Do you grill? What are your favorite grill items? I feel like such a novice compared to most people. I want to grill everything now, from chicken to peaches to halloumi cheese to pizza to salmon to baby bok choy. Grilled watermelon!
Up in my grill
We purchased our first gas grill! We've had a great second-hand Lodge hibachi for years. But seeing how easily our neighbor grills year-round with his gas grill, I really wanted to take that step. My dining partner researched grills and found one with good reviews that was well within our price range... and cute.
It's a Char-Broil TRU Infrared Patio Bistro Infrared Gas Grill, and trés petite. I am so excited!
To inaugurate the grill, we got some sausages and steak tips from the North End Butcher in Brattleboro. I made a quick herb rub for the steak tips by mincing summer savory, thyme, oregano, and a touch of lavender. Lots of salt and some pepper, too.
We grilled the sausages on lower heat for about 10 minutes, following the butcher's advice, then cranked the heat to high and added the steak tips. We moved the sausages to the holding rack so they wouldn't get too crispy. I also grilled some mushrooms.
The whole exercise was so easy and fast, and the food was delicious. While steak tips aren't a fancy cut or anything, they are forgiving and yummy, so we'll definitely try them again.
Do you grill? What are your favorite grill items? I feel like such a novice compared to most people. I want to grill everything now, from chicken to peaches to halloumi cheese to pizza to salmon to baby bok choy. Grilled watermelon!
Do you grill? What are your favorite grill items? I feel like such a novice compared to most people. I want to grill everything now, from chicken to peaches to halloumi cheese to pizza to salmon to baby bok choy. Grilled watermelon!
Shady Run: West River Trail
Last week my Sunday long run was cut short by one of the runner's foes I'd forgotten about: heat. I set out to run my self-prescribed 9+ miles at 10:20 am on June 2. It was probably about 82 degrees already (I'm guessing, I didn't check). I was wearing my usual outfit of capris, knee socks, hat, and technical tee. I had my water, my GPS watch, and my phone, and I started on my way. As I ran down my flat road of choice--a route I've been using all spring--it slowly dawned on me that it was Really Hot Out. The road was in full sun, and I was woefully overdressed. (At least I was wearing lots of sunscreen!) Then, my run started to change as problems unfurled.
First, I realized I wouldn't be able to make it to my turnaround point, so I decided to take a shady side road instead. Then I realized I wasn't going to make it to the side road (always keeping in mind that "making it" involves dividing my perceived energy in half, so I can turn around and run all the way back to my car). Then I realized that I was starting to feel quite odd--a fear took over me. I felt impending doom, and that even if I did turn around, I might not be able to run all the way back. So I turned around. I also saw that my heartrate had spiked to 170, which is not good. Usually I see that number when I'm sprinting, I do not want to be at 170 in the first part of an easy country run. So what to do?
That's when I did the highly unusual. I walked. I walked until my heartrate got back down to the 150s, then started jogging again. Then I got the chills. Knowing how ungodly hot I had just been feeling and what I was wearing and the temperature, this seemed worrisome. My heartrate started to creep up again. So I finally threw in the towel--I stopped my watch, meaning the run was over. I started to walk. And I called home for a rescue.
That run was a huge learning experience. Conditions change! Formulas need to be adjusted! What had been working for several weeks didn't work any more on a hot summery day. I was disappointed, and felt stupid for trying what I tried, but I'm also proud that I was safe--that I was carrying water, that I was carrying a phone, and that I used both to help me get through the experience without something bad happening like heat prostration or my heart exploding.
Clearly it was time for a change. One obvious choice is to get out for my run earlier in the day. However, as I've mentioned here before, my spouse and I have a "sleep in one day" deal on the weekends and I can't bear to lose my one lazy morning of the week. Another idea was to hire a babysitter for two hours on Sunday morning so that I can still run fairly early while my husband sleeps, and not lose my Saturday sleep-in. Or a third idea: run in the shade.
Today I had a unique opportunity for a long run because the rest of my family went to the Strolling of the Heifers parade and Expo in downtown Brattleboro. I was left to my own devices, a precious and rare occurrence. My first thought was to go for a run! I could get my Sunday long run done on SATURDAY! And I knew just the shady spot for it. The West River Trail.
