tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26660808634613590482024-03-13T19:43:38.359-05:00In MotionAn assortment of life snapshots, à propos of nothing. Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-84815551377810198432013-02-21T21:21:00.000-05:002013-02-21T21:21:47.500-05:00I went for a little trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I had a great opportunity to travel to New York this past weekend. It was also my birthday which made for some awesome financial boost to be exchanged with essentials. <br />
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Like an airplane ticket</div>
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Food </div>
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Sight seeing </div>
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and a little bit of shopping:</div>
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Not to mention the great quality time with family I hadn't seen for quite a while. So grateful! Can't wait to go back, as going for only a few jam-packed days you can only fit so few things!</div>
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Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-14391935044682581352012-12-15T14:18:00.000-05:002012-12-15T14:18:04.749-05:00Hurray for holidays!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I put my tree up this morning. It's a fake skinny tree that we bought at a time that 20 bucks for a tree felt like a splurge. I get something new for it every year, and the plan is to give it an ornament on every branch before we start decorating something else. What I'd really like is that we end up decorating a real tree, but not while we live on the 3rd floor with no elevator.<br />
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Here's what I got for the tree this year.<br />
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The bells actually jingle. The stupid little ribbons almost ended me because they were glued on them, while they could have been tied through the ring. So I ended up tying all those little ribbons. I think I'll get better ribbon next year, and cut it longer too.<br />
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The tree is now up but there's no pic of it right now, because the room around it is a bit of a disaster. When/if it stops being a disaster, I might take one. It ended up pretty but not too pretty - after all, my place is definitely not the holiday catalog of Williams-Sonoma. </div>
Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-35598800541984748582012-11-23T10:58:00.006-05:002012-11-23T10:58:54.591-05:00Happy Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Local Business Saturday/Whathaveyou<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's day 2 of the holiday kick start and I have to admit I have not done much shopping yet. I have only picked up a bunch of used CDs that I've already sampled and ripped in my external HD. Mostly early music, with a side of world music:<br />
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I'm also quite eager to dig into leftovers, come lunch time. Here's how the turkey prep started and how it ended:<br />
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Pretty majestic, I think. And as healthy as it gets - it's only the breast, and we cooked it with light butter instead of regular, the rest of the flavors came from aromatics. Granny Smith apples and a boatload of fresh sage. We basically made humble vegetables taste like stuffing. Quite impressive.<br />
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The original plan for today was to leisurely go out to the stores just to see what's there after the door busting crowds are gone, but the winds outside are flat out insane; I had trouble opening the car door, and keeping it open once I managed it. Now I'm indoors in front of my <strike>glorified typewriter </strike>desktop and the wind howling is of horror movie quality. Might as well stay in until it passes some..<br />
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Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-66397194021981771442012-11-15T20:32:00.002-05:002012-11-15T20:35:15.694-05:00Things I'd have not expected to do ten years ago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
1. Be at my current weight without being angry at my daily menu. I had dieted before, with very good results, but there was famine involved, and the weight came back along with the re-introduction of things that people actually like to eat. This time I took a <a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/" target="_blank">more inclusive approach</a>. <br />
2. Wear brown and black at the same time! I blame the <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/aldo_tiwald_loafers/thing?id=44497508" target="_blank">pair of brogues</a> that have brown leather uppers and a black rubber platform sole, and the<a href="http://www.outletlongchamptotebags.com/longchamp-backpacks/70-black-nylon-longchamp-le-pliage-backpack-on-sale.html" target="_blank"> Longchamp Pliage</a> back pack that I received for Xmas many years ago, but in general this was one of the biggest frowns some time during the 90s, and possibly the beginning of the 00s. I still discourage my husband to do black belt and brown shoes, though. <br />
3. Cut my hair chin-short. I had short hair as a teenager, then I hated it and let let it grow, and grow, and grow and it was my trademark or sorts.<br />
4. Opt for contact lenses after a life of wearing glasses every waking hour (and some sleeping ones, too!). I used to get teary eyed for no reason, or so I thought, until I realized that it would almost exclusively happen while in claustrophobic, smoke saturated bars. Now that there is a smoking ban in such premises, bring em on! The first time I went to a masquerade with an actual mask on, I almost cried.<br />
5. Understand <a href="http://www.nfl.com/" target="_blank">American Football</a>. It did take a long while. And I'll never, ever understand baseball. I'd really like to learn more about rugby, though. <br />
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The post about the parsnips will have to wait after I cook the batch that is currently in the fridge, in the off chance that I'll remember to take a pic or two. </div>
Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-43636320393809961582012-11-11T12:03:00.000-05:002012-11-11T12:03:10.166-05:00Sometimes I confuse myself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I started this blog, it was meant to be a bit of an all-inclusive type of thing. After all, it started as the outlet of an immigrant sharing thoughts and updates with a couple of real life friends, before we all decided to move the news-sharing business over to Facebook along with everybody else we knew. Why multi-platform to the same people, anyway?<br />
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But I've always loved the blog format. I've always liked writing paragraphs with more than fifteen words, so to speak, and interlace photographs along with my text rather than sending people over to an album (don't get me wrong, online photo albums are wonderful things!), plus I tend to care more about the shape of my text when blogging vs. facebooking. That been said, I never text speak. Ever. Not even when texting. Especially since my latest Android update, I can just dictate my texts instead of typing them. It saves me time and the fact that it 90% understands my accent is just amusing to me.<br />
