ribollita reboiled

After 5 Months of Nonsense, Celia Speaks...

2012-02-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

...more nonsense :).

And I look pretty scary. All for the cause!

Ps- where did all this hair go???

The Florentine: "A Sweet New Tradition"

2012-02-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

BY TOM FORK (ISSUE NO. 156/2012 / FEBRUARY 2, 2012)
Origins and purity, quality and know-how: these are the things any modern foodie looks for in a dish. And foodies from all four corners of the world rarely get as much satisfaction as that produced by Florence's centuries-old culinary tradition. What many gourmands may not expect to find in the kingdom of the bistecca fiorentina, however, is a budding confections sector, one in which chocolatiers are the rising stars and native Florentine Claudio Pistocchi is the veritable king... continue reading

Read the rest at The Florentine!

Ribollita Di Nuovo

2012-01-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

Is that redundant, reboiled again? Well I guess the title of this blog is too, so oh well. I'm consistent.

Wow. Two months later and so much to say! So long that even the blogger platform looks different!

We spent Christmas in Louisiana and I ate sooo many wonderful things: red beans and rice, christmas chicken gumbo of course, boiled crawfish (what?!? I know, so early but they were really good!), and we even ate at Roberto's River Road Restaurant where the specials were named after us! And the Amberjack Clancy was soooooooo amazing. I clean my very full plate, thank you.

Obvious updates:

C. is doing GREAT. Almost 5 months old and she is already over 13 pounds, rolling over, trying to put everything in her mouth. Not the greatest sleeper (yawn) but that will come with time I know.

G. is loving kindergarten and got her first progress report. Her teacher says that the students in class regularly say she is the best writer in their "writer's workshop", where they make up stories and compose them with illustrations. Go 'head girl! Future blogger? journalist? novelist? who knows!

A. is staying very busy with work and we had a great time at his office holiday party. His colleagues are all so nice, but, holy cow, are they some aggressive people! I guess you have to be in their line of work. I love that he fits in so well there, but of course his hours are difficult as a commuter

Big update:

soooo, we are finally moving into Manhattan for real! After deciding to do it, then waiting, we are making the jump in just a few days. And here was the big motivation: I am going back to work at The New York Times.

I was offered a similar position to the last but with more web/writing so I am really excited about that. It is quite bittersweet since I was really planning to start working when Celia was AT LEAST a year old. But I am only going back part time for now and feel blessed that we have the flexibility for me to be home even this much.

PACK PACK PACK. This is all I am thinking right now, and then on to get G. acclimated to her new school (GUILT GUILT GUILT), and then on to finding a nanny (ugh...if you pray please pray that the right person comes along. MORE GUILT GUILT GUILT).

500 Touring Club, Non C è Più.

2011-11-16T11:29:00.001-08:00

So sad to read on facebook that the 500 Touring Club Firenze will be closing.

Good news for Florence residents loll
http://www.500touringclub.com/BG to own a Fiat 500: they are selling the fleet! Contact them via their website below if interested.

I Am Tired

2011-11-15T07:19:00.001-08:00

As I get up for the third/fourth/fifth time at night, gritting my teeth, taking a deep cleansing breath before entering Cs room, I think of other moms out there who are getting up right then to help their babies go back to sleep. I don't feel so alone. We are in this together whether we remember it or not.

I also think of the moms who've struggled to conceive. Of moms who've lost their babies too soon and would give anything to hold this warm baby to their neck even if she is screaming.

And then I do some kegels ;)

A. In iTunes

2011-11-03T03:20:00.001-07:00

Holy trip down memory lane! A's band's album is still available on iTunes, Lux Courageous. Even though I obviously have a real life pressed CD, it was fun listening to clips remembering watching from audience or waiting backstage. What a crazy time!

Sleep

2011-11-02T07:44:00.001-07:00

C. slept for five hours straight last night! Hallelujah. I actually had dreams for a change though I cannot remember them.

G. had a great time at Halloween although we saw only about 4 kids trick or treating. What's up with that?!! Anyway, she insisted I paint her face green and would only smile "evil" for the camera. A. took her on a second lap when it was nice and dark. She was happy they found a group of kids to tag along with.

(promise to post things others than what kids are doing soon!)

Boo!

2011-10-28T08:07:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for Halloween around here. G. is going as a witch. C. is going as a baby wearing a pumpkin bib. I am going as a mother who showers and gets dressed everyday, and wears makeup. ;) and crazy as it seems to me it's supposed to SNOW tomorrow. What happened to autumn?

Today I'm going to help with a craft G's school. Her class is decorating pumpkins. On a side note, I am pretty disappointed with the "art" she's been bringing home. Not her efforts but the assignments. They have little to do with growing creativity and everything with following directions and "make yours look like mine". Talk about killing the art potential. It's scary knowing that this school district should have amazing specials based on the budget I know they have.

Anyway. Down from soapbox.

Monday when G. gets home we'll go to Nonna's to hit up a few houses (can't do it here as houses are so far apart). When A. gets home he is going to hit a few more. She is so excited about trick-or-treating in the dark!

Can t get enough...

2011-10-21T15:48:00.001-07:00

“I believe that we are here for each other, not against each other. Everything comes from an understanding that you are a gift in my life - whoever you are, whatever our differences.” --John Denver

I think we could all benefit from an attitude like this. All life is sacred, whether we want to believe it or feel it too difficult to accept. The world could be a more joyful place if we would embrace that we are each valuable to its balance in completely different ways.

Photo by G.

Finally...continued

2011-10-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

We spent ten hours in Manhattan Saturday. We started on 61st street and worked our way up to 96th. The day ended viewing a beautiful co-op in Gracie Gardens neighborhood. It was huge for NYC and had so much character, a gorgeous interior garden, and was so close to Charles Schurz park you could spit on it (but why would you?). Despite the weirdly laid out kitchen it was the big winner. We almost left a deposit but decided to take a break and grab dinner first.

By the time our food came out C. was losing it...understandably. Two months old and we are toting her all over the upper east side! Plus I was still getting over a cold so I was not feeling well. We decided since it was the weekend A. could take care of things first thing Monday without risk of losing the apartment.

Then...

...after sleeping late Sunday, and talking over several cups of coffee and a nice long breakfast, we decided that we are going to wait. Again. But this time we are not actually putting it off. We will use the next six months to begin downsizing our cache of "stuff". We have a good relationship with a reputable and experienced broker who will keep her ear to the ground in the meantime. G. will be able to finish the school year to start fresh in the fall. C. will be older=I will be more sane. This is a big downer for A. who will have to continue to commute, but as we know six months will pass quickly. We know we will find another great place. We only looked for one day and found several options...that will happen again.

We are still excited and looking forward to having our family together more very soon!

oh yeah! A. and I were married 7 years ago this past Sunday...wow! We did nothing to celebrate, but think maybe we'll make up for it this weekend with lunch in town.

What is next? G. is going to be a witch for Halloween and wants a "tea party" birthday. A. will work, work, work. I may try to start working a bit again (love working for family). Christmas in Louisiana=stuffed mirlitons, chicken gumbo, pralines, WARMTH. Oh, and I look forward to seeing family and friends, too, ha!

Here's a little vid of C. She doesn't do much now so every peep/smile is worth capturing. Notice the "Shrek Terzo" Nutella glass in the background ;) (and pardon the iphone orientation).

Finally...

2011-10-13T11:32:00.001-07:00

After over a year of thinking it's the right time, waiting, searching, we are making the move to NYC.

Summer 2010 I went so far as viewing several apartments, emailing colleagues for potential leads. But we decided it was too chaotic with A. finishing school and G. not yet in full time school.

Now that I am home and A. has long hours some weeks we are both ready. It would be nice for him to see his kids more than 2 days a week! We are in the process of finding a place, complicated by the complexities of NYC schools. We have our eyes on a few neighborhoods but it's all in the air until we find the right place.

More to come!

New App Test

2011-09-28T06:48:00.001-07:00

Hey maybe I'll start posting more now that I got this blogger app...? Wonder how well I can one thumb type while nursing.

Celia Corinne

2011-08-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

One week ahead of schedule, our little girl arrived! Celia Corinne was born at home at 4:20pm last wednesday. She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 18 inches long. A little on the short side, but pretty much perfect!

(may be TMI past this point. you've been warned.)

Last Sunday evening (8/14) my water did not break so much as me having a leak. My midwife (MW) did a test Monday afternoon to confirm. She said labor would follow 24 to 48 hours...usually. Well, Tuesday I walked and walked around the estate. MW and her assistant came over and we tried some herbal remedies to encourage contractions. I had a few more signs of labor but no contractions even by 10pm that night. It had been over 48 hours since the leak began.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 6:30am to check in with MW. Nothing to report so I was to call her in a few hours to update again. I started grinding the coffee and FINALLY got a contraction...feels like a bad menstrual cramp. They started coming very close together but were not consistent or intense yet. Very bearable, and I was happy to finally be making progress! By 11am I called MW again to tell her they were only 3-4 minutes apart lasting about a minute long. She had a meeting at the hospital at noon, asked if I thought I would be okay until she arrived and I said yes. The contractions were close and long, but not so intense. By the time she finally arrived at 2:15pm things had changed!

MW, her assistant, and A. set us a small pool in our bedroom filling it with warm water. They made other preparations for when the baby finally was born while I labored, just pacing the floor and using an exercise ball to find comfortable positions (by the way, there are none! lol). My contractions were getting pretty hard; thank God the houses out here are far apart otherwise I think the neighbors would have called the police in reaction to the noises I was making! Once the pool was filled I got in and ,wow, I forgot how much the warm water helps. That was at about 3:45. By 4:00pm or so I started really having "pushing" contractions" and not long after she was born!

A. was awesome. I don't know how I could have done it without him. Every time I looked at him I had new energy to keep going. MW and her assistant were as well, just keeping an air of calm reminding me that everything was going perfectly.

They got me in the bed with baby. I looked up at A. and said, "Okay, what's her name!" It was between Celia and Lucia. We both said "Celia" at the same time. Corinne is her great-grandmother's name so that was already decided. Celia nursed like a champ right away, and by 6:15 MW and her assistant left us to rest.

G. is thrilled to be a big sister! She is managing the change very well, eager to help soothe Celia when she cries and knows she needs lots of mommy's attention for a while. She is also looking forward to her special day coming up soon: the first day of kindergarten!

Tropical Storm Emily

2011-08-04T06:40:00.001-07:00

What about Emily's impacts on the U.S.?

Emily is expected to turn [in] the next 24 hours... Given Emily's disorganized state and the potential...to interact...

However, if Emily is slow to make the expected...turn, remaining on...course longer, that would potentially bring [her current state] through early Sunday...

We then expect Emily to turn sharply out to sea later Sunday and Monday... That said, Emily could be a minimal [risk] at that time... While we still can't 100% rule out the...main impact, there may be rip currents and high [tension] later Sunday into Monday.

Abridged summary as given by www.Weather.com.

See if you can follow this post...

2011-08-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have been so distracted the last few weeks, for obvious reasons. But still...I wish I could get my thoughts together enough to post! There is plenty to report on but I'll have to catch up down the road.

As much as I am OVER babycenter.com, I can't keep from going on the message board for babies due in August and reading all of the (mostly ridiculous) posts, and seeing what other preggos are talking about. Those ladies will do some crazy s__t to have their babies! Castor oil, crazy sex, weird food, henna on the belly.

I am was 37 weeks yesterday, which means I am "technically" full-term. I keep getting the "you are too small" comment but I feel full-term, and was in a similar place with G. at this point. My good friend Teacher Girl was married this past weekend (more on this later), and I was so annoyed when I was dancing and all the single ladies would look at me and say "You go girl! Look at you!" I was thinking, "yes I look at me everyday. And I did not lose my legs. And I am not doing back flips here. I just want to dance and have fun, and you've ruined it for me." lol. I mean, I know that sounds bitter, but that kind of thing annoys me more than people wanting to touch my belly. I am going to write more on the wedding, so please don't get the impression that it was anything but an amazing time! It was beautiful and FUN.

There is something to be said for the dreams you have when you are sleep deprived (my pubic bone feels like it is being ripped in two, which makes sleeping a bit tricky). I had the strangest dreams last night! One was that someone told me that pelvic pain was a sign of labor (it is not), so I kept waking up and having to tell myself, "No, you are not in labor. Go back to sleep." Then I had a dream that a little baby-sandaled foot was showing through my skin like it was plastic wrap. In real life I can feel, and sometimes see, little nubs pushing through, but it is very faint that I'd have to have you put your hand there to feel it. I guess this was just my mind's exaggeration.

tummy shot: 36 weeks

2011-07-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Man....if you just looked at this page for the first time I look like such a narcissistic ass! lol

From this picture I don't look like I've grown much. Maybe it's the outfit or maybe I haven't. Honestly, I have been so preoccupied with other things I haven't noticed!

My midwife says everything is great with me and baby. Which means we are on our way to having a homebirth! She is coming tomorrow to see the house and check out the supplies that I am supposed to gather (not much, thank goodness...she brings the important stuff). I am definitely getting nervous about the labor, but have also been thinking about how I want things to be this go 'round (like being more forward about being left alone some of the time, having better snacks on hand, etc.). A. says he is getting anxious, but I am hoping that he reads some of the info we got last time to ease his mind. With G. he told me he never wanted me to go through that again! But he is a man...what does he know, lol.

The nursery is finally being put together. I just need to switch out a small dresser and finish cleaning and organizing, but the pieces are all there. My mom made me these great retro-patterned curtains (as seen at her house) and also found this adorable owl hanging. These are going to go great with the little olive green dresser we have for the room. We like to keep things simple so with all of this and some little querky toys we have I think the room is going to looks great. Simple, but great!

chop chop

2011-07-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Did it again. Definitely going to take some getting used to. I have had it this short before so wasn't too completely nerve wracking in the process, as in large pieces of hair falling on lap, looking like Moe from the Three Stooges for a few seconds. I forgot this morning and when I looked in the mirror I didn't recognize myself! ha!

(and notice I am wearing long sleeves? It was 64 degrees when I woke up this morning!)

tummy shot: 34 weeks

2011-07-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

Six weeks to go!

This weekend we had a baby shower for A.'s brother and his fiancé. It was so much fun to see their joy in receiving all of the things they need for their little lady who is due only two weeks after ours! And it never gets old seeing all of those tiny baby clothes. A group of their friends gave them a huge basket full of goodies including some super hip side-tie kahki shorts, dark washed denim jeans, and polka dot leggings. Um, can I borrow those? lol

We are so behind in getting ready for this baby! A. is still clearing out his studio after having moved it to the too-big living room we rarely use (but will hopefully use now that A.'s and G.'s art studio is there now). Once he is done with that we have to move our guest room into the old studio (which is now occupied by a "guest" so must be done in one fell swoop), and then the baby's room can be assembled.

I have, however, gone through all of G's old clothes and tried to group them in sizes as best I can. It was so much fun remembering all the fun little pieces, like her blue and pink Pumas, her little brown kimono dress, and her baby Uggs. I am so glad we hoarded so much of her wardrobe because honestly we don't need anything! I mean, we do need a crib mattress (we gifted G's), and all of the disposable things, but that gives me much relief as far as our budget goes. My mom is going to make curtains for me again too, which is one of my favorite things in G's room.

Working backwards here: Saturday Kake came over. She, G., and I swam for a little while fighting off horseflies, then moved the party to the lawn overlooking the Long Island sound where we fought off the super-gnats. I was nice to get catharsis time in for some drama going on over at "Pensione Lo Porto", and to just have some time with my friend! G. liked the watermelon and potato chips. Oh hell, we all liked that part.

A Weekend in the Berkshires

2011-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

For the first time A. and I left G. for a long weekend together. With child #2 (no name yet, but soon!) less than two months away we figured we had better go while G. was finally old enough and while I wasn't waddling and panting too much.

