One of Those Days
Posted on May 15, 2008 - Filed Under Positive Attitude, picture post
Ever have one of “those” days? You know the ones I mean. The ones where you feel like you are getting the run around?
Balancing too many things?
Feel like you are jumping through hoops?
Still have so many household chores to do?
and phone calls to make?
and even though not everything goes right…
…it still somehow ends up being an awesome day? 
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Popularity: 11% [?]
Sometimes I Lose Things
Posted on May 13, 2008 - Filed Under I'm Not Perfect
Yeah, I do. I don’t know how it happens. Sometimes I don’t even leave the general vicinity and suddenly things have gone missing. I don’t know if it’s aging, absent-mindedness, or chemo-induced fog brain, and as much as I’d like to be able to blame it on that last one, I really don’t think that is it. So it must be the absent-mindedness. 
I like to chop extra fresh veggies when I’m doing the work and have the cutting board out anyway, then store them in a container in the fridge to use later in the week without having to do the work again. Well, one time I chopped up a good amount of green onions and for the life of me, I couldn’t find the dang things later in the week when I wanted them. We have a big refrigerator so I figured the container was probably hidden way in back, but they weren’t there!
Of course I told TGH about this after a few days when I was totally exasperated and feeling distraught that I was losing my mind. He searched for them with me…and found them…in.the.cabinet. The one above and to the right of the stove, on the opposite wall of the refrigerator. Why I would have put them up there is beyond me. I have trouble focusing sometimes and all I can think is that I must have been on the phone (can’t do two things at once). I hated having to throw them out.
Shortly after this incident, a friend was driving me home from my niece’s house. My niece had given me a ziplock gallon bag filled with a friendship bread starter batter. I had put that, plus a few things I had picked up at the store into the back seat of my friend’s car. When we got to my house, I grabbed my things but my friend noticed I didn’t have the friendship bread batter. I looked back in the back seat and it was no where in sight. My friend helped me look because the last thing she wanted was to find this bag of fermented starter in her car after a hot day. It seemed to have inexplicably disappeared. We removed everything from the back seats and still it was missing. Finally, after about 15 minutes of searching, my friend looked at a different angle and her eye caught something. The bag of friendship bread starter had fallen between the seats and slid over so it wasn’t really visible on the floor or on the seat unless you looked at the perfect angle. I couldn’t believe it. But fortunately, the bread was saved and went on to make several more breads and bags of starter.
The worst part about this whole friendship bread starter batter is that after I had given some to my mom, and she had made the bread, she claims she gave me back some of the starter in a new bag. I honestly don’t remember bringing it home and neither does TGH, but she can only account for three out of four bags at her house. So that means that one of us is going to be in a for a rude awakening when that bag turns up.
Most recently, I was in my room, gathering clothes to take into the bathroom with me so I could dress immediately after my shower. I also tidied the room up a bit as I went, throwing things into the hamper and clearing off my dresser. Then I threw my clothes onto the bathroom floor and realized I did not have a bra. Now I knew I had pulled one out of the dresser and that I had held it in my hands so where on earth could it have gone? I ventured nowhere else in the house except from my room to the bathroom. I almost tore the made bed apart to make sure it hadn’t gotten under the bedcovers even though I knew it couldn’t have gotten under there because the bed had been made before I started gathering my clothes together. It hadn’t been dropped along the way; there was nothing on the floor. It wasn’t on my dresser and I hadn’t put it back in a drawer. It wasn’t in the closet. I began asking myself over and over, “Where the flying frick can it be?” Then I began to question my own sanity and was almost in tears and asking again for TGH’s help (I hate when I get like that and feel so stupid and helpless, but it happens sometimes).
At first, he was almost as flabbergasted as I was. He knew I hadn’t come out beyond the bedroom and bathroom so it HAD to be here somewhere. He had actually given up when I accidentally found it. It had fallen behind the hamper when I tossed something else in there. It must have fallen out of my hand when I lifted the cover of the hamper off and I didn’t even notice it fall out of my hand because I still had the other clothes in it. Sheesh. I really can be a basket case sometimes.
