Friday, June 15, 2012
Look What's Coming to the 'Burg...
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Makeover To Takeover
As some of you avid and loyal followers may or may not have noticed, my little piece of internet real estate has taken on a new and improved look! In an effort to revitalize my writing habits and keep this thing current, I decided it was important to include all the things I learn and love in a slightly more accessible, albeit more organized, fashion. You will notice there are now tabs above here (did you see? I'm so excited!). I am hoping to incorporate all my explorations here, in one easy spot. I will be linking things like my yelp reviews, theatrical events of friends and others, goings-ons, and, my personal favorite, food. Please bear with me while my spot-o-blog remains slightly under construction, and keep checking back for improvements, updates, and funtivities. I'll leave you now with a super cute picutre of my kitty - because who doesn't love that? Oh gosh he's so cute.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Laptop Lunches
In an effort to eat better, I have just invested in the greatest lunchbox to ever be created. I don't know this for sure, as it has not arrived yet, but from the pictures and posts out there in the blogosphere and the words from friends, I'm going to go ahead and assume this will be amazing.
I got my Laptop Lunchbox at LaptopLunches.com. I am SO excited for it's arrival! I needed a way to get myself motivated to bring my lunch to work, and I think this may be just the trick. It helps with portion control, encourages creativity, and best of all, it's preeeetty. I got the "Purple Party", which you can see over here to the right
Nerd alert: I'm psyched!
I got my Laptop Lunchbox at LaptopLunches.com. I am SO excited for it's arrival! I needed a way to get myself motivated to bring my lunch to work, and I think this may be just the trick. It helps with portion control, encourages creativity, and best of all, it's preeeetty. I got the "Purple Party", which you can see over here to the rightAnd with Earth Day just around the corner, this is a fun way to do my part and keep green. It also comes with a little book with lunch ideas and recipes to help get you started! Look at all the cool stuff I can do (photos from LaptopLunches wesite):
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Adventures in Jello Shots!
In an effort to revamp and re-inspire both this blog and my writing self, I have decided to expand the content I share here on my tiny little piece of Internet real estate. Today, for example, I will be sharing a fun little "recipe", if you will, that I once saw at a friends house, and decided to research and attempt on my own. Here goes.
Jello Shots in Fruit Rinds!
What you will need:
Next, gut your oranges. This is probably the hardest part of the entire process, as you do not want to put any holes or slits in your rinds (also causing spillage later!). It's helpful to have a big bowl next to you while doing this, so you can throw all the fruit guts aside. I used a serrated knife to help scrape out any excess fruit. Place the rinds aside so they can dry out a little.
Once your fruit rinds are clean, lay them out on a baking sheet. This will make transporting them into the refrigerator much easier, once they are filled with liquid.
Next, simply pour your Jello into the fruit rinds. Make sure you fill them until they are almost spilling over - Jello tends to shrink once it hardens. You can then move your fruit rinds into the refrigerator.
And voila! You have Jello shots! These are crazy impressive for parties, and not even that hard to make. Plus, they taste delicious. Feel free to change the amount of vodka you put in your Jello to your personal preference, and enjoy!
Jello Shots in Fruit Rinds!
What you will need:- Jello Mix (I used a few different flavors)
- Oranges (or any fruit with a thick rind - you can use Lemons or Limes, though the flavor may come out slightly more sour)
- Water
- A Large Bowl (to collect fruit goop)
- A Sharp Knife
- Vodka
Next, gut your oranges. This is probably the hardest part of the entire process, as you do not want to put any holes or slits in your rinds (also causing spillage later!). It's helpful to have a big bowl next to you while doing this, so you can throw all the fruit guts aside. I used a serrated knife to help scrape out any excess fruit. Place the rinds aside so they can dry out a little.
Once your fruit rinds are clean, lay them out on a baking sheet. This will make transporting them into the refrigerator much easier, once they are filled with liquid.
