July 2009 Update

This picture was taken right after we introduced Benjamin to this play house. It is a hand-me-down from his cousin Anna.

This picture was taken right after we introduced Benjamin to this play house. It is a hand-me-down from his cousin Anna.

You may have noticed that I haven’t had much to say on the blog this month. That’s because we’ve slowed down after a busy month of traveling in June, and are enjoying being back in the daily routine at home. That being said, I thought I’d let you know what it is that we’ve been doing.

Brad

  • Brad has been traveling a good bit for work this month. He is involved in some clinical trials for his company, so some of his trips have been related to collecting data for that. This week he’ll be in Minneapolis, where he looks forward to observing his first animal testing. Last week he was in L.A., and the week before that he was in Austin. While in Austin, he did some work, but it was also a “team building” trip – he and some co-workers went tubing on a river.
  • We were able to catch up with a high school friend of Brad’s this weekend who is in town for work. Brad and he went out for dinner, while I stayed home with Benjamin so they could chat without toddler interruptions. :)
  • He has also completed at least two home projects lately. One was the half-finished (until now) process of moving a cable that connects the Tivo to the home network into the attic. Brad had to create a new outlet in the living room and the office in order to run the cable through the walls and attic, and now that it’s done, there’s no longer a cable running across the living room floor into the office! Most recently, he replaced the lawnmower blade when the old one got bent after a run-in with our garden bed metal liner. We agree that it’s more likely that a task will be finished if we do it right away instead of putting it off for days or weeks. I was proud of him for checking these items off his to-do list.

Emily

  • I’ve had a good bit of free time on my hands this summer, since I’m not teaching any classes or doing in writing for Mattel. While Benjamin naps, I do a lot of blogging and Facebooking, but I also find time to read. I have more motivation to do so since I am in a summer book club. Last month we read Same Kind of Different As Me, which was excellent. We met at Olive Garden for dessert one night and had a nice time chatting and discussing the book. This month’s book is Water for Elephants, which tells the story of a man who worked as an animal caretaker for a traveling circus during the Great Depression. I’m about a third of the way through it and have been enjoying it.
  • I’ve also been making my way through some tv shows. I had been making good progress with my re-watching of Lost, starting at season one, but about half way through season three, I got interested in Twin Peaks, that strange murder mystery/drama from the early ’90s. I discovered that it is currently airing on a couple of cable networks. I have watched about half of the series so far and am enjoying it. (I watched the show when it originally aired, but it is fun to watch it again.) And finally, after seeing the set of True Blood during our Warner Bros. studio tour in L.A., I decided to give this vampire show another shot. I’ve been enjoying it more this time, and I find it more interesting because it is set in North Louisiana, an area that (as far as I know) has never been the spotlight of a tv series. It’s been fun to hear my hometown and the surrounding area referenced during the episodes. The setting makes up for the horrible southern accents and the cheap looking vampire fangs.
  • Pretty soon I need to get busy planning my fall courses, as well as decluttering the house. If the weather ever cools off, Benjamin and I will venture out more to the park. For now, we are content to stay inside most of the day, and to venture out once or twice a day to run errands or to visit a friend.
  • My friend Leah was in town last weekend, and Mandy, she, and I had fun going to see a great movie called 500 Days of Summer followed by a leisurely dinner at Mi Cocina.

Benjamin

  • Last week I took Benjamin to the doctor after he had been feverish, fussy, and not napping well for a couple of days. I was afraid he had yet another ear infection, but it turns out his ears were totally clear! All his pediatrician could find was that he had an irritated throat. She tested for strep, and it was negative, so she suggested just giving him Tylenol for the fever, give him plenty of liquids, and just wait for it to pass. Thankfully, his mystery illness was over a couple of days later, and he’s back to his happy self again now.
  • Benjamin has finally ventured into the world of solid foods. He has a few back teeth coming in, which are helping him to chew little bites of veggies, pasta, fruit, and cheese. We’ve experimented with some of the Graduates Lil’ Entrees, which come with a main dish and a veggie. I learned today that he really likes green beans! This is funny, since early on, green beans were the only pureed baby food he didn’t like.
  • He’s also starting to drink more milk. (Ever since we transitioned from bottle to sippy cup, he hasn’t been very interested in drinking a lot of it.) Last night, for the first time, he finished his after dinner/bedtime sippy cup of milk. It’s no surprise that he loves apple juice, and we’ve been keeping him hydrated with water during the summer heat wave.
  • Speaking of the heat wave, we purchased a ten dollar inflatable baby pool, and Benjamin has already enjoyed it a few times. He loves to splash around in the water, and giggles in surprise when it splashes onto his face.
  • We’ve visited with friends a good bit this summer. A week doesn’t go by that we don’t drop in to see Natalee and her two boys, Simeon and Caleb and we’ve also started a weekly visit with Veronica and her son Van, who is only about five months younger than Benjamin. And we see Cara and Benjamin’s cousins a couple of times a week. Benjamin loves playing with other kids.
  • At home, he loves snuggling with us, his stuffed animals, and Chloe. We have yet to capture it on video, but we love the cute “ahhhh” sound he makes when he gives hugs and snuggles.
  • I’ve stayed in shape this summer trying to keep up with Benjamin as he explores the house. If there’s a door or cabinet open, he sees it as an invitation to investigate.
  • We’ve gone to storytime at the library a couple of times this summer. Benjamin is very shy during the songs, huddling down with his face buried in my shoulder, but he loosens up and his eyes get bright and alert when actual story time arrives. Apparently he doesn’t like the felt board stories, because this morning when the librarian put Humpty Dumpty up on a wall of felt, he did his signing for “all done.” He was ready to get back to the books!
  • He prefers to be where I am, rather than isolated in his playroom, but he still plays in there a few times a day. He becomes a little more “hands-off” everyday, as he learns how to entertain himself where I am, which makes it easier for me to cook dinner, wash dishes, fold laundry, etc.