Look at that shade! It was lovely. I started at the Marina Restaurant in Brattleboro. The trail runs beside corn fields and goes under the I-91 bridge, then becomes wooded and shady for about 2 miles. It was perfect.
See that white-hot strip of pavement through the trees and across the river? That's where I was running last week. The West River Trail is pretty much exactly parallel to my Route 30 run, except it's on the shady, quiet side of the river. It's a pretty obvious improvement! (The main reason I haven't done this before is that I have to drive to the trailhead, whereas Route 30 is very near my house.)
Another view of the trail--dappled with sun but not sweltering.
After about 2 miles of bosky shade the trail opens out into a sunnier logging road. But at least it's not hot pavement.
The setting seems so New England-y, with giant rocks and flowering shrubs (and powerlines).
At a bend in the trail I got a full view up the West River.
After 3.67 miles (per my watch), the trail ends at Rice Farm Road in Dummerston. Rice Farm Road is charming, dirt, and country. Any passing vehicles tended to be pickups or bikers, and they all waved.
Look, numbers! These look like good negative splits (progressively getting faster and faster). I have an excuse/theory about mile 8, which is that in the shade of the trees, my Garmin can't catch the satellite signal. For the price of some shade, I'll take it.
Training note: In my quest to find a sugary snack I can easily consume in transit, I tried a sample pack of Jelly Belly Sport Beans on this run. I really liked them! There were 4 flavors in this packet, and two of them were nice and tart. Also they're a good size and texture for running. I find something too goopy or chewy tends to distract me or even get in the way of fast, steady breathing. I liked the Sport Beans!
First, I realized I wouldn't be able to make it to my turnaround point, so I decided to take a shady side road instead. Then I realized I wasn't going to make it to the side road (always keeping in mind that "making it" involves dividing my perceived energy in half, so I can turn around and run all the way back to my car). Then I realized that I was starting to feel quite odd--a fear took over me. I felt impending doom, and that even if I did turn around, I might not be able to run all the way back. So I turned around. I also saw that my heartrate had spiked to 170, which is not good. Usually I see that number when I'm sprinting, I do not want to be at 170 in the first part of an easy country run. So what to do?
That's when I did the highly unusual. I walked. I walked until my heartrate got back down to the 150s, then started jogging again. Then I got the chills. Knowing how ungodly hot I had just been feeling and what I was wearing and the temperature, this seemed worrisome. My heartrate started to creep up again. So I finally threw in the towel--I stopped my watch, meaning the run was over. I started to walk. And I called home for a rescue.
That run was a huge learning experience. Conditions change! Formulas need to be adjusted! What had been working for several weeks didn't work any more on a hot summery day. I was disappointed, and felt stupid for trying what I tried, but I'm also proud that I was safe--that I was carrying water, that I was carrying a phone, and that I used both to help me get through the experience without something bad happening like heat prostration or my heart exploding.
Clearly it was time for a change. One obvious choice is to get out for my run earlier in the day. However, as I've mentioned here before, my spouse and I have a "sleep in one day" deal on the weekends and I can't bear to lose my one lazy morning of the week. Another idea was to hire a babysitter for two hours on Sunday morning so that I can still run fairly early while my husband sleeps, and not lose my Saturday sleep-in. Or a third idea: run in the shade.
Today I had a unique opportunity for a long run because the rest of my family went to the Strolling of the Heifers parade and Expo in downtown Brattleboro. I was left to my own devices, a precious and rare occurrence. My first thought was to go for a run! I could get my Sunday long run done on SATURDAY! And I knew just the shady spot for it. The West River Trail.
Look at that shade! It was lovely. I started at the Marina Restaurant in Brattleboro. The trail runs beside corn fields and goes under the I-91 bridge, then becomes wooded and shady for about 2 miles. It was perfect.
See that white-hot strip of pavement through the trees and across the river? That's where I was running last week. The West River Trail is pretty much exactly parallel to my Route 30 run, except it's on the shady, quiet side of the river. It's a pretty obvious improvement! (The main reason I haven't done this before is that I have to drive to the trailhead, whereas Route 30 is very near my house.)