After that, make Jello! For this, you can mainly follow the directions on the box, but substitute some of the cold water for vodka. For example, if the Jello recipe calls for 1 cup of boiling water and 1 cup of cold water, put in 1 cup of boiling water, 1/2 cup of cold water, and 1/2 cup of vodka. I used Orange and Watermelon Jello. Party on.
Next, simply pour your Jello into the fruit rinds. Make sure you fill them until they are almost spilling over - Jello tends to shrink once it hardens. You can then move your fruit rinds into the refrigerator.
Most Jello will take 5-6 hours to set. I made these about 8 hours before the party I was bringing them too, and the Jello was really not quite hard enough. To be safe, I would definitely make these the day before I needed them. Once your Jello has hardened, you can cut them just as you would a normal orange. Little trick: place the knife in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting - this will prevent the Jello from sticking to the blade, and lifting it out of the orange rinds.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Newest Obsession
I know it's sexist, and cliche, and girly, and fantastically polka-dotted, but I must own this:
Check out these adorable finds and more at Sugar Baby Aprons!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Dear Self
It’s amazing what a little self-motivation and pep-talking, mixed with a little sadness and Dar Williams can do to for a girl.
I’ve allowed myself to be swallowed by the negative things in my life, rather than embrace them and use them to better myself. I need a kick in the ass to get my life back on track. I’m allowing myself to fall, rather than picking myself back up – and that’s not like me at all.
So this is my letter to myself; My motivation to get myself moving, and changing – not necessarily back to my “old” self, as we should never go back; but to be comfortable going forward, embracing changes, growth, and discoveries. Sort of like my post winter-blues-looking-ahead-to-
Smile more.
Listen to more music, and make more playlists – you love them, so enjoy them.
Take one day and one task at a time. Make to-do lists. Writes things down just to cross them out to help you get started. It’s okay to trick yourself, just a little.
Catch up with old friends – stop being so scared to reconnect!
Make more phone calls. Texting is not the same.
Stay consistent in your dancing. You have a dance card. Get your butt dancing.
Surround yourself with positive people. If someone doesn’t like you, move on. No more dwelling!
Stop taking things so personally. Just because someone is having a bad does NOT mean you did anything wrong. People have bad days. It is not a reflection on you.
Sing along with the radio.
Focus at work – stay in it 100%, but continue to balance a social aspect without going too far over one way or the other. Stay friendly (I put out a candy bowl today. Step one.).
Review your grammar!
Keep writing.
Keep reading.
Do your nerdy thing and be proud. It’s okay to enjoy video games, kid’s books, and knitting.
Be loud and proud. Always.
Speak your mind – but know when not too.
Know that the friends that want to be in your life help find a way to stay there, and stop worrying about the ones who don't.
Only you can change your situation. If something is making you unhappy, don’t do it, don’t be around it, and take yourself somewhere better. Sometimes, it really is that simple.
If you are unhappy with your body, do something to change it. Lying to yourself by saying you are eating better isn’t enough. Get to the gym. No gym? Dance around your apartment. Go to the park and run. Sign back up for soccer. Get moving!
Get your last 2 wisdom teeth pulled. You’ll feel better.
The list is forever growing. Now that I have it in writing, I have no excuse not to motivate myself. And for those of you readers out there possibly hurting from the same left over New-Years-this-winter-was-lame rut? Perhaps this will inspire you to write your own motivation.
And let me know you read! I'd love to know who comes to check out my little piece of internet real estate over here and vamp things up a bit. Any takers on helping?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Hippity Hoppity New Year, Bitches
Happy New Year!
January is in full force, and has settled in as such. The winter blues have been absorbed in my mind body and soul this year, as the decorations come down, and the holiday spirit quickly shifts back to the daily routines of ordinary living.
In Brooklyn, trees are still aglow, sales rage on, bells still jingle and people seem to have stayed relatively cheery, donning new coats and scarves they received from their loved ones over the Christmas flurry. People are still handing out peppermint hot chocolate and festive cheer blazes on. Then I get on the subway. The train rages under the East River, and a depression settles in almost immediately. We approach First Avenue, and the first round of office drones wander off, looking slightly sad, slightly hopeless, and totally bummed out. This continues through Third Avenue, Union Square, Sixth Avenue, as we reach our final destination, Eighth Avenue. Now we are deep in the heart of the winter doldrums. Side note: Does anyone else just picture that scene from The Phantom Tollbooth upon hearing the word “Doldrums”? The scene in which Milo enters that gooey green and gray swamp mess? Anyone?