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So, back to the original thought that dictated this post, this was never a themed blog. Sometimes I talk about food, sometimes I take pictures, sometimes I rave (or rant) about clothes and shoes, sometimes I touch on my weight loss. All these things are of equal importance to me, and I experience them daily. I wake up, I weight in (yup, daily, it keeps me informed), I decide what to wear, I wear it, I go to work, I eat lunch, I get home, sometimes I cook dinner, and I abuse my Instagram account and cameras as frequently as it makes sense to me.<br />
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<i>bad picture of delicious tentacles</i></div>
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I've always been very specific to the amount of things I share in this blog, since it is public. I've never posted pictures of myself other than to shoot shoes while I'm wearing it. Which is really funny for me because there is an abundance of pictures of me publicly posted in a number of venues, as I am a performer and well, when I perform in public, everybody has the right to snap my picture and tag it with my name as it appears on the concert program! So, perhaps the whole deal of not showing my face on this blog is a tad obsolete. After all, this has never been a venue to share deep thoughts, dark secrets or shameful moments and that's a reason for which the disconnect feels quite unnecessary.<br />
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Along with my face, obviously comes the body, and the body issues that pretty much everyone has. And it ties with the weight loss that I've obtained. It's a huge deal to me, no matter how lightly I touch upon it on this blog.<br />
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I have lost 95 pounds in almost 2 years. That's almost a whole person off me. That's 10 dress sizes. Were I to add all the inches I've lost off various places of my body, we might be talking three digits. That's huge. And I'm not even done yet. <br />
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<i>vintage crocheted gloves I found for obscenely cheap</i></div>
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And it's brought me to a point that I love my body again and that I love to dress it. I am, mostly anyway, at peace with fashion and the clothing industry and I want to make for the lost time that my shopping was only happening in selected stores and styles.<br />
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And perhaps I'll want to blog about it. Not in a fashion blogging way of doing so. I'll probably come with some sort of outfit - chronicling format or other. We'll see. I guess it all boils down to the fact that I feel good about myself. And the chase towards the absolute feel-good is essential, or it should be.<br />
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(Knowing myself, I am expecting the next blog post to be about parsnips, because I'm lately quite obsessed with them. Until then, I leave this post with two very carefully selected random pictures that have nothing to do with the context of this post. Or not.)</div>
Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-83414327437152483372012-11-04T09:48:00.002-05:002012-11-04T09:48:25.069-05:00Today's message<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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And so should you! We opted for early voting as to not take any time off work, and got to the election center at the time the gates opened. Waited for only 40 minutes which was awesome. And then had awesome brunch of which there are no pictures because it kinda got eaten. But it was whole wheat pancakes, Canadian bacon, fruit and coffee, all of which are great things.<br />
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This is the first time I was eligible to vote for the presidential elections. It was quite important to me. In Greece, I grew up with the notion that voting is mandatory, because until the mid 2000s it was - you could not obtain a passport without proof that you have voted once you were of voting age. Now it's not mandatory any more, which makes me kinda sad, especially during a crisis such as this along with the political situation Greece has gotten itself into. But that's a rant for another time. Meanwhile, if it's election times and you can vote, do it. It might feel useless, but really it isn't. <br />
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Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-43494289863501314592012-10-20T12:00:00.004-05:002012-10-20T12:00:58.620-05:00More Morton Fall Foliage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My no.1 fall destination is, as I have blogged before, the <a href="http://www.mortonarb.org/" target="_blank">Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois</a>. The things that trees do around this time of the year are just phenomenal.<br />
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There is a certain path you can take which leads to this throne-like setting. <br />
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Or, you can just duck under the trees and go for the tree tops. <br />
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One of these days, I want to walk the whole thing. It is quite vast if you count every single looping trail, but possibly not completely undoable. Plus, it smells as good as it looks.<br />
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Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-12575719184597043032012-09-23T17:35:00.000-05:002012-09-23T17:35:36.592-05:00Officially Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I love to actively feel the change of season, and this fall has so far delivered. The temperature took a veritable dive these last few days. Not the decisive bite of cold, but the coolness that combined with an on-and-off sunshine makes for the perfect walking weather. About 13 degrees Celsius or so. <br />
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I will now wait for the change of the leaf colors, it's on its way, but not quite there yet. I think I would like a nice, long fall before it's really winter. I'm already devising strategies against sub-zero temperatures, snow and sleet, since commuting from work involves walking on sidewalks that not everyone shovels.<br />
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Hopefully, there's plenty of time till then. </div>
Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-6319889140440002372012-09-01T16:06:00.003-05:002012-09-01T16:07:32.789-05:00September and coats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Technically, fall is not icumen in till the Equinox on the
21<sup>st</sup> or whereabouts. However, one ought to be prepared for all sorts
of weather, as it is the custom of this land, quite in advance. So, while stuck
at home this weekend due to work obligations, and in expectance of the first
huge rain of the season, I decided to do some investigation into my coat
closet. For good measure, I am watching Pirates of the Caribbean and lusting
over 18<sup>th</sup> century fashions. Coats, hats, boots, frills, buckles. I
think I’ll skip the tentacles. <br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, back and forth from the closet to the mirror, I have