Another view of the trail--dappled with sun but not sweltering.
After about 2 miles of bosky shade the trail opens out into a sunnier logging road. But at least it's not hot pavement.
The setting seems so New England-y, with giant rocks and flowering shrubs (and powerlines).
At a bend in the trail I got a full view up the West River.
After 3.67 miles (per my watch), the trail ends at Rice Farm Road in Dummerston. Rice Farm Road is charming, dirt, and country. Any passing vehicles tended to be pickups or bikers, and they all waved.
Look, numbers! These look like good negative splits (progressively getting faster and faster). I have an excuse/theory about mile 8, which is that in the shade of the trees, my Garmin can't catch the satellite signal. For the price of some shade, I'll take it.
Training note: In my quest to find a sugary snack I can easily consume in transit, I tried a sample pack of Jelly Belly Sport Beans on this run. I really liked them! There were 4 flavors in this packet, and two of them were nice and tart. Also they're a good size and texture for running. I find something too goopy or chewy tends to distract me or even get in the way of fast, steady breathing. I liked the Sport Beans!
Blueberry Haus on the last day of May
Last summer we discovered a treasure of Guilford Vermont by stopping at a place we'd passed many times, Blueberry Haus. I guess I'd always thought a place called "Blueberry Haus" must be kind of ridiculous (Haus! Really!). Clearly they had blueberries in season, and were pretty famous as a local ice cream stand. But when I finally stopped there last July, I learned the true awesomeness of Blueberry Haus. They serve up yummy grilled American food in a charming picnic atmosphere.
First, place your order at the cute little kiosk. Hot dogs, sausages, various types of burgers, and fries.
When your name is called, grab your order and park at one of the picnic tables. Lettuce & tomato cost $1 extra, but condiments are free. The fries are the excellent slightly floppy, slightly caramelized type that I treasure in your average pub.
There is a kid-friendly water feature with several real & noisy frogs, and lots of giant goldfish (or mini koi?).
Definitely the most child friendly feature of Blueberry Haus, the feature that will get children to use the bathroom and wash their hands and get right into the car when you ask, would be the ice cream stand. They offer the usual chocolate, vanilla, plus sorbets, blue Dinosaur ice cream and great chocolate options. Tonight I requested a combo of Ye Olde Chocolate Salty (chocolate with a salty-caramel ripple), and Moose Tracks.
When we got home the westering sun was just picking out some of the latest May flowers. I bought these violas (above) on my annual Memorial Day trip to Walker Farm in Putney. I love violas, and these are called "Bilbo Baggins" so of course I couldn't resist.
Also, the lupine is blooming!
Did May seem long to you?
First, place your order at the cute little kiosk. Hot dogs, sausages, various types of burgers, and fries.
When your name is called, grab your order and park at one of the picnic tables. Lettuce & tomato cost $1 extra, but condiments are free. The fries are the excellent slightly floppy, slightly caramelized type that I treasure in your average pub.
There is a kid-friendly water feature with several real & noisy frogs, and lots of giant goldfish (or mini koi?).
Definitely the most child friendly feature of Blueberry Haus, the feature that will get children to use the bathroom and wash their hands and get right into the car when you ask, would be the ice cream stand. They offer the usual chocolate, vanilla, plus sorbets, blue Dinosaur ice cream and great chocolate options. Tonight I requested a combo of Ye Olde Chocolate Salty (chocolate with a salty-caramel ripple), and Moose Tracks.
When we got home the westering sun was just picking out some of the latest May flowers. I bought these violas (above) on my annual Memorial Day trip to Walker Farm in Putney. I love violas, and these are called "Bilbo Baggins" so of course I couldn't resist.
Also, the lupine is blooming!
Did May seem long to you?
Anatomy of a Long Run
Part of my training plan this year is to increase my mileage and endurance with the traditional Sunday Long Run. I figured if I'm working up to a half marathon in September (13.1 miles), then if I started in January, I could add a mile to my LR every month to work up to 13 by race day. So January would be 5 miles, February 6, March 7, April 8, May 9, June 10, July 11, and August 12. (Did I have to write that down? Yes, I did.) I figure momentum will get me through that 13th mile in September, though I may try to squeeze in a practice 13-miler.
