party rock is in the house tonight...

 As I've mentioned before, my nephew Mason, loves to cut a rug. He's got some pretty stellar moves for a 4 year-old. At least I think so. But I'm a little biased, admittedly.

Even when the party's winding down, this kid is still running on a full tank. Have a look for yourself:

Did you catch that fall? I thought he recovered from it quite nicely.

adventures in weekending: housewarming party, part deux

Usually, I find parties tricky to capture on camera. There's something about the constant craziness and just wanting to be in the moment (as opposed to capturing it) that makes it difficult for me to behind the lens all the time. But this time was different. This time, I was able to balance my photog tendencies with my wanting to be with my guests. I could also attribute this to me and Bob sharing the picture-taking responsibilities. Whatever it was, it worked out well. And some wonderful moments came of it.

We had our second housewarming party and it turned out rather well. I'll show you...

High-fives all around.

 Showcasing my super cute wine glasses.

And more wine glasses (they know us too well).

Chipotle salmon filets were a popular appetizer.

My nephew, Mason, tearing up the dance floor. Always the life of the party, that boy.

Dancing is serious business...

Or not so much.

friday!

{This was taken by the bf near Union Square on some scaffolding some years ago}

Oh by the way, I thought you might enjoy these few links:

• Amazing tips on how to reduce waste and save yourself some grocery money. And if you have more time, peruse the kitchen tips - good stuff here.

• Is your blog in need of a facelift? Enter here for a blog makeover. You could win!

• The floral pants debate...yay or nay? 

• I really want to try homemade stain remover. It seems so easy, yet effective.

• Organize your life using tools online (I'm going to give the Ta-Da List and the Evernote app a try).

Have a great weekend! I'm hoping it doesn't go by too quickly.

in need of a haircut

I need a haircut. It's passed the point of intolerable. The ends are split, my bangs have grown out and my hair is generally shapeless.

But I loathe going to the salon. I really do. Having to just sit there, while the stylist is snip snip snipping my hair and forcing me into small talk ("Where do you work?", "Do you like it?", "How long have you been working there?"). I've never been the type of person that goes into a salon, says hello to everybody and chats up the stylist with guy troubles and beauty tips. No, I'm more of a get-in-get-out kinda' girl. I just want to tell you what I want, get my hair cut in non-awkward silence, pay and leave. Frankly, I find small talk to be draining. I tend to leave the salon feeling awfully tired when I give in to it. And not only that, but getting my hair cut reminds me of being at the dentist ("Put your head this way", "Tilt that way"). It's kind of a drag.

Depending on who I've told this to, I've gotten a range of reactions from "Really? You're so weird" to "I know exactly what you mean!" to "Sometimes, you just need to relax and stop being so neurotic".

the things that make it feel like home

Little by little, things in the new home are coming together. We haven't purchased many decorative accents or artwork yet, but we have the bare necessities along with a few touches that are making it feel homier and more personal.

Come take a look...

My beloved pumpkin-colored panels that I raved about here.

Bob's d.i.y. project, a lamp made from an old gin bottle.

Lovely little reminders on the fridge.

Bright towels to cheer up the bathroom.

Graphic mugs that express our personal tastes first thing in the a.m.

 Magnetic poetry.

Tell me, what little things make your home feel like home?

adventures in weekending: the after-party

This was the only semi-decent picture I managed to snap at our housewarming party. Turns out picture-taking isn't very conducive to hosting duties. But we did manage to snap a few after-party pics.

(By the way, the last photo is totally staged. I guess you could say it was more of a representation of how I felt. You get the idea)


It may not look like much of an after-party, but we were just getting started here. After the initial exhaustion (you know, laying on the floor and whatnot), I decided to host another party. I deemed it  "the cleaning party". Which consisted of wiping brownie crumbs off the floor, finding random beer bottles on the bookshelf and washing dishes all while listening to '90s Green Day and practicing some cheerleader moves (that I totally swiped from Bring It On). Not too bad for something that was actually chores disguised as a party.

Next weekend, we get to do it all over again. Yes, that's right. We're having another housewarming.

How was your weekend? Any good?

vegetables for dinner + weekend plans

Fresh veggies have been making their way into every dinner, lately. Spinach, green beans, broccoli, kale...it's been a winter of crunchy greens.

Some favorites include:

-oven-roasted broccoli (with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese tossed in for texture and good measure)
-baby spinach chips (just like kale chips only milder)

In this household, olive oil and vegetables go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Next on the agenda: cauliflower popcorn. However, I'd be open to other cauliflower recipes, if you have any for me.

Otherwise, I hope you have a great weekend!  Bob and I will be hosting our first party (a housewarming!) in the new apartment. I'm notoriously terrible at planning parties, but I hope to turn over a new leaf by the time Saturday comes. Wish me luck!

the most important trait in a significant other

This topic, which was inspired by Real Simple, got me thinking how far we’ve come along in identifying some of the most important and loved traits in a partner. The personality and characteristics of someone I found attractive when I was fourteen years-old and is completely different from what I prefer now. And that, of course, is how it goes, doesn’t it?

