Catching up

Why yes, I am still alive! What happens when life is so crazy, enjoyable, frustrating and simple jam-packed? I can't even separate the thoughts or find the time to write them all down. The place of employment is good and yet hectic and frustrating and such a daily learning experience, life is fantasmic and wonderful and yet so full of stress. So, basically, life as usual. I love it, I truly do, but I cannot wait till April.

Why? Oh right, amidst all of this, I'm moving. Our current lease ends March 31st & Omar wants to move in with some work buddies back in Astoria, so that's fine and dandy and now time to find a roommate. Or two. Newish friend Biana is also looking to move, and once we took a gander at our budget and our options, three bedroom apartments are quite a bit more affordable.

So here we go with this little jewel. What do we do to find this dear third roommate? The internet of course. This is the ad we posted on Craigslist today. Spread the word that we're searching for a third roommate for reaaaally affordable apartments in Brooklyn. Please do, thanks?


Are you a personable, relaxed Brooklynite looking for an affordable apartment with a few awesome roommates? B & E are looking to move into a three bedroom apartment (at the max budget of $700/person), but need that important third person. While a specific neighborhood isn't extremely important, our budget puts us mainly in Clinton Hill, Bed Stuy, Prospect Heights and Crown Heights. Both "young professionals" (we hate that phrase but it's pertinent), we're fairly socially active so we want an apartment that feels like home. We also hope to host gatherings in whatever space we find (brunch is a big part of our lives), so we would love the third roommate to hopefully enjoy said activities.

E is an avid cook & baker, and tends to keep lots of random spices and foods in the pantry and kitchen gadgets around. Fluctuating between being a social butterfly and vegging out at home, E is definitely looking for a space that can be totally relaxing when desired but also a great space for hosting friends. E is sometimes messy, but tends to keep it to her area. She also has Southern, motherly roots that come out time to time, but usually NY sentiments.

B is a social media consultant and can usually be found tethered to her computer and/or BlackBerry. She often works from home and yes even in her pajamas on occasion. B is very easy-going and she don't want no, no drama, no no no no drama. B also hates the Black Eyed Peas. B learned in kindergarten that sharing is caring, but she likes to be asked first. B is a fan of keeping communal spaces reasonably tidy. B is not a foodie so much as an eatie, which means she does make use of the kitchen frequently.

You are also a young professional, willing to take an equal part in apartment cleaning fun, male or female, straight or gay, petless (unless you have a clown fish named Nemo, then that's cool), willing to smoke outside if you are a smoker, able to contribute or help pay for some communal utilities and furnishings and available to move April 1.

Hope we haven't scared you off, just wanted to give you a better idea of what to expect with us. Let us know if you're looking for a room, we would love to meet ya.

And check out the actual posting with the email contact here.

Insane. Amazing. Juggle!

 

My life currently summed up in three words. (That last one is more like "Juggle, bitch, juggle!") But if you want a little bit more...

• Three weeks into work and really is a juggle. I feel a bit in over my head (in terms of skills) but I'm trying to prove myself and make myself indispensable right now. Last week was especially insane and the company is trying to find the right balance with me as well.
• Last week was "Social Media Week" in NYC. What does that mean, you ask?  Lots of open bars, interesting panels and good friends. Tried to balance attending the important to me stuff - a fashion panel or two - with the just-can't-miss fun stuff. Last night's closing party / Patrice's birthday party was pretty much perfection. An insane amount of dancing and free liquor made for a perfect end to my week.
• Oh, and last night was also my one year anniversary in New York City.
• Speaking of indispensable, I'm reading Linchpin by Seth Godin right now. Game changer. For real. Once I read Emily's review, I had to have it. If you're doing anything creative at all in your life, put it at the top of your reading list. Oh, and give yourself a D.
• And, still rolling along with Babes Who Brunch. Lots of great meals, and truly happy to have met and continue to get closer to Melissa. Even when life feels like it's in the john, she has a great, great spirit to her. And knows and appreciates goooood food.
• Oh, one more memorable note to my life. My friends. Seriously, I cannot even begin to express the awesomeness that surrounds my life right now. There was so much congratulatory joy from you all when I got this job, I was truly overwhelmed. Thank you. No really, you make my life so worth it on a daily basis.

What's new?

For any of you that are curious, here's what's floating around in my brain and my life.

• I had a halfway decent, halfway epically fail job interview last Monday. The last part of it was a computer exercise, and I sat down and my brain turned into a bowl of ice cream that's been sitting in the July sun
• I thusly realized how much I miss and need a computer of my own so that I can practice and keep fresh on all this damn technology.
• My birthday is coming up next week (wink wink) and I want to invite friends out to dinner, but I can't figure out where. Looking for a restaurant that's not too swanky but nice enough, group friendly, yummy, close to bars and such for post dinner birthday celebration continuum. Any ideas?
• I'm planning on participating in the Food Obstructions II and super excited about the ideas I have for this time around. Moroccan spiced winter squash soup with baco-bits style merguez and something else to either dip or mix in. (Any suggestions?)
• I've been on a cookbook kick. Not necessarily buying the all-time best books, but they're great sources of inspiration if nothing else.

