why are companies (and government, too) no longer held responsible for their actions/mistakes/greed? How do we get back to a place where they realize that they work for us & this country is ours, too?!?

feeling minnesota

2005-08-31T00:43:00.000-04:00

I'll be boarding a plane soon & taking my first trip to the midwest. We're off to visit Tom's family in St. Cloud, MN. I have no idea what to expect. We're kind of winging this trip. No definite agenda or concrete plans. Well, except that at some point during the holiday weekend we'd like to jump in a lake. Literally! That should not be too difficult since there are over ten thousand of them. We are meeting up with an old college friend of mine in Minneapolis. Shannon is a very talented artist/designer. And, she actually gets paid to do what she loves. A definite inspiration! She & her hubby are taking us to the downtown area to hang out. I 'm hoping we'll drive by Prince's purple mansion. .....I get De--lir-ious whenever you're near.... How cool would it be to bump in Prince in Minneapple? That would rate right up there with meeting Simon LeBon from Duran Duran (refer back to Dec.10, 2004).

the cape

2005-09-21T01:07:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I'm just writing a quick note because I do not want you all to feel neglected. I've been pretty crazed of late. We just got back from a wedding in The Cape. Ophelia passed us by so the beautiful bride did not get drenched during her outdoor ceremony. Cape Cod is so lovely. We spent lots of time in Chatham & Harwich - cozy, old New England beach towns. The specialty shops there are a crafters dream & so is the food. Tom & I tried to make the most of our short stay because we realize that it will probably be the last of our chill time until after our wedding. Speaking of which - the Save the Dates have been sent. We designed & made them. They really came out cute. I do want to show you a picture, but I haven't figured out how to do that with WordPress. You need a degree in computer science to do it & I'm not kidding. My cousin, who programs computers for a living, is stumped by this. We don't even have spell check!! I'm really missing Blogger.

peach crush recipe

2005-09-15T13:59:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to make the summer last as long as possible. It's not too difficult considering that it is 80 degrees outside & very humid. This recipe was in Organic Style magazine & it looks & sounds divine!
Ingredients
2 cups diced peaches, fresh or frozen, plus additional slices for garnish
2 cups crushed ice
2 - 3 teaspoons superfine sugar (depending on sweetness of peaches)
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves, preferably opal basil, plus additional for garnish
1 bottle sparkling white wine or sparkling apple cider, chilled

Place peaches, ice, sugar & basil in blender.
Puree until smooth.
Pour puree into chilled glasses until half full.
Add sparkling wine or cider.
Serve with sliced peaches & basil sprig as garnishes.
Sit by your pool, on the porch, rooftop, or whatever outdoor space you have - sip & enjoy!!

pitching in

2005-09-11T13:43:00.000-04:00

I try to keep politics out of this blog. Although those who know me personally realize that I'm always up for a debate. So, here's what I'm going to say about the handling of Katrina. When our president or government fails, we all do. Four years ago today was a devastating day for all. The one thing that I was amazed by was the response. It was immediate. By 7pm of that very day, the NYC streets were filled with police officers & armed military. Local restaurants started delivering food to the ground zero workers by the morning of Sept. 12th. Clothing/supply drives began right away not only for the workers, but, for the all the people who lived near the towers who were displaced. I can't even imagined what the people of Louisiana must have gone through. Sitting in the crowded, dark Astrodome in the swealting Southern heat. No food or water for days. No military to help keep a sense of order. The hurricane outside tearing off pieces of the very roof that was protecting them. It's all so shocking. Last night on the news there was a report about how countries from around the world are chipping in to help. Even very poor nations, like Uganda, donated $200,000, all they could spare, to help us, the richest nation in the world. While this is such a kind gesture, it brings to me at least, a sense of shame. I guess today especially, we should all be grateful for all that we have. And remember that when giving & helping those who have lost so much. Peace.