We stayed at this very cool "inn" in Sheffield. The very quirky and outdoorsy Race Brook Lodge is made up of several buildings that were converted over the years...a barn, coach houses, etc. We stayed in one of the cottages which had a small kitchen and a nice sized bathroom. The post and beam architecture and eccentric decor gave it such a homey feel. Just across the gravel drive from our front porch was a large stream that you could hear babbling when things were quiet, which was most of the time.

We arrived Thursday night, quickly checked-in then headed to Tanglewood to see James Taylor. I should said "hear" because we were so far back on the lawn you couldn't even see the screen showing the stage! On the way we stopped at the Gypsy Joynt in Great Barrington for our picnic dinner. It was such a cool little place definitely run by a couple and their children, and their children's children were parked throughout the place. There were lots of vegetarian options and the place just had a cool vibe. Very "hippy".

The rest of the weekend was spent driving and walking through the little towns/villages of Berkshire County. We shopped at a farmer's market located at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, and we visited Norman Rockwell's town of Stockbridge, where he moved his family and spent the last years of his life. You can really see the town's influence in his art. Our favorite town was Great Barrington. It had a very classic all-American charm but was still very hip and current: toy shops with lots of eco-friendly merch, homemade ice cream, locally owned coffee hangout (awesome iced coffee), and a classic yet progressive atmosphere.

We only ate out a couple of meals, but found most restaurants to be locally owned and serving local foods including the beef and dairy! The lodge actually has a restaurant on site. Attached to it was a greenhouse which supplied some of the produce for the meals. I saw several bumper stickers reading "locatarian" while we drove through the hills.

For the most part however we relaxed in our cottage, sitting on the porch reading and taking walks. I was not feeling top notch, but if I had we could have used the trails from the Race Brook to see Race Falls and into Mt. Washington State Forest. Something to look forward to when we return!

G. had a great time with Nonna (great grandma) and Grandma. She had her first swim lesson of the summer and went to a birthday party. They stayed up late one night to watch E.T. complete with apple juice and popcorn. She was pretty upset with me when I told a her a few weeks earlier about her trip, praying each night the God would help her not think about it (completely unprompted). But by the time the day to leave came she was begging me to bring her to Nonna's ASAP! She must have realized how much fun it really was going to be for her to be away from us.

Corduroy the bear came with us, someting I do for G. when I am away. He had a great time!

(PS - sorry for all the stylized photos I've been posting lately! I have them all in my phone from my Instagram so it's much easier :-D)

Poconos

2011-06-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend we spent a day at A's great-aunt's vacation home in the Poconos. Now, I need to explain that this house is not the kind of house you want to spend the day in. Have you read Great Expectations? Of course you have, and you remember Mrs. Havisham's house. Well this is like the smaller, less decaying version. Lots of treasures and expensive (ruined) furniture, filthy carpets.

Lady Todd needed to get a few things from the house so we took at ride with her and helped her air things out a bit (in vain...it will take much more than that to get this house back in shape). We picked her up from her apartment which shares the block with Carnegie Hall. I always love the drive through Manhattan because you pass Radio City and upon leaving you have to drive through Columbus Circle.

On the drive there, Aunt Fran (Lady Todd) entertained us with stories of her former life "babysitting" a tiger cub, and seeing a dancing bear in the woods of South Africa that had been abandoned by a bankrupt menagerie. No kidding...these stories are real. She has pictures!
The property needs so much work, and the house itself is just a "shadow of its former self". There are pieces in the house that are collectible but it is hard to know if they have any real value after being left in the damp house with little maintenance for the past few years. She seems content to be there, though, so the furniture may not matter so much to her. There are some unusual things too, like this sculpture that was sitting on a chest. Seemed very eerie in the context of the dappled sunlight that lit the room, and the dusty surroundings.

It was an interesting day to say the least and G. had fun looking out at the mountains and up at the tree canopies through the sunroof.

tummy shot 31 weeks

2011-06-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

There she is. 9 more weeks until she's cooked.

I know it may not look that big, but trust me that is FEELS big (and I'm bigger than I was with G.). She is now in a vertical position (head down) so she is pretty much kicking the s__ out of my stomach and ribs. I can barely breathe if I am not reclined, and I feel completely stuffed and starved at the same time. Not complaining so much as just statin' the facts!

Brag time: I made the best supper last night. I slow cooked some sliced onion in olive oil until it was just melted, then I added some minced anchovies and let those melt too. After deglazing with some white wine, I added thinly sliced zucchini and let it cook until it was just al dente. While that was cooking I cut some locally grown tomatoes into wedges, sprinkled them with basil shreds and a little salt, then topped that with a long drizzle of olive oil from Tuscany. To plate I put a nice spoonful of the zucchini over perfectly cooked pasta.

G. ate up the pasta but wouldn't touch the tomatoes. Though she will eat almost anything, this is one veggie I can't seem to tempt her to try (when not in marinara form). Adam and I had no problem finishing them off. No pics...none left!

Preschool/Summer/Gandhi?

2011-06-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Preschool
As timing would have it we had a second graduation this year. G. "graduated" from nursery school. The event was pretty cute as you can imagine: there was a play of the Three Little Pigs in which G. played one of three big, bad wolves, they sang songs including one in sign language (were they trying to make all the moms cry?), and then a "diploma" ceremony. As over the top as I felt about a preschool graduation, it was nice to see her have such fun with all of her friends.

A Birthday
A.'s birthday was yesterday. I made him Lamb Kofta made with quinoa and a yogurt dip that I made up, but it was deeeelish (greek yogurt, dill, onion, a little smoked paprika, garlic). G. gave him a CD and I gave him two gift certificates: one for a hot shave, and one for a 90 minute reflexology session. He was very happy :)

Summer
Now that school is out I am (too late) trying to figure out what I am going to do to keep G. busy this summer! Her babysitter from last summer will be home before college this summer. She is the best...I mean really, I think she might be. She takes G. on walks to pick blueberries, to the pool to swim all day, down to our beach to collect shells, and just gives her enough attention but also puts her foot down with the whining. A.'s uncle says she will be the first woman president. Sounds like the right recipe to me.

In the meantime (waiting for babysitter to be finished with school) I have been trying to find fun things to do. Even though we have the beach on the estate, we like to go to the village beach because a) there are sometimes other kids there to play with, and b) there is more sand. The water is also a bit shallower so you can see lots of critters, like horseshoe crabs. I know it is simple and nothing inventive, but I love things like this...free, nature-appreciating fun. Can't wait for the blueberries to turn blue (still green, but getting FAT!) so we can pick them! Always a nice, healthy reward after a long walk.

Gandhi
So to continue with the randomness of this post, here are Mahatma Gandhi's seven deadly sins. Don't do them:

Wealth without Work
Pleasure without Conscience
Science without Humanity
Knowledge without Character
Politics without Principle
Commerce without Morality
Worship without Sacrifice

My Peanut

2011-06-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Just found this shot of G. from two falls ago (so she was almost 3). We went to a local fall festival with Grandpa "Chick". Such a girly-girl, she wore this dress and these shoes so much I 'd have to hide them so she would use her other clothes.

Things I Wish I'd Known: Simple Pleasures

2011-06-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

...like how good a cold beer or a coke tastes.

When we originally planned to live in Italy it was just A. and I. But plans changed just before we applied for our visas. We were going to be "three". So we postponed the move for a year, but even then went back and forth about actually doing it. We knew having G. would limit our finances, among other things like being able to do a lot of traveling. But ultimately we knew we had to just do it!

We had saved up and were leaving with a good nest-egg and on scholarship, but the falling dollar made it so we had just enough for a modest lifestyle. We were fine with that and just happy to be in Firenze. We learned to appreciate living so close to il mercato centrale...having simple, fresh, delicious meals. Hot, crusty focaccia piccante with pear and gorgonzola, zucchini and tomatoes tossed with fresh pasta. Taking a long walk to the €1 gelateria at the Oltrarno end of Ponte Carraia. Finding magnificent statues in all the nooks and crannies of the city. Sitting in Piazza della Santissima Annunziata watching the students, and to be honest, yes, the drunks.

Some nights I would put G. to bed while A. went out to get kebabs. He would bring back falafel, and a beer and coke from the local 99¢ store. I would have downloaded a movie or American TV show we hadn't seen in a while. Sitting on our bed watching TV on the computer, eating freshly made falafel, our windows open with the faint sound of the city slowing down, the glow from our neighbors' windows...

We still look back on those little feasts with such pleasure. I wonder if it is possible to find joy in something like this now?

This "things I wish I'd known" is not so much that I wish I'd known it in regards to Italy before/after, but just something I think anyone can appreciate. For me perhaps I needed a new setting (and budget!) to knock it into my thick head. And I still haven't mastered it yet.

Portrait of A. by Jani Zubkovs, a friend and talented artist.

Photo Blog > Craving Italian Beaches and Pizza Napolitano

2011-06-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Don't quite feel jealous enough of those folks living la dolce vita? Visit this photo blog that I cannot get enough of: Positano Daily Photo.

Photo by Nicki Storey of Positano Daily Photo

Pizza, Wings, and Fries: Adventures in Bachelorette Culinary Arts

2011-06-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Teacher Girl (I think that is her pseudonym? it is now) is getting married this summer. So Kake and I took a road trip up to Albany to spend a bachelorette weekend with her, her sisters, and some friends.

Saturday Kake and I hit the road early and pretty much spent the 3 1/2 hours talking about baby names and "awwing" after the massive amount of roadkill on the interstates (we saw a baby bear about halfway upstate...ugh, that is just a can of worms I won't open right now). One highlight of the trip was stopping at the Plattekill Service Area for the ladies room: we got to meet the kids who were featured on the This American Life episode 388 "Rest Stop", and there was a farmer's market so we got fresh strawberries and beet chips for the road (don't smirk, the chips were yummm).

The afternoon was spent at a local spa relaxing on chaises, getting massages and sipping cucumber water. I fell asleep about halfway thru, but luckily I had to turn over so was able to actually enjoy it! Afterwards we headed to our hotel which was about a block from our dinner destination, Pearl Street Pub.

At the pub we dined on burgers, pizza, wings, and fries (of course). All of which were pretty amazing. The beer selection was great even though I couldn't have any :( Turned out there was a bachelor party in the private upstairs room, on which a few of the attendees kept commenting. Did they hope we'd join them? Ew. We heard whoops and hollers soon after our food was delivered to beat of "Empire State of Mind". What an odd song for stripping? We joked that perhaps the dancer's character was "Homeless Lady": she'd have lots of layers to take off and maybe a mangey cat as a prop? YUCK!!!! That's an insult to homeless people!

Later in the evening we sojourned a few yards away to the Bayou (holla B.R.!) where a terrible band was playing all the right songs for the woman of the weekend. She and the posse had a BLAST cutting a rug. Kake and I were close to our expirations dates by 2am so left them on the dance floor. Despite getting back to the hotel in the wee hours of the morning they beat us to the comp. hot breakfast in the lobby. Soldiers! Well almost all of them (ahem, sisters ;) lol).

Kake and I hit the road and made a detour in Poughkeepsie, where Marist College's campus is located. (A. went to school in Italy thru Marist, where Kake was working and how we met.) We met up with her friend/former colleague for lunch and great conversation...mostly me listening, but I loved it! And I got pancakes, so YUM.

Probably one of the best girl weekends I've had in a good long while: driving with Kake, celebrating with Teacher Girl and her clan, and spending time with Kake and (we'll call her) Mumphrey. Thanks ladies xoxox

Now I just need to detox from those heavy meals!

Pose

2011-06-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

G. and I went to the town's private beach last week. It was deserted! I suppose there was the possibility of rain that day, bit it was nice when we were there and I enjoyed lounging my pregnant-self while G looked for "treasure". I snapped this shot of her to send to A. and this is what she did when I told her to pose (mostly so she'd be still). It reminds me of the way a commercial might post Beach Babe Barbie! lol

~~Here is my Barbie-pose picture. Not the most flattering shot of me, but here I am in all my 29 weeks of glory~~. Had to take this down...couldn't stand it! lol

"I'm Going to Disney World!" Says Summa Cum Laude Grad

2011-06-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh...home. Vacations are always exciting and fun, but I always come home feeling like I need a vacation from my vacation.

The graduation party was crazy but fun. It felt like our wedding reception where you are trying to speak to each person at least once but then end up having few meaningful conversations. It rained a little at the start, but quickly dried up for a lovely sunset over the Long Island Sound. I had to ditch the party to get a not-ready-to-leave-G in bed several hours late. We had to wake up *literally* at the crack of dawn to be at graduation.

The initial ceremony was a little silly...they were playing Katy Perry and Lady Gaga over the sound system with these inspiration slideshows of kids no one knew. G was EXHAUSTED and cranky, and it was COLD. They split off to their separate colleges, so the Design diploma ceremony wasn't quite so bombastic. A. was recognized for all of his awards, though we could only see him on a monitor. The tent was on a hill!

We left for Orlando the next day. G. got in the pool as soon as we got there. It was great catching up with my parents and relaxing for a couple of days before hitting Disney World.

G. loved it, obviously. Her favorites were The Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear at the Magic Kingdom, and bird watching at Animal Kingdom. She also had a great time at the Moroccan pavillion at EPCOT where we had dinner. She was invited to dance with the belly dancer, and then showed off her moves in the "souk" afterwards! (see video)

A. enjoyed himself more than expected. We both laughed at the crappy "designer" goods being sold at the Italian pavillion. And at all of the unusual park-goers. I have never seen such wide backs in my life! If/when we ever go back I think it will be a good long while.

ConGraduation

2011-05-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

A. is graduating this weekend! His interior design studies are finally over. I am so proud of him: he is graduating with highest honors and will receive multiple awards, including the Dean's Award. He performed this well in school AFTER G. was born. It's amazing how much can be achieved if you just decide you are going to do it. I barely graduated with honors, and had no children. I am a lucky girl :)

Tomorrow his mother is throwing this crazy, over-done party with like 75+ guests. I have nothing to wear. And when I say this I am not just a girl who is unsatisfied with her clothing selection. I mean I literally have nothing to wear that is appropriate AND fits. So if all goes as planned tomorrow Kake is going to go shopping with me to find a dress for a wedding later this summer, and I will hopefully find something for the party too. It's so painful spending money on maternity clothes, but it's even more painful not having them! And she is honest so will tell me if something looks like ass or not. xox

Sunday is G-day, then Monday we are leaving for Orlando. Yep, my parents invited us to go to Disney World with them. I wish G. were a little older, but I know she will have a blast. A. is feeling quite the opposite saying, "I don't want her to think that this is vacation. I want her to think of visiting the Eiffel Tower as vacation." While I agree, I don't think a little Snow White is going to hurt. Especially considering most of her memories will end up being simulated anyway. We'll only hit the park a couple of days and the rest of the week will be spent next to the pool at the rental house relaxing. And in the meantime I am saving up for our next trip across the big pond, so we can do damage control.

I've heard many a woman remark that pregnancy is a fun time to buy shoes, since your feet don't necessarily grow in the way your tummy does (that's not totally true, as some women's feet spread, but that's another post topic). Anyway, I say pregnancy is a fun time to buy glasses! Well I needed a new pair, even though my last are fine and the same Rx, but I wanted something to switch out. I liked these because they are simple and not as huge as my others. Don't mind the hair/complexion. I was up late melon-ballin' for the par-tay.

Flooding in Louisiana

2011-05-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

The State Capitol Building from the west bank...Baton Rouge lies on the east bank.

These trees normally sit on the river bank.

I am sure most of you know of the flooding happening along the Mississippi River. Most of my family is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where the "crest" is not scheduled to reach the river until May 24. I was emailed a set of photos of how things were looking there before the Morganza Spillway was opened.

What my parents report is that the water is not subsiding as fast as expected. They will be with us in Orlando at that point, so my brothers, their families, and the rest of the family will keep us updated on how things turn out. Luckily, my parents home is located on what used to be the natural levee for the river, high ground. Unfortunately for Baton Rouge the downtown area and university (LSU) will be hit the worst if flooding is as predicted and waters do not begin to flow into the spillways more rapidly.

