Wednesday, February 24, 2010

lift...

kelly corrigans new book "lift" comes out next week. jane, we can only hope it is as good as her last one "the middle place"
Local book signing
Boston (Acton)
Friday, March 5 at 6pm
TALBOTS
149 Great Road
info: 978.263.8534
Accompanied by musician Mike Errico

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

reading is everything... where are my glasses?

over the weekend i purchased a book, (i feel bad about my neck) by nora ephron - a book that promised to be funny, sad, thought provoking and had snippets regarding food. i didn’t need one more piece of info - i knew without a moments hesitation this book would be for me. in the process of purchasing the book i realized the author had also written when harry met sally, sleepless in seattle and more. at that point i knew for sure i wouldn’t just like the book i would LOVE it - and i did.
last night as i turned the last page it felt sad to say goodbye. it’s the type of book you don’t want to end. nora weaves her life stories so perfectly. i need to get this book to my girlfriends. while reading her amusing life stories it makes you want to become best friends with her. she is full of stories that make you laugh, she is passionate about living in nyc, and she justifies big purchases like her monthly rent. she talks about her divorces and she does remind you that whether you are famous or not so famous we are all in the same boat. she made me laugh when she said she buys reading glasses in bulk and puts them all over the house and still looses them. i was still smiling when i read "why would anyone write fiction when what actually happens is so much more amazing"? ( i couldn’t agree more).   while seemingly written for aging women to commiserate about the joys of getting older, it’s still completely enjoyable for a woman of a younger generation. she talks a lot about cooking which of course i love,  so, then,  that made me want to whip something up. she gives you inspiration. she is completely loveable; she is witty, sarcastic and even whiny at times, which makes her just like your real life friends. we had such a good time together she made me laugh, and then in her light hearted way,  she made me cry. she talked about death,  and how she lost her mom and her best friend.  she spoke of them in a way that made me miss them too. she gave a brief description of what losing a loved one can feel like. it made me swallow hard and pull the covers up farther to wrap myself in comfort. but then of course in the end, she left me smiling. but it ended all to soon. we have gone our separate ways now, but i know i will be back to flip through the pages and reread the funny lines and laugh out loud when no one is around.

thanks nora.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

scallops

scallops with chili, honey and wonton

a little sweet, a little spicy. the perfect combination.

great way to start a meal.

serves 4 as an appetizer

4 small wonton sheets
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red chili, finely chopped
4 large scallops, cleaned
2 tablespoons honey.


salt
1/2 spring onion, thinly sliced

heat the canola oil in a pan and fry the wonton sheets until puffy and golden.
let them cool off on kitchen paper.
heat the olive oil in a pan, add chili and sauté for 30 sec.
add the scallops and honey.
cook the scallops 40 sec on each side.
add a little salt.

arrange wonton and spring onions on small plates, add the scallops.

drizzle the honey and chili mixture and serve while hot.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

a soft place to land....

sometimes life is hard...   i have been thinking about some of the events that have  transpired over the last few days/weeks.  sometimes life is complicated.  m is home now, i missed her so, we had dinner tonight and we laughed, and we talked and we hugged.  she is a love.  i guess i know one thing for certain there is nothing like a mothers love - nothing.  no matter how the chapters of your life unfold  a mother/child relationship always remains - always. that is to say that i feel like we are solid and forever and she feels like we are solid and forever -  when e, a, and m came into my life - there was a significant shift in who i was. my love multiplied.   no matter what happened  they will always be part of me. if they lived. if i died. we will always be connected... and i am honored times a million. they will always be those three complete and perfect miracles that changed my life - no matter what happened or what they did or what I did or what transpired in the pages of our stories. our bond is permanent and it always will be - on family trees and legal documents and memories and fibers and stamps of time - and within me forever.  they belong to me.  2 of my children are adults now and one is close to becoming one.  it's so hard to believe so much time has past, so many amazing moments have been captured. hold the moments in your hand because they are fleeting.
seems to me that our lives are like a fabric with distinctive layers, ones  that are joined together. the seams created by wounds can in fact become our greatest places of strength.  i like living between the distinctive layers of my life.  xoxo

Thursday, February 18, 2010

make a wish...

thanks everyone for all the birthay wishes. you made me feel pretty important.
love was all around me. you have my heart.
my day was wonderful.