Olio Struggles

2005-08-24T00:07:00.000-04:00

There are 9 recipes left for testing. I decided to take a stab at Poppa's Olio recipe. Well, that's what he calls it. The real name is: Aglio E Olio E Aliche. Which basically means, oil & garlic with anchovies. It's one of the dishes for Xmas Eve's Feast of the Seven Fish. I've observed him cooking it 2 years in a row & wrote down each step. Unfortunately, Poppa didn't even come close to making the same thing for those two years. I think that maybe he's forgotten how to make the recipe. I take that back. I know he doesn't remember how to make this recipe. Last year it was inedible! You couldn't taste any garlic . And the anchovies couldn't be detected at all, which for some family members, is a good thing. It basically tasted like hot olive oil poured over linguini. This recipe is his pride & joy & he refuses to let me or anyone else make it on our hoilday. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Last year, Poppa got up from the head of his table & headed toward the buffet to see how his Olio went over. Thank goodness he walks slowly & there were so many of us in that room to distract him, because his pasta had not been touched. Auntie Maria & I had just enough time to toss it into the garbage. All he saw was his empty platter.
"I guess I still got it. My pasta is all gone. Honey!" he yelled to my grandmother, "I told you we needed another pound."
"No poppa, we had just the right amount." replied Auntie Maria.
We didn't have the heart to tell him. I guess we'll have to pull another fast one this Xmas Eve.

So, I'm flying blind on this one. My first attempt was ok. The garlic & anchovy could definitely be detected, but, the black olives absorbed way too much of the salt from the fish. Tom & I winced each time an olive touched our tongues. I'll have to give it another try, much to Tom's dismay. He really does not like the flavor of anchovies, so it was difficult for him to help with the tasting. His suggestion was to lose those little fishy guys altogether. That is an entirely different sauce. The Olio saga shall be continued!

cupcake crazed

2005-08-28T00:47:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit obsessed with cupcakes lately. I ordered 3 books on the subject from Amazon. No, I haven't gone off the deep end. We are having them instead of a cake at our wedding. Tom is very concerned about how they will taste. He wants some kind of cream filling. I care more about what they will look like. Unless we make them wheat or gluten-free, I can't eat them anyway. We'll be making them, hopefully with the help of our families, the day before our big event. I really want them to look elegant & to match the colors of the wedding. I've also been searching for a way to display them. EBay had some nice plexiglass tiered cakestands, but, they were a bit pricey ($175). So, I visited a local cake decorating store to find a solution. The outcome was positive. I ordered 5 different size plates & pillars, all in the same material. I'm going to hot glue them together to form a wedding cake stand. The total cost is 100 bucks, so I saved a bit of cash. I love that!!! And I can even put it up on Ebay after I'm done with it. Whoo Hoo!! Things are really moving along in the wedding planning department.

rockstar

2005-09-25T16:29:00.000-04:00

Did you think this post was going to be about Rockstar Inxs? Well, it's not, although I love that show. It's about my cousin Matt, the rocker. His band Silversted, played their first ever NYC gig last night. I didn’t know what to expect, although I know my cuz can sing because I've heard him do Karaoke. Tom & I thought they were great. Their music is really interesting & all of the band members are good musicians. Matt is such a ham that it makes him a natural frontman. So, we can now all add rockstar to his growing resume which already includes graphic artist, web designer & artist. Does talent run in my family or what?

fish heads, fish heads

2005-10-14T11:51:00.000-04:00

Another cooking session with Momma will take place this weekend. Smelts & olio are on the menu. The smelt recipe is finished, but one of my dear recipe testers, Alex, struggled with the cleaning of them. I realized that the smelts have always been fileted by Momma & ready to go for me when I come home. I get to clean out the fish guts all by myself this time, so that I can give proper instructions in the cookbook. JOY!

Olio is also on the "to do" list. I've made this dish 3 times, already. The first try was a salty bearly edible mess. The second was very bland & the third was better, but not quite right. Momma said this recipe is as easy as pie. It's funny, but the recipes that seem very easy on paper, are the ones that have been giving me the most trouble. Hmmm. Past experience tells me that a key ingredient or step may have been left out. We shall see.