Perhaps it’s my work location, but I see such a dire and drastic transformation in just a matter of days - from December 30th to January 3rd, it’s as if the magical holiday fairies pack their bags and peace the hell out of New York City. I am talking specifically about the scuttle of rush hour around 34th Street. The miracle clearly only lasts for the month of December, because come January 1st, that miracle has vanished. Lights are turned off and taken down; The fake cans of snow sprayed on the windows has been wiped clean; Bare Christmas trees line the streets, pieces of tinsel and red ribbon still clinging to the pine needles for dear life, grasping on to any semblance of joy they can find; Worst of all, everyone is back to their cranky-rush-hour scuttling and pushing. The holiday spirit has disappeared, and reappeared as what I am deeming the Grumpy Grinchiness of January. It’s totally depressing.
Sadly, I am also riding the Grumps of January train. I can’t quite place what it is that always puts me in such a funk come January 2nd (I enjoy my New Years Day, thank you very much). Maybe it’s the culmination of holidays – my birthday in the beginning of October, leading into the excitement and parties of Halloween, followed closely by Thanksgiving-Chanukah-Christmas-New Years and then…nothing. Martin Luther King Day is as good as it’s going to get this month folks. I mean hey, I’ll take my Monday off and go to some museums, along with the rest of NYC’s public school children whose parents don’t know what to do with them, but other that that, what is there to look forward too? Impending blizzards from what supposedly promises to be “The worst winter we’ve seen in years!” (I have yet to see a snowflake, Weather Channel)? We can hope for a snow day. Groundhog Day? Presidents Day? I no longer get a spring break, so that quickly moves us along to Memorial Day and July 4th, where we can at least enjoy glorious weather and bi-weekly beach trips. Then we’re sucked back into Fall, and it’s October again. Is this what we’ve become? Holiday-seeking beings, waiting for Hallmark to build us up, only to drop us back down come the new year? How exhausting
I constantly find myself wandering into our conference room, gazing out across the Hudson, hoping for a glance at the Ocean, reminding me that there is so much more out there than I can even begin to be aware of. Watching the boats and barges calms my restlessness, even if only momentarily, and allows me a reprieve to breath. It is a momentary respite from my daily routine that I seem to crave in increasing amounts. I’ve always been an ambitious person, and currently, I am lacking in that regard. While I have insight on part of why that is, I am constantly seeking answers for the remaining holes. Every year or so, when I am comfortable where I am, I become restless for the next step. It makes me wonder if anything will ever be enough for me – if I will ever be truly fulfilled with anything I do, as so far, nothing has entirely filled that gap. Of course I am only 26. No one is where they want to end up when they are 26…Right?
Starting off this New Year, I am happy with where I am. I very much like living in such an amazing and grand city where I can find and do pretty much anything I like whenever I want it. I am a product of the Sesame Street Generation, and this city caters to exactly that. I love my apartment (save for the lack of drawers in my kitchen – really?) and even more, the location of my apartment. It’s still hard being so far from friends, who continually do group activities my moving away has made me unable to partake in. I am in no way mad about that, however I can’t help but feel sad sometimes. I try to visit as much as I can, but finances are tough. I wish and ask for visitors, but I can’t ever seem to get anyone to come. It makes me question my friendship value, or wonder if people truly are just that busy all the time. Emailing and texting is so hard when unreciprocated, so it’s tough to keep up. Feeling constantly left out hurts more than I thought it would; Funny how things manifest themselves when left alone long enough to linger. I just feel like I no longer fit into any group of friends. Not from home, not from theatre, not from college, not from work – I find myself wondering where I fall.