This plan has been working so far, and in the past 2 weeks I've pulled off my very first 9-milers. One of them also had an average pace of 8:10, which seems kind of crazy. I have no idea what I was on that day! And being "on" something, specifically food, is a big part of what I'm trying to learn. If I can come up with a good fueling system now, then I can rely on it come race day. I'm also just trying to keep track of what to bring along on a Long Run. It's a significant time investment, and if I mess something up it's kind of a waste. Here are my notes as I try to get it right.
Night before: Drink lots of water. Then drink a bit more. Try carb-loading with pizza or pasta or bread, just in case that's a real thing. I occasionally have a drink or two (it's Saturday!), but try to keep it mellow.
Morning of, at least an hour before start: Drink coffee. Eat waffles. Check outside temps carefully and follow these rules: if it's under 32, wear gloves. If it's under 52, wear a jacket layer. If it's over 52, do NOT wear a jacket. If it's over 60, wear short sleeves and short pants. Also, I'm trying to remember to wear knee-high compression socks to promote good circulation.
15 minutes before: Use the potty. Apply sunscreen. Eat 100 calories or so of something sugary. Drink some water.
For my pre-run fueling this week I tried some Honey Stinger energy chews that came in my last Stridebox. They're tasty and soft, with recognizable ingredients like fruit juice, cane juice, and color from carrots.
Load up the waistpack: 100 calories of something for miles 3 and 6. Phone. Water bottle. I also wear a hat, my garmin 410 GPS watch with heart monitor, and a pink Road ID wristband with my name and emergency phone numbers on it.
For this run, I tried a Vi Fuel chocolate gel at mile 3, which also came in my Stridebox. For the past few weeks I've been using Razz Clif gels only, and while they actually taste OK, the texture is so thick that I feel like I'm suffocating when I swallow them. It's hard to breathe! The Vi Fuel did have a lighter, more liquid consistency. And it tasted a lot like chocolate syrup (which is good). It was made with maltodextrin, dextrose, caffeine, and things like taurine amino acid. It tasted a tiny bit of chemicals. Apparently they have recently changed their name to VFuel for simplicity's sake. In general, based on past performance, I'm trying to take in easy-to-utilize fuel every 3 miles. I don't necessarily want caffeine every time, so I like to mix it up. I also drink a bit of water every mile (my watch beeps then anyway, so it's easy).
Shoes are a very important piece of equipment! Recently I got a second pair so I can trade off! (I also have two older pairs that I use for rainy days or bootcamp/non-running workouts.)
I now have a gorgeous pair of purple Saucony Kinvara 4s. Purchased from Burrows Specialized Sports in downtown Brattleboro.
I compared them to my Brooks Pureflows just for fun.
Looking at the arch side, the Kinvaras seem to have more support tucked up into the arch. Both shoes have the same heel drop (the heel is 4mm higher than the toe).
The heels look totally different from behind. The Brooks is symmetrical and flat, while the Saucony seems to have some plan of its own, with different planes and types of sole material merging and overlapping.
Ah, love that color! I feel more supported in the Sauconys so plan to use them for longer runs. The Brooks are great for shorter jaunts and for the track workouts I've started doing with a local group every Tuesday morning. Yes, I love to run.
Tell me about your routines! Is there something you try to do every Sunday rain or shine? If you run, do you have a checklist? Do you do "LRs" ?
This plan has been working so far, and in the past 2 weeks I've pulled off my very first 9-milers. One of them also had an average pace of 8:10, which seems kind of crazy. I have no idea what I was on that day! And being "on" something, specifically food, is a big part of what I'm trying to learn. If I can come up with a good fueling system now, then I can rely on it come race day. I'm also just trying to keep track of what to bring along on a Long Run. It's a significant time investment, and if I mess something up it's kind of a waste. Here are my notes as I try to get it right.
Night before: Drink lots of water. Then drink a bit more. Try carb-loading with pizza or pasta or bread, just in case that's a real thing. I occasionally have a drink or two (it's Saturday!), but try to keep it mellow.