tried on the following. </div>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Quilted vest that is quite huge, but I can belt
and upgrade some over some sweater or other. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>The “hobbit coat”. This is a 100% wool green
kneecap-hitting coat with wooden buttons from Benetton. It used to be big, but
now it just won’t even stick onto my shoulders. I might try to consign it and
see what happens, it is very well preserved and very cozy and warm. Someone
ought to enjoy it. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>The “great coat”. Nope, not the Regency era type
with the 17 layers made to travel on a carriage and such. This is a coat I
purchased at the deep of winter some years ago for 80% off at some department
store. It has faux fur trims on the cuffs and neckline and it’s quite like a
furnace. Decisively big, but still drapes nice. And I’m sure because it is
robe-shape,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it can be utilized in
reenactment.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Leather round coat with button-on hood, beige
with black accents. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hand-me-down from a
relative with higher disposable income than myself, it feels expensive and
drapes wonderfully. I’ll wear it till I can wear it no more. </li>
<li>Gray wool hooded zipped cape. It’s fabulous. I
might need a pair of red pants to go with it. </li>
<li>Etam brand long trench coat. Very classic design,
still unsure about the fit, it is a bit boxy. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Zara knee-length trench coat. Decent fit, saved
my from all sorts of rainy walks last spring. </li>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
From all this I have now deducted that <i>I’m in desperate need
of a moto jacket</i>. I’ve already decided that a real leather, and possibly
designer brand moto jacket will be my ultimate weight loss reward when I hit my
goal. Till then, I might shop around for alternatives to that. We’ll see. If
all else fails, I could always use a denim jacket, right?</div>
</div>
Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-58658619924067869112012-06-27T21:45:00.003-05:002012-06-27T21:48:10.412-05:00It has been some time, and spring is no more.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Instead, it's been an insanely schizophrenic summer with temperatures all over the place. I've had to carry a straw fedora (the only one that can actually stay on my head even when super windy, from Kohl's of all places!) and <i>sunscreen</i> to spray myself before I walk from my work to the train station. Madness! Here's some pictures!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/47023018ba5811e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/47023018ba5811e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
These have the habit of stretching towards the sun. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/5e86c594b4e711e181bd12313817987b_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/5e86c594b4e711e181bd12313817987b_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
No idea if these are edible. They're pretty though!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/38807490ac2b11e1a9f71231382044a1_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/38807490ac2b11e1a9f71231382044a1_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And a duck in a pond. I'd love me some swimming too! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-78259055460197261042012-03-22T20:11:00.002-05:002012-03-22T20:11:23.805-05:00Some visual proof of said early spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I walk for about 40 minutes from my workplace to the train station every day, five days a week. It's always been a nice walk down a residential street, but these last few days, it's gotten even better. With the important exception of really large wasp-like bugs. I could do without those.<br />
<br />
But the blooming is rather majestic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJPtohcsBZ7vWEODpU2-yDWiIjABts4TlYyzWNVx0mQ6kiucxW8ath5_QprsrrAl15Mc_yVGJ1x4gZwhSwuasKSCusUoGiEqErz3gqWKi-iC-iyRiGpVj91ZVafx5_zluPRtkp-4FLJAo/s1600/2012-03-21_13-43-32_477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJPtohcsBZ7vWEODpU2-yDWiIjABts4TlYyzWNVx0mQ6kiucxW8ath5_QprsrrAl15Mc_yVGJ1x4gZwhSwuasKSCusUoGiEqErz3gqWKi-iC-iyRiGpVj91ZVafx5_zluPRtkp-4FLJAo/s320/2012-03-21_13-43-32_477.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have no idea what the tree on the third picture is, as I'm no horticulturist, but these flowers smell like <i>mushrooms. </i>I get a hobbit-like hunger pang every time I walk by one, and the streets are quite lined with them.<br />
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I think tomorrow I'll do a detour to the grocery store and buy some portobellos. </div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-42187708004324255962012-03-17T21:39:00.000-05:002012-03-17T21:39:59.816-05:00Crazy early spring!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This year's March is quite similar to last year's June. It's insane. Everywhere I went today (downtown, the mall, BD's Mongolian for late lunch), Iwas surrounded by flip flops, fresh pedicures, shorts and mostly green tank tops. I'm expecting the green to be done by tomorrow since it won't be St. Patrick's Day any more.<br />
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I must say I've been enjoying the summer like weather quite a lot, and cannot bring myself to check the forecast to see whether it 'll stick around or it'll revert to chilly and rainy. Just in case, I'm not packing my sweaters just yet.<br />
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Speaking of clothes, I'm expecting all the new spring inventory to simply disappear even swifter than normally. I'd like to score a few pieces myself, but I really don't know what I want. I picked up some trouser jeans for the office, but other than that, I barely know what I want other than:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>A pair of 3.5 or 4" dark brown wedge sandals, either cork or espadrille. I have spotted two pairs that I really like and should not buy both. Cause I also want some new flat sandals for walking everywhere in a color other than black. </li>
<li>A pair of light colored pants just above the ankle.</li>
<li>A couple of tops, probably silk-like, with either short or 3/4 sleeves. I'm having a thing for a mariner top, polka dots and solid light colors, but I'm not sold into florals just yet. </li>
<li>A new bathing suit!</li>
<li>A spring jacket or blazer or something to wear in the evening. I'm tired of cardigans but I'm a bit iffy about "vegan" leathers. </li>
<li>and if I can't wear sandals at work, a pair of nude ballerina flats. Still investigating that. The rules book says no, although there is no hazard issues, but I'm gonna keep checking out what other people in the office do. </li>
</ul>