Making new friends in this city is so difficult. I need to keep signing up for things like soccer, and dance classes, and hope I make a friend or two here or there. Maybe going back to school will also come with a new set of comrades. My graduate school prospects excite me – possibly taking the GRE’s does not. These are things I am still striving to figure out.
I am also excited about getting back into shape. I have definitely fallen off the exercise boat for a while now, so it’s time to get back on. I don’t just say this as a New Years resolution, as I never follow through with those anyway. I say this as a lifestyle change I’ve been meaning to make for some time – now is just as convenient a time as any (and now there are no excuses!). Switching gyms is going to help with that a lot. I’m looking forward to being able to walk 7 blocks from my apartment and be at my gym. Ah, the expediency of location continues to amaze me. I also threw away any “bad” food I had tempting me in my apartment, and replaced it with things like fruit, salad, nuts – the works. Obviously, eating habits don’t change overnight, but if I only surround myself with good choices, then I can only make good choices, right? Forcing habits works! Jeff also got me a dance card for the holidays, and I no longer have an excuse to not dance – especially since I find myself not doing the things that make me the happiest, like dance and theatre. I need to find my swing of those things here. One step at a time.
Usually, I find myself doing some sort of New Years Resolutions post around this point in the year – but I have decided against it this time around. Instead, I’m just going to continue on the path I’ve found myself on, and explore as many options and possibilities as I can gather. 2011 was a great year for me. It started out a little crappy, and was filled with ridiculous ups and downs – but it also found me in a place I really like, truly starting an independent life on my own. They say your twenties are when you really figure everything out, and I’m certainly finding that to be true. I’m excited to keep searching, finding, and exploring.
This year has started by dancing to live soul music at a 60’s themed dance party at The Bell House, followed by throwing up in a bar in Williamsburg, while the next week was met with frustration and feeling stagnate and idle in my place in life – and the week after found me eating in Little Italy, rocking to Karaoke in the village, and playing (and coming in second!) in my very first Poker tournament, lasting until 4am in Gowanus, Brooklyn with a group of people I had never met before, introducing me not only to a new game, but new music and new conversation as well. Welcome to my mid-late twenties I suppose. The year of 2012 awaits. I’m psyched.
January is in full force, and has settled in as such. The winter blues have been absorbed in my mind body and soul this year, as the decorations come down, and the holiday spirit quickly shifts back to the daily routines of ordinary living.
In Brooklyn, trees are still aglow, sales rage on, bells still jingle and people seem to have stayed relatively cheery, donning new coats and scarves they received from their loved ones over the Christmas flurry. People are still handing out peppermint hot chocolate and festive cheer blazes on. Then I get on the subway. The train rages under the East River, and a depression settles in almost immediately. We approach First Avenue, and the first round of office drones wander off, looking slightly sad, slightly hopeless, and totally bummed out. This continues through Third Avenue, Union Square, Sixth Avenue, as we reach our final destination, Eighth Avenue. Now we are deep in the heart of the winter doldrums. Side note: Does anyone else just picture that scene from The Phantom Tollbooth upon hearing the word “Doldrums”? The scene in which Milo enters that gooey green and gray swamp mess? Anyone?