Revelation

2006-07-28T12:33:00.000-04:00

I was born and raised in suburbia Rhode Island. It's a good place to raise a family, I guess. I do remember even at an early age, thinking that there had to be more out there in the world. My family spent summers down at the beach. Those are some of my fondest memories. Fishing down at Galilee, watching the fisherman bringing in their daily catch, the smell of the ocean, sand between your toes. There's something about the ocean that grounds me & quiets my mind. Standing in from of it makes you realize that the world will keep turning with or without you. And that this planet which we inhabit is not ours for the taking. It's a gift. I always thought that I'd live on or near the ocean. Then I discovered NYC.

We went there on a field trip in 8th grade. The place blew my mind. The streets were so alive that the energy was contagious. Anything is possible & could be accomplished. It's where Madonna & Cyndi Lauper both got their starts - two of my idols at the time. I returned home & announced that I would be moving, someday, to the Big Apple. I did have to wait a while until that dream became a reality. But, I always knew that it would happen. And RI never really felt like the place that I belonged after that discovery.

I came to NYC to attend college at FIT. Those years were awesome. I had a cute little apartment that I shared with 3 other creative girls right on 27th Street. The school owned the entire block & had security on both ends. We lived in our own private oasis in the middle of the big city. We shopped for food in Chinatown & worked behind the scenes at all of the fashion shows dressing the super models. NYC students get fab discounts to all kinds of shows. We saw CATS for 5 bucks & watched the NYC ballet dancers sweep across the stage for a whopping 10 dollars. Class assignments included trips to museums and galleries. Life in NYC was a constant cultural trip, showing me the best that the world had to offer. College life is not reality.

I briefly returned to RI after graduating, but did not last long. I returned to NYC for good within a year. I was expecting the same flood of parties & exciting events that I partook in college, but that was not the case. Real life in the Big Apple was hard. I lived in a tiny, dirty apartment with 2 other girls. I found out first hand the true definition of a slum lord. Paying the rent and trying to make ends meet was not easy. It was a constant struggle. It took 2 solid years just to get settled. I still was not deterred. The city still held some kind of mystique. I truly did not want to live anywhere else. Fast forward almost ten years & I'm still here. I've met some amazing people (including my hubby) and have a good life. But, daily grind here is not easy. It's so crowded & the hustle & bustle grates on your nerves over time. Everyone we know here is working one job & focusing on their big dreams on the side. And we are always on the lookout for suspicious looking packages, situations, etc. The grey streets really can become so bleak. It's now a necessity to leave, even if just for a day, to escape to more serene grounds.

I recently went to visit Jes & Hope in Maine. I absolutely loved it there. I discovered quaint, artsy towns & larger seaport cities like Portland. Sitting on Jes & Jon's deck on the Plenty To Do Farm was so relaxing. I walked through her gardens & the smell of clean air and grass filling my lungs. And it was so peaceful. The sound of trees blowing in the wind, birds & bees whizzing by replaced the honking horns, car alarms & shouting of the city. And at some point on the very weekend I had a revelation. I'm truly not a big city girl! I love sitting out in the peace and quiet of nature. I miss grass! I want a garden to nurture and care for & a small window box is not filling that void!! And visiting wide open spaces from time to time is no longer enough!! I'm not going to be moving back to suburbia RI anytime soon. The burbs are so not for me. I can only last about 2 days before the dread of the close set houses & strip malls sets in. The suburbs always made me feel hopeless. But, I'm not sure that I truly love the Big Apple anymore. I took this news home to Tom.

I wish I could end this story by telling you that we bought 15 acres of land in the Catskills and we'll be spending most of our time there, commuting to the city a few times a week to make money. The reality is that we both have to be here. It's where we make our living. There's not a big calling for directors/producers up in the mountains. And I'm sure lifestyle designers are also not in huge demand. But, we have begun to do some research for small houses/cottages in Upstate NY, Pennsylvania & Delaware (anything within 2 hours from the city). A weekend retreat to detox from the daily grind that we face here. It may take quite a while to find what we are looking for but, just the fact that we are looking fills me with glee. And makes city life much more bearable. We're just searching for a little piece of heaven.

Lazy Summer

2006-07-13T12:04:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Sorry for the large time gap between posts. I've been a little caught up in the lazy days of summertime. Tom & I have been taking roads trips to Rhode Island & the Jersey shore. We've tasted lots of clam cakes & chowder. It hasn't all been fun in the sun. Some work was accomplished.