But TGH’s standard first response now when I lose something and ask him where it could be is “I dunno. It’s probably with the green onions.” Hrrrmph! Men.
Popularity: 32% [?]
Teeni’s Tips - Evolving Collage Solution
Posted on May 12, 2008 - Filed Under DIY or D-I-Y, Real Art, Teeni's Tips
I had a little problem trying to figure out how I would display all my lovely artwork from my bloggy buddies. I figured I didn’t want to buy matching frames for each one in all different sizes. Then I’d be relying on the fact that they would continue making the frames and that I could continue to get them in the future to add to my collection. I also didn’t want a whole bunch of different style frames either - it would just be too many holes in the wall and then it might make things look weird because as I added to it over time thing might look off-centered or something. But I had a little brainstorm and came up with a solution. This:
Now I know you are wondering what IS that thing? Well, here’s a few more of them, and even Toast likes them:
Okay, no more fooling. They are really metal wall sculptures that I got on clearance at a fancy-shmancy store for $8 each. I got four of them. They are each almost 3 feet long by 1-1/2 feet high (depending on which way you hold them). Don’t you think they’d look pretty neat if they were arranged together on a wall (not on a bed)? Imagine Toast out of the way.
That’s better.
Okay, so now how are these gonna help me, especially when they are taking up all the wall space? Well, that’s the beauty of it - the more wall space these sculptures take up, the more room I have for goodies from my blog buddies. “How’s that?” you ask? Well, see the first little secret here is those cheap clear acrylic magnetic frames you can get in almost any dollar store and they come in loads of sizes.
Now I can put my blog buddies’ beautiful artwork in those frames and magnetize them to the sculpture on the wall and re-arrange or add more as I see fit. So for under $50 I was able to hang all my pretties. But don’t let that stop you from sending me any - there’s room for plenty more! Oh, and another little secret is to get TGH to hang the four sculptures on the wall for you.
Although the light is pretty horrible in this room, my photography skills are kind of non-existent, and I haven’t necessarily got everything matted the way I want, you can still see how neat this turned out, can’t you? Another home decor problem solved! YAY!
Teeni Tiny Tip: If you want to do something similar at your house, remember to take a little magnet with you when you go shopping for the metal sculpture just to be sure it is going to work!
Teeni Tiny Tip Two: If you liked this tip, feel free to use those little social bookmarks to share this post with others. I love being Stumbled.
Popularity: 40% [?]
Funky Search Terms
Posted on May 10, 2008 - Filed Under Search Terms
I’m still not getting search terms on the new site but here are some nice ones and some funny ones from the old site. Enjoy - I did!
Nice Search Terms
a cartoon cup of tea
happy birth
the morning’s warmth poem
Funny Search Terms
itchy butt and wheat products?? - Time to see an allergist??
poems (i dont have a attitude problem) - What we do know is that you have a problem with English grammar.
how big does juicy fruit gum bubbles get - I think you need to find that Tootsie Roll Pop Owl and ask him.
ima colorful - Ura colorful what?
magical wedding dress fairy - I think this is the type of fairy godmother that Cinderella had - a fairy that can just magically make a dress.
i scream maker - I scream eater!
plants with baby in the name - It’s actually easier to find babies with plants in their names, like Rose, Iris, Ivy, etc.
here is me naked - Um, yeah. You’re definitely showing more than you really want to - like your horrible grammar!
hillbilly bears surfing - Now that’s a funny picture!
happy birthday 42 - Wow! You’re a little early, but thanks!
don’t be jealous, meez - I really hate it when my Meez is jealous of me. Sheesh. She thinks my life is so easy.
chopping up potato games - That sounds about as exciting as the game of laundry!
well paddled hubby - AHAHAHAHA! Tee-hee. I’m speechless. **hopes TGH is not reading this one**
Popularity: 89% [?]
One Thing I Must Say to the World Meme
Posted on May 9, 2008 - Filed Under Meme
I was tagged by Chip over at Chip’s Quips for a meme. This one is an interesting one because you have to come up with something that you would want to tell the whole world. It could be an announcement or some sage advice but needs to be 150 characters or less. I got a real chuckle out of Chip’s result - you can see it here.