Along the west bank looking south towards the Mississippi Bridge along the top of the levee.

Again, the trees and shrubs are not normally in the water.

Ballerina on a Boat

2011-05-13T11:14:00.001-07:00

G. loves this very whimsical cartoon. Happy thursday!

Geological Mother's Day

2011-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

In 2008 for our 4th wedding anniversary, A. got me this incredible necklace with this huge amorphic pendant. Turns out it was moldavite, "a rare mineral that formed from the impact of a meteorite hitting the earth, a kind of tektite, which means it is like naturally formed glass". You can read my post about it. Anyway, every time I wear I am asked what it is, and so I try my best to explain.

For Mother's Day A. got me another conversation piece...an ammonite ring. It looks just like this one (of course I keep forgetting to take a photo of the real mccoy). Ammonites were "a group of marine invertebrate animals that are now extinct", so obviously this is a fossil. "These molluscs are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e. octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish) than they are to shelled nautiloids such as the living Nautilus species."*

Thank you, Professor Lo Porto, lol. Anyway, it is quite beautiful, and goes well with my wedding ring which is kind of chunky too. I anticipate having to explain what it is with too, but I don't mind! I think it's beautiful.

Thanks babe!

*"Ammonite." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Getting Smart About Travel, Oink

2011-05-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

I have been working since I was 14 years old. My mother always made me do my own taxes. When A. was under contract with the record label an accountant handled them, but other than that I've done them my self with no hitches.

For some reason, this year I was completely off. But to my advantage. So I took that big chunk o' change and placed it in a Smarty Pig account! I won't go on and on about this, you can google it. But it's this clever way to save up to a certain dollar amount by a certain date with a higher interest rate (it's not that much higher than a regular savings, but it's less accessible). My account is called "Get us to Italy!" and hoping that my goal is met by April 2012. Spring in Italy anyone?

Photo stolen (with love) from Kake.

tummy shot: 24+ weeks

2011-05-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

In the past 6 weeks I am just about resigned to wearing only maternity pants. I had been rigging my regular pants with rubber bands. These were the maternity jeans I could not find at the gap, but found a pair on ebay for like half the price. Woohoo! The only pair listed, and they were my size. Cute, right? A little long, but fit great everywhere.

As you can see, I have also resorted to wearing Birkenstocks and sneakers because, YES, my feet are messed up and I have bunions and they hurt! lol Sorry...TMI But for those of us who have been (or ARE) preggers, you know how your feet feel at the end of the day in comfortable shoes sometimes, so I feel justified.

This little booger is quite a kicker. G. moved a lot and got the hiccups often, but she is wiggling and kicking so much, especially after a meal or a (very small!) cup of coffee.

Missing Florence very much this morning! I remember my first meal there. Before G. and I woke up A. snuck out to il mercato centrale, the central market, which was right next door, to get us breakfast. He made a simple breakfast: uova strapazzate (scrambled eggs), il pane toscano con olio d'oliva (tuscan bread with olive oil), e le fettine di arancia (orange, sliced)...and caffè of course. Not a typical italian breakfast brioche, but hit the spot for me!

As time went by in Italy, we learned to have lighter breakfasts, though we stuck to our standards: oatmeal, polenta, cold cereal, toast, etc. occasional egg. Honestly, I never felt hungry from not having a huge American breakfast, and luckily A. and I have never had huge breakfasts anyway.

And leave it to me to bring "missing florence" around to what I ate!

oh my GOD I love Watermelon!

2011-05-06T11:29:00.001-07:00

I really, really do. It is one of those things that I could literally make myself sick eating. And then eat some more. Ever since I was a wee one, I have been in love. I even love the white part between the sweet pink and the green rind. When I worked in Manhattan I would go the the juice bar to get watermelon juice. I'd pay $5 for watermelon juice. I buy a full-sized watermelon and eat it all myself in a few days.

I love watermelon :)

By Beyond silence (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I finally did it

2011-05-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

I got desperate and streamed Eat Pray Love through Netflix on my Apple TV.

When someone lent me the book to read while living in Florence, I could not get through the first 20 pages. I am not sure what it was about the book because I can't even remember what I read. I guess I am just happy in my life and I don't have that feeling of being in a mental coma from which it seems the main character feels herself to be suffering. There is nothing wrong with that. I am sure there are millions of people out there who feel this way, but I could not relate. I suppose at the time I needed to relate to what I was reading seeing as my attention span was all but gone chasing around a baby.

My point in saying all of this is that my criticism stems from having watched the movie, and not having read the book which I am sure could be very different.

I found the movie watchable and it gave me something to do while folding the mountain of laundry on my sofa. But it was sort of difficult getting through Liz's days in Rome. It was so....cliche! I mean Sophie getting smacked on the bottom, prosciutto and melon, the crazy business-men packed cafe? Rick Steves gives a better slice of life in my opinion. Yes, the food looked delicious and Julia Roberts made her pasta-inhaling very cutesy but I could barely stomach most of it. I can't say how much of my cynicism is due to having had the nostalgia cleared while living there.

The saving part of the movie for me was Bali. Okay, yes I am kind of in love with Javier Bardem. He can break into my Balinese hut any day. But I loved how the intimacy between she and Felipe (Bardem) was more than just "sexy-time". I think that is the part of relationships that dies for many couples. Or the part that is allowed to fizzle out.

If I could take one big chunk of "this is what I got from that 2 hrs 20 min" it was that trying to control everything, your weight, your love, your faith, can surely squeeze much of it to death. For Ms. Gilbert traveling around the world was the remedy to death-squeezing.

There is no cure for lack of pleasure, lack of love, or lack of faith other than making a conscious effort to change. Location is just a detail.

Spaghetti

2011-04-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

G. keeps begging A. and I to move us back to Italy because she loves spaghetti. She has gotten tears in her eyes on several occasions. I am not sure where this comes from! She loves all types of pasta but has somehow gotten into her head that spaghetti is the bee's knees, and that apparently it is only available in mass quantities if we live in Italy.

On the other hand, I think it is a very valid reason to go there. Don't you?

Image from Wikipedia Commons: Giorgio Sommer (1834–1914): Spaghetti eaters, before 1886. Photograph, albumen print, 22.8 x 18.4 cm. Numbered #6444.

C'est Une Fille

2011-04-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

...again!

G. is totally thrilled, and said "See. I told you." when we were getting the ultrasound. I was surprised how well she could read the images on the monitor, recognizing a foot or her profile.

She (the baby) looked great. I mean, as far as a bonehead like me could tell! She weighs about 12 ounces and all her important bits were there.

I have to admit that I wonder what it would be like to have a little boy. Not having grown up with a sister I feel sort of out of my element as to what the sibling dynamic will be like. But I guess like all people, all relationships are unique so I am sure it will be as it should be. And we are having a beautiful baby!

Image by Editor B used through Flickr Creative Commons.

Boy or Girl? Doc Says 50/50

2011-04-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning the family is going to see how cooked I am! At 20 1/2 weeks we should be able to find out the gender of the baby. So excited! We will be happy either way, boy or girl.

G. is so excited, but I think she still believes it is a girl and has already named her Alice. I like the name, so who knows!

Then we are off to G-Digital and Bludazy's daughter's first birthday. Remember her? Emily! She is a little pumpkin face now. So precious and HAPPY.

Oh and just b/c I love food and want to share it with you, last weekend we went out with some friends to a Portuguese restaurant. OH. MY. WORD. The service was achingly slow, but so worth the wait. And (judge not) the glass of wine I had was amazing. I can't wait to go back and try something different. I had paella, but could only eat about 1/4 of it because I filled up on the appetizers: rice-cheese balls in truffle cream and "flaming" sausages. We were well aware of the phaelic implications here, which had no influence on our choices (or did they?).

Okay...happy friday, and sorry for the randomness of this post!

tummy shot: 18 weeks

2011-03-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Well folks...my belly at 18 weeks (model-style, lol). Still getting into my regular jeans! Well, my cheesy low-rise ones that I never wore but am now. I found some really cute skinny jeans at gap.com, but they only had huge sizes so I am holding out until they get more in. Gotta have cute jeans! (it is so hard to find maternity clothes that don't scream "soccer mom" or "I'm giving up". BUT I am becoming a master of finding non-maternity maternity clothes. At least I think I am so far....fingers crossed I can keep it up.)

And you may have noticed that my long hair is gone. I finally did it! I actually kept one of my 2010 resolutions to donate 10" of hair. Right now I have a slightly inverted bob which is taking some getting used to. People keep telling me I look 15 and I am not really crazy about that. I'd really like to go shorter but maybe not until I have this baby. I'll have enough changes to get used to. I LOVE our fellow blogger Erin's hair but not sure how something like that would work with my figure/face? For now I am just banking some options until I am ready to do the next big CHOP!

BTW, Giada came for the cut, and looked like she wanted to KILL my stylist! She is kind of attached to my hair and twirls it when we cuddle. Luckily she still manages to get a piece when I am kissing her good night.

Louisiana Loot: BebBooCher

2011-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

My parents are coming to visit, so my mom sent me this photo to show me all of the goodies she is bringing. She is also hoping to get some crawfish tails, but those have a shorter life so won't be buying them until the day she leaves. So excited to get just one of these things!

Crystal Hot Sauce (used similarly to Tabasco, but made from aged cayenne peppers not tobasco peppers)
Abita Strawberry Lager (Abita beer is brewed in Abita Springs, Louisiana, can be found in many bars nowadays)
Andouille
Canned okra (though I am not a huge fan of canned anything, I have yet to be successful growing okra here...probably too cold...and it is way too expensive in the grocery store when I can find it)
Cans of Steen's Cane Syrup (all I'll need is for my dad to make some steamy hot biscuits....oh man!)

PS - SCARY belly shot coming. I have officially POPPED.

From Viareggio to Saint Tropez

2011-03-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

We fly into Florence to arrive around 10:00am. At our "secret" cafe to we order macchiati and brioche. After soaking in the fresh crisp morning air, saying "ciao ciao" to passersby, we take a walk to Ponte alle Grazie to look at the Ponte Vecchio and share an arancia rossa di sicilia (red sicilian orange). After window shopping in San Frediano and Santo Spirito, we have lunch at Bevivino in San Niccolo...finally!...fresh mozzarella di bufala, perfectly ripe tomatoes...A. would have Chianti and I'd have a prosecco. After lunch, we walk to the Pitti Palace to walk the Giardino di Boboli. We return to centro to do some shopping and say hello to familiar shop keepers, then to Enoteca Pinchiorri for a late, long dinner with friends.

In the morning we catch a train to Viareggio. We arrive in time to grab some panini and soak up the a few hours of midday sun. As the sun begins to sink close to the horizon, we walk to the peer with our bags and hop aboard a chartered sailing yacht. We'll sail overnight from here to Nice. We are both so excited to visit the Côte d'Azur. But the sunset, the silence of the wind pushing the boat through the water...I am in no rush to arrive.

In the morning, we wake early enough to watch the sunrise over what we can no longer see of Italy. When we finally arrive in Nice, the city is just waking up. The leathery skin of the senior sun bathers dots the beaches in contrast to the almost white sand. Resort employees are setting up chairs and umbrellas. After settling into our hotel...

What do you think? Sounds like an amazing trip, right? Well it is one that I WILL take one day! I can't finish the Nice part because I have never been to the French Riviera. But hopefully one day I will be able to recount this story with more detail and a longer ending.

I can feel the Mediterranean air on my skin now as I sit in my office looking out onto the NYC streets, walkers holding their coats closed, squinting their eyes into the wind. I'm ready.

Image by Sergei Melki thru Flickr Creative Commons

Good Things / Small Packages, Says Airline Peanut Distributor

2011-03-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Small package #1
A. got a new job, and with someone who he considers to be his mentor. In one short email, I could feel his joy radiating through the monitor. I won't give too many details just in case propriety is in order, but he will be an Associate Project Manager on a 5 year renovation of a very famous New York hotel that happened to be featured in the newer version of the movie Alfie.

That means that I will be leaving The Times. Well not completely. I may be doing some work from home, but that is in the works and not confirmed. I will definitely not be commuting into Manhattan anymore, and that was the big idea. With one child about to start school and one on the way who will keep my arms full, there was no way A. and I could both be commuting. The obvious solution would be to move closer to work, but right now our situation "out in the sticks" is just too good. I love my garden, and I'd like to get some chickens. And the truth is, I may not want to start working full time even after the very generous six months of leave.

I will be working. As I mentioned above, possibly doing some content updating related stuff for The Times. But I will also be managing A.'s uncle's fence company. I know it doesn't sound like super exciting work, but it means very flexible hours, bring-your-kid-to-work-or-heck-make-this-extra-space-a-play-room, and time off in the slow seasons. It also means time that I can do some of the things I have wanted to do: sew more, work with a local maternity home, TAKE CARE OF MY HOUSE!

Small Package #2
I had my second midwife appointment this weekend. A. and G. came. G. thought it was all about her. I think she told Dale that she was 4 about a dozen times...ham! We discussed doing a home-birth (READ: I love what readers I still get on here, but not looking for your 2 cents about my birthing choices. I say that with love and respect...I mean it! xoxox), and all the insurance nonsense that we will go through with all this job changing. But in the end I know it will all work out the way it's meant to. It somehow always does.

We listened to the heartbeat. Something about that "woosha woosha woosha" just makes me turn into a chocolate pudding puddle of relaxed. I pointed out to G. how it sounds different than when she listens to my heart. Thank goodness for 9 months of gestation: good for A. to wrap his head around being a father again, and good for G. to really start to understand what the heck is going on!

Small Package(s) #3

Just to keep things cynical, this weekend brought with it one more package. Packages actually. With all that snow melting, I discovered that our yard had literally become a dumping ground for the pack of dogs that live on the property! I spent about a half hour shoveling dog poo of every shape, size, and color off of the lawn and into the woods, while G. played on the swing and helped point out the poops I had missed. Special thanks to Gabby, Ella, Rosy, Margot, Teddy and your occasional buddy Ben! Without you this never would have happened. Grrrrrrrr.

goodbye winter....I MEAN IT!

2011-03-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

It is 52F outside today, and sunny. A little windy but I could actually keep my hood down. I even needed my shades! It is supposed to get very cold again. Blegch...I am so ready for SPRING!

We did have a very cold, snowy and white winter. Giada has so much fun playing in the huge drifts of snow..."climbing the mountains!". Even though it was too powdery to make a snowman, our yard was filled with tiny snow angels. And gotta love the "I am going to work from home today, I can't get out of my driveway" excuse!

Note that this was the first snow. We got another 24 inches about a week later...the "plow mountain" in front of the b-ball goal reached the net!

Now the lawn (what is left of it) has started to peek through the snowy carpet, and the trees are bare pushing through buds waiting to open in the next six weeks. We've been teased with a few warm days here and there, but nothing sticks long enough to put our down coats into storage. Soon enough the forsythia and cherry trees will bloom through the cold, then the magnolias and blueberries. I guess what makes Spring so glorious is that it follows such anticipation.

Winter, you were lovely. But I'm just not that into you.

Three-ooooooooh

2011-02-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

It came and went. (I wonder to myself before I say this, how many times have I written this in a birthday post??>>) I am not big on birthdays. So turning 30 was, sure, a milestone of sorts but I am not sure for me it needs any special treatment. Saturday A and I went to the movies to see The King's Speech (oh my, go see it NOW). We left early to go to a local pub (I had a tonic, no gin). The plan was to get dessert somewhere, but it was so damn cold and windy there was no way I was walking through town! Besides, I had made an AWESOME (well, it was!) apple pie that day so I figured I would have some at home if I still wanted. Well I ate too much popcorn. When I am preggers I fill up easily. So when we got home no pie :(

The next morning A let me sleep late. He woke me up with a warm, creamy bowl of grits (polenta), hot tea, and a small slice of apple pie! It was the best breakfast in bed I have ever had. Seriously, grits with a little salt and butter and apple pie. Do it!