it was in the sunshine when i awoke.
it was in my early morning coffee.
it was in the early morning texts.
it was in the sound of my parents voices.
in was in the tulips on my desk at work.
in was in my inbox.
it was in the traffic free ride to work.
it was on my phone at work.
it was in the call from the airport.
it was in the birthday lunch.
it was in the facebook messages.(love you guys)
it was in the ecards.
it was in the presents.
it was in the flowers from my first born.
it was in the cake.
it was in the hugs.
it was in my mailbox.
it was in the late night visit.

yes, one very lucky, very grateful, birthday girl.
love you all xo

Monday, February 15, 2010

being a girl...

i miss you michaela -   hope you are having an awesome time...  xoxo

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Saturday, February 13, 2010

love quotes for your valentine...

nothing worthwhile is ever easy. remember that.
(message in a bottle)

for it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart.
it was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
- judy garland

you have been the first among my joys and you shall be the last,
so long as there is life in me.
- bernart de ventadour

i love you, i am who i am because of you.  you are every reason, every hope,
and every dream i've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future 
everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. i will always be yours.
(the notebook)

love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it
(a walk to remember)

love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.
- h. jackson brown, jr.

we love because it's the only true adventure.
- nikki giovanni

the days I spent with you were the only days i ever truly existed.
- anonymous

the more i think about it,
the more i realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others.
- vincent van gogh

where there is LOVE there is LIFE.
- gandhi

i can love you with all my heart, but not with all my time.
anonymous
we cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh.
- agnes repplier

before i met you, i'd never fallen in love,
though i'd stepped in it a few times.
- Rita Rudner

life's greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved.
- Victor Hugo

to love and to be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.
- david viscott

love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
- mark twain

who so loves, believes the impossible.
- elizabeth barret browning

love is a choice you make from moment to moment.
- barbara de andelis

i love you, not only for what you are,
but for what i am when i am with you.
 roy croft


happy valentine's day from my heart to yours.
perhaps these quotes will spark your imagination when
writing a love note to your one + only true love.

Friday, February 12, 2010

some days...

i am barely treading water and any small wave could knock me over...


when you are  feeling like that  -  make these ...

this cookie is a crackle edge puddle of chocolate with a texture between meringue and fudgy brownie.
on the nut front, be mindful of how you toast your walnuts - it's the single factor that impacts the personality of these cookies most. using deeply toasted walnuts makes for a much more intense, nutty cookie. lightly toasted walnuts can sometimes be mistaken for chocolate chips, and make for a much more mild cookie. both good! also, cooking time - you don't want to over or under bake here - over bake, and your cookies will cool too a crisp, under bake, and they are too floppy and crumbly. also, underbaking makes it more difficult to remove the cookies from the parchment paper after baking - you get the swing of it after a batch or two. use large eggs, i suspect if you use extra-large, the batter will run, and you'll have to compensate with more powdered sugar.


3 cups  walnut halves, toasted & cooled

4 cups / 1 lb confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 tablespoon real, good-quality vanilla extract

preheat oven to 325F / degrees and position racks in the top and bottom third. line three (preferably rimmed) baking sheets with parchment paper. or you can bake in batches with fewer pans.

make sure your walnuts have cooled a bit, then chop coarsely and set aside. sift together the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, and sea salt. stir in the walnuts, then add the egg whites and vanilla. stir until well combined.

spoon the batter onto the prepared sheets in mounds of about 2 tablespoons each, allowing for PLENTY of room between cookies. these cookies  really expand. don't try to get more than 6 cookies on each sheet, and try to avoid placing the batter too close to the edge of the pan.

bake until they puff up. the tops should get glossy, and then crack a bit - about 12 -15 minutes. have faith, they look sad at first, then really blossom. you may want to rotate the pans top/bottom/back/front.

slide the cookies still on parchment onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely. they will keep in an airtight container for a couple days.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

special touch...

i love when the barista hands me a hot cup of latte with a pretty little design in the foam. but since most of us don’t have a thousand dollar cappuccino maker or a barista at home to greet us every morning with the hot beverage of our choice, i have found the next best thing.





