I will learn you, Sweet Potato
Posted on July 15, 2010
Filed Under Daily, Friends, Life in L.A. | 3 Comments
Since the Style section is still being refurbished I thought I’d post this here so I could share with you guys (part of) a really awesome anniversary gift my college roommate, Jen sent The Boss and me.
It’s a book called “Sweet Potato Recipes by Home Makers of Virginia’s Eastern Shore,” and that’s exactly what it is.
100 pages of people’s recipes in their own handwriting! Gah! How fun! Now I know ALL THE THINGS I CAN DO WITH A SWEET POTATO, which will hopefully help me redeem myself from my last sweet potato debacle.
It’s also filled with little stories of local ESVA history, which is awesome, and will make me smarter while I cook.
Thanks for your contribution, Mrs. Walker. Can’t wait to try your Sweet Potato Balls!
HA!
Seriously, that’s the page I randomly opened up to.
The final video: Bed & Bath
Posted on July 13, 2010
Filed Under BlogHer, Daily | 4 Comments
Last week I blogged about my trip to Oklahoma to film the final Webisode in a five-part series for BlogHer’s “Putting it All Together.” The video on tips to decorate your bed and bath is here!
This makes it TWO
Posted on July 12, 2010
Filed Under Daily, Life With The Boss, Life in L.A. | 13 Comments
So the big surprise was Big Bear Lake, and it was amazing. We spent the weekend celebrating our two-year anniversary (which is today!) in a beautiful lodge amongst the sky-high pine trees, and fresh mountain air. We planned on leaving Friday evening after The Boss got home from work, but got so enthralled with reading what became The Aftermath of LeBron that we decided to change our plans and take our talents to South Beach. I mean, we didn’t leave until 9 p.m. (Aside: My gelato special doesn’t appear to have generated enough interest to air, but if you follow me on twitter, I decided on mocha almond fudge.)
When we arrived in Big Bear, seated in the mountains a little more than 7,000 feet above sea level, the entire town was PITCH BLACK. When we pulled into the driveway of the lodge, The Boss and his bravery jumped out of the car and headed straight to the lock box so we could get the key, and go inside. As he used the light of his cell phone to see the keypad, I whimpered alone in the car like…well…like a really annoying girl that would whimper alone in a car. Trying my best not to sound horrified, I go, “Do you want me to come help you?” and The Boss goes, “If you want.”
You guys, If you want, could have meant anything. It could have meant, Stay in the car, or it could have been a cry for help because maybe deep down The Boss was just as scared as I was.
I wanted to be more helpful, and less Annoying Girl, so I started praying as I braced myself to get out of the car. When both my feet were on the pavement, I started clapping, LOUDLY. Maybe the noise would scare away all the man-eating animals that I was sure were lurking inches from my feet, but instead the sound just scared me. I jumped at my own first clap, and then came THIS CLOSE to peeing on myself when a fiery lightning bolt of fear at temperatures so high the smoke could burn your eyelashes off shot through my veins. A few beeps later, the lock box popped open, and we made our way into the beautiful lodge.
Living, dining, kitchen area:
Master bedroom:
Additional bedrooms and common bathroom:
The Boss got the scoop on all the Big Bear hot spots before we left for the weekend, and was told that Grizzly Manor Cafe was, under no circumstances, to be missed. The breakfast-only cafe was packed with people on Saturday morning, and roll-your-sleeves-up HOT! The menu with filled with mouth-watering entrees that could only be described as OH MY GOD THAT CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKE IS BIGGER THAN THE TIRE ON A BUGATTI! It was pretty much everything you could hope for from a diner in the middle of a 6,000-person town.
After Grizzly Manor, the only appropriate thing to do was rent bikes and go for a ride. I think we maxed out our caloric intake somewhere around OH MY GOD THEY HAVE BISCUITS AND GRAVY! We rode through the rolling hills and around the lake. It was joy in the purest form.
We had dinner at Peppercorn Grille. A must-visit if you’re looking for a place to dine in Big Bear.
Our appetizer: Puff pastry wrapped asparagus baked with a jalapeno cilantro cream cheese.
The Boss’s salad.
My soup: Carrot ginger bisque. This was incredible, unexpected, and right up my taste buds’ alley.
