101 in 1001

I did indeed steal this idea but I don't think she'll mind.

I've been feeling restless and unfulfilled recently. When Catie posted her 101 things in 1001 days, I knew I should make a list of goals. This is exactly what I needed during all the things changing in my life (job, location of living, and even marital status). I always end up making some of my goals very general but I definitely have some specific ones as well.

Here is the beginning of my list (not in chronological order):

1. Get a kitty
2. Buy car with high gas mileage
3. Have wedding (and try not to stress out in planning)
   
4. Set up apartment with real style (not college dorm room style)
   
5. Clean said apartment more often
6. Keep in touch with friends from West Coast.
7. Learn to speak Italian at least conversationally
8. Go to Italy with family
9. Go to fabulous countries (Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy (if not above), Greece)
10. Get a job I truly enjoy and feel I’m good at
11. Go skiing in the Poconos
12. Compromise more with Nick’s DVD selection
13. Lose 20 pounds
14. Get to toned body for wedding
15. Take martial arts
16. Take a ballet class
17. Eat more organic foods – produce and meat specifically
18. Sew a bag
19. Go on a fabulous honeymoon and RELAX
20. Move to Philadelphia
21. Visit West Coast
22. Go to Los Angeles
23. Go to Las Vegas again and stay up late
24. Take more pictures
25. Buy a photographer's digital camera (for artsy photos)
    
26. Go to a Yankees game at old stadium
27. Go to a Yankees game at new stadium when it opens in 2009
28. Make a scrapbook of Las Vegas trip
29. Make a San Francisco scrapbook
30. Read a book a month
31. Learn HTML
32. Volunteer somewhere
33. Use less paper products
34. Knit a pair of socks
35. Figure out what is wrong with my gastrointestinal tract
36. Learn to do something to destress

That's all I've got for now, but I know more will be popping into my head soon!
I could have put a lot more things down about the wedding but it kind of seemed like cheating...

Well this weekend is a bit busy so I'll have some pictures to post at the end of it! See you then!

Easter - Bethro and Jess style

Yeah. I know. I brought my camera and once again, forgot to get pictures! But it was really good - I promise. Today's posts are all about trusting my judgment. This is all I've got folks (that phrasing is inspired by the lovely Ms. Bethro below).

The Menu:
Frittata (de la Feeding Frenzy family): Pepperoni, Salami, Virginia Ham, Boiled Ham, Mozzarella, and Parsley
Home Fries (de la Mama FF): Red Potatoes, onions, garlic
Sugar Cookies (de la Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and a little bit of me): Pillsbury sugar cookie rod sliced into cookies, Betty Crocker Vanilla Icing and decorations with bunnies and eggs (you can see them in the picture)

Turkey (de la Bethro family): well, it's a turkey, what do you expect here?
Stuffing (de la Nana Bethro): It was really good. You should ask Nana Bethro so someone else knows how to make it before she "goes" (as my Grandma likes to say).
Mashed Potato: (de la Phil family)
Spinach (de la Phil sorta)

+ tons of Mimosas (which you see there), beer, Cadbury Creme Eggs, and Jelly Beans

Close Your Eyes and Imagine

Close your eyes and imagine... that this picture actually looks appetizing. It was really delicious. I promise!!!!!

Really. I know you don't believe me. You can ask Nick too! I don't want to write what I think it looks like but feel free to guess in the comments.

I found the recipe on a random site- just a simple Lentil Salad. I'm sure it is perfect as a side dish but Nick and I ended up eating it as a main dish, so it works either way. We also had some leftover for lunch which was delicious cold too.

Recipe:

1 1/4 cups dried lentils
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup thinly sliced celery

Place lentils in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, and set aside.

Combine lemon juice and next 5 ingredients (lemon juice through garlic) in a medium bowl; stir with a wire whisk until blended.

Add lentils, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, and celery to lemon juice mixture; toss gently to coat.

Serves 4.

Yum in the Tum

Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1591066

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  Cooking spray
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  
• 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  

Preparation

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast half in cheese mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken breast halves. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in broth and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and oregano; cook 2 minutes.

Wine note: These chicken breasts have a piquant Italian flavor. I love to serve them with an Italian red made from the sangiovese grape. Try the incredible Marchesi di Frescobaldi "Campo ai Sassi" Rosso di Montalcino 2004 (Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy), $20. -Karen MacNeil

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 cup tomato mixture)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 264(20% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.8g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 42.6g; CHOLESTEROL 102mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 504mg; FIBER 1.3g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.4g

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm not the least bit Irish and neither is the boy. We are also very lazy and decided to stay in unlike a lot of other 20 somethings who are out partying at the bar. Plus, it's a work day. So I'm watching Jeopardy (now House Hunters by the time I'm finishing this up) and Nick is drinking a Guinness. My evening has nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day so I'm letting him take care of that. I do love my beer, but I have acid reflux and it's been a disaster recently so I'm trying not to have anything - even tonight.

He was very proud of the head on his Guinness (apparently very important to this drink) so I took a picture (and he decided to be silly at the last second)!

Hope you had a very lucky day!