Why I wrote "barely", I barely know! </div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-22113849679505081692012-03-04T16:22:00.002-05:002012-03-04T16:22:59.640-05:00Shopping for boots and a Downton Abbey moment or two.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday I needed to leave the apartment to hubby so that he could work without distractions. Because, in his mind, even if I'm in the other room with my computer, TV, Kindle, magazines and a huge bottle of sparkling water, I might be out of sight but I'm never out of mind. After 7.5 years of marriage, I take that as a compliment. And if he asks me to take a hike to let him work, I graciously do so. And I go shopping, or at least window shopping. He even volunteered to drive me to the mall since it was snowing and I wanted to wear my red shoes.<br />
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I got there with a few things in mind. Firstly, we have a wedding to attend in July, and I'll need a dress. It's a family wedding so I'd like something nice but not too elaborate since we're on the groom's side. There's no chance of shopping now, but it's never a bad idea knowing what's out there. And since I already know what I'm wearing for the rehearsal dinner (a Free People layered floral print I bought on sale forever ago and I absolutely love it), there's only one dress to shop for. Preferably something that goes with accessories I already have.<br />
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Secondly, I need more work clothes. Last time I worked anywhere I was 4 sizes bigger. And although some stuff I could still wear, fitted shirts and the like are out of the question. So, a couple of tops for really cheap would be really nice.<br />
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And thirdly, I've been wanting a good pair of black boots for some time. And now it's the perfect time to shop for them because they all go on clearance with spring items coming into inventory.<br />
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So, I started with Banana Republic. I love their dresses. Their waist is always nicely placed, the skirt length is perfect for my height, the quality is decent and the prints are to my taste. I was ready to walk into the store and try some of their printed numbers, but a crochet-like white dress that's part of their <a href="http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=69572" target="_blank">Mad Men collection</a> caught my eye and I had to try it on. I did, and it fitted well. I'd not buy it till the summer w'the slimming and all, but I was ready to put it on the top of my mental list, when it downed me that I should probably not wear white at a wedding as it's not done here, even though I'd probably accessorize it with bold color stuff. So, I tried on a polka dot and a print, liked them both, and left.<br />
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From there I walked into H&M where I had my Downtown Abby moment. I tried their long pink pleated dress from the pre-fall collection. It's not currently on the website, but a Google search ought to yield result. I could sincerely see myself with a row of pearls, a chin-length hair cut and t-strap heels being an extra on the show. It would probably be a bit too much though, not to mention that the length was a bit odd, so I left it for someone else and I decided I was done with dresses for the day. I should probably wait for the spring collection to hit the stores anyway.<br />
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Boots were next. I went to Macys, because Macy's never fails me in regards to shoes. And as expected, they had them for 60 to 75% off.<br />
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Now, let me tell you about my calves. No matter what amount of diets I've done in past and present, my calves are the last to get the memo. Their circumference just won't budge. I'll probably need to look into specialized workouts for them. Having said that, I also don't like boots that have elastic panels because they distract from the rest of the boot material. The perfect pair would have to either zip or not.<br />
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My prayers were answered with a pair of Franco Sarto's Upton in black. They're made of a man-made material that looks like leather, but it's incredibly stretchy. I picked them because they had the perfect little heel, and then I put them on.. and then they zipped all the way up. Both of them. Even the one that it's not tried on day after day. A miracle.<br />
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Then, as the universe was conspiring, not only they were extremely comfortable to walk, they were also asininely cheap. What's a girl to do? Pick them up, run to the cashier and shut up already. I had to actively talk myself out of buying them in brown too. And in a way I'm glad I did, because when I browsed the brand back home, I found out that they come in wine red, and that's something I might actually consider. Because I simply cannot have enough red shoes. We've been through that already. <br /><br />
So that is done and I can still hear angel choruses and all but I still need to look into tops. Clearance section, here I come. I just need something lightweight but long sleeve because we actually get spring here for more than one week. I found this purple top from DKNY that has a nice scoop neckline and a gathering detail at one end. It fits well, it's less than 10 bucks - it'll come with me.<br />
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And then I saw the perfect "adorned tee". It was a fitted white t-shirt with three rows of large sequins in silver and bronze around its neckline. It screamed "vacations". I could see myself wearing this with the perfect pair of pants and the perfect flat sandals and the perfect straw tote and the perfect scarf during vacationing at my family's summer home where none gives one shit about perfect anything. But I bough it anyway. Because it was cheap, it fitted well, and I could easily live in it even when not in vacations. I hope I won't give it spaghetti sauce first time I'll wear it. <br />
<br /></div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-69875367407454898682012-02-04T17:15:00.002-05:002012-02-04T17:15:56.895-05:00Birthdays and other happenings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Quite possibly, I had the most low-key birthday celebration this year. Between my diet and lack of money, I settled for a cupcake instead of a whole cake, and I'm glad I did. Hubby only wanted some dark chocolate. And somewhere in the middle of getting these things, we forgot the candle and had to improvise.<br />
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I have to admit though, that this year I received a good number of birthday cards. Mostly cause some relatives didn't get my address on time to send me Xmas cards. I couldn't possibly complain, I think I got some of the cutest cards in the history of birthday cards this year:<br />
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I got enough birthday money to get some little shopping done. I went to the local mall (don't laugh! there's not much to shop from around here without massive commuting!) and tried mostly dresses. I liked a red brocade one and a black ruffle one, but decided that without any occasions in proximity, I should wait a bit longer. After all, my diet still works for me - I have lost 65 pounds total! So, I decided to go look at shoes. Two stores and 12 bucks later, I ended up with those. I love red shoes. I think everyone should have multiple pairs of red shoes. You can wear them with anything.<br />