A. and G. gave me a small tea pot to keep on my desk at work....it even has a tea bag holder! A. also gave me the new book by David Sedaris, one of my favorite writers/essayists, called Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. If you've never read David Sedaris I recommend When You Are Engulfed in Flames....you will not regret it. Anyway, other gifts were some cash from in-laws, a Stir Crazy popcorn maker (no more popcorn! lol), matching aprons for G and I made by my mother-in-law, and a small framed picture of G. My parents sent me some maternity clothes (yay, but ugh), and I got lots of sweet texts, phone calls, emails, and cards.

Oh one more fun thing is that we got a new car! NOT a birthday gift. A's '01 passat is on its deathbed, so we chose the VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI (deisel)--awesome mileage, lovely, and we've always wanted a wagon, even before kids! I guess we got so used to our Prius we miss having the large back area. Anyway, it looks some like this...picking it up today!

To Be a Juror in NY State

2011-02-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Jury Duty = I sat in the waiting area for 3 hours, had 1 1/2 hours for lunch, waited again for two hours, then was dismissed! It was completely uneventful. Nothing funny even happened. Bor-ing. I do have to say I was surprised that out of the about 100 people who were called in, 8 were volunteers! But I guess if you don't have a job, the $40 you are paid is better than sitting at home doing nothing.

The town in which the courthouse is located was very interesting....very Americana, BUT it was so empty! Half the storefronts were vacant. Even though we were in the downtown area I had to get into my car to find a place to eat. The only thing I passed was a restaurant called "Pizza BBQ". No thanks. I ended up going to the outlet mall and getting Chipotle, lol. That also meant I got to go look in J. Crew....and not buy anything.

Woman Consumes Mexican Jumping Bean, Mistakes for Pinto

2011-02-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

The last couple of nights I have felt what could be the baby's first flutters. It could be too early, but I feel pretty confident. It is different that the usual bowel/innards shift....it's like someone is plucking me from the inside. Or like there is a jumping bean in my uterus.

I have been summoned to jury duty today. I haven't been called in yet and it's almost lunch time. I wouldn't mind so much if the court I was assigned wasn't over an hour's drive. BUT my hope is that after tomorrow I will be done! I am sure I'll have some good stories to tell...

Image from Wiki Commons

If Ever I Cease to Love

2011-02-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

In a house, in a square in a quadrant
In a street, in a lane, in a road.

Turn to the left on the right hand
You see there my true love's abode

I go there a courting, And cooing to my love like a dove;
And swearing on my bended knee, If Ever I Cease To Love,
May sheep-heads grow on apple trees, If Ever I Cease To Love.

If Ever I Cease To Love, If Ever I Cease To Love,
May the moon be turn'd to green cream cheese,
If Ever I Cease To Love

She can sing, she can play on the piano,
She can jump, she can dance, she can run.

For she's a wonderful girlie; She's all of that rolled into one.
I adore her beauty, She's like an angel dropped from above;
May the fish get legs and the cows lay eggs
If Ever I Cease To Love

May all dogs wag their tails in front,
If Ever I Cease To Love

If Ever I Cease To Love,If Ever I Cease To Love,
May we all turn into cats and dogs,
If Ever I Cease To Love

--George Leybourne "Champagne Charlie"

This song hales its popularity from Mardi Gras of 1872. It is still deeply inbedded in the tradition of the Krewe of Rex to this day. It's a long story, but there is more about it here. Anyway, I thought it was appropriate for a day that I find hard to take too seriously. Yes, "may fish gets legs and cows lay eggs" if ever I had the ability not to love.

I could not sleep at all last night. I woke up an hour early, but I didn't feel tired. I was happy to have breakfast with Adam; we rarely see each other for more than 20 minutes in the morning. When I came down, on the table was the loveliest potted White African Violet! "Happy Valentine's Day" he said with a smile. It's sick how much he knows me. I am a sucker for flowers, and even more so for potted ones. I am not very good at keeping indoor Violets in bloom, but this is Day 1--so far so good!

One the other hand, I am a terrible wifey. I did nothing for Adam....yet. I am thinking and will be thinking all day until I think of something witty to get for him. I may just go to Ghirardelli in Times Square to get him a few chocolate covered strawberries. Or not. Ugh! This is what I get for waiting until the last minute....indecision.

I made G. heart-shaped cinnamon toast with a few sprinkles, and "momma cereal" because that is what she wanted. And it's the best cereal ever. :-)

Woman Sighs in Defeat Trying to Fill-in Missing Eyebrows

2011-02-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

First of all, all is well in Casa Em. I got a sonogram and the bean looks like a baby now, stretching and wiggling. Heartbeat was good, etc. No definitive explanation for this, but I am happy and confident! My new issue is that my entire face is pink and dry and patchy! Gross! It's like windburn that just won't go away. I have no idea if this is related to my pregnancy, allergies, or something else. I have barely had time to brush my hair lately, so hopefully I can find time to have my skin looked at.

G. is officially registered for kindergarten! She is very excited and hung the (über utilitarian) school calendar in her room. I haven't been able to explain to her that some of her preschool classmates will not be in her school next year. She insists they will. I tried!

Oh, I had a dream a few nights ago: our friend Giovanni had spent the night at our house (not unusual), and he and some friends thought it would be funny to sneak into my room and pluck out my eyebrows. Somehow I did not wake up from this (in my dream). The next morning I was doing my makeup on the train and finally noticed, and one side was nearly gone. I sighed in defeat and tried to fill them in the best I could.

I remembered my dream the next day. I was in a lecture on the backstory of the Arizona shooting coverage. The speaker pulled up that odd picture of the shooter with his head and eyebrows shaved off. The dream surfaced immediately.

A Scare

2011-02-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Why do my posts all suddenly need disclaimers? If female parts and functions make you squeamish, tune in tomorrow.

I've had some pink spotting going on since Monday afternoon. After melting into tears for an hour when I got home and then speaking to my midwife, Tuesday and Wednesday I worked from home with my feet up. I caught up on "Dexter" and watched Enchanted April. (I didn't realize that Atia from "Rome" plays Lady Caroline! I knew Atia looked familiar.) I watched whatever I could stream on Netflix.com. Yesterday out of desperation I even watched the movie Last Song with Mylie Cyrus (and Greg Keneer? what is up with that?). That put the nail in the stay-home coffin. I couldn't even finish it.

As far as the spotting goes, it faded a bit yesterday but has returned today, so I am thinking I may go home early. Obviously the bed-rest was working. I'll get a sonogram hopefully tomorrow, at the latest Monday just to make sure all is well. Not sure what follows. If it's bad news, well I do know...but I am trying not to let my thoughts wander in that direction just yet.

All of the roads are covered in broken ice fallen from tree branches and power lines. It looks like (depending on your disposition) thousands of broken wine glasses or giant diamonds. Pretty but DANGEROUS! And there is more snow/ice on the forecast. What is going on here?!? Last year was such a mild winter, I guess we are getting payback.

Yesterday as I was supervising G. getting dressed (if I don't she immediately finds something else more interesting to do, like twirl the ceiling fan with her swimming "noodle") she looked at me and said, "Momma, why can't we live in town instead of the woods? I want to live in Italy where there are people and dogs." I swear on my life I make a point of never speaking of things like "I wish I could..." in front of her. I don't want her to think that I am not happy with our life just the way it is. The irony of her statement, though, is that there are five dogs on our property who gang-about all day long. So I guess she means *new* dogs. Luckily there are not gangs of people who hang around!

"Hippie Dog" by istolethetv thru Flickr Creative Commons That is NOT my dog!

Furry Friend(s)

2011-02-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

Can I just say that I am completely over critters, dead or alive?

This weekend when we got home from breakfast with A.'s dad there was a rotten smell in the kitchen. It's been so cold and snowy that we've been a bit delinquent emptying the compost container. I asked A. if he wouldn't mind emptying it before he started his school work. "I took it out last night, " he said. I chalked it up to residual stink, even though A. said he didn't smell anything. I lit my superduper mistletoe candle. In one minute the kitchen smelled like winter.

I went about tidying up, but the smell returned. You may not know this, but I have a super power: smell. And like a woman's immune system, my super power is like CRAZY good when I am pregnant. I followed my nose.

It let to the pantry next to the icebox. Sniff. No not on the top. Sniff, sniff. The bottom. I pulled everything off the shelf, sniffing each thing one at a time. I suspected that G. placed something like a half-eaten apple on the shelf in search of another snack, or that my pregnancy brain told me to put some sliced meat in the pantry. The smell was strong (and disgusting) but nothing seemed to be the culprit. I shined a flashlight between the cabinets and icebox: just a lonely piece of dried macaroni. I feared there was something dead somewhere....but where.

I hated to admit defeat OR to interrupt A. working, but I knew it was the only way. He was NOT happy to come down at first. He wiggled the icebox away from the wall: check the motor, check behind the cabinets. Nothing. And There were no holes that we could see from in the kitchen or from the basement below. A. would need the big guns.

He got a crowbar, hammer, drill and saws-all. I decided that my week pregnancy stomach might not be able to handle the discovery.

After some banging and ZZZZing, G. (who was happy to be an audience the entire time) informed me that it was "Two stinkin' mouses, mamma." On the floor behind the sheetrock! two mice had made a nest and at some (recent) point died. A. was amazed at how they had gotten in. As many times as I have told him that he can't imagine how small an opening a mouse can fit thru, he never believes me!

Needless to say, my lovely husband cleaned it up, bleached/burned/magic-wanded things away, and my pantry is back in order. The sad part is there is no way that we can keep this from happening again. But that's par for the course living in the woods where we are outnumbered by critters.

Image(s) from Wikimedia Commons.

Missing My City

2011-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

I miss Florence.

There are so many wonderful things happening in our family right now. A. is graduating soon. We are going to have new addition. My good friend Kake has returned to NY from three and a half years in Florence. My brother-in-law is going to be a father as well. Yet I still long for Italy.

Am I being idyllic envisioning our life in Firenze? I have to say "no" because life really was good when we were there. Slower, healthier, richer. I've lived it.

Am I reading too many expat blogs; is it jealousy? No...honestly I don't read as much as I wish I could. I know how easily I can be swept away by an idea. One week I was obsessed with reading blogs about people making tiny felt food (hey, it was really cute!). But that fizzled out. My desire for a la dolce vita does not waiver, no matter how much or how little I lurk and obsess about the lives of others there.

Am I trying to escape? I do not think this is it, either. As I said--things are wonderful here. Not perfect, and I don't want perfect anyway. I would be happy if this was my life for the rest of it.

It may seem like I am contradicting myself. I miss Florence, Italy as a whole, very much. I want to have a life there again. I know how blessed I am in my life as it is now and would be willing to accept it were it to always be this way. I will always have a place in my soul for the "city of flowers" and will welcome an open door were it to present itself. We did it before!

Photo of produce from our green grocer at mercato centrale. ⓒ 2010-Present Ribollita Reboiled

tummy shot: 11 weeks

2011-01-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

Giada and I giving an 11 week tummy shot.

Gotta Get Dat Ice

2011-01-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's been while since I posted one of my crazy dreams. I had a few last night that I remember...

1 - I was sitting in my desk at work when the Black Eyed Peas walked by. They went into a small "lounge" area that is near my desk that is reserved for meeting needing some privacy. My colleague comes over and says, "Emily, you're young." Something they always say when they want me to do something, lol. "Go talk with them for a minute while [bossman] finishes on the phone." So she shoves me into the lounge, and I am totally star struck. I try to make small talk. One of them (sam i am) notices my ring and asks if I am married. I say yes. And he says that my ring is nice. Then Fergie says, "Gotta get dat ice!" To which I smile and nod, then feel really uncomfortable because all I can do is think, oh my god they really talk like that.

2 - I am very hesitant to wear my contact. Yes CONTACT. My right eye is fine, but my left eye is whacked. So I only get one. Anyway, it's a strange feeling having one eye covered in a disk of plastic while the other is naked. So I tend to go for my glasses most days. Anyway, I am standing in front of the mirror, and I take out the new contact. I hold it up to my eye and realized that this sucker is super thick. Like as thick as poster board. Not only that but it is the shape of an eye, like almond-shaped. And I kept thinking, this is NOT the way it is supposed to look, right? I try to get it in my eye, but one of the corners is bent in. I ask A. who is no help because he doesn't wear contacts. My mother appears (she lives in the south, I live in the northeast) and she tells me it's fine....sometimes they are just thicker. I open my eyes wide, as wide as I can, but fail to get the massive contact into my eye.

3 - I am taking a dance class in my old dance studio. It's a hiphop class which I find ironic since the studio was strictly classical ballet. The girls are all appropriately aged for a dance class and here I am, nearly 30. The class is over and all the students and parents are gone. The only person left is in the office, and I ask if I can use a phone to call my ride. My iphone is dead (which is likely...my phone is always dead at inopportune times). But the phone's buttons are all in the wrong spots. I can't seem to figure out if I should press the numbers or dial in the pattern I am used to. I try dialing my parent's home number (which makes sense. the dance studio is a quarter mile away). Not only can I not figure out how to dial the number, but I can't get my fingers to do as I like. Turns out the woman in the office is Julie Chen, from the CBS morning show. She was really nasty to me, especially when I ask her for a ride home. She finally agrees and I think, good thing, or I would have made a nice news story out of this. Like anyone would have cared!

Feathered Friend: RIP

2011-01-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

This story is not for the faint of heart. If dead animals turn your tummy, go here.

Last night we got close to two feet of snow. That means I work from home today (yay!). So after lying in for half an hour, I got up to let Margot (dog) out of the garage door. As I shut the screen door, I noticed a little movement on the floor. "Oh," I said, then yelled "A.! We've got a mouse in the garage."

Our generator stays warm in the winter so mice like to nest in its cavities=chew wires=dysfunctional generator=unhappy humans. I looked at the mouse, tugging a piece of garbage that it somehow manage to scavenge.

An hour or so later, after A. started his car and shoveled the driveway, he came in with news that "No, that wasn't garbage. That was a dead bird. THE bird."

What a life! The poor bird gets rejected for the uncleanliness of his abode, then a year later dies from cold and gets chewed on by a tiny field mouse.

I know it is a field mouse because just before lunch G. and I went outside to make a snowman. As we walked in the garage I saw the mouse running along the wall. I couldn't believe how easy it was for the this mouse NOT to hide. As we walked out onto the driveway, then towards the yard, I see this tiny thing climbing up the snow bank, then running across the top of the snow! I am not sure where it was headed, or if it even had a destination more than "get away from humans". Margot noticed the little mammal hopping across the soft snow, and decided to join in his/her romp. Well...the mouse's romp ended there. Margot, this biggest mush, "played" with it to death. I know this for sure because I nearly stepped on the frozen critter with my snow boots on the way to retrieve some firewood.

10 week appointment / A. new job?

2011-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Giada, age 2 1/2, with cousin Mischa

All is well. It's funny how the midwife just assumes that I am pregnant while we are sitting there going over my medical history. In my head I was thinking, "what if I'm NOT pregnant, and I have some terrible tumor that it mimicking the signs of pregnancy? She won't find a heartbeat and then I'll feel dumb." But she did and I didn't. The baby's heart was beating twice as fast as mine. Social anxiety? Naw, just normal for a baby the size of a kumquat.

She advised me to try to eat more protein and to be very aware of my iron levels, both of which are issues for me. When I get my blood-work done in a few days it will show how aware I really am of my protein/iron needs. (Isnt' this such exciting candor?)

A. went on an interview for a job he wants so bad it consumes him! The only thing to me that might get in the way of his getting it is that he is still a student for the next four months. BUT they interviewed him knowing this information, and from what A. reports, they seemed barely interested in his schedule constraints. It pays very well, will likely mean I will have to leave my job in at The New York Times. More on that if the A.'s job comes to fruition.

OHHHHH! one more thing! Our bird is back! And he is shitting more than ever....I had to buy a new mop because he messed all over the handle and I couldn't get it to wash off.