I could say more, but as you can see, I don’t have much exciting to talk about. Instead, I’ll leave you with some pictures that haven’t made their way on here yet.

Escape to L.A.: Day Four

All good things must come to an end, and so came the last day of my fantastic weekend getaway to L.A. We managed to fit in one last excursion before I packed my bags and headed to the airport.

  • 9:15-10:45 a.m. – Lindsay and I made our way to Venice Beach for a brisk morning walk. We parked a few blocks inland, then meandered through the canal walkways. It’s a beautiful area that I had never seen before. There’s a reason it’s called Venice Beach. Like Venice, Italy, this area has a series of canals, and they are bordered by beautiful homes. Most of the residents have a small dock and a canoe just outside of their front door. I took lots of pictures of this quaint, picturesque area (see below). Once we got to the boardwalk, the atmosphere changed quite drastically. The beautiful homes, waterways, and flowers were replaced by the strange characters that inhabit the Venice Beach ocean front area: body builders, homeless people, street musicians, vendors, people on stilts… There was a little of everything. My favorite aspect of this area is that there are colorful murals on the sides of the buildings (see pictures below). After we walked for awhile, it was time to head back to the apartment so I could prepare for my journey home.
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. – Lindsay dropped me off at the airport, and with no line, I made it through security in about five minutes. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that my flight had been delayed by about 30 minutes. This made me nervous, since I had already been facing only a 55 minute layover in Salt Lake City. With the delay, that would cut it down to 25 minutes. I entertained myself by drinking a latte and listening to the French conversation going on next to me between a cute little girl and her Papa.
  • 1:40 Pacific time – 4:15 Mountain time – My flight eventually left LAX, and made up some time in the air. I read a bit and listened to music during the relatively short flight.
  • 4:25-4:45 p.m. – Not knowing how far I had to go, I made a mad dash through the airport to go from Terminal B to Terminal C, gate 4, where my flight to DFW was departing. By the time I got there, it was already boarding, but I still had time to make a few phone calls. It was nice to not have to wait a long time at the gate.
  • 5:00 mountain time – 8:20 p.m. central time – I really enjoyed this flight, milking this last little bit of my vacation for all it was worth. I read a good chunk of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (great book so far!), listened to music, and enjoyed one of those fun little snack boxes and some red wine. The combination of the wine and music was very enjoyable. I cranked up the volume and sailed away on tunes that included The Gabe Dixon Band, Imogen Heap, Jump Little Children, Offspring (okay, so they weren’t all mellow songs), Live, etc. My experience on the plane was so different this time from my last trip to L.A., when I was holding Benjamin in my lap the whole time and trying to keep him from screaming. It was so nice to just be for a few hours.
  • 8:30-9:00 p.m. – My brother Patrick picked me up from the airport and drove me home. (Thanks, Pete!) I walked in the front door just in time to see Benjamin come out of the bathtub wrapped cozily in a towel. An exhausted Brad (by the way, he did a fantastic job taking care of Benjamin all weekend) handed the boy over to me, and I hugged him close. It was good to be home.

Escape to L.A.: Day Three

After Friday’s full slate of activities, Saturday’s theme was relaxation. Here’s how it all went:

  • 8:00-9:30 a.m. – We all slept in and lazed around for awhile. It’s funny when three people in one apartment are all on Facebook together, on three separate computers.
  • 9:45-11:15 a.m. – Lindsay and I drove to Santa Monica and had a late breakfast at the Omelette Parlor. She has seen Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer (stars of True Blood) there before, but this time the only excitement was when a groom arrived to greet his wedding party, and they rewarded him with an enthusiastic (and startling, for the rest of us!) round of applause. This restaurant now as the distinction of serving me the best bacon I’ve ever had. It was thick cut, and crispy, just the way I like it, with a lot of flavor. It came as part of my “two, two, and two” platter: two eggs, two strips of bacon, two pieces of French toast. I also enjoyed a latte in a big mug, and Lindsay had her favorite, a bowl of granola, fresh fruit, and yogurt.
  • 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – We pampered ourselves with pedicures at Deluxe Nail Bar and Spa. My deluxe pedicure included a marine mask (see picture below of my blue legs wrapped in plastic wrap – looks weird, but felt great!), a ten minute leg and foot massage, plus the basics. I occasionally go for pedicures in Dallas, but it was so nice to relax for an hour during this pedicure, and then be able to carry that relaxation on out into the rest of the day, rather than having to rush home and jump right back into frenzied mom mode.
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m. – We skipped lunch and went straight to dessert at Pinkberry, the very popular California yogurt chain. Similar to Yogurtville in Plano, Pinkberry serves yogurt with various fresh fruits and other toppings. It makes for a very pretty and tasty treat. I had the coconut yogurt with fresh mango, blueberries, and raspberries. I would definitely go back!
  • 2:15-3:30 p.m. – It was a perfect day to be at the beach, and so we packed up some folding chairs, books, and water and headed to the sandy shores of the Pacific. We would have stayed longer, but didn’t want to get a sunburn. (Don’t worry, though, I applied plenty of sunscreen to protect my fair skin.) I hate to rub it in to all of you who were suffering through the Dallas heat and humidity at the time, but being at the beach was heavenly: it was in the low to mid 70s, breezy, perfectly blue sky… I actually got chilly at one point. It was nice to just stare out at the waves, listen to the sounds of the water and the seagulls, read a book, and chat with Lindsay. Ah…
  • 4:00-10:00 p.m. – The rest of the day was spent relaxing at Sean and Lindsay’s apartment, except when we all went to dinner at an Italian place nearby. We all had pizza, which was very tasty. We were a little confused because although it was an Italian restaurant, all of the servers were either Hispanic or Asian, and there were several blatant errors on the menu, such as “chilly peppers” instead of “chile peppers.” It was nice to just hang out after a day in the sun.