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Here they are worn with my skinny jeans from Old Navy and some blue socks. They have a third strap around the ankle and a zipper in the back as to not fatigue the buckles and straps. And they look almost identical to a pair I was lusting over at Free People, that retail for more than ten times the amount I paid for those. Save vs. Splurge, anyone?</div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-31596870917783127762011-12-04T11:51:00.001-05:002011-12-04T12:04:24.706-05:00I have a soft spot for certain things.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Such as things on sale. I can go through clearance racks with Jobean patience looking for the one thing that nobody else deemed buyable. It quite often works, especially at department stores.<br />
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This time, though, I walked into Charlotte Russe because I felt like I was 28 again. I so am not, by the way, but I like a lot of what they offer, so I might as well go look at nice stuff even though I might not find anything in my size. I was at the mall anyway, and I had one full hour to kill before my optician appointment.<br />
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I tried a bunch of sweaters that didn't really do it for me. The one I really like was abysmally short and I'd have to layer it with a type of clothing I don't think I even currently have - some long, oversized tee or other. Pity, it was loosely knit and baggy with a totally not frumpy neckline. Slightly annoyed, I put it back and decide to look at shoes.<br />
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Ooo! Studded clogs. Studded mule clogs. With high chunky heels. In tan. For.. 4.99? In an 8? You're so walking out with me it's not even funny. I don't even pretend to be current with fashion, not when I'm sheding a size per trimester anyway, so onward with those! To test the engineering of the shoe (read: the amount of steps I'd make w'out falling and eating carpet), I put them on and browse around the store for another 10 minutes. Without incident, I walk towards the jewelry section where I'm informed that certain jewelry is free with any purchase. Hmm.. I normally don't buy jewelry from clothing boutiques because I'm massively picky, but if I'm getting something for free I'll take another look.<br />
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The massive ring with the scarab-like blue stone totally sold me. I really liked it, as opposed to "oh, well, it's free, so might as well" and then never see the light of the outside of my rings box ever.<br />
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So I paid 4.99 plus tax for a ring and a pair of shoes that actually look damn well together. That's victory. I'm already thinking of the clothes I already have with which they'll look good.<br />
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And then I walked into H&M and bought some mittens cause I lost my handmade pair in the supermarket of all places and no one ever returned them to me. So, I'm not gonna stay with sentimentally cold hands - it's frozen here and it'll only get worse. </div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-48419042644293929152011-11-12T14:50:00.001-05:002011-11-12T15:04:21.103-05:00Breakfast for lunch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This recipe was born like most of mine: By having to improvise with what is available. In this particular case, I had:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 tsp canola or grapeseed oil</li>
<li>1 apple, cored, peeled if preferred (I like the peel) and thinly sliced </li>
<li>1 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1 tsp ginger</li>
<li>2 Weetabix biscuits</li>
<li>3 Tbs of sugar or sweetener equivalent </li>
<li>1/2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
</ul>
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Heat oil in medium-high fire (in a pan, obviously) while prepping the apple. Dump apple in pan, dust with cinnamon and ginger, toss around and cook to desired limpness. My preference is as soft as it gets.<br />
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Meanwhile, crumble the Weetabix in your serving bowl, add the sugar and vanilla and combine.<br />
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When the apple slices are cooked, drop into the Weetabix mix, toss and serve immediately. Makes one serving for a quite hungry person or two for moderately hungry ones. Since this was my lunch, I ate the whole thing. Glad I don't need seconds!<br />
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Now that I'm thinking of it, I wish I had toasted walnuts or almonds to top it with. <br />
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<br /></div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-12887861320837763902011-10-21T17:26:00.007-05:002011-12-04T12:07:36.014-05:00..and it's fall all over again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What I love about Chicagoland is the abundance of sunlight year-round. There can be days with really low temperatures during the fall and winter, but there's always the chance that it'll be served with a side of sunshine, just enough to lure me outside of the cozy confines of my apartment.<br />
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These last few days the weather has been decisively declining. I wasn't completely opposed to that as I was quite eager to get back to my sweaters, leggings and similar things with my new and improved physique - I have dropped almost 50 pounds since last spring, and there is a lot of older clothing I am reclaiming. Like this pair of pants, paired with my new and totally favorite boots:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8RlYz-qme_muLpbTm5ce9kXl9f7dtMinAkjYRs0WY7tRu0JKvpMPc0CRhfLjtGHDuspoUsbopkoduvnou7aLNnqe98Spuz8pmTAxZozw2YNpbojkKOekp_1iGRzriXcdaG316iiBdezo/s1600/2011-10-21_13-06-58_429.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666076446190284450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8RlYz-qme_muLpbTm5ce9kXl9f7dtMinAkjYRs0WY7tRu0JKvpMPc0CRhfLjtGHDuspoUsbopkoduvnou7aLNnqe98Spuz8pmTAxZozw2YNpbojkKOekp_1iGRzriXcdaG316iiBdezo/s320/2011-10-21_13-06-58_429.jpg" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 184px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pants from Banana Republic from forever ago, boots are Rebel</td></tr>
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They have even more buckles on the side.<br />