The cookbook recipes are done on my end. There are only a couple left sitting in the hands of some dear friends, waiting to be tested. I've been working on all of the stories & even began gathering old family photos for the book. My grandparents, mom, Tom & I really had a good time looking over a huge box of pics. We found everything from photos of Momma & Poppa on their wedding day, partying in Hawaii in the 70's, my mom & aunts in their Sunday hats in the early 60's & of course, all of us grandkids. My grandmother really was a babe in her younger years & Poppa was not too bad himself. Speaking of my family - it's ever growing. Twin boys were born on Sunday. Christopher & Matthew weighed in at just over a healthy 7lbs each!

CONTESTS & GIVEAWAYS!!!!

2006-06-23T15:18:00.000-04:00

It's the Grand Opening of Jes' shop Junque Revival. Her jewelry is so original & gorgeous! She's having a contest & you could be the lucky winner of her one of kind designs. I have a necklace made by her & I receive loads of compliments whenever I wear it. Congrats Jes on your new shop!!

The Paper Princess is also having a giveaway. Take a look at what you could win! Ahhhh..Sometimes the best things in life are free!!!

Fly: Original Illustrated Noteflats

Lobster Maine-ia

2006-06-22T13:56:00.000-04:00

Oh Yea! Did I eat some lobster. Almost everyday. It all began at the landmark DeMillio's for lunch. I wanted to try a lobster roll Maine style. I was presented with the choice of having it on a toasted hotdog roll or a croissant. I pondered this decision for a brief moment. Croissants are so buttery & crisp, my mouth watered a bit just thinking about it. I chose the plain hotdog roll instead, because I didn't want anything to take away from or compete with the flavor the of lobster. When it arrived my face must have lit up because Hope wanted to snap a picture. I was not disappointed at all. My roll was overloaded with large chunks of the freshest lobster in the universe. It was not smothered in mayo, instead, the mayo was barely there, just enough to keep it all together & add a touch of moisture. Hmmm.........OH, and the French fries rocked, too! Hope & I decided after testing them in several different places over the course of our stay, that Maine makes the best fried taters ever. It seemed as though they were dusted with a special batter & maybe even double fried.

I did have another lobster roll the last day of the trip at this funky little place in Old Towne, Portland. This roll was a bit more sophisicated than the first. It was made with chopped fennel & was served on fancy bread. It was absolutely divine!!

My favorite lobster meal was served at Jes & Jon's home. What a grand dinner we had! It began with a loaf of olive bread & a fresh baked rosemary variety dipped in herb olive oil (made by Jes' best friend Judy). The main course was a buffet that consisted of pork tenderloin that Jon had marinated for many hours, seared on high heat & than slow cooked on the grill. It was pure perfection! Hope's childhood favorite zucchini bake was a big hit. It was loaded with cheese and flavored breadcrumbs. Hope was so thrilled that Jes made it for her. The highlight of the dinner was of course, whole Maine lobsters & steamers accompanied by fresh corn on the cob & cilantro butter. We tried many different white wines as well, too many to count. We stuffed ourselves so much that we did not leave room for dessert, strawberry rhubarb pie. That's OK because we had it the next morning for breakfast.

I must admit that I had never tried rhubarb before. I've seen it at farmer's markets, but never thought of using it. Jes has it growing right in her yard. Just knowing someone who cooks with it make it seem less scary. It was delicious, I even had rhubarb lemonade right before heading back home. The next time I see it I'll pick up a bunch & bake some pies. The food in Maine was great!! I can't wait to go back & test out some more lobster rolls.

Maine Trip

2006-06-17T12:10:00.000-04:00

Lovely & Amazing.