Morning of, at least an hour before start: Drink coffee. Eat waffles. Check outside temps carefully and follow these rules: if it's under 32, wear gloves. If it's under 52, wear a jacket layer. If it's over 52, do NOT wear a jacket. If it's over 60, wear short sleeves and short pants. Also, I'm trying to remember to wear knee-high compression socks to promote good circulation.
15 minutes before: Use the potty. Apply sunscreen. Eat 100 calories or so of something sugary. Drink some water.
For my pre-run fueling this week I tried some Honey Stinger energy chews that came in my last Stridebox. They're tasty and soft, with recognizable ingredients like fruit juice, cane juice, and color from carrots.
Load up the waistpack: 100 calories of something for miles 3 and 6. Phone. Water bottle. I also wear a hat, my garmin 410 GPS watch with heart monitor, and a pink Road ID wristband with my name and emergency phone numbers on it.
For this run, I tried a Vi Fuel chocolate gel at mile 3, which also came in my Stridebox. For the past few weeks I've been using Razz Clif gels only, and while they actually taste OK, the texture is so thick that I feel like I'm suffocating when I swallow them. It's hard to breathe! The Vi Fuel did have a lighter, more liquid consistency. And it tasted a lot like chocolate syrup (which is good). It was made with maltodextrin, dextrose, caffeine, and things like taurine amino acid. It tasted a tiny bit of chemicals. Apparently they have recently changed their name to VFuel for simplicity's sake. In general, based on past performance, I'm trying to take in easy-to-utilize fuel every 3 miles. I don't necessarily want caffeine every time, so I like to mix it up. I also drink a bit of water every mile (my watch beeps then anyway, so it's easy).
Shoes are a very important piece of equipment! Recently I got a second pair so I can trade off! (I also have two older pairs that I use for rainy days or bootcamp/non-running workouts.)
I now have a gorgeous pair of purple Saucony Kinvara 4s. Purchased from Burrows Specialized Sports in downtown Brattleboro.
I compared them to my Brooks Pureflows just for fun.
Looking at the arch side, the Kinvaras seem to have more support tucked up into the arch. Both shoes have the same heel drop (the heel is 4mm higher than the toe).
Looking at the soles, the Brooks seems to have lots of support under the outside of the mid-foot (that white "knot" area). The Saucony is totally nipped in at the same point--they seem to be putting the support under the arch instead. Also the Brooks seems to have a wider sole/footprint in general.
The heels look totally different from behind. The Brooks is symmetrical and flat, while the Saucony seems to have some plan of its own, with different planes and types of sole material merging and overlapping.
Ah, love that color! I feel more supported in the Sauconys so plan to use them for longer runs. The Brooks are great for shorter jaunts and for the track workouts I've started doing with a local group every Tuesday morning. Yes, I love to run.
Tell me about your routines! Is there something you try to do every Sunday rain or shine? If you run, do you have a checklist? Do you do "LRs" ?
Brattleboro Curbside Compost
An exciting development in our town is a new "Curbside Compost" program, I am loving it already! Here's the story:
We've had a black "Earth Machine" backyard compost container for years (above). We add weeds and garden trimmings plus kitchen compost, like coffee grounds, veggie & fruit trimmings, and old tea bags.
BUT, Curbside Compost now allows us to keep so much more out of the trash stream, and even the recycling stream. We can add just about any kind of food, including plate scrapings, meat and bones, old bits of bread, mouldering refrigerator finds. We can also add any paper products, like paper bags, boxes, tissues, cartons, and Q-tips. The program will even take pet waste, small wooden crates, and lawn trimmings (as long as they still fit in the container). This adorable green wheelie container cost only $7 and seems completely adequate for a week's worth of compost.
Above is an example of compost from the morning ready for the bin: a takeout container with metal handle removed, muffin papers, rejected muffin bits, some off-tasting broccoli, and some random herring that had been open for too long.
These got thrown in the bin on top of the various paper towels and an ice cream container already in there. Beautiful! (They say you can use compostable bags in your bin if it seems gross to just throw stuff in willy nilly. We haven't tried that yet.)