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I have a favorite walk path - it goes along a small pond and some rows of trees, leading to a hotel. I am almost certain that the path is actually hotel property, though all types of walkers, joggers and pet owners use it without any problem and there are no signs warning for trespassing. So, I take advantage of it. Not that humans are the only ones to do so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzilDziodZbxqn5syAxRY5iNSxlDujcCLuUw8xb1hrsmOzu_6YBTaYh89CgahDMLdrZJtOLI6T1iEQ6BE3cDaIke1IIBmZaaXuxHkpcdJ2OGJNxrrbKaSIpqfIINQoW3BA79WhuDj_QmW2/s1600/2011-10-21_13-08-48_891.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666077384185788450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzilDziodZbxqn5syAxRY5iNSxlDujcCLuUw8xb1hrsmOzu_6YBTaYh89CgahDMLdrZJtOLI6T1iEQ6BE3cDaIke1IIBmZaaXuxHkpcdJ2OGJNxrrbKaSIpqfIINQoW3BA79WhuDj_QmW2/s320/2011-10-21_13-08-48_891.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 180px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymBOWKIfYQar5XFjRbeOUTghcWCQw2R2h1v-hmLEWVRfKQuum11LyMXF7fCQah-hwa_2YryJksMpa90HaOn8uQ3RyHXDPAssKSyQMuutrG2hCS7P1FLXbPz_kvwrrlo198XXK3n1PqYhD/s1600/2011-10-21_13-08-53_193.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666077673260809794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymBOWKIfYQar5XFjRbeOUTghcWCQw2R2h1v-hmLEWVRfKQuum11LyMXF7fCQah-hwa_2YryJksMpa90HaOn8uQ3RyHXDPAssKSyQMuutrG2hCS7P1FLXbPz_kvwrrlo198XXK3n1PqYhD/s320/2011-10-21_13-08-53_193.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 180px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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If I keep walking, I can cross a side street (with traffic) and get to a strip mall with a grocery store, a department store and a music store among other things. Today, I decided I needed a new black handbag (not pictured), so between the strolling and the shopping I spent about two hours on my feet. Not bad at all!</div>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-26045346856586625212011-02-15T15:05:00.002-05:002011-02-15T15:11:06.176-05:00Soup with what's availableI haven't blogged for a while but usually I end up wanting to do so when some mediocre idea turns into massive win - this soup somehow worked, though it was one of those cases of "there's barely anything in the fridge and pantry"<br /><br />It all started by having an opened carton of vegetable broth that I wanted to use before it went bad. I looked around and realised that I had a bag of flounder fillets. So, naturally, I thought "soup"<br /><br />I hoped the baby carrots were still okay. Upon inspecting bag, yay, they're still edible. Then I found out that there was a jar of peeled garlic and a bag of mostly-ok shallots looking whiningly at me, complaining why I hadn't used them all this time.<br /><br />Fine, I said, soup it is. I heated the broth while peeling and cutting the shallots. Dumped everything (fish fillets, carrots, shallots, garlic) in the pot. Let it simmer till the fish was done. Removed the fish. Let it simmer some more till the carrots were tender yet a bit al dente.<br /><br />Then added a bag of Vegetable Medley flavor Ready Rice and let it heat and eat up some of the liquid. Served with crushed lime tortilla chips on top.<br /><br />Oh my god. I'm gonna end this post and go for seconds.Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-59737836215930839942010-11-03T12:34:00.003-05:002010-11-03T12:37:37.679-05:00In motion, for real.I've been travelling lately, some family obligation had us spend 2 weeks away from home which was rather refreshing as well as an opportunity for taking pics. Here's one of my favorites, taken on the way back from brunch with my parents:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TNCpXdnt7DI/AAAAAAAABmw/O3X5hcsRdOc/s912/DSC_0393.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 318px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TNCpXdnt7DI/AAAAAAAABmw/O3X5hcsRdOc/s912/DSC_0393.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Sadly, we had already left the restaurant, else we'd feed him!Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-67153119628041074022010-10-04T16:53:00.002-05:002010-10-04T17:00:03.384-05:00The Tag GameTinsie recently posted a tagged entry and left it up to the rest to get self-tag, so I might as well go for it, since I haven't posted anything for a while.<br /><br />So, here we go:<br /><br /><strong>1. Why did you start blogging?</strong><br />I had started blogging on and off in other media since 2001 but I'd always post one thing and then forget the blog url, my username, and password. This particular blog started because a couple of real-life friend of mine had started blogging too, so, might as well!<br /><br /><strong>2. If you could travel anywhere in the world with no restriction of costs, where would it be and why?</strong> <br />I'd tour Scandinavia. I'm intrigued with a lot of thing about the region - geography, folklore, music, especially of Denmark and Sweden. And then I'd jump over to Finland because people are just weird (the good weird) there.<br /><br /><strong>3. Did you have a teacher in school that had a great influence on your life? If so, what? </strong><br />Not school exactly, but one of my professors at the Conservatory where I studied music from 1980 till 2000. He showed me that performing music is not the act of sitting down in front of a book and play what it says, and I'm ever appreciating for it.<br /><br /><strong>4. If you could spend the day with a famous person, who would it be, and what would you do?</strong><br />Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull. He appears to be an arrogant SOB but one of the greatest musicians that I'm aware of.<br /><br /><strong>5. Toilet paper — over or under?</strong><br />Over, all the way. I even switch it when I visit other people's houses.<br /><br /><strong>6. Name one thing in your life that you would do over if possible.</strong><br />I might have learned the violin instead of piano.<br /><br /><strong>7. Tell about your pets — if any.</strong><br />I never had a pet. I had a goldfish for about a year. His name was Leonidas, Leo for short. We 'd take him to vacations with us, in a shaker for frappe.<br /><br /><strong>8. Do you live in a small town or a large town?</strong><br />I live in a suburb, only a train away from the big city. For the most part, best of both worlds!Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-46136900550344441912010-08-17T13:08:00.003-05:002010-08-17T13:16:11.256-05:00Americana candyI've been wanting to write this post for a while, but kept forgetting dumping the pictures from the smartphone to the computer. I finally got to a general digital clean-up, and without further ado I present you a variety of old school American candy as shot at the front room of the Cracker Barrel restaurant.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM0Fw14NI/AAAAAAAABkE/GM2uy5FWCf8/s720/IMG_0185.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 436px; height: 327px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM0Fw14NI/AAAAAAAABkE/GM2uy5FWCf8/s720/IMG_0185.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM0s2t2yI/AAAAAAAABkI/7CsiUsWqxf4/s576/IMG_0186.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 435px; height: 580px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM0s2t2yI/AAAAAAAABkI/7CsiUsWqxf4/s576/IMG_0186.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrMzvFaNjI/AAAAAAAABkA/prMK03JUdOE/s576/IMG_0184.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 432px; height: 576px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrMzvFaNjI/AAAAAAAABkA/prMK03JUdOE/s576/IMG_0184.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrMy9UUF7I/AAAAAAAABj8/N6c4LmiN-NM/s720/IMG_0183.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 506px; height: 379px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrMy9UUF7I/AAAAAAAABj8/N6c4LmiN-NM/s720/IMG_0183.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Cracker Barrel is a joint that prides itself in serving Southern food - Fried chicken and stake, okra, biscuits, gravy, corn muffins etc, as well as breakfast items. For a long time, no vegetarians could eat there as everything in the menu contained animal fat.<br /><br />On the day that I took this picture we went there for breakfast, so I restrained myself and only bought a triple flavor coconut bar. It was rather tasty.