Escape to L.A.: Day Two

Friday, June 26: Day Two of my getaway vacation. This was the day we had a lot planned to do, and we managed to fit it all in, and still have plenty of time to relax afterwards.

  • 7:15 a.m. – Lindsay and I left her apartment bright and early, to make sure we would make it to WB Studios on time for our tour (we had reserved tickets). We didn’t have any major traffic, so it only took us like 45 minutes to get there.
  • 8:20-10:30 a.m. – Since we arrived at Warner Bros. so early, we got on an earlier tour, which worked out nicely, since it gave us more flexibility the rest of the day. The studio tour was very fun and interesting. Being the tv buffs that we are, we strategically sat immediately behind our tour guide, as he drove us around the studio backlots and soundstages, so we could ask him plenty of questions and lobby for a peek at our favorite shows’ sets. We needn’t have worried, since the only time that anyone else on our tour (there were only like 8 of us) spoke up was when he asked if anyone is a fan of Two and a Half Men. One previously silent woman exuberantly yelled: “YES! YES! I LOVE that show!” And so, much to our chagrin, our guide led us to the Two and a Half Men soundstage. (In case you don’t know, our opinion is that this show is an example of the lowest form of comedy.) On the way into the soundstage, I attempted to persuade our guide to take us next door, where The Big Bang Theory is filmed, but he muttered something about it being under construction, and Lindsay and I had to settle for our least favorite of the studio’s shows instead. Not to worry, though. things picked up soon after, when we got a glimpse into the studios props department, which was full of elaborate furniture, strange statues, and anything else you could think of. Our guide also took us to a room that is an exact replica of the Central Perk set from Friends. They basically took everything from that set, including all the furniture, wall hangings, lamps, etc., and rebuilt the set. You really feel like you are in the Central Perk, and that was fun. Other highlights of the tour: driving past a swampy, jungle area and Merlotte’s bar (both filming locations for the HBO show True Blood), touring the remnants of the town of Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) – now being used for a new show called Eastwick, and browsing props and costumes from the Harry Potter movies at the studio museum. Also at the museum we saw Christian Bale and Heath Ledger’s Batman and Joker costumes, and several life-size wax replicas of Mr. Smith from The Matrix, which were used when filming the scenes where Neo battled all the Mr. Smiths at once. Our tour was an illuminating look into the behind the scenes workings and history of the studio.
  • 11:00-11:10 a.m. – We made our way from WB Studios to the Hollywood area, specifically an outdoor shopping mall called The Grove. When we went to check on the movie times, we saw that Away We Go was playing at 11:15, which meant we had to make a quick decision of whether to see the movie and then eat lunch, or eat lunch and entertain ourselves for 3 hours until the 2:30 showing, which is when we’d originally planned to go. We wisely chose to see the movie at 11:15.
  • 11:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – As is usually the case with morning matinees, there were only about six people in the theater, and so we enjoyed our movie and buttered popcorn in an utterly distraction free environment. The movie stars Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, who play a couple expecting their first child who take a cross country road trip in search of the perfect place to start their new life as parents. They travel everywhere from Phoenix to Montreal to Miami, and encounter some of the quirkiest characters you’ll ever see in a movie. It’s a bittersweet, but often hilarious movie about family dysfunction, parenting, and what makes a place “home.” It also has a great soundtrack!
  • 1:15-2:30 p.m. – After the movie we wandered over to the adjacent Farmer’s Market, where after much deliberation, we chose a French crepe stand for lunch. We sat at the counter, where Lindsay enjoyed a panini and I had a crepe filled with cheddar cheese, avocado, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Right across from us was a pastry stand, which displayed scrumptious looking treats, but we resisted them. Next we walked through the market area, then back over to The Grove, where we leisurely browsed through the books at Barnes & Noble.
  • 3:00-4:00 p.m. – Since we had walked off some of the calories from our lunch, we then drove to another area of town to Pane e Vino, an Italian restaurant known for its inviting, relaxing patio. We had a lovely experience eating dessert on the nearly empty patio. However, there was also some exciting celebrity spotting. As we walked in to find the hostess, we passed a table where an older black man was seated, and I immediately recognized him as Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer. What gave it away, you ask? Well, the tinted glasses, the large chain and medallion around his neck, and the shirt unbuttoned to his chest (not typical for most 76 year olds) were my first hints. He was there eating with what appeared to be his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. When they left, Quincy was hand in hand with his grandson, who must have been about two years old and was very cute. Quincy was also wearing all black, perhaps because he’s in mourning over the death of his friend Michael Jackson. Anyway, I was glad that I spotted at least one celebrity on my trip. (My first celeb spotting in L.A. happened a couple of years ago, when I made eye contact with James Denton, the plumber from Desperate Housewives, as we passed each other at LAX.) Once Quincy and his family left the restaurant, we happily focused on our delicious desserts. Lindsay had caramel cream flan, and I had tiramasu and a cappuccino. I must say, it was the best tiramasu I’ve ever had. Pane e Vino really had great atmosphere, and on a day when the sky was blue and temps were in the low 70s, it was a perfect place to enjoy the afternoon.
  • Before I move on, let me share some interesting facts that we learned about Quincy Jones, when we looked him up on Wikipedia after encountering him at the restaurant: his middle name is Delight, he produced Thriller, he produced and conducted “We Are the World,” he composed the musical score for the 1967 film In Cold Blood, and he’s never learned to drive. He’s a very interesting person with many accomplishments!
  • 4:30-10:30 – General hanging out and relaxing at the apartment, followed by a dinner of baked potatoes. We rounded out the evening by watching the Liam Neeson movie Taken. I will reserve my full opinions of it for a post on Eclaire Fare, but let me just say that the movie’s first mistake was not only casting Maggie Grace (Shannon on Lost) as a 17 year old, but in making her character behave like a ten year old, which was very awkward. Despite this major flaw, the movie was entertaining and had an intriguing premise. It was a nice way to wind down from the busy day.