Mark Dykeman is the blogger who created the meme and he is not only the creator, but he’s also a client, I mean participant. You can see his wise words here. If you like reading them, then check out Kimberly Bock’s site since she has collected them for display here. I thought they were a good read and some are quite witty.
I was late in doing this so I am not going to tag anyone. However, I know some of you like to “steal” tags so by all means have fun with it. But please do the link backs, at least to the creator of the meme, if you should take it on. Thank you.
And finally, here is my One Thing I Must Say to the World:
Humans are capable of many things these days. So, instead of asking, “Can we do it?” rather, we should be asking, “Should we do it?”
On a side note - a big thank you to Chip for answering some technical questions (unrelated to this meme) for me via email. You are a good bloggy friend and I appreciate it.
Popularity: 61% [?]
You’re Not Going to Believe This!
Posted on May 8, 2008 - Filed Under Contest
I won another contest! I had almost forgotten that I entered this one but it was an Earth Day contest held at Buffalo GameBuffs’ Blog The prize that I’ve won is this T-Shirt Game. I love board games so I can’t wait to try this one! Anyone know of any other contests I can enter?
And just looky here at the prize I won from Witchypoo! I picked it up at the post office the other day and couldn’t wait to get it home and get a good look at it!
This is my prize from a contest that Witchypoo held, given to a random commenter. She used a random number generator to pick the winner. That generator thing actually looks pretty neat and I may have to try that in the future. Anyway, let it never be said that Witchypoo doesn’t reward her commenters, because this is one blogger who seriously DOES reward them!
Thanks so much for everything, Witchypoo! I will treasure this beautiful artwork and can’t wait to add it to my bloggy collage (pictures to come on that as soon as I get it to where I like it).
Hope you all have a winning day too!
Popularity: 64% [?]
Grezzo Was Great!
Posted on May 6, 2008 - Filed Under Food, Non-Genetically Modified, Organic, Products/Foods, Raw, Reviews, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
As I mentioned in a previous post, TGH took me to Grezzo Restaurant on our anniversary. I was so happy that he was willing to try an entire meal of raw, organic, vegan cuisine for my sake. Although I don’t fall in to any strict food category, I do enjoy many raw foods and love learning and experiencing as much as I can, so to have the man who fears mushrooms and broccoli go along with me meant a LOT. Please note that I’m more of a writer than a photographer, so I will tell you about our experience, but please excuse the unprofessional photographs.
A Little Background
The Grezzo Restaurant is owned and was created by Alissa Cohen, famous in the raw and vegan worlds for trailblazing in the ways of raw foods. She has written cookbooks and also has created the forum, Raw Food Talk for people to share ideas and information about raw food diets and health. I would dare to say that Ms. Cohen has become an empire in her own right. But she is no snob as she was one of the several young women who waited on us and spoke with us. I had no idea she was my age as she looks so young. Also, although she appears larger than life in images on her website, in real life she is a tiny thing. So maybe there is something to all this raw food diet business? Hmmm?
In the kitchen of The Grezzo is Leah Dubois, an accomplished, respected chef who is missed at her earlier posts. The presentation of her dishes was almost flawless. I wish my photos could do them justice. Raw food is food that has not been heated above 112 degrees Fahrenheit. It is thought that to do so will damage any living enzymes and healthy bacteria in the food, thus rendering it “dead” and not healthy for your body. But using tools like food dehydrators and blenders, Leah is able to create concoctions that most of us would never think of or think possible.
The exterior of the Grezzo Restaurant is quite pleasing. It’s small, yet clean and unassuming. But you can tell you are in the North End of Boston when you look down and see this embedded in the cement in front of the establishment:
I love little details like this. Ahem, back to the Grezzo Restaurant.
The interior was also small but again, clean and unassuming. It was nicely decorated and the space was used wisely. I didn’t take interior photos but you can see better ones than I could take anyway if you visit the restaurant’s About Page. TGH and I were the first ones there that particular night and we ended up scoring the best seats in the house for a couple dining together - a small table in the window area which did NOT impart the feeling that you were on display to the rest of the world. It was cozy and close but comfortable and attractive.