And Then There Were Four

2011-01-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

I am ten weeks pregnant today. G. is going to be a big sister! Not sure what to say about it this time. Much less drama and shock than the first go 'round :D

I have my first appointment with the midwife today. Even though I've been eating, drinking, and living as though I am pregnant, I don't think it has really sunk in that in just a few months I will not only be taking care of a new born, but two children....forever! I suppose once I hear the heartbeat and/or see the little jumping bean on the monitor I may be able to wrap my head around things. I also will feel a sense of relief that all is well in Casa Em.

I should probably mention that I am very happy about this! Sorry if I don't sound like it. I guess the first is so exciting, scary, and such new territory that with the second it's like "well, I know THAT". But there are new things to be excited about: G. having a sibling, not planning a transatlantic move while caring for newborn, having my mom here for more than two weeks (she is retired, woohoo!), and just anticipating and then getting to know the knew person that is in my belly right now.

Boy or girl? Well I don't know now, of course. But I will find out just like last time. Our theory is that it is a surprise either way! And this way, we can plan ahead: get the room ready, old clothes sorted, etc. I will be excited for a boy or girl. It would be nice to experience the "other side" of things, but at the same time this baby is going to be a completely different, unique person so it's going to be new no matter what! Sounds so cliche, but we just hope for a safe pregnancy and delivery, and happy child!

(A. isn't handling this quite as coolly as I am, but that is just an example of what makes us different. I gush, he worries! It's give and take, really)

Photo from thesoftlanding thru Flickr Creative Commons.

changes, changes

2011-01-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

Giada has this little film called "Changes, Changes". It is based on the same-titled book by Pat Hutchins (Rosie's Walk, Good-night, Owl!). It is about a some wooden figures who keep rebuilding things with their wooden blocks: a house, a fire truck, a train, etc. Each rebuild is in response to something that happens to the first creation: a fire, a flood, and so on.

What is so intriguing to me is not so much the inventiveness of the characters but how the same objects can be used to create such difference vignettes. The same colors, volume, and shapes. To me, it is like watching an entire lifetime unfold. Lives being recreated over and over. Babies, marriages, job changes, retirement, death. Somehow we are able to keep rebuilding what we have to make it work.

This blog has been a sounding board for the changes that have happened in my life. That surely will not end. To be continued...

Mozzarella / Enoteca Mystery Solved

2010-12-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

If you read my old post about spending time on the other side of Arno in Florence, then you might be curious as to what is the name of "the mozzarella place" across from il Rifrullo. Thank you to Erin from The Olive Notes who had the pleasure of eating the deliciousness while in Italy studying Yoga.

BevoVino! [to drink bevo and vino wine. it could also be a surname]

BevoVino is actually an enoteca, comparable to a tasting room that may or may not serve little noshes. Rumor has it that the mozzarella here is brought in fresh each morning from Campagna.

Can't wait to try it myself, con un grande bicchiere di Chianti Classico, per favore!

Re-post: Clients From Hell

2010-10-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

2010-10-21 Clients From Hell "I don’t know what you do, how you do it or how long it takes, but I am not paying your damn invoice."

So I finally got paid from the d-bag. He wrote in the comments of the check "Paid in FULL". I added "haha!" and then cashed it.

Autumn Shift Presents with Fraggles and Syrup

2010-10-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

The third and final fall rush of this size for us...A. graduates this spring! A. is deep into his projects, and G. has already been invited to three birthday parties this year. I can hardly believe that October is soon to be in the past!

The leaves are changing slowly this year. It took me by surprise this morning when the the windows glowed in orange instead of the deep green of summer. The frogs and birds have changed their songs. The Canadian geese are taking travel breaks on the property, and can be heard making their way further south throughout the daylight hours. The squirrels are feverishly collecting acorns for storage. But there is one sign of Autumn that I love the most: Margot (the dog) has finally stopped shedding clumps of fur!

Speaking of Margot, G. decided she wanted to be her for Halloween. Translation: I have to make the costume, because apparently Spooky-town doesn't carry brindle pit-bill onesies. I am almost done, but along the way she has been giving me explicit directions, which I fear will make it resemble a brown tiger-pig. But the only one who matters will love it, so yay!

Next comes the 4th birthday. Holy Shit! My baby is going to be FOUR, which means I am almost ... Well, ya know. Ahem. We are going to have a "Little Red Riding Hood" theme complete with a spooky walk into the woods to find the "Big Bad Wolf" pinata. Southwest meets northeast? I almost decided against it b/c of the remote chance of poison ivy outbreak, BUT I am not allergic so, meh....we're doing it! Now I just need to get my butt in gear to make the red capes for the gals and scary wolf masks for the dudes.

I am going to be a little selfish with her birthday gift. I am OBSESSED with the kids show from the 80s, Fraggle Rock, created by Jim Henson (The Muppets, Sesame Street, Labrynth). I know WAY too much about the show, and the philosophy of the Fraggles and Dozers, etc. But I think that the show has a great message about the world needing dreamers and doers, and also that perhaps we are actually living in a cave and there is a whole world beyond the "here"? Okay, I've come back down from Hokeyville. The show is just plain fun, and I think she will like it. And since we have successfully kept her from live TV watching for the past 3 years, it is only fair to equip her with close to 100 new episodes to add to her mix of DVDs.

By the way, G. got this as a gift for her 2nd birthday and it has been INVALUABLE! It is the Scholastic Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics DVDs: Where the Wild Things Are, Curious George, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Corduroy! And it only encourages her to find the book on her shelf and read more. (do I sound like an infommercial? Sorry! I really do just love the idea. Each show/book is only about 10-15 minutes too, so when she asks to watch a show I can regulate how long she is staring at the tube. We also got the Treasury of 20, which has Bear Feels Sick and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in Your Ear.

Next on our plate is Thanksgiving. (Did you catch that?!) I don't know what kind of dish I will be asked to bring this year but I am hoping for dessert. I want to make a Steen's "100% Pure Cane Syrup" Pecan Pie...I am so obsessed with this stuff, and every time I eat it I feel like I am 5 again, sitting at the table with my dad eating fresh homemade biscuits smothered in this deep, dark, molasses-y goodness. And I will make the pie with Bergeron Pecans of course!

Birth Story

2010-10-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

***found this! I never published it. Not sure why? From Gs birth***

My last day of work was Thursday, November 9. I felt good despite (expected) lower back strain and my pubic bone feeling like it could rip in half. No one told me it would feel like that! I had energy, but was ready to see my baby.

The midwife, anticipating we'd either be early or late, scheduled an appointment for Friday. She checked my cervix, and I was nowhere near ready. She asked me to get some homeopathic remedies to encourage the labor along, to take them every 4 hours.

Due on the 11th, the day came and went. I knew that due dates were somewhat arbitrary, so I was not exactly surprised that at midnight I did not start having contractions. Nonetheless, by Tuesday I was desperate. My mother has come up a few days before I was "due", so she and I did what we could to help this baby along. We stayed busy, walked a lot, ate spicy lunches, and just tried to keep me from stressing about it. My doula even came over to do some prenatal massage and pressure point therapy....not complaining!

I got QUITE desperate, going as far as trying castor oil. Um, not going to try that again. Google it if you want to know why. Blegch. The midwife told me to start taking the homeopathics every 2 hours. Hopefully things would be ready to starting moving along soon.

Six days late, A., my mom, and I sat watching television. At about 6:00pm I started to get "ants in my pants" for lack of a better description. I made myself some raspberry leaf tea, snacked on some toast. Finally sat down and tried to just relax.

8:00pm - I felt uncomfortable...no specific part of me, my lower back if anything. It came and went, then about 15 minutes later, same thing. I told A., "I think I may possibly be having...contractions?" Saying the word was work. It didn't seem to fit what I was feeling. A. wasn't convinced.

10:00pm - I was having the same discomfort, not at all pain, every 12-13 minutes, then 20 minutes, then 13 again. We decided to call the doula to get her advice. She was 75% sure it was labor, but told us to call the midwife: it was late and we didn't want to call her at midnight to tell her they were 10 minutes apart. The midwife told me to try to get some sleep, to be sure I ate healthy meals, and drank mom friendly tea. The doula would come to me in the morning, and we'd just go from there.

We immediately went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, and the contractions would be less manageable as time went on.

2:00am - My kicking legs woke me up. I couldn't sleep, half from being anxious about the impending labor, and half from the mild contractions. The doula told me I could take a bath, so that is exactly what I did (if you know me, I like a hot bath....it is my 2nd drug of choice). I was hoping the bath would not only relax be but help me get back to sleep. Unfortunately, laying on my back was very uncomfortable, and laying on your side in the tub WITH preggo belly, not exactly doable. I stayed in as long as I could, then got out and dried off. I put on my robe and slippers, walked back into the bedroom. I was wide awake.

My "go-to" for insomnia is a hot cup of herbal tea and boring TV. So I went downstairs and drank some more raspberry leaf tea and had an apple. I turned on the tube, and tried to fall asleep to the low volume. I drifted in and out of sleep.

7:00am - I was wide awake again. So I made a small pot of my 1st drug of choice, coffee. Decaf obviously. I watched some great Saturday morning cartoons. Did you know that early in the morning they still play Bugs Bunny!?

8:00am - Mom and A. make they way downstairs. Bypass my decaf and make a pot of fully-leaded. We eat grits and toast, and I have more tea (come on tea...do your thing!)

9:00am - J-Doula shows up with HER tea. We sit around and chat. Talk briefly about what will come, then concentrate on just getting through the moments.

Over the next few hours, we just talked and moved around to get me comfortable. J. asked A. and I to take a walk down to the beach. It was so wonderful being home, and being able to enjoy the simple pleasures of living in such a natural place. I snacked on seeded rye crisps as we walked, and try to stay hydrated. Walking on the sand was surreal...and not very easy, and I didn't last long

Noonish - I forced myself to eat some soup and drink some juice. I was going to need energy, and these seemed like labor friendly things! We spoke to A.'s paternal grandparents and assured them that all was well and they'd have a granddaughter soon.

3:30pm - My contractions were progressing slowly. J. told me she thought we'd have a baby the afternoon, but that it wasn't uncommon for first time moms to progress this way. They had finally gotten six minutes apart, so we called the midwife. She would meet us at the hospital at 6:00pm.

5:15pm - After several trips to and from the car ("get my slippers!" and "Don't forget my apple juice and my iPod") we followed J. to the hospital.

5:30pm - just into our town....not even on the highway. My contractions kick in! They are HARD and LONG and I am stuck in the back sit trying not to rip off my seat belt. My mom grabs my hand and I just about break her wrist. "I love you mom, but don't freaking touch me"

5:50pm - We arrive at the Emergency room and follow all of Dale's instructions. J. parks while we admit, then A. parks as J. brings me to triage. My mom is somewhere...I've love the ability to care where anyone is or what they are doing.

6:00pm - I am waiting outside of triage, getting ready to go in, strip down, and get strapped to a bed and monitor.

6:20pm - I actually go into triage. No one is allowed in. I get undressed and into a robe. I am strapped to the monitor, but nothing is turned on and no one even looks at me.

6:45pm - Someone asks me why I did not pee into a cup. "No one told me to pee in a cup". "you have to pee in a cup." "...okay." At this point my midwife comes in and realizes I have been lying there and no progress has been made. She checks my cervix....I am 9 cm. We find out there had been a shift change, which explains why no one told me to pee in a cup and the monitor was not on. So a nurse takes the monitor off. My contractions are PUNCHING me in the tailbone, and I have to relearn how to walk into the bathroom and pee into a cup (did I mention no one was allowed to help me, and that the door had to stayed cracked? did I also mention that it is very difficult to pee when your entire abdomen is making a fist?)

7:10pm - I am re-strapped onto the bed an monitor and have to lie like this for 15 minutes in order to confirm that I am in active labor. Like the visible contractions and my uncontrollable moans of pain were not enough.

7:30pm - I am taken off the monitor, and the nurses realizes that I cannot walk because I am so exhausted. I sit in a wheelchair to go into the waterbirthing room about 6 yards away. As soon as I get in the room, A. asks where I have been I stand up and fall into A.'s arms sobbing.

The rest of the night is a blur. I got on the bed to be checked. 9.5cm. I get undressed and into the tub....ahhh. Some relief. I don't fully dilate. I change positions a lot, fall asleep between contractions. I finally am told I can start pushing. Baby our and in ny arms. Instant bliss, relief. it's 12:01am on Sunday.

G. Is in my arms and I am allowed to nurse her as they clean up. Because my active labor lasted so long I stayed in the hospital for two days.

When I got home it was only two more days until my parents left. (Next time they better stay for longer!) I was not ready for them to go. They left Thanksgiving day and I was so sad (and hormonal).

***To find out what happened after this you can check out my old blog:
http://bottomlessthoughts.blogspot.com/ ***

Happy Birthday to Me--almost

2010-10-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

No my birthday is not until February, BUT I am making plans now! In 2011 I will be thir- (cough, sputter, deep raspy inhale) -ty, as in 3-0. That is right. "Twenty-something" is down the drain come febbraio. And I want it to be memorable....not a big trip to the Bahamas, or a new wardrobe. There is always a reason to do those things. (although, I wouldn't say no if you offered!)

I want to be a loser. I have been pondering two gifts for the big event. 10 inches and 10 pounds..

The first I have been interested in for a few years now and it has just been out of my grasp. It is actually a gift to someone else. I used to donate blood each year on my birthday, but this year I am going to donate my hair. Hair seems kind of silly, doesn't it? In some ways, I can equate really long hair to really long finger nails. And I am not a fan of those. Someone else out there could use a little and I have extra. Plus I get to have a new look as a result! By the new year I should have 10 inches, and still enough on my head to work with. I've done the (almost) pixie and I am not quite ready to go there again...

The second is that I am going to lose 10 pounds. Between now and then I will need to lose about 1/2 a pound a week. I do not think I am fat, and 10 is not some magic number. If I only lose 8, super! If I lose nothing, but feel healthier and have more energy, woopee! I just know that I need to take better care of my body. I live in the perfect place for a daily cross-country walk or run. I am certified in Pilates so hopefully I can give myself a decent workout. I know what I should and should not eat. I am in the process of roping in a friend to run a 5k with me. Not a huge feat, but something to look forward to and encourage me with my baby steps! With A. busy into the school year as well, I will not feel so guilty about having "me" time.

Any thoughts or words of encouragement are welcome. Maybe I should add a ticker to the site? embarrassing, but could help with accountability?

On another note....this looks like a fun gift to get someone on their 29th birthday. Sure makes it a little more special and will help make the year more interesting!
30 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do Before Turning 30

The Florentine Article

2010-09-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Surviving the city

by Beatrice Quiddlesticks (issue no. 128/2010 / September 23, 2010)

Learn to live like a Florentine

If you're studying abroad in Florence this semester and come from the States, you're going to notice some differences between your hometown and this one. America: land of convenience, high-speed wi-fi, Walmart. Florence is not the same-nor should it be. So life here may take some getting used to. Cognizance, in this sense, is key. Be prepared and have realistic expectations and you will be happy (or at least not nastily surprised!).

Read the rest of the article here, at The Florentine, a bi-weekly publication printed in English covering news, events, culture, politics, business, travel, food, sports, weather, etc., in and around the Florence area.

Tuscany Via Fiat

2010-09-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

I spent time in familiar places, and even made an effort to visit the other half of the city in which I had previously spent little time. But the idea of making this whirlwind trip without doing something exciting and brand new was frustrating, until someone tipped me off to one of the best things I did in Florence.

I went on a guided convoy Fiat tour!

We had an amazing time with Sophie, Alex, and "Sergio", our 500F, from the 500 Touring Club/Firenze. After a quick lesson on double clutching and the other nuances of driving a car born in 1965, the heat was on.

We followed the guides in the red '69 500L, "Paola." Since we were connected to them via radio, Sophie gave me lots of encouragement and coached me through the first few blocks of the trip. Even though we were not a great distance from the Arno, it took us a good fifteen minutes of driving to navigate the many one-ways, dead-ends, and do-not-enters that come with an ancient city. We got lots of hoots, hollers, stares, and sneers but Sergio seemed to like the attention. And guess what? So did I! We were in some pretty sticky situations in that first lap but I held my own like a true pilota italiano.

Over the Ponte San Niccolo, through the neighborhood of San Niccolo, and past Piazzale Michelangiolo, it was such a different experience walking and then driving to all of these places. Driving really seemed to tie it all together in a way. My mental map of how things are connected has even changed!

We drove through a few villages, and the guide pointed out interesting facts about different buildings. "so and so lives there" or "so and so LIVED there in the 13th century". It really whet my appetite for learning more about the whole of Firenze, not just the city center. We stopped to rest at a scenic point on the highway overlooking a huge olive grove and the city below. It was so incredibly beautiful that we could drive a few miles out of the urban city into such gorgeous countryside. But we finally peeled ourselves from our perches on the stone wall to head up to the villa.

The wine tasting was at Villa le Piazzole (that you Kake!). Alex took us down the cellar where we would have the tasting. He explained to us the use of the steel drums versus the oak barrels and how they are used to refine the flavors.

Back at the tasting table....holy cow the spread! The villa was awesome too, but as you probably know by now, all I really care about it the food/drink situation. Crostini toscana (liver pate on toast), bruschetta, prosciutto, salami, bresaola, pecorino, parmigiano, and insalata caprese (tomatoes and fresh mozzarella) covered our end of the enormous table. We were able to enjoy all of this, plus the extra virgin olive oil, also a product of the villa. May I have a straw please? I could have eaten cardboard if it had been soaked in this olio di oliva. Now onto the booze...

We tasted the white first. We loved learning from Sophie how to detect the Pinot and Chardonney nuances in this Bianco Toscana. The red came next: Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which (in my humble and very inexperienced palette's opinion) was like a much friendlier Chianti. Lastly, the late harvest was a delicious treat after an amazing lunch.

I was sad to leave such an amazing place, but also excited to get back into the Fiat and drive again! We made one last stop at Piazzale Michelangiolo for a photo op and then headed back to the garage. Sophie and Alex complemented me on my driving skills and playfully offered me a job. Don't play games with my heart you two! Joking aside, these folks were amazing guides. So cool and knowledgeable, and dressed like they could have stepped out of a movie. Call me superficial, but I like my guides snazzy.

Another successful adventure in the city of flowers!

Song of Songs Chapter 5, NAB

2010-08-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

1    G I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride;
      I gather my myrrh and my spices,
      I eat my honey and my sweetmeats,

    I drink my wine and my milk.
      D Eat, friends; drink! Drink freely of love!

2    B I was sleeping, but my heart kept vigil;
      I heard my lover knocking:
      "Open to me, my sister, my beloved,
my dove, my perfect one!
      For my head is wet with dew,
        my locks with the moisture of the night."

3    I have taken off my robe,
    am I then to put it on?
        I have bathed my feet,
      am I then to soil them?

4 My lover put his hand through the opening;
      my heart trembled within me,
    and I grew faint when he spoke.

5    I rose to open to my lover,
      with my hands dripping myrrh:
    With my fingers dripping choice myrrh
        upon the fittings of the lock.

6    I opened to my lover-
      but my lover had departed, gone.
    I sought him but I did not find him;
        I called to him but he did not answer me.

7    The watchmen came upon me
      as they made their rounds of the city;
    They struck me, and wounded me,
        and took my mantle from me,
      the guardians of the walls.

8    I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem,
      if you find my lover-
    What shall you tell him?-
        that I am faint with love.

9 D How does your lover differ from any other,
      O most beautiful among women?
    How does your lover differ from any other,
        that you adjure us so?

10    B My lover is radiant and ruddy;
        he stands out among thousands.

11    His head is pure gold;
        his locks are palm fronds,
        black as the raven.

12    His eyes are like doves
        beside running waters,
        His teeth would seem bathed in milk,
        and are set like jewels.

13    His cheeks are like beds of spice
        with ripening aromatic herbs.
        His lips are red blossoms;
        they drip choice myrrh.

14    His arms are rods of gold
        adorned with chrysolites.
        His body is a work of ivory
        covered with sapphires.

15    His legs are columns of marble
        resting on golden bases.
        His stature is like the trees on Lebanon,
        imposing as the cedars.

16    His mouth is sweetness itself;
        he is all delight.
    Such is my lover, and such my friend,
    O daughters of Jerusalem.

I don't usually post religious things on my blog, but I just found this chapter of the Bible's Song of Songs so beautiful. I opened up to this quite by accident and it spoke to me in such a way. I hope you enjoy it even if just for the the beauty of the language.

I am on Twitter

2010-08-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

I succumbed to twitter. I realize that technology is moving forward and thus I must also. I am still learning how to use it to my advantage and to just enjoy being part of this strange social media community. In the meantime, I would love if you would follow me.

EmRibollita

My rss feed is linked to my blog, so you will get updates when I have posted anything new. I'll follow you, too! And feel free to retweet when one of my posts especially appeals to you. Share the ribollita love ;)

Centro Via Piedi

2010-08-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Though this trip I had finally spent time in "the other half" of the city, of course there were plenty of things "in centro" to check off my list.

It would not have been a complete trip without visiting Aldo and Daniela. They were the first people we met in Florence. They along with www.HousinginFlorence.com helped us find our first apartment. They have a gorgeous daughter who I was dying to meet. Daniela was in the very early part of her pregnancy when we left Florence in 2008, so it was special to finally meet their little girl! They prepared a delicious meal for lunch at their apartment, then we talked in the living room as their peanut showed me all her toys and watched videos of her first steps. Aldo gave me good advice about finding something you love and going for it.

Throughout the weekend, we frequented Kake's favorite coffee shop which is run by her favorite non-Italian Italian. Unfortunately Kake has forbidden me to mention where this gem is located at risk that the hundreds of potential tourist readers will flock there and ruin its charm, but if you happen upon Samantha's coordinates, she makes a mean cocktail and a perfect caffe.

Meals....where do I begin?

Something old...

Before we hit il Rifrullo in oltr'arno, we had a hearty meal at our old regular, Trattoria le Mossacce. I had pappardelle bolognese, handmade wide ribbon pasta with wild boar meat sauce, sauteed greens, and of course chianti to wash it down.

Something Pizza...
On my to-do list was to get a picture with the pizza chef from Caffe Italiana. What he lacks in charm he makes up for in the most delicious Napolitano pizza I have ever eaten (look....I have never been to Naples, but it is amazing as far as I am concerned). The mozzarella is just crying white tears when it is delivered to the table, and the fresh basil is so intense you can taste it in the steam. If you are lucky enough to sit in the front room with the oven, and to be female, he will make your pizza in the shape of a heart. (awwwww)

Unluckily, we were seated in a side room closer to the adjoining osteria. But stubborn me, after we ordered quatro pizze margherita e due bottiglie di birra, four pizzas and two beers, I asked the waiter if I could have my pizza in forma del cuore. He answered, "non spetta a me, it is not up to me." He left and returned with the answer. "Un cuore per un bacio." I conceded that this was a fair trade, so I ran up to the oven room and gave the chef a smooch on the cheek. I seized the moment and got my photo with him, too! [pic coming soon]

The pizza was incredible as expected. Our cocktails at il Rifrullo sealed the deal on a great girls night.

Something new...
Trattoria da Mario happens to be one of those places that every tour book describes as a best-kept secret of Florence. The irony is that it is in every tour book. Luckily, if you go with local (a naturalized local even, like Kake), you get special treatment, and special prices! My first meal of my visit was lunch at Mario: a decent-sized, delicious dish of ribollita, of course, when a glass of chianti, of course, and a chunk of pane toscana, or course. The folks at Mario came over to our table I had my first nice chat in terrible Italian. It was a great way to commence my visit and remember what it feels like to be part of the large family of Florence.

Something favorite...crostini and bruschetta
Another new place for me was a place that Kake and friends call the "le donne" because it is owned and operated by women! Feminism is apparently alive and well even in a city steeped in tradition. Perhaps the best dish I had while in Florence was the crostini misti, mixed toasts with different toppings. The crostini toscana, toast with pate, was OUT OF THIS WORLD, as was the crostini lardo. That's right....fat. But it is more like cured and seasoned bacon than lard in which you might fry a turkey.

And finally, the bruschetta we had at a small cantina near the duomo.....I can't even find the words. Okay I will try. The bread was perfectly crusty and chewy. The olive oil glistened on the deep red tomatoes. The tomatoes were juicy and perfect...not even thinking about being mealy. The basil tasted like it was just torn from the plant. The fact that there were two pieces the size of my face, and just how amazing it tasted, made it difficult to eat the piadina we ordered to follow. And yet, somehow I was able to inhale the roasted pork flatbread sandwich and wash it down with a crisp, cool glass of prosecco.

Something fresh...
Most of the souvenirs I brought home were food. (Does food count as a souvenir?) Kake and I went to the mercato centrale to buy formaggio, salsiccia secca, e frutta secca, cheese, dried sausage (salame-ish), and dried fruit. I also got to see some of my old vendors. I could not believe that the Elena at the cheese counter recognized me! She called me by name, and asked how A. and G. were, where they were, how many children do I have? "Solo, G.! Only G.!" It was probably one of the best moments of my visit. It confirmed my feelings of Florence being one of my homes.

Before I left for Italy, I asked G. what she wanted me to bring home from Italy. She actually answered "cheese." I bought her a little tomino (small wheel of very young toma) and a chunk of parmigiano reggiano for us all.

It is curious while living in Florence how few pictures I took of the people and places I loved the most. Emilio was another character of whom I needed a photo. He sells nuts, seeds and dried and candied fruits. Not only did his wares satisfy my sweet tooth, but he was always very friendly and patient when I had a squirmy infant strapped to my body. He has the most amazing haircut, and a pretty handsome name as well!

I got bit of dried pera pear, albicocca apricot, fragole strawberries and cocco coconut, and some mandorle almonds. He always seemed to know just the amount I wanted: not enough to make a panforte, and just enough to snack on for a few days.

*sigh* As per usual, the post becomes entirely about food.

What as so great about the many things I insisted on doing while in Florence is that I saw so much of my city. I ate rustic and sophisticated meals. I visited some usual and some unusual places. I spent time on both sides of the Arno. I also only walked part of the time I was in Italy....hint for the coming post about one last fling!

Oltr'arno...finally!

2010-08-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hey, remember that time I took a spur of the moment trip to Italy? Well I am FINALLY going to tell you about it! First, let me tell you about all the amazing things I did on the other side of the Arno...an area in which I had always wanted to spend more time.

One of the first things I did was meet up with my friend Alyson. We had lunch at a little cafe called BBQ. There were no sticky saucy ribs here, but they had many types of roasted meats on the menu. I had the svizzera, which is basically just a bun-less burger...but the most amazing perfectly cooked, rare burger I have ever had. Hand-cut french fries, caramelized onions, and homemade aioli completed this amazing dish.

It was raining like crazy all day. Even though I had planned to spend some time in the famous piazzas of Oltr'arno, I only had time to stroll through Santo Spirito. I tried my best to imagine what it would be like with all the tables and chairs set out, birds chirping, and kids running around the piazza.

One evening Kake, some friends and I headed to San Niccoló, a neighborhood Oltr'arno that is defined by . We went to a small bar called il Rifrullo, via di San Niccolò, 55/r, where we had delicious cocktails of rum, cucumber, lime and basil. It was nice to hang out with peers/girlfriends, something I rarely do here in the US (something I miss very much about living in a city). There was a restaurant/bar/foodie-hot-spot across the street, NAME HERE, where one of the girls told me you can order the most amazing fresh mozzarella. It's on my to-do list for our next visit/stay in Florence!

There was one other "technically" oltr'arno adventure, but I will tell you about it some other time....it's pretty amazing!

G.-isms

2010-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

G. has been asking lots of strange questions about death lately:

"Who is going to dig us up when we're dead?" No one I hope!

We were walking in town last week when we passed a storefront with two abstract looking mannequins in the window. "They're dead," she said. "When we get really, really old (pronounced "owd") in a long, long time, we will die. And then we will be like them. We will be mannequins in pretty dresses."

Monkey hear, monkey say...A. and G. were listening to the Once soundtrack in his car when "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy" came on, which she loves and thinks is very funny. She asked "um, excuse me Daddy. Well, why did she screw that guy that she knew?" Guess we can't get away with that one anymore...

What a Tease: From Florence, With Lunch...I Mean Love

2010-04-24T01:10:00.000-07:00

I am here and having a GREAT time. I'll get into more detail when I get back but here a few things I've done so far:

Oltr'arno:
-Finally visit Piazza Santo Spirito
-Had drinks in San Niccolo with great company
-Lunch with expats

Centro:
-pizza at the inconspicuous Caffe Italiana
-dinner at Trattoria le Mossacce
-many nice coffees and drinks
-many nice passeggiate, walks
-visit to all "my" vendors at mercato centrale

What is to come?
-a tour in a fiat convoy (I get to drive!)
-Liberation Day festivities in Piazza Santa Croce
-an undoubtedly great dinner at a restaurant on via dei Cerchi (can't remember the name)
-mass at the Duomo

G had given me her Corduroy bear to accompany me to Italy. He has been having a great time, and gotten his picture taken at some major Florentine sites! Here is one of the goodies he is bringing back for A.: mini salsiccia con cinghiale, wild boar sausage!

I will not get mad at a volcano

2010-04-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at a volcano.
I will not get mad at freakin' volcano that decides to erupt the day I book my flight to Italy, and whose ashes are dispersing over my destination, with no signs of stopping.
I will not get mad at a volcano.

Rewind: Italy to going I'm

2010-04-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

My luck would have it that I plan a last minute international jaunt THE DAY before a volcano, Icelandic no less, decides to erupt after having been dormant for almost 200 years. A volcano whose name looks like something my three-year-old daughter would type. I am trying not to let a natural disaster get me angry. Honestly, what can I do about it? But stoic as I am force myself to be, I am frustrated!

At worst the trip is completely canceled. At best I fly out Wednesday night as planned. The airline's phone was busy all morning, and I just sat on hold for half an hour listening to the same mellow, whiny 90 second song play over and over and over and....WAKE UP! I had to hang up to, well, live. What I wanted to ask was, "will you bump me to accommodate stranded passengers? should I just go ahead and reschedule?" If I know now, I can make it happen, but Wednesday might be too chaotic to figure it all out. My fear is that I show up at the airport to find out I have to wait six hours, causing me to miss my connecting flight and not arriving in Pisa until Thursday night. I'd rather have my money back, thank you.

But all this is just fear and so I say to fear:

"I AM FLYING TO PISA VIA PARIS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING!!!"

Take THAT.

I don't necessary subscribe to karmic energy, but as an act of desparation, I plan to be a very good, polite person this week. So it would probably be a good time to ask me for favors!

Photo of Eyjafjallajokull by NASAGoddard and of airport by emrank through www.flicker.com/creativecommons

I'm coming/going to Italy!!!

2010-04-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Italy! I'm going to Italy! I'm COMING to Italy!

It was a last minute thing, but arriva il 22 aprile!!!

I am so excited! To see Kake, to see my city, to be in Italy! To EAT!!! I will only be there a few days, but that is all I need.

VADO A FIRENZE! (shout out to my hubs, A, for putting up with this crazy moment in our lives. You are the best)

OH, and this definitely falls into my "revolutions" category about not apologizing for doing something just for me! (even though I do feel kind of guilty...argh!)

Photo by lemuelinchrist through www.flickr.com/creativecommons

"About Me" right up ^ there!

2010-04-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

I just added an "About Me" page, there just under the heading. You may already know this much about me, but have a look and post a little comment to say hello!

welcome Emily "Spider" Mae M.!