Now enjoy these pictures of our day:

Escape to L.A.: Day One

For those of you who don’t know, I am currently on a four day trip to Los Angeles, where I am visiting my friend Lindsay. The most significant detail of this trip is that I am here without Brad or Benjamin. This is the first vacation I have gone on without Brad since we got married, and it is also the first time I have been away from Benjamin overnight. I am having a lovely, rejuvenating time so far on this girls’ weekend. Last month, I did a daily travel blog about our family vacation to L.A., so I will now do the same thing for my current adventures in sunny California.

To start things off, here is how the first day went:

  • 1:00 p.m. – Brad and Benjamin dropped me off at the airport. Benjamin didn’t reach his arms out to me as I walked away from him; instead, he just waved and nonchalantly said “bye bye” as I rolled my luggage into the terminal. Hugging him goodbye was bittersweet for me, but once I saw that he wasn’t concerned about my departure, I contentedly strolled to security check, reveling in the realization that I wasn’t responsible for anyone other than myself for the next four days! (Color me giddy!!!) I think the woman who checked my driver’s license and ID wondered why I had a strange, jubilant expression on my face as I went through security. Let me just say that I have never been so excited to be hanging out at the airport, to have a layover, and to be flying for five hours!
  • 1:30 p.m. – As I sat down at my gate with a book and a smile, I overheard the CNN report that Farrah Fawcett had died, which made me sad.
  • 2:25 p.m. central time – 4:00 p.m. mountain time – The first leg of my journey took me from DFW to Salt Lake City. I sat next to a friendly grandfather type, and we chatted a bit about the state of women’s college basketball and other random subjects, and I listened to a few songs on Regina Spektor’s new album, but mostly I read. Oh, what a joy it was to sit and read, uninterrupted by a bored or mischievous toddler, for over two hours! I finished reading Dexter by Design, and then started The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby.
  • 4:10-5:10 p.m. – When I entered the terminal at Salt Lake City (after an uncomfortably bumpy descent and landing due to a storm in the area), I immediately noticed that everyone was  glued to CNN, which was playing on all the tv monitors. It is a strange feeling to deboard an airplane and wonder what major world event you have missed while flying through the sky. I soon learned that the event in this case was the shocking death of Michael Jackson. How weird, that at DFW the news was all about Farrah Fawcett, and in Salt Lake City, it was all about the King of Pop. So far, my visit to L.A. has included an almost constant soundtrack of MJ tunes, whether in the car, in Barnes and Noble, or on the local news. It is sad when anyone dies, but Jackson leaves behind quite an impressive musical legacy!
  • 5:10 mountain time to 6:00 p.m. pacific – The last leg of the journey, from Salt Lake to L.A., was a shorter flight, just under two hours. I took advantage of the time to make a bigger dent in The Polysyllabic Spree. I am loving this book, which is a one year, month by month account of the books Hornby has bought and read. The style is very easy to read, as well as amusing and clever, and it makes me want to read everything from Charles Dickens to 20th century poetry to non-fiction books about the business of baseball. Hornby is a prolific and varied reader, and he inspires me to aspire to do the same. Easier said than done when I have a 16 month old waiting to hang out with me at home. I’d better get a head start on the flight back home!
  • 6:10-6:30 p.m. – When I arrived at LAX and got off the plane, it’s as if I stepped into an abandoned airport (it really was reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Langoliers.) Other than an occasional lone security guard, it was just me and one other guy (seriously!) trying to follow ridiculously cryptic signs to the baggage claim area. I don’t know where all the other people went! Apparently, this other guy and I both made a wrong turn, because we ended up at what appeared to be the end of the world, also known as the United Airlines baggage claim area. I guess we missed the one tiny sign that would have pointed us toward the more direct route to the Delta area. Oh, well. The long way around provided me with a chance to stretch my legs after the cramped flights, and like a scene right out of a movie, Lindsay and I had to find each other on a loud, congested sidewalk, amidst a symphony of airplanes, shuttle buses, rolling luggage, cigarette smoke, and – no doubt – Michael Jackson tunes.
  • 7:30 p.m.- After a quick stop at Lindsay and Sean’s apartment, we made our way to nearby Venice Beach, for dinner at The Terrace, a restaurant that is adjacent to the boardwalk and has ocean views. We sat on the patio and enjoyed our meal (I had an excellent sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak). Let me just say that the temperature was amazing. When I left Dallas it was in the upper 90s, and while we dined outdoors in Venice Beach, it was breezy with temps in the upper 60s.
  • 9:00 p.m. – Back at the apartment, we watched the So You Think You Can Dance results show. Lindsay and I both blog about the show, so we sat on the sofa together, each typing away feverishly on our Macs. It was nice to be able to chat about the show live and in person, since the two hour time difference that usually separates us prevents timely discussion of any tv programming.
  • 10:45 p.m. – It was somewhere around this time that I went to bed. I had a wonderful first day of my brief respite from the daily grind. I didn’t miss Benjamin and Brad too much, but instead enjoyed some peace and quiet, and hanging out with a friend without the hindrance of having to get home by a certain time.

I’ll leave you with the few pictures I took on Day One. I promise there will be more than this from Day Two!

Lindsay enjoys the view on the patio of The Terrace.

Lindsay enjoys the view on the patio of The Terrace.

My delicious meal, which featured a sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak

My delicious meal, which featured a sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak

Another view of The Terrace, this time after the sun went down. I liked the pretty paper lanterns.

Another view of The Terrace, this time after the sun went down. I liked the pretty paper lanterns.