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM4AoHr9I/AAAAAAAABkk/g8rT3Om7GrA/s720/IMG_0194.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 506px; height: 379px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/TGrM4AoHr9I/AAAAAAAABkk/g8rT3Om7GrA/s720/IMG_0194.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-24334154450213299852010-04-08T12:49:00.004-05:002010-04-08T13:19:32.930-05:00Traditional Easter LunchSince I moved to the States some 6 years ago almost (wow, time flies!), I never had the chance to have a traditional Easter meal. Easter is pretty huge in Greece, quite more important than Christmas, as the nice spring weather makes for people to leave the city, visit their villages or summer homes and indulge in gratuitous eating and drinking while becoming one with Nature by the sacrificial offer of a lamb or goat on a spit.<br /><br />Now, living in a two - bedroom apartment with a<a href="http://minstrelrin.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-snow-and-more-cooking.html"> tiny balcony mostly cluttered with the satellite dish and a small electric grill,</a> there's no way I'd fit either a spit or a lamb, let alone both. However, we have upgraded from living in a city with a minimal Greek population (Pittsburgh) to an area with a substantial Greek population (Chicagoland) which offered the opportunity to get some traditional fare at a restaurant instead.<br /><br />I had been to Greektown in downtown Chicago a couple of times and there are a lot of restaurants there, next to each other as a matter of fact. However, one of them had an additional location closer to where we live, so we preferred it. We went to <a href="http://www.greekislands.net/index.html">Greek Islands</a> in Lombard. They offered a full Easter special menu.<br /><br />They started with the traditional bread basket and the obligatory red dyed eggs that looked like they were dyed that morning (tsk tsk tsk, everyone knows they ought to have done so on Good Thursday, but something tells me they ran out of those and had to repeat the procedure:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-nbr6HfI/AAAAAAAABYo/QrCGFdXOHaE/s720/IMG_0261.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-nbr6HfI/AAAAAAAABYo/QrCGFdXOHaE/s720/IMG_0261.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then there was Mageiritsa soup (lamb entrails and lettuce with herbs and egg-lemon sauce) which was very nicely done. They also brought a salad that I can't call Greek with good conscience as it lacked cucumber and was loaded with roughly chopped lettuce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-n4kSZXI/AAAAAAAABYs/ujdt1z9boHc/s720/IMG_0262.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-n4kSZXI/AAAAAAAABYs/ujdt1z9boHc/s720/IMG_0262.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-osnPRxI/AAAAAAAABYw/s3_qFoYqqOY/s720/IMG_0263.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-osnPRxI/AAAAAAAABYw/s3_qFoYqqOY/s720/IMG_0263.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Then came the lamb. I ordered the oven roasted lamb with potatoes which was very nice and tender.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-pvqinxI/AAAAAAAABY4/zDLV505mGZ4/s720/IMG_0265.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-pvqinxI/AAAAAAAABY4/zDLV505mGZ4/s720/IMG_0265.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hubby got a lamb kabob with a side of rice which was also very good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-pJsYXAI/AAAAAAAABY0/X7V8fonElQI/s720/IMG_0264.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-pJsYXAI/AAAAAAAABY0/X7V8fonElQI/s720/IMG_0264.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And as if that wasn't enough, we ordered dessert (half of which was boxed and taken home). I got galactoboureko, which is a baked citrus flavored custard topped with soaked phyllo, and hubby got a slice of chocolate mousse cake. I also had a cup of Greek coffee that I hadn't had for quite a while!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-qvEaaOI/AAAAAAAABZA/_BEgeQQc30M/s720/IMG_0267.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-qvEaaOI/AAAAAAAABZA/_BEgeQQc30M/s720/IMG_0267.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-q_DNg9I/AAAAAAAABZE/DtWWZ3wsqbc/s720/IMG_0268.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S7t-q_DNg9I/AAAAAAAABZE/DtWWZ3wsqbc/s720/IMG_0268.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-70400533041411618582010-03-18T18:11:00.005-05:002010-03-18T19:46:41.545-05:00Adventures in chaos.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S6LJPlRRh8I/AAAAAAAABWE/b1nSVIY7woI/s912/DSC_0002.JPG"><br /></a><br />Or, how to not want to see your kitchen (and your dining table) for the rest of the day.<br /><br />Make ravioli from scratch. Because hubby brought semolina flour home and asked for them nicely. While I had never made fresh pasta before.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S6LJPlRRh8I/AAAAAAAABWE/b1nSVIY7woI/s912/DSC_0002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S6LJPlRRh8I/AAAAAAAABWE/b1nSVIY7woI/s912/DSC_0002.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I made the pasta dough following the flour packet instructions. That was pretty foolproof. In the 20 minutes that I was instructed to "let it rest" I proceeded to make stuffing. Hubby wanted pork, I wanted mushrooms, he said "ok, I'll have mushrooms as long as I don't get their texture".<br /><br />Fine, I said, I'll have to dig up the food processor that barely makes 2 cups of stuff.<br /><br />I started with the pork. Whoa, it did grind. I had ground pork. Wheee!! Then, I did the mushrooms. They didn't pulverize very much, but I thought that once I'd cook them and get their liquid out they'll shrink, and if they won't shrink enough, I'll pass them through the processor again. Big deal.<br /><br />So I'm cooking the mushrooms with a bit of canola oil and the pork in its own fat with a bit of garlic and thyme. It was a lovely exercise for my biceps and triceps cause for some reason although the meat was thoroughly ground, it wouldn't separate much into the pan. Frustration, cursing, and employment of two spatulas to beat the pork to submission. Finally, it cooked, but in big chunks.<br /><br />Then I had the epiphany of passing both the pork and the mushrooms through the processor together. I had to do that in small batches since the thing was so damn small. My counter was covered with crumb like stuff from both ingredients but I ended up with about 2 cups of stuffing, out of 1 pound of baby portobellos and 2 pork chops. Phew!<br /><br />About 25 mins have passed, and I'm totally angsting that the dough will now resemble brick. I open the ziplock and lo and behold, the dough looks good. I thank an assortment of random deities, then proceed to roll the dough.<br /><br />I don't have a rolling pin. However, I have lots of bottles of wine. The best for the job is the thin and slim bottle of that Chocolate Amore, remember it? I flour it mercilessly, flour a rather large IKEA plastic tray and start rolling on my dining table because the counter space in my kitchen is covered with all kinds of bowls, spatulas and mushrooms stains.<br /><br />The dough is too much and I can't roll w'out hitting the bottle against the tray. Bang, bang, curse, curse. I divide my dough and employ a smiple cutting board instead. I roll the first batch of dough about 2 mm thick. It's too thick but I have a cunning plan.