2010-04-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

Friends of ours, G-Digital and BluDazy, delivered a beautiful baby girl this weekend! Isn't she incredible? All went well, and the family is now glad to be home, surely missing all the extra hands of the hospital staff. G and A visited with them yesterday and G was excited but surprised that baby Emily wasn't able to play just yet.

G also got a surprise this weekend when I informed her that the baby was born and has the same name as me. Tears welled in her eyes, from I assumed the taking of momma's name. "I thought she was going to be Spider!!!" She was serious about that? Six months ago when we entertained ourselves with asking her to name the baby, she came up with Spider. Since then, when asked what she should be named, the consistent answer has been Spider. I guess I should have known. G's memory=Steel Trap

A Lesson on Produce

2010-04-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

One of the (obvious) things we loved about living in Florence was the fresh produce. In the mercati, Centrale e Sant'Ambrogio, there are vendors upon vendors selling in-season produce. Some only sell leafy greens, others only fruit, and still others the whole kit 'n' caboodle. There are also green grocers sporadically located throughout the city, and many locals have "their" guy. I am sure there are pros and cons to hitting the market vs. the green grocers, but we'll leave that for another post, shall we?

NON TOCARE!
Before you go produce shopping, mind the signs reading "Non Tocare", DO NOT TOUCH! The grocer will pick out the produce for you, and will be offended if you start putting your dirty hands all over their product (I don't mean to be judgmental. Let's face it: unless you literally just scrubbed you hands on premises your hands are dirty, capisce?) They are the "experts", and will pick out the best of what is left. They want you to come back so they aren't going to give you bruised apples! If you feel really strongly about getting a different pick, very politely say per favore and point the one you would like.

Shopping In-Season
You will rarely find something out of season, aside from tropical items like bananas, though I remember not being able to get those too. I would imagine about this time of year on Florence, the apples are getting fewer and the first plums, peaches and apricots are popping up. Soon the grapes will appear, and the figs, and the tomatoes. Mamma mia, the tomatoes!

Anyway, where was I? Right, so the year in produce is like a story, a lesson itself. No spinach? ah yes it is too cold now, but it will come back again in the spring. You learn why things are not available, and when you can expect them again. I would get so excited knowing that I may arrive to find the grocer shelling cannellini into a bowl for the first time in many months.

Another advantage to having only seasonal produce available is that you are forced to try new things. One of the things we discovered was tromboncino. This pale green summer squash can grow up to 3 feet long, and the flavor reminded me of artichoke hearts. What I loved about this vegetable wasn't so much consuming it, although that is definitely a close second, but the way it was sold. Just like with melons or other larger produce, you could buy just a piece. You can ask for un mezzo kilo, one half a kilogram or about 1 pound, or whatever amount you like. The grocer, who always has a knife for keeping his/her produce tidy, lops off about the amount requested. Sort of like getting the milk without having to buy a whole cow. Of course, there are many other things to try, and more than we were able to in one year.

Not All Produce is the Same
Some text you may notice while produce shopping is artigianale, which means homemade or homegrown. This means that the grocer is selling produce that he/she has grown themselves, or that they bought it from someone locally, as opposed to buying wholesale. Some grocers will exclusively sell artigianale and some will just have a few selections. This of course must lend itself to having very few out of season selections.

At one point I began shopping at one particular vendor whose produce seems much less expensive than the rest. The quality wasn't very good, and I think she may have been selling over-ripe produce. But did I stop going to her? Sort of. I would buy arm-fulls of bananas to make banana bread, and bags of mealy apples to make applesauce, and only for a few Euro.

So the point being, use the differences wisely! Shop cheap for things that are good over-ripe, and only buy artigianale tomatoes if you are making a tomato based sauce, for example. Use your noggin.

ABOVE ALL, enjoy it!
Most of my memories of being in Italy center so much around food. And that is because so much of what we did was about food. The Greve Chianti Festival, large meals prepared at home with friends, discovering new restaurants with new friends, getting to know our grocer/butcher/delicatessen, coffee with fellow expat bloggers, passing vegetable garden after garden on the train, a glass of wine and a book on a beautiful day. The colors, the smells, the flavors, combined with the setting....woah baby. EAT UP!

Thanks to Kake for letting me use her pics, as always! xoxox

My Blog is Carbon Neutral: 1 Blog, 1 Tree

2010-03-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the average blog results is 8lbs of carbon dioxide emissions? Here's an easy way to erase that giant footprint and neutralize your blog!

kaufDA's environmental program, "Make it Green" has started a "My Blog is Carbon Neutral" initiative. By becoming a participant, kaufDA will plant one tree for one blog. The UNFCCC calculates that an average tree absorbs about 20lbs of CO2 per year. "Make it Green" is using an 11lbs per year tree to ensure neutralization is achieved. (is the calculator in your head clicking away?) One tree will cover your blog, even if you have more than average traffic.

By joining the initiative, you are eliminating your carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Trees are good for more than one year, right? And not to mention the habitat you are creating for wildlife. The trees will be planted in cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation in Plumas National Forest in Northern California.

I just think this is such a cool project, and I am proud to be a part of it. If you want to join me, click on the green "CO2 neutral" button right there in the sidebar, or by clicking here.

This is a voluntary post regarding this program and I have received no compensation, other than the satisfaction of knowing my blog is carbon neutral.

Revolutions Rolling Along

2010-03-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping to some of my "revolutions this year"...for real! It helps that my gym has a location that is literally about 30 seconds from desk to door thanks to emergency stairwell. And that the extensive cafeteria upstairs has so many choices that it would be hard to force allergens on myself. I had about a month of bad health habits from leaving my last job to starting here, but almost a month in I am back on track. What about those less tangible things?

I have definitely been happy! And it's rubbing off on those around me, or at least making it seem that way. I took the chance with this job even though I know it's making life a little more complicated for others. I finally did something for me, and I am so glad that I did. We are ALL better for it.

As far as reaching for my dreams, particularly Italy, I haven't been doing much with that. A. and I talked and it's just not something we can do until the semester end is further in sight. But right now at this moment I am marking my Calendar for mid-April, and that will be my start date for gathering all the time-sensitive paperwork and the papers from Italy. I haven't been in touch with any of our friends in Italy, excepting a few, mostly as a result of life changes, but I just went onto www.ExpatsinItaly.com today. I'll get back into the swing of things especially when the citizenship process begins again! What I HAVE been doing to reach my dream is saving! It's not much, but my little stash is growing, and I am so glad that I didn't just shop it away like I usually do after the winter holidays.

The last of my resolutions were about forgiving myself and others, and I think that is part of my happiness right now. It's just too much to hold on to anger and sadness. There is a time an a place and those are all gone. I am not sure what exactly has changed, maybe just recognizing some things was the solution. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my life. I have such wonderful friends. I love my family so very much. Who could ask for more?

Doy

2010-03-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Like, hi!

Remember that time I had a blog and I wrote in it?

-Our bird has permanently moved out. It was so warm last week, I am telling myself that it's the seasonal changes. It's not us, it's him!

-A very good friend of mine who I love very much had a friend come visit him/her in a certain city that we LOVE which shall remain nameless, but easily assumed, and he/she was miserable the whole time, causing said friend to be miserable the whole time as well, even to the point of becoming ill. What is wrong with people? I could take a vacation to Chattanooga, TN and have a good time. Granted if I went to London or Beirut I might be MORE thrilled, it's always nice to get away!!!

What does that have to do with me you ask? Nothing. I am hijacking this anecdote for my blog because I can't wrap my head around my own life. Plus it just pisses me off.

BluDazy and G-Digital will be giving birth to their baby girl any day now. I hosted a baby shower for them a few weeks ago and it was a great day! She got so many clothes, she had to return half of them even though they were all so sweet. G-Digital's birthday is this week so we are all going out to brunch Sunday.

The weather here has been gorgeous. Well not today and yesterday, which were all gray and gloomy and muggy, but it hasn't been cold and so I'll take it!

I changed the category "negresse" to "BebBooCher". Even though it is not in any way derogatory (I had an sweet uncle we called Neg), I don't want anyone to feel offended by this blog. Beb, Boo, and Cher are terms of endearment in South Louisiana like negresse, so I think they will work just as well!

eight paragraph breaks and very little content. will work on that.

Our Feathered Friend

2010-03-10T11:01:00.000-08:00

Some sort of little perching bird has made a home in the exposed insulation on our garage. He moved in sometime around the start of winter. Each morning he is waiting on the rafters for the garage door to be opened so he can start his morning commute. I wonder where is goes to spend the daylight hours? Each evening as the sun is setting he tucks himself face first into the insulation.

This weekend A. observed that the bird may have found a mate. He was dancing around with an identical bird near the entrance to the garage while A. was shoveling snow, doing funny moves that reminded me of in the Disney movie Bambi when all the woodland critters are “twitterpated”. A few minutes later they were both flying around the “insulation nook” (or as I dub it the Bachelor Pad) trying to both fit into it. Later that night when we went in to close the garage doors, we realized the Bachelor Pad was vacant!

Male: I’ve got my own place, AND it has a door! A BIG one. (fluffs up back feathers and hops around in a semi-circle)
Female: I’d love to see it! (turns around and bobs head up and down, up and down)
(they fly into garage)
Male: Welcome…you just have to squeeze in…here…yeah, no wait…
Female: OW! I…I…move over! It’s kinda small. Not really a place to start a nest.
Male: Er, um, well. There’s room to put on an extension behind that stud.
Female: But there’s poop in here.
Male: yeah, but it’s all dried up now. A “fixer upper”!
Female: There is no way I am doing “you know what” in here.

The lovers were missing that night, and the next. A. and I were stressing over who was going to break the news to G. about her bird, or whether we would just wait until she noticed he wasn’t there. Would we tell her he just disappeared? That he had found his soul-mate and she convinced him to find a bigger, more practical nest egg? Would we tell her he had a change of heart and decided to fly south for the winter like Nona, who goes to Pompano Beach from January until the spring?

Lo and behold, last night he was back! And his partner has been loitering in the rafters. We don’t know if they have broken up and she is trying to get him back or just seeking shelter from the cold, or if he’s sewn his seed and is done with her. And why are we so convinced that he is a he anyway? We are just glad to have our bird back, and glad that we don’t have to explain his absence to a 3 year old.

(pic soon)

I'm very busy and important

2010-03-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

...which is why I haven't posted in ages. I have a cute little side story coming soon (once I find where I wrote it). I know there are many things to update you on, but I will have to do it some other time!

two cool things:
-There is an illy coffee bar in my building, and
-I knew what was going to be on the cover of today's paper yesterday!

Did I mention that I am very important? and busy?

King Cake: BebBooCher (belated)

2010-02-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

King Cake...how I love thee. One of my all time favorite things to eat, and something I miss terribly when I am not in Louisiana after the Epiphany on January 6.

King Cake is prepared and eaten in the season between the Epiphany and Mardi Gras day, or the day before Ash Wednesday. Even though I believe it is somewhat isolated to Louisiana, I think that it can be found throughout the Gulf Coast region where other Cajun French traditions have spread. It is part of the feasting and preparation for the Lenton season in the Roman Catholic faith that is extremely present in Southern Louisiana. Like I said in the previous post, it is very inappropriate to eat it once Lent has begun on Ash Wednesday, a time of abstinence and fasting.

A sweet dough is made with yeast, allowed to rise, and broken into three pieces. Each piece is rolled out and spread with a cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture, rolled, and the three pieces are braided together and shaped into a ring, baked. Once cooled, it is decorated with colored sugars: Purple for the passion of Christ, green for the virtue of hope, and gold for the rewards of life of good will. The three pieces of braid of course represent the Holy Trinity. Inside the cake, a plastic baby (Christ Child), or bean, is placed and whoever gets the baby/bean in their piece has "good luck" and usually must provide the next King Cake.

Nowadays, King Cakes come in all kinds of flavors: Praline, Cheese and fruit varieties, and even "Zulu" which is chocolate (Zulu being the African inspired Mardi Gras Krewe). My favorite is just the traditional plain, or cinnamon.
There are similar versions of this tradition in other cultures, like the Galette des Rois in France, or the Rosca in Mexico, which I am sure the Louisiana King Cake is derived from . Is there an Italian one as well? Swedish? Spanish? Tell me all about it!

Photos by Robert thru Flickr Creative Commons from Navarre's Famous King Cakes in Springfield, LA

Ho Ventinove Anni

2010-02-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

That's right. One more year of "20-something". Own it!

What a great weekend. Saturday morning, I unwrapped a black Ben Sherman commuter bag from Macy's, and a new bathrobe, whose predecessor was 16 years old. It was time she got a job and moved out, ya know? The bag is BEAUTIFUL, and probably the nicest purse/luggage I have ever had. A. is a great gift giver.

G-Digital and BluDazy came over for dinner with a gorgeous bunch of yellow tulips (yellow is my FAVORITE color) and a hilarious card...one of the best. A. cooked Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, and G. helped me bake a strawberry cake, with strawberry preserves between the layers and strawberry buttercream...well she kept the spoons licked clean anyway.

Sunday morning, we went to A.'s dad Chick's house, and his mom and step-dad met us there for our weekly "bagel/omelet/bacon/sausage" breakfast. BelleMere (A's mom) baked me a King Cake (see post following it you want to know more about King Cake)! Even though it's kind of a wee bit sac-relig to eat it once Ash Wednesday has arrived, she made it by hand and it tasted extremely authentic and so delicious! Plus it wasn't an official day of abstenance or fasting, so I think we're forgiven ;).

The weekend brought many cards that often included much needed cash to spruce up my wardrobe for me new job (yayayay!), and all thoughtful messages! Great success!

A Bit of Frost will Warm You

2010-02-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast
In a field I looked into going past,
And the ground almost covered smooth in snow,
But a few weeds and stubble showing last.

The woods around it have it--it is theirs.
All animals are smothered in their lairs.
I am too absent-spirited to count;
The loneliness includes me unawares.

And lonely as it is that loneliness
Will be more lonely ere it will be less--
A blanker whiteness of benighted snow
With no expression, nothing to express.

They cannot scare me with their empty spaces
Between stars--on stars where no human race is.
I have it in me so much nearer home
To scare myself with my own desert places.

"Desert Places" by Robert Frost, From A Further Range, 1936

Look What I Found Today!

2010-02-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

An Italian language textbook! Sometimes people leave books they don't want in the lunch room. Today I found Oggi in Italia (4th ed., so not the one pictured) on the table. I am so excited! So far I have only learned through immersion and Pimsleur CDs in my car. I can be so analytical, and not knowing what a word looks like or not being able to find the patterns in conjugations and other grammatical elements drives me NUTS. It drives A. nuts too. Since he has taken Italian courses, I think he knows it all so I bombard him with questions for which he has not answers. Hopefully this will end (some of) that.

yipee :)

Last year of 20-something

2010-02-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

So it's a good thing I decided to start a new blog last year. Confessions of a 20-something Caffeine Addict (and the original) is soon to be an inappropriate title for me. No, I am still 20-something, and will be for another anno, but this weekend will be the beginning of the end for those days. What's funny is that when I started Confessions (old), the title made me feel so old! I was almost halfway into my 20s, but felt like such a kid. And now I STILL feel like a kid! Which is perhaps why I didn't called this "My Almost 30 Thoughts". Wow, put that on the list of bad blog titles.

But honestly, I am not hung up on age. I feel young, people say I look young, and I know that life has SO SO SO much more for me because I am going to go out and find it. A. and I were talking last night about some inappropriate comments some co-workers made to me yesterday about my resignation. Nothing overtly rude, just stoopid. A. said it's because they are little fish in a little pond. I don't think that is a bad thing, for them. I believe that they are mostly truly happy with being in the same place and not really growing professionally/personally. But I want more. (i know i know, Little Mermaid) A. says I am a big fish in a little pond. I suppose if that means that I need room to grow, then call me Nemo (or Ariel, to keep the L.M. theme).