Everyday Food to the Rescue

Spend much time around our house, and you’ll learn that I’m often a slacker when it comes to cooking. As a result, we often end up picking up food because I just don’t feel like making a last minute run to the grocery store. My cooking habits and enthusiasm (or lack thereof) are cyclical, and I am currently in a culinary upswing. This is partly due to the fact that I am a full time stay at home mom right now, since the semester ended a couple of weeks ago. Mostly, though, I have Everyday Food magazine to thank. I’ve been subscribing to this Martha Stewart publication for the past few years, and while I always find a few recipes to try, I’ve been really impressed with the last couple of issues.

I would like to thank the genius who came up with the magazine’s “One Grocery Bag: Five Fresh, Fast Weekday Meals” feature. It has inspired me to do more healthy, at-home cooking, and less lazy, lard-heavy meals to go. I plan to thumb through the old issues to find more of this feature. Here’s how it works. In one section of the magazine, there are five consecutive recipes, but with a shared shopping list. So, if you want to make all five meals, you can simply take the magazine to the store as your shopping list! Making a list is always my least favorite part of shopping, especially when I have to write down several recipe ingredients, so this “One Grocery Bag” thing is perfect for me.

Two weeks ago, I took the magazine’s shopping list to Sprouts Farmers Market. It was my first ever visit to that store, and I loved it! Good thing they just opened one down the street from us in Coppell. It was so easy to purchase everything I needed for the five recipes, that I had a relaxing shopping experience, even with Benjamin tagging along. Here are the recipes I made that week (I found links to all but one of them in case you’re interested):

  • Grilled steak with tomatoes and scallions – Brad grilled the steak and vegetables, and I made roasted potatoes and fresh corn on the cob as sides. We invited my brother Patrick and his wife Lindsi over very last minute – not a problem since I already had my menu planned out.
  • Pasta salad with goat cheese and arugula – We ate this as a light dinner, but it would also be tasty as a lunch dish, or as a heartier meal by adding in grilled chicken.
  • Tomato-pepper soup with ham and arugula wraps – We also ate this as a dinner, but I think it would be a delicious change of pace for lunch. I made the soup by pureeing cherry tomatoes and a red bell pepper with some tomato juice in the blender. It was very fresh tasting! And the wraps were delicious, with a spread that was a mixture of goat cheese, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Speaking of lemon zest, I use a micro grater instead of a traditional lemon zester, and it is so easy to use. It used to take me way too long to procure even one teaspoon of lemon zest, but now I can produce a tablespoon of it in less than a minute.
  • Grilled pork chops with cucumber-dill saladThis was the other meal we had friends join us for. I made roasted potatoes as a side (because they are so tasty and easy), and we had Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for dessert (specifically Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch and Cherry Garcia).
  • Asian noodle salad with shrimp and cilantroWe found the bean-thread noodles this recipe called for at our local Korean grocery store (thanks for picking them up, Cara), but it was the dressing that made this one a winner. I made the dressing by cooking fresh jalapeno, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a skillet. The recipe also called for rotisserie chicken, but we used grilled shrimp instead (Brad really put our grill to work that week!). And we skipped the cilantro, since it’s just about the only food that me and Brad don’t like. We think it tastes like minty dirt. Gross!

Yum! Every meal was easy and delicious. And having friends over for dinner was more relaxing, as I was able to whip up the food without my usual last minute dash to the store. I certainly see the benefits of making one weekly shopping trip at the beginning of the week. It prevented me from feeling overwhelmed, and saved us from unhealthy meals out. One last benefit of the “One Grocery Bag” concept is that the magazine editors double up on ingredients, so that you aren’t left with extra food that you don’t know what to do with. For example, goat cheese, arugula, and lemon juice were used in more than one of the five recipes.

I can’t say enough about Everyday Food. It has made it somewhat fun for me to spend time in the kitchen, and it has kept our dinners fresh and interesting. Yesterday, I prepared this trio from the magazine for lunch, and it only took me 30 minutes:

Yesterday's lunch: roasted salmon with herbed yogurt, lemony smashed potatoes, and tender lettuce salad with a Dijon vinaigrette.

Yesterday's lunch: roasted salmon with herbed yogurt, lemony smashed potatoes, and tender lettuce salad with a Dijon vinaigrette.

  • Roasted salmon with herbed yogurt – The topping consisted of Greek yogurt mixed with Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and fresh parsley. The salmon was delicious – this is definitely a keeper.
  • Lemony smashed potatoes – After steaming the potatoes, I stirred in lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Tender lettuce salad – The secret to this simple salad was the dressing: white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. For the greens, we used a blend of red leaf and upland cress.

I highly recommend Everyday Food to anyone who is tired of cooking the same old recipes, who wants to prepare meals that are both healthy and quick, and who likes to try new foods (since the magazine features both traditional and more exotic fare). Occasionally, some of the ingredients aren’t available at a regular grocery store (although I can usually find what I need at our Albertsons), but you can either substitute something else or have an adventure at a specialty store!

On the Patio

I love the color that these lanterns and flowers add to the patio.

I love the color that these lanterns and flowers add to the patio.

Spring is in the air, and we’ve been wanting to get out of the house and enjoy it. Unfortunately, until recently our patio wasn’t a very inviting place to experience the great outdoors. The plants were wilting from neglect, the patio surface was covered with grime and dead leaves from the winter, and the mosquitoes were laying claim to it as their territory. A couple of months, though, I got the idea to throw a patio party, so after the token procrastination, I got busy planning it a few weeks ago. Brad jumped right in to help me prepare. We transformed our patio from a cluttered mess to an inviting escape. Here’s how:

  • The biggest transformation was due to Brad renting a pressure washer and cleaning off the patio and vinyl siding. I wish we had before and after pictures, because the difference was amazing!
  • We also purchased a bug zapper, and although the sounds of bugs being killed instantly by an electric forcefield isn’t an ideal summer soundtrack, it sure beats swatting mosquitoes away every few seconds .
  • I have become more diligent about watering the flowers, so that they are colorful and vibrant.
  • We also did some simple decorating for the party by hanging some paper flowers and a string of lighted paper lanterns, both of which we have left up to enjoy for ourselves. They lend a festive air to the patio.

