Fresh Friday

I'm starting a series this year, to partner with my resolution to eat locally AND seasonally. "Fresh Fridays!"  I know how much easier it is to do this in California than most other places in the country, however, let me just tell you, we're getting slightly over eating winter greens in our house. Here's the deal:  we're using our CSA box and a food wheel as our guides -- even if the food wheel doesn't say it, if it comes in our CSA box, we count it as allowable, and can buy more of that from the market if we need to.  In the Bay Area, seasonal vegetables in January are bitter leafy greens like spinach, kale, mustard greens, bok choy, and we're getting leeks, broccoli, romanesco, oranges, some apples, and winter squash. Frozen and canned food is allowed, however, we're really trying to be local as well, and are therefore trying to avoid them as much as possible.

Week 1:

Winter Squash Baked Risotto  (this recipe is adapted from one from Real Simple, and it's both simple and amazingly delicious. We've made it so far with butternut, acorn, and red kuri squashes, all have been great!)

about 3 cups of squash cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
1 cup pearl barley
about 2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
5 or 8 oz of spinach, however much you like/have
salt and pepper
tsp of garlic

Prep your squash and your onion, pre-heat oven to 350, and then heat olive oil in a dutch oven on the stove. Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes, crack some salt and pepper in there.  Add the squash and saute another 5 minutes until it's soft too.  Add the barley and stir, cook for one minute, add the wine, cook for another 3 minutes, add the broth, stir and bring to a boil.  Put the lid on and transfer your dutch oven to the heated oven, and cook for 45 minutes.  Pull it out, stir in the butter and most of the Parmesan, and then the spinach.  Garnish with the rest of the parm sprinkled on top.  Serve it with your same dry white and enjoy!  serves about 6.

photo credit: Real Simple

Resolutions: 2012

2011 resolutions were largely culinary, and we did pretty well, aside from some weight gain:
*produce from the farmers markets, go weekly. (this turned into a CSA box instead)
*pick up our wine shipment in person at least 4 times a year (good reason to get out of the city for the day)
*meal plan weekly
*try at least two new recipes a week
*leave the country at least once

So, for 2012 I'm resolving to:
*buy only seasonal veggies if more than the CSA is needed --this means no tomatoes for a while, and right now it's meaning a LOT of bitter winter greens and squash.
*fight the inappropriate growth of my body
*run a race
*limit meat to one meal a week, if that
*allow myself the freedom to be a better friend, even if I can't be a perfect one
*deepen my relationships at work
*leave the country at least once

four month sum-up

we traveled, we loved, we ate, we celebrated!

September and October were nuts for us.  Saudi Arabia (Andy), San Diego, Seattle, Berlin, Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, 30!, Holiday, Bend. whew.

Andy and I celebrated our 1st year of marriage in Seattle, where Andy had a conference.  We spend a couple days in his conference hotel downtown, and while Andy taught and learned, I saw friends and played in the City, and then we spent the weekend with some friends in Ballard, along with some other friends who drove up from Portland.  We got to see my family for dinner one night, and spent Sunday with them, eating an amazing brunch and swimming in a fabulous pool.  It was full and lovely. We didn't take any pictures if you can believe it.

I marked 30 with glam.  Call these the crisis of turning twenty-ten, by Valentino:

(I was also spoiled by my wonderful husband, who also felt the need to mark the occasion.)

Hello Central Europe!  We took a fabulous trip to Central Europe, into Berlin and out of Vienna.  We had thought we'd spend the time in either Argentina or Italy, but with Andy's recent travels to the Middle East, we had enough airline miles to book a trip, and those places were unavailable.  We decided to pick the dates, and go where ever we could get tickets, and this worked, so we booked it, and started planning.  Two glorious weeks that felt like a second honeymoon, and were a blessing to be away from work, away from life, and enjoying each other and our spirits of adventure.

We spent Thanksgiving with The Coughlin/Walther side of the family, but here in the Bay.  Andy's folks came down and cousins came up, and it was a huge, fun day of family and fun, before the misery of the Holiday shopping season hit my life. We spent Christmas just the two of us, and cooked a fabulous meal where I roasted my first chicken. Vegetarian no more!

 Andy headed up to Oregon the next day, and I joined him a few days later, and we got just enough snow to satisfy before we headed off to the high desert for New Years.

Now, enough wrap-up, here's some hot NYE shoe:   Palais peep toes from YSL.

Happy New Year!!

Publish Post

We spent our 2011-2012 transition in Oregon with Andy's fam, and spent NYE and a friend's Birthday by renting a cabin at Brasada Ranch, about 30 minutes outside of Bend, Oregon.  If you are looking for a perfect high-desert resort with mountain views and amazing facilities, I highly recommend it.