The Boss’s entree: Sesame seed crusted fillet of Yellowfin Ahi Tuna served rare complimented by a Wasabi cream sauce.
My entree: Lobster ravioli served with a tomato cream sauce.
On Sunday, we went to the beautiful lake, and made sure to take enough deep breaths so to fill our lungs, and prepare us for our return to L.A. The air around these parts just isn’t the same.
(Photo credit: The Boss)
(Photo credit: The Boss)
(Photo credit: The Boss)
Before we headed home, we stopped for lunch at Saucy Mama’s Pizzeria where we enjoyed hand-tossed pizza baked in a brick oven. I’m craving it as I type this.
There is little to say about my life as it is in this moment other than I am married to a man who continues to amaze me every day with his kindness, his strength, his sense of humor, his generosity, his ambition, and his humility. Basically, I want to be just like him when I grow up, only the girl version. I never thought I’d be in a place in my life where I could so wholly love another person (that wasn’t me) that when The Boss announced to me on Friday, “There’s WiFi there, so you can bring your laptop,” I hadn’t even once thought about Internet access. You guys, THAT’S how much I love the man I married. I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT THE INTERNET.
For those of you who live in L.A., or close enough to visit Big Bear, this story-book-like town is worth a trip. The Boss and I had an absolutely wonderful weekend, and marking Year Two proved to be quite a change of pace from how we celebrated last year. But with all the new memories The Boss and I have to lean on in the days, months, and years ahead, the highlight of our trip came on Sunday. We were walking through the town village, and I was taking pictures, when a man approached me and asked if I wanted him to take a picture of The Boss and me together. The answer in my head was not really, but I wanted to reciprocate the kindness in his gesture, so I handed over my camera. But every time he got ready to click, he’d pull the camera away from his face, and tell us to move. He kept saying things like, “I don’t want this tree back here,” or “Let me get you in front of the mountains.” As The Boss and I took little steps in every direction with our hands wrapped around each other, the whole scene was reminiscent of the potato sack races we had on Field Day in elementary school. Finally, when the man got us in front of the perfect backdrop, he goes, “Ready? One…two…three… SAY JESUS!”
Seriously, go visit.
More pictures here.
Anniversary flowers
Posted on July 12, 2010
Filed Under Daily, Family, Life With The Boss, Life in L.A. | 1 Comment
These were at the front door when I got home from running errands this afternoon. Anniversary wishes for The Boss and me from my mom, sister and BIL.
The countdown to somewhere
Posted on July 9, 2010
Filed Under Daily, Life With The Boss, Life in L.A. | 14 Comments
Last week:
The Boss: I want to take you somewhere for our anniversary next weekend, are you free?
Me: Well, I was planning on sitting on the couch, and then walking to the kitchen, and then back to the couch.
TB: Okay, well let me know because I want to take you somewhere.
Me: YES, I’M FREE.
TB: Great, I’ll let you know what kind of stuff to pack next week.
Me: Where are we going?
TB: It’s a surprise.
Me: Ugh, I hate surprises.
Earlier this week:
TB: Okay, so you need to pack jeans, some workout clothes, comfortable shoes, and lounge clothes.
Me: Okay. Wait. Lounge clothes?
TB: Yeah just to hang around in. Like in the daytime before we go out.
Me: Are there going to be other people where we’re staying?
TB: I don’t know. I don’t think so.
Me: Well I need to know because lounge clothes is really open ended. What if I pack shorts and a t-shirt, and then there are like 14 other people there?
TB: Mmm…
Me: Can you at least tell me where we’re staying? A villa, a hotel, a tent?
TB: No, because that will ruin the surprise.
Me: Ugh, I hate surprises.
Yesterday:
TB: Okay, I got the weather forecast for you. Ready?
Me: Yup.
TB: Highs for the weekend: 82, 82, 83.
Me: Okay, so I’ll pack for warm weather then.
TB: Low, 48.
Me: How far is this place?
TB: About two hours.
Me: Hmm…are we going to…
TB: No! Don’t guess!
Me: Ugh, I hate surprises.
TB: FINE! I’LL JUST TELL YOU WHERE WE’RE GOING BUT IT’S GOING TO RUIN EVERYTHING!
Me: NODONTTELLME!!!
TB: …
Me: I want it to be a surprise!