The waitstaff at Grezzo Restaurant was very attentive and friendly (and attractive as well, LOL). Several modestly and cleanly dressed young women waited on us and each was friendly and informative, answering questions we had about each course, and sharing sentiments about the weather. A dirty glass (dishwasher remnants) was noticed and immediately removed from our table and replaced. The menu was explained to us and questions were encouraged.
The menu contained several items that I wanted to try so TGH and I decided that I would order the Chef’s Tasting, which provided smaller portions but more variety and choices for the price. I would get two soups, two appetizers, a salad, an entree, and a desert for one set price. TGH, being less adventurous than I (and much more frightened), admitted he was out of his element but would also “endure” a full meal, from appetizer to dessert.
We started our meal with drinks and that is where I became worried. Because while I ordered the blackberry and sage spritzer, made with kombucha tea and Grezzo’s own-grown herbs (no alcohol), TGH ordered a **gasp** water. I was afraid he wasn’t going to be adventurous if he was starting off with something as un-adventurous as water, but he later surprised me.
This was our first course, sweet white corn soup. It had bits of jicama, avocado and cayenne. After we got beyond the initial reaction of the soup being only warm and beyond TGH’s joking that he was going to complain that the soup was cold, we were really pleasantly surprised. The combination of flavors and temperature took only a spoonful or two to adapt to and then we decided we liked the sweet flavor of the corn soup and the added zing of the cayenne with the silky texture of the avocado. It was a hit. TGH had a larger serving of the corn soup and I had a smaller serving because I also got the sweet potato and pink grapefruit soup, pictured below.
It was certainly one of the most colorful and pretty soups I’d ever seen. It also contained red chili and Thai basil. TGH tasted it but the citrus rubbed him the wrong way. I believe that is just a personal taste thing for him though as I enjoyed the citrus and sweet potato combination. But I honestly think I was spoiled by the first soup and my childhood love of corn chowder, so the first one was my personal favorite as well.
This was my house salad. TGH and I both ordered this type of salad as the other choice was a seaweed salad, and that was a little out of both of our comfort zones. But this salad was wonderful - it had baby lettuce, cauliflower, parsley, radish and the most amazing croutons. Normally, I’m not a big fan of croutons in salads, but these were really perfect. They possessed a wonderful blend of sweet and savory in themselves, and introduced a nice crunch to the greens. The salad was served with a green goddess dressing that was just right, in my opinion.
This was one of my appetizers. It was called Gnocchi Carbonara The little dumplings were tasty, little bites served with English peas and eggplant and pea shoots. The eggplant was hardly noticeable in this dish but the sauce (RAWmesan, get it?) was quite good. It was then that I became amazed at how filling these raw dishes could be.
TGH ordered these tomato ravioli for an appetizer. He was extremely concerned that they contained truffles (a type of mushroom and TGH HATES mushroom) but he needn’t have worried. With the house-made boursin cheese, parsley and mint, the tastes mingled and swam together so wonderfully that he couldn’t notice any mushroom flavor. TGH let me have some to taste as well, and these were one of my favorites.
This was another of my favorites - Grezzo’s version of sliders, which are the little mini burgers that have become popular in so many establishments. See the sesame seeds on top of the tomato to make it look like a sesame seed bun? They have a little fun with their food at Grezzo and it turns out well because the sliders were a yummy and fun meal, from the house-made patty to the “blue cheese” dressed watercress. They even served it with pommes frites. Interestingly, the pommes frites were the item I enjoyed the least. I thought they would be my favorites since I’ve been known to be a french fry hound. But it was merely a personal taste issue and I just wasn’t into them, although I think they were well done in a raw kind of way. But I loved the sliders enough to let them know I thought that they would be a great entree.