Now all we throw away as trash are things like non-recyclable plastics & non-recyclable metals & used diapers. I'm even thinking of getting a second trash basket for the bathroom so we can sort our tissues and other paper-y items into there for composting. And this compost program will be great for those halfway items that I could put in our own compost, such as citrus peels, egg shells, and avocado seeds, but choose not to because they never seem to decompose.
A side benefit of this program is that our town is now picking up recycling weekly instead of every other week, because they use the same truck for recycling & compost. I believe this will encourage people to recycle more, since they don't have to save things up or remember if it's the right week. (Also our town has a rule that if the trash collector sees recycling items in the trash, it won't get picked up.)
If you live in Brattleboro and aren't yet participating, please sign up for Curbside Compost! If you are my mother, I will even help you get the bins you need to make it happen. If you aren't in Brattleboro, do you have a compost program where you live? Do you compost on your own at all? I love the idea of recycling biodegradables back into muck. Let's keep those landfills as empty as we can!
We've had a black "Earth Machine" backyard compost container for years (above). We add weeds and garden trimmings plus kitchen compost, like coffee grounds, veggie & fruit trimmings, and old tea bags.
BUT, Curbside Compost now allows us to keep so much more out of the trash stream, and even the recycling stream. We can add just about any kind of food, including plate scrapings, meat and bones, old bits of bread, mouldering refrigerator finds. We can also add any paper products, like paper bags, boxes, tissues, cartons, and Q-tips. The program will even take pet waste, small wooden crates, and lawn trimmings (as long as they still fit in the container). This adorable green wheelie container cost only $7 and seems completely adequate for a week's worth of compost.
Above is an example of compost from the morning ready for the bin: a takeout container with metal handle removed, muffin papers, rejected muffin bits, some off-tasting broccoli, and some random herring that had been open for too long.
These got thrown in the bin on top of the various paper towels and an ice cream container already in there. Beautiful! (They say you can use compostable bags in your bin if it seems gross to just throw stuff in willy nilly. We haven't tried that yet.)
Now all we throw away as trash are things like non-recyclable plastics & non-recyclable metals & used diapers. I'm even thinking of getting a second trash basket for the bathroom so we can sort our tissues and other paper-y items into there for composting. And this compost program will be great for those halfway items that I could put in our own compost, such as citrus peels, egg shells, and avocado seeds, but choose not to because they never seem to decompose.
A side benefit of this program is that our town is now picking up recycling weekly instead of every other week, because they use the same truck for recycling & compost. I believe this will encourage people to recycle more, since they don't have to save things up or remember if it's the right week. (Also our town has a rule that if the trash collector sees recycling items in the trash, it won't get picked up.)
If you live in Brattleboro and aren't yet participating, please sign up for Curbside Compost! If you are my mother, I will even help you get the bins you need to make it happen. If you aren't in Brattleboro, do you have a compost program where you live? Do you compost on your own at all? I love the idea of recycling biodegradables back into muck. Let's keep those landfills as empty as we can!
About May
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| About May |
I created this doodle using my iPad's Paper app. I've been enjoying spring flowers and greens, Mother's Day, more sunshine, and getting outdoors!
We've been very busy this month--an afternoon in Boston for a Red Sox game, started our front room remodel (it wasn't lead paint by the way, more later!), and just maintaining daily life, which seems to come up so often.
How has your May been going?
Please tune in tonight! Recent playlists...
I think I'm getting into the swing with my new radio show, "Blackbeard's Delight." After several weeks of occasional and minor technical difficulties, I've had some shows that felt just right... In fact the most recent show had no wincing errors at all. Highlights have included debuting the new Daft Punk single "Get Lucky," playing Ella Fitzgerald to herald that lady's 96th birthday, and announcing the upcoming dedication of Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn on MCA Day, aka May 4th.