Central Europe 2011 Part II, Czech Replublic

We kicked it down to Prague for the next week.  Oh Prague.  Those copper-topped buildings, and cobblestone streets (murder on your feet but so pretty to look at), pints of delicious Czech beer for less than $2! Bridges and rivers and palaces!  We saw The Marriage of Figaro, performed by the Czech National Opera, in the same opera house debuted Don Giovanni in.  Beautiful.  We spent our last coins on two champagnes during intermission, instead of dinner.  La Vie Bohem!! After the opera, we went out dancing, and learned that we were just too old for it, at least for that club.  We tried.  We spent several days exploring the streets, the sights, the many cathedrals, and fighting the cold air by drinking our weight in hot wine.  We ate heavy Czech food, too much sausage and cabbage and dumplings, but the perfect amount of delicious pilsner. 

wine at the palace vinyard

on the Charles Bridge

John Lennon wall

We took a day trip out to Kutna Hora, a mining town about an hour train ride away, where we took a tour of an old silver mine (!!!).  Incredible, but maybe a little wetter and drippier than I had expected.  (Andy loved every second of it, I was creeped and ready to be out after about five minutes of the 90 minute tour.)

On our way down to Austria, our train had a stopover in Czesky Budjovic, which just happens to be where the Budvar brewery is (Budvar is the 2nd largest Czech beer brewer after Urquel), and so we decided to extend our time in Czech Republic by extending our stopover and getting out into the town.  Like so many other things on our trip (Guggenheim closed for a changing of exhibit, Josefhov sites all shut for Yom Kippur, funicular railway out of service) our timing was off and it wasn't a work day, so I didn't get to see any machines in action, but the beer was delicious.  We hung out in the pub to kill time before our train, and tried all the beers we could drink.

 (I LOVE how things are made)

 Fun fact:  When Anheiser Busch was coming up with a name for their beer, they chose Budweiser because  the Czech's Budweiser Budvar is synonimous with "good beer."  

Central Europe 2011 Part I, Berlin

Per usual international travel, I got sick on the way over, and our first few days, in Berlin especially, were full of fevers and constantly watering eyes and a raw, red nose. Unfortunately, we kind of missed out on Berlin.  We were there for Sunday and Monday nights, the two nights that Berlin, the city that doesn't sleep, slept.  We found no dancing, no clubs, and empty bars. We did see all of the historical sights we could, go to an outdoor flea market, see the Lars Van Trier movie Melancholia in a fabulous old theatre, and become proficient in the Berlin train system.

 We did, however, catch the tail end of Oktoberfest, and found Berlin's little celebration of it, where we drank beer, ate pretzels and danced some polka.  It felt like our time in Berlin was a huge history and cultural lesson, as we experienced the city torn in two, and full of a tortured and horrific past, coming to flourish in art, fashion, and culture. It was also the birthplace of my love of mulled wine, or there called: hot wine.

YUM!

    Hello Three twins' Dad's Cardamom ice cream, you are possibly the most delicious thing in my freezer.  Absolutely amazing. Keep it up Three Twins, excellent job.  And they're from Petaluma!

I think it's my dream to have white-washed wood floors.  If they were cheveroned that might be the best floor ever made.

I love to sit around with other members of the church who want to glorify God and who have been given creative gifts from God and together to craft plans and strategies for the church. I can walk away from such conversations with great anticipation in my mind and great zeal in my heart for God to bless our work for his name’s sake.

But there is a subtly deceptive, ultimately dangerous assumption inherent in doing things this way. The assumption is that God is somehow obligated to bless the plans we create. Yet nowhere in Scripture has God promised to bless my plans or anyone else’s in the church, no matter how innovative or creative they may be. Neither has God promised to bless us based solely on our motives. Sure, we are supposed to do everything for the glory of God, but that doesn’t mean everything we do for his glory is assured of his blessing.             

                            --David Platt, Radical Together

The Energy Bus

Sick and stuck in bed yesterday, I read this book   The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. It's all about positive thinking and the power of the energy you put into the world and your life.  Focused on the workplace, and on managing a team, it was a great reminder of the importance of attitude, and has inspired me to get a little more personal at work, so I can “love my passengers.”

obsession: easy dressing

Obsessing over easy jersey dresses, like these from j.crew.  Every one is so simple and soft, perfect to throw on for a drive, for a plane-ride, for a walk, for a lunch, or add a jacket and some heavy jewelry and turn it into a little dinner dress.  Fluid and cozy, soft and drapey, they scream summer and I think some will easily transition to fall with a chunky cardigan or a pair of tights and an oxford bootie.  I want to wear one everyday.  I especially love the bottom one, that deep v neckline with the almost flutter sleeve is so romantic, no?