Speaking of entrees, I ordered this lovely star anise crusted papaya steak. It was served with creamy dill vermicelli and marinated cucumber and olive salad. The papaya steak was a total surprise. It had the texture of a sweet potato but didn’t taste as sweet as I expected. This was a relief because I didn’t want a sweet entree (had to save that for dessert). The dill vermicelli (which was really just spaghetti cuts of fresh veggies in a sauce) was a comfortable side dish. It was not overpowering in flavor which is what I feared with the dill, but it also wasn’t anything to write home about. It was okay, but then again cooked real vermicelli doesn’t have a lot of flavor either. The marinated cucumber and olive salad, which came shaped in a neat circle that I neglected to get a good photo of, was more flavorful and had a nice crunch - a bit of salt from the marinade and a bit of sweet from the pine nuts. I enjoyed that combination and though it was more flavorful than the vermicelli, it still wasn’t overpowering so it made a good complement to the papaya steak.
TGH ordered this lovely vegetable lasagne. It contained squash and other winter vegetables, was layered with béchamel, fresh oregano and a house-made pomodoro sauce. It was accompanied by a long “breadstick,” which I imagine was a nut and herb based creation made in a dehydrator. TGH didn’t fancy it (he is afraid of new textures, LOL) but I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it made a nice addition to the lasagne dish.
Of course, we were getting really full from all of this food. I laugh now because I thought we would end up running across the street to the sub shop later but I realized there would be no need for that. Raw food really can fill you up! We HAD to try dessert though so we sucked it up (I know, poor us, right?).
TGH ordered this lovely rich brownie sundae. Now this was made with a house-made “gelato” and although I didn’t really see much in the way of a brownie, it was an awesome dessert. It was delicious and came with what they called a brazil nut crumble, some coconut, and a chocolate truffle sauce (amazingly, this type of truffle does not scare TGH in the least - in fact he loves it) , plus a bit of fruit. It was heavenly.
My dessert was a “cheese”cake with berries and a lavendar agave sauce. It was beautiful and delicious but was really overshadowed by TGH’s sundae. I was drawn to the cheesecake by the berries, but I think that also being a chocolate lover, made me envious of my mate’s dessert. Lucky for me, he is the sharing type of husband.
As you can see by the post title, my overall impression of the Grezzo Restaurant is positive. I was really impressed with how the flavors of the foods were enhanced and harmonized, and how it almost seemed like eating cooked food with all those little sauces and marinades.
As far as the prices of the menu items, I would say it was a bit more expensive than a night of COOKED fine dining in Boston. So, if you already know you love raw foods, this is a great place to come and have all the work done for you. If you want to try raw cuisine, then the Chef’s Tasting at Grezzo is a good way to do it. If you have no interest in raw or healthy foods, then you may not find it to your liking. But even for just a special, fun night out - it was a wonderful experience that I think many would enjoy. Another nice thing is that they post their menu online including prices so you won’t be surprised and can plan ahead. Remember, this is raw cuisine so the menu changes with what is in season. Check the site for the menu before you go! And enjoy!
Popularity: 81% [?]
I’m a Winning Peep
Posted on May 5, 2008 - Filed Under Award
My post reviewing the Grezzo Restaurant is still in the works but I wanted to share this with you because I think it is adorable and I had to work really hard for it!
I recently earned the Peep of the Week award from Witchypoo! This is an award that she gives out to recognize the commenters at her site. Now if you haven’t visited Witchypoo’s site, you really are missing out, and not just on this award but on the wonderful comments at her site. She really does have the best commenters and I had to work really hard for this. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself. Many times I didn’t bother trying because I just couldn’t compete with the likes of Old Knudsen, The Over Thinker, and Zoe. But it is a great place to go and learn how to give good comment, or enjoy watching the masters. LOL.
The Peep of the Week award actually originated with Loralee at Loralee’s Looney Tunes. Loralee created this award and invites all to participate in her Peep of the Week program. If you are thinking of a good way to reward your commenters, this might be something you should try.
I’ve been lusting after one of these for a while and am so excited to have it! And it’s the perfect decoration for my new blog! Thanks, Witchypoo!
Popularity: 68% [?]
Anniversary and A Decision!
Posted on May 4, 2008 - Filed Under Site Info
First of all, a big
to all of you who took the time to respond to my question about responses to comments in the comment area, especially on a weekend. I appreciate all your input!
