Photo Friday: Disaster

I consider myself a pretty good cook. Some even say excellent. But occasionally, there are things that should rather be left off my accolades. So when I saw the theme for this weeks photo, I couldn't decide between these two photos.

This first one, well, I wanted to make a pomegranate cocktail. So I needed to make a pomegranate syrup. So I boiled it to reduce it. Except, I went a little too long and wound up with what I can best describe as a slow moving blob.
It had the consistency of taffy, and a gorgeous ruby color, even if it never met it's end in a champagne glass.

The second one tasted delicious, but a word to the wise. When making little polenta shells, make sure they are either a bit crispier or don't over oven them, otherwise they fall apart.

Food Tour of NJ

This weekend, J and I celebrated our first year of wedded bliss in our favorite places. Lunch at Tumulty's Pub dinner at Stage Left, breakfast in bed and then a trip down for ice cream at the Bent Spoon. If I didn't think I would explode, we would have figured out hto get Makeda into it, but I don't think I could eat that much in one weekend. And of course, to top it all off, we did a drive through at Griggstown for a few pot pies and chickens.

Cause Nothing says I love you like ice cream and pot pie!

Photo Friday: Passage of Time

IMG_2212.JPG, originally uploaded by gfiorillo.

I really wanted to take a photo doing some time lapse photography, but in my neighborhood, I'm not leaving my camera unattended overnight.

So i chose this recent photo of some great old farm equipment. The field was full of ice, it was nice and early in the morning and all was quiet.

Taken with Canon Powershot G5, 1/100, f3.2

2007 In A Nutshell

1) Where did you begin 2007? Asleep, on my couch.

2) What was your status by Valentine's Day? Newlywed, at the same job, with the same 2 cats, and 1 niece.

3) Were you in school? Nope, except for the school of life

4) How did you earn your money? Promoting a change from an industrialized food system to one that celebrates the pleasure of the table.

5) Did you have to go court? No, but I did have to finish our audit (which is funnier if you know how much I suck at math)

6) Did you have any encounters with the police? Only the nice cops who took my report when my car was broken into

7) Where did you go on holidays? Well, there was the honeymoon in Costa Rica, some summer camping trips, a visit to the in-laws up north and some time at the Jersey Shore.

8) What did you purchase that was over $1,000? Does the honeymoon count? Or our wedding album.

9) Did you know anybody who got married? ME! And a few others.

10) Did you know anybody who went famous? It depends on how famous - more in the food biz than in the entertainment world.

11) Did you like someone? tons of people - although no real crushes lately, other than my obsession with EC!

12) Did you move anywhere? Nada

14) What concerts/shows did you go to? Inherit the Wind, and maybe some other things that I can't remember.

15) Are you registered to vote? Yes, although I'm still registered in my former state of residence cause I can't admit that I'm not a Jersey Girl any more.

16) Who did you want to win Big Brother? No Idea...out of the loop

17) Where do you live now? Outside of Jersey on the Island of Staten

18) Describe your birthday? Worked, but got a 10K donation in the mail that day so all was good. Then got home, drank a bottle of wine with the hubby and ordered fettucine Alfredo while watching bad sci-fi. Perfect. Oh, and then had my annual Christmas party with all the cool people I know!

19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2007? Rappelling down a waterfall

20) What has been your favorite moment? Single moment, don't really know but to be cheesy, some moments on the 13th of January were pretty special.

21) Where did you go on vacation? Didn't I answer that with the holidays question?

22) Any new additions to your family? A newphew, Wammy.

23) What is your favorite month? December

24) How much have you partied? Not as much as I want, worked way too much but made up for a lot of it at my Christmas Party.

26) Made new friends? I think so....

27) What did you do for 4th of July? Visited the hubby while he was doing summer stock and sat in the rain.

28) Favorite Night out? MMMMMM.....Makeda.

29) Name the instance in which you had most to drink. Did I mention my christmas Party - that's what I get for partying in my own home.
Keep New: Posted on: Fri, Jan 4 2008 4:06 AM Updated: Fri, Jan 4 2008 4:08 AM Email This Clip/Blog This

Music for the Fashionista

I really like music. And to me, there's no better way of expressing feelings is through a tune and recently, through a friend I began getting hooked on making CD's. To me, coming up with the theme, and then picking all the songs - not just because I like them but because they flow, and there's a message, and together the whole CD is a journey.

So this Christmas I decided that the Fashionista needed to begin her introduction to music from CAG (Crazy Aunt G). So I spent some time coming up with a mix that introduces her to some of my favorite artists, as well as will get her up and dancing and having fun. And not dancing to Britney Spears.

Here Comes The Sun, The Beatles
When You're Smiling, Louis Prima
Optimistic Thoughts, Blues Traveler
Shake It Up And Go, B.B. King
Honey In Your Hips, The Yardbirds
Corn on the Cob, Chris Bayne
I Sing The Body Electric, Me First & The Gimme Gimmies
Happy, The Rolling Stones
Uptight (Everything's Alright), Stevie Wonder
Precious Time, Van Morrison
Heavy Cloud No Rain, Sting
I've Got A Rock N' Roll Heart, Eric Clapton
Spanish Harlem, Aretha Franklin
Minnie The Moocher, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Crazy in Love, Kane
Woman In Love, Bon Jovi
Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead
Baby I Love You, B.B. King
Midnight Train To Georgia, Indigo Girls
Banana Pancakes, Jack Johnson
Her Majesty, The Beatles