Perhaps it’s my work location, but I see such a dire and drastic transformation in just a matter of days - from December 30th to January 3rd, it’s as if the magical holiday fairies pack their bags and peace the hell out of New York City. I am talking specifically about the scuttle of rush hour around 34th Street. The miracle clearly only lasts for the month of December, because come January 1st, that miracle has vanished. Lights are turned off and taken down; The fake cans of snow sprayed on the windows has been wiped clean; Bare Christmas trees line the streets, pieces of tinsel and red ribbon still clinging to the pine needles for dear life, grasping on to any semblance of joy they can find; Worst of all, everyone is back to their cranky-rush-hour scuttling and pushing. The holiday spirit has disappeared, and reappeared as what I am deeming the Grumpy Grinchiness of January. It’s totally depressing. Sadly, I am also riding the Grumps of January train. I can’t quite place what it is that always puts me in such a funk come January 2nd (I enjoy my New Years Day, thank you very much). Maybe it’s the culmination of holidays – my birthday in the beginning of October, leading into the excitement and parties of Halloween, followed closely by Thanksgiving-Chanukah-Christmas-New Years and then…nothing. Martin Luther King Day is as good as it’s going to get this month folks. I mean hey, I’ll take my Monday off and go to some museums, along with the rest of NYC’s public school children whose parents don’t know what to do with them, but other that that, what is there to look forward too? Impending blizzards from what supposedly promises to be “The worst winter we’ve seen in years!” (I have yet to see a snowflake, Weather Channel)? We can hope for a snow day. Groundhog Day? Presidents Day? I no longer get a spring break, so that quickly moves us along to Memorial Day and July 4th, where we can at least enjoy glorious weather and bi-weekly beach trips. Then we’re sucked back into Fall, and it’s October again. Is this what we’ve become? Holiday-seeking beings, waiting for Hallmark to build us up, only to drop us back down come the new year? How exhausting
Starting off this New Year, I am happy with where I am. I very much like living in such an amazing and grand city where I can find and do pretty much anything I like whenever I want it. I am a product of the Sesame Street Generation, and this city caters to exactly that. I love my apartment (save for the lack of drawers in my kitchen – really?) and even more, the location of my apartment. It’s still hard being so far from friends, who continually do group activities my moving away has made me unable to partake in. I am in no way mad about that, however I can’t help but feel sad sometimes. I try to visit as much as I can, but finances are tough. I wish and ask for visitors, but I can’t ever seem to get anyone to come. It makes me question my friendship value, or wonder if people truly are just that busy all the time. Emailing and texting is so hard when unreciprocated, so it’s tough to keep up. Feeling constantly left out hurts more than I thought it would; Funny how things manifest themselves when left alone long enough to linger. I just feel like I no longer fit into any group of friends. Not from home, not from theatre, not from college, not from work – I find myself wondering where I fall.
Making new friends in this city is so difficult. I need to keep signing up for things like soccer, and dance classes, and hope I make a friend or two here or there. Maybe going back to school will also come with a new set of comrades. My graduate school prospects excite me – possibly taking the GRE’s does not. These are things I am still striving to figure out.
I am also excited about getting back into shape. I have definitely fallen off the exercise boat for a while now, so it’s time to get back on. I don’t just say this as a New Years resolution, as I never follow through with those anyway. I say this as a lifestyle change I’ve been meaning to make for some time – now is just as convenient a time as any (and now there are no excuses!). Switching gyms is going to help with that a lot. I’m looking forward to being able to walk 7 blocks from my apartment and be at my gym. Ah, the expediency of location continues to amaze me. I also threw away any “bad” food I had tempting me in my apartment, and replaced it with things like fruit, salad, nuts – the works. Obviously, eating habits don’t change overnight, but if I only surround myself with good choices, then I can only make good choices, right? Forcing habits works! Jeff also got me a dance card for the holidays, and I no longer have an excuse to not dance – especially since I find myself not doing the things that make me the happiest, like dance and theatre. I need to find my swing of those things here. One step at a time.
Usually, I find myself doing some sort of New Years Resolutions post around this point in the year – but I have decided against it this time around. Instead, I’m just going to continue on the path I’ve found myself on, and explore as many options and possibilities as I can gather. 2011 was a great year for me. It started out a little crappy, and was filled with ridiculous ups and downs – but it also found me in a place I really like, truly starting an independent life on my own. They say your twenties are when you really figure everything out, and I’m certainly finding that to be true. I’m excited to keep searching, finding, and exploring.
This year has started by dancing to live soul music at a 60’s themed dance party at The Bell House, followed by throwing up in a bar in Williamsburg, while the next week was met with frustration and feeling stagnate and idle in my place in life – and the week after found me eating in Little Italy, rocking to Karaoke in the village, and playing (and coming in second!) in my very first Poker tournament, lasting until 4am in Gowanus, Brooklyn with a group of people I had never met before, introducing me not only to a new game, but new music and new conversation as well. Welcome to my mid-late twenties I suppose. The year of 2012 awaits. I’m psyched.
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