My decision at this time is to continue to respond to comments in the comment area and keep the open forum discussion area (to that end, I’ve gone back and commented on most of the posts since I moved to my new space). That being said, I don’t expect everyone to come back and view comments all the time as we all have busy lives and don’t have time with the many blogs we read. But I like the discussion to be there for newcomers and in case someone does come back and check. Also, I love interacting with you all there. But I am sensitive to any of your concerns and I resolve to use an email response in the following situations:
- delicate matters
- time-sensitive matters (may use both the comment area and email so as not to miss you)
- if I think you can’t possibly live without my witty response (don’t worry - I can’t see your email inbox getting full of these from me, LOL)
- there may also be other reasons I may not have encountered or thought of yet
That sounds fair, right? I also will not individually thank each and every comment-tater tot when I could just as easily thank everyone at once. I’m sure none of you are thrilled with reading thank yous to thank yous. So unless it is an original or personal sentiment, I will try not to do that.
Now, for those of you wondering how TGH spent our anniversary, don’t worry I am not going to give you too much information! LOL.
What I will tell you is that we started the day with a sweet breakfast! TGH got me this lovely and delicious edible arrangement that I got to sleep in and eat. Yum!
Next, we went to the Boston Museum of Science. I loved that place as a kid. Unfortunately, while we were there I kept thinking how it used to seem so much bigger when I was a kid. LOL. Guess I’m getting old. Also, I noticed some of the plaques had misspelled words on them (not that I’m the best speller, but you would think for a museum, a little extra care would be taken to spell check a plaque that would be used for many years. So I started to wonder about the quality of the place and thinking it may be going downhill. Oh well. Let’s just hope it’s just me getting a little too picky in my old age. I took a picture of one of the misspellings and was going to post it here but I feel disloyal doing that because I used to love the place so much. LOL. Anyway, it was the word hollow misspelled as hollaw. I also noticed many things seemed to be written in a broken awkward English, like it had been translated from another language that didn’t come across very cleanly. Well, enough negativity for this post, it’s actually giving me a TFFP (Topic For a Future Post).
Next, TGH took me to the Grezzo Restaurant in Boston’s North End. This is no ordinary restaurant. It’s one I have wanted to try because I love trying new things. This restaurant is a totally raw, organic and vegan restaurant! I was thrilled that TGH was taking me because, well, if you only knew TGH’s picky eating habits, you could then appreciate this leap he made in being willing to endure and attempt a meal that was so far a reach from his normal dining element. The man is awesome I tell you.
Sooo….my next post should hopefully be a review of the Grezzo Restaurant and will include several photos of the food. Consider yourself warned and don’t come hungry!
Popularity: 80% [?]
Anniversary and a Question
Posted on May 2, 2008 - Filed Under Polls/Opinions, Site Info
Today is TGH and my wedding anniversary. This year is four years! I’m so fortunate that he has put up with me this long!
This was our cake, made by a very good friend of ours, who we need to call soon! She even made us a special litte cake on our first anniversary so we wouldn’t have to save our cake top and eat year-old cake! Ewww! So you know we love her! Plus she is super talented, don’t you think so?
This is when we were announced into the reception room as husband and wife.
And now a question for you all to answer about comments. I know a lot of bloggers don’t respond to comments in their comments area but rather by sending e-mails. I was going to try and do that too. But I must say I’m having a hard time with that. I used to think one of the things I liked was how personal my blog was. The tea room is a conversational place. I know it doesn’t always make sense to respond to each and every comment, so I will cut down on those responses, but I think a lot of fun things happen in the comments area at times and it’s fun to go back and read what others have had to say. I think some of you have enjoyed that as well. Also, I feel like I’m ignoring my good buddies by not responding in the comments area. It feels colder somehow. Is it just me? I know the email responses works for some people but maybe not for the tea room? Maybe I just got too into the habit of responding there? I don’t know. How do you all feel about this or do you not care at all?
Since I’m busy anniversary-ing with TGH, this is an autopost but I’ll catch you all up later on how we spent the day!
Happy Anniversary, TGH! I love you famagabazillions!
Popularity: 89% [?]
