The Country House Dream

Recently Brad and I have spent a lot of time talking about what we would like to do if we could just discipline ourselves to save some of the money we make. Having acknowledged that we are rooted here in Brooklyn enough to stay a while, we have put off our fantasies of returning to New Mexico. The thing we now dream of most, to give us an escape and an outlet to the outdoors, is a vacation house in upstate New York.

This past weekend a friend, who recently purchased a similar dream, invited us to enjoy a taste of the great upstate at her cabin in the Catskills. Brad and I gladly made the drive and of course it fueled our own desires. It was a relaxing getaway and also the first chance we have had to take our car for a road trip since we purchased it this past fall (it handled wonderfully on the snowy country roads). We went for just one night and had a homemade pizza party while we watched movies and kept ourselves warm with whiskey. We spent lots of time playing in the snow and, as you might guess, Francine had the most fun of all. She also gave us the greatest surprise of all.

It seems our little Francine is a wealth of untapped talent. We had no idea that she too, is an artist. I think you'll be as impressed as we were at the likeness she achieved in this work she created. We call it, 'Self portrait in snow'.

Where I Spend My Days

Just got a whole lot nicer with the addition of my new desk! Pretty, isn't it?

Tell All Your Friends

Self-employment has been good to me, so far, this second time around. I've been nice and busy, and happy to be in control of my own schedule and workload again. Projects have been rolling in with the new year and to make sure it stays that way I have been working on a wave of self-promotion materials including new business cards, promo mailers and an update to my website.

What are you waiting for? Check it out and pass it along!

If I Were A Pimp

You can be a rappa too. Just try tha Baller fo` yoself – Try da textilizer!

***

Dur'n tha month of Shot Calla Brad n I were mackin' fo` a total of 16 days out of 31. We returned home on tha 2nd of January, n gangsta all tha food we consumed in restaurants while out of tizzown, I wanted nuttin' more than ta cook n eat at hizzle with my hoes on my side, and my strap on my back.

While tha rappa has yet ta be as brutal as one would expect friznom a New York City winta so far this season, it has been consistently grey, wet n now finally cold. So, as you can guess, tha food I've been crav'n has consisted mainly of soups, stews, hearty pastas n chilies . I started yo shit and i'll end yo' shit. This pleasantly spicy Chickpea Soup wit Arugula was a goodie frizzom mah January issue of gourmet, as was this stewy beef recipe I found while chillin' online last week like a motha fucka. I had some success wit pulled pork this pizzle weekend using a tha BBQ sauce Brad learned last year , but tha biggest surprise – easy, delishizzous n sure ta be a motherfucka – was this vegetable chili I adapted from a recipe I found on epicizzle.

Do not fear, this is simple n sure ta pleaze. The bulgur is a pleasant n healthy addition, T-H-to-tha-izzat gives you tizzy T-H-to-tha-izzick "meaty" texture you crave in a good bowl of chili. We ate it wit cornbread coz Brad had mizzle some tha night before - but you don't need mizzle more than a salad fo` a bootylicious mizzy tizzle wizzill warm you frizzay tha inside fo' sheezy.

End Times

As we rung in 2007, Brad and I were stranded in Colorado for nearly 3 days thanks to snow storms that blanketed the deserts of New Mexico like I never could have imagined. Less than a week later, having returned to Brooklyn, we experienced a taste spring fever when temperatures topped 70˚ on January 6th. And now, only 4 days later, I looked out the window this morning and saw the first snow flurries of the season.

Apparently, the few minutes of snow flakiness I witnessed was the latest recorded first snow in New York City in 129 years. What's going on?

This Is An Expensive Blog Post

Maybe it's for the privilege of doing it in a overpriced bathrobe, but the internet is costing me $9.99 for 5 hours here at The Richmond. The little info card says the service is available for 1 daily fee, but when I signed on at 10am, it warned me the session would expire at 3pm. Oh, and the connection? Spotty.

Today is day 3 here in Miami and I am in fact sitting in a hotel robe watching the palm trees sway outside the window in front of me. Brad is over at the convention center installing some sculptures in his gallery's booth at Art Basel. I opted out after helping with a 9am-7pm on my feet day yesterday that left my dogs barking. And besides, I have all this important computing to do - emails, internet browsing, blogging and of course updating this year's amazon wish list* for receiving Christmas presents.

Since our arrival we have already managed to go on a shopping spree and take in a movie, as well as many restaurant meals, but tomorrow the real fun begins. The art fairs and accompanying parties will commence and Brad and I will slather on the sunscreen and hit the beach.

Maimi goal number: Return home to snow and freezing temperatures with a tan.

*Gifts accepted regardless of religious/holiday affiliation. Contact me for shipping information if you're feeling generous.

Chilling A Smelly One

I picked these leaves up off the path in Prospect Park this morning while walking Francine. It has been sunny and 60˚ in the afternoons all week and despite the fact that today is December 1st, there are still some leaves on the trees. Global warming or not, I have been enjoying the sun and the warmth.


The other thing I picked up and brought home from the park this morning was a vile of Francine's poop, per the vet's instructions. They say it is necessary for her records and when we were there last Friday they sent me home with a vile containing a tiny scooper, labeled 'prepaid'. My instructions were to bring it back half full and I have been avoiding the task ever since. But, this weekend Brad and I are heading to Miami again where we'll enjoy temperatures in the high 70˚s and attend Art Basel Miami Beach with his gallery, so today is the day to do all those chores I have been procrastinating about. That is why there is poop in my refrigerator.