Please tune in each Thursday at 8pm Eastern, either at 107.7 fm in Brattleboro or online at wvew.org. If you'd like a taste of the kinds of prrrrecious treasures you might hear in Blackbeard's Delight, here are some playlists to peruse:
April 11, 2013
- The Driving of the Year Nail: Leo Kottke
- I Feel for You: Chaka Khan
- Over and Over: Hot Chip
- Gumboots: Paul Simon
- A Million Miles: Don Diablo
- The Stars Are Out Tonight: David Bowie
- Big Time Sensuality: Bjork
- Human Nature: Michael Jackson
- S'vive: Bibio
- Let the Music Play: Shannon
- True Stories: Datarock
- You've Changed: Sia
- Jerkin' Back and Forth: Devo
- Brother Sport: Animal Collective
- Fiesta: The Pogues
- I Didn't Mean to Turn You On: Robert Palmer
- The Well (We Will Change It All): Sandra Kolstad
- Lose It In the End: Mark Ronson & the Business International
- A-Punk: Vampire Weekend
- Wildcat: Ratatat
- We Got The: Beastie Boys
- Let Me Know: Roisin Murphy
- Dancehall Days: Wang Chung
- How I Write Such Good Songs: Kleenex Girl Wonder
- Don't Stop: The Dodos
- The Last Living Souls: Gorillaz
- Heavenly Pop Hit: The Chills
- Justified & Ancient: KLF with Tammy Wynette
- The Devil is in the Details: Boards of Canada
April 25, 2013
- The Great Defector: Bell X1
- Dream World: Midnight Oil
- Happy Up Here: Royksopp
- Starman (Atom's Space Funk Journey): David Bowie
- Sweet Nothing: Calvin Harris f. Florence Welch
- Yo Skridlow (Dr. Detroit s/t): TK Carter & Dan Aykroyd
- Sunny Side of the Street: Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie
- I Can't Give You Anything But Love: Ella Fitzgerald
- Get Lucky: Daft Punk
- Automatic: The Pointer Sisters
- Hijo de Africa: MC Solaar
- Two Dots: Lusine
- Fever: Dick Dale
May 2, 2013
- The Only Man in Town: Moose
- Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go: WHAM
- 2080: Yeasayer
- Ask: The Smiths
- Destination Unknown: Missing Persons
- The Party's Crashing Us: Of Montreal
- Star Sign: Teenage Fanclub
- White Sky: Vampire Weekend
- Listed: The Annuals
- In 3's: Beastie Boys
- Neighborhoods: Olu Dara
- Nobody Told Me: John Lennon & Yoko Ono
- All Yr Songs: Diamond Rings
May Flowers (Wordless Wednesday)
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| Coltsfoot growing by the roadside |
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| Violets everywhere |
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| Dutchman's Breeches |
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| Dutchman's Breeches, Close up |
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| Wild Ginger, see brownish 3-petaled flower at base |
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| Yellow Downy Violet |
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| Carolina Spring Beauty |
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| White Trillium |
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| Red Trillium |
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| Jack-in-the-Pulpit |
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| Trout Lily |
This isn't exactly wordless, but more so than usual. I adore wildflowers, don't you? These ones are so typical of May in Vermont. What do you look forward to in May where you live?
My Endive Challenge
I decided that endives are fascinating. They're somewhat bitter, so maybe it's part of a spring cleanse craving. For this month's challenge, which was basically to purchase and use an endive, I researched braised endive, braised endive with ham, endive with shrimp, with avocado, with Stilton, and with smoked trout. While they all sound delicious, I decided in the end to riff on a fennel salad someone brought to a work potluck. It was amazing, composed of shaved fennel, dill, oil-cured olives, and a white balsamic vinaigrette.
- 1 endive
- 1/2 cup oil-cured olives, pits removed
- 1 Meyer lemon
- 1 T white balsamic vinegar
- 1 T grapeseed oil (or any oil of choice)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 T chopped shallot
- Dill
- Zest the lemon and place half the zest in a bowl or cup measure. Juice the lemon, add the vinegar and oil, salt and pepper, and whisk.
- Toss endive, olives, shallot, and vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve!
What do you do with endives? Do you like them?
Past challenges of 2013:
January: Kusa.
February: Cauliflower Pizza Crust.
March: Beef & Ale Hand Pies
Frightening Advances
We started a remodeling project today and I'm terrified!
Two years ago we refinished the two bedrooms in our house, basically removing the walls, adding insulation, then putting up new walls. Actually we didn't do any of that, we paid a friend. It took 3 months during which we slept in the living room and moved the children to whatever room was not being fixed up.