I want it all. I don't mean money or things, but experiences! I want to do everything, anything! I want to meet people who are so different from me, and see things I've never seen, tasted, smelled...LIVE! I want that for my family too. As young as I am at heart, I also know that this life is temporary. I brought going to Italy into scope and attacked it. I don't want that to be the end of embracing life. It won't!

(cue olympic opening ceremonies score/rocky theme song/"part of your world")

Photo is of the Sole filets A. cooked in coconut milk last night....woah. Incredible.

TOO SHAY

2010-02-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

"I like you. Do you like me?" -Borat

Liz Lemon, Linsday Weir, Harold Chasen

Annie Hall, Daria, Maude (hey....Harold and Maude! not really)

Angela Chase, AbFab, Janeane Garofalo

Sprinkle a little Tony Chachere's seasoning on top, and this is me (from my vantage point) in a nutshell.

("help! I'm in a nutshell!")

Officially Official

2010-02-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

I have put in my two weeks, and it's been announced to the company. My last day as a landscape designer (for the near future anyway) is February 25. I can(t) believe it.

I will begin work at The New York Times on the first of March. A new beginning on a new month. I like it. "I want to go to there" -Liz Lemon, 30 Rock

Now I will give myself an exit interview.

Are you sad to be leaving?
In a way. I will definitely miss a few people, and miss some friendships I hoped to form with others. Sometimes I look back on my life and see how many connections have come and gone, and feel like it's my curse....to lose people.
What are you most looking forward to?
NYC! I have always always always always always loved Manhattan, and living so close can be such a tease. Even though I will have a longer day taking the train back and forth, I am so happy to be in the city, and only two blocks from Bryant Park. I am also looking forward to my new co-workers! People who are actually just happy about life. A-MEN. Oh, also getting to dress like ME. Goodbye tacky khaki and boring button-downs. (that's right...I just rhymed and used alliteration in the same phrase.)
What are you going to miss the most? (did I really just set myself up for a redundant question?)
Relationships, and potential relationships, lost. I say I will keep in touch, but I won't. Seriously...if you are reading this, and we don't live in the same town, and we still communicate, I must really like you! Not that I have some inflated perception that people WANT to be in touch with me. It's just the truth. I am not a good relationship keeper, and only the top few tend to get what little effort I put into them.
What are you going to buy yourself when your first pay check is deposited? (please note, this is not a typical exit interview question, in case you were wondering)
Some brown leather Frye oxfords. I also look forward to paying some BILLS that have been taking the back burner. groan...I can't believe I am that person.
What is your primary reason for leaving?
Mo' money mo' money mo' money, and also maybe I will actually get paid to write one day!
Did anything trigger your decision to leave?
Well one of the owners inviting me to the spend the night didn't help, but mostly finding out about the job from Kake/Kake's Momma and dreams of what this job could lead to vs. what that one could not
What was most satisfying about your job?
Feeling smart all the time.
What was least satisfying about your job?
Feeling smart all the time.
What would you change about your job?
Me in it.
Did you receive enough training to do your job effectively?
No I pretty much did all the training when it came to certain things.
Did you receive sufficient feedback about your performance between merit reviews?
I was consistently given a 3 out of 5 for personal appearance. I guess I didn't khaki it up enough.
Do you have any tips to help us find your replacement?
Settle.
What would you improve to make our workplace better?
Wake-up and smell the "equality in the workplace" brewing. And get the boss to take a sexual harassment bootcamp.
Were you happy with your pay, benefits and other incentives?
Cough, *GAG*, wha? Blerg.
What was the quality of the supervision you received?
Like (American) Chinese food...I had no clue what I was chewing on most of the time.
What could your immediate supervisor do to improve his or her management style?
MACRO manage. Not be a manager. Some people are just not meant to be in charge.
Based on your experience with us, what do you think it takes to succeed at this company?
A penis, a brown nose, and my soul in a box addressed to "way way down there".
Can we do anything to encourage you to stay?
Fire everyone but me, start an internationally distributed newspaper and no longer do landscape design, move office to Midtown, and hire Kake's mom and godmother.
Before deciding to leave, did you investigate a transfer within the company?
There was a job opening for Custodial Engineer....includes benefits!
Did anyone in this company discriminate against you, harass you or cause hostile working conditions?
hahahahahhahahah LOL hahahahhahahahahahhapffffffffff hahaha

That was completely indulgent, but I don't care, I had fun. I hope you did too.

Photo by Joe Shlabotnik through Creative Commons on Flickr

My new obsession...

2010-02-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

Style Rookie!

and Tavi

Grazie Tutti....Ti voglio bene

2010-02-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

Before I get on with a regular post, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has been so encouraging to me these past few months...and if you haven't checked out their blogs, you should! Each of you has by example encouraged me to be adventurous and to think positively. And how not to take any s__t, lol. Cheers! Cin cin! Salute!

Kake at Que gig? K Gig.
Annika at dove mi porta il cuore
Katie at Olio di Oliva e Sogni di Vino
Alyson'sLife in the City of Flowers & Antonia's Italian School Days
That Girl in Italy
Bev at Romancing Italy
And so many more...if you are on that list, I love ya! Take a peak over on the side bar at the blogs I have listed. I seriously visit each of them everyday, just to be sure I don't miss a post!

(the pic is of A's grandfather as the Good Humor man in Brooklyn, probably in the 1940s)

A Change Came!

2010-02-13T05:12:00.000-08:00

... and here is me celebrating, with my fabulous hair.

I am the newest addition to the NY Times newsroom! Gave my two weeks on Thursday, and it felt great, even if I was a little nervous and feeling a bit guilty.

It's funny that I ended up there, considering that 6 weeks ago I was looking at a position managing the grounds of a horse farm! But, it's actually a job I am pretty qualified for, in admin/human resources, and the staff I will be working with seems amazing. I actually KNOW some of them are, and if they are happy there, I will be too! Another great point is that this is the kind of experience which can lead me to international opportunities, if I look for them.

I knew a change was gone come!

Change

2010-02-08T07:36:00.000-08:00

I was born by the river in a little tent
oh, and just like the river I've been runnin' ever since
It's been a long, a long time comin'
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Oh there been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time comin'

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Okay so maybe Sam Cooke's civil rights anthem "A Change is Gonna Come" is a little over the top, but this is how I feel. Something's gotta give! The bottom of this bucket is ready to fall out. I need a change and I know it's on its way.

I am so distracted by the monotony of things, by dealing with ingorant people, by being unhappy with my job, that it is even hard to think about writing a blog that is interesting or informative. I am ready to see my life moving in a positive direction, even if it is one that I had never considered before. I have a few things in mind, but know they are further into the distance. I'd be happy to find something to bridge the gap, or even something that might make those goals a reality.

I KNOW a change is gonna come. Yes it will.

On another note...
Near the small town I grew up in was an area of swamp, bayous, and lakes called Alligator Bayou. It was full of many amazing creatures like the the Bobcat, the Alligator Snapping Turtle, Blue Heron and so many wonderful birds, and of course the Alligator! There were trees as old as one 800-year-old Bald Cypress, among the other unique plant life.

Unfortunately, the bayou locks were opened in late Spring of last year. This action was taken to supposedly alleviate flooding, allowing Spanish Basin, the main resevoir, to drain. It is hard to say what kind of effect this will have on the area and the eco-system. It is hard to know how to help not living in that parish. For now I've become a member of the Facebook group Save Alligator Bayou (SAB). It is still possible to close the locks, and to have the habitat restored. My fear is that all the the natural wonders will be destroyed/endangered/forced into the developed parts of the state and eventually become an entirely new issue, if and before the locks are closed.

Photo shared via Flickr Creative Commons, by Iscgp "Alligator Bayou Scenes"

Kiss My Polenta: BebBooCher

2010-01-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

The first month we were in Florence, I decided to be brave and walked to Le Cascine...probably the longest distance I'd gone alone up to that point on foot. From where we lived I had to walk past Stazione Santa Maria Novella and through the northwest parts of the city I had not ventured into before. I had G. in my sling, and a few Euro, knowing that il mercato Le Cascine would be up that day. I also wanted to look for a basket for A's bike, and someone recommended this particular market. I did not end up finding the basket, but what I did find was even better: FRIED GRITS, er I mean POLENTA! A thick slab of cold polenta is deep-fried, dashed with a little salt, and then handed to you with a piece of parchment paper. heaven.

(for the record, I recommend just walking to the lungarno and following the river north(west) to the entrance to the park. it's not worth the 2 minutes you can save weaving in and out of streets. Unless you are looking to find some hidden gem, and then YES do it!)

It was only then that I realized how much a part of the Italian food culture involved polenta and corn meal. Just another detail that mirrored my upbringing in Louisiana, and which added to my falling in love with Italia.

Typically in Louisiana, we eat hominy grits, which is dried corn soaked in lye-water, until the hulls fall off, which makes the corn easier to digest. It is also why grits are usually white. The process is called nixtamalization, and according to wikipedia.org the earliest known usage:

...was in what is present-day Guatemala around 1500–1200 BC. It affords several significant nutritional advantages over untreated maize products. It converts some of the niacin (and possibly other B vitamins) into a form more absorbable by the body, improves the availability of the amino acids, and (at least in the lime-treated variant) supplements the calcium content, balancing maize's comparative excess of phosphorus.

Anyway....so the hominy is then dried again (boy, all that work!) and then ground the same as yellow grits or cornmeal. It's cooked similar to farina or other hot cereal but very slowly, until they are super thick and creamy, and we usually just eat it with salt and butter. Sometimes we'd have cheese grits if my dad was in a good mood! Polenta is the same as what we would call yellow grits. Non-nixtamalized. I like both, and since I am in yankee terriory now, I can only find the yellow anyway. Something I find really gross is grits made with milk. The only place that serves grits for breakfast here makes them with milk, AND doesn't slow cook...crunchy and disappointing. Oh well. There's no place like home, right?

A. likes to cook POLENTA slowly, slowly, slowly, then pours it into a shallow pan to cool. He then slices it into triangles, brushes each piece with olive oil, grills it, and then grates a little parmigiano on top. This is just the thing to go with a main dish of spicy lentils cooked in tomatoes and red wine w/ sweet sausages...mmmmmmm! A. spoils me with his kitchen talents! A. told me that many families have a special stone slab where the polenta is poured to cool, then it is just sliced there and served up by piece. I wonder if it is seen as a primi or more like a bread?

While I ponder that thought, I will also be fantasizing about scagluzzoli, fried polenta!

Bathtubs are Scarce: Things I wish I'd Known

2010-01-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

If I were a frog, you could boil me. Call me old fashioned, methodical, or whatever, but I like to take a HOT HOT HOT bath every night before I go to bed. If I don't get out feeling like I could pass out, it wasn't hot enough.

Before we moved to Italy, we started looking for apartments online. I began to notice a pattern...a scary pattern. Photo after photo of bathrooms, and not a single water-holding basin aside from a sink, toilet, or badet. Did someone forget to tell me that bathtubs are against code in Florence/Italy? Is there a water shortage I don't know about? Where is MY BATHTUB? (calm down, Em, breathe)

It's not that I have anything against a nice hot shower, but you can only relax so much standing up. And you sure as heck can't dose off for any amount of time. Luckily, I was still in a new parent daze and jet-lagged for the beginning of our dolce vita, so I adjusted.

When we were apartment hunting after our first 6 months, we did actually look at a few apartments with tubs, but I had "done like the Romans" and gotten used to the tiny showers. A bathtub was less of a priority, and now I knew why. SPACE! A bathtub is large >> large bathroom >> more rent. I'll take the extra large kitchen/living room over the tub any day.

Don't get me wrong. When the car service dropped us off in NY for Christmas at 1:00am, I went straight to the tub for a soak. But knowing what was ahead made returning to tub-less i bagni a little more palatable.

If you are trying to find a short or long-term apartment, I would HIGHLY suggest www.HousingInFlorence.com. I am not getting paid to recommend them...Aldo and the rest of the staff there are amazing, honest people who went all out to find us exactly what we wanted at great rates. Even our landlords were amazing. They have beautiful, spacious choices for the single person who wants an amazing place to stay, and also apartments for large groups of students to live economically.

Sweetest Marriage Proposal...for your viewing pleasure!

2010-01-20T09:39:00.001-08:00

Check out my brother's proposal on youtube!!!!

despite the fact that I am a big nerd in my parts of the video, I wanted to share this with all of you! He worked so hard to pull it all together, and despite some of our differences and beliefs, I am so so so happy for them and know that they are so in LOVE! (she said YES, by the way!)

Feel free to share it :-)

Uh Oh. History is repeating.

2010-01-19T19:36:00.000-08:00

It's been such a distracting few weeks. A. is getting stressed about starting the semester. I am somewhat busy with work, and with looking for options in that department. Our friends G-Digital and BluDaisy are expecting their first child, a little girl!!!, this April, and so I have been sending out invitations for a shower I am hosting.

To add to it all, I just found out that my brother and his fiance have planned their wedding in South Carolina within a week of my friends wedding in Louisiana! I am in BOTH wedding parties. WHAT THE @$&* am I going to do!!!??? do I cancel on the friend? do I sell my plasma, and eat tuna and Ramen noodles for 3 months to buy all those plane tickets??? Seriously....what would you do in this situation? I need outside opinion!

Need some New Year's Assistance?

2010-01-15T04:53:00.000-08:00

Amazon has some great deals on books and DVDs about nutrition and fitness. Follow this link so you don't miss out on some great deals! (up to 50% off!!! HELLO.)

New Year New You 2010!!!

I actually RUINED my blender just before Christmas, so I just ordered the Kitchenaid Blender that is $40 off the original price....um, yes please! There are other colors available, like red and orange, but at less of a discount. Black is just fine for me!

Trust me...I remember

2010-01-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I look at G. I wonder how God intends to prove to the world one day that she is mine. I mean, trust me...I definitely gave birth to her, and held her little lop-sided head to by chest when she was about 10 seconds old. And even physically now, I am beginning to see little details that seem familiar, like her chin and the texture of her hair. But she is SO her own person!

Unlike me, she is so girly. Everyday getting dressed is a huge battle b/c all she wants to wear are dresses, which doesn't always fly when it's 18F outside and the snow is ankle deep! Luckily I got a new sewing machine for Christmas and plan to sew up some simple flannel skirts that I can slip over whatever she is wearing. She also loves for me to paint her fingernails and loves sparkly shoes. If I try to dress her in overalls or insist she put on her snowsuit, more often than not she melts into a puddle of sorrow on the floor and insists that she's "NOT a boy!!!"

I can assure you that I have done NOTHING to encourage this behavior! I love bluejeans, a cardigan, and sneakers anyday, and too rarely bother with make-up and primping. We've always been open to her picking an outfit from two choices, and include overalls and pants as well as the frilly bits. She got her first Barbie last year and never touches it, and she is content to roll a matchbox car through the foyer. We don't discourage her individuality, but all of this just proves to me that there is a bit of "nature" in our "nurture" which is beyond influence.

This is somewhat foreign territory for me, having grown up with two brothers, in a very small town, and with little money to supplement my older brother's hand-me-downs with feminine things. Most of the kids I went to elementary school with were poorer than we were, some even without electricity, so I never noticed until I was older and we moved into the city how "fancy" girls could be (and boys for that matter).

Nevertheless, G. plays with worms, thinks spitting is funny, and announces her farts. I guess we have a few things in common afterall.

Pajama Party Senza PJs

2010-01-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

...and NO I don't mean naked. Get your mind out of the gutter, would ya!

We were invited to a New Year's Eve party this year. It was a friend of a friend, so our third-party invitation got garbled in translation. When we showed up, everyone was wearing sweats and T-shirts. It was a pajama party! oops! Luckily we left our sequins and heels at home.

Thanks a lot, Kake.

Just kidding. love you :) xoxox "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jo-le-e-ene..."

I made pralines with my Bergeron pecans (remember those from Thanksgiving?), and they were delicious. And there was chocolate fondue. Not a bad night considering we left before midnight!