Since making our patio a more inviting place, we have spent a lot of time out there. My party was a success, and a few nights later we had Patrick and Lindsi over for dinner and ate at our patio table. We’ve also sat out there to have coffee a few times, and Benjamin has enjoyed exploring the patio perimeter.

The Patio Party:

  • The decor: I decided to go with a Spanish theme, so I bought a Spanish-style table cloth, and plates and napkins with the same design. I also created a “Spanish” radio station on Pandora, with a blend of classical guitar, salsa, Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine, etc. By the way, if you’ve never checked out Pandora, you really should. It’s a free Internet radio website, where you can create and customize your own stations. It’s fun to discover new songs and artists, and to hear other songs that you had forgotten about.
  • The food: In keeping with the Spanish theme, I used some tapas recipes. I made Spanish deviled eggs, which had tuna and tomato sauce mixed in with the filling, and created a tray with various items to eat together – sliced tomatoes, green and black olives, imported Manchego cheese, and cubed garlic bread. Also on the menu were shrimp cocktail, taqitoes, chips with olive and cheese salsa (courtesy of Mandy), cheesecake with cherry topping (also courtesy of Mandy), brownies (Keeley brought these), and cookies (Christie brought these).
  • The beverages: Brad and I mixed up some fresh sangria, and it turned out to be quite a stout recipe! The ingredients were freshly sliced lemons, limes, and oranges, sugar, orange juice, red wine, and rum. It was quite tasty, but I think everyone diluted it a bit with some club soda. I also provided ginger ale and raspberry white tea.
  • The atmosphere: It rained all day Saturday, so we had to wait until an hour before the party to set everything up. The rain also brought a cold front, so it was actually in the low 60s during the party! We borrowed Patrick’s fire pit, and I brought out a pile of jackets and sweaters for everyone to stay warm. Who knew we’d need jackets in mid May?! The air was clean and fresh from the rain, and it was so nice to just sit outside, sipping sangria and chatting with friends. Benjamin went to bed about 8:45, but until then Brad was in charge of him. The last guests didn’t leave until after midnight! I felt young again, staying “out” so late. :)   Thanks to everyone who came – I had a great time!

Beyond the Party:

  • When Patrick and Lindsi came over for dinner, we recreated the party atmosphere with the hanging flowers, the lantern lights, the Spanish music, etc. We served grilled steak with a topping of tomatoes and scallions, along with fresh corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and yeast rolls. Eating outside on a beautiful night made everything taste even better. And Benjamin was mostly content to wander loose on the patio while we ate and chatted.
  • I’ve also discovered that Benjamin enjoys going outside (I guess all kids do), so when he started getting cabin fever, we’ve been going on the patio. He likes to pick up leaves, point out ants and other bugs crawling around, make “music” by hitting his sippy cup against metallic objects like the grill or firepit, and touch the flower petals.
  • I also enjoy sitting outside drinking coffee and breathing in fresh air, while looking up at blue sky. We’ve had beautiful weather all this week, and I’ve made a point to get outside and enjoy it before the oppressive summer heat arrives and sets up camp for four months.

Enjoy these pictures of our recent time on the patio:

Trip to (and from) L.A.: Day Five

As I write this post, I am happy to be back in the comfort of my own home. Specifically, I’m sitting at my desk with a cup of strong coffee (no more weak hotel coffee for me, thank you), listening to the whir of Benjamin’s sound machine over the monitor as he continues to sleep peacefully. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, but it’s always nice to return to the familiar. Now, on to the rundown of the final day of our trip, which mostly involved the journey home.

Day Five:

  • 7:30-11:00 – We all “slept in” until 7:30, then got up to start our morning of packing and staying close to the room. Our original plan was to celebrate Mother’s Day with breakfast at Corner Bakery, but to encourage Benjamin to fit in a good nap before our flight, we instead ate the hotel breakfast, like we did every morning. Only today, instead of an omelet we had a waffle. Afterwards, Benjamin slept for an hour while Brad watched tv, I played on the Internet, and we started packing.
  • 11:00-12:00 – We loaded up the car, Brad drove us to the Burbank airport, and he helped me get checked in. We said our goodbyes at the entrance to security check-in. He will be in L.A. until Thursday, so we are really glad that we were able to spend this time with him (otherwise we wouldn’t have seen him for over a week!).
  • 12:00-12:45 – I let Benjamin walk around a bit at our gate, and I fed him his lunch. He was slightly disturbed by a rather large replica of a WWII plane hanging from the ceiling, but he worked it out by waving at it. I wish I had a picture of me carrying around all our stuff. I had it down to a science: backpack on my back, diaper bag diagonal across my shoulder, pushing Benjamin in his stroller. It really wasn’t too bad. I checked the stroller when I boarded, so from that point I held Benjamin for the next three or so hours.
  • 1:00-1:15 – Once everyone had boarded, it was clear that the seat next to us (in our row of three) was empty. Good news! The guy sitting by the window was in his 20s, and quickly put his earphones on, indicating he didn’t want to deal with a one year old ( I don’t blame him). I was hoping for a friendly grandmother type to sit next to me, but instead we were sitting right across from the flight attendant station – you know, where they keep all the drinks and snacks in the back of the plane. So that was more good news. There would be no passengers sitting directly across from us to be bothered by Benjamin. The flight attendant who sat in the fold out seat across from us was a friendly lady from Reno (she actually turned out to be a grandmother type – she has six year old and six week old grandkids). When she wasn’t on attending duties, she chatted with us about her garden, and how her only pets are wild animals like quail and rabbits, and she complimented Benjamin on his expressive eyes and sweet curls. So I guess I got my wish after all – a friendly grandmother – just not the old gray haired kind.
  • 3:15-4:30 (skipping ahead to Central time)- The first part of the flight went by fast. Benjamin did fine with the pressure changes on takeoff – he drank his milk then. And it seemed like he was going to settle down and go to sleep. He sweetly listened to music with me (I had one ear bud, he had the other) – as we listened to Gabe Dixon Band and Simon and Garfunkel he bobbed to the music, and started to drift off. But about the time the flight attendants started prepping their drink cart, he snapped out of his reverie, never to return.
  • 4:30-5:20 – This part of the flight wasn’t so fun. Benjamin was exhausted, but refused to sleep. So every ten minutes or so he would arch his back and get all upset, which would lead to screaming and crying. Just to have something to do (and because I needed to go), I took him to the bathroom with me. He was a little freaked out by the tiny bathroom and the loud noises of the plane. It just so happens that this is when we hit our one patch of turbulence (isn’t that always the way?), so I got back to my seat as quickly as possible. Thankfully, the turbulence was short-lived. During this hour I also exhausted all the forms of entertainment I had on hand – all his toys, the calculator, my wallet, my keys…
  • 5:20-5:50 – By this point Benjamin was rejecting anything I gave him except corn puffs. So for the last half hour of the flight, as we made our descent toward DFW, I handed him his favorite snack one piece at a time. He finished off nearly the whole little container I had brought on board. It was convenient that this helped regular the pressure in his ears, and it also kept the screaming and crying at bay.
  • 5:50-6:15 – It takes forever to taxi to the gate at DFW! Thankfully, the friendly Reno flight attendant and a Sky Mall magazine were there to pass the time. In the time it took to go from the runway to our gate, Benjamin ripped an entire Sky Mall into pieces, page by page, and he handed each tattered piece to Grandma Reno. She was so patient! When I was in college, I used to rip paper into strips as a form of stress relief (yes, more proof that I’m weird). Like mother, like son.
  • 6:15-6:45 – I am so thankful for friends like Mandy and Will. They sacrificed their Sunday evening to meet us at the airport and help us get to our car. (Remember my day one post, in which I explained that we were parked on the top level of a parking lot with no ramps or elevators?) To further complicate the parking garage problem, my flight arrived at Terminal A, so if they hadn’t met us, Benjamin and I would have had to pick up our luggage at baggage claim, then take an airport shuttle to Terminal C, and then figure out how to get up three flights of stairs with all our stuff. Because they met us, we didn’t have to worry about that. We grabbed my suitcase, and all hopped into their car for the short trip to Terminal C – can’t beat carside service!
  • 6:45-8:00 – As soon as I pulled out of my airport parking space, Benjamin fell asleep. How funny that he fought sleep for a three hour flight, but the minute he felt the familiar comfort of his car seat, he zonked out. I was glad he got a short nap after the tiring trip. Mandy, Will, and I picked up burgers and shakes at Braums for dinner and took them back to my house to eat. That was one tasty burger and chocolate malt! Benjamin seemed relieved to be back home (even though he had lots of fun in L.A.). A smile creeped onto his face when Mandy took him into his playroom, and he was more than happy to sit down in his high chair to eat his dinner. As usual, Chloe had opened every cabinet in the house as a sign of her displeasure at us leaving her alone for so many days (do you know any other cats who do this?!). I was most amused by her handiwork in Benjamin’s room: she somehow managed to knock over a whole stack of quilts and a big box of diapers, and made the contents spill out of the closet and onto the nursery floor (see picture below).
  • 8:00-9:00 – We said goodbye to Mandy and Will, and then I bathed Benjamin and put him to bed around 9. I was surprised that he was ready for bed at his regular time, after being on Pacific time for five days. He has slept well all night. After he went to bed, I stayed up a couple of hours, watching Lost, checking Facebook, and just enjoying being home.

Our trip to L.A. was a welcome respite from the daily routine, and now that I’m back home, after five days of sun, the ocean, the pool, good food, and the manager’s reception, I feel rejuvenated to face “normal” again. Thanks for following along on our journey!

Trip to L.A.: Day Four

Brad shares a special moment with Benjamin, as he experiences ocean waves for the first time.

Brad shares a special moment with Benjamin, as he experiences ocean waves for the first time.

Saturday. Our day to sightsee, relax, explore, whatever we wanted. So we had decisions to make when we woke up. Our original plan was to go to the Dodgers vs. Giants early afternoon game, and then to drive over to the beach to introduce Benjamin to the ocean. However, we decided to be flexible and ended up going with a more low key day.

Day Four:

  • 7:00-11:00 a.m. – Waking up, breakfast, and hanging out in the room while Benjamin napped. We decided to leave for the Dodger game as soon as Benjamin had had an early lunch, and then to drive over to Santa Monica after the game. But, Benjamin surprised us by only sleeping 45 minutes, so we shifted gears and decided to “stop by” the beach before going to the game. So then we made preparations for our day out.
  • 11:00-12:10 – As usual, Google maps was not very useful in predicting how long i would take to get from Valencia to Santa Monica. 40 minutes turned into 70 minutes, which actually wasn’t too bad, considering how slow moving the traffic was on the congested 405. I began to grow skeptical that we would actually make it to the ballgame, which started at 12:40.
  • 12:10 – We miraculously found a metered parking space on Ocean Ave., which as you might expect, is right next to the beach. As we stepped out of the car, we both knew immediately that this is where we wanted to stay all day. It was a perfect day: blue sky, light breeze, temperature in the low 70s. Plus, the beach and the pier were not super crowded, but were bustling enough to give a sense of the energy of Santa Monica. (The last time Brad and I visited the area, we went to the pier on a weekday, and it was like a ghost town!) So, we dropped our plans to rush off to the Dodger game, and switched into relax mode.
  • 12:10-2:00 – After we tracked down some change for our parking meter, we made our way down to the boardwalk and headed toward the pier. It was nice to see families, couples, surfers, bikers, musicians, hippies, and all other sorts of people enjoying the day. Since it was lunch time, we headed to the end of the pier, to Marisol Mexican restaurant. We sat inside for a break from the sun, and enjoyed a tasty, leisurely paced lunch of fish tacos and tropical drinks. Benjamin had fun coloring the kids’ menu, when he wasn’t trying to eat the crayons. :)
  • 2:00-3:15 – Beach time! Unfortunately, we didn’t prepare very well since we had only planned to stay a few minutes. With no towels, folding chairs, or swimsuits, we just had to wing it. We must have been a comical sight trudging through the thick sand, Brad carrying the stroller and our extra layers of clothing (which we didn’t need), and me carrying Benjamin and his diaper bag. That was quite a work out! And it was well worth the trouble. Once we made it closer to the ocean, we had a great time. Benjamin was intrigued by the sand, and had no qualms about sitting down in it, getting his hands and feet dirty, and knocking over Brad’s sand towers. (I wasn’t too thrilled about him getting sand in his diaper and everywhere else, but, after all, he is a boy.) Benjamin was a little less confident when Brad took him down to the water. He was starting to get tired, and the sounds of the crashing waves overwhelmed him. He also didn’t like the feeling of sinking down in the wet sand when the cold water came over his feet. But overall, I think he enjoyed his first experience of the beach and ocean. I love the pictures we captured of these moments. They are precious and priceless!
  • 3:15-3:30 – When we realized that our parking meter was about to expire, we trudged back through the sand and up to Ocean Ave. to our car. Somewhere along the way, Benjamin fell asleep in his stroller, but we had to wake him up soon after to change his sandy diaper before we drove home. We also came across a group of guys playing street hockey in an empty section of the beach parking lot. Watching them reminded Brad of his street hockey playing days as a child in Ohio. For me, though, this was the first time I had seen anyone playing the sport in person.
  • 3:30-5:00 – We had less traffic to deal with on the drive back to Valencia, and we were happy when Benjamin fell asleep for about 45 minutes. We also stopped by Walmart so I could pick up some cold medicine. (I’ve developed some sniffles the past couple of days.)
  • 5:00-6:00 – Pool time! Benjamin was groggy when he woke up from his nap, but he quickly cheered up when we got in the pool, which was comfortably warm from the sunny day. The longer we stayed in the water, the more confident he became. By the end of our pool time, he was letting Brad make him “swim” over the top of the water, and he was paddling his arms and legs. It was relaxing to take a dip in the pool as we wound down the day.
  • 6:00-8:00 – After rinsing off and changing, we went to the hotel atrium for the managers’ reception, and since Benjamin was content in his stroller, we decided to stay there for dinner. A couple of drinks later, and full of grilled salmon and filet mignon, we headed back to the room.
  • 8:30-10:30 – Benjamin went to sleep almost immediately after we got back to the room, and Brad crashed on the sofa. I stayed up awhile longer to catch up on my blog posts. As I finish this one up, it is 10 a.m., and we’ll leave for the airport in less than an hour. I’d better start packing! Enjoy the pictures below.

Trip to L.A.: Day Three

I’ve had less time to sit around blogging since yesterday, which is a good thing. It means the trip is getting more interesting!

Day Three:

  • 6:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – The first half of the day was uneventful. Similarly to Day Two, it involved us eating breakfast at the hotel, Brad going to work, and me sitting around the room during Benjamin’s morning and afternoon nap. I did at least manage to blog about this week’s episode of Lost. I also took a short nap, and learned via a phone call that we’d have to cancel our plans to visit friends in Santa Barbara on Saturday. In case you haven’t heard, there are terrible wildfires burning out of control there, destroying homes, and filling the sky with smoke and ash. Our friends evacuated to a safer area, and obviously these are not circumstances appropriate for a casual visit, so we shifted gears to figure out something else to do this weekend. Hopefully firefighters will be able to control the wildfires soon.
  • 3:30-4:30 p.m. – I was shocked when I checked the weather online, and learned that it was 96 degrees outside! I thought L.A. was supposed to be sunny and warm, but not ridiculously hot, especially in early May! But, at least the high temp wasn’t accompanied by oppressive humidity. Given the hot nature of the day, I decided to risk sun exposure to cool off in the pool with Benjamin. I did my best to cover our fair skin with a high S.P.F. sunscreen, and we ventured out of the shade of our room. Ah, it was so worth it. The water felt great, and Benjamin enjoyed it. He even cooperated by not throwing his sun hat into the water. He realized that the hat was keeping the sun out of his eyes. He would get nervous if I walked too far out into the pool – he preferred sitting a couple of steps in, with me holding him close. But as long as I kept a firm grip on him, he loved kicking his legs, moving his hands around in the water, and splashing water into our faces. We also met two friendly international employees in training for Brad’s company – two women who were missing their young children back home in Italy and Spain. We enjoyed talking with them (well, Benjamin enjoyed waving at them and nodding his head repeatedly), and one of them, upon my request, took a few pictures of me and Benjamin in the pool. Getting out of the room and into the refreshing water was just what I needed!
  • 4:30-6:30 – After getting rinsed off and changed, we picked up Brad from work and returned to the hotel for the Manager’s Reception. This is a service that the hotel provides every evening, during which time you can get free drinks from the bar as well as refreshments. It was very relaxing to sit in the lobby sipping a mai tai, and Benjamin was cooperative, being content to hang out in his stroller playing with a calculator (that’s his favorite “toy” these days).
  • 6:30-8:30 – After our unwinding time, we ventured out to dinner at Valencia Town Center. This is a great, pedestrian friendly shopping and dining area, where we ate sushi on Thursday night. This time we chose Sisley Italian Kitchen, and had a pleasant meal of pizza and salad on the patio.
  • 8:30-10:30 – Same old, same old. We put Benjamin to bed and relaxed a bit before going to sleep. Being out in the sun wore me out!

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