Funny how we use the word “mustache” to describe handlebars, and the word “handlebar” to describe mustaches, isn’t it?

How fun is that tee from Amos Bros?  You can get one here.

I am not bound to win, I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light that I have.
         --Abraham Lincoln

2000 Days of Matt & Audree

Stop Motion Wedding Invite 2000 from mattandaudree on Vimeo.


This wedding invite video is so fun.  I love it (and Hall & Oates, you just can't go wrong).  My gosh, people are just so stinking creative.  And talented! I just love it.

You can view their gorgeous Malibu wedding here & here via 100 Layer Cake.
ps. another video wedding invite

Mad Men, now streaming live on Netflix!

We started watching Mad Men this weekend. We plan to watch the whole series on Netflix, while drinking cocktails, and eating casseroles and Jell-o desserts.  

We're absolutely hooked and loving every minute of the few episodes we've watched so far.  Wow that dashing Don Draper.  It's hard to be so torn between loving and hating the era, but I, for one, think we need to bring back the pitcher of Bloody Mary's in the conference room, don't you?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get my caboose into the kitchen to freshen up my husband's martini.

Ryan + Ezra

One by one, he's going to cover them all, or so he claims.

"here's a cover of "Oxford Comma"... by Vampire Weekend, second track on their first record. i am a superfan so forgive me."  --Ryan Adams

He does what he wants, and you just have to love the guy.  Ahhh married life.

Today is my grandfather's Birthday, or would be. At 92, he lost his battle with prostate cancer last year, the day before our wedding.  A man like they don't make any more, my grandfather was heroic.  He was noble, kind, generous, and full of integrity, and full of life. He was proud of his family: of his wife of his children, of his grandchildren, of his heritage, of the life he lead. He built homes with his hands, and a home with his heart. He served in the military, in the home, in the church, in the community.  
My life was spent learning from him: learning cards, dominoes, German, our family history, and all kinds of life lessons.  He paid each grandkid $20 to read Tom Brokaw's book The Greatest Generation because he felt it so strongly represented him and what he lived through, and was so important that we know about those times.  He cut articles out of the newspaper he thought we needed to read and mailed them to us;  we would have to initial them, and then send them along to the next grandchild to do the same. He cared so much that we make good decisions and do the right thing. He was an amazing father, and a terrific grandfather. We still celebrate you Grandpa, and are thinking of you today especially.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Even though I’ll be working tomorrow, I’ve been waiting for this weekend all month – Monday is August, and it means work eases up and calms down, and I start getting my Saturdays back. I think my whole company is holding their breath until then.
Andy’s been in DC these last few days, and flys home tomorrow. Casablanca is playing in the park tomorrow night, and if Andy's up for it, we might go with some friends! Here’s a little photo of Andy having his Birthday lunch at Town Hall last week. Have a great weekend!

A Breath Of Fresh Airline

I love Virgin America's ad campaigns. I'm desperately dreaming of a get-a-way weekend ASAP, whether it's camping in the mountains, exploring a new city, lounging pool-side, or eating on a patio over-looking the water (beach, sea, lake, sure), I'm hopped up on dreaming of summer weekends (two things that don't go hand-in-hand in my life) and looking for a quick August vacay.

Have you driven a Ford lately? I have.

Funny thing:  I'm somewhat afraid of ANY abnormality having to do with our car and driving.  One of the very first days I started my new job with my new car commute, (literally, like day 2 or 3) I had to drive down San Jose for a meeting. It was a stormy morning, I said goodbye and good luck to my dashing husband, walked up the street and found the car with a flat tire. Umbrella in one hand and coffee in the other, I ran back to our apartment, hoping Andy hadn't left yet, and could help me change the tire in the windy, rainy, messy, morning, and not ruin my tights or dress by kneeling in the muddy street.  Turns out, I had driven over a screw, which was slowly leaking all the air out of the tire. I think that day shattered all my confidence.
Since then, I find myself checking before I get into the car for flat tires and the like, and realized last night after dropping Andy at the airport, that I was nervous something might happen with the car while he was away.  Perhaps it's because I didn't buy it, perhaps it's because I spent four blissful years not driving, perhaps it's that marriage has made me seemingly less independant (before, had I a flat tire on my own car, I would have just changed it myself, and did a number of times). It's true that I know next to nothing about our car. It's a Ford; I've never owned an American car. I know that the gas tank is on the wrong side, the gear-shifter works differently, the windsheild wiper controll is goofy, and the headlights turn on with a dial on the left dash.  I just assume that under the hood is equally backwards, and live in constant fear that I will be stranded, late, scared, and in danger somewhere, sometime.
I much prefer to be a passenger.

Ahh the hatchback, her most redeeming quality.  We moved our SOFA in it.