The things I found most important in my significant other

…by the beginning of high school: He was the complete opposite of me - outgoing, outspoken and the most popular, charismatic guy in school. Good dancer.  And nice. That was pretty much it.

...by the middle of high school: My standards hadn't changed much. Well-liked, talented, mysterious. Not a compulsive liar, which was a major plus in my book.

…by the end of high school: He was edgy. Piercings, heavy metal, chains, UFO pants (remember those?!). Funny - in a kind of insulting way. Led a fascinating lifestyle. Had drive. And again, nice (most of the time, anyway).

…by the third year of college to present day: He makes me laugh, has the ability to laugh at himself, honest, gentle, artistic, takes an interest in my endeavors, comfortable in his own skin, giving of his time and keeps calm in a crisis (to counter my proneness to panic). And he happens to be very nice, too.

 A glimpse into the past is quite the learning experience. I’m thankful to have gone through my phases (however shallow they might have been) before I realized what really matters. I guess it goes hand-in-hand with that saying…kiss a few frogs and something or other? I forgot the rest but I think you get the idea.

I’m curious…what are some of the traits that you most cherish? I’m guessing you’ve done some growing as well. Do tell.

-jillian m.

baked pumpkin pudding

Yes, I know pumpkin is soooo last fall. But when you have a can of pumpkin puree just staring you in the face every time you open your cabinet, you'd be craving a good ol' pumpkin recipe too. So there.

Now that I've gotten that excuse out of the way, let's see what this baked pumpkin pudding is all about:

Baked Pumpkin Pudding (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
Serves 4


Nonstick cooking spray
1cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon butter, softened
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Lightly coat four 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray. 
Place ramekins in a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. 
In a medium bowl stir together pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, egg whites and pumpkin pie spice. 
Divide pumpkin mixture among ramekins.
Place baking dish on oven rack. 
Pour boiling water into the baking dish around ramekins to a depth of 1 inch. 
Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 mins or until a knife inserted near the center of each pudding comes out clean. 
Carefully remove ramekins from water. 
Cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving.
Garnish with extra brown sugar or cinnamon.

Good stuff, good stuff. Then again, I'm a big fan of pumpkiny desserts. Especially in the lovely form that is creaminess. Lately, I've been bookmarking pudding recipes like mad (Chocolate! Caramel! Vanilla! Butterscotch!). So naturally, pumpkin pudding was an immediate response to my pumpkin surplus.

Although, I will make this note: the consistency leaned more towards pie than pudding. I'm not complaining though. But it should probably be called pumpkin pie in a cup (sans crust).

Oh...and you know what makes pumpkin pudding even better? Nutella (a last-minute addition).

But then again, Nutella makes everything better, right?

-jillian m.

orange with rosemary honey and greek yogurt

 Every once in a while, I crave a subtle twist on the foods I eat daily. Fruit is amazing on its own (especially when ripe and in season), but there are times when I like to get a little fancy with it.

Orange with Rosemary Honey and Greek Yogurt (adapted from Self)
serves 1

1 orange or 2 clementines, peeled and sliced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary or 1 pinch of dried rosemary, crushed
1-2 tbs honey
2 tbs of vanilla or plain Greek yogurt


Heat 1-2 tablespoons of honey with rosemary until bubbling. 
If fresh rosemary was used, discard of the rosemary.
Serve orange with dollops of yogurt and rosemary honey drizzled over.

That's it. Nothing crazy, nothing complicated. Just few simple ingredients that bring out the fruit's natural flavor.

 There's nothing like the glistening luster of an orange to brighten up a dish. It's just one the many reasons I love fruit. You can always count on oranges, strawberries, pineapples, kiwis or pomegranates to be the prettiest and brightest stars in a dish.

-jillian m.

adventures in weekending: forgetting myself in astoria park

It was one of those weekends that called for a light jacket, unbuttoned. My scarf and wool hat were both completely unnecessary and so, stuffed in my bag they went, as we roamed our neighborhood. And for a few hours, time did not exist. Although they were on the agenda, groceries, laundry and paying bills were not on my mind (not just yet).

I find that parks have that tendency. I can just wander for hours (especially when I have someone's hand to hold) and not even know I was there for more than ten minutes.

As usual, we stopped at small bistro for a brunch special that included truffled eggs salmon on top of a buttery croissant, fresh greens and one yummy Tokyo sunrise.

A leisurely afternoon like this recharged me for an evening of unglamorous errands. Lugging heavy laundry up a long hill  inspired some weird grunts of exertion from me (and side glances from other people). Note to self: need to get cart for carrying heavy bags of clothes and groceries.

-jillian m.