Musings from an entrepreneur's daughter

I was walking in Manhattan, on my way to pick up my CSA share for the week, when my brain started wandering. In that urgent desire to write out what I was feeling, thinking, I actually stopped in Starbucks after the pickup, still in the city, to get my laptop out and write. Sometimes, I just know that if I don't get it out right now, it may disappear. And I don't think my brain benefits so much from these lost thoughts, bouncing around in my skull.

I don't consider myself a potential entrepreneur... Not even with this little experimental proposal. I don't have the true spirit of one, I don't think. Or maybe I don't have the balls to be one. I just know that if it ever happens, it's going to be when I am far more financially secure, when I am more experienced... when I'm an adult and not just feeling my way into it. Now, that could easily mean that it will never happen, but I always keep in mind that my father was in his late forties (probably more like right at fifty years old) when he opened the market. Anyway, tangents are my middle name, but me opening my own business isn't the point of this.

As I get older, I regularly realize small aspects of my personality that reflect what I grew up with to a tee. Things no one else may connect, but to me, it's oddly fascinating. How genes are passed, nature vs nurture, blah blah blah, have always intrigued me in a superficial way. So what's a better study than yourself? Anyway, as of lately, I've noticed how the way my father runs his business and the way his customers treat him are completely a part of how I treat business owners. While nothing is ever 100% true, if you're a small business and you do what you do well, I'm going to be a damn good customer. If it's possible, I love getting to know business owners on at least a slight personal level. I like connecting with people, and I obviously feel slightly knowledgeable in how it is to own your own business because I grew up around it. And because it was the only source of money in the household, the status of the store was news to know.

My dad's customers are pretty amazing. They constantly bring him food – homemade usually, or some interesting something or other they may have bought. There's art, trinkets, cards, just stuff. Ways they show their appreciation. I'm 99.9% sure that anything in the store that's 'plaqued' – newspaper reviews – customers did for him. Because my dad, while he is proud, is not overt. He's more of a subtle boaster - “Oh, it's just my little ol' store, nothing special.” When,you know it is something special and he damn well knows it.

As I spend more time in New York, and try to get to know businesses, cafes, restaurants, food carts, and I make connections with owners, I see the way my father's customers treat him coming through. My prime example of late is with the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck. From day one, when I heard about him, I couldn't help but love it. Rainbow cone logo? Flamboyant and fun? C'mon, you've got your number one fan here. While ice cream is not what I should be eating, I still feel a camaraderie with a venture like this, and a desire to support him, even if it is not strictly financial. When you meet a business owner like Doug, who is a friendly, fun, creative New Yorker, you want to see them succeed. So, little things my father's customers do, I see myself doing. During one of my “I just must bake” fits, I took him some of the results. And then, I heard via Twitter that his truck was featured in the September issue of The Advocate (and that he didn't have a copy of the magazine yet). I was already in the Union Square area, so, even though I'm technically broke, I decided I would swing through Barnes & Noble and pick up a copy for him. One of those things where I know, being a business owner, and having a truck to tend to, that you don't have the time to go get something like that the days you're working. And your days off? It's called bed.

It's the small things that I really love doing for people. Surprises, things that make people smile because it's simply unexpected. And they're simple things. Things that so many people don't do anymore, which makes you value them even more. Yeah, I guess it's not just something I do for business owners I like, but more so for friends. I think that is something more people should consider these days – places you frequent, do you think of them as friends, or just another person you cross paths with? While I know every business isn't small enough to chat up with the owner, these are the places I love. I don't always get to do so, either because I'm feeling shy, rushed, or generally out of it. But in a giant city like New York, being able to connect with someone, even just the owner of your favorite market or your barista, on a more personal level is a great feeling. Yes, you can be a regular in this city!

[P.S. It seems like every post just gets more and more verbose...]

[P.P.S. I'll try not to gush about BGICT more... I realize my last post mentioned him too... teehee.]

Eat your veggies!

It's been gross and rainy for the entire month of June here in New York, and maybe it's just me, but it makes me want to turn into a couch slug and eat horribly. But, I've also just been in a personal funk lately. I don't know if my actions lead to my mindset or vice versa, but it's not fun.

Actions? Running late in the morning (from not wanting to get out of bed or getting distracted by stupid things), letting the stupid subway stalling cause an emotional breakdown. (Literally, I cried for most of the ride to work. I just could. not. stop.) Oh, and not waking up until 9am another day? Which meant I didn't get to work till 10:30, and had to bullshit an excuse. I was too embarrassed to man up and say "Yeah, I overslept." Just feeling..eh.