This time I want to do a similar project but in only 6 weeks. I'm thinking we'll need professional help. But I'd also like to DIY as much as possible. Today, that meant starting to remove wallpaper.
A lot of questions came up! For example:
Do you have any spring projects planned or in action? Have you ever stripped wallpaper or had to deal with lead?
Two years ago we refinished the two bedrooms in our house, basically removing the walls, adding insulation, then putting up new walls. Actually we didn't do any of that, we paid a friend. It took 3 months during which we slept in the living room and moved the children to whatever room was not being fixed up.
This time I want to do a similar project but in only 6 weeks. I'm thinking we'll need professional help. But I'd also like to DIY as much as possible. Today, that meant starting to remove wallpaper.
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| Our dining nook with paper partially removed under windows, then I remembered to snap a pic |
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| Now paper on right side is mostly removed, dark green paint peeps through |
A lot of questions came up! For example:
- Why would anyone paper their walls to look like wooden planks? (That's what we found underneath the flowered paper.)
- Does this green paint underneath the 3 layers of wallpaper contain lead?
- Are we supposed to get a building permit?
- How much worse is this room going to look before it gets better?
- Can we really do this in 6 weeks?
- Where will the TV that's also in this room live, since the kids are addicted to Busytown Mysteries and Bob the Builder?
Do you have any spring projects planned or in action? Have you ever stripped wallpaper or had to deal with lead?
Stitch Fix Part 4: The Randomness
I tried to wait a bit longer this time before requesting my next Stitch Fix by mail. But with the seasons changing, it was time!! I've already used this service a few times before. I must say it's quite easy to persuade yourself that, because an item of clothing is already right there in your home, you should probably buy it. All you have to do is not return the thing (so easy!) and then, with the minor detail of getting your credit card charged, it's yours to keep! Simplicity!
My new box arrived a little squashed on one side, but it's just clothes in there, right?
The package was whimsically tied with a beaded cord, which turned out to be a belt.
Here's what was in there...
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| Item 1. Wren v-neck cap sleeve jersey top, 41Hawthorn |
Red Wren v-neck cap sleeve Jersey top. I love v-necks and interesting drapey necklines so I knew right away this was a definite possibility.
Oh my god. Wait, what? I don't even have the words. This is hideous.
Turns out it's called Dane cotton sleeveless shirt by Moon. I have no idea who would ever look good in this. It is not me.
Bleh accessory. It's pretty and all, but I have no desire to own a lavender Moroccan cuff.
Look at those black Capris.
Capri pants are one of my least favorite pieces of clothing. I am sorry if you like them, but I believe they are supremely uncool. Unless perhaps you are 60+, in which case go for it. I have been waiting in vain for years for Capri pants to go away. I even wrote in my original Stitch Fix style profile that I have a horror of looking like a soccer mom. Come ON.
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| Blu Pepper cardigan |
This "Renior pointelle tie-waist cardigan" at first seemed ridiculous, with the ruffles, the swirly flower, and the handkerchief cut. But when I put it on, I kind of liked it! This is why Stitch Fix strongly encourages trying everything on, even if it seems insane.
I ended up keeping two pieces: the red v-neck and the kooky cardigan. I also went back and adjusted my whole style profile on the Stitch Fix site, because these choices seemed so odd to me. I think perhaps I am more interested in trendiness or dressing up than I thought. Actually, I don't understand any of the categories, which include things like Bohemian Chic, Business Casual, Laid-back Casual, Casual Chic, and Romantic. If you know what a those mean, could you please provide image links? I ended up putting more emphasis on "edgy" and "date night" to see what would happen. So... stay tuned for #5!
P.S. I know I'm posting something very frivolous on a day that's turned out to be very serious. I watched coverage of the Boston Marathon around noon today to see how Kara & Shalane did, then I tuned out. Like everyone, I'm saddened and shocked at what happened just a couple of hours later. I don't know what to say. Is the world getting worse, or is what's bad about the rest of the world catching up with us here in the US, or has the world always been pretty bad and we just haven't been paying attention? Strange days indeed.
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