<br /><br />I take my pizza roller and cut my dough in diamonds. Each diamond gets further rolling till almost transparent, then gets half a tablespoon of stuffing and is folded closed. I let a lot of pasta around the filling cause I like it that way and I am hoping it's not too chewy.<br /><br />The dough I made with 1.5 cup of flour, 2 eggs and some oil and water was enough for about 35 raviolis. By the end of stuffing them all my back was killing me, my triceps were screaming for mercy and I had sniffed more flour than I care to admit. Most ravioli are a bit lopsided but I'm glad I didn't end up with runny dough, or brick dough, or stuffing that wasn't paste-y enough, and so on.<br /><br />I had some stuffing left, which I added to a small can of seasoned tomato sauce in a pan over medium heat with a sprinkle of sugar.<br /><br />I boiled the little buggers in batches of 2 or 3 for a couple of minutes each batch. They were pretty tasty. It was like eating mushroom with ground beef texture - interesting to say the least. I might invest in a KitchenAid ravioli attachment in the future cause once you go fresh pasta you never go back, unless it's a matter of speed cooking!Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-89377112820125362392010-03-17T15:48:00.002-05:002010-03-17T16:03:29.778-05:00I've been listening to the Olympiacos gameand I'm not amused while our chance to carry on the UEFA Champion's League is slimming away.<br /><br />So I might as well blog some dishes I came with this last couple days, while I'm trying hard to sip my granitta-consistency smoothie: 1/2 fat free vanilla yogurt, 1/3 cup (I think) orange juice and 7-8 whole frozen strawberries (thus I need no ice to water it down). If I was in Greece, it'd be alcoholic, but I can't convince myself to drink alone at home at 4 in the afternoon, even to drown my footy sorrows..<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shrimp salad with mango and avocado. </span><br /><br />2 cups shrimp, peeled, deveined and boiled, cooled to room temperature<br />2 medium sized avocados<br />1 average sized mango<br />2 Tbs pine nuts<br />Dressing (see below)<br /><br />Peel and dice the mango and avocados, and toss together with the shrimp and pine nuts, which you can cube if it's not small enough<br /><br />Prepare the dressing by combining the following ingredients:<br /><br />3 Tbs olive oil<br />2 tbs balsamic vinegar<br />3 Tbs orange juice<br />1 Tbs lemon or lime juice<br />1 clove of garlic, pressed or minced<br />1 dash chives<br />1 dash cilantro<br />salt to taste<br /><br />Add the dressing and toss around. Serves two.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cornbread and veggie-pattie stack</span>, one serving<br /><br />You'll need 2 slices of the cornbread recipe I posted the other day, one commercial veggie patty or veggie burger, sour cream and some shredded cheese, preferably mexican mix.<br /><br />Prepare the veggie patty according to the package instructions, and cut it in two halves.<br />Spread sour cream on the cornbread slices, then layer from bottom to top:<br /><br />Cornbread, patty, cheese, cornbread, patty, cheese. Admire this tower of awesome while trying to figure out whether you ought to eat it with utensils or with your fingers.Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2666080863461359048.post-65841305670938579622010-03-10T11:56:00.003-05:002010-03-10T12:18:43.286-05:00Today's almost baking catastrophy.Behold. Whole wheat with white cornmeal cornbread.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S5fNeEE_NnI/AAAAAAAABU0/I4b1oAXLmAA/s800/DSC_0190.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 266px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_hfm6pph6qhc/S5fNeEE_NnI/AAAAAAAABU0/I4b1oAXLmAA/s800/DSC_0190.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Last Saturday I was out of the house for the majority of the day. I asked hubby "What will you do to entertain yourself?", to which he replied that he'd buy ingredients to experiment with one of his favourite dishes, Chicken Fried Steak.<br /><br />For the non-Americans among you, the terms Chicken Fried Steak and Country Fried Steak are used for the same dish, based on what gravy is served with them. Bizarre, I know. The actual meat is supposed to be slightly pound with a mallet (do it too much and you'll end up with schnitzel), then breaded with flour and spices and deep fried. Like fried chicken, only beef.<br /><br />I'm not a particular fan of this dish as it ends up being too oily for me, but hubby decided to pan fry it instead of deep fry it, and he used cornmeal and low fat buttermilk (I know, it sounds like an absolute oxymoron) for the breading, which allows for a crisp outside-tender inside steak.<br /><br />So, upon my return from my Saturday excursion, I came home to a bunch of steaks, and a lot of leftover buttermilk and white cornmeal. Cornmeal will keep fine in the pantry, but I'd hate to let the buttermilk spoil, so I decided to make cornbread.<br /><br />I read the recipe on the back of the cornmeal box, and with a couple of substitutions I actually did have the ingredients to pull it off. Which I did, or I almost did and I figured it out just before it was too late - I had forgotten to add the canola oil in the recipe. Oops!<br /><br />Thankfully the moment I put the thing in the oven I realized my mistake, so I pulled it out, and folded the oil in the batter right in the baking pan. It came out delicious and I had it with the leftover gravy for breakfast today. Yum!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If you're interested in the recipe, here it is: </span><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">3/4 cup white cornmeal (Aunt Jemima or Quaker brand - I'm sure that yellow will work just fine)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (it called for all purpose but I felt adventurous and fiber craving - substitution no1)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1/4 cup Splenda (it called for sugar but I had none - substitution no2)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">2 tsp baking powder</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1 tsp salt (it called for only half, and optionally so, but w' out real sugar I needed to bring some more flavor out)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1/2 cup skim milk</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1/2 cup low fat buttermilk (it called for 1 cup of the skim milk instead of what I did, substitution no3)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1/4 cup canola oil (which I almost forgot)</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">1/4 cup egg beaters (it calls for either 2 egg whites or one beaten egg, which I had not handy)</span></li></ul><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Preheat oven at 400oF, combine dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients, don't forget the oil just cause you used two types of milk thusly thinking you combined all 3 wet ingredients the recipe called for, add wet mix into dry mix and combine thoroughly into batter, spray a loaf pan with baking spray, pour batter in and bake for 20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. </span>Margaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15246072228584026535noreply@blogger.com2