On Wednesday, the day I got into work at 10:30, I decided to walk as far as I could after work until I didn't feel like it. I started from work, and went south on Fifth and then Sixth Ave. I ended up walking 2.3 miles before I got on the C train. It didn't fix all ails, but it was nice to just walk. I love that New Yorkers really couldn't give a damn about others. No one cared if I was walking to 'escape' my funk (whether it was outwardly as obvious as it was inwardly to me) or what. I got some odd looks the morning I was crying on the subway but no one was nosy enough to ask.

So...that's an update. But, what was my original point in posting? Oh, yeah... So two Thursdays ago, my first CSA pickup, we got a ton of mixed greens. I had no idea what to do with them, so I emailed Heidi from 101 Cookbooks. She's what I consider the master of healthy, yummy vegetarian recipes. She gave me some great basic directions and I really appreciate it. Tonight, I went with her ideas, and made her Garlicky Greens, or my take on them, FINALLY. I was pleasantly surprised with how the greens had faired in the fridge for a week and a half. Since I rambled on about my feelings and my life, I'm going to post the actual recipe in a second post. But two things I have to say - it's amazing (for me) how cooking something delicious can perk me up. Mentally having a recipe work makes me happy. And two, don't be intimidated by greens, nor think you have to kill them like Southerners do with collards. Just go to Heidi!

crazy month, slow morning

The month of April has been...crazy, to put it lightly.

I'm officially moved in to our Brooklyn apartment - got some awesome movers last weekend and they were done in ~2 hours, for $250 (including tip). Tomorrow, I'm going back to Astoria one last time to do a general clean up, pick up anything I forgot, and give the girls the keys.

Work is oddly slow this morning, but both Tom and Sue aren't in today, and Lori (supervisor) is in a meeting. It's been somewhat nice to relax this first hour.

- Aaaand, just as I said that, I was given stuff to do. Which is fine by me! -

Yeah, so there's not really a lot to blog about - busy but nothing remarkable. I did slice my index finger nicely a week or so ago with an exacto knife. Fortunately, no stitches were needed but it took the corner chunk of my nail with it.

I've been doing some cooking and plan on doing some more this weekend. The only remarkable thing from this week were some delicious ginger poached noodles inspired by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks from last night. Wednesday night, Omar cooked up a flank steak marinated in soy, sriracha, garlic, and ketchup I think, roasted some asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper and topped with lemon zest and Parmesan, and did a simple olive oil based potato salad with scallions and parsley. With the leftover steak and asparagus in mind, last night I cooked up some noodles.

Basically, I boiled up water and vegetable broth cube, tossed in ~2 oz sliced ginger, 4-5 smashed garlic cloves, 1 jalapeño cut into thick rings. I was lazy and didn't want to seed it, but the pepper was a lot hotter than expected, so I recommend seeding. I let it boil and infuse for probably 5-10 minutes, while I chopped up 3 scallions and a handful of cilantro, shaved some carrot (literally whittled at a carrot with a knife - hey, most of my utensils are still packed up), cut up the roasted asparagus (8ish spears?) and sliced up 2-3 oz of the flank steak.

Toss in drained shirataki noodles and let boil. They only really need 2-3 minutes to par boil, but I let them go for at least 5 (maybe 10?) minutes in hopes to infuse them with the flavor. I didn't know if they would absorb any flavor because I had never tried this method.

I added a few handfuls of frozen peas into the mixture a minute or two before draining. Drain, pick out whatever big chunks you can find, particularly the pepper. I saved some of the broth, following the original recipe, but because I didn't seed the pepper and it was QUITE hotter than I ever expected, the broth was too hot to use. Advice: don't expect the jalapeños at the Korean market to be as wimpy as Key Food jalapeños!

Throw the noodles and peas in a bowl, add the other veggies, and toss with 2-3 tbsp soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and lemon juice. (Lime would be better, but they were still packed too. Oh, and I used about half the life of one half of a juicy lemon.) I added the steak to my final plate, on top of the mixture, because there was more noodle salad than one serving.

Om nom nom!

Ideas for this weekend? "Stuffed shells" meatballs - ground beef, chopped spinach, either ricotta or cottage cheeses? (Just an idea I'm throwing around in my head because of slightly freezer burned 85/15 ground beef waiting for me.) Some of Eggface's protein muffins - but maybe mocha chip? Hazelnuts, coffee, some nsa dark chocolate? If anyone has any other cooking ideas, pass them this way. I have some red and green curry pastes I picked up from a great Thai place in Chelsea Market that I may have to play around with some too, especially since Shira has been raving about the curry she made (which I made in February).