CoffeeStencil.com offers a stencil that you can put over your beverage, shake a little cocoa powder or cinnamon and a secret message will appear. they have over 200 ready made stencils that make life’s everyday greetings appear in your coffee or you can personalize the message of your choice.
coffeestencil.com

i especially like this idea because it can apply to any scenario. it can be a fun, little sexy message between you and your sweetie. it can be an extra little positive message in your child’s morning hot chocolate. it could also be a “wow” factor at a wedding if you have an after hours coffee bar or even at the family brunch the next morning.
where else can you spend $10 to make somebody’s day?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

i heart you...

my stored pictures are always filled with images i find inspirational...

loving these today....

healthy appetizer...

these look beautiful and taste good too!!
zucchini wraps
ingredients
3 zucchini (about 1/2 pound each), sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces soft goat's cheese
1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup basil leaves
directions
discard the outermost slices of zucchini and brush the rest of the slices with the oil on both sides. season with salt and pepper. place on a preheated grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender.

in a small bowl combine the goat cheese, parsley leaves and lemon juice, mashing with a fork.

put 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture about 1/2-inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a few spinach leaves and 1 small, or half of a large basil leaf. Roll up and place seam side down on a platter. repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

superbowl...

yeah saints!!  great job. we knew you could do it.  i have a confession to make about the superbowl... i missed half of it. just got preoccupied.  but it's all about the buffalo wings and the nachos anyway right? 

dream of spring....

i am really fussy about perfume so i am not sure i would even like this.  but this commercial by sofia coppola for miss dior chérie is incredibly sweet. i love everything about it, especially the pink dress. definitely makes you crave spring.



Friday, February 5, 2010

weekend....

umm hope yours is fun.  i just can't stop looking at this picture.  i mean are you kidding?

sometimes i just have to admit defeat....

i am not strong enough to watch this without crying.. i mean really crying....sometimes i guess it's good to cry.   enjoy your ordinary day...



love, me xo

Thursday, February 4, 2010

today...

i am struggling with a brutal week at work. or as the brits would say - the week has been total rubbish!
a few years ago my job took me on one of my first trips abroad. it was a wonderful trip, magical and exciting. there was something about nightfall in france and i vowed to return. i know someday i will. i will be strolling down cobblestone streets again and drinking copious amounts of café au lait at a curbside café. the kind of trip that makes you feel like you have been thrust back in time. sort of like a dream.
these pictures make me smile.












Wednesday, February 3, 2010

thoughts...

recently a few of my friends lost their parents. this is certainly never an easy time. but on a good note these people have lived very good, long, lives which somehow is helpful. i've become preoccupied with my own demise. i have a lot of opinions on how things should be when i pass, and now is the time when i intend to make my wishes known. i hope i have fifty more years in which to change my mind. ok - well maybe that's pushing it.
i read the obituaries almost every day. first i scan them for something interesting, and then i pick a few and read them. sometimes i happen upon somebody i actually know, and that gives me a little thrill. not thrilled that they're dead. just thrilled that i found them.

i think i like obituaries because they all have a subscript, and i like to try and figure it out. i make up stories in my head, it's like a puzzle. how did they die? how did they live? what do we have in common? is anyone glad they are gone?

here are my obituary requirements:

first off if there is going to be a picture it should be a current picture, not a picture from when i was 25 and i am now dead at 90. better yet, maybe two pictures: one where i am young and cute (everyone is cute when they are young) and one where i am old and not so cute. these pictures serve to remind people i knew that i used to be cute, and to remind young and cute people that someday they are going to be old and not as cute.

it must give the cause of death. the lowell sun sometimes gives the cause of death, which saves me time in trying to figure it out.

i want it to mention all of my siblings,my parents, descendants by name, all of my husbands, kids, grand kids, etc. and if i had any "special companions" at time of death, including cats (which if you know me will never happen).

i want it to be amusing and tell a story. i don't have anything interesting about my life like serving in a war, so it's going to have to be creative. please don't put in anything embarrassing.

the rest of the details can be filled in later. applications for consideration in writing my obituary can be submitted to my email. sample flattering obits can be submitted for special consideration. bylines are negotiable. since all of my siblings should still be alive when I go, (well at least most of them) they should start writing now.








i like this obit - she sounds fiesty.

xo

Monday, February 1, 2010

hello...

this morning the sun hung low in a cold morning sky.
i woke up to chill and darkness.
then i realized it was a new week, and a new month, february, the month of love.
things come in due time.
it's clear as a bell to me now.
and a person can find comfort in that.
my weekend was nice.
had some pizza with the family.
snuggled some sweet, sweet boys.
had dinner with friends.
sipped some wine.
was sure i saw tom hanks and lance armstrong.
maybe it was the wine.
lingered over coffee.
laughed at some jokes.
slept in.
got pampered.
ate some delicious sushi in a hidden spot.
dreamt of summer days, ones that allow you to dry clothes out on a line,
the kind of day where the chill from the margarita you are holding chills your summery hands.
it's coming, i know it is.
love, me xo