Weekend Love

This weekend Nick and I got to babysit two of my favorite kitties.
I only have pictures of one because the other one really hates me now. My good friend Bethro and her husband went away and the vindictive kitty, Toby, got crystals in her bladder right before they left. I offered to take care of their two babies because a) I do love them and b) I know it would ease their minds for someone to watch the sick one. Pan, the super friendly cat, was very excited that we were there to visit. She liked to put her face in everything, including the controllers we were using to play the Wii.

ate scrumptious pizza, delicious hamburgers and completely satisfying breakfast for dinner


pet soft kitties

played Super Mario Galaxy for the first time

had marshmallows that my dear friend left me for me because she knows my weakness/love

bought a desperately needed new bra (I never buy anything for myself!) and wedding book, magazine, and notebook for ideas

wandered through Williams-Sonoma getting ideas for a possible future registry

watched some of Howl's Moving Castle (great movie!)

started knitting another fun red hat!

welcomed spring into our house (look at the picture below)

This weekend was pretty quiet, but we had some much needed sleep! Have a happy Monday!

The Big News

Some of you know this, and some of you don't - but I'd like to get everyone on the same boat.

Nick and I are moving.
Here.

http://www.gophila.com/assets/dmt/images/4.Skyline-A.SinagogaPCVB-G.jpg

Yep, that's Philadelphia, PA. What are we doing moving back to the East Coast and pretty close to our old college town? Well, as you may have seen from a previous post - the boy had a concert with his band. They are going to work on making a living out of playing music. The other three members live in Philadelphia currently and they have some connections into the scene in Philly. Plus, it's only a 2 hour drive from NYC - one of the two biggest music scenes in the US.

That's my big news of the year! I've told most of my friends at work and outside work, but my good old blogger friends don't know yet! A lot of people have asked me if I'm excited... well... that's a tough question. I keep flip flopping. I'm happy to be moving closer to my parents and to the area of the country (read: northeast) that I so dearly love, but I will miss San Francisco (my first real home without my parents) and the good work friends I made here. Hopefully I'll be back to visit a decent amount, and that some of them will come out to visit me. Plus, I'll miss the weather out here - though I know I would love SoCal's weather 100% more. I'm really all about the warmth. Surprisingly, I'm looking forward to 90-100 degrees in Philly (though 80s is my favorite temperature). I'm also looking forward to planning my wedding in Philadelphia (and by looking forward, I mean getting the stress off my chest!)

Thanks for listening and reading along! I'm sure I'll write more later because I have a pretty free night for once.

Green Week 4 and 5

This was my Sunday. Yum.

And thus ends Green Week. I actually experienced some natural green at the end - Nick and I took a stroll through the lovely San Francisco weather down to North Beach, where I got some gelato (Madagascar Vanilla and Nutella flavors) and he picked up some coffee. I brought along some strawberries so I didn't feel too guilty about the gelato.

Anyway, the reason it took me so long to post this is because Blogger apparently hates me. I've been trying for 2 days to post pictures but it wouldn't allow me! Hopefully that won't happen again so I can write more tonight!

Green Week 3 (a little late)

Oops! I've had quite a busy week so I haven't been on my computer at all when I get home from work. One day was a doctors appointment (for that dreaded pink-eye)/dinner out to cheer me up, another was my first time at a late evening exercise class and now it is Friday and I still haven't posted my third green picture.

They will all go up tonight though. Thanks to Emily for linking to me about Green Week. For anyone visiting from there, (thanks for the comment raining sheep!) I'm warning you - my blog is in the same shape as my body right now. I'm failing both my New Year's Resolutions! I'm not particularly surprised because I've never managed to do one properly but of course I thought this year would be different. I do have some big news that I will post later tonight and hopefully getting that off my chest will allow me to write more freely and frequently.

I'm cheating a little on this green picture because I didn't take it this week, but it is from the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco's beautiful Golden Gate Park and it makes me excited for spring so I think it should count.

Green Week 2

You have no idea how much I love this jacket.

It is the perfect spring jacket. Of course, I love the brilliant green color but what sold me was the gorgeous interior. It looks very 70s with the linked chains. I like to think my mom owned something like this.

Anyway, I don't know what is wrong with me but now I'm sick again! Pinkeye! How old am I??? Also, Tuesday is my TV night (Biggest Loser, Big Brother and Carpoolers) so I'm off to finish watching with my watery, itchy eye.

Green Week 1

Hi Friends,
I found a new blog that I love and Emily has started a Green Week for the new month of March. I suggest you all participate! Dreary February is finally over and spring is approaching. Over here in San Francisco, spring (or fall) feels just around the corner all year because it is always 50-65. This area really takes the climate "temperate" to heart. My camera is dying so I couldn't really get great pictures but the two things I've taken so far have some meaning to me at least.

Green Week 1 (this was supposed to be yesterday): My very dear friend Bethro remembered that I always love to read Young Adult books when I asked her to recommend something not fantasy (my usual read). This was the perfect book to really let go and just have fun (and its green!)

Twins

Finished my first two hats! So now Nick and I are kind of matching... which definitely wasn't my intention. Here is what we look like :)


Had a little bit of a rough Saturday night/Sunday with some sickness so I'm off to rest.

I'm Back!

Hello world. How have you been? I know I've been ignoring you recently but I'm terribly sorry. Can you ever forgive me? Yes? Okay then! Let's start again.

I'm back from Philadelphia and now that work has settled down a little (though the learning curve is still very sharp), I can get back to blogging! Nick and I were in Philadelphia from Thursday - Sunday. Saturday night his band, Sex Piano, played an amazing show. Here are a couple of pictures from that adventure.

Left to right (Matt playing bass, Zack playing guitar, Nick singing and playing guitar, their drummer is back in there somewhere - sorry Pete)
Mike and Adam playing horns, Zack and Nick singing together

Today is a good day in my crafting world. Kate is having Bethro and I over to do some knitting/sewing/whatever our little crafting hearts desire. I finished my first hat before Philadelphia and am now half way through with one for Nick (though I haven't been working very hard on it, sorry sweetie!) I'll let you know my progress when I return!