That pretty much sums up my trip to Maine. It began on Friday bright & early in the mornin'. Jes met me at the airport & we waited together in anticipation for Hope's plane to arrive. Once the 3 of us New England gals were together all seemed right. We headed to downtown Portland for some thrift store shopping. And then visited Old Town, Portland (the waterfront), which kind of reminded me of Newport, RI except it was about 4 times the size & much, much funkier. The shops, cafes, & restaurants were so much fun. I do not think we even began to tap in to all there was to see. That area is a trip in itself. We went to 1 craft store that featured lots of artists from all over the place, & we recognized so many of them from the blogging world. Hope left her card for the owner (who wasn't there at the time) & she received an email from her within a day. Apparently the chick who runs the shop is a big fan of Paper Relics & she wants to carry Hope's creations!! And Jes walked around wearing her gorgeous necklaces & shop owners took notice. She'll be carried in some cool local stores soon. We lunched at an area landmark, DeMillio's, a large cruise ship permanently docked in Old Town. I had a fab lobster roll. More detail about the food later. After a long day of shopping, chatting & laughing it was time to head to Jes' house to meet her family; Dogs-Dakota & Rudy, cat-Weezie (who made Hope & I very sneezie) & of course, the one & only Big Daddy.

Jes live on 17 acres of beautiful land in the an adorable old farmhouse. Her regular readers have seen pictures of the Plenty To Do Farm & it's lovely gardens. It was kind of surreal to see it all in person. I felt instantly at home. And I must give props to Big Daddy. He put up with us for 4 entire days. We can be very giddy, chatty Kathies when we are all together & he didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he was so warm & sweet & invited us back anytime.

On our second day we headed to 2 adorable towns close by to Jes' home. Hope & I, both Aries, received gift certificates for Maine stores from Jes for our B-Days. Hope's was from a cool paper store in Wicasset (prettiest town in Maine) & mine was from a funky home/garden store called Brambles. I was truly impressed with the variety of shops, galleries, antiques, etc. I didn't realize that Maine had such a thriving artistic community. Each & every store had it's own special feel. They were designed with such attention to detail, each more interesting than the next. We finished our day by having a lobster bake back at Plenty To Do Farm with some of Jon & Jes' friends & family. We instantly all took to one another, which was so nice. A great time was had by all.

The third day was perhaps my favorite. We had lots of big plans, but we awoke & saw that it was raining again (over 2 weeks straight in N.E.), so we scratched them & decided to stay home. What fun we had! The three of us went up to Jes' craft room & made jewelry together. She has the most amazing craft room ever! The walls are the prettiest shade of blue & the floors are off white with delicate hand painted flowers scattered throughout. There was magic in the air as we all sat close, sharing paint, ribbon, brushes & words of encouragement. And it was cool to see how we all came up with such different designs. I'll cherish our crafting time together always! We than filled the rest of our day with computer lessons from Hope, nap time, & even a power walk. Yes, the sun did finally come out later that afternoon. To walk by trees, wild flowers, farm houses & cottages while smelling nothing but green grass, the wet earth - nature, was priceless. It sure beats the smell of car fumes that I'm used to here in the Big Apple.

We did so much in four days that it's hard to write it all down. The above is just a small sample. What I loved must about the trip was spending time with 2 wonderful, strong, intelligent, talented & kind-hearted women. We could have stayed at the farm the entire time, never venturing out & we still would have laughed & treasured this trip just as much. It's so very rare to connect with people on a deep level. We have only met in person once before & yet, it's as if we've been old friends forever. There's just such a comfort, ease & flow between us. And to think that we all met through the blogging world is kind of mind boggling. I'm very fortunate to have both of them in my life.

Jes is so very alive. She has this free spirit quality about her, yet she's very grounded. She's earthy, but has a bit of city hip, too. She's very honest, which I love. And she's such an amazing painter, gardener & artist. I felt inspired walking through her garden, sitting in her craft room, heck, even her downstairs bathroom, which she painted herself, got my creative juices flowing. Every time I wear the necklace she made for me, someone stops to ask wear I got it. Thank you Jes & Jon for welcoming me into your lovely home with open arms. Just thinking about Plenty To Do Farm makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside.

Hope is truly one of the kindest people I ever met. She just exudes warmth & generosity. She believes in people & wants to see those that she loves succeed & will help them in any way that she can. OMG & is she patient. Especially with me, the computer dummy. She has an artist style that is all her own. When you see a Hope Wallace collage, you instantly recognize it. And what an creative eye she has. Hope took lots of pictures on our trip & she truly is an amazing photographer. The way that she sees things, even a simple can of paint brushes, left me speechless. Thank you Hope for our late night girlie chats. You make me feel as if I can do/accomplish anything & that's what friends are for.

I personally had some revelations on this trip. There were moments where I just kind of sat back, watching Jes & Hope interact, almost feeling like I was viewing them from above. Is that an outer body experience? I haven't gone off the deep end, I swear. I was just reflecting a lot about my life, where I am & where I want to be. Discoveries were made & I shared them with Tom. I promise I'll share them with you soon. And I'll also share my Maine food experience, too. That deserves it's very own post.

Maine Here I Come

2006-06-08T01:03:00.000-04:00

The lovely Sweetpea has invited Hope & I to her farmhouse in Maine. We've been planning the trip for some time, counting down the days. And now it is upon us, or at least it will be bright & early this Friday. We have so many wonderful things planned. Shopping in Portland, visiting area flea markets & antique shops, meeting Jes' family & friends, a computer lesson from Hope, a day of crafting & eating lots and lots of lobster.

It's been years since I've been to Maine, 10 at the very least. I went only once on a camping trip with my old beau, a friend & her man. We were there to go white water rafting, but I can not remember the name of the river. I wasn't too fond of being jolted about & splashed upon. And those wet suits are ridiculous! My favorite part of that trip was when we got out of the rafts because we had reached calmer waters & tried kayaking. That felt much more natural to me. I lost touch with "a friend", Stephanie, about 8 years ago, but recently received an email from her after she saw my wedding photo in the local RI paper. We are going to reconnect once I get back from Jes'.

Spending time with my fellow bloggers who I now consider dear friends is priceless. Jet Blue now flies direct from JFK to Portland - also priceless. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post them here next week. Have a great weekend!!!!!

Trader Joe's

2006-05-30T16:09:00.000-04:00

I've been hearing all the type for years. Friend's would rent cars just to drive to Jersey and buy cases of their wine. I've been to parties & inquired about a dish only to be told it came already prepared from them. Well, they opened a NYC store a couple of months ago & I finally decided to check it out. I went around 7pm & did not have to wait in line just to enter the store (amazing feat, apparently). OK. I was very impressed. Their prices are excellent. They have a wide variety fresh foods, prepared, cheeses, cereals, frozen goods & treats. And their sales associate's are quite pleasant. Which is unbelieveable, considering that the place is mobbed all day long, & they can not keep the shelves stocked no matter how hard they try. I made out like a bandit! My paper bag was full & the total cost was $31. Everything I purchased was organic, including the cereal, salsa, tortilla chips, coffee, peanut butter, edaname, snap peas, & so on & so on.

I couldn't wait to show Tom all of my finds the minute he walked in the door from work. I do not reccommend this, because you probably will not get the enthusiastic response you are looking for. He came around an hour later while munching on soy & flax tortilla chips dipped in spicy pico de gallo. Now we are going to plan our own trip to Jersey. We'll go on a day trip to Trader Joe's & Costco. I have a feeling this is not exactly what my man had in mind when he mentioned little summer gataways in our grandma mobile.

Recipe Update

2006-05-23T01:06:00.000-04:00

I've been a cooking bee-ah-ch. The crust of the cheesecake finally worked. It did not stick to the pie plate or turn into a pile of crumbs. And the cheesecake itself was so fabulous that I licked the electric mixer arms clean... and the wooden spoon... and the spatula.

I also completed 2 more recipes. Baked scrod & broccoli & rice casserole. What does that mean? There is only one more recipe left for me to test. And it just so happens to be a sweet. That seems quite fitting, to end with a sweet treat. The recipe is ricotta egg biscuits. I have never made them myself or even witnessed my grandmother bake them. Usually these simple facts would stress me out, but, my Aunt Maria has perfected Momma's recipe. And so far, every recipe she's passed along to me has worked just beautifully. I'll be in RI next weekend, get a copy of the how to & bake them up right away. I want to be done with cooking as of June 1st. And to all of my recipe testers out there - I have more recipes to pass along. Give a holler if you are up for more cooking/baking.