Time Mismanagement

Today marks an official two weeks of freedom since leaving my job. So how is it with all this new 'free' time on my hands I am always busy? I've had days of being at home alone in the apartment and the to-do lists just keep getting longer. Give the dog a bath, pick up Brad's dry cleaning, drop off my dry cleaning, call about this, fax about that, email this person, follow up with that person, move the cars, start some laundry and the apartment always seems to need a cleaning. Now all this is not mentioning those ideal to-do items that I always fancied getting around to when I was at work all day. But those things are still looming in the distance, when I get around to them.

On top of the day-to-day there is this new business of the gym. That's right, I did it, I finally joined a gym again. It was time, the dog walks just aren't enough for this butt. And besides I've got all this time on my hands now, so why not fill some of it with Yoga and Pilates classes? Oh, and I still need to have time left do things like organize our photos into albums, bake Christmas cookies and there's that talk of this year's cookbook.

Six months of working at an agency with a head spinning amount of responsibility and I never needed to keep a calendar, just an ongoing list on my desk with reminders and the rest was all up in my noggin. But this stay home, unemployed/freelance business is crazy! I think I may need to implement a management system so I can get it all done and still have time to make dinner and watch a movie at night. Let's be honest, now that I own my time again I have to prioritize what's really important, relaxing.

A Case of VERY Bad Timing

It is officially count down to Thanksgiving time. While I have spent the last few days pondering the possible benefits of a maple glaze and whether or not to brine the 17lb. farm raised turkey thawing in the fridge the most unimaginably aweful thing happened - our oven broke.

Yes, that's what I said - 17lb. turkey, dinner guest list is apporaching 8 and we have no oven to cook in! Our landlord has been working with us to remedy the situation since we realized it's seriousness on Monday, but unfortunately, a holiday week is no time for rush orders.

The repairman was just here and he diagnosed the problem as a broken safety valve. I don't know what that means, but I do know that without a new one, the oven will not work. So maybe he has one at his office and if so he will make an emergency visit on Thanksgiving morning to install it. But, if not, the situation is grim. 5-7 days, thanks to this darn, wonderful holiday, for them to order and receive a new one.

I don't know what exactly my chances are - so we'll call it 50/50. Right now I am just waiting for the phone to ring with the good/bad news.

New Leaf

I am actually sitting here watching the near last of the yellow leaves fall from the tree outside my window as I type this post. Isn't that poetic? But really, today is the first day of my return to independence, following my resignation from Public New York.

You know what that means, right? More time for blogging again! I also need to start collecting the best of the best of this year's recipes for what I hope will be mine and Brad's annual collection. Heather and Brad's Recipe Book: Greatest Hits from 2005 was a very popular Christmas Gift last year.

So yes, recipes, photos and more stories to come now that that blog hiatus, otherwise known as a full-time job, is over. Check back soon . . . Thanksgiving (otherwise known as the holiday that is all about food and cooking) is right around the corner!

Throwing a Bone

You think I don't love you anymore? I do. I've just been busy galavanting around in silly outfits.

Tomorrow is halloween you know, quite possibly Brad's favorite day of the year. Some costume fun has already been had and photos will come, but first I have to wrestle my camera back from the jaws of a Doberman named River who is holding it hostage. Five bottles of wine, four people, some duck and a dog and these things can happen. Did I mention that the cat spent the night locked in the basement?

Confused yet? Me too.

Look out for those costumes. And if you you need to keep busy while you wait, check out Brad's latest project.

Pet Names

Reading back through my previous blog posts I came to the sad realization that it's officially been A WHILE. Already the summer farmer's market season is passing and I have been cooking with butternut squash again. The apples are abundant and so are yummy delights like spinach and fennel. If you thought I had fallen off the food wagon, you are very wrong - it was simply the blogging wagon, my friends. Last night we had a little impromptu dinner party with friends and I made a great dish of braised beef. All you need is a 3.5lb round roast and the following ingredients to have a good time:

Coffee and Orange Braised Beef with Cinnamon

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 cups brewed coffee
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
3-3" strips orange zest (use a veggie peeler)
cilantro (optional)

Preheat your oven to 325˚

In a dutch oven sauté the onion for 5-6 minutes until golden. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add coffee, orange zest, cinnamon stick and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer.

Meawhile, heavily salt and pepper roast. Place in simmering liquid and cover tightly. Bake for 3.5-4 hours until the roast is very tender (be careful of the steam when you lift the lid). Remove roast and slice. Return to pot and toss with braising juices, then served with orange wedges and chopped cilantro.

I served this with creamy polenta and there was lots of excitement around the table. You can thank the back page of my most recent Gourmet if you decide to cook up this magnificent recipe. I might also mention that I have been doing quite a bit of 'inventing' in the old kitchen. Yes, that's right, recipes of my own. Only problem is I haven't been posting them here, so many of them may have been lost to the moment - I'll work on that.

***

I had been thinking of how to break the ice that has frozen over this blog - and what better than a top-ten list of the most exciting events that I haven't blogged about? But, while I edit that list, here's another top ten to entertain you:

Francine's Best Pet Names

1. Snuggle Bug
2. Puppy Face
3. Pony Head
4. Francy Pants
5. Señora Pantalones
6. Frankelstein (aka "Frankels")
7. Frankelstilsken
8. Frankelpuss
9. Franks and Beans
10. Francois

Hot Town

Wondering where I've been? Why I haven't been bloggin'?

You might have guessed I've been working hard, but it is also possible that I have melted. Can you melt from humidity? Sure feels like it.

Check out tomorrow's forcast:

Saved

If any of my other 5 readers aside from Brad were finding this blog as 'hard to take seriously' as he was, due to my frequent spelling mistakes and occasional grammatical errors - you are about to be saved:

I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO USE BLOGGER'S SPELL CHECK.

But I don't have an editor yet and I wasn't an English major. So you